Journal: Moving forward

Out my window: 22 and spitting snow. It has been remarkably non-snowy this year. Not complaining, just weird.  Hoping the weather holds out for moving in a few weeks.

Clothing myself in: Brown shirt, jeans, black cardigan.

Life with kids: I was reading back to a year, year and a half ago on my blog the other day.  I spent a lot of time and energy lamenting George's early wake-ups.  Trying to rack my brain to make rhyme or reason of it. Alas, even though it still bothers me that he does it, I have kind of just accepted it for what it is.  He grows well, eats well, plays well, is very intelligent. Some days it seems like parenting is just one big lesson in letting it go.

All the other kids are great. Learning so much. We had hit a rough patch with homeschooling in November/ December but we are back on track. It certainly isn't easy. But I love getting to be with the kids every day. And I love the quiet times (like right now, actually).  George is napping, Liam is reading, Isabelle is writing a story for fun, and Isaac is helping Adelle with her videos for her lessons. Peace reigns, for this moment, in the Marney house.

Crafting: Nope, just packing.  Organized and put away all my yarn yesterday. Sniff. See you on the other side, yarn.

Bringing me joy: Quiet. Boxes stacking up in my garage. The unburdening of getting rid of stuff we don't need. Wasabi flavored almonds. Productivity.

Thinking about: We were crazy productive this weekend.  Have almost everything out of the basement except the girl's beds and clothes. Isaac and Liam's room is done except the closet, same for George's.  Linen closet. Got extraneous furniture out.  It is looking like we will actually be leaving.

All the pieces of the puzzle are coming together. Our buyer's loan went through, as has ours- we are just dotting our i's and crossing our t's. Colorado house has been inspected and nothing major there.  The inspection here was fine.  Just need to get the appraisal on the Colorado house and that is the last thing besides actual moving.  Whew.  Getting there.

Moving and stuff

Colorado. We have a history.

We actually went to Colorado Springs on our honeymoon and stayed in this cute little bed and breakfast.  We walked through Garden of the Gods, went to Seven Falls, went up Pikes Peak.  

A couple years later, when Issy was 1 and I was pregnant with Isaac, we visited the Springs again. It was pretty rainy/ cloudy the first couple of days, so we drove up the highway into the mountains. We reached Woodland Park "The Town Above the Clouds" and indeed it was. We talked/ dreamed about living there someday.  Joe started looking for a job in Colorado. We visited Pikes Peak again when Issy was 3, Isaac was 1 and I was pregnant with Liam. It was our go-to place. 

As life would have it, when he was searching for a job in Colorado, he came upon a listing for a job in Jackson, WY.  We ended up on the other side of the mountain in Teton Valley for a couple of years and really fell in love with the area.  It was this amazing gem we didn't even know existed.  When we moved back to Wichita in 2009, I missed Teton Valley before we even left. We talked so much, especially in those early months about moving back there. We just couldn't get the mountains out of our heads.

We visited Colorado a couple of times over those years when we lived in Kansas. It was like an old friend- the kind where even when you've been away, you just pick back up where you left off.

A couple years later, he took a job here in Wisconsin and we expected that would be it for the moving.  It has been such a welcoming community to us- the kids have made friends, we have found our niche here. But the mountains were still calling. 

There was more flexibility with Joe's job and working remotely, so we set about finding a place in the mountains.  It was originally our intention to move back to Teton Valley.  But in the interest of not having more options,  we looked at houses in Colorado, Wyoming and Idaho in August. As it turned out, our first choice house ended up being in Colorado.  But our first choice house was a no back then.  Then our second and third choices houses also ended up being a no.

And finally, once this house went under a (seemingly) solid contract, we found out that the Colorado house that was a no in August was a yes right now. I am left amazed at the timing of things.  

That said, I would be lying to say that I have not had slight pangs of disappointment at not moving to Teton Valley.  But truly only slight.  When we got the contract on this house, and the door on the Teton Valley house had closed and there were no other good options there, I had somewhat resigned myself that we just weren't supposed to be there.  I am actually happy that we had the opportunity to be under contract on that house- it didn't happen because there was somewhere else that we need to be, not because we didn't try.  So even though I will miss living there, I am at peace with it.

With each day that passes, it is becoming more and more real to me- this is actually happening. The realization is both good and bad.  It makes me feel overwhelmed at all the things I have to do (I hate packing/ moving! but I don't mind decluttering.). It makes me feel excited at the things to come. It makes me nervous about something going awry in the process. It makes me sad that I am actually going to have to say good-bye (and the kids will have to say good-bye) to the people we have come to know and love here.  Also, what if I hate living there? I mean, I don't think I will, but you know. Cold feet. Also, part of the appeal of moving back to Teton Valley was that we didn't have to start from scratch.  Even though we have visited Colorado many times, this is a fresh start, community-wise.  But mountains again!  

So yes, I am all over the place.  One day at a time.  Everything will work out the way it should.

Journal: Colorado

Outside my window: It's -17. Yes, that is correct. -17.  The sky looks clear though and the sun is started to break through the trees.  Ah, Wisconsin.

Clothing myself in: Joe's robe, lavender cabled hat, exercise leggings and a long sleeved T. I do actually wear other things than this, I promise.

Life with kids: Trying to set up a few playdates and visits with their friends before we leave next month.  I also made lessons plans with the virtual school so that we will be finishing up our semester shortly before we leave, so that is going to work out pretty perfectly as far as tying up loose ends.  Now that it is actually on us, there is excitement mixed with a little bit of sadness from leaving.  I am so excited to take them on this adventure.

Crafting: Finished the scarf, but did not take a picture.  It was lovely :)

Bringing me joy: House papers that are finally signed! Decluttering our laundry room(again)- ouch, it's painful to let go but good, impromptu dinner dates with my hubby, talking about house plans.

Thinking about:  Right after my last post, we had decided to make an offer on the Colorado house and as we were drawing up the papers, they dropped the price. Like, a considerable amount.  Our agents were able to collaborate on an offer that the sellers would  sign.  And it took days and days and days because of internet access, one of the sellers working nights, and having the sellers separate locations. But they did finally sign it.

