Moving

Where does all the stuff come from? I tried so hard to be organized and purged/donated a ton of stuff. Obviously,  it's hard to pack with the kids. Quick, tape the box closed before the kids unpack it! I'm really thankful that I had a babysitter who came a couple times a week to entertain the kids so I could pack.  I would pack during the day and then Gabe would take a load to storage at night. We filled half of a huge storage unit with stuff we moved over ourselves.

Moving day was a busy day to say the least. For some unknown reason Gabe didn't take the day off. I think we thought there couldn't possibly be that much to do since we'd been working our tails off for weeks packing. Wrong! Luckily my dad came down to help with the kids. Although Blake was being so clingy and moody, he was like a little monkey attached to me. He knew something was up!

My dad took Campbell to her last day of summer preschool and then took Blake to the library to get out of the house so I could direct the movers who arrived bright and early. I couldn't believe that it took them 4 hours to move. It's like stuff was multiplying or something. Then I went with the movers to the storage unit. We filled 2 huge rooms. Actually, to say it was filled is an understatement. They barely got the doors shut. There was maybe an inch clearance. Amazing how they got all that stuff to fit - packed like a puzzle all the way to the ceilings. Only our patio furniture wouldn't fit, so instead of renting another room, Grant let us keep it in his warehouse. More about that later....I'll have to title that post 'Breaking and Entering'. Or something along those lines.

This is a fun jungle gym!

Very clingy Mr. Blake, who only wanted Mama.

Thank goodness for movers! They moved all our furniture plus a ton of boxes.

King mattress is a tight squeeze down the steps.

Very rainy moving day. Good thing the movers wrapped everything in plastic.

I got back from the storage unit just in time for our good friends, K, L, C & D to come visit from Across the Pond. The L's were only in town for a short time and between both of our busy schedules, I'm happy we got to see them at least for a little bit!

Loaded up more stuff in Grant's trailer and then off to Campbell's first ever tball game. Her first organized sport! Can't miss that! A cleaning lady cleaned the house while we were gone at the game. So glad I hired her! I was exhausted and it was nice to relax and watch Campbell's game for a bit.

Campbell's first at bat. The kids were so adorable. Coaches were doing a great job with the kids, but it was pretty hilarious to watch. Kids roaming around, kicking the dirt, putting dirt in hats, etc.

Paparazzi in full force.

Lil Slugger!

Campbell kept yawning. Come to find out she was getting sick....read on to find out the awesome details!

Blake wants to join the team.

Good game!

GG to the rescue. Our new roomie! GG came a couple times to bring loads over to our temporary housing.

After the game we unloaded the trailer at Grant and Dede's house, set up the kids' beds, put the kids to sleep, and went back to the house to clear out the last of the stuff. We did it. The house was all cleared and cleaned out by about midnight the night before we closed. Go back to Grant's to find Campbell had puked in her sleep and it was everywhere. Nice! Hey, can we come stay in your basement and puke all over everything the first night we're there? For goodness sakes!

The morning of our closing the kids and I went to say good-bye to the house. Taking a silly picture, trying to make it fun.

Good-bye 222 Harrison, you've been a good house.

Some ramblings about the closing. It wasn't exactly smooth, but it's all signed and we're D.O.N.E! A couple hours before we closed, we found out that the buyers said our oven and microwave weren't working and they didn't like the nail holes we left. So, we had to pay repairman to come look at the appliances to tell us the oven was fine, but the microwave needed a new turn table motor. $150. Arg! Our realtor was awesome and sent his wife to go patch and paint the holes for us. I think he was having mercy on us because I was sick. (See below) Come to find out that weeks after our closing the new owners were still complaining because she didn't do a good enough job. He paid them $100 to go away and leave us alone. So that was nice. But so annoying. Our house was in perfect condition, if I do say so myself. Carpet still looked like new - not a stain anywhere, not a scratch on anything, walls perfect except for a few nail holes - my goodness! Not to mention they basically bought it for what we paid for it when we built it - 9 years ago - and we put all that money into finishing the basement. Seriously! Yes, I'm a bit bitter.

Did I mention I got the stomach flu just in time for our closing? I basically couldn't talk because I thought I was going to yak all over the documents. Even though I was sick, I didn't want to get our hosts sick, and we had people coming to help us panel. So, we packed up and headed up north. A pit stop or two to puke, but we made it. I slept all day Saturday. Literally I woke up for about an hour, but otherwise I was sleeping through the nail gunning and table sawing of paneling. Thank goodness my parents took Blake for the weekend and Grammy watched Campbell for the day.

All and all, I'm just glad to be done with that house. The selling process was SO LONG. On the market for a whole year. 2 different realtors. The roller coaster of thinking we had a buyer who signed a purchase agreement and then backed out. I can't even count how many showings we had - usually a couple a week. Trying to keep the house in some what decent shape with 2 little ones  so I could be ready in an hour's notice for a showing.  Packing them up and going to find something to do during the showings. Then come home to find out that the showing never even showed up. Having the house in showing ready condition anytime we left for the weekend/vacation, which was quite a bit since we're at the cabin so much. Not going to miss that AT ALL!

p.s. Campbell puked 4 more times after we moved into Grant & Dede's basement. Every other night, for what seemed like forever. Combine that with Blake yelling in the morning and waking the whole house up is surely grounds for eviction.