exhausted

but our day wasn't over yet... the forecast doesn't look good for tomorrow (100% chance of rain - all day), so i decided that i should try to make two trips to the house.  we have moved stuff in every night since sunday so that we can start living there this week.  the method is to put all the kids in the van, start a movie, load the van with as much as we can safely fit, drive to the house, unload the van, unload the kids, put things away, load the kids back in the van, turn on a movie, load in the empty boxes and drive back to the apartment. does it make you tired? did i mention that our apartment is upstairs so there is a flight of stairs when carrying each box, bag, item?  today i discovered that the whole process takes almost four hours. 

the kids and i went home to each lunch after the apple orchard.  while they were eating i started loading the back of the van.  once they were finished and cleaned up, they went in the van so that i could finish loading.  we have typically been bringing things after dinner, but going during the day meant that i may run into a crew (they are touching up a few things that we requested last week).  and they were there.  because they were parked blocking the driveway, i couldn't pull all the way into the garage like i normally do to unload.  instead i had to park by the trail and walk.  it took around 20 trips to get the van unloaded. then i brought the kids in.  the tricky part has been that we don't have the baby gate installed yet (and not for a lack of trying) so we have to keep maddux contained to a bedroom while we unpack.  he is not too fond of that, especially when his sister and brother are running all over having fun outside of the room (i am in with maddux - we don't leave him by himself).  and then kids back to the van, filled with empty boxes and drive back to the apartment.

the kids ate a snack while i packed up the boxes i had just carried back up into the apartment (why haven't we just bought more boxes? because we just can't stand spending money on things that aren't necessary and we know that somewhere in one of the two storage units are all of our empty boxes from moving into the apartment - matt just can't find them).  then kids back in, boxes in, frozen pizzas for dinner in and back to the house. 

thankfully, matt was already at the house and unloaded the car.  i was in the kitchen trying to figure out our new wall oven so that i could cook our frozen pizzas for dinner (we had some carrots too).  once we were done, i didn't want to leave.  just a few more days.  unpacking has been so relaxing.  just to have some space to put things and gain a sense of 'permanance' again.

the kids saying, "new house"

we still have a lot to do, but are doing it joyfully!  and i fell right to sleep when i got to go to bed - utterly exhausted and happy.  love.