Well I'm getting there!
Just a heads up, tomorrow and Tuesday are movings days for us. We will be super busy. I'm hoping to blog a bit more and get caught up but we will see.
Have a wonderful last week of July!
Miranda, Arnold, Kyler (who is at Nana and Papa's house) and Quinton (who is enjoying his time alone with his parents!)
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Week 9 Day 7 - Thursday, July 16th - A Wonderful Day!
Today was a WONDERFUL day!
It started with some wonderful time at the zoo with Auntie Lori and the boys. We took a different route and got to see some of the animals we don’t normally see. It was nice. I was telling Lori about the house and how we are just waiting to see if we got it. I got some super cute photos of the boys. Enjoy!
We found out about half way through our trip that we got the house! Rob called me and we chatted about the zoo and our pass for a few minutes and then he said if we still wanted the house, it was ours! I was so excited! We made an appointment to be there in the evening to do another walk through and get things figured out. YEAH!!! So happy!!!
After the zoo we went home and had a nap and I got the kids ready, and some laundry and grocery list, for Auntie Kristina’s house that night. We had plans to go over and make supper for them, as well as another batch of meals for Arnold. That was the easy part. We headed over once the kids got up from their naps (that they ended up starting LATE) and stopped at the grocery store and picked up a few things we needed. We made Sheppard’s pie and Chicken Pot Pie for Arnold to take with him. We made an extra batch of CPP for supper that night. It turned out really well.
Auntie Kristina and I cooked while Uncle Tim and Arnold took the oldest out to get something for their cell phones (boys and their toys!). I got the meals cooked and ready to go before we headed out. When Uncle Tim and Arnold got home we switched. I went to the van with Arnold and we went to the new house and Uncle Tim brought the 2 older kids upstairs. Auntie Kristina gave everyone a bath (Thank you thank you thank you).
Here are the photos Arnold got of the house during our last walk through (things have changed a bit since we did these).
We gave him the cheque and talked over a few more things. I’m so excited!!!
It started with some wonderful time at the zoo with Auntie Lori and the boys. We took a different route and got to see some of the animals we don’t normally see. It was nice. I was telling Lori about the house and how we are just waiting to see if we got it. I got some super cute photos of the boys. Enjoy!
We found out about half way through our trip that we got the house! Rob called me and we chatted about the zoo and our pass for a few minutes and then he said if we still wanted the house, it was ours! I was so excited! We made an appointment to be there in the evening to do another walk through and get things figured out. YEAH!!! So happy!!!
After the zoo we went home and had a nap and I got the kids ready, and some laundry and grocery list, for Auntie Kristina’s house that night. We had plans to go over and make supper for them, as well as another batch of meals for Arnold. That was the easy part. We headed over once the kids got up from their naps (that they ended up starting LATE) and stopped at the grocery store and picked up a few things we needed. We made Sheppard’s pie and Chicken Pot Pie for Arnold to take with him. We made an extra batch of CPP for supper that night. It turned out really well.
Auntie Kristina and I cooked while Uncle Tim and Arnold took the oldest out to get something for their cell phones (boys and their toys!). I got the meals cooked and ready to go before we headed out. When Uncle Tim and Arnold got home we switched. I went to the van with Arnold and we went to the new house and Uncle Tim brought the 2 older kids upstairs. Auntie Kristina gave everyone a bath (Thank you thank you thank you).
Here are the photos Arnold got of the house during our last walk through (things have changed a bit since we did these).
We gave him the cheque and talked over a few more things. I’m so excited!!!
Week 9 Day 6 - Wednesday, July 15th - PJ day
We had another lazy day. Arnold talked to the people up at the gate before he left for work and told them we would be up there to renew for another week. He also was talking to the ‘nice one’ and she said she could get Mom and Dad in for the weekend. This made us VERY happy since Saturday is the Zoo day.
The boys and I went up on our walk with our PJ’s on for our pj morning! It was wonderful. When we got up there I found out that the night before Arnold had been up there visiting and the boys got to push the open and close button for the gate and they really wanted to do it again. The nice lady there snuck the kids in and helped them push the buttons. I double checked that it was ok for mom and dad and she said she would make it happen. Then we headed down the road back to the trailer taking our time. It was good. We had some lunch and then had a quick nap time. I made sure the boys remembered the rule about no naps means no soccer. They got so bad with it that Arnold had to call and talk to Kyler and tell him to go to sleep!
