Boxes and Moving Vans and Big Girl Beds, Oh My!

As most of you know, we Hobens are officially outgrowing the townhouse we had lived in for 5 years in a few weeks. So, in mid November we moved into a new house. We are pretty much all settled in now. Here are some snippets from the Big Move.

 

 

 This was her idea of helping us pack.

 

 "I know I put it in here somewhere..."

 

 This is how you get through a move: a coloring book, a sleeve of graham crackers, and Mommy's phone.

 

 ...and a little hokey pokey never hurt either.

 

 Actual moving day: Rylee was totally oblivious to the chaos going on around her. Furniture moving in and out. Boxes everywhere. Cable guy here. And there she was, just coloring in her to-be playroom.

 

 It's amazing what you come across during a move. Derby, anyone?

No couch? No problem!

 



 

 Nothing like a good, old-fashioned White Castle floor picnic

 

 

 

She decided the yard already needed mowing

 

Dining al fresco

 



 First night in her big girl bed!!

 

 A real yard for her water table. How happy is she?!

 

 First real meal at the kitchen table. I believe that is the "Seriously, Mommy?" look you're seeing there.

 

 

 First bath in new tub

 Movie night in the new digs

 

 

 Leaves to rake! So much fun!

 

 

First Daddy Pancake Day in the new crib

 Something about those boxes she just can't resist...

 

This was her "helping Mommy get the playroom together." Insert raised eyebrow face here.



The Wedding of the Year... Starring Rylee

 One of Mommy's very best friends, Mia, known to Rylee as "Auntie Pea," got married in November in Richmond. The wedding was actually on Mommy's birthday, so it was a very big weekend. We got to stay with Aunt Zsa Zsa too and hang out with some of our best girlfriends there. Amy and her daughter, Peyton, as well as Meghan came up to hang out. So, we had a very fun weekend. And Rylee, well, she never misses a party. In fact, she was kind of the highlight of the party... besides the bride and groom of course.

 

Checking out the infamous watermelon cake at the rehearsal dinner

 

Blondies

 



Experimenting with some of the photo booth props at the wedding

 



"If I put this on, they will have no idea who I am and I can get away with whatever I want!"



Not fooled by Daddy's disguise. She smooched him anyway.

We couldn't wait for the organized dancing to be done so we could get out on the dance floor.

 



Learning some new steps

 



 

Teaching some new steps

 

Dancing with Auntie Pea

 



 

Rylee and Zora, the flower girl, were instant buddies. Rylee kept calling her "the pretty princess." Here they are headed off to make mischief.

 

Who knows what they are discussing, but they clearly agreed!

 

 

That blur Mommy is dancing with is Rylee

 



Quite possibly the best part about road trips... hotels. The beds are extra bouncy, she tells me.

 

 

...and cozy enough for 3 

 

 You know it was a good weekend when you fall asleep mid-color.



A Case of the Halloweenies

Forgive me, I am so far behind... but in an attempt to catch up while I still can, here it goes! Halloween was very exciting this year, partly because Daddy got to spend it with us for the first time and partly because Rylee was very into it this year. She had practiced and perfected her pleases and thank yous and, most importantly, her "trick or treat!" so she was ready to go. 

 

 

 Our first stop was the annual zoo Halloween party. Alongside the Strawberry are Aidan the Knight and, well, Brendan dressed as himself.

 

 First ever chocolate bar. You can tell it was a hit.

 Daddy leading her into the pumpkin promised land.

 

 Our champion punkin pickers.

 

 "Ewwwwwwwwwwwww, punkin guts!"

 

 Posing with the Hoben family o' punkins before trick-or-treating

 

 the Halloween Express

 

 This was our favorite house. I think it was intended to be spooky, but nothing scares our fearless strawberry. In fact, she even made friends with this ghosty goul.

 

She was allowed to eat something from her basket after we got home from our trick-or-treating extravanganza. This led to her very first Oreos.... definitely not her last.

 



Pausing for a quick chocolate-faced photo with Mommy before wrapping up our night of Halloween fun