Super Move - Day 1 - Christmas Day

whew...we finally made it. I've spent the last few days unpacking what little we have and getting settled. I realized that I needed to write this experience down before I forget what happened.

For those who do not know what we are doing, Jim, Charlie and I moved to Alaska...on Christmas Day.

Most ask, "why oh why are you moving to Alaska?" All I have to say to that is "why not?"

There are a few times in ones lifetime when you can break free from the everyday and do something life changing. I have to admit that the cold did scare me at first, but I am one of those people who would rather be cold than hot. We experienced 40 below during our trip, and it wasn't that bad so I am no longer afraid anymore. I went to the store yesterday and it was so refreshing to have that cold brush across my face.

I think that everyone should a few times in their life sell all that they have and start over. We hang on and cling to "things" in our life and at what cost? Our worldly things will not be with us when we leave this world and I think that it's important to be reminded of that every so often. When we first left Utah for California we did the same thing (sell everything) and I don't remember crying over anything I sold or gave away. I was surprised that I cried when a few of my things left. I didn't think I was that "material", but when I look back and think about it...it wasn't the item that I was sad about, it was the feelings that were associated with them.

For instance, my first tears were for Charlie's table. I had to leave the room practically mid sentence with the gal taking it cause I was embarrassed I was crying. My sweet sister gave this to me when Charlie was born and I had so many daydreams of her and I sitting around this table coloring, having tea parties and trying to figure out how to let her play at the table without ruining the great paint. I never got to play with her around this table, so I think I felt the pain that it would never happen...even though that is ridiculous. I can have those moments with her around ANY table. Either way, a cute girl in our ward got it and she has a 2 year old and it will get so loved. I also felt horrible for letting go of something that was such a thoughtful gift...Elizabeth, I love you and I love my table...but ultimately it just didn't fit in the truck. When Charlie see's this she will be ticked that I didn't make room for it. In fact she already is so sad.


The next item was for my snack trays. Toward the end of the yard sale we started just giving stuff away. Someone would buy something and then we would send them into the kitchen for a "yard sale favor." When our Realtor came over we just said take whatever you want. I went into the kitchen to see what she wanted and she pointed to my snack trays...I burst into tears.


Luckily, we have become friends and I was able to tell her the story of them and she was able to appreciate what they were and what they meant. I was just lucky to not have them go to just anyone, but to a friend. At the end we were no longer focused on how much money we were getting, but WHO was getting each item.



The Jeep is our Christmas present, we got it the weekend before we left. Had to drive to Vegas to get it, but we love it. Carmax is awesome!

Day 1 - Christmas Day


Jim had worked Christmas Eve and we thought we would wake up put the boxes in the truck and be gone. Well, we had too much stuff still and it didn't all fit...my pie sign, Jim's ashtray and our rad vacuum...plus a crap load of other stuff we just left in the garage. I thought I would be more upset about those items, but in the end it was all just stuff and it didn't really matter.We left some of our favorite things in the garage for a friend and our Realtor to deal with and we left...3 hours later than planned.

We left at 8am and rolled into Salt Lake late that night.

Danny, meow'd the entire ride up there. The poor guy, had the hardest time in the car. Charlie on the other hand is a great car rider and rarely cried.

We thought it was a great idea to travel on Christmas due to the lack of traffic, we neglected to realize that nothing would be open. We managed to eat at a Denny's for breakfast, but had to settle for a microwave burrito and nachos with not enough cheese for lunch from a gas station. Danny and Charlie were on their last leg during the end of the trip so we skipped dinner and rode into Salt Lake around 8 Christmas night.

One Day down...