momma mommy bwuh

I think the picture below is a pretty accurate representation of what life has been like over the last 45-60 days.

We’ve finally sold our condo and purchased our forever home! What a journey it’s been—definitely not one I’m eager to repeat. From the endless waiting for even the slightest progress to the countless hours spent cleaning for showings that went nowhere, and providing our lender with every financial detail from the last century, it felt like a never-ending cycle of waiting, inspections, appraisals, and more. Let’s just say, I’m glad that chapter is closed!

Amidst all this, Hurricane Helene struck. I was meant to be on a work retreat in Lake Lure and Chimney Rock that weekend, but we made the decision to cancel our plans and drive up the day before the storm hit. Thank goodness we did—the devastation in that area is heartbreaking. I have so many cherished memories from Lake Lure and Asheville, including a work retreat last year, a trip with my sisters, and our family spring break getaway (see Mountain Recap and Trail Magic).

One thing that brings me comfort is knowing that this resilient community will rebuild stronger than ever. Western North Carolina is truly remarkable. If you’re able, please consider supporting their recovery efforts.

We moved at the beginning of October, and let me tell you, the process of packing up and unpacking our essentials was exhausting. I won’t bore you with all the details; I think we can all agree that moving is no fun!

Then came Hurricane Milton, which forced us to cancel our fall break trip to Disney. The storm was expected to hit right when we would have arrived, and we didn’t want to be in the way while Disney was focused on recovery. Fortunately, we found plenty of fun activities to enjoy around town for fall break, and we’re already planning to reschedule our trip. On a positive note, Disney wasn’t hit hard, though sadly, other areas in Florida faced significant damage.

Sigh. I’ve assembled so much furniture and moved countless boxes, chairs, tables, and huge TVs. I’ve developed a pretty effective system for my work-at-home days, squeezing in little tasks during breaks that add up to substantial progress by the end of the day.

Today’s project: assembling two folding picnic tables. We love to entertain and have ample outdoor space, so we wanted seating options that wouldn’t take up permanent space on the patio or in the backyard. These tables fold almost completely flat, making them easy to store. Since the delivery drivers brought them up to my front porch (instead of the garage like all my previous deliveries), I decided to assemble them inside before folding them up and carrying them out back. The kitchen was the best space for this.

The assembly itself was straightforward—until I reached the folding instructions, which conveniently noted, “Attention: you need two people for this step.” So now I have a picnic table in my kitchen. Classic Murphy’s Law!

Care to share your doomed moving stories? Memories of trips to Western North Carolina? I’m here for it!