We left a bit early and went to the library and picked up some new books and movies and paid for our late fees from the weeks before. Then we headed out to the park for our picnic. The park was getting dirty. The garbage strike is really making the city look bad. The nice part is that the garbage bags near the playground at least are looking like they get emptied about once or twice a week so it wasn’t that bad when we showed up on Wednesday.
I was talking to Kristina and asking if Rob had called her. I told her about the email we had got the other day from him saying he was going to call people soon and I wanted to know if he called. Kristina said nope, not yet but she checked her machine and there was a message there! It was so exciting! She said she would call him back when she got some time. I was pumped!! One step closer to getting the house.
We went over for our game at 7:30pm. It was our first ‘late game’. It was rough too. These kids are not meant to stay up so late. Kyler did incredible but the other children and not late night kids! When we got in the car our phones started ringing. It turns out that Uncle Tim’s car had a flat. Arnold offered to turn around (we really weren’t that far) and help them fix it but they were going to call CAA. We should have gone back because we found it took about 1hour to get someone out there. We stopped and got some drinks just before Reid’s closed and then we headed home and off to bed.
The boys and I went up on our walk with our PJ’s on for our pj morning! It was wonderful. When we got up there I found out that the night before Arnold had been up there visiting and the boys got to push the open and close button for the gate and they really wanted to do it again. The nice lady there snuck the kids in and helped them push the buttons. I double checked that it was ok for mom and dad and she said she would make it happen. Then we headed down the road back to the trailer taking our time. It was good. We had some lunch and then had a quick nap time. I made sure the boys remembered the rule about no naps means no soccer. They got so bad with it that Arnold had to call and talk to Kyler and tell him to go to sleep!
We left a bit early and went to the library and picked up some new books and movies and paid for our late fees from the weeks before. Then we headed out to the park for our picnic. The park was getting dirty. The garbage strike is really making the city look bad. The nice part is that the garbage bags near the playground at least are looking like they get emptied about once or twice a week so it wasn’t that bad when we showed up on Wednesday.
I was talking to Kristina and asking if Rob had called her. I told her about the email we had got the other day from him saying he was going to call people soon and I wanted to know if he called. Kristina said nope, not yet but she checked her machine and there was a message there! It was so exciting! She said she would call him back when she got some time. I was pumped!! One step closer to getting the house.
We went over for our game at 7:30pm. It was our first ‘late game’. It was rough too. These kids are not meant to stay up so late. Kyler did incredible but the other children and not late night kids! When we got in the car our phones started ringing. It turns out that Uncle Tim’s car had a flat. Arnold offered to turn around (we really weren’t that far) and help them fix it but they were going to call CAA. We should have gone back because we found it took about 1hour to get someone out there. We stopped and got some drinks just before Reid’s closed and then we headed home and off to bed.
Week 9 Day 5 - Tuesday, July 14th - ST and house news
Tuesday, July 14th
This morning we had to get moving a bit faster that we would have liked. We got some of our things put away and cleaned up in the trailer then we jumped into the car! Q had speech Therapy today. We had a babysitter, Rachel, meeting us there so we made our way over and took our time cleaning up the van a bit (since we were super early). We went up to the front doors and found Rachel there. All of us went into the area to meet with the teacher and for some reason the clock seemed to be very fast so we thought we were running late. I made sure it was ok with the receptionist for the babysitter and my oldest (K) to be playing there for a bit and I gave Rachel the keys to the car so she could take Kyler out there around 11:15am or so and we could just meet them there instead of coming back in and then going back out.
*I’ll write more about his ST class later*
We dropped Rachel off at home and stopped at McDonalds by our place and the kids played there. I had realized we had little to no food in our fridge for lunch! So we headed out that way. After lunch we came home and the boys napped (in fact Q fell asleep on the way home and it’s not that far). While the boys were napping I read some more of my books. I know I should have been napping with them but it just wasn’t happening!
When the boys woke up they played outside and I realized I hadn’t been taking a lot of photos lately so I did snap these 2 of the little men:
Once Arnold got home they had supper and I went to Bible Study at Jaime’s house. It was good to get out for a bit and talk to some friends of mine, who aren’t you know… kids!
I got home and checked my e’mail there was one from the landlord of the house, Rob, saying that he had just come in from a busy day of painting and would call my references the next day. And he said to say hi to the boys. I was so excited!!!!!
