Top 10 Clues for a Successful Move

Don't ask if we're all settled in yet. The answer should be obvious.
Alright, here are the top 10 clues:

10. On your last day in the old house, do not ask your kids if there's anything they want to do one last time before you move. Both the boys managed to yank out a not-so-loose tooth and we ended up having one more visit from the tooth fairy, as if we weren't busy enough that night.

9. Expect the unexpected. On the day of our move, Daniel came home from Kindergarten with The Surprise Box. "Please help your child find an item to put in the box and write three clues to encourage the other children to guess what it is. You must return it tomorrow! Have fun." Yeah. Very fun.

8. Make sure you know where the cat is before it's time for him to go to his overnight bungalow at the vet. Otherwise, as you can imagine, you will be frantically searching for him when you really should be focusing on actually moving.

7. Choose a funny person to be your realtor so he can entertain you while you sign papers and wait for your thousand copies to be made. (Thanks, Del.) You may also want to do some hand exercises in the days leading up to your closing. Oh yeah - and they'll need your signature WITH your middle initial as well as WITHOUT.

6. Wait at least 10 minutes before depositing your check from the title company. If you don't, they will probably call you right after you leave the bank and say, "Hold on to that check for a bit, will you?" Just imagine the stress you would have if that happened...

5. Be prepared for a warm welcome from all your new neighbors. No, I'm not talking about the human ones. Among the array of creature neighbors we've met so far: chipmunks living in the front yard, woodpeckers, box turtle, wolf spiders and a possible black widow (never could get her to roll over before we gave up and smashed her - just in case.).

4. If it looks like a lazy susan, it probably is a lazy susan. Push harder.

3. Remember to use deodorant on your first Sunday in the new ward.

2. Do not, I repeat, do NOT believe anything Verizon says about transferring your phone service.

And...

1. Do not promise your kids you will take them on the ward campout that takes place two days after you move. Trust me, you will be exhausted. (Or, at least, your husband will be - if it's the Father-Son campout.)