Settling In

As promised, here are pictures of the new place.
We just finished emptying out the big storage container yesterday, and are now in the endless process of sorting and unpacking.

We're claiming one of the three garages as Garage Sale Central, and will be emptying it out one weekend during garage sale season. Anyone need a room full of kids toys? Treasures left here by the previous owner? :)
The kids are sharing a room until we build a third bedroom this spring, but it's going so much better than I'd anticipated (or feared). Other than Sara's nighttime chatter and Liam's sometime early mornings, it's actually going really well.

We've got a big kitchen with nice newer appliances, and windows that actually look directly outside. More importantly, we're just minutes away from family and friends.

And John's finally got his man cave. There's a big shop with a wood stove, where's he's already hooked up his stereo and my old college mini fridge. He can escape the craziness of kids, and not freeze his buns off. :)

We're all happy to be DONE moving, and are now just crossing our fingers that our old house finds new owners soon.

Happy New... House Day!

New Year's Day is supposed to be a mellow day of reflection, sleeping in and spending quality time with family.
We've chosen to torture our family this year by making New Year's Day our moving day.
John's rationale is that it's a three-day weekend, so we'll have more time to unpack and get settled in. And hey, our helpful family members won't be working, so they can all come and help us move, right?
The beauty of this weekend of moving? My mom planned our annual girls' shopping trip smack in the middle of it. I'll disappear Saturday to the world of retail therapy, and leave John with the kids and a few dozen boxes. I'd feel much more guilty about this if John had packed more than two of them himself. (Love you honey!)
We'll be getting a new address, new home phone, and new email address in the new year (and all within the next week!)... so if you try to reach us and we don't get right back to you, please have patience with us. And then try our cell phones.
I'll put up pics of the new place after we get settled. So hopefully sometime in 2010. :)

Ready, Set, Go!

We've been keeping an eye on the real estate market, looking for a deal in our budget. Our budget, which is one that we plan won't vastly increase our little mortgage, is not huge.

One week ago today, we took a look at a house for the first time. We wrote up a low offer (double-digits less than asking price, which itself had just been dropped) and our realtor sent it in. Surprise, the sellers accepted it. And now we're moving... in just over a month!

The new place has a great open layout, lots of storage including a man-cave John's excited about, and is so much closer to our family & friends.

I made my first attempt at packing up some of the kids' toys today. My mistake was that I did it while Sara was awake and not otherwise distracted. I think the trick will be to pack quickly, and then seal up the boxes. We're having a Big Steel Box (aka giant moving container) dropped off next week, so we'll start emptying out the house.

So if you know anyone who's looking for a big home with a huge garage, in city limits but with a country feel, let me know! We'll be listing it at an incredibly reasonable price, so it'll move quickly.

In the meantime, wish me sanity as I pack everything into boxes, hopefully faster than the kids can empty them. :)

If You Insist...

I love my Type A first-born child. As a rehabilitated Type A myself, I completely get his motivation for good behavior, and use it to my full advantage. Most days at home I'm outnumbered, and need any advantage I can get, right?

He also loves to be helpful, but even above and beyond how I remember myself at his age.

The other night I was scrubbing away at the bathtub, trying to get it back to its original white color instead of the dirty-child shade it had become. Liam came into the bathroom just before his usual bedtime, begging, "Mommy, if I hurry and get my jammies on, can I stay up late and help you scrub?"

Hmm, let me think...

Well, it wasn't a school night. :)

"Tub, mommy? Peese?"

How messy can one little child-sized chocolate cone be, really?

Hint: see below.

Trick or Treat!

The night before Halloween our county had nasty rain and up to 40 MPH winds. We were thrilled to wake up the next morning to a slightly cloudy fall day with no wind whatsoever. Perfect trick-or-treating weather!

We found Liam's Scooby Doo costume on craigslist locally, and Sara's wore Liam's old Tigger costume. Though if you asked Sara, she was a tiger. She roared at people all night long.

We started our Halloween adventure at CTK's harvest carnival. The kids got to play games, get balloon animals, visit with their "cousins" Elias & Anna, and mooch caramel apples from great-aunt Linda.

Then we headed to Grandma Cindy & Grandpa Pete's for homemade pizzas and playtime. We tried to trick-or-treat on their street, but no one was home.

Next we made our way to Grandpa Bill & Grandma Elnora's for trick-or-treating in their neighborhood. Liam's bag was nearly overflowing by the time we headed back to our town. We made a few stops in our little neighborhood, then headed home for bed.

Whoever had the brilliant idea to make Daylight Savings the day after Halloween should be rewarded. With a big bag of Halloween candy.

Lost Tooth

Liam found John first thing this morning, and I got to hear the conversation from our bedroom.

"Daddy, I lost my first tooth. But now I can't find it."

So he lost his first tooth. And then he LOST his first lost tooth.

Since everyone knows daddies can fix anything, John did find Liam's tooth. Somehow under the couch.

But now it's under Liam's pillow, and as Liam put it, "We'll see tomorrow if the tooth fairy is real."

So tonight we'll see just how quietly the tooth fairy can do their business in a room with creaky floors. Wish her luck!