Now onto appraisal, inspection, and coordinating moving efforts. There are so many moving parts to this process, it will be a wonder if we are able to pull this off without kinks.

I am in a little bit of disbelief/ tad bit of denial that this is actually happening. Two weeks ago, moving was not on my radar. And now we are leaving in less than six weeks. I suppose as the time gets closer and everything starts to come together, it'll get more real. Colorado. Mountains. Whoa.

Journal: Good house news

Out my window: Well, it's 6 in the morning and still dark, but when I walked by the window, I saw a skiff of snow on the ground.   It's been a couple weeks since we had any, so it's a welcome change. I missed having lots of fluffy, white snow on the ground for Christmas!

Clothing myself in: exercise tights, long sleeved T, fleece sweatshirt, Joe's robe, my lavender cabled hat.

Life with the kids: My sister Brenda, her husband, my nephew and his girlfriend were in town this week, so the kids got to hang out with relatives a bit, which is always nice. George has been exasperatingly Georgeish this week. We are back to lessons this upcoming week, so I would reaaaally appreciate it if he would be a little more chill. A Mama can dream, can't she?

Adelle has been talking for a couple of months about how she wanted to get her ears pierced. She was very insistent about it and was willing to take steps to show me that she could handle it. She got a Claire's gift certificate for Christmas and we took her on New Year's to get them done.  She was amazing.  Didn't even flinch. She bounced out of there saying in her sweet little girl voice, "I am so happy!" 5 is such a magical age.

Crafting: Nope.  Really need to work on the scarf so I get send it with Joe to IL this week. And really need to do the sleeves on his sweater so that he can actually wear it.

Bringing me joy: The kid's excitement at our visitors. Getting to spend time with Brenda and Tim- I love how close I am with my sisters. I hope my kids are close as adults. Oh! And my little brother-in-law got engaged on New Year's Eve. I am getting a new sister-in-law- so exciting!!  Seeing Adelle be such a big girl. I love joking around with Issy. Forward movement in the house direction!

Thinking about: Our visitors were out skiing on Tuesday, so I exercised a bit, and then hopped into the shower. The phone was ringing when I was finishing up, but I didn't recognize the number and figured I could call back if  it was important. Joe called me a few minutes later to let me know that our realtor was trying to get a hold of me, so I called her back. She apologized for the short notice, but asked if she could show the house in 30 or 45 minutes. I rushed out to the kids, asked them for complete help and compliance and we got to work! Luckily, I had cleaned over the weekend, so it wasn't completely tragic, but it wasn't quite as nice as I usually make it for a showing.

I got a call that afternoon from our agent with their offer. They have no house to sell, they are well-qualified. So that was that.  Close date of February 20th.  Just praying that appraisal/ inspection/ them getting their loan goes smoothly.  I am not counting my chickens since our house-selling experience has been less than clear-cut thus far.  I know that I should be more motivated since closing is 7 weeks from yesterday but I just keep thinking that this is going to get derailed just like the other times, even though there is no evidence that will happen.

We are still trying to decide what comes next. Our first choice house from our visit, in CO, is still available.  So we will see.

Journal:Too long

Out my window: 27 and dark and dreary.  Most of the snow melted during a warm up before Christmas so it isn't even white and pretty outside. My only hope is that this means a short winter and long spring. So that we can move in nice weather (please, God?).

Clothing myself in: Jeans, long sleeved T, short sleeved sweater on top of that and a long sleeved cardigan on top of that. Lol. Brrrrrr.

Life with kids: We had a "come to Jesus" talk with the big boys last week about school and how I needed their cooperation or else we couldn't do this.  Granted, there were only a couple of school days left before our break, but they seemed to take it to heart. I am hoping that they will be refreshed after our break and ready to buckle down again. I don't need perfection. Just cooperation.

The girls have been delightful lately.  Really, I think the kids tag team on who is going to be the squeaky wheel.  I guess it's better than them all going wild at the same time?

George is doing fairly well lately. I am trying to get down on his level more when he is acting up and it is very effective, but it's difficult when I am trying to do other things. Oh well, no one said this parenting gig was going to be easy.

In the kitchen: We had a ham and au gratin potatoes for Christmas dinner, bierocks for Christmas Eve.  I see some less rich foods in our future.

Crafting: Done with the body and collar on Joe's sweater. Starting to work on the arms.  I was making a hat for a friend like my lavender cabled hat, but I used needles that were 3 sizes too small on accident. So Adelle got a new cabled hat.  And I started knitting a scarf for my friend using the same yarn I knit Mama Marney a blanket with instead.

Bringing me joy: Peaceful days where my boys finish their work in a timely manner. Sunshiney walks with my babies. A quiet Christmas day. Quiet evenings with Joe, watching The Office for the 8th time.

Thinking about: Well, nothing much on the house front. We extended the contract on our house here, though the couple still has not sold their own home.  Just sitting tight here. It is a little uncomfortable to be on the brink of big change but not knowing how or when it is going to play out.

It has been a while since I've blogged. I started a couple of times, but it's just been difficult to see through. I think I have the winter blues.  As the aforementioned "come to Jesus" talk with the boys might have indicated, we hit a homeschooling snag and that has made me an unpleasant, grumpy person. I don't know if it's them, me or both. Probably both. They obviously are in control of their behavior, but I am in control of how I react to them and I haven't been doing a stellar job of keeping my cool. And then I devolve into a self-loathing, I am terrible mom and I can't handle this spiral. Joe led the talk and they really responded to him. Which really drives home to me how much parenting is a team effort.

I have no pictures to share cause I have been a bit of a picture failure lately.  Buuuuut, Joe started a photo-a-day blog, so if you want pictures you can go on over there. AND! he committed to it for the next year!

Journal: This, that, the other

Out my window: White and grey. 12 degrees. And it's only mid- November. Going to need to find a good Vitamin D supplement this winter :P

Clothing myself in: Black leggings, blue long sleeved shirt, grey fleece. MukLuk slippers that I've had for a year and are the best thing ever to happen to my feet.

