We’ve officially landed in our new home. Not like a graceful plane landing, but more like a bumpy emergency landing with a baby pig on board and at least one bag of snacks spilling mid-turbulence.

Are we “settled”? Define settled, please.

Still Hauling, Still Hoping

Let’s start with the obvious: we’re still moving. Not like “boxes in a truck” moving, but more like the Oh shoot, that’s still at the old house?! kind of moving. Every time I think we’ve gotten the last of it, something else pops up—like a rogue tote of Christmas decor or the slow trickle of “essential” garage junk that apparently breeds when unattended.

The Project List That Multiples in the Night

The list of projects is… well, ambitious. We moved in with dreams of a fresh start, and now we’ve got a whiteboard full of things like:

Build a gate. Or seven. For kids, dogs, pigs, and possibly myself. Install shelves because apparently no house ever has enough. Tackle the bamboo before it turns into a bigger jungle we name and surrender to.

Bonus fun: we’ve started a game called Project or Pest? because honestly, if something’s crawling, clicking, or rustling, we’re not always sure.

Bugs, Ticks & Tiny Explorers

The boys are LOVING the new land. Nature walks, bug hunts, chasing chickens, and asking every five seconds to check for ticks or as Skylar says tickens.

Meanwhile, I’m the official Tick Checker, Bug Sprayer, and Emotional Support Human every time we spot something with more than six legs.

Note to self: add “figure out what’s biting us” to the to-do list. Right next to “don’t lose our minds.”

Slow and Slightly Sticky Progress

We’ve claimed rooms, rearranged furniture 47 times, and are still discovering where the light switches are. The sunroom has become our living room. The kitchen? Half functional. The laundry room? A work in progress with a slight “mystery smell” we’ve yet to conquer.

And yet… despite the mess, the endless list, the bug bites, and the late-night trips back to the old house—we’re home.

Closing Thoughts

Settling in isn’t a moment. It’s a season. A wild, messy, joy-filled season where projects pile up, kids track in mud (and probably ticks), and the to-do list might never be done… but the heart of home is already here.

So if you need me, I’ll be hanging curtains with one hand, holding a bug jar with the other, and yelling “Where are my shoes?!” for the sixth time today.