I went to bed around 11:30 or so and Arnold stayed up just a bit longer.
This morning we had to get moving a bit faster that we would have liked. We got some of our things put away and cleaned up in the trailer then we jumped into the car! Q had speech Therapy today. We had a babysitter, Rachel, meeting us there so we made our way over and took our time cleaning up the van a bit (since we were super early). We went up to the front doors and found Rachel there. All of us went into the area to meet with the teacher and for some reason the clock seemed to be very fast so we thought we were running late. I made sure it was ok with the receptionist for the babysitter and my oldest (K) to be playing there for a bit and I gave Rachel the keys to the car so she could take Kyler out there around 11:15am or so and we could just meet them there instead of coming back in and then going back out.
*I’ll write more about his ST class later*
We dropped Rachel off at home and stopped at McDonalds by our place and the kids played there. I had realized we had little to no food in our fridge for lunch! So we headed out that way. After lunch we came home and the boys napped (in fact Q fell asleep on the way home and it’s not that far). While the boys were napping I read some more of my books. I know I should have been napping with them but it just wasn’t happening!
When the boys woke up they played outside and I realized I hadn’t been taking a lot of photos lately so I did snap these 2 of the little men:
Once Arnold got home they had supper and I went to Bible Study at Jaime’s house. It was good to get out for a bit and talk to some friends of mine, who aren’t you know… kids!
I got home and checked my e’mail there was one from the landlord of the house, Rob, saying that he had just come in from a busy day of painting and would call my references the next day. And he said to say hi to the boys. I was so excited!!!!!
I went to bed around 11:30 or so and Arnold stayed up just a bit longer.
Week 9 Day 4 - Monday, July 13th - Kyler's photos, soccer, and more
The boys slept in this morning, which was a good thing since I was tired. Q got up after Arnold left for work and I brought Q into bed with me. We played around for a bit and I asked him what he wanted to do. He reached for my camera and said CHEESE! I took the camera and took a photo of him. He said he wanted the flash on so I took another one with flash and by then K was waking up so here are my 2 cute little boys:
I read a lot of the day and the boys played around. K got a hold of my camera and took a few shots of his brother and the great outdoors.
I emailed the owner of the house we saw the other day with our references and told him we were excited to hear back from him. Our biggest issue wasn’t that we wouldn’t get the house but that someone would ‘outbid’ us for it. We were willing to pay what he asked for as far as the rent amount but not much more, not because it wasn’t worth it but because that price is already at the upper level of what we could afford. Plus he told us that he wanted to keep his word and let the other people view the house that couldn’t come to day. We knew he had at least one person coming on the Wednesday so we had to wait until then. It was hard to wait! I hate waiting!!!!
We had our soccer practice that night and we went to McDonalds for supper earlier. Uncle Tim brought E and we had supper with her but Auntie Kristina was working a bit later and taking the TTC in so we were alone with the kids. Man they take a lot of energy from us! We did manage to hold them off until we could order something for Auntie Kristina and Arnold and then we headed out to the soccer field. Arnold met us there and I took the kids to soccer. We had to have some ‘parental involvement’ on Monday night. That part sucked but what can you do! We got to work on passing with the kids and dribbling the ball. I didn’t have my runners on (I have been trying to wear them every week just in case but we were in a rush so I only had my sandals on). But we did ok. Auntie Kristina and Auntie Lori watched Quinton for me since Arnold was listening to the radio and eating his supper in the van.
We stopped for some milkshakes and it was a LONG wait. But we got our drinks/ice cream and headed home. We brought the boys right into bed since we were so tired and they knocked out about 30 minutes later.
I read a lot of the day and the boys played around. K got a hold of my camera and took a few shots of his brother and the great outdoors.
I emailed the owner of the house we saw the other day with our references and told him we were excited to hear back from him. Our biggest issue wasn’t that we wouldn’t get the house but that someone would ‘outbid’ us for it. We were willing to pay what he asked for as far as the rent amount but not much more, not because it wasn’t worth it but because that price is already at the upper level of what we could afford. Plus he told us that he wanted to keep his word and let the other people view the house that couldn’t come to day. We knew he had at least one person coming on the Wednesday so we had to wait until then. It was hard to wait! I hate waiting!!!!
