So as I have blogged about in the past (including yesterday’s find while packing a box), we are currently preparing for a move at the end of April. The owners of the house we have lived at for 3+ years are returning from the states and plan on doing some major renovations and moving back in themselves. This is a sad AND exciting thing. Sad as this is the only home Trinity and Echo have ever had, the one the kids remember best and we are settled here. Exciting as we (Ken and I) are more than ready for the next adventure… moving here was a necessity and not a choice and based on the job he had at the time. This move is to a city we have CHOSEN. For the first time in my entire life we are moving to a city I WANT to go to and that is exciting!

Now if you ask anyone who knows me well they will confirm – I am a list maker, as is my mother. And in my mind a move is a PERFECT time for lists… (I can already hear Ken groaning) So I am starting with this one.

Things I Want to Do BEFORE We Move

1. Find a new church family. The boys have all been quite vocal about their wish NOT to leave this church and their Sunday School classes. In fact, it has been their only complaint about the idea of moving. I need to find an ELCIC synod Lutheran Church either in the city or within the immediate area. An hour and a half is just too long a commute to church each Sunday. And would definitely limit our ability to be truly involved.

2. Have Trinity’s 3rd birthday party. I have already started the wheels in motion on that one. Her party is to be on the 9th of April at 3pm here at the house. All the Hello Kitty die cuts I have been making with Karyn’s Cricut are for the decorations… which will in turn be saved to decorate her new room.

3. Have all appointments scheduled and attended. This is not 100% possible as I am sure we will have appointments to come back to the city for. We have already scheduled teeth cleanings (all 4 older kids), 6 month doctor appointment (Echo) to name a few.

4. Visit the Conservatory a minimum of 2 more times (this has to occur BEFORE the 8th of April as our pass expires then and we cannot apply for another as we won’t have a permanent residence here in the city any more.). The first of these trips will be this coming Sunday for a drop in program and then once more ad the end of the month.

5. Fill all our spices that we use regularly at the Bulk Barn. I know we will have to buy fresh food when we move – and that is going to be pricey so the basics that can be stored and transported need to be bought (on the cheap).

6. Visit all friends who live here in the city and create some memories. While I am SURE this won’t be good-bye forever it will mean seeing people less… especially Sean and Ted who are regular visitors. And put us over and hour away from BOTH of our god-daughters – Isabella and Anna. And Emanuel’s god-parents – Alan and Xinny, as well as Echo’s god-parents – Nathan  and Ada. I am hoping once we are settled we can plan some semi regular visits back and forth!

7. I want to complete all mocked up pages for Emanuel’s scrapbook and put them away in his box as well as get as much of Trinity and Echo’s done that I can (and can afford the pictures for). In fact, I am trying to finish ALL craft projects from birthday presents for June birthdays to scrapbooking and personal projects so that parts don’t go missing in the move.

8. Finish all major homeschooling projects. I am sure we will have some undone stuff BUT I will simply plan to bring that to my mom’s when I move the kids there for a few days (much easier than dealing with Trinity SEEING us pack up HER room). The main transgressor in non-completion is going to be dinosaurs I think. But then our goal was to just keep going with the dinos… our focus has been anywhere BUT dinosaurs these past months but I have a binder full of things to do for us to come back to… which after next week’s Math Week is the plan – after all Tyrell Museum is there for the visiting not too too far away.

9. Go to The Mall and T&T multiple times… neither at in the new city and we love them both so! Ken says he is personally going to miss his butter explosion buns.

10. Get very consistent with potty training Trinity… she is being stubborn but I want to get her into the swing of things BEFORE we move.

11. Eat out at a couple of my favourite restaurants. Mainly the Rice Pad. Even a take out meal would be nice. But without spending a mint of course!

I am sure a much more extensive list could be made but this is a start.

Today we are really feeling the frustrations of a long winter… worn out kids and stressed out parents. I think that if we can just spend tonight breathing and organizing Ken and my attitudes will improve and in turn the kids’. Luckily our only planned event is Echo’s twice rescheduled shots on Friday afternoon. Something only she and Ken will go to in order to save our sanity. 5 kids and that waiting room are never a sedate experience.

I have been working on a bunch of things at once lately… first the cross stitch pattern Ken and I designed – Dr. Who themed! It is coming along nicely, and if I just focused on IT I bet it would be a couple days project instead of as long as it has taken.

Then there is the bows… I am working on large and smaller matching pieces for OUR girls right now. So much fun! And a bit of a mess right now as I am waiting on my French Barrettes to finish off some of Trinity’s which means the centre piece cannot be finished. I am hoping to take a picture of all the completed and ALMOST completed pieces tomorrow.

This week is a bit of a science week, before bed each night Ken is doing some sort of experiment with them. Tonight, levers. He says at least one of the activities later this week will have some sort of paper or finished object component.

We spent our time on workbooks – math and English and then the boys went out to play outside. And for the first time in ages they were able to stay OUT for a substantial period of time. I am hoping to get all 4 of the bigger kids out tomorrow… but today they went out when the other two were sleeping and came in after they were up.

Now for the rest of tonight I am still a bit fractured – cross stitching, Cricut using, picture sorting and hopefully another box to pack… but things ARE getting done as my pile of Hello Kitties can attest!