Moving

The cat is out of the bag, we're moving. We're just going across town but it is still a huge change for our family. I can't tell you what a relief it is now that it isn't a secret. We held off telling anyone for a long time because we wanted to make sure that things were pretty solid and that the house was ready to be sold, and I sort of felt like we were betraying all of our friends and ward here. I know that is slightly crazy, but I felt awful. The sign is up, though, and the world hasn't exploded so I'm thinking that we might survive this. Now someone PLEASE just buy our house. It would really help us out! 

We have been working tirelessly to get everything finished up and looking nice. The day they laid the carpet downstairs I sat down and cried. It all looks so beautiful and all the projects that we meant to get to have finally been done. It is the house I always wanted to live in, and now we are terrified to do anything in it for fear that the kids will get it dirty. Anyway, all of those bittersweet feelings attack me constantly. I simultaneously love and hate this house. Hate all the dumb things we have had to fix and all the time we have spent remodeling it only to have someone pay way under what everything cost us. Love it because, this is the house I brought my babies home to. This is the house that contains every memory of my children's lives up until this point. 

So here are some pictures of the carpeted basement for anyone who is interested. I hope that someone buys it who will love it and appreciate all of our work.

 This is the floor we have lived with for 7 years. 

 The boys' new room in the basement, it's so huge and nice compared to the tiny one they were sharing.

I will miss this house. It makes me sick to think of leaving, but at the same time I feel like we are doing the right thing. I'm not sure how everything will work out but I'm trying to have faith that it will. So please everyone pray for us to sell this house and for fun new adventures to come.

E turns 3

Do you ever have a special event and then later look at the pictures and think, I took 5 pictures of nothing? Well we just celebrated E's third birthday and looking over the pictures that's about what his day looks like. Since it was on a Sunday, it was a pretty low key affair, but he seemed to enjoy it so I guess it works. Here are the handful of random pictures we took. 

 We started out with our now traditional doughnut game

 Then opened presents

 Like last year, we had all Lightning McQueen presents. I swear we have paid for all of Pixar's CEO's vacation homes.

 The cake

 E was so cute. He would tell everyone that he met that he had gotten a pirate ship cake for his birthday.

 We drove down to Grandma's after church to eat dinner and have cake, but when we got there E had fallen asleep in the car. The kid was dead asleep, he slept through 3/4 of his party.

 Miss H and Uncle Eric hanging out in the backyard

 E finally woke up to play with his uncles in the back yard. His uncles are his favorite!

Here we are with (a horrible picture of) E right before he blew out his candles. I look good though, so whatever. 

The next day Miss H had to hold E's balloons the whole time she ate breakfast. 

We are so lucky to have E in our family. He is definitely the spice of our lives. When he is sleeping or gone, things just seem downright boring. 

E has really grown up in the last few months as well. We just put in carpet **yeah!!! I'll post that later** When the man came to measure the rooms, E walked up to him and said in a crystal clear voice, "What are you doing, Sir?" I think my jaw hit the floor. And tonight I got on his case for bringing a cup of water onto the new carpet. He started crying and said, "Mom, don't get mad at me for that brand new carpet. It is ugly."  

E is just a strong willed, determined little guy. Sometimes I get super frustrated with him, but then I realize that he probably got it from me (and then I sit outside so that I don't beat him--haha). All in all, his natural tendency to be a fighter just makes it that much sweeter when we see him show gentleness as well as growth and maturity. We sure love this kid and know he was meant for our little family.