Finally!

I had an original goal to post a blog entry every month. May went by with no post. There are two reasons for this. One is that we were moving the last part of the month. The other reason is that our computer’s hard drive failed, losing photos that I had taken for the blog post. It has been a crazy, exciting time!

Since I last wrote, the kitchen cabinets and temporary countertops have been installed with hardware attached. The closet shelves and rods were completed. Base trim in all rooms was finished. The bathroom sink was installed atop a newly built vanity. Our old table had to be restored with lots of oil, and some new bolts. Our fridge arrived and was hooked up. No kitchen stove, dishwasher, washer, or dryer yet - they are still being shipped. But we moved in!


The move started the weekend of Cora’s dance recital with my mom being the helpful self that she is. We began with things that didn’t matter for daily life as much. Then, over memorial weekend, the move was serious. We spent our first night in the house Sun., May 28 with boxes piled around, but it was so exciting! After the two years of waiting it was a great feeling to finally be in the new house!

We have had to make so many decisions these last few weeks. We purchased a new couch and two swivel chairs. The living room is one of our favorite places to be with the lake out our window. There are times when I just can’t believe that we are actally living here! We continue to move things over from the other house. Since the move was literally across the street, we have been able to move things as we are able. It has allowed us to cull many things that we don’t need. Last night, we decided to throw away a desk that we had for many years but was worn out. It was one of the first pieces of furniture Mark built, and he was no longer fond of it.

The lake is already warm and fun to play in. We have a newly acquired water mat, which provides entertainment for us all, although Fiona is a little unsure and Raif has a roller skiing injury which has prevented him from enjoying the mat. He fell without wearing his protective gear, and got some pretty bad road rash. He did wear his helmet so his brain was protected!

We can’t wait for the chance to entertain. The kitchen is still a work in progress, with the upper cabinets and appliances missing. We have been cooking on the grill outside, and the weather has been cooperating, but the menu features grilled meat more often than not. Luckily our grill has a side burner that we can use for cooking in a pan or pot. Thanks to our neighbors Sharee and Steve for gifting us this when they replaced it with a newer one - it has been a lifesaver! Since we used it during the first few months we lived in the outfitters, we have felt a bit of deja vu while cooking in the front of the house again.

We have been without internet these past few weeks as the phone company has not been able to hook-up our phone system. Our older two kids have been reading every minute. They are rediscovering all of their books, and it is so fun to see. We have threatened that we will not be installing internet just to keep them reading this much. However, it is evident that the selective hearing we always have attributed to their use of devices is just as problematic with books as it always has been.

A few other notable details from the month: Cora was amazing as Miss Hanigan in Annie, Raif advanced to the section track meet in 110 hurdles, and finished with his best time even though he did not go to state. Mark had a very successful fishing trip in May, and I completed my first year of teaching middle school at Ely! Fiona's glasses are fixed, and she is learning to ride her balance bike. Time for summer:) Can't wait for visitors!