We Moved + Easter 2011 Pictures

Are you like yes, yes we KNOW you moved already?!

Good that means you've been reading the blog and paying attention.

Actually we weren't quite done. Remember those 3 "little" (not really) PortaBoxes that we packed up in January when we "staged" our house to be sold? Oh yeahhhhhh, thoooooooose.

Well they're baa-aack.

And full of just a little stuff.

We got a welcome to Redmond gift: germs and viruses of many varieties. Joy oh joy! Ainsley caught something and was home from school for a couple days. Evie got a stomach thing and was home sick for another 3 days. I've had kidney pain on and off, could be a result of that kidney infection I had last summer? Or maybe it's the stomach thing Evie had. Ugh. Then I caught a bit of "the" cold and that's left me with a sinus headache that's lasted 3 days. Steve caught a man cold and was home from work for 3 days. Somewhere in there Adrian had a cold almost lost his voice had plenty of eye boogers but somehow managed not to miss any school, or God-forbid, baseball. Oh yeahhhhh but it's Easter and despite feeling crummy for weeks, everyone knows sick days aren't for moms, I've been pushing myself to get stuff done anyway.

Since we are a family that recycles/reuses we had to find our Easter decorations, which of course were packed somewhere in the PortaBoxes, especially the kids' Easter baskets since the Easter bunny obviously needs somewhere to put his goodies. In between vomiting that perked Evie up. Unpacking the storage units was like Christmas....or should I say Easter?

Of course sick or not "little Miss Curious #2" had to check out the action. And yes, she can open doors now. We still haven't figured out whether she should be allowed to crawl on the concrete. I see lots of knee pads in our future, perhaps.

It's still cold out in this part of the country, but I got Ainsley bundled up and she had a blast pushing around the shopping cart and that's tricky when your hands are holding onto a walker. She was much happier out with us and that gave us time to unload more.

What I really couldn't wait for was my couch. I almost killed myself hauling this thing into the house. After 3 months I just couldn't wait 3 more days until we had a (male) helper.

It nearly slid out of my hands several times (like here) but it did make it into the family room in and without any damage I'm happy to say. 

Because things have been busy (what's new right?) I was, as usual, giving haircuts the day before Easter. Evie "worked it" and convinced me to cut her hair. Take one last look because it's going, going, gone! 

....You'll have to keep looking to see the cut.

The kids are still doing well with the transition. The highlight of Adrian's week was getting his turn to bring home "Abby", the class (stuffed) pet, for the night. They are taking turns and writing about Abby's adventures in a journal. This boy wants a dog SO badly!

Steve's dad helped us unload the last of the stuff from the Portaboxes last Saturday and the Monday after Easter they picked them up and took them away. Yay!

So NOW we are officially moved in. It feels GOOD. I LOVE having my couch back!!!! Perhaps next week we'll all be feeling better (And hopefully that means all kids in school.) and can get the unpacking finished so we can get on with the business of living life.

And with all those boxes comes some fun!

Now what you really want to see.....

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Easter 2011

Every Easter the kids wake up and bring their Easter baskets into our bedroom and rifle through them on our floor.  Then they wait patiently (for kids, but eagerly) for approval to start the hunt for the eggs the Easter bunny hid around the house. After that we go for dinner + another egg hunt at the cousins' house. The kids LOVE Easter. When I say the kids I really mean Evie and Adrian. Ainsley is happy all the time so all this "extra" is not so important to her. Don't get me wrong, she had fun. But as Evie and Adrian tore through the house to find the most eggs the fastest Ainsley was content to find the one single egg I left in plain sight for her on a chair (with explicit warnings to the other kids not to take it) and slowly slip it into her bag and later peek into her bag at the solitary egg. For her that is enough. For me, it's a little heartbreaking. Holidays can be tough times to have a special child for all the reminders of what "should/could be". I must admit I'm very saddened by the poor effect of her eyelid surgery. It's been over 4 months but that isn't long enough for me to get over it. This Easter I got one picture where you can see most of her eyes.  Perhaps to some it seems a silly thing to get upset by. Nothing will restore her eyes to how they looked when she was born, before the surgeries, but I'm having a hard time accepting or being be happy about that fact. As her mom I want better for her than what she's been given. I guess it's harder for us mums to let go. The pangs are fleeting though and Ainsley had plenty of smiles and that's what I try to remain focused on. That and the other kids, who always have a blast at Easter! This year's big thrill...Zhu Zhu Pets. They are pretty cute! And then there is the excess of chocolate, the kids like that too!