Year 2, Day 155: And the story continues...

Owie, ouch, owie.  My shoulders are screaming in pain!  I thought I did a great job pacing myself, but I guess I carried one too many boxes myself yesterday and today.  It's hard to wait for the "help" to actually want to help.  Jared and I both woke up with headaches, so we did take it slow today.  We brought down a couple of mattresses and filled the van with whatever we could take.  We are spending one more night in the condo, and then we're done! We'll be boxing up and taking the rest of the kitchen and fridge stuff in the morning, making bedframes, and sleeping in the new house!  Then I'll come back and do a thorough cleaning and triple checking of closets before we hand over the keys.  I was able to sort out some of the stray boxes and get a handle on where everything is.  I cleaned up the dining room table, determined to NOT use it as a dumpspot even now as we unpack.  Same goes for the kitchen countertops.  I decided where kitchen items might go and labeled the cabinets for easy putting away of dishes tomorrow and/or the next day . Once both Benaiah and Jared are available at the same time again (Benaiah worked at church this weekend and then Jared will go to work during the day this week) we'll figure out final furniture placement.  I could leave it as it is, but I really want to take the time to play around with it first and use the space well.  It's still a bit cramped, because the rooms aren't huge, and like I do when I'm packing anything, a closet, a box, etc. I want no dead space.  But it's hard to wait to because I want all the brown boxes gone now!

We did try to have Abishai nap at the new house in his big boy bed, but he was too excited. He took a 1 hr nap with Jared on one of the matresses. I think we'll use the pack and play tomorrow so he can't get up and wander out of the room.  I should have anticipated that a little better.  So, he's a bit cranky and also has a sore bum from weird eating schedules in multiple homes.  The other kids are at their limit to all this back and forth and what toys/clothes do I need where?  In fact, they didn't bring back any clothing for tonight!  Whoops!  One last load of laundry is going through tonight, so if they want, they can have fresh clothes in the morning.  They where also stinky and dirty, so they all got a bath or shower.  That will buy me an extra day or two so I can get the bathroom going.

Speaking of bathrooms and setting up, I was looking at simple round towel racks, and even the cheap ones are still $8!  I NEEDED one for the kitchen, but I'll wait for one in the bathroom.  In fact,  I don't think there is a rack for big towels in the bathroom.  Whoops!  That's the other reason I waited to get one for a hand towel because I think the set of hardware is cheaper than individual pieces.  I think we are going to have a daily trip to Lowe's for the next week or so.

I know my headache is stemming from too much sugar right before the move and then trying to stay off of it for 30 days or so.  Wowzers!  Jared didn't get his caffeine today, so he was hurting.  Plus our noses are still icky.  But at least he and I had the time and space with no outside opinions to make more long term plans for upgrades on the house and what takes priority.  We didn't do much of that with our first house.  Instead, we were pretty reactive to any given situation like leaks or downspouts or bathrooms needing redone because of leakage or blockage.  This time, we are trying to get ahead of it.  Also, I want to be more intentional about making the house more welcoming and "pretty."  Not Martha Stewart pretty, but putting into place all these homemaking hacks and things I've learned over the years.  For example, I bought the sticky shelf paper kind of stuff tonight.  In the past, I wouldn't have cared, but now I do care that the cupboards are a bit scruffy and need a little something to go under the dishes.  Just little things like that where before we would never dream to spend money on it.  We don't have gobs of money to spend now, but by doing a little bit here and a little bit there over the next 6-12 months, we will have upgraded our homekeeping a notch.  It's finally fun to "play house!"

Last, but not least, at 12:07am tomorrow morning, Benaiah Alexander turns 15!  15 years ago I was in labor and had just gotten to the hospital via Gary because Jared had just gone to work for the night shift at the airport at 8:15.  It's 9:45pm now.  Gary took me, they confirmed that I was 7 cm dilated, and to call the husband NOW.  And with an epidural and very little pushing, Benaiah was born at 0007 hrs.  Triple O 7 (like double O 7 of movie fame).  I actually do remember a lot of the end of the week because at that time, the hotel area of the hospital had just been opened and we were given the option to stay there 1 night after our regular 2 nights in hospital.  Anyway, what fun that our first night in the new house will be on the day he was born! AND we moved into our first home in Beech Grove about a month later on July 4th.  AND 10 years after that, we moved into our Charlottetown duplex also on July 4th!  Crazy!  Easy to remember though!

Happy 15th birthday, Benaiah!!! (tomorrow)

and....

Happy 3rd birthday to our nephew, Eli! (I knew it was coming up, but kind of forgot it was today).

I got stuck with the "Ben's" yesterday, Benjamin and Benaiah, who hung up upstairs so they didn't have to carry so many boxes.  They took apart beds instead.

Lunch at Grandma's house, 2 minutes away.  Abishai wanted to join in with the big guys.

Very full van! We used every square inch!

"Ah! So many boxes! And heavy boxes of books! No more books!"

Keep on working says the task masker!

Justin was old enough and big enough to help this time around.

Mrs Mary, always a helper.

Big "E" sharing the load with others.

Mrs. Alisha's truck is filled as well.  Away we go to the new house, all 3 women!

So much testosterone!

He-man!

One piece flew off the fridge and now e can't use the freezer because we are risking it having this gap. We are able to get the door back in place, but it's still a big hazard..

Your coming home son, Puppy Doggie!

Mrs. Robyn and Sarah cleaning up the fridge!

Lots of full trucks, ready to be unloaded after lunch of pizza, fruit and veggies, and chips.

Socks can hear us and he put his chin on the window sill so beautifully.

Let me in!

Baby lovins'  

My littlest baby is 15 years old!

Abishai was thirsty and we forgot the water cup at home, so Daddy bought him his own very special sports cap water bottle!  He held it like he was just handed the world.  He protected his bottles and love it!

First family picnic on our dining room table!

Mailboxes are for....cars of course!

Ah, now that looks familiar! The plaid couch that matches the colors in the rug (which we haven't used in a year) and the red chair.  Plus the mess of course, which is not what that room is for.  The toys will live in the sunroom, but they can be brought out anywhere during the day.

Attempting to nap in the new bed with his brother.  It's too fun though!

See, I deep clean! It wasn't too bad, and I went slowly and just did enough without wearing myself out.  Oh, and I'm wearing Justin's socks because I had none at the condo this morning, but he did.  I'm glad we wear the same size shoe right now!

Typical afternoon with electronics and naps.  I still want to mess around with the layout.

Daddy insisted that Abishai looked pitiful and asked for him to take out his cars.  Daddy's become a softie!

Typical sight of cars!

And the line up!

Abishai concentrates so hard, coming up with stories we dn't understand.  It's fascinating to watch.

The garage.  A lot of this will be absorbed into the house, but I still want to separate it by category.

:Look, Mom, my new glasses!

The big "J" has returned home! Jared cut this out from a log of a friend's tree he helped cut down.  Gary bought it from us before we moved to Canada, and now he regifted it back to us for our house.  Yeah!  I LOVE this thing!

The front of our house!  The flower beds are overgrown with weeds, but there are some great patches of flowers that are blooming and need some TLC.

Justin got his official certificate for memorizing all the memory verses for Bible Bowl this year!  Congratulations!  We are so proud of you!

It may be a bit before I post again.  I won't have access to internet for the next 9 days unless I go to my in laws house.  So, it will be pretty quiet on social media the next few days.  It will just be unpacking, breaking of screaming matches, wondering who's watching Abishai in the garage, etc.  Fun stuff! Onward to a normal week!