Our First Couple Days in Charleston

*Within the first 24 hours we had our first episode involving vomit.

*Within the first 48 hours our first house guest arrived.

*Within the first 72 hours bunk beds (something I swore we would NEVER own) arrived.

To clarify all of the above:

The stomach bug has been running wild among Izzy's class. I had been hoping for the last 2 weeks that it wouldn't hit her or any of us. Thankfully it didn't hit us while we were in the process of moving, but within 24 hours of getting to Charleston Izzy was throwing up. I can't complain though because that girl is a champ when it comes to puking. She walks right into the bathroom, hangs her head, holds her hair back and lets it fly. She only had one really bad episode and then was back to herself within 24 hours.

My brother Wes arrived on Monday. He is the first of our Christmas house guests to arrive. My mom and Al will arrive on Thursday. Uncle Andy and Nora will arrive on Friday. Nothing like a full house in a new house!

Pete promised the kids bunk beds. Those that know me are aware that the two things I said I would never own are bunk beds and a trampoline. ...we now have bunk beds. Izzy reminded me that, "Daddy promised us we could get them and you aren't supposed to break a promise." Hmmmm. Oh well, Drew needed bedroom furniture and in my irritated shopping frenzy I did purchase the "elite" among bunk beds. Pictures to follow shortly :-)

We are settling in quite nicely. The neighbors we have met seem to be really nice! They have a 3 year old daughter who is super cute and a dog. We have a fence between us, but there is a connecting door. The dogs run laps along the fenceline until we let them play. In fact the people here are so friendly that even Izzy commented while we were at Target. While in the parking lot I asked a lady if she was finished with her cart. She was, and as she gave it to me we struck up a conversation. A couple minutes later as we walked into the store Izzy said, "boy Mom, the people in Charleston are really nice, aren't they?" ...I sure do hope so!

I am looking forward to exploring all Charleston has to offer. We shopped a few stores downtown today and grabbed lunch with Wes, but Drew was a whiney mess so we finally bailed and headed home.

The MOVE in a Nutshell

Monday December 6th: still no idea if GE has found us movers to pack and move us.

Tuesday 12-7: We found movers and some guy shows up that afternoon to survey our junk and tell us the movers will arrive Thursday.

Wednesday: I am told the movers will arrive at 8am tomorrow morning.

Thursday: the movers show up to box our things. I was given two small areas to claim as my own. These areas were safe from packing. Pete was due home that evening. I spent the day getting sheets/towels washed so that they would be clean to put on the beds once we arrived in Charleston.

Friday: kids have school. Drew is there 9-12. I help one last time in Izzy's class and have lunch from 10-11:45. The afternoon is spent trying to pack "our stuff" and stay out of the way of the movers.

Saturday: the movers load the truck. A third mover had been called in to help load the truck and he happened to lock his keys in his car. I called AAA for the first time in 3 years. Pete leaves that evening around 6 to head to Charleston. The kids and I head to a hotel for the night.

Sunday: the movers meet Pete at our rental house at 8 to unload the truck. The kids and I wake at the hotel and decide we would rather spend the next two days in our house on air mattresses. We go for coffee and donuts and then head home. It is raining and since the garage is empty I decide to park in the garage. Ooops, I forgot I had the Thule on top of the car. I was forced to pull all the way in and later had Steve come help me take it off.

Monday: Izzy has school. Drew has school. I run errands and make calls to close accounts/get new accounts based on the move. I also pick up Chloe from the kennel to spend the night with us because we were missing her so bad. *oh, and it is SUPER cold today* I go to pick Drew up from school and my car BREAKS DOWN IN THE PICK UP LINE!!! I take Drew and Chloe into the church and call AAA for the second time in 48 hours. A kind soul took Drew home for lunch while I waited nearly 2 hours for AAA. I thought I handled the entire situation rather well until I realized that Izzy's outfit for the Nutcracker the next day was in the car. Thankfully I was able to borrow a friends car for the night and got retrieve Izzy's outfit.

Tuesday: Izzy goes to school - and to see the Nutcracker. I had always thought I would see this with her, but tickets weren't made available for parents this year. Drew went to Bob/Barbara's house THANKFULLY so I could take all our belongings to the garage. We were supposed to be out of the house by 1 (the closing) but since all things left were to go in my car, and I didn't have my car back yet, we were hoping I could store them in the garage. At 11:15 I got the call my car was done. I returned home from getting my car (so happy for so many great friends that came to my rescue) about 12:30 and had 30 min. to load SO MUCH CRAP into my car. 1:30 and I walked out of my house for the last time. I really thought I would be much more emotional, but I guess I was so focused on getting it all done that I didn't even shed a tear. ...weird. I picked up Drew and met Izzy at Kristin's house which was where we were staying for the night.

Wednesday: Izzy and Drew both have school and I run lots of errands. Wednesday after school we met up with lots of friends at Bumper Jumpers and had so much fun! Izzy and I were both given scrapbooks which are FANTASTIC - so many people said such kind words and took the time to contribute pictures. We slept at Kristin's again.

