This is the way the toddler packs...

We have our official paper orders now, so we are on full power move mode. We've been scrounging boxes and paper from craigslist and other leads. Right now the moving box business is pretty cut-throat! There are so many moves happening right now that boxes and packing paper are an endangered resource, and probably responsible for deforestation everywhere. I know my own carbon footprint is probably the size of Canada right now, just for the sake of ease!

We are on the hunt for a property manager at the moment. We have a couple of good candidates, one being ex-military and highly recommended for his aggressiveness. I'd rather sell this place and get out from under it. We are already looking at housing in Springs and while it's cheaper than housing here, we still have to get as low as possible because we are going to be paying for the nutritional therapy out of pocket until and if we can get medicaid in CO. We qualified for TEFRA here no problem, but these things are state mandated and do not just transfer. The minimal level of care may be different. She's a medical gem up here, but she might be old news elsewhere. Plus there is preschool and my classes. We might end up in a tiny apartment with most of our big junk in storage, but it can be done!

We don't plan on going so low rent that we end up in the ghetto, plus there are environmental factors to take into consideration when you live with Mia. We'll get enough housing allowance to get a "nice" place, but we don't plan on maxing it out just because we can. If we can get rent and utilities covered with a little more than half of it, we'll be able to save the other half for the therapy payments, or for emergencies with the house in Alaska. We also have to consider Mia's standards of living. Pets= bad. Carpet=bad. Old=bad. All of the housing that we've looked at on post seems to have been built circa 1960's, though there are certainly newer units. Their housing is subcontracted like it is up here, and that is VERY unappealing. If it is anything like the housing company up here, we are running full speed in the opposite direction. It really depends on what the housing office can do for us. If they can get us into a place that has minimal or newer carpet, eh, okay. We'll just have to get a very good vacuum cleaner. If they are unwilling to even try and help us keep her safe, it's outside we go. We're overwhelmed with the housing questions right now, as you can see! Helen says go for the academy if we can, but when Gary tried calling the housing office today (and I mean tried more than 20 times, no joke) he got no answer. If that is an indicator of the service, sheesh. We may do well to try and find a rental that is just close by.
I'm rambling and "thinking out loud" at this point, so on with the pictures!

It is important that every pile of boxes is tested for impact resistance. The toddler was just resistant.

"Decorate the boxes! Make them pretty for moving!" This bought roughly 25 minutes of packing time.

"And now for my next trick..."

The girl is in box heaven right now!