Living in Ireland: When to Move Back to the U.S.
This was a hard article to write. If you’ve been living in Ireland, how do you know when it’s time to move back home? In our case, home is the United States. If you are an American citizen who moved to Ireland for work, then you probably entered Ireland in one of two ways: on a contract or as a permanent hire. If you were on a contract with a set end-date, then you know when you’ll be leaving. If you entered Ireland as a permanent hire, then your end date (if there is one) is more ambiguous and something you’ll have to determine for yourself. My husband works for…
When Your Husband Takes Your Prank Seriously
Last week the kids and I headed to our nearest Habitat ReStore to see if they had any furniture gems on hand. I’m on the hunt for three dressers, outdoor furniture and a desk. We also really need a couch or some living room chairs, but I anticipate buying those new. This particular ReStore was huge and packed with treasures. I was distracted by this cabinet and thought it would look amazing painted. It wasn’t what I needed at the moment, but the hardware was incredible. Of course we tried out a rocking chair that was missing a seat. That’s what one does when you discover a seatless chair. This…
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Happy List: #74
Hello, friends. This week’s blog articles were brought to you by the letter M for what a MESS it is around here moving! On Monday I wrote out my list of funny moving truths and on Wednesday I shared a sneak peek of our new home. Thank you for all your love here and on social media about our new digs. I also registered the kids for school (holy paperwork, Batman!) and got new library cards. Still haven’t switched my driver’s license though. By the way, our library offers a neat service where you can check out museum passes to 5 area museums. Isn’t that a good idea? Here’s the…
Sneak Peek of Our New Home
Our goal when we found out Handy Husband was transferring back to the U.S. was to buy a home right away. Do you know what the universe said in response to that notion? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! First, we had a little visa renewal issue, which meant we couldn’t leave Ireland to go look for a home. Well, we could leave, but we might not have been able to reenter Ireland. Then we realized it would be helpful with the mortgage process if Handy Husband was officially on the U.S. payroll, which he wasn’t and the transition date was all tied up with this visa issue. Details, details. If those practical matters weren’t…
7 Funny Truths About Moving
Every time I write about moving I have to do a mental count of how many places we’ve lived – just in case one sneaked by me! Starting with the first house we moved into as a married couple and ending with the current place we are living, we have moved 11 times! We’ve moved domestically and internationally. We’ve lived in an apartment, a townhome, a duplex, and several single family homes. And I know for certain we will move again. All that to say, I’m a self-declared expert on the subject of moving households. I’m also a self-declared expert on the subject of diagnosing medical symptoms with the help of…
Moving! Again!
We are moving! Again! Our time in Ireland has come to an end. I say this with mixed emotions because even when leaving is the right thing to do, it is still hard to say ‘see you later’ to a beautiful place and amazing people. I’ll write more about why we chose to leave Ireland and what factored into our decision in a later article. It’s complicated! The song, America and Me, by Luke Spehar has been stuck in my head since we touched down in the U.S. It’s a catchy tune you may relate to if you’ve ever been filled with wide-eyed wonder with all there is to explore…
Happy List: #73
It’s June 1, baby! I’m not going to say that thing about this year flying by. I’m not. You can’t make me. On Monday we celebrated Memorial Day and I pondered some thoughts about all that. On Wednesday I shared my tips for visiting Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument in Washington state. My kids have been very into volcanoes since they learned about Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii. Pompeii is on our Travel Bucket List now and I have no complaints about that. It’s been interesting to compare and contrast what’s currently happening in Hawaii with eruptions from other volcanoes like Mt. St. Helens. Mother Nature is amazing. She’s also…
Travel: Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
We have traveled to a lot of places in the past couple of years, but it was a visit a to my childhood home that prompted a recent excursion to Mt. St. Helens with my kids, ages 8 and 11. I have been to Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument a couple of times, but this was my children’s first visit. And, boy, did they have a lot of questions, starting with this one… “What was it like when Mt. St. Helens erupted, Mom?” I indignantly replied, “How old do you think I am, kids? Huh?” Actually, they were right. I was alive during the volcano’s last big eruption, but I was…
Memorial Day
Is it correct to say “happy” Memorial Day? After all, it is a day to remember those who died serving in the United States armed forces. Perhaps it is just one of those things we say because the holiday has also morphed into the unofficial start of summer and a long weekend to spend with friends and family. Happy might not be the right word, but I am extraordinarily grateful for the men and women who have served our nation. There was a period in our country’s history when military service was required. Having never lived through an era when I was really ‘forced’ to do anything, not to mention…
Happy List: #72 Memorial Day Weekend Edition
Who’s ready for a 3-day weekend? Me, Me, ME! Doesn’t Memorial Day kick off the beginning of summer too? I’m ALL about summer! This week I whined shared about how I’ve come to terms with embraced back-to-back birthdays for my kiddos. I also shared a gorgeous DIY live edge wood coffee table that I tried to bring home with me on my last visit to my parents’ house. Here’s this week’s Happy List! WALLPAPER ON A CEILING Normally, I’d say if your ceiling has these gorgeous beams, it doesn’t need anything else. I think I’m wrong. This ceiling is so eye-catching with the wallpaper. If you aren’t sure, click over to…
