Baby Ellie is CRAZY about her big brother!
Preparing for the BIG move
We’re moving.
Just a few blocks from where we are currently living.
The house isn’t getting bigger but we are losing the den/office area we currently have and gaining a 4th bedroom.
Oh, and no more E.A.R.L. (for you newbies, E.A.R.L. is short for Evil Anal Retentive Landlord).
Not only are we finally going to be free of E.A.R.L. but we will also have the freedom to do as we please.
We get to paint, decorate, have a dog, a sandbox, a garden and really….anything else we want to do.
We aren’t moving until mid-August but we have been busy preparing for the BIG move for the last 2 weeks.
Winter clothes are packed along with a majority of our other clothing to help reduce the laundry that needs to be done until we move and to ensure I am not packing boxes and boxes of clothes at the last minute.
All of our pictures and knick-knacks are packed away.
The basement is organized and ready to go.
We have been clearing out the clutter and sending things off to Goodwill.
Everyone in the family is excited to move.
Our new house is lovely!
It is just perfect for our family of 6!
4 bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms and a very inviting living space that is open to the kitchen. There is also a full basement that gives us plenty of options and that is where our new office will be located and hopefully a 5th bedroom at some point as well. We are also on a huge lot so our new backyard offers a ton of space for some fun and it includes 2 apple trees and a garden I can’t wait to get my hands on.
We are also very excited to have a HUGE 2.5 stall extra deep garage that will finally give us the space to store all of the kids toys, the van and other items we currently have crammed in there. The garage also have a built in work bench and I will finally have somewhere to keep my tools and I can get a toolbox!!! (Yes, I WANT A TOOLBOX OF MY OWN!!!)
Did I mention that the house is also right across the street from a park??
It also happens to be right in the area I grew up in as a kid.
Across the street in one direction is the townhouse my parents and sister lived in while my mom was pregnant with me.
Down the rode in the cul-de-sac is the duplex I lived in with my parents and sister until I was 4 and my parents bought their first home.
Directly across the street and out our new front window in the townhouse I lived in with Zack and Libby when I met the Alex.
This is MY neighborhood!
We are all looking forward to the move and cannot wait to be in our new home!
His First Day
Today, my little Alexander went off into the land of big kids.
He started summer school.
Yes, he is 4 and in summer school.
Monday through Friday for the next 4 weeks my little man will be sitting in his Getting Ready for 4K class.
Where has the time gone??
I cannot believe how grown up my little boy is.
Today was a HUGE day for him since he has never really been in a group setting that mom or dad wasn’t included in. He is also the first of my children to experience this as both Zack and Libby were in day care from 6 weeks on and remained in day care until I quit working outside the home.
I am happy to report that he LOVED it.
All he talked about from the moment he got home until he went to bed had something to do with school.
Mommy, they have a play kitchen in my classroom.
Mommy, there are soooooo many toys to play with.
Mommy, my teacher Miss L, she’s really nice.
Mommy, I got to have a snack and milk.
Mommy, there is a bathroom in our classroom too!
Everything he told me came out fast and was told with great excitement.
He did make a point to tell me that he got an owie on the playground and Miss L got him a bandaid and he wished I could have been there to kiss it for him and that he missed me.
I have to admit, I missed him as well but it was nice to have some quiet time at home.
In his absence I was able to take a shower for the first time in 4 years that was not interrupted by someone coming in the bathroom, someone crying or someone screaming they needed me.
And, I was not alone in enjoying the quiet.
Ellie did something she had been waiting to do for 6 months.
She napped for two undisturbed hours!!
Who knew that a 3 hour break in the morning would be such a great thing?
Tomorrow begins day 2 of summer school and he cannot wait to go and learn more.
I can’t wait for him to come home and tell me all about it.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that he will sing me another new song too!!!
I am so thankful that our district offers 4K and even more thankful that they offer a summer program to prepare him for the fall.
I am also very thankful to the wonderful teachers who dedicate so much time and effort into educating Alexander, Libby and Zack over the summer.
THANK YOU!!!!!!
If it wasn’t for teachers that are so dedicated this summer school program would not exist!
I cannot say thank you enough!!!!
Shopping for the man in your life
In the 6 years we have been together, the Alex has never really been one to head out and go shopping for himself….for the most part I am the one who is always out, combing through all of the men’s clothes in hunt of the perfect deal.
With a family of 6, when it comes to shopping, we are always looking for a steal in the clothing department.
I personally like to purchase clothing for all us at an affordable cost which I’m sure most other large families do too. Not only do I like affordable but I like affordable with a good quality as well.
Since I like to hunt for a good deal I have turned to both the brick and mortar store and the internet when making purchases and I have been lucky to always get a good deal on both.
I think for now, I will continue to be frugal when purchasing clothes for not just the hubs but the rest of the family as well but as far as I am concerned, the Alex can continue to buy his own underwear!
Do you have a man in your life that dislikes shopping or relies on you to do it for him?
Quaker Soft Baked Bars: I’m Addicted
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Quaker Oats. All opinions are 100% mine.
Hello, my name is Anne and I am addicted to the new Cinnamon Pecan Bread Quaker Soft Baked Bar (and the cookies too). This thing is like a flavor explosion of goodness in my mouth. It is a great wholesome food that I can keep on hand whenever I need a little bite to eat or am craving something a little sweet!
Quaker Soft Baked Bars are a breakfast snack that can be enjoyed at any time of day. I find them to be great for not just myself, but the kids as well when we are on the go. We have also used them as snack for the tball team already this season.
Each bar contails 140 calories, 5g of Fiber, 6grams of Protein and is an excelent source of 5 B-vitamins. The bars are available in two flavors: Cinnamon Pecan Bread and Banana Nut Bread. We enjoy both of them in our home because they seem to help conquer everyone’s craving!
Eat them right out of the box, keep them around for a snack or warm them up in the microwave and serve with a little ice cream for a little dessert!
Have you tried out the new Quaker Soft Baked Bars yet?
