Big changes are happening in 2017...

We are moving to Durango, Colorado!

Ryan and I started discussing the idea of moving last year. After our trips to California and Tennessee, Ryan and I both decided we wanted to move. His new job allows us to live anywhere we want. Research began, and Ryan found the perfect place, a mix of outdoor adventures, Jeep adventures, and beautiful landscape. 

Ryan and I flew to Durango the first week of February. Henry stayed back in Louisiana with my parents. We had a week to decide if we liked the area, liked the people, and if we could find a house. We loved the area, loved the people, and we found a house!

Photo taken the day we put in an offer. The walls were only framed. 

The builder sent us an updated photo last week. Drywall is now up. 

The house will be done April/May, and we close first week of June! Since we bought the house early in the building process, we are able to pick finishes. While we were still in Durango, we went and picked out our granite and cabinets. Now that we are back in Louisiana, I love my regular emails/texts from the builder's wife about finishes. It's fun to have a say in how the house, without all the hassle of designing and building from scratch. 

We are beyond excited to get out there and start exploring the area. It will be nice to have so many adventures near by so we can fully enjoy Ryan's month off, without having to fly or travel long distances to get somewhere. I am excited to take Henry out there. Everyone is going to love him, and he is going to love all the opportunities to be outside. 

Besides being a great place for families and to be outdoors, we were also told it has been voted best food and worst dressed city. Not sure what article says that, but either way it's great. Ryan and I did not find a meal we didn't love, and we didn't venture off Main Street. And you can wear whatever you want, no one cares! Love it! But that doesn't mean I will not try to look cute, whether it's outdoor flannel outfit, or super cute mountain town girl. Yay, for dressing for the seasons again! 

Besides spending lots of time with our realtor (she's fantastic!), and the builder and his wife (they are fantastic too) we did have time for some adventures. We went snowboarding near Silverton, and then stopped to visit the town. Very beautiful area, will be fun to visit, but so thankful I am not living there, a bit too small and remote for me. Ryan and I already have plans for the summer, and Ryan will definitely be snowboarding there next winter! 

Drive back from Silverton to Durango. 

We also participated in the Valentine's Day train ride. It seems everyone we talk to about Durango knows about the train. It's an old, steam train that travels from Durango to Silverton. It was a lot of fun and a great way to see the area. They are also the company that started The Polar Express. We rode the Polar Express in New Orleans last year (I still need to post about that experience), and it was fun, but I am beyond excited (insert happy dance) to ride the Polar Express in Durango. Full steam train, winter wonderland, how many days until Christmas?!?! 

As soon as we came back from Durango, our house in Louisiana went on the market. Ryan and I are really good at buying houses, in both Louisiana and Durango, it took us less than a week to find a house. This is our first experience selling a house. We were able to get the house ready and on the market in only a few days, but now it's out of our control. 

In Ryan's words, when we said good bye at the airport before he left, "You need to sell our house in Louisiana and finish building our house in Colorado, see you in a month."  

The building is the fun part, the selling is the hard part.