update- no photos

Sorry about the lack of updates and now no photos! I have been busier than I had expected after moving all of our stuff in plus catching up on rest before Alex arrives since I was so sleep deprived the week before our move. So lots of running around, stocking the pantry and fridge, setting up utilities, address change with various companies, buying little things that we need like curtain rods and stuff, finding a new washer and dryer, not to mention the unpacking and caring for the girls. It's a lot of work.

We do have a washer, but no dryer yet. We have to buy these used since we could never afford a new set, but that's okay. So we are having to hang dry everything right now until we find a decent affordable dryer.

I got the girls signed up for AWANA and Wednesday was their first night. They really enjoyed it! Now I just have to work with them on their memory verses so they can earn their vests and books. Marah is in Cubbies and Jenna is in Sparks. Technically Jenna is old enough to be in the next level which is Pals or Chums, can't remember which is the girls group, but since I am schooling her as a second grader again this year and AWANA goes by grades I decided to put her in Sparks which is K-2. I think this is a better fit for her right now so it should be good.

Yesterday we went to the library and picked up some books for our first school project. Jenna wants to learn about how spiders make webs so that will be our first little study. I think I'll have her make a lapbook about spiders. She'll enjoy that. We checked out some pretty nasty books. I thought she'd be freaked out by them but she was just delightfully scared of them LOL. It reminded me of Ramona the Pest when Ramona decides to be a witch for Halloween and the mask her mom buys is so scary that Ramona hides it under a couch cushion and then lifts the cushion to take a peek whenever she wants a good scare. :)

We also picked up some books about anatomy at a child level that even Marah can enjoy and some books about horses. Jenna has been really into drawing horses and bones and organs so that's where the inspiration for those books came from.

I have a nice little area in our new place that is really just kind of dead space that I am turning into a little school area. Just a place where all the art supplies, art projects, books, teaching aids, etc. can go without cluttering up a main living area. It's really nice to have that. I've already started getting it set up. I have a large cabinet that I need to paint (hopefully this weekend) that will store most of their stuff so once I get that done I can finish up the school room.

I think tomorrow we are going to make a dollhouse. Well, probably one for each girl cause I hate to think of them trying to share one. I got a cute idea from a blog for making one out of a cardboard box and we have lots of paint and stuff that should make for a cute house. The kids will really enjoy that and with all the rain we're getting it should be a fun rainy day indoor activity.

The other night I started having false labor contractions and I really thought I was going to be heading to the hospital. They were coming every 4 minutes and lasting about 50 seconds, and they were not comfortable. It was really making me nervous because I am totally unprepared. I started realizing all that I need to do before I go to the hospital and so I got up and walked around to see if they would stop, and they did. Phew! Our carseat wasn't put together (the pad was recently washed and in a box and the straps were off) and I didn't have the going home outfit ready and I have nothing packed for myself. Okay, so I know that most of this isn't even necessary and that things will be fine even if I don't manage to get them done, but the last thing I want is to go the hospital with more stress on my mind than just the labor and delivery of Alex you know? So I put together the carseat and got the outfit ready to go. Now I just need to pack some stuff for myself and I'll be able to relax.

Anyway, most of the house is set up. The living room looks a little spare (which is really weird since in our old place it was just cluttered) and the dining room as well since we don't have a real table and chairs, just a small patio table in a huge dining room. The front of our house echos so bad cause there is just nothing there! And of course we have no money to buy new furnishings so for now we just deal with it. It still looks better than our old place and it's funny how even our crappy stuff doesn't look so bad here. I mean, it doesn't look great or anything, but definitely looks better.

Kitchen is done, girls room is done, bathroom is done, living room is done. The dining room is still full of boxes because we need to get that cabinet painted and there are some shelves that I think are in the garage that I need to bring in to put stuff in/on. The baby's room is just full of boxes and the crib is in pieces but I'm not too concerned about that right now. He'll sleep in our room in his bassinette for the first couple of months probably anyway. I just want to get his dresser stocked with clothing and diapers, otherwise that room takes a back seat to the other rooms that need to be set up. Our room is pretty much done except for putting clothes in the dresser and organizing the clothes hanging in our closet. Oh and I suppose hanging a curtain and finding some stuff to hang on the walls.

In our almost 9 years of marriage we have never put any effort into making our own room look nice. We have nothing for the walls or anything to make the room a nice place to be. I've got to change that. We are spending more time in there at night since we set up a TV and DVD player in there. It's much more relaxing to watch TV in there at night than on the couch.

The girls have been playing so nicely together. I can tell that having more space and a bigger bedroom has made a difference in how they play. Overall I just can't say how happy I am to be here. :)