I wasn't going to post a blog entry tonight because it's been mostly a "let's get through today so we are one day closer to Thursday and can get in the house" kind of day. I want to pack overnight bags, but I don't know when our first night will be and I don't like taking things out of bags we need daily. Same with the kitchen. So, I'm trying to hold off. We don't have a solid plan in place, but if you text me or message me on Faceback, I'm sure I can put anyone to work on Thursday-Sunday, June 1st- June 4th. I'm also at the point where I just need to trust that people will actually show up to help. Every day, the anxiety creeps up for me. I need to let go. Maybe take some calming natropathic medication. Something. But before I know it, by this time next week, the moving part will be done, the unpacking will begin, and the kids can ride their bikes in the neighborhood and I can cage, I mean let loose Abishai in the backyard. Today, we were over at the parents' house, and the neighbor kids were out. That's awesome! Awesome for Keturah and Justin that is. Not awesome for me because Abishai wants to play with the big kids, but I feel awkward being in a neighbor's yard when they have guests over for the holiday. I even ended up playing ball with one of the younger kids because he asked if I would. I love baseball, so I did. I told the kids that we will need to get phone numbers of all the parents, and I will need to know who lives in which house in case we need to come find them. No, the middles will not have phones or electronics for this because they will be with an adult all the time anyway. We will text Grandma when they are on their way over from our street to their street. Otherwise, they have to stay within our eyesight, i.e. from stop sign to stop sign, just like we did in Beech Grove, and just like we did when I grew up. We didn't let them on the road in Charlottetown because of all the young people driving too fast. Benaiah got to ride around the neighborhood a bit, though, but we had some friends on the other side of the neighborhood we could call if we needed him.
Wow, ok, I didn't know I would post that part tonight. Anyway, when I'm bored or can't sleep, I solve my world's problems, i.e. what am I going to use to store piano books so that they are more handy for everyone? Ah, the smallest of the Howell bookcases should fit most of them and be the perfect size for that spot! I figured that out at 1 am a few nights ago. I have some backup plans, too.
Ok, so what did happen today? Well, Abishai got a new Thomas the Tank Engine bed! Of course we got it used, just like we got the twin sized big car bed for Benaiah when he was 2. I don't know what it is, but I like providing little things like this that are their favorite cartoon character because it makes them happy. I don't get everything they ask for, but if I can do something or get something they haven't asked for, all the better. I just hope it fits with a weird shaped bunk bed set up in the boys' room. We'll see!
We also cleaned the van today. We always keep the trash picked up, and since we didn't live where there's a ton of sand and salt on the roads, it really wasn't that bad. Justin vacuumed and Keturah did the plastic areas. I washed the inside of the windows and the headlights. We usually do the outside windows when we get gas. And there was no arguing about it because we had talked about it before and how it would count for their TV time of the past 5 days. I plan to have them help with the condo's fridge as well. I did notice that the vans rugs are filthy and need replaced. The van is well used and over 10 years old now. We try not to abuse it, but still, it gets used by kids. I have tried to vacuum it twice a year. At least we've never had a payment on it and it has served us well in 4 Canadian winters and made the 1,600 mile trip to Canada and the 1,600 mile trip on the way back. Plus trips to NH. Plus trips to New Orleans. Lol, I just thought of something. We should call it "Mama's bus" so that Abishai has some new words! But he can say, "van" as well. His vocabulary is definitely increasing DAILY. As well as his toddler tantrums.
Ok, that's it for today. I think I'm going to take the kids strawberry picking tomorrow to fill in some of this downtime and then close up some boxes, and declutter my desk again. Wednesday I'll put together a basket of cleaning stuff and other supplies to take to the new house and pack some of my overnight type stuff. Keep praying that the current residents have moved by midnight on Wednesday night. I went by there today and there was no activity. I don't know if that means they already moved stuff out and were cleaning, or they are way behind and will get a truck on Wednesday to haul their stuff. I'm not going to lie. It makes me nervous. I don't want to have to kick people out. It seems very ungodly to do that, especially since they are grandparents. Just keep praying.
