Our [Hopefully Forever Home} Comes to Life...

August 25, 2017

The day we finally signed on the dotted line to stop the mad chaos.

The day we bought our "hopefully forever home" and moved the boxes one last time.

The day that I had planned to go one way, but went TOTALLY different in the best possible way!

Getting my game face on.  Taking a quick shower before Pete and I were to close on the house and I hear a knock on the bathroom door...

"Aim?  Goodmorning!"  

What the what?!  

"Mom???"

"Yes?!"

"What in the WORLD are you doing here?"

"Surprise!!  Dad and I are here to help!!!"

"Ahhhhh!!!!!"

Yep- day made!  Seeing my mom TWICE on MY TURF within the same month is a dream!  Getting my dad here when I know he's so crazy busy- BEST EVER!!!

They helped keep the sanity, hang blinds, play with kids, and helped to keep it ALL organized... so grateful!!!  

THANK YOU, MOM & DAD!!!!

So, Pete and I ran out to sign our lives away while my parents took my brother to the airport as he was visiting,  hung with kids, and helped the babysitter... 

then it was GAME ON!!  

Heaving boxes into the truck and setting up beds in the new house!!!!

SUCH CHAOS... but the best kind!!!

Saturday morning... the amazing dream continued...

Papa helped with the munchkins in between heaving loads outta the truck...

Harrison family helped unload boxes into the kitchen...

Niki helped with small loads we could do in the car... and transferring Norman to his new digs.  I guess he decided safety first- high back booster seemed best option- HA!

 

Seriously though... everyone was AMAZING!!!  Friends popped over to help, my parents with the kids, handing blinds, helping set stuff up...

And my kitchen was full of friends and family (with carry out of course;)) before we had even slept in the new house.  My heart was content and oh-so-grateful.  There is a reason we love this place so much... our "Village" is strong here....

To EVERYONE that helped load boxes, unload boxes, the muscular dudes that helped unload truck after truck, the AMAZING woman who lent us their husbands for a morning to help with the heavy stuff, and for the kind texts and messages- THANK YOU.  You all made an otherwise insane experience an amazing one- and we are SO GRATEFUL!!

...even this sweet delivery of  sweet cookies to fill my empty cake plate were PERFECT!!!

Evelyn was immediately calm.  Only a fraction of furniture in on day 1 and she already spread out- dumped toys and calmly played.  My goodness we had missed the calm throughout our crazy summer.  But now...

we were settled...

we were calm...

we were HOME.

Grimsdell Circle here come the Lees!!

Feels so good to unload the boxes, set up rooms, and CALM DOWN.

It feels darn good.

Love.

And we're OFF.... to school that is;)

First Days of School!!!!

True Chaos as always on the first day of school, but Harper was PSYCHED!!!  She had everything laid out, bag packed, and was READY to go to school!!!

Daddy on Duty;)!!!

Daddy (and a-bit-envious-little-sister;)) took Harper to the bus stop that morning... SO FUN!

I spent the day with the little nuggets getting prepared to celebrate the start to a new school year!!  Couple fresh goodies...

...and yummy cinnamon rolls to celebrate!!

I think they were excited;).... 

And then it was little miss's turn.  We decided to switch her preschool program to something a little closer to our rental house as the commute was getting a bit much.  SO SAD to say goodbye to Pine Crest, but I'm pretty sure those people will always be a special part of our lives;).  

Little Sunshine Playhouse here comes EVELYN!  Are you ready?!?!  HA!

In true Lee fashion, the first week of school was utter chaos.  Pete was able to be there for Harper's first day, but was then out of town for the rest of the week....

 

...these adorable bus stop moments helped calm my sleep-deprived nerves that week

{"Evelyn, what sounds does an elephant make?"}

{Harper, can I hold your hand?}

{LOVE.  LOVE.  LOVE.}

And this sweet thang and I started half-marathon training.  She is the best running partner EVER.  She LOVES her stroller, sings the whole way, and fusses whenever I stop- HA!

  

... I was beginning to run longer and was pumped, but my body was having different thoughts: I think the move, trying to figure out our "forever home", and the organization of the kids' schedules was wearing me thin.  I was trying to balance it all, but sometimes it just gets a little much... and you need your mama;)...

While out to lunch with a friend during Maggie's PT session, in walks my MOM!!!  I was FLOORED to say the least.  If I was younger I would have hopped in her arms and asked her to rock me- HA!  Seriously though, Kassi you are AMAZING for keeping a secret and letting Mom crash our first lunch date;), and Mom- WOW is all I got... you swooped in like superwoman and made it all right- LOVE YOU!!!

The kids were in HEAVEN!!!!

...and I was too!!!  

What an amazing week spent "organizing my life" with my mom.  

