We're In!

After a long week and a half, we are pretty much settled. It was a huge job to move and we could have never done it without many people helping us. My parents watched the kids (and my sister in Michigan helped too), and Mimi and Papa took the kids for a few days too. Aunt Mary came with me to the house a few days early to help clean and we did so much the two days before the moving truck came, I mean, down to scrubbing the grout in the kitchen with a toothbrush! So thankful for her hard work, I could have never gotten it all done without her, especially since John was out of town for a few days when the moving truck came with our stuff! Thankfully, we were in great shape on Tuesday when Mimi and Papa came with the kids. Most of the top floors were unpacked and I only had the basement to do. Papa fixed a lot of the little things, and did so much for us. Most of last week we did odds and ends, put up shelves and pictures, organized and finished all the little details. Jack and Aunt Mary and Mimi decorated the tree. (The tree is the only thing we have up for Christmas, it just seemed easier to put it up when it came through the door, rather than carry it downstairs to be brought up very soon,)

Jack met his teacher last Wednesday, Mrs. French. She has triplets (2 girls and 1 boy) that are in 7th grade--how funny is that? Today was his first day of school, and it was a half day for the whole school. I took him, but he rode the bus home. They made a bus stop in front of our house for him. We also found out the house across the street--the one we almost bought--is sold to a family at St. Joesph's that moved here in August, but are just now buying a house. They have a kindergartner, 1st and 2nd grader. Yesterday we saw an inspection truck outside our neighbor's house (yes, there were three houses for sale right next to each other) and we met the family moving in. They are from Manhattan and they have a two year old girl. Today, we went for a quick walk (it got cold!) and we met three people (all with 2-4 kids each) and they kept telling us about all the kids on our block. Seriously, I think there must be 50! We are excited about the number of families around and kids everywhere! It is such a nice neighborhood. We are also very happy about Jack's school and our church. The church and school is smaller than any other we have ever belonged to and it is nice that people all know each other. The ladies at school knew us by name when Jack and I showed up last week to drop off Jack's supplies. Mass on Sunday was interesting. I think we stuck out slightly...with the kids. We sat in the cry room, but after mass the priest came back to greet us as we were coming out. He saw us at Communion and wanted to meet us. We went to get donuts afterwards and the kids did quite well. We heard a lot of whispers and got a few compliments.

I have not had much time (obviously) for pictures. But I did manage to get a few.

We finally got rid of all the boxes today. Thankfully, they were just another thing for the girls to climb.

Chili dinner last night. The girls make such a mess, but they have to learn some day

We are working hard with using forks. Not that you can tell from this picture.

Elizabeth will do anything that requires her to take off her clothing and put on someone else's. Lately, she wants to wear Jack's underwear.

She'll kill me for this picture someday. Both her legs are in one of Jack's legs.