Whoa, what?
We sold our house!
The Market is good for us
Our house has been listed for only a few days and we've had ten showings and three offers. Wow!
Settling in, getting hot
Not much to say. Just thought I'd post a few pics. Jack and I are back in the glorious swing of routine. I've stalled on unpacking as we reached that stage where enough is out of boxes to live. Eventually, a certain box in my view will grate on me enough that I unpack it, but for now I'm taking a break. Also, someday I need to, you know, put together a baby room. For a baby. Now only 3 months away. But I have time, right? I also finished getting the old house ready for sale. It will be listed at midnight. Does anyone out there need a townhouse?
Anyway, here are some snapshots from the last week. Dang. I can't believe I was walking around in a sweater just then. I've had our swamp cooler on all day today (verdict - not as good as A/C but pretty dang helpful and a lot cheaper). The heat continues for the rest of the week. 
Jack got two capes for his birthday, Superman/reversible Batman from April, and this one from Amanda with the sign for Danger. He's pretty into them.

Matching tats

Jack LOVES to help me in the kitchen. Maybe it's because now there's a stool for him in the kitchen all the time, because he pulls it up to the counter with every meal, insisting "I help you! I help you!" Saturday morning we made crepes. He asked for peas after gagging them down with dinner the night before, saying "I like peas!" See, Dr. Nagel told him at his check-up that he should try to eat more superfoods, like superheroes do, so he can be super strong and fast. I can't believe that's working. He's eaten a handful peas, a bite of broccoli, and half a slice of avocado since then. Not much, but that's infinitely more than the amount of green he would eat before = big fat zero. Anyway, on this particular morning he ate only two peas because the crepes introduced him to Nutella. Seriously mom? You want me to eat peas when this brown stuff exists??

White Fence Farm with my family right before they left for Europe.
Oh my gosh.

Seriously?

Jack is going to make this new baby WORK IT to beat his cuteness.
More help in the kitchen. He can wash, stem, and pit cherries all by himself.


This week's story time made me proud because he sat up front with the other kids the whole time. Normally he makes me sit with him in the middle on the floor, so he can be on and off my lap. This way, I got to sit in a comfy chair in the back. He did great!
Welllll...

Mostly great. In terms of bravery. Not so much in front row etiquette.

Random today shots
Jack's 3rd Birthday










(Thank you, Amanda, for taking these!
Important skills
Jack likes to play Lego Star Wars on the Xbox. He's getting really into it now.
Later he paused to game to drink some water from his sippy cup. Hilarious.
UPDATE:
Ben took video too and sent it to me. See facial twitching and aforementioned sippy cup break.
Getting it done
Today the Masons went visiting, so Jack and I had a kind of normal day together. We did our breakfast routine. I swept and vacuumed for the first time. We got new library books. We got yogurt at the grocery store. We have lunch at home. We walked Jem down the street. We got mail for the first time. When Ben got home we tried out the new lawn equipment.
We have no idea what we are doing ;-)

But isn't this nice?
Old and New
Here is our dark, narrow, small, dingy carpet shell of an old house. 
Quail street, you were good to us. But I think we outgrew you two years ago. 
We filled the truck, plus a minivan, and at least 4 Pontiac Vibes.
Now onto some of my favorite things in the "New Big Orange House," as Jack insists on calling it. (Excuse the mess. The decorating and arrangements are all improvised and temporary.
Laundry on the main floor! With nearby chairs to sit and sort fresh from the dryer.
A wood burning fireplace that isn't tacky or dated or overtaking the room! Doesn't it scream for Christmas stockings?
A shaded back patio with ample (but not too ample) back yard!
Jack's larger room, with adorable and totally rad new bed! Which he sleeps deeper and longer in!
A master bedroom with room to walk around!
Attached master bathroom for private trips during the middle of the night when the boy in residence in my tummy decides to play the tom-tom on my bladder!
Walk in closer with triple the rod space, shelves to the ceiling!
A happy happy cat!