We had our soccer practice that night and we went to McDonalds for supper earlier. Uncle Tim brought E and we had supper with her but Auntie Kristina was working a bit later and taking the TTC in so we were alone with the kids. Man they take a lot of energy from us! We did manage to hold them off until we could order something for Auntie Kristina and Arnold and then we headed out to the soccer field. Arnold met us there and I took the kids to soccer. We had to have some ‘parental involvement’ on Monday night. That part sucked but what can you do! We got to work on passing with the kids and dribbling the ball. I didn’t have my runners on (I have been trying to wear them every week just in case but we were in a rush so I only had my sandals on). But we did ok. Auntie Kristina and Auntie Lori watched Quinton for me since Arnold was listening to the radio and eating his supper in the van.
We stopped for some milkshakes and it was a LONG wait. But we got our drinks/ice cream and headed home. We brought the boys right into bed since we were so tired and they knocked out about 30 minutes later.
Week 9 Day 3 - Sunday, July 12th - More houses and nature walks
We took our time getting ready for church this morning and I checked online for new listings and gave calls/wrote e’mails to them all. Then we headed out. We were early again since the Youth Band’s Worship Team was doing the service. Arnold always does sound for them. Anyway I went to the nursery again with the boys and we hung around there and I got a phone call. I thought it was Arnold because I had just texted him but it was someone I had emailed earlier before we went to church. He gave me the information for his house and we arranged a time to go and see it. 12:30 that day. We would head over right after church to see it. He did warn me it was getting painted so it might not look 100% and I told him that was fine.
After church was over I went to the library and got more of my books (I LOVE these ones really I do! You should read them!) as well as a few DVD’s for the kids. I met Arnold up by the van and we quickly headed out to the first house.
This is the one that we found before church. It was a whole house. The front was nicely manicured and inside the front door we met the owners’ parents and the owner. They were all working on painting the house and getting it ready for the new tenants. From what we understood the floors were all carpet (you couldn’t see since there were drop sheets everywhere). When you walk in the front door behind it is the front closet (bonus it has a door, bad bonus it opens funny). Then to the right you walk into the living room and dining room. It’s one large room. There is a main window at the front that is nice with two windows on the sides you can open. If you walked to the dining room and went to the left you would enter into a ‘mini hallway’. There was one room to the left, a bathroom, VERY small linen closet (one that couldn’t be more than 8 to 12 inches deep with a crap load of shelves in it) and then to the right is the ‘master bedroom’. There is a window there that looks out onto the deck and back yard. The closet is SO small and slants because of the stairs going to the basement. If you were back in the dining room and went straight instead of to the left you would find the small kitchen. It is beautiful. Newly redone and everything is so nice, but a very SMALL kitchen. I don’t think you could have more than 2 people in there at once. The cupboards are normal size until you reach the end of the kitchen (it kind of goes in an L shape so you walk in hit the fridge, if you turn to your right and walk 5 big steps and then turn to your left and go another 2 big steps you are at the backdoor). Those cupboards are a bit smaller (think the linen closet I just talked about) and are from top to bottom. The door goes to the back yard onto the deck. Still in the house, if you go to the left at the door instead of going on the deck, you would fall down some stairs, steep stairs. At the bottom is the laundry. Newer units but still kind of funny to figure out. Then there are some old kitchen cupboards overtop of it. Beside it is another kitchen. And a chest freezer. In the basement is a hallway and right across from the kitchen is the family room with a small gas fireplace. Walking down the hall on the left is the bathroom and then a bit further (on the other side of the wall from the bathroom) is the AC unit and heater and water heater. Across from that (on your right) is the 3rd bedroom. There is a tiny place for storage by the AC/heater/water heater unit. Not that big at all but maybe enough for about 5 or 6 Rubbermaid containers.
Anyway in the backyard is a deck with a 2 car garage (one door to open) and a small yard. The yard is fenced in so that’s a bonus (even over the driveway). It is a very nice house.
So the back-story is that when we pulled up I told Arnold if it was nice inside I wanted the house. We walked in and I squeezed his hand. We looked around the whole house and checked everything out and then Arnold and I went back in and looked in a few rooms and talked quietly. The Owners mom was out in the backyard with the boys playing around (she suggested it). We said we wanted it. So when we told the owner he said, you know take your time ect… I told him that we had seen a lot of houses and we wanted this one. He said to e’mail him and give him some references and we would go from there. So we left and went to check out the other houses. We did stop at the grocery store and found a few more places we were looking for and then stopped at a park and had a picnic there. It was a lot of fun. I read some of my books and the boys got to play for a bit.
