Lists

-It's hot. Makes me appreciate the cool weather
-The kids love the yard but it needs some work. How do you keep kids from blowing on the dandelions?
-The bathrooms are funky and I'll have to see what I can do to accept it
-I'm not sure how to set up the kitchen. I'll need to live with it a bit and see how it will work best
-I love the big dining room and see lots of potential there
-I'm tired of fast food. I need to get my kitchen running at least in a basic way
-I look forward to blooming flowers and learning to garden
-I look forward to BBQing
-I've got a lot of unpacking and organizing but I'd rather veg out instead

How to buy some time

Take one cute baby that insists she's ready to stand and walk (but isn't!)


And place two teething tablets on the floor.



She will be so thrilled to grab at tiny things on the floor that she will be delighted with her activity long enough to let you get somethings done.

Like dust. Yuck.



Or even write a blog.

More moving thoughts

I’m sick. Sore throat and coughing. All that junk. Hoping I’ll get over it quick and get ready for the move.

Things are stressful on that end as moving always tends to be but they are coming together nicely.

We have a lot of generous people coming to help us move. We also have some great friends who are giving a lot of things that we need for the new place. We are being loaned a push mower. We are possibly getting a freezer (for all that frozen jam and veggies I hope to produce this summer). Shawn’s dad is giving us several garage shelving units so I can store lots in the garage and hopefully keep our new place clutter free. We have received a few generous offers of paint so we can paint the bathrooms (which need it badly!) and maybe add color a few other places. Shawn’s dad gave him a few tools to borrow too so we can get some of these projects done too.

There are a few other things we still need though. We need paint brushes and supplies for painting like tape and tarp and anything else one uses for painting. A really large rug to go under the dining room table (why, for the love of all that is holy do people put carpet in dining rooms?!). Rakes and shovels are also on the list of needs but can wait a bit.

And there are some things I want as well like gardening tools and a can/device for composting. Outdoor play things for the kids like a slide or swings and definitely a kiddy pool. A hammock would be lovely as I’ve got some really nice childhood memories of whiling away my summers on a hammock under a shady tree. I’d also like a work bench for Shawn to use in the garage. He’d be a wood worker if he could, I think. A sweet friend gave me a flower last week for our new home. She says that she also has tomato starts to share. Other friends have offered seeds and starts for flowers and herbs as well.

I’m eager to put it all together and get going on this new adventure. I know our kids will be happier people if they get to play outside. I know Shawn and I will be happier people if our kids get to burn their energy off outside. This is a stressful thing but a good thing.

Old Men of Salem:

Please stop asking me, "Which aisle did you find that on?" in regards to my baby.

It's not funny, it's creepy, and it's not original (note "Men" in the title). I always smiles and play along telling you that she's "Special Order" but my first instinct is to give you a nasty look.

Just tell me she's darling or sweet. In fact a smile for all my children is just fine.

We are moving

and while I hate moving there are so many positive things that I'm really excited.

The house


is old but we are looking forward to a big back yard



We want to plant a few things and put up a clothesline. The kids are looking forward to having a place to play outdoors. We hope to get a slide or swing set for them. I definitely plan to get them a kiddie pool.

It has a woodstove

So we can enjoy wood heat this winter.

The 2 car garage and linen closet offer storage that I've missed for 2 years.

Overall I'm looking forward to what's coming for us (I only wish that Shawn and I both weren't such procrastinators!)