Kiddos: Isabelle is going on a Schoenstatt retreat this weekend at the same place she went to summer camp.  She is going with her two friends and she is very excited.  It's from Friday night until Sunday afternoon.  She is such a lovely girl and a big help to me, I am glad that she is able to get out and do something special.

Isaac and I have been further prioritizing his school and learning.  It's been tough at times.  There is just so much information. Only certain assignments are turned in, so we are working on focusing on those. His instructor and I met about ways to make his workload more manageable.  I would rather him focus on a few assignments and really do them well than rush through a ton of assignments to get them done.

My Liam has such a thirsty mind.  Even when his lessons are done, he reads. He reads everything. He loves maps. He loves his children's dictionary.  We've been digging into his first communion prep and he has such good (and hard!) questions. I love him.

Adelle is really loving sight words. I think they give her a feeling of accomplishment.  Things aren't quite "clicking" yet with letters and sounds but I'm not worried. She isn't even five and a half. I remember Issy was probably around (past?) six when it clicked and then she took off. I just love how proud she is when she reads her sight words- a real boost.

And my George is a never-ending bundle of fun.  He has actually be very good (for him) at Mass the last few weeks. Maybe things are finally settling down for him.  Shhhhh. Pretend I didn't just say that, okay?

In the kitchen: I have declared every Friday (or at least every Friday until it starts to catch up with my waistline) Cookie Friday.  So far, we have had pumpkin butterscotch chip, oatmeal chocolate chip and mint chocolate chip. Joe also went on a bread baking binge this weekend and we ended up with two pumpkin and three banana breads.  We also had cauliflower bacon soup and homemade BBQ chicken and sausage/onion pizza.  It has been good eats in our house the last few days.

Crafting: I was getting tired of knitting the same four round pattern for inch after inch on Joe's sweater, so I took a break and made myself a hat.  Love it.  Now, I have a renewed interest in Joe's sweater.  Only 3 1/2 more inches until I divide for the sleeves. I CAN DO IT! He requested it be done in time for Christmas.  We will see.

Thinking about: Ah, never a dull moment in the house saga.  So, the house showing on the day of my last blog post went well.  They liked the house. They decided not to put in an offer, however, because they found out that the people with the current contract on it are friends of their's and they would be "bumping" them.  Sigh. I couldn't even make this stuff up if I wanted to.

We also found out the same day that the owner of the Idaho house was taking his listing off the market. Because we will not be selling this house by December 15th and therefore unable to buy that one, we cancelled the contract.  So that house is done.  I am trying to look at it positively that there is something else out there, but it is mostly just disappointing.

But we are here, alive and well.  Mostly loving homeschooling :)  Excited for the holiday season.

Journal: Short days, longer nights

Outside my window: Dark, mid- 30's. It is supposed to snow on Monday, perhaps several inches.  Honestly, I was so busy at my day job and the restaurant, I am not really sure where summer went, so I can't say I am really ready for winter.  It is really that time already?

Clothing myself in: Jeans, tennis shoes that are 10 years old, black Word on Fire shirt and a grey hoodie.  Fancy schmancy.

Around the house: Showing today, so it is spotless.  When we thought we were going to be moving at the end of September, we had Adelle staying in Issy's room in the basement and we were putting boxes in her room upstairs.  Moving didn't happen, so we transitioned Adelle into the other room in the basement, right across the hall from Issy.  It has been going fairly well, actually.  They read together until Adelle's bedtime, I help tuck her in and Issy gets to go to her room and keep the light on and read or whatever for a while longer.  And doesn't have to sleep with the little bed hog.

Since we didn't go much further on our packing, we moved the boxes out of the upstairs bedroom and put the desktop computer in it.  We do a lot of our schooling at the kitchen table, but we also have "Posh Pink" room (named after the paint color) to do lessons in as well.  Our house has an abundance of space, for sure.

Kiddos: Everyone is doing well in school.  Isabelle and Liam have had the easiest time adjusting.  Issy's school is very self-directed.  I am there to touch base with, but she organizes her time and keeps track of her assignments.  I keep an eye on her grades and answer any questions she has on lessons.

Isaac's has been more challenging.  Isabelle's lessons are online, but she also has a book copy of her text.  Isaac's lessons are all online and it is a. pain. in. the. butt.  If he is doing a review and he wants to recap something, he has to click through old lessons.  It has caused tears more than once.  He is a hard worker, though, so he's hanging in there.  Math is his favorite subject.

Liam's lessons are a short video and then either a project or worksheet. He is doing very well, though sometimes his mind wanders.

Adelle is making progress slowly but surely. I have to remind myself that this is the first time we have done formal lessons and she isn't the other kids.  She recognizes a few letters and knows a few letter sounds. We will get there :)

And George is George- ever rambunctious, ever challenging, ever adorable and charming. Passionate. Great smile.

In the kitchen: Not really sure- need to make a menu.  This week we had tomato basil and parmesan soup with rosemary bread, beef stew, refried bean burritos.

Crafting: Working on Joe's sweater.  Finished knitting a hat I had started a year ago and gave it to my niece Eleanor, knit a cream colored cabled hat for myself but decided it would look better on my niece Felicia. Knit Joe a hat.  It's that time of year.

Bringing me joy: a tidy house- a joy I wouldn't have known on a regular basis if we hadn't put our house on the market. Laundry that is washed, folded and put away all in one day. A thoughtful husband who makes me breakfast every morning and gets up with the toddler on his early mornings. Spending time with my oldest daughter.  Kissing Adelle's sweet little nose.  Seeing Isaac overcome his frustration to accomplish something. Liam reading Harry Potter to me. The way George gesticulates when he talks.

Thinking about: Oh, lots of things. We accepted an offer with a contingency from third couple that was interested.  They still need to sell there house, so we will see.  Our contract on our Idaho house is through December 15th, but it seems dubious that anything will happen by then.  We did have a showing today, to a couple that is moving into the area, so I suppose we will see how it went. If nothing else, the house looks great.

The kids and I went to Kansas for 10 days in October.  It was pretty great- no one got sick. Lots of time with family and friends.

Barring anything exciting happening with the house we are settling into life and school up here in Wisconsin for now.  Lots of baking and learning and reading and Lego playing.

