So, this house has been our home since St. Patrick's Day 2006--that is the day we closed. Since that time, Eric and I got engaged, married, learned a lot about being homeowners, and each other too. We brought Amara home from the hospital to this house and shared it with many friends and family. It was Ily's first home with us, where she learned to run off, but eventually love her fence too. We celebrated anniversaries, New Years' dinners, holidays and birthdays. We also grieved the loss of many family members and friends together and started to grow as a family.
All things come to an end, or at the very least--change. They say change is the only true constant and we have certainly ridden that wave, together.
I found this house on Copper ct. on the HUD website (same way we found our last house) and we stopped by for a visit. Immediately, Eric could NOT hide his poker face, and it was SO clear he wanted to live here. After a weekend of agonizing over the bid, we submitted it. Because it was the 4th of July weekend, we had to wait an extra day for the bid results, but the time paid off, and we got it! It took a few weeks for the HUD folks to get their papers in order, but we closed on our new home the Friday before Eric's birthday. He said he wanted to spend the night in his new home by his birthday--so with our AGGRESSIVE goal of a 2 day turnaround, we started moving.
To get into the house even faster, one crew painted while another moved. We had Jason's family show up to move us, our moms and dads, and Matt & Steph too. Saturday was a VERY long day, but believe it or not, we all slept in the new house on Sunday night, so Eric could wake up on his birthday in the new place :) Since that day--we have never looked back. It took weeks and dozens of trips to get the Schuylar house cleared out. Dozens of hours with my mom and dad spackling and painting, carpets being cleaned, etc.
We have LOVED going to the park the last 2 or so years. There was a particularly great one not far from Schuylar that had all the things we liked, so I was a little bummed to be going in the opposite direction...however, we found out recently that we are within (what i'd guess is) a quarter mile of 2 great parks! One doesn't necessarily replace the other, but combined, she is very happy at play.
The slides are a little different too--just enough to make her question them, but after a few runs, she was up and at 'em as usual. This one has more steps too vs. ramps at the old one. Sometimes there will be a kid or two there, she usually wants to socialize or follow--which not everyone (as we're learning) is ok with. She really is a social gal.
She decided she wanted to slide with Tasha--so we grabbed her and away they went! She also had some new equipment to try out, and this park has mulch instead of gravel (probably a bigger issue for us than her) so we have to keep an eye out for splinters--but we don't have to worry about it going (directly) into her mouth either.
The bridge is a feature they have at Windsor park she enjoys (when we go there) so it's fun to have it too--especially since she's pretty confident on her feet (notice Tasha went with us all over on this visit).
We'll have to report out on pirate park soon. The first time we didn't bother with a camera, but she liked it a lot. For now, the only real question is which park to go to--a good quandary to have!
Through the moving process, Amara has been very curiously inspecting everything. She has become particularly interested in a lot of my beauty products, which--as long as they aren't harmful, I don't mind sharing. She's been having me buff her nails and toenails, and bath time has returned to it's sometimes half hour sessions of painting, playing, and bubble-making, followed by getting snuggly in a bath towel and reading books in her room. 
On one day, she had brought me a pack of hair rubber bands, and we started making ponytails in her hair. I don't think she had any clue what it looked like, but when memaw showed her a mirror and the video tape of it, she really cracked up.
She also has some small alligator clips for her hair, since it's kind of all one length and we really haven't decided if/ how to have it cut. Sometimes she likes them, wants them in, and will even put a few in. Other times she wants them out and nothing to do with them. It'll be interesting to see in the near future how she feels about hair products and clips, considering for SO long, she never really needed them. 
Is it a one-year anniversary if it's the 2nd time you've done something? We made it to Lynd's a few times last year, but this is our first anniversary season then I guess. We started picking this time last year and then were watching the days until the apples were ready again. 
Immediately when we pulled in the orchard, Amara yelled out "I 'member this place!" Most times we really think she does--so that made us smile. 
We got 2 giant bags and headed to the Gala's. There were the usual planet-sized ones, and I tried to find the smaller ones for her. She will finish a whole apple most times, though, I'm pretty sure she started on about a half dozen, that made their way into the bag. Last week I was baking and found one that was starting to spoil, turned it around, and sure enough it had 2 tiny sets of teeth marks in the back of it. I think you pay extra for THOSE apples.
We walked and walked--sometimes it seems it takes forever to fill up those bags, then you eat them all within a few days :) Amara got tired after about the first bag, so daddy took the other one and topped it off for us. After picking, we headed to the tent for other produce. Eric got (what he later said were the among the freshest and most potent) some peppers, we got some peaches, and Amara grabbed a container of fudge before either of us could get it from her. She also found the became a fan of the giant fan they have there, jumping and spinning around in front of it. It's a little ways away, so we hopped back into the car for the ride home, apples in hand, and very sticky. 
I can report that the Gala's were outstanding to eat and bake with. We're planning on going out a few more times this year, to compare flavors, and to just enjoy ourselves. We also heard about a barrel train that we're hoping to try out--she has really been enjoying riding her own roller coaster, so I hope it's a winner.
Last year's balloon festival was a bust. It was chilly and windy and just not that interesting--I don't think a single balloon was up! This year was much different. Beautiful blue skies, balloons that just seemed to hang or float in the air. We even saw some launch and then literally come right back straight down.
At one time, we counted well over 20 balloons in the air! Not to mention, Amara got to play in the Mickey Mouse bounce house, had a lemonade squeeze, and we all shared some fresh mini donuts. We sat at the grandstand until the launch, then headed to the parking lot to follow some around. We spotted on while driving that looked like a giant strawberry, and Eric saw some he liked that were black and multi-colored too. 
Since the first time Amara visited this house with us, she has called it "the Big house." We really haven't referred to it as anything but the 'new house' so I'm not sure where she got it--other than it is, well, bigger.
No matter what Eric is doing at the house, Amara wants to be helping. She rushes to hold a flashlight, grab a screwdriver, measuring tape, or anything to help out. 
We made it in for daddy's birthday! Mind you--this was a little non-traditional...dinner was KFC in buckets on the card tables in the kitchen, cake wasn't homemade, but from Giant Eagle, but the love and celebration was the same!
Amara got to share in the candles and cake with daddy (A Mickey Mouse themed cake) and even helped herself (Grandma snapped this pic while no one but she was paying attention, apparently!) to ice cream and cake. Some of his favorite gifts were a photo book of Amara and daddy, and new fancy cooking utensils for the kitchen--oh and don't forget the iPhone :)
After a long day of unpacking and moving, I'm glad we got to celebrate the way HE wanted to--and we had a blast. Next year will be different still, seems no two are ever the same anymore.
If these pics don't scream "moving day," I don't know what does!
Other times she'd walk the things right into the truck herself--the guys had to keep an eye out for her that they didn't box her in with all her things :) It was a SUPER long day, with lots of trips, and SUPER hot outside--but thanks to friends and family, got SO much done!
After starting to organize the playroom a bit, Amara pulled an "E.T. moment," and crashed in a big pile of her stuffed animals. I swear sometimes when she does that, I have to take a second to look for her. 
At long last, with many memories behind us, but with many more to come, we are ready to list our first home "for sale."