Sand In My Toes

My older son finally got a bike, training wheels and all.  He's spent 2 hours out of the past 2 and a half riding around in the driveway and he's getting really good.  A little more practice and he'll be ready for the bike trail at the park down the road.

I have pictures to post, but I'm still looking for my camera cord.

We've been scoping out rental properties this weekend.  We found a cool one on a lake, but after seeing it in person we discovered a few too many safety issues considering how old the kids are.  It's really fun to look.

SingStar, my favorite addiction.  Sometimes it's a shame we need sleep.

Spring can be really nice here.  The days warm (though that is not typical), the evenings cooler, not too many bugs out yet.  Early evening is the perfect time to go outside and run up and down the hill in back.  We had fun when everyone was out playing Frisbee.

My sister is in town and that's pretty great.  I hope you are all having a good memorial day weekend too.

Today was rough.  I was pulled in two directions by two kids (one who tends to fall face first into rocks a bit too much).  It's funny how much harder it is to try to make connections with other adults when you have kids... (not really).  It was very hot and while the children's garden is pretty cool, it does make me miss the missouri botanical gardens.

Never go grocery shopping when you're feeling bummed out.  Especially at Whole Foods.

It's been a week!  I still have a hard time believing we're free of that house.

We did a "drive by" of two new to the market rental properties yesterday.  The houses themselves were incredible.  The yards and roads leading the the houses... not so much.  We'd need 4 wheel drive and Husband would spend far to much time dealing with the lawn.  Very nice secluded setting though.

We're on our way to the city today to meet up with a group and check our the children's garden at the botanical gardens.   Lunches are packed and I'm just waiting for the boys to wake up.  Yesterday we went to the water park just down the road.  By water park I mean the slides (my kids are too small for) and elaborate sprinkler set up on the beach in the metro park.  We had a great afternoon.

Next on the agenda, aside from this constant rental search... Bikes!

We had our first meetup today with a couple of local mama's and their kids.  It went well, I think.  Everyone is really nice and we have lots in common.  The kids played.  We had a couple of rough starts, but all in all they did pretty good.

The birthday party this weekend was good.  It was great to get everyone together, the birthday boy really enjoyed it.  One of his gifts was a blow-up pool for the yard.  It was filled today and waiting for us when we got back from playing.  I'm amazed at how different our lives are right now.  We can actually play in the yard.  We can play is a kiddie pool because the ground is flat, there are no chiggers or mites and no dogs roaming in and out.  I know we're still in "honeymoon" mode here, but I'm so thankful for the children needing nightly baths because they've gotten dirty playing outside.

Researching cities and towns, trying to find a great place.  It's going to cost us significantly more to rent than our mortgage was.  I knew that, but it was easier to contemplate in theory rather than reality.  Then there is the reality of winter here versus winter there (with a berm house and a heat pump).

It'll be fine, of course.  An adjustment, but fine.

Tomorrow, we celebrate the littlest's birthday.  He spent a lot of time today walking around the yard, little toes in the grass.  Then he's gravitate toward something dangerous, the burn pile with all the jagged tree limbs sticking out.  The concrete steps.  When I try to head him off he shrieks with joy, huge smile breaking out.  It's all a game to him.  He sees an uncovered outlet and his finger goes for it.  I'm telling myself the old standard "he'll grow out of it".

The other one is doing pretty good.  Loves the attention and grandparents as playmates.

After the weekend we're going to try meeting up with some people.  I'm hoping it goes well.

We got in last night at 2:00AM.  We slept.  Not quite enough, but when you have kids...

Tuesday night we drove a half hour away from where we would close on the house, to stay in a hotel for the night.  We had a hard time finding a suitable place that would allow our cats.

We walked into the hotel room, finding the AC running on the lowest setting it would go.  The room was 57 degrees.  We soon found out the heat was not working at all.  I reported it to the front desk and someone came by to take a look.  Unfortunately, he could not fix it and the hotel was completely booked.  They called their engineer in, he could not fix it, but we got a space heater for the room, $50 knocked of the room rate and free breakfast.  All in all, it was worth it for the reduction in rate.

We slept well and the kids and I went swimming in the morning.  Swimming first thing in the morning does a lot to make it feel like vacation time.  We packed up our stuff and got on the road back to our town to close.  We originally planned to close at 10:00am  but swapped times with the buyer in hopes of getting our check from the sale (something has to pay for that trailer!).  We were there in enough time to pass on the keys and to briefly meet the buyers.

Closing was pretty quick.  Many signatures and forms...  On our way out we exchanged gifts with our agent, wine for her and a travel pack for us and the kids.  (How awesome is our agent?  Organic treats for the kiddos!)
As we packed up to leave, our closer came out and asked us to wait for the ok from the buyer's lender so the check would be valid.  We waited.  We waited some more.  We ended up waiting for over an hour.  It was as if that little town wanted to keep us in it's clutches.

When we finally left, we felt lighter than air.  That house has been a horrible weight on us and now I feel so free.

One of the things about this house selling business I didn't like so much was the uncertainty.  We didn't know "for sure" until six days before the closing date (and the date we had to be out of the house).

We had our farewell party yesterday.  It was wonderful to see all our friends, but sad too.  A couple of times I looked around and briefly wondered if I could take it all back.    I'm excited about moving and I know it's the best thing for our family.  At the same time, I've made more and closer friendships here than anywhere in my adult life.  I can't help but wonder how things would have turned out if we had moved to the city or closer suburbs in the first place.

Today we did something I wish we did a lot more of.  Have a friend over.  It was just that simple, but has been so difficult due to being out in the "middle of nowhere", a good hour away from all of our friends.

My older child and his friend played and played.  Together, they had such a wealth of ideas, fun to have, games to play.  Sometimes solitary play just doesn't cut it.

I also had a good time spending time with my friend.  Hanging out, getting to know each other more... I really think we've missed out being so far away.  I want to have closer connections with other adults in my life.

I want community, I want a tribe.

We got word that our buyers got their loan commitment today. Seven day before our closing date.  Seven days and we'll be on the road.

I've been slowly packing all week, which is about the only way you can do it with young children.  Now I look around and am overwhelmed with what still needs to be done.  Fortunately we have family coming into town this weekend to help.  We're not only fortunate but grateful.  I don't think we could do this alone.

My main blog has been private for awhile now because I felt with all the little pieces of information I put out there, there was now more than I felt comfortable with.  With more than 400 posts, that was too many to edit down to my comfort level.

I intend this blog to be a way for those we are leaving to know what we are doing.  I like having the record of writing to look back on.

I hate naming things.  Servers, websites, blogs...  I feel much pressure to come up with the perfect name, full of meaning, clever and unique.  Around the internet, unique in names is rather hard to come by.  Sand in my toes... it comes from a Michigan tourism commercial, "Sand in my toes, sand in my toes, how I'll miss you woe, woe, woe."  I have happy memories of beaches and the feel of sand between my toes after getting in the car to leave.  Seeing as we're headed to Michigan, it might be more appropriate to call it Sand and Snow... Spring and Fall are pretty scarce here.

On this Thursday before we leave I have called all our utilities to set up the shut downs.  I've passed on our new address.  I've baked two loaves of sourdough bread and have a chuck roast in the crockpot.  I'm just hoping that it will be something edible around dinner time.