May Wrap-Up

So May was crazy as we moved not only our house, but also our business. And by "moved," I mean, moving. We're not done. I'm so tired. Exhausted really. Sometimes I can't believe how much we've gotten done in just over a month. And other times, I feel like we should have more done.

I will say this - this move has been nothing but good for our souls. It hasn't been particularly stressful overall. And we're improving our lives in so many areas that it feels emotionally good for us all. But yeah, we're exhausted (and happy). We LOVE our new house and we love our new business space, too!

We haven't had a single day that hasn't involved packing, moving, cleaning, unpacking, moving, business errands, moving, work, printer orders, new business cards, shopping, moving, new brochures, work, new banners, appointments, massive client mailings, work, setting up, advertising, meetings, work, moving . . . all amidst the day-to-day, normal stuff like violin lessons and book clubs and taekwondo and field trips. Plus, our homeschool evaluations, testing, and portfolios are all due this month. And this weekend is our town's annual big street fair that is our biggest outreach and we've been scrambling all week to have all of our materials and promotional items ready for it. Have I mentioned that we're exhausted?

Books I've Read 


It's Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizinni


4.5/5

I loved this book. The missing half star is because it got a little slow in the middle for me, but not enough to not recommend it highly to anyone looking for a good book to read. I saw the movie with Mark a while back not knowing at the time that it was based on a book. Loved the movie, too. I decided to read it in light of Ned Vizinni's tragic death by suicide this past year. It was heartbreaking to read it, knowing that eventually the depression was too much for him. He said in an interview that the story was 80% autobiographical. Read it - it offers great insight into the mind of a depressed person. He captured it well.

The Water is Wide by Pat Conroy

So this was our book club pick this month and I didn't really read it because, well, moving. But I read a lot about it and the author and we had a good discussion about it, so booyah for me.

I read a lot with the kids, but we haven't done that much this past month. Go figure.

Movies/TV Shows I've Watched


TV

We spent the first several weeks of our move moving things into our new house and going to our old house (where the cable and TV both were) to watch our shows. Each time we'd watch something there, the room would have less and less stuff in it and after a while, we were sitting on the floor watching a TV that was also on the floor as our sofas, tables, and entertainment center all moved over to our new house.

We finished up our shows' seasons at the farmhouse - "Modern Family," "Big Bang," "Amazing Race," and our new runaway favorite "The Goldbergs." We'd move and pack and unpack all day and then treat ourselves to a 20-minute reprieve before bed. Scramble, scramble, scramble.

We didn't move our cable over for a good month, as we didn't want to pay for it in two places (we just wanted to transfer it) and Mark was using it while he worked in our clinic leading up to our business move. We've been juggling A LOT. I also didn't really want the distraction of WiFi at our new house, what with all the unpacking to do!

Now that we're mostly set up at the new house, we're watching stuff on Netflix and through our TiVo (before that, Mark and I were visiting Stars Hollow for a few minutes each night on our laptop which would sit in our entertainment center in the middle of our living room - not quite pushed against the wall, because it's heavy and the TV wasn't here yet).

I'm watching "Parenthood" with Thing 1, "Malcolm in the Middle" with Thing 2, and "Gilmore Girls" with Mark (again). Though admittedly, we're not doing a whole lot of sitting around these days. :P

Movies

Did I seen any movies in May? What's a movie? Oh yeah, one night we watched "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" with the kids in our brand new basement. I must admit that I fell asleep. But the new digs for a kid/teen hangout space? Awesome.

Yeah, didn't exactly have a whole lot of time to watch many movies in May. Go figure.

Games I've played


Let's pack a house!
Let's unpack boxes!
Where does this go?

Um, seriously.

We organized the shelves of our games in the basement - does that count? 

 Other Things I've done, Places I've visited, etc.


* Our wonderful friends, Sherri and Ron and Jack, helped us IMMENSELY with our move. I don't know how we would've done it without them. They single-handedly assisted us and helped us move pretty much EVERYTHING. They showed up day after day (and they live over half an hour away, mind you) with their truck and helped us lift, pack, clean, move, unpack, you name it. They brought dinner. They lent us boxes. They gave us incredible moral support. They have always known what's going on with us on any given day and have checked on us multiple times a day. They expressed excitement for us continually. They were with us EVERY step of the way. I can not begin to express the gratitude we feel toward them. Moving is stressful and they made it FUN and helped make it the adventure we've wanted. Thank you, thank you, to our very dear friends. These words are not enough to express how much you've helped us, physically AND emotionally.

* So, really, I could list "Ron and Sherri helped us" about 20 times on this list and you'd get a pretty good picture of May. Seriously.