Journal: End of September already?!

Out my window: 51 and cloudy.  It's been lovely and unseasonably warm, so chilly temps are a bit of a shock.  Feels like fall, though, so I won't complain.

Clothing myself in:  New skinny jeans, periwinkle lace tank, plaid button-down, new cardigan sweater.  Mom and Dad Marney sent a maurice's gift certificate for my birthday, so the new things were part of my gift.  I am pretty excited- I am down two jeans sizes.  I haven't weighed this much since forever ago.  Now I just need to remember to maintain my health and fitness over the long winter.  It's hard. I try to hibernate by stuffing myself with sugary baked things.  Hopefully the pretty new jeans will be a reminder to not overindulge.

Around the house: It's fairly tidy.  We had an open house on Saturday (that no one attended) so it was spotless.  Also, when we thought we were moving into a smaller house at the end of this month, we sold a bunch of furniture, so the house is sparsely furnished.  It has been fine, but a little weird.  Downsizing has really shown me how much we don't strictly need.  And it feels good to have less things to be attached to.

Kiddos:  George has been waking up at 5:45ish again.  Gah.  I thought we were over that.  He had a good several month stretch where he woke up after 6, sometimes considerably.  I would like to go back to that, please?

Settling into school, getting more comfortable with the curriculum and pacing.  I love being home with them again and getting to be part of their day to day.

As I was typing, Liam came into the house screaming about bees and shortly after, Isaac followed with George.  Liam and George apparently stepped in a ground bee's nest.  Isaac sent Liam into the house, brushed some of the bees off George and brought him.  Liam got two stings, George got four.  Isaac's cool head saved the day.  Everyone seems okay and the swelling is going down.  That gave me quite the fright.

In the kitchen: I made some amazing Italian sausage soup and rosemary herb bread yesterday.  Pumpkin pancakes later this week, brunswick stew.  Good eating around here.  Got the new oven (ours died in July and we hemmed and hawed about whether to buy a new one or fix it and ultimately decided to just buy one) and it has been amazing.  Joe made me pumpkin chocolate chip brownies for my birthday. Yum.

Crafting: In order to not drive myself crazy with anxiety at the fact that our house hasn't sold, I am putting that into creative energy.  I told Joe I missed knitting and he suggested starting something.  I bought some Wool of the Andes Bulky in Wallaby to knit him a Mr Darcy sweater.  He suggested that while I was waiting for the yarn, I could knit him a camera strap cover, so I have been doing that and it's almost done.

Bringing me joy:  Sunshine in my windows, apple pumpkin scented candle, autumn apple coffee, purpley-red leaves, fire on a cool autumn evening with the hubby, an amazingly clean house for my birthday, surprise birthday flowers. How considerate my husband is- he is a really amazing man.

Thinking about: Being grateful and living in the present while trying to keep an eye on the future.  Our house is for sale and it is so easy to get caught up in planning for when that happens to forgot about living in this moment.  I find transition and uncertainty uncomfortable, but there is grace in this growing time.

Even though our house here is not under contract, Joe spoke with our Idaho realtor and he said that the buyer wants to extend the contract.  So for as long as he doesn't get other offers, we still have a chance at that house.  I have confidence that this house will sell eventually, it is just a matter of when.  But fretting about it doesn't help, so I am just going to trust that things will happen as they need to.

School and houses....

I have started or thought about starting a blog post several times. But sometimes my brain gets tired of thinking and processing so I just didn't.

So hi! I am alive. Things have changed completely since my last post. 

Let's see, some non-house things: we started our homeschooling year.  Issy is in 6th grade, Isaac is in 4th, Liam is in 2nd and Adelle is in Kindergarten.  We are enrolled in a virtual school through another school district and so far, so good, for the most part.  It is obviously an adjustment.  Getting used to the curriculum, getting used to each child's learning style, strengths and weaknesses.  Managing time well.  

The blessing of being enrolled in a virtual school is that there is accountability, the materials are provided and I don't have to worry about not "doing enough".  The con is that it is a fair amount of work to get through- it is very "school at home".  It is fine for the older three since they are used to it, though.  

I love having the kids together again. I love them being each other's.  Seeing them interact, playing together, even fight.  I miss my job, but I love being with them.  

Life is not perfect.  I get tired.  George sometimes makes school difficult, the older kids sometimes huff at me (I love the eye-rolls) when I asked them to play with him so I can work with someone else.  Schoolwork made one of my children cry in frustration yesterday.  Sometimes Critter eats the puzzle pieces that are left on the floor.  Markers get left out and George scribbles on couch cushions.  

But it's still pretty great, overall.  

Ah, the house situation.  So, pretty much immediately after pushing "publish" on my last blog post, we got a counteroffer on the Wyoming house that was unworkable and it was made clear that they weren't willing to meet us on a price that would work for us.  So no.

So we pursued a house in Idaho.  And very shortly after our counter-counteroffer was accepted, we found out that the contract on this house was going to fall through because the buyer was having loan issues.  Fortunately, there was another party interested.  They went to the bank to get a bridge loan and we found out last Monday that they would also be unable to buy our house because of some financial issues. And the first people that put in an offer (with a contingency) were still interested but their house hasn't sold yet.

So to lay it out- under contract on a house in Idaho.   Three interested parties but no one to actually buy this house.

To say that this was upsetting or stressful would be an understatement.  I also feel, because this is a situation that we willingly choose, I have no room to complain or feel badly.  I am trying to remind myself that we are here to do God's will, whatever we discern that to be.  And if that means that now is not the time, it isn't the time.  

We had a showing on Tuesday and are having an open house this Saturday.  If we don't get any offers from that, there is a fairly good likelihood that we will lose the contract on the Idaho house.  That is, obviously, disappointing.  But if it isn't that house now, we will find something else when this house does indeed sell.

When we put this house on the market, we expected it would take a while to sell.  It was surprising to get an offer (and then a second offer!) so quickly.  I think the hardest part has been going back and forth on expectations.  We thought it would take a while to sell, then we were supposed to be moving at the end of September, and now we are back to it taking a while.