We went from there and found another 2 houses and had tours. Well townhomes. They were BAD. One was being lived in and they didn’t look like they were ever leaving and the other one was SO smelly and dirty and when you opened the garage we found bottles of beer and bags and bags and bags of garbage.
We had made an appointment to look at one more house on Monday night and even though we knew we wanted the whole house we wanted to keep our options open so Arnold was going to check it out the next day and I was going to send off some references to the guy soon. We got our youth pastor, a friend of mine and my parents (since they were our latest ‘landlords’ that spoke English!).
We got home and had a bit of a break and some supper and went off on our nature walk. The kids had a blast doing that. Here are some photos from it:
After church was over I went to the library and got more of my books (I LOVE these ones really I do! You should read them!) as well as a few DVD’s for the kids. I met Arnold up by the van and we quickly headed out to the first house.
This is the one that we found before church. It was a whole house. The front was nicely manicured and inside the front door we met the owners’ parents and the owner. They were all working on painting the house and getting it ready for the new tenants. From what we understood the floors were all carpet (you couldn’t see since there were drop sheets everywhere). When you walk in the front door behind it is the front closet (bonus it has a door, bad bonus it opens funny). Then to the right you walk into the living room and dining room. It’s one large room. There is a main window at the front that is nice with two windows on the sides you can open. If you walked to the dining room and went to the left you would enter into a ‘mini hallway’. There was one room to the left, a bathroom, VERY small linen closet (one that couldn’t be more than 8 to 12 inches deep with a crap load of shelves in it) and then to the right is the ‘master bedroom’. There is a window there that looks out onto the deck and back yard. The closet is SO small and slants because of the stairs going to the basement. If you were back in the dining room and went straight instead of to the left you would find the small kitchen. It is beautiful. Newly redone and everything is so nice, but a very SMALL kitchen. I don’t think you could have more than 2 people in there at once. The cupboards are normal size until you reach the end of the kitchen (it kind of goes in an L shape so you walk in hit the fridge, if you turn to your right and walk 5 big steps and then turn to your left and go another 2 big steps you are at the backdoor). Those cupboards are a bit smaller (think the linen closet I just talked about) and are from top to bottom. The door goes to the back yard onto the deck. Still in the house, if you go to the left at the door instead of going on the deck, you would fall down some stairs, steep stairs. At the bottom is the laundry. Newer units but still kind of funny to figure out. Then there are some old kitchen cupboards overtop of it. Beside it is another kitchen. And a chest freezer. In the basement is a hallway and right across from the kitchen is the family room with a small gas fireplace. Walking down the hall on the left is the bathroom and then a bit further (on the other side of the wall from the bathroom) is the AC unit and heater and water heater. Across from that (on your right) is the 3rd bedroom. There is a tiny place for storage by the AC/heater/water heater unit. Not that big at all but maybe enough for about 5 or 6 Rubbermaid containers.
Anyway in the backyard is a deck with a 2 car garage (one door to open) and a small yard. The yard is fenced in so that’s a bonus (even over the driveway). It is a very nice house.
So the back-story is that when we pulled up I told Arnold if it was nice inside I wanted the house. We walked in and I squeezed his hand. We looked around the whole house and checked everything out and then Arnold and I went back in and looked in a few rooms and talked quietly. The Owners mom was out in the backyard with the boys playing around (she suggested it). We said we wanted it. So when we told the owner he said, you know take your time ect… I told him that we had seen a lot of houses and we wanted this one. He said to e’mail him and give him some references and we would go from there. So we left and went to check out the other houses. We did stop at the grocery store and found a few more places we were looking for and then stopped at a park and had a picnic there. It was a lot of fun. I read some of my books and the boys got to play for a bit.
We went from there and found another 2 houses and had tours. Well townhomes. They were BAD. One was being lived in and they didn’t look like they were ever leaving and the other one was SO smelly and dirty and when you opened the garage we found bottles of beer and bags and bags and bags of garbage.
We had made an appointment to look at one more house on Monday night and even though we knew we wanted the whole house we wanted to keep our options open so Arnold was going to check it out the next day and I was going to send off some references to the guy soon. We got our youth pastor, a friend of mine and my parents (since they were our latest ‘landlords’ that spoke English!).
We got home and had a bit of a break and some supper and went off on our nature walk. The kids had a blast doing that. Here are some photos from it:
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