...we were all sad to see Nana go that week, but it felt good to be refreshed and happy when Papa Bear returned!!!  Especially when he brings cool glow-in-the-dark shirts and takes you out for doughnuts;)...

{Evelyn's face though.... she LOVED having her Daddy home;)}

...and then Uncle Aaron came!!!!!!  HUGE surprise as he made a pit stop as he flew back from Indiana to California but it was AWESOME and Harper LOVES sleep overs with Uncle Aaron!!  Short but SUPER sweet visit!!

Harper and Evelyn off to school and loving it- check

Half marathon training with the BEST copilot- check check

GREAT times with FAMILY helping you cool your jets and focus on the good stuff- check check CHECK!!

Last Days of Summer...

Could not BELIEVE how quickly the summer went.  I mean, lets be real: finished up Minnesota programs, packed up our life there, moved into a rental home, re-established programs in Arkansas, and searching for our forever home DID take a lot of time and energy, but still... Truly felt like I blinked and we were stocking backpacks and learning our new Fall schedule!!

A few snapshots of our last few weeks of summer...

{Little Miss following in her sister's foot steps at Pine Crest!!}

She LOVED it and truly was surreal watching my baby playing in the same classroom that Harper did 4 years earlier- love.  That school -  those people- gets me in the feels every time.  Seven years ago they welcomed me into their "family" with open arms... crazy how much has happened, yet these people are still just as sweet and welcoming;)

  

{"Mommy will you help me rock my baby?  Sing to us?"- LOVE}

Ms Evelyn, dubbed little bear, was LOVING school and we were loving how refreshed we felt when she DID join her sisters in the evenings.  I have a feeling she will forever be my busy body... trying to keep up with her, keep her OUT of trouble, and happy was becoming a bit much with the moves and setting up Maggie's new therapies in Arkansas.  I knew her being in school was a great thing when she would talk a mile a minute about all the fun stuff she did, and how WELL she played with her siblings after being apart with them during the day- good balance;)...

{"Hold still Daddy.  I brush your hair"}

That about sums it up... house full of girls... I don't think he minds TOO much;)

General Mills Family Night at Arvest Ball Park!!

One of our favorite outings they do every year!  Good food.  Great people.  Fun activities.  So much fun catching up after a year away... and did I mention how GREAT they are?!:)  

This years fav: the train ride around the stadium.  Girls LOVED it!!!

Maggie was loving being back at TEAM with her favorite therapists as well as hippo therapy at Hoffin' It!  This kid would prefer to do LIFE on the back of a horse.  Seeing her back up, riding around, singing Twinkle Twinkle made my heart content.  Ms. Codi, her OT, is AMAZING... 

 

...and so are ALL her four-legged family members- ha!  Harper was all about the farm and she and Mr. Whiskers bonded for SURE!  He let her carry him around everywhere- awesome!

Ultimately though, I knew our summer days were ticking away and I wanted to soak up a few moments with my "almost first grader"?!?!  She chose lunch out and bowling one morning and I was totally on board.  Girls got talent... we- ahem- almost had the same score by the end- HA!  We had so much fun, and I left thinking, we REALLY need to do more one-on-one things with our girls.  I know it makes them feel special, and they're pretty cool cats when they have your undivided attention;)- good times!

 

We also were able to sneak in one last playdate with Minnesota friends visiting Arkansas!!  

Burkert family- we LOVE YOU and appreciate so much you squeezing in a park/lunch date with us while you were here.  

Harper had a BLAST catching up with Nora...

...and Ruby and Maggie were the CUTEST as Ruby pushed Mags on the swing- LOVE!

 

It was great to see Minnesota friends, as Harper was beginning to get a little nervous about starting school without the kiddos she went to Kindergarten with.  I totally understood and I figured out a way to help with those first day jitters: plan a party- ha!  Ya, I don't need much of an excuse to plan a social event, BUT Harper was the party planner with this one.  We spent an afternoon on pinterest with our notepad looking up games and activities she could do with her friends and we invited some of her "old preschool besties" over for a morning of "Back-to-School" fun!  School supply scavenger hunt, pencil pouch decorating, apple jack necklaces, and school bus fun were the activities of the morning and she was PUMPED!!

 

She was so proud of her bus;)... complete with a horn.  

I was the most proud of how well she hosted the party, helped the little kids with activities, and truly engaged with those that came that day.  I could tell she was starting to relax and was READY for her new adventure....

{Meet the Teacher Night}

Central Park Gators here we COME!!!

You can take the girl from Minnesota but you can't take Minnesota from the girl.  It may have been 85 degrees outside, but she INSISTED on wearing her jacket and boots.  You know me and looking for the deeper meaning- ha: I felt like she just needed to know that even though she would be in a new school, with new friends, she'd still be able to take all that Minnesota taught her and make it a GREAT YEAR!!!!

First Grade here we COME!!!!!!