On buying a house.

So I continue to be about 2 months behind on my blog. Even when I actually work on it. How discouraging. Now I'm about 3 months behind. It all started from our first move out to the Midwest; so much happening; no Internet, etc. And now with another move scheduled for next week...I can see it just getting worse. Maybe you'll get to see our summer pictures around Christmas time?
Anyway, so much is going on I wanted to capture it all before it escapes my brain.
1. We bought a house. For the first time. We are a little big overwhelmed, but mostly a LOT of excited.
2. We get to move in to this house in 9 days!
3. We continue to feel the benefits of living closer to family with all our travelling to see them. Josh and I figured out the other day that if we added up all the drive time to all the various places we've been, would it be MORE or LESS travel than what we would have done before we moved? I think it's actually been more by this point, but you can't put a price on how OFTEN we get to see them now. Before it was only a couple times a year, now it seems rare when we're actually here for the weekend. We love it, though. We love getting to be able to just go visit for the weekend and not have to take time off of work, and then drive for 12 hours one way (hundreds of dollars later on gas, tolls and food).

I think it's mostly the little things I'm the most excited for about buying a house.
*Feeling settled. I've been pretty unsettled for a year now.
*Having more than 3 bowls for a family of four. (the rest are in storage.)
*Having my summer clothes. Yup, storage. It was a hot one here, too. I have no shortage of long-sleeved shirts and sweaters here.
*Having a dishwasher. Can't wait. It's been rough doing all my dishes by hand. (Quite frequently especially since we only have 3 bowls, one being a kids bowl.)
*Putting child locks on EVERYTHING. Seriously. We don't have them here. I didn't feel like installing them for just a few months, which turned into 8 months....of having Gabby open and empty every cupboard, drawer on her level. And then having to add all the contents to my "to put away" list. Our new place is going on lock-down. Gabby is going to be so mad.
*Getting our entertainment center back. Seriously? Have you noticed in any pictures the thing we have rigged up right now? The table with the baby gate around it with the tv, AND the computer on top and everything underneath?
*2 words: Kitchen-aid Mixer. Mine's in storage. It's been rough without it. I miss it so much. I've had to even mix a few batches of cookies BY HAND. (No, I don't have a hand mixer, even.)
*Brooke and Gabby will have the rest of their clothes back. I thought I packed them all, but I did keep their seasonal clothes in storage, too. Luckily, this forced me into learning to sew them new ones, for which I am grateful.
*Privacy. I'm excited to not lived attached to anyone, even though we have the sweetest neighbor in the world right now...I'm just ready to live in our own place. For their sake, too...I no longer have to worry about my kids being too loud and it annoying our neighbors. Now it will ONLY annoy Josh and I.
*Also on the privacy note...Gabby will finally have her own room. She's been in our room her whole life so far. I'm ready to be able to put my laundry away, or take my own nap or just be in my room without worrying that I'll wake her up. Also for Josh and I to have our own space.
*Oh, and there's things like building equity, the tax break for buying a house....all that sweet stuff that comes with buying a house.

July 2012

Fair

So apparently the Elkhart county fair is one of the biggest fairs out there. Who knew? It was fun...it really was HUGE...tons of animals. I couldn't get over just how many animals were there. We will have to plan to go more times next year, the girls loved it and still ask me if they can go to the fair.

  This might be my favorite picture from the fair. First of all, look at just how excited Brooklynn is. She is LOVING the swings. And then look to her left...the girl in front of her was screaming the whole time. I thought it was pretty funny to have both extremes captured in the same picture.

 

 

 We saw this pig being born. Pretty cool. 

 We went back later and saw all his brothers and sisters. 

 Check out what we found...a PINK John Deere tractor. Brooklynn was very excited about it.

 Gabby found this random wood. She was kinda using it like a walking stick.

  Someone was handing out free ice cream coupons. Nice.

 This picture is pretty pointless...but as I'm posting this almost 7 months later I can't get over Gabby's baby cheeks. She looks so little to me here. 

 Ice cream and elephant ears. Even in the evening it was SO hot. We are trying to cool off just sitting. It didn't really work so pretty soon we left.

 Yum. Sorry Pennsylvania but I am happy to be back in Indiana just for the elephant ears alone. (They only have funnel cakes in PA, most people haven't even HEARD of elephant ears. Say what?!)

  

 ONE more ticket! 

 Brooklynn chose bumper boats.