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| Mommy, what's this? Is it a playground? Is it a sandbox? |
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| I hope we don't need that clothesline Jared used to tie the bed frame to the truck! Neither vehicle had any tie downs in them! I know we have some bungee cords, but they might be in the way back of the garage. Oops! And we, in the van, followed Jared in the truck, and Abishai kept saying, "Mommy, Foo foo! Mommy! Foo foo!" |
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| Oh, it's a bed! Foo Foo night night! |
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| I want to get in it! We are leaving it on the truck because Jared is driving his dad's car while they are away, and it doesn't make sense to unload it on Monday just to reload it on Thursday. |
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| It even has tracks on the side for cars! |
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| And the front has a little toy box! And there's a shelf, too, perfect for toys! |
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| Vroom, vroom! I think it's going to be difficult to get Abishai to sleep the first few nights. |
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| Different boxes, but Abishai loved climbing on them today. He even laid down for night night, and then went "bing!" and say up, which is a game we play when he doesn't want to go to bed! |
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| Not much to do when there's no toys in the house. Except for running around, which is fine if you don't have a neighbor downstairs. Poor Judy. I try to keep the kids quieter, but it's so hard. I'll let them be louder in the new house and maybe scare any critters in the crawlspace under the house away. |
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| Plenty of room for gymnastics! |
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| Aw, man! I forgot that we are getting rid of this couch. Sad face! I'm keeping the pillow that go with it though. It is trash because there's been a mouse or two making a home in it. Great for little boys with energy though. We've had it for 16 years since Jared's Grandparents (Johnson) passed away. It was their couch. I've nursed all my babies on this couch. Had many a nap and more recently, night time sleep on it. Fairwell flower couch! It has my favorite rose color, too. Sigh. |
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| Oo, another blast from the past! I'm determined, despite the moving, that we are going to eat better, more rounded meals around here. I'm tired of scrounging and eating Larabars (although I LOVE them!) So, I made a version of Shepherd's pie with whatever I had in the pantry. All the components actually were given to us, so it is a free meal! This time, it was 2 lbs of hamburger with salt and pepper, 2 cans of green beans, 1 can of regular corn, 1 can of creamed corn, and mashed potatoes made from potatoes flakes (a box, just like my mom used to make it). I did use regular butter in the potatoes, but used almond milk so it wouldn't be as bad for me. I also put garlic and parsley, salt and pepper in the potatoes. Keturah said it was too spicey. Justin and I enjoyed it. But the butter did give me a stomachache. Boo! |
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| My mom always made Shepherd's pie with just green beans because my dad had a sensitivity to corn. I've always used frozen mixed veggies (carrots, peas, green beans, corn, lima beans) before. Frozen is better than canned, in my opinion. |
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| This big girl read an entire 259 page book in 3 hrs this afternoon! And she remembered most of the story! I did read the book before she did, because I didn't know how they were going to protray Maleficient. I was thoroughly surprised by it! They definitely redeemed the character and added a ton of back story. I can't wait to see the movie with Keturah tomorrow! Well done, girl! I don't think I've read that many books in one sitting before, at least not since I was her age. Jared said this year was the first year he read an entire book in a day. And in Grandpa reading money, it's worth $12.95! Woot! Woot! I think next year she starts writing book reports to earn money. |
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| I remembered while the boys were in the bathtub, that is probably either their last or second to last bath in the condo. I don't think I will cry this time because I knew this place was very temporary, but still, we've made plenty of fun memories here, from fires, to Abishai talking to making it through a year of homeschool co op, etc. So, I grabbed the camera for a few "last" pictures. |
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| Abishai loves to "swim" in the tub now. I can't wait to get him a pool at the new house! Just the $30 fill up every other day kind of pool. Not one with chemicals you leave up all summer. We've had them before and if you are careful, they will last 2 or 3 years. |
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| Hm, I'm not sure if this Justin or the actor that play "Penguin" on the Gotham TV show. If you watch that show, you'll understand. But this is Justin's non smile face, which is not common. He's still a pretty happy, giggly guy. He does get mad, but it's usually because he has been wronged and he should be a little mad about it. (Like when little sisters and brothers touch your stuff). |
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| Cleaning the inside of the van. Keturah likes to collect little doo dahs in the backseat though. But at least there's no food or spilled drinks or nasty gum! They can eat in the car, but they are pretty good about throwing that kind of trash away. Keturah just had a few Sunday School papers and toys in the back, which is her domain. Justin and Abishai sit in the middle, and Benaiah gets the front seat if Jared isn't with us. If we are all in the van, Jared and I are up front, Abishai and Benaiah are in the middle and Keturah and Justin are in the back. The arrangements work very, very well actually. The boys can help Abishai, and Keturah cna't pick on the boys and vice versa. But it must be a little lonely way in the back, too. Keturah is still in a booster seat because we can't move the shoulder belt to a lower position like we can in the middle row. She can sit in the middle row without a booster. |
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| Justin and Keturah actually didn't mind cleaning out the car. And they did put just enough effort in for my satisfaction. Like I said, it's got a lot of stains and ground in dirt, so there's places that just won't ever get clean. And that's ok. Abishai was the little inspector and had fun trying out everybody else's seat or riding his bike. Yeah for kids who can help now! It makes me a better mom to save my energy for other tasks they can't do instead of using my limited time and energy on mundane tasks. Plus, these are life skills, right? Bonus! |
Tomorrow: STRAWBERRIES. Which also means, my birthday is soon (July) because we always had fresh strawberries and strawberry shortcake on my birthday! Woot! Woot! We only picked berries once on PEI and I'm not sure if that was the summer before I was pregnant with Abishai (2013) or when I was pregnant (2014). I think 2013 because we had just gotten back from a long, long car ride to Indiana and back in June 2014. I think the strawberries are in season in July on PEI (and NH as well). The berries are early this year here in Indiana. We have picked berries here before, so I knew June was the month for it. Yeah! Oh, and $2 (a pint? a lb?) something like that, is cheap! I just hope Abishai doesn't eat them all as we pick them! Fun!
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