Thursday: SNOW DAY! We had freezing rain so the kids didn't have school. Izzy and Laci were sad because it was supposed to be pj day at school. They were going to do a Polar Express party and were told to wear pj's and bring a stuffed animal. We made the best out of it and did a few crafts: gingerbread house, construction paper chains, and perler beads. Izzy also went to Delaney's house to make Christmas cookies before we all headed to Rylie's house for the night.

Friday: SNOW DAY #2. ...and a very sad little girl on my hand. The main reason we didn't join Pete in Charleston last Saturday was because Izzy really wanted to do the "end of the week" school festivities. Her teacher even asked if she could stay, and since we weren't going to be starting school here until after the New Year, there was no reason not to stay. We went to lunch with friends; Target for dvd players; ...and FINALLY CHARLESTON!

We are buried in boxes, but finally all together. I feel like I should be much more fried after my past week...but for all the crazy that occurred I think I handled it pretty well if I do say so myself :-)

Breaking News ...not

There are 19 days until Christmas

We are 99% sure we have a rental house to move into on Dec. 15th.

We close on our house one week from tomorrow.

We still don't have a moving company lined up to move us yet.

Surprisingly I haven't had a meltdown since the day before Thanksgiving and I really believe this is all going to work - and on time!

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The English Language according to Drew (who still has problems with his L/W pronunciations)

Drew: "Mom, do you know that Leapster starts with both L and W?"

Me: "Really?"

Drew: "Yes. la-la-la Leapster OR wa-wa-wa Weapster."

Of course!

Funnies

Izzy asks me, "Hey Mom, after Rylie and I get on the bus in the morning do you and Stephanie ever go back to our house and just drink wine?"


Izzy is learning about the First Thanksgiving at school. She was telling me about the Pilgrims and Indians (who can also be called Native Americans) and said, "Mom! Do you know that Indian children weren't allowed to talk unless their parents talked to them first?" ...those Indians sure were onto something :-)
*she has since informed me that it was the pilgrim children, not the Indian children who wait to speak.

Drew said to me, "William and I can't wait until we are 7 and 6." I asked him why, what happens then? He looked at me like I had 3 eyes and said, "Cause then we'll be bigger." Duh!

FYI TID-BIT FOLLOWS One day while driving a commercial came on the radio about scars. Izzy asked if I had a scar and I said yes from when Drew was born. She said, "That's right, Drew came out your belly and I came out your heiney." I corrected her and said, "actually Izzy you came out my vagina." Both kids laughed and then Drew got upset and said, "But MOM! I wanted to come out your 'bagina' too!!!" ...then he proceeded to request that next time he could "exit" that way.

Drew had a day/evening where he whined and tried my patience all day. I put him to bed (in my room since Pete was gone) and he came out to call for me three times. On the third time I yelled up to him, "Drew, I'm ignoring you because you are supposed to be asleep." He followed with, "Uh Mom, you might want to come up here cause I 'frowed up'." He wasn't crying or freaking out so I wasn't that worried. He met me at the top of the stairs and said, "Uh, I just frowed up a little bit. I think you can handle that, right?" Sure enough he had thrown up (not much-about the size of a quarter). I asked him what happened and he said that he put his hands in his mouth and then tried to grab that thing in the back of his "froat" and then just "frowed up". Ahhh, the life with a boy :-)

Daddy to the Rescue

Scene: Big handsome guy wearing a suit strolling down Michigan Ave. carrying coffee in one hand and Sally in another.

Sally is Izzy's bitty baby from American Girl. She and Lulu are Izzy's two most favorite dolls. Last week, Chloe got ahold of Sally and chewed off part of her fingers. When Izzy discovered this she was DEVASTATED!

As luck would have it, Pete goes to Chicago the week after Thanksgiving for meetings each year. I told Izzy that we would send Sally with Daddy to Chicago and he could take her to get fixed. I just assumed Pete would buy her another bitty baby (she was THAT upset that it seemed like the only solution). Well, I knew that the American Girl store makes mucho bucks by having a "salon" for the dolls and washing/styling their hair, but what I didn't know was that there is also a medical center.

Pete dropped off Sally yesterday...


(they gave Pete the clothes she was wearing and then put her in this little bitty pink hospital gown)

I get a bit misty eyed when I think of Pete all suited up, carrying his daughter's dolly down Michigan Ave. What a great dad! ...and I love even more that he snapped a quick picture to send to us!!!

Show and Share

It was "I" week at Drew's school this week. Guess what he decided to take for his "show and share"?



He couldn't have been more excited! As soon as she walked into his classroom, he jumped up and said to his class, "Oh, my surprise is here!" He immediately grabbed her and gave her the most loving hug. He sure does love his big sister.




Izzy was also able to see all her old teachers from years past. She was ooh'd and ahhh'd over and told how tall she has gotten and how much everyone loved the short new do. I was so proud of her for answering all the questions her old teachers asked her. Typically when someone asks her a direct question when I'm around she will get all quiet and shy and look at me to answer for her. Not today folks - she was the big kid on campus :-)