Getting there...

We are slowly getting more and more settled in the new place - it's tough because every time we think we have a few good hours to spend on our own place we end up having projects to work on at the rental properties! Steam cleaning carpets, patching holes and repainting over them, fixing screen doors (thanks to the cats), and so on. The major lesson we have learned during this whole process is that everything will take longer than we think it will. For example, we thought we could finish painting over our patched holes at the condo before church on Sunday. When we got there ready to paint we found that 3 of the 4 colors we needed to paint had dried up sitting in the crawl space. We had to go to Home Depot for more paint - always something that will take longer than you anticipated!

Saturday was just beautiful outside and we got the garage all cleaned out. Well, the renters' side anyway. Our side of the garage still has some tables we need to sell, our patio furniture and some boxes that need to be unpacked. We also have a few weeks of garbage that should be picked up this week - thank goodness!

Their side...

Our side...

RJ also found a fun new tool (aka man toy) the previous owners left in the garage for us. A cool branch trimmer! He spent a little while on Saturday afternoon cutting some branches that were interfering with our extra parking.

Harvie and I were also very helpful..

We gave keys to our duplex renters so they could get in and clean and unload some boxes before May 1st. They have been over a lot and I've had a lot of fun with the girls - they have two girls who are 7 and 4 and one baby boy. The girls are so funny and they love playing outside, something they can't do at their current home. I found some sidewalk chalk I had in my art supplies and gave them that to play with. They love the chalk and love all the animals, especially the dog.

They are so funny. Chloe (the 7 year old) mentioned something about the chandelier on the top of their steps and how we're going to put it in our dining room. I said: "I think it's more of a dining room chandelier than a top of the stairs chandelier, don't you think?" and she said: "Yeah, it would look like you were rich!". So cute. This is the chandelier:

The other day I was at Lowe's and saw some pretty flowers on sale and some hanging baskets. When I brought them home the girls were outside with their chalk. I told them I had a surprise and they could help out and they were so excited when they saw all the flowers. Chloe (the funny one) said: "Those are just divine!". They were cute little helpers.

We also have some flowers blooming in the front that Leah must have planted.

Colette, the 4 year old, is going to be disappointed if we take down the wheelchair ramp out front. Her favorite thing to do is walk or run up and down it! I won't dare tell them about the hover-round in the garage, they'd love that!

More soon!