* Kicked off our summer park days with our homeschool group - big group gathering, potluck, pictures, playground, games, fun . . . including Quidditch! I kid you not.

* Thing 1 and I attended a mother-daughter yoga retreat while the boys enjoyed an Amazing Race type scavenger hunt with Sherri and Jack.

* Dave's parents got to town and we got to see them a bunch, which is always fun for us. I love that they treat us as family. They not only say that we're family. It's backed up with actions and real love. It means a lot to us.

* I'm looking at our calendar as I write this and each day says something like "Sherri-truck" or "Ron-truck" or "Both-truck" - we're in awe of how much they've been up here helping us. AWE.

* LOTS of late nights at stores (and late dinners) getting things for the house. Thankfully, not too much to buy, but enough to have us running errands late into the night many nights in a row.

* We slept in our new house 8 days after settlement. Not bad considering heavy rains stopped us from moving for the first 3 days after settlement.

* For the first couple of days, we were sleeping at the new house and showering at the old house. Transitions!

* After 3 nights in the new house, we were able to both sleep AND get ready in the new house.

* We haven't really had a day off during all of this, so we've been working the whole time, plus working on advertising and banners and new business cards and brochures and mailing for our business move. Plus moving. Plus packing. Plus unpacking. Plus cleaning. Plus working. Plus, well, you get the idea.

* Shopping, errands, unpacking . . .

* Adjusting to a new place isn't always the best for sleeping (new routine, new place, new noises, etc.), but can I just say we are LOVING the quieter location?!? Have you ever been in a room with a loud motor and gotten used to it so much so that when someone turns it off you're stunned at how loud it was/quiet it is? We LOVE our new house! I can't tell you how many times a day I either text, think, or exclaim that - "I love this house!"

* It took me a week to get the kitchen all unpacked and organized. Can I just say that it is a JOY to cook in our new kitchen?!? I love it! I'm so renewedly motivated!

* We only needed to rent a U-haul one day to move major appliances and business stuff. Not bad!

* We got to go out to dinner and ice cream several times with Dave's parents and with friends - nice diversions from all the crazy moving!

* Dealt with extended family stress during all the moving. Not easy to balance everything and keep sane, but I'm trying!

* Organized the fridge and freezer(s) stuff. It was raining and I learned that our garage is very slippery when it rains. I hurt myself and was sore for days. The garage now has runners in it. I took a bath in our awesome new tub right away to soak away the hurt and we learned that the jet part isn't working (even though it totally worked for the home inspector a few weeks before).

* The Johnsons invited us over for a meal on Mother's Day. It was very appreciated. They also helped us with meals during those days when we weren't quite out of our old kitchen or into our new one. Dick and Linda brought food, too. The meals were enormously helpful. Thank you, thank you.

* More errands, shopping, exchanges, etc.

* Friends have come by to see our house. So grateful to good friends who are excited for us, too!

* Got to go on a one-on-one lunch date with Fran (Dave's mom) and really enjoyed ourselves. I hate that they live so far away.

* Went out to eat with Dave's family and parents. Rude waitress snapped at Thing 2 and then didn't apologize when we nicely explained to her what was going on. They're getting a letter. Jerks.

* As I look at our calendar to write this post, I see squares with things written on it like "Target, Just Cabinets, Ollie's, Kohl's, etc." on several days. TJ Maxx, Home Goods, Kitchen stores, etc. You name it. We don't live in a county that has much shopping. Normally, that's fine with us as we're not big shoppers. But with the move, we've been visiting neighboring counties to find more selection. Big props to Sherri for spending a day with us taking us all over her county and helping us find stuff!

* Sherri and Ron and Jack went to Disney for a week and we missed them very much.

* Spent much of the weekend with Fran and John. They generously visited us with house warming gifts for all of us. They make us feel very loved and appreciated. Thanks, Gramsy and Pops! LOVE our butter bell and basket - both are being put to good use! And the kids love, love, LOVE their gifts! So thoughtful!

* Mark took some ice cream to the hospital as a surprise visit for the Johnsons and Dave's parents. It was a fun surprise and we all got a good laugh from it, too. Hated saying goodbye to Fran and John. We miss them.

* Work, work, work.

* Dealt with some seasonal allergies during all this, particularly Thing 1 and Mark. Thing 2 and I got some hives from the pollen/mold.

* Kept up with the usual stuff, too - volunteering, taekwondo, book clubs, etc. Thing 2 is working hard toward his 2nd degree black belt (as is Mark)!

* We were supposed to attend a baseball game, but the rain really got in the way, so we spent the day with Ron and Sherri and Jack instead. We got stuff done for our business - printing, etc., done as well. We went out to Friendly's with the Johnsons after Dave got out of the hospital and they came over afterward with some pretty cool and thoughtful housewarming gifts. So special.

