10.26.2006

the move is on - 10/27

We've been moving things here and there all this week, and the big move of all the rest of everything is on Saturday. I have to get the modem taken in to set up disconnection of the net and cable tomorrow, so this is the last time I'll be on here at this house! Next time I post to you all, I'll be at our new house!!
I don't know if I'm excited or not about this. All I know is that I can't wait for it to be over and done with!
I have things switching over with phone and dial-up internet (for the time being) on Monday, so I'll be back in business then!
Wish us luck!!
Elena

10.22.2006

big week - 10/22

This has been a big, busy, not so fun week for us here. Zech's birthday was Monday - he's 2 years old now!!! How time flies! And Isaac Benjamin is now 5 months old!
Mostly we've been busy trying to get things figured out and righted with the house. We were supposed to have possession last Sunday, the 15th, but the vendor's lawyer decided he needed confirmation that Dad had signed the papers, so that held things off until Monday. Though the papers were signed and faxed to him on Monday, however, he didn't bother calling to release the keys and so we waited. Tuesday morning, after our lawyer forced him, their lawyer released the keys and I packed up the van to move some things. When I got to the house, though, it was very messy and dirty. Garbage left in the garage and on the deck, the fridge was filthy, there is a hole in the wall and through the bathroom door downstairs that were not there when we saw the house, and actually had been covered with posters to hide them. Very dishonest. Also, there was a ton of mold in the storage room downstairs and TONS of mouse droppings in the downstairs bathroom, laundry room, and kitchen.
We felt very badly, and called our realtor. She hired a lady to come in and clean the house completely (only took her 2 full days!) and she found more mold in the boys' bedroom and the closet in Ruthie's room. She did a good job and got it all cleaned off, and we got a dehumidifier for the basement. We're going to get new doors for the closets and the storage room, first thing, louvred doors (the ones with slats) to allow for air flow. I think that should ward off the mold until we are able to find time to paint everything.
To ward off mice, we're going to get 2 cats from our friends' Dad. I'll be sure to post pictures, when I get some!
After all is said and done, we were planning all along to move yesterday, but only half the house was completely cleaned, so we're putting it off until next weekend. Basically, all this screwing around by the sellers and their lawyer has put us a full week behind schedule. I'm sure it doesn't matter to them a bit, but we need to find time at the end after the move to clean the carpets here still!
I'm sure it will all work out in the end, but this has all been very discouraging, for me anyways.
Before I go - I am putting some new pictures up on the photos site (link --->), including some of the house, empty but still! I'll put more pictures of the house once we're in and settled a bit, and I'll be sure to share with you all as we make our house really ours!

10.16.2006

no keys yet - 10/16

Well, we've done everything the vendor's lawyer wanted and still no keys. Apparently we're not important enough for him to take the couple minutes to call the realtor and tell her we can have our keys. He's had the papers at his office all afternoon, yet our realtor called and was told he "just left the office" at 4:45pm... without ever dignifying us with a phone call.
What a jerk.
I've definitely learned one thing from this - I will never do business with this lawyer ever again. Heck, if we ever have to move again and we find the perfect house, but this is the seller's lawyer, I'd never make an offer.
I can't believe how rude this guy is.
We've now lost 3 days of moving things. And I won't be able to get anything moved until Friday because I've just got other "life" stuff to do.
Maybe we should demand a refund on our land taxes for these days without possession?

Zechariah is 2!!! - 10/16

Zechariah Joshua is 2 years old today!!!
We're going to have friends over tomorrow night for pizza (zech's favorite) and cake (Bob the Builder! another favorite!). We've gotten him a couple more train things for presents. Oh, and he picked out a pack of trucks to buy himself with the birthday money Nana and Papa sent in his card! Thanks Nana and Papa!! :o)
We're not quite moving yet, though we had hoped to be in the process of all ready. Apparently the vendor's lawyer is being a bit sticky about things and won't let us have the keys until Dad signs the papers. So, we're waiting on purolator to show up with the papers!! Hopefully we'll still get moved this weekend, though if not, there's still another weekend after which we can get it done on. So, kind of disappointing, though not unexpected, and at least we know it's all happening, it's just a matter of waiting right now.
Mom and Dad were trying to show friends the pictures of the house, and found that the link doesn't work anymore, which makes sense. I'll take pictures as soon as we get the keys, of it empty, and then with our stuff inside. And of course, I'll take more pictures as we do some things to make it ours! Auntie Jill has a great idea for painting Ruthie's room, and said she'll help! Yay! I think that will be part of Roo's birthday present, maybe.
Oh, Josh's Aunt Jill and Uncle Reg are moving to Brandon!!!! We're so excited!!!! They were here house hunting last week, and came over for dinner last night. It was SO awesome to see them and visit with them. I miss all our family so much. It'll be so nice to have someone close by!! Now we just need to work on all of you to move here! ;o)
And, I think that's it for now. There are some more pictures and a few more videos (really really cute!!) on the pictures and videos link site over there --->
And I'll get new pictures of the house once we have the keys!!

