We moved!!!

Well, the day had come, when it was time to move back "home". Home being the small Southern Alberta town I grew up in, Raymond. I absolutely love Stony Plain, and being so close to Edmonton, which is my favorite place to be. Just driving into the city always made me happy. But, after 2 years of going back and forth about moving back, and fighting the pull, we decided it was time to pack up our family and be close to family, and in a small Mormon community.

The Thursday before we moved, May 27th, my dad came up with Kipp and Laura (and their 2 little boys) with a big closed in trailer, to help out. They had some vehicle trouble and had to have a new vehicle driven out to them in Claresholm, so they arrived pretty much at wake up time in my house. Kipp and my dad finished taking down the play center and loaded it into the trailer, then attached it to our big green van, I loaded the kids and their suitcases, and mom and dad travelled to Raymond with the 9 kids all by himself. He is a brave man, and I went through the rules with the kids over and over again and talked to the older ones about helping out, oh yes and since some of them get car sick on the 6 hour drive (sometimes more do to bathroom stops) I made each and ever one of them take a gravel. And if it caused some of them to sleep, oh well. LOL!!! My dad did a great job and I am so grateful to him and my mom, they had the kids for the whole weekend.

Friday, I was busy packing and cleaning. Kipp and Laura were very helpful and I don't think things would have gotten completely done, had they not came to help. My awesome friend Marissa, came by a few times and helped with cleaning as well, so grateful for her too. And I should point out, so sad I had to leave her in Stony Plain. I miss her so much.

Saturday we did more cleaning and since it was Chris's birthday, we took a 3 hour break and went into Edmonton to the mall. So not stressful there when you don't have 9 kids to keep safe and close under foot!! We walked around a bit, and Chris and I went to Tony Romas and had ribs, lots of ribs. Chris miraculously ate all his, I had to take mine home. Which ended up being a good thing, since Kipp hadn't eaten, cuz Laura was feeling sick, so he ate my left over ribs on the way back to Stony. The evening was filled with more getting stuff done. Kipp and Chris loaded the back of Tate's truck (the vehicle my dad ended up bringing up) with bunk beds and boxes.

Sunday, Chris and Kipp went and picked up the moving truck. We rented the largest one they had. It is HUGE. Chris was super sure we would even have extra room, me I wasn't so sure, we have a TON of stuff.

We were a bit disappointed in our bishop, he refused to let anyone call around to have people help us move. Since it was on a Sunday and planned he wouldn't let anyone make calls, and my phone books were packed and it was so sad to think we would be doing it alone. Kipp and Laura did call a couple friend of theirs who are in our ward and they did come and help. And the elders quorum president came for awhile and helped us too. The bishop even showed up for a bit himself and helped, his wife came inside and cleaned my bathroom in her Sunday dress. And Sheila and Daryll Burgess came also and they are pro movers I think. They got the job done like never before seen. So much stuff got packed right into the truck. In the end we had to leave almost all our dressers, all our book shelves and a desk and a couch and big TV and other odds and ends.

Chris was originally supposed to drive the moving truck down and me the red car, and Kipp and Laura in the truck. But that day, we decided Chris should stay and keep working instead of driving there and back only having a short time in Raymond anyways. So 5' 0" me, drove and big huge moving truck. It wasn't too bad, but no shocks made for a very bumpy ride home. I think we got to Raymond after 1 am maybe even 2am can't totally remember anymore. But we drove a bit slower do to our loads being so heavy and we saved lots on gas that way I think.

Monday night we ended up getting into our place. I did the walk through with the landlords (they are in our new ward) and afterwards they asked if we had help unloading. We really didn't, cuz we were a bit shy to ask people on FHE night. Well Kirk and Tina went home and within 5 minutes I could all the sudden see men, lots of men and some young men, walking up to our place. They were so awesome. I was so amazed that in a moments notice on a night most like to be together as a family, so many people were so willing, and happily willing to come help us out. Blew me away, especially since things were so bad in Stony around us moving on a Sunday, which BTW had to be done do to only having the truck for so many days, and not wanting to spend another 500 dollars just so I could keep it a bit longer. And with Chris needing to work and stuff, it had to be done.

To make things easier I just had the load in the boxes where ever, for me to find homes for everything later. Chris came home that following weekend, and i was able to have quite a bit taken care of. It still took quite a while to get everything unpacked, but it did eventually get done.


Chris, Kipp, Laura and their boys in our almost empty house

Everything almost out

Well ok, had to leave somethings in the house, as we ran out of room in for all of it

the FULL garage

View from the other side

and one more view to show how loaded our garage was. My plan was to have everything in the garage to make loading up quicker and easier. Plan accomplished, though had the garage fit a few more things, it would have even been better.

View of this big moving truck!

Before being loaded up

If you look closely you can see the truck almost filled up and see how much stuff is still left to pack up.

Here Kipp and busy shoving stuff. They managed to do a lot of stuffing and got a ton more stuff in then I ever though possible

shove shove shove shove!

the unloading. The men did an assembly line and in record time that van was empty! It was amazing to see!

Notice that they are in fact, very happy while they are working! And they really had a great time, laughing and joking around as they got the job done!

unloading

Assembly line

Almost empty truck

just a few more things

And here is my house. I felt like I was on hoarders for a few days, as there was only tiny walk ways to get from room to room.

This is after I got half the dining room free of boxes in just a day

And me in the moving truck before dropping it off.

closer up, just so you know it really is me.

me again!

And just so you know, it is a lot of work, moving a house of 11 people. 13 of them being children. There is so much stuff and it was so much work getting everything done. But the kids love it here and all their peers welcomed them so warmly and there is a new found freedom here of being able to ride bikes around town and walk to the store with no worries from parents or parents tagging along. Its nice here.