* Had lunch and went shopping with Kristie - she's working on home improvement stuff (painting, decor, etc.) as we're doing stuff here, so it's fun to share that!

* More shopping, errands, unpacking . . .

* Thing 1's best friend sleeps over every week and we always enjoy having her here. The girls pretty much do their own thing, but it's always comfortable and easy to have Kirsten here.

* Park Days! Our homeschool group spends every Friday afternoon at a local park and it's always lots of fun. The weather has been lovely - 70s and beautiful. Everyone has been lingering, not wanting to leave. It's a nice mini-break for us with all we've got going on, though admittedly we've worked/moved/unpacked during parts of them, too!

* Thing 1 started her job at the Renaissance Faire - she LOVES it. She worked the whole first weekend (not technically a Ren Faire weekend yet, but they have various events) and we spent the first day there and were her first customers. We weren't intending to spend the entire day, but the weather was great, the Johnson boys joined us, and we were having fun seeing Thing 1 smiling so big and enjoying her first work shift!

* She worked a full day the next day, too. Mark attended his Dads' D&D group and Thing 2 and I met Sherri for lunch and shopping and then back to pick up Thing 1 from work. That night we hosted our first book club in our new house. We BARELY pulled it off, but we did it (it was good incentive to keep it on the calendar and make sure we were ready). Literally the day before, our living room was piled high with boxes and books and bookshelves and we scrambled to assemble, clean, and put it all away in time to host. Oh yeah, and clean the house. The kids had a group video gaming activity the same night, so it was a jam-packed, full, fun, busy weekend.

* I had a couple of rough days emotionally - I think part of it is hormonal (I'm noticing that as I get older) and part of it is sheer exhaustion from everything and adjusting to all we're doing (new house, new business space, new tenant, etc.).

* Got Thing 1 to her volunteer shifts at the library and that night we went out to dinner and ice cream with the Johnsons - we went to an all-you-can-eat Japanese place that is not a buffet. You sit and order and they just keep bringing out the food. Yum!

* Got Thing 2 to his taekwondo classes. Also loving having next-door neighbors with kids - Thing 2 is out there playing with them a lot and he loves it!

* Tried figuring out our summer calendar and making sure we're balancing doing good things with having down time - no small feat. Between Thing 1's writers' camp, Thing 2's science camp, and the 5 camps I'm teaching, as well as visitors and outings, it's pretty full.

* Spent hours/DAYS setting up our new business Facebook page and updating our business webpage and putting up new banners and advertisements and marketing and meeting and networking and alerting all of our companies (business credit card, our credit card charging company (how we charge our clients), various insurances, new addresses, etc. and doing a MASSIVE mailing to all our clients. Everything takes longer than you think it will, you know? Our family stayed up many late nights peeling, sticking, and working assembly-line style to pull it off. We didn't get them all out as soon as we'd hoped, but they did go out in plenty of time for the adjustment to our new space. HUGE job. Many long hours. Such a feeling of accomplishment. Have I mentioned that we're exhausted?!?

* Freaked out as the deadline rapidly approached to get in all of our homeschool stuff - testing, evaluations, portfolios . . . to remember that the deadline isn't May 31st, but June 30th. Duh. PHEW! We knew that, but we've been going strong and had a slight moment of slight panic. Of course as I type this, it is, amazingly, mid-June and it's rapidly approaching again. For real this time! :P

* Got wifi at the new house once we wrapped up seeing patients at the old clinic.

* Wrapped up the month by finishing seeing patients at our old clinic, packing up our clinic all in one day (Saturday), and loading it all into our van, a truck, and a trailer and transporting it all to our new location in one big trip. Unloaded it all and started setting up when we all looked at each other and reluctantly conceded that we were tired and hungry and didn't have it in us to do any more and would just finish the next day. It HAD to be done, because we started seeing patients there that very next Monday. We were so tired, I don't even have the words to explain it.

* Speaking of moving our clinic, I was really sad as we packed up our clinic. We have LOVED having it in our house these past 7 years. I looked at Mark a few times and asked, "We're doing the right thing, right?" It has been emotional. Once we started setting up at the new place, an excitement took over and I wasn't sad anymore. We love our new space! And it's so much more efficient. Mark is able to see twice as many people in the same amount of time. Plus he has an office where he can get work done and take calls (he's often on call from his job at the hospital) while patients are relaxing in their rooms. It's so great! As we contemplate all of this, we see that having had the clinic in our house has been awesome with younger kids. Mark could pop in anytime and we could start our business out with lower expenses and there is obviously a huge convenience factor. At least one of us could be with the kids while the other worked. Having older kids, this new move is great! Mark and I can see patients at the same time, as the kids are old enough to take care of themselves more. It's more efficient there. The kids can go to work with him and hang out in his office for the afternoon. We can surprise visit him at work (and have done that a few times already!). So much good is already coming of it, including many new patients. So much variety and flexibility. We love our life!