So now, in order to keep our sanity, we are being hopeful but realistic in our expectations.  We will embrace and enjoy life here now and be present in the moment until we are off on a new adventure.

Journal: Changing Gears

Out my window: Dark and 74.  Humid. Stupid humidity- I just checked and the humidity level is literally 97%.  It has been like this for a few days. Bleh- I am so over it!

Clothing myself in: Actually same navy blue shirt from last post. I've changed since last week, I promise.  Black exercise pants. Fancy.

Around the house: Boxes. I mean, most of the stuff isn't in boxes, but about 20 boxes were packed this weekend and I have some clothes folded in baskets ready to be put in boxes when I get some of appropriate size.  So that is exciting. And overwhelming.

Kiddos: George is doing excellent at potty training.  It's pretty exciting. He still wears a diaper at night because he's a super nighttime wetter, but other than that, it's all good.  We will see how he is with the move and everything, however.

They have been pretty great and helpful, at least this far, in our packing endeavors.  Everyone is gearing up for the start of (virtual) school next week.  That should be interesting!

Bringing me joy: Acceptance of God's will, even if it isn't what I would plan. All five kids playing nicely outside together. Getting to take the time to prepare meals again- or oversee the kids preparing the meals, they love to help.  The knowledge that the mountains aren't too far off.

Thinking about: Well, we decided to put in an offer on a house in Colorado on Friday. Unfortunately, there was a glitch in the paperwork, so the contract had to be rewritten and we were going to submit it today.  And in that time period, another offer was made on the house. So that was that.  Admittedly, it is hard to switch gears.  It was a great house, great location in the mountains and closer to Kansas.  But we have prayed from the beginning that God would lead us to where we needed to go.  And it seems that his answer was pretty firmly No in that regard.  So we trust that there is something better for us.

So we are pursuing a house in Wyoming, which was a very solid second choice.  We will see how it pans out.  Trust!

Also thinking about homeschooling.  I had, of course, lined up what we would do for homeschooling if we were in Colorado.  Or if we were in Idaho.  But I hadn't explored my homeschooling options for Wyoming as much.  So now I am feeling a little overwhelmed and having to scramble to work that out.  Again, trust!

Pictures to share: 

 Liam made this for his aquatic themed birthday party with his friends and cousins.  He's such a fun kid.

Liam and his godparents

Journal: Mountains and joy and choices....

Out my window: 64, severe thunderstorm just ended.  It was a deluge of rain that could rival any Kansas thunderstorm.

Clothing myself in: Skinny jeans, though I've lost some weight so they are kind of baggy skinny jeans.  Feel sorry for me, okay? :P  Navy blue boat neck shirt with 3/4 sleeves.

Around the house: Fur. Oh my, the fur. Honestly, this time of year, it makes me wonder why I let Joe convince me to get these furry little friends.

Kiddos: So, after our house hunting trip for adults/ trip to Kansas for the kids, today was my first day "home" with them. Well, I agreed to train my replacement, so I went in for an hour this morning, but mostly home.  It was weird/ wonderful to be home all day.  I loved working at my job. It was good and necessary for me to do it.  But it is also very good to have all my kids here, with me now. For the mundane, for the ordinary- for tying George's cape around his shoulder while he was playing "super" with Adelle.  For Issy pouring me the coffee I had forgotten I had asked her to make, for Liam stomping at me in frustration about a math placement test and talking him down, for kissing Isaac's cheek as he sat next to me, trying to read over my shoulder. I know it is going to be a challenge in patience and organizational skills, but I am very much at peace to be with them and educating them again.

They all had a great time in Kansas.  Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends. We are very blessed.

Bringing me joy: Sitting on a mountaintop with my love. Watching him take pictures.  Him encouraging me, me encouraging him on our hike. Drinking coffee by a campfire. The joy and awe that filled my heart at being in the mountains again.  Dreaming with him, making plans with him.

When we went to Kansas, the conversations with friends.  Really, I am always taken aback by how easy it is to slip back into that groove when we haven't seen either other for a year.  Real love and friendship doesn't know distance.

The hugs from each of my babies the morning we got to Kansas after our trip.  The looks on their faces.  Just precious.

Thinking about: Well, this one is complicated. Three houses, three different communities, weighty pros and cons to all three. It is a blessing to get to choose, but difficult.

Pictures to share:

   A very sweaty me about halfway through our Monday hike.  The views were awesome. I am already getting amnesia about how hard the hike was.

We took the ski lift to the top of this one. Much easier.

What more is there to say?

Journal: Moving at the end of September!

Out my window: 80, minimal bugs and sunny. A perfect summer day.

Clothing myself in: Navy blue and white striped tank top with a little lace. It was cheap. And pretty.  Jean shorts.

Around the house:  Cleaned like a madwoman on Thursday night to get ready for a showing yesterday morning.  There are already tufts of fur floating around the floor :P

Kiddos: Cute and funny. I am glad to get to hang out with them and hug them again now that I am well.  One more week of work left until I am at home with them again.  We hung out outside together this morning and took a walk.  It was a nice glimpse of what life will be like again soon.

Bringing me joy: George sweetly singing Sanctuary with me at bedtime. Walking down the street with the five kids, all of us holding hands. The excitement of reuniting with Joe after spending a few days apart. Planning our camping/house hunting trip. Adelle asking me to snuggle.

Thinking about: Another whirlwind week.  Thursday, while at his tradeshow, Joe called to tell me that there was a showing scheduled for Friday morning at 9. Which meant that I had to get the house ready by myself and I did.  Yesterday morning, I loaded up the kids and took them to the babysitter's house.  The dogs had to be out of the house as well, so we sat in the parking lot of the park and they got the car very, very, very furry.  I dropped them off after the showing was over and went to work.

Joe talked to the realtor a little while later.  They loved the house and made an offer yesterday afternoon.
****Continued on Sunday****
The second offer has no contingency. If the people who made the first offer are able to remove the contingency, the house will go to them, otherwise it will go to the people who made the second offer.  So basically, we are moving at the end of September, either way.

This is my last week at Catholic Word.  On Saturday, we are going to leave the kids with family and go on ahead to Idaho/ Wyoming to check out some properties we have found online.  Joe and I thought it would be easier and faster to do it by ourselves.  It'll hopefully also be a nice little getaway before we get back here and have to pack and move.

