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moving stress

We are moving in four days and the stress is starting to really kick in. The biggest things are that we're waiting for the paint on the main floor and all the carpet to be finished (neither have been started yet...) It's been hard to move too much since at this point there's no where to put it. We've been doing what we can, like the kitchen stuff, garage stuff, and storage room stuff, but there's still a lot here. I have moments where I think we're doing good and moments where I see everything that isn't packed yet and start to freak out. We will have quite a bit of help with the kids on Thursday and Friday, so I'm hoping we can get a lot done (there's the obvious problem of trying to be productive with two little kids under foot...it just doesn't happen!)

In addition to the packing/moving, Matt is finishing up the paint in the bedrooms and bathrooms and switching out all the light fixtures. We both have personalities where we want it all done at once because unfinished things drive us crazy...I think we're going to have to learn how to relax a bit :).

Thursday Night Lights

We have been spending some time watching Hudsonville football on Thursday nights. Matt's little sister, Cara, is a JV cheerleader, and our good friend, Derk, is a coach for the JV football team. The weather has been perfect the last couple of weeks, the company is great, and the Eagles keep winning!


I can't resist posting another picture of these two cuties! Bethany and I were wondering if they might go to some football games together when they're older too :)


Yay cheerleaders! (Cara's the flyer on the far left.)

Hewo?

Is this a child of the 21st century, or what? Sometime soon (before he turns 16 anyway), we'll have to have a talk about the dangers of talking on a cell phone while driving.

House Update

Matt has been working furiously at his two jobs: 1) selling cars at Grand Buick Pontiac, and 2) painting every square inch of our new house (OK, not quite every square inch, but close). All of the ceilings and closets are done as well as three of the four bedrooms (Ella's room = Stem Green, Dylan's room = Gingham Blue, Guest room = Straw Yellow). The master bedroom has been cut it and it will be rolled today by Matt's dad (we're going neutral here...there's a limit to how much color I can handle in one house). Then we "just" have the three bathrooms to go. Most of the carpet in the house has been torn up too.

Matt's dad and brothers Brandon and Chad have been a big help these past few days, coming over after work to help out. Matt has a great job in that they're really flexible about stuff like this. He's been able to leave early a few days this week and take some extra time off (of course it helps that he's straight commission...what do they care if he's not there :))

Hopefully we'll be done with the major projects by this weekend so we can concentrate on moving next week. The "professional" painters start Monday on the main floor and the carpet goes in beginning next Wednesday.

a sentimental sort of day

We closed on our (current/no longer really ours) house today. I was doing good with the whole change thing (definitely NOT someone who loves change), but today I'm feeling a little sad and sentimental. I'm sure it doesn't help that I'm tired and worn out from working on the new place, but it will be hard to say good bye to this house even though we have a great house to move to. This was our first house and we bought it when we had been married for just 8 months...we landscaped like crazy, finished our "denim blue" basement (our favorite room in the house), brought two kids home from the hospital, and then watched them take their first crawls/steps here. I basically spend most of my life trying to avoid hard, heart-wrenching changes like this, but it was going to happen sooner or later. We were outgrowing this house and then we found a house with everything we were looking for. I know the excitement will take over again soon, but for now I think I will just be sentimental...

(Oh, on a positive note, the people who are buying our house seem really nice and like just the sort who will take care of this place. They are engaged and getting married in November and they are very excited. At least that makes me feel a little better about leaving!)

Work Weekend #2

Matt took Friday and Saturday off and worked about 25-30 hours at the new house this weekend. Things accomplished this weekend...

Finished changing interior door knobs to brushed nickel
Added deadbolts to exterior doors (thanks Gpa Austin)
Painted most of the ceilings (thanks Dad T.)
Painted most of the closets (thanks Pastor Harmon)
Painted Ella's room (Stem Green...very cute. I'll take a picture soon.)
Picked out blinds
Ordered carpet and lined up carpet guy
Lined up painters to do main floor - they start tomorrow
Ordered new light fixtures (happened to hit The Lighting Corner's 40% off everything sale which definitely helped)
Mowed both lawns (I actually mowed our current lawn and it's in our marraige vows that I would never do such a thing)
Moved some more kitchen and closet stuff

The moral of this story is that when you walk into a house and think "looks great, we won't have to change much," you are WRONG. I don't think it helps when the house is empty because you see every little thing that's not quite right. I know we'll be glad when it's all done and hopefully we'll have a relaxing fall/winter :)

Splish Splash

The kids have discovered taking baths together. They have a lot of fun, but Matt and I usually end up soaked. Ella loves baths; anytime she hears the bath water running, she crawls at full speed to the tub.