* The local VA recently contracted with us - they send us patients for acupuncture and that is going GREAT. Again, thank goodness for the expanded space to see more people!

* We're collapsing into bed every night exhausted from hard work. It feels good really. But yeah, we're tired. We haven't stopped. It's all very exciting and wonderful and we're super happy. We're tired, too. So so tired.

Pictures from the Month

Sherri and Mark loading up the truck

Kate and I unloading the van

Unloading into the garage - I love this garage!

Moving the game closet

View from our old house on Main St.

And the other side - Beer Warehouse.

Remember these views. I'll try to remember to post some views from our new house - beautiful!

A bunch of our friends through our homeschool group (many are missing) - I love how involved the dads in this group are!

Playing (broomless) Quidditch!

Ron and Mark load up the truck

Jack and Max eating snacks at the farmhouse

Scout, emotionally exhausted from all the moving

Me and my beautiful daughter after our mother-daughter yoga retreat

Mark and our awesome son after their amazing race around town with friends

Scout excels at finding a spot for herself ANYWHERE - she loves being with us

Packing up the schoolroom

Emptying the living room

Dining Room, after we moved it out (first) became our staging area for boxes to load

One of the upstairs bedrooms that we've used as a guest room/library - lots of books to pack!

Ron, a historian who has worked in the archives, made all these boxes SO FAST.

Sherri seriously went above and beyond - she helped Kate paint her room a bright, cheerful yellow - took her to Lowe's, compared samples, picked colors, back to Lowe's, brought equipment, taped, and painted it all!

Me, organizing the new kitchen

In the morning at the farmhouse

So tired

Same day - working in the afternoon, loading up games in our new basement!

The kids and I pack stuff up while Mark works

My view from upstairs after our one of our first nights in our new house

Me and Scout - looking outside the Dining Room window

Working in the new kitchen

Mark in our laundry room

Scout in our laundry room

We've emptied the kitchen at the farmhouse! No small feat. Hurrah!

Visitor! Dave surprised us with a visit.

Scout LOVES Dave.

So proud of all my organizing work in the kitchen - it took a week!

A pantry! I love having a pantry!

Our first meal in our new house, courtesy of Dick and Linda. We ate in the dining room because the kitchen table wasn't set up yet (we bought a new one - we've had the other one for 15 years and all the chairs have broken twice over).

John and Fran took us out to ice cream - such a treat!

Friendly's!

OMG, assembling furniture. That's probably the main thing we did in May. Feels like it anyway.

And getting almost done with assembly only to find a broken part and have to drive 45 minutes back to the store to exchange it and start over? UGH. Yeah, that. I miss mom and pop stores.

But hey, these red countertop chairs are pretty snazzy! Also, that pile of books? Their recent reading material.

Our first meal at our kitchen table - celebrating with leftovers and a bit of sushi!

Assembling, assembling . . . bookshelves this time.

Fran and John congratulate us with very generous and thoughtful housewarming gifts

Gramsy and Pops! We feel so loved!

Christie got some AWESOME pictures of all of our reactions to the gifts, especially the kids' reactions, but her phone, uh, met an untimely demise. Hopefully the sim card is intact.

Scout finding a spot at the new house

Setting up the schoolroom

Organizing the schoolroom

Housewarming gifts from the Johnsons!

So sweet!

Reading their very sweet card (and yes, Kate and I got haircuts).

So much laughing all the time

Happy housewarming!

The game shelves in the basement, organized by type!

Movie and music and video game corner - such a cool kids'/teen hangout down there!

Schoolroom!

Foyer

A closer up of our housewarming gift from the Johnsons

Dining Room

That's pictures and things we haven't hung up yet.

Boxes everywhere - but a view of the windows in the living room!

Love these kids!

Our new mix-and-match kitchen table we put together ourselves (including the design)!

Love it!

Loading up the bookshelves

Chilling with Scout

My niece was in Hershey for a couple of hours so we got to visit with her for a bit!

Working on a MASSIVE mailing for all of our clients

Many late nights . . .

Our beautiful wisteria at our farmhouse near the barn

Packing up the clinic

Max helps us out

This was emotionally difficult to pack up, I must admit (though we love and are so grateful for our new location and space!)

Kate and her BFF help us out, too

So, May has been extremely busy and exhausting and good. We're tired, but happy. Lots more to share, but that'll be in the June post. It's already more than halfway through June and I'm only now posting this May update. That should tell you something. ;) I miss blogging. How are all of you?