Ah, packing and moving. I don't really like moving, but it is exciting to move back to a place we love.  Ah, I can't believe it is actually happening. I really thought it would take months, if not years to sell our house.  And at this rate, we are going to be back in the mountains by the time the leaves are changing.  Craziness!

One of my favorite pictures of the four older kids that we took in Yellowstone a couple weeks before we moved.  I can't wait to go back there!

Journal: Sick days

Out my window: 70 and cloudy in the middle of the afternoon. It's supposed to get up to 86 tomorrow. So this is just a random cool July day.

Around the house: Oh my. Scariness. I didn't get as much accomplished last weekend as I had hoped and I have been laying in bed with a virus since Tuesday afternoon.  I mean, really, it isn't awful. But it isn't clean.  I have fairly high standards for house cleanliness, at least comparatively.  Who boy, if you knew me when I was younger, you know I am not a "neat freak". But the more kids I have, the more chaos they create and the more need I feel to keep it under control on a regular basis.

Clothing myself in: Black sweatpants. Black tank top. Black Cardigan.  Super cheery.

Kiddos: Honestly, I have hardly seen them, in order to keep them from my germs I miss them.

Bringing me joy: Sweet cards and lettuce garnish by my toast when Issy brought me food.  Our counteroffer being accepted!!!! Being in the mountains in possibly (probably?) just a couple of months. The way George talks with his hands when he is trying to explain something.

Thinking about: Tons of things! Since I have been laying in bed the better part of three days, I have had a lot of time to think.

As previously indicated, we found out on Monday that our counteroffer was accepted.  The contingency is that they sell their house, so we are hoping that happens sooner rather than later.  As long as they are able to sell their house, the potential closing date is September 26th.  My last day at Catholic Word is August 8th, and August 9th, we will be leaving the kids with the relatives and heading West to find a place to live.

I am feeling somewhat ambivalent about being done at my job. Well, maybe ambivalent isn't the best word- conflicted is probably better.  I am excited to be at home with our children once again. After a loosey-goosey summer, I really need to rein them back in. I am excited to homeschool them. I am terrified to homeschool them because I honestly don't know how George's boisterous behavior is going to affect their studies.  I really like working- I like talking to adults and I like bringing in a paycheck.  It is a sacrifice to leave that.  A necessary one, at this point, but a loss to be sure.

So yeah, in the event that our house actually closes at the end of September, I need to find alternate homeschooling material for the kids.  We are currently enrolled in a virtual school in Wisconsin, but obviously, you need to be a resident of Wisconsin to be eligible.  I emailed a virtual school in Idaho (in case that is where we land) to see if they serviced the area we are looking to move, since they use the same curriculum that we will be using here.  God's hands.

Also, packing. Some purging left to do. A garage sale.

I've also been thinking a lot about knitting. It was one of my favorite things to do when we lived in Idaho.  I miss not having the time (or when I have the time, I don't have the energy) to do it.  I am really looking forward to going into my old favorite yarn store and dreaming of all the beautiful things I can create.

So yeah, sorry for the brain dump.  Thanks for hanging in there :)

Journal: Life!

Out my window: Cloudy and 71.  Supposed to rain tomorrow and then be coool the next few days. I can't complain about the lack of obscene heat, it is just weird. If I go outside in the evenings, I often wear a jacket. Sometimes I still feel cold. Yay, Wisconsin!

Around the house: Just a fair amount of cleaning to keep things maintained and tidy. Oh dog fur, my nemesis.

Clothing myself in: Jeans, fuzzy slippers, navy and white stripey tank top with old sweatshirt on top.

Toddler: Very pleasant lately, for the most part.  He's been sleeping past six most days (THANK YOU GOD) for the past month? Two? I have almost not wanted to mention it because even though I am not superstitious, I am superstitious about his sleeping habits.  Whatever it is, it is magical and I hope it continues forever.  He says adorable funny things and I can tell he is on the cusp of being three- just starting to act more like a preschooler than a toddler. Potty training is going well. His only thing is that he often waits until he is up in the morning, but before he comes to his door to have a BM. He is so not ready to night train, so I guess I'll just have to deal with that until I can convince him otherwise.

Kiddos: Since getting the house on the market, we have been making a concerted effort to have lots of concentrated family time- lake, took them to see a movie, just a lot of family fun after the craziness of getting the house ready.  Issy is going to Schoenstatt girl's camp this week, which she is reeeeeally excited about. She was packed a week in advance. I am nervous because she's my baby but happy she gets to do this with her friends. I think it'll be great for her.

Bringing me joy: My big boys giggling at bedtime, I love that they love each other. My silly puppy on the kitchen floor when I am making dinner. The adorable, joyful couple I served that had been married 64 years. The enthusiasm that the kids greet us at the door with after work. A tidy house. House dreamin' with the hubby.

Thinking about: Whoa. Big week for us. We showed the house on July 4th and again yesterday to the same family. They are very interested and are going to put in an offer. It could likely go very quickly from there.

I am trying not to get my hopes up even though it is very likely headed in that direction. We really thought it would take a while to sell the house, so we are still trying to decide exaaaactly where we are going. Apparently, narrowing it down to somewhere in the Rocky Mountains isn't enough. It's a blessing to get to choose, but holy wow, it is overwhelming. Pros. Cons. What are needs, what are wants? We want this move to also be about a bigger vision for our family- yes, living in a beautiful place, but simplifying. Being good stewards of what we have, what we want to impress upon our children.

Like I said, Whoa. Prayers for patience, peace and guidance.

Journal: House on the market

Out my window: 70. Humid. Not too bad.

Around the house: Crazy cleaning, organizing, decluttering, house projecty stuff the last couple of weeks. See the "Thinking About" category for why :)

Clothing myself in: Jeans. Stripy maroon shirt. My mom had a ton of striped shirts- this shirt reminds me of her.

Toddler: Hit a bit of a snag with the babysitter. Being defiant and *ahem* hot-tempered. Lots of biting :-/  I am really looking forward to staying at home with him again, I think it'll help.