10.08.2006

Happy Thanksgiving!! - 10/08

Happy Turkey Day, everyone!! Hope yours is a good one!!
We're all just sitting around here. The kids are watching a movie, Josh is playing video games, Isaac is napping, and I'm... well, I'm typing this! Our chicken is in the oven, roasting away.
Hard to believe that one week from today, we will officially have our house! We're hoping to pack up the car and the van that day and move a bunch of stuff. I think we'll be able to make a good size dent in the stored stuff in the shed, if nothing else. Then, during the week, I'll pack up decorations and pictures from the house, and later in the week I'll take clothes and dishes and toys we don't need for a few days here, and get all that moved. I'm hoping that by the time the following weekend comes, we'll only have large things left to move.
I can't wait!!! I'm getting very excited to move, especially for the space we'll have! I wonder if it will feel lonely to not have someone under foot ALL the time? :o) But I'll know exactly where to find them, if need be!
The other night I put Isaac in his bassinet and was looking at how HUGE he is in it. He's got barely a 1/2 inch left to go before reaching both ends at once. I feel so bad leaving him in it this long, but there's just not room for anything more up there. So, I was thinking about how nice it'll be for him to get his crib. And then I really looked at our bedroom... and realized that Ruthie's bedroom in the new house is about the same size as our room here... and her's is the smallest room!! How awesome it'll be to have space to breathe! And how nice (and necessary) it will be for Ruthie to have her very own bedroom. She so desparately craves alone time that sometimes she locks herself in the bathroom with toys to just not have Zech bugging her. Poor girl!
Speaking of Ruthie, she is SO enjoying her dance class!! I'm so happy that we were able to make this happen for her. She has a great time, and for the most part, she's doing really well listening to the teacher and doing what she's asked to - sometimes with the wrong foot or hand, but that's okay!!! She's always excited to go to the next class, and is always asking how many more sleeps!
Oh, before I forget to mention it, I think Isaac is getting his FIRST TOOTH!! All ready!!!! I couldn't believe it, but there's a teeny tiny sharp white point poking through the gum, bottom left. WOW!!! It seems WAY too early for him to be getting teeth, but I know some kids do this early. It's just that Ruthie didn't get her first tooth until 8 months, and Zech was 7 months, so I never expected this so early for any of our kids! But, that's okay, he's just gonna be a different kid!!
And I think that's it from this end... or rather, the middle, really. We're always missing all of you. And thinking of you, especially during holidays. I wish we were able to share these times with our family and friends.

10.06.2006

5 years today...- 10/6

Happy Anniversary to us!!
5 years ago today we were married in 108 Mile Ranch, BC. Seems like just yesterday and forever ago, all at the same time.
Things are moving along with the house stuff. We went to the bank last Friday to sign the mortgage papers, and Dad went to his bank to sign them at the bank at home the beginning of this week. I'm assuming they've made it back to our bank here, and all is well, as we've heard nothing more! We go to the lawyer to sign everything next Wednesday, and then the house is ours on the following Sunday!
There still are some things that need to be done, like getting house insurance, but it's hard to find time (and energy) to do it all with 3 kids in tow. They don't exactly sit and stay when told. But it will all be done in time.
I attempted to get some pictures of all the kids yesterday. Ended up with one decent one! I'm hoping to get a couple more attempts in between now and when I need to take Christmas pictures of them so they're all practiced up!
... I just thought of it, we get to have a real tree this year!!! ...
Anyways, I'll put a few of the pictures on here. There are more on our pictures site!