Kiddos: They have all been enjoying summer school, which is done in a couple of days. I am glad they have had a chance to do that, keeping them busy with fun, brain-stimulating activities.

In the kitchen: Gah. Don't even ask. My menus are so boring lately. Two jobs, ya'll. We do what is easy.

Crafting:

Bringing me joy: Nursing my Georgie- Boy at bedtime on the nights I have off. Yes, we still do. Such a lovely time to reconnect. We chat, nurse, chat. I neeeeever imagined breastfeeding a more-than-one-year-old when I started having babies, but I am so glad I was at least open to it. It's a gift.  Back deck time with the hubby, snuggling my Delle.  Sitting on Issy's bed with her.  Clean house. For Sale sign at the end of my driveway....

Thinking about: .... which brings me to this. To preface: before the kid's school closed, but when it looked like it was going to happen, we prayed. We prayed for the school to stay open if it was God's will. But more than that, we prayed that if it closed, that some good could come out of that sad situation. As you know, it closed in April.  And then we decided to homeschool the kids again, which meant I was going to have to leave my job at Catholic Word.

Joe has been working remotely from the rest of his team since shortly after he started. So at the end of April, we got the go-ahead from his bosses to have him work remotely... from the mountains.

It has been on our hearts since before we ever left Idaho that we should be in the mountains. It was crazy hard to leave in the first place. And we have talked and dreamed many times about returning. The timing seemed about as ideal as it could be. So we have been working the last two months to put our house on the market.  We are (trying fervently to be) realistic in our expectations- it often takes houses in this area a while to sell. But it's a beautiful house and it'll be perfect for another family. I am glad we get the chance to pass it on.

Next up: Mountains. Home.

Picture to share:

Journal: Anniversary Edition

Out my window: 65 degrees and goooorgeous.  It was the perfect day, weather-wise. And with a little bug spray, the mosquitoes weren't terrible in the afternoon.  Blue skies, a few puffy clouds, a ton of sun. Lovely.

Around the house: Laundry room is done!  We just need to buy some new things to reattach threshold and a new vent cover and bam. Finished! I loooove it. It is so much better than the linoleum. Like a gazillion times better.

Clothing myself in: Blue jeans, blue lace trimmed tank top, lightweight black cardigan.

Toddler: Pretty great, for the most part. He seems to be doing really well with the babysitter other than mostly opting out of a nap.  I think maybe he likes not having to compete with other kids his age. He is starting to love books and being read to. It's one of the activities he will actually do for more than 10 seconds. It's wonderful. Potty training is going ok.

Kiddos: Summer school starts tomorrow. They are all excited. I am hoping it is as fun as they hope it's going to be!

In the kitchen: Lots of the regular this week. But for our anniversary today, Joe and I had the house to ourselves and had a delicious meal- grilled German sausage, homemade au gratin potatoes and beer bread. Delish.

Crafting: Sigh. No. I miss it but I just don't have the energy to do it.

Bringing me joy:  Quiet time on the back deck with Joe, warm sunshine on my face, staring at the moon, doing laundry in the lovely laundry room, mom's group with friends.

Thinking about: How I am kind of a homebody and it really zaps me to be "busy".  For as much as I am an extrovert, I find people pretty tiring, if even in a good way. I don't really like running from one thing to another, but that is the season I am in currently.  I suppose it'll slow down eventually, and I can cope okay, but man, I am just Done by the end of the day.

Also, it was a super lovely anniversary. I think we will have to have a relaxed afternoon without kids every anniversary!

Journal: Hi, June.

Out my window: 67 and rainy. Our air conditioner is having some sort of issue :P so it's kinda warm in our house. It is supposed to be a bit cooler this week, so hopefully that'll help until we can get it fixed.

Around the house: Wow! So much stuff in the last couple of weeks.  I completed the Laundry Room Organization Project. So glad. Hopefully it'll be easier to maintain.  While Joe's parents were here, him and his Dad and the boys painted the back deck.  This weekend, we worked on ripping up the linoleum and tiling the laundry room now that it is all clean and organized.  We are going to grout it tomorrow evening.

Clothing myself in: Purple tank top and cropped pants.

Toddler: Better this week.  My friend Heather who was babysitting him over the school year was done on Friday and now we have two high school girls taking turns coming to the house over the summer. Since he is going to be here all the time, potty training is in full swing.  He managed to stay dry during his 3 1/2 hour nap (!) this afternoon, so I know he has the capability to potty train. It's just the motivation that could be tricky. But I'm tired of buying diapers, so we are going to give it a go.

Kiddos: Glad to be on summer vacation, I think.  They were very helpful getting the house ready before Mom and Dad came. They are going to be starting "summer school" next week, which is a morning program with a couple of fun classes. It runs until the end of June.  That'll be nice for them and a little be easier for the babysitters, just having to run after George in the morning.

In the kitchen: Uh, Italian chicken. And crock pot chicken. Taco soup. Man, life is so busy, I am having a hard time remembering my menus lately.

Crafting: Nope. Although, if you look in the last post, you can see a picture of the aforementioned green shrug. It was super easy, once I worked on it. I might do it in a different yarn for more stretch if I do it again. If I ever have the time/motivation to knit again someday.
 ~~~Continued Monday morning~~~

Bringing me joy: The way that George talks so excitedly about Grammie and Grandpa, watching the kids snuggle on the couch with Grammie and Grandpa, creating order in a chaotic room, working together with Joe to improve our space, having less and less stuff to be attached to, reading books with George, the boys spending hours outside playing with a frog, Sunday afternoon thunderstorm.

Thinking about: It's super cliche, but how fast time goes. How can it possibly be June?

Journal: Never a dull moment

Out my window: 54 and rainy.  It's supposed to be beautiful the rest of the week.

Clothing myself in: Purple shirt, black cardigan. Exercise pants and slippers.  Only the bottom part of my outfit got changed after work. I look a little silly but I don't really mind.

Around the house: I started working on decluttering and organizing the laundry room on Saturday. It is a huge project, because often things get dumped there when they don't have/don't make it to the proper spot.  And our arts and crafts things are in the cabinets there.  For some reason, despite my reminders, the kids often don't put the crafty stuff back where it belongs. I bought some plastic tubs, so I am hoping that will help the organization. Or at least contain the mess :P

I also decluttered and cleaned out the coat closet in our front entryway.  Put away all the winter stuff. The laundry room still needs to be finished but I finished the coat closet and it looks magnificent.  Slowly but surely.

Joe painted the front porch with this textured paint stuff that we bought last fall. We were going to use it on the back deck until we realized how much more we would have to buy. But it really spruced up the front porch, so I am glad we were able to put it to good use.

Toddler: Beautiful. Overwhelming. Charming. He has been sleeping betterish for him.

Kiddos: Went on a school field trip last Friday and had a lot of fun.  Isaac got to sleepover with his buddy on Friday. When I asked him what they did he said they chopped up a lot of trees with hatchets, lol.  Tomorrow is the last full day of school and half day on Wednesday. Then they will be done at the Academy, which is sad. But other doors are opening for us that wouldn't have otherwise, so we trust that God can make good come out of this sad situation.

In the kitchen: Hmmmm, I can't remember.  I even discussed the menu with Joe the other night and I still can't remember.  He is going to be out of town from tomorrow- Friday, so we planned easy stuff.

Crafting:

Bringing me joy: Sweet peaceful George snuggles.  Looking around our house and seeing less stuff that I have to deal with. Walking with Issy on a beautiful afternoon, holding her hand. I am glad she will still hold my hand.  Isaac's joy at his sleepover. Liam's deep sincerity when he tells me he loves me. Delle squealing about how she wants real pixie dust for her birthday so that she can fly to Grammie and Grandpa's house.  George behaving well enough to keep him in Mass the whole time. Planning for our upcoming visit with Mom and Dad Marney. My new sweet baby niece Eleanor.

Thinking about: How full our summer is and it hasn't even started. One day at a time.

Pictures to share:

 Cousins!

My sweet Erika. 

Journal: Time is flying by!

Out my window: Dark and upper forties. It still is fairly cool, though we have had a couple 70+ degree days.

Clothing myself in: Purple tank top and black cardigan sweater. Skinny jeans.

Around the house: Whew. Reorganized and purged our closest, put a twin bed in George's room. Decluttered the countertop in the laundry room, which might as well have been climbing Mount Everest. I still need to purge and reorganize the art supplies in the laundry room cabinets. That's next. Still need to switch out George's summer clothes- it has been cool enough that he wears jeans most days anyways.

Toddler: Sigh. We had had a really good run with better sleep before we went to Kansas but it's been touch and go since we got back. His bad BMs are back, too which is leaving me to analyze his diet again. Gah, why isn't parenting easy? He is completely exasperating and strong-willed in one breath and so charming the next.

Kiddos: 6 days of school left. They had their last school program on Friday and it was beautiful and sad. I am so glad that we were able to be part of that community for a couple of years, it's been so good for them.

After much deliberation, it was decided that I would stay home and homeschool this fall. I am finishing up at my work and training my replacement over the summer. I am very sad to be leaving my work- it's been such a good experience. But I kept trying to wrap my head around sending the kids to a school I didn't feel comfortable but I felt no peace. But the decision to homeschool them immediately gave my the peace I had been praying for, even though it requires some sacrifices.

We are doing a public charter school that primarily uses Calvert curriculum  Since this is our first time doing a virtual charter school, I am interested in seeing how it works for us.  Isaac is excited about homeschooling. Issy and Liam are more neutral about it- they say they are happy, but they will miss seeing their friends everyday. It will take some adjustment for everyone again, for sure.

In the kitchen: I don't even remember. Joe made the menu and did the grocery shopping.

Crafting: Hahaha. No.

Bringing me joy: Blue sky. Fire pit nights with Joe, George's reaction to seeing his big Lightening McQueen bed and sheets, the way George calls thunder "bunder". The way he says "He's a good worker" with deep admiration when someone is working hard, seeing Isabelle growing into such a complex young lady, listening to Jars of Clay really loud on the way to work.

Thinking about: Life has been crazy lately. Mostly good crazy. I got a job waitressing since I'll be leaving Catholic Word soon. I work three evenings a week. It is exhausting but worth it. Hoping the craziness and the sacrifices now are going to pay off.

Pictures to share: Some Marney family fun in Kansas

Journal: Easter

Out my window: Sunny, low fifties. Felt like Spring today.

Around the house: Trying to recover the house from the surprise Easter trip to Kansas. I managed to bring alllll of the things back inside the house when we got home Monday evening, but didn't get it all put away right away. Today it was super beautiful outside, so we worked on several projects out there- finished building up the front rock bed, picked up all the trash that got strewn about the yard during the winter, picked up the gazillion pinecones that our trees had dropped. We were very, very productive.

Tomorrow is supposed to be rainy, so we are going to try to work on the inside.

Clothing myself in: work clothes. Jeans, my old Merrill hiking shoes, red hoodie.

Toddler: Other than being exceptionally obstinate ever since he woke up this morning, he's been pretty great.  He was fairly good on our car trip down to Kansas, he's been sleeping good for him, he is funny and cute. He was singing "Let it Go" from Frozen in the car the other morning. He will let a person swing him on the swing for as long as they are willing. He's got the best grin.

The kiddos: Loved seeing our friends and family in Kansas. Everyone got to see their godparents except Liam, because they were sick :( They have been very helpful around the house and worked really hard when we were working outside today.  We also gave the boys all buzz cuts since it is about to be tick season here :P They look cute though.  School is wrapping up for the olders. Lots of change on the horizon for them.

In the kitchen: All boring things. So boring I can't even remember and I made the menu yesterday.  Chef salad, I remember that.  Always a hit.

Crafting: The shrug that I started last Spring is complete. Very cute.

Bringing me joy: The look on Mom's face when we surprised her for Easter. Having highballs with my sisters/ brothers-in-law. Lovely relaxed brunch with a forever friend while our kids played mostly nicely together. Big dreams. Sitting under the cherry tree with the sun on my face while I sip coffee. Overwhelming gratitude at the kindness and bigheartedness of my kids.