It's December WHAT?!?!

Sooo, I knew that time would fly between Thanksgiving and Christmas. What with the remodel, move and all that comes with the two but I truly cannot believe that we are heading back to Minnesota in 3 days for Christmas, and of course, Ainsley's first birthday (better known to the world as Christmas Eve). I just can't believe it.

So much has been accomplished in the past few weeks. We may still not have the dishwasher hooked up or the sink plumbing in place, but other than that things are pretty well put together. Cabinets up, new floor down, paint on the walls, countertops and sink in. After figuring out how to put up a backsplash, put down some toe kicks and mount handles on the drawers (a seemingly simple task that is proving IMPOSSIBLE!) we are home free.

Even with the kitchen not quite finished we have settled so easily into our new home. The calm of being in our own place, doing the laundry when we want, jumping around to loud music when we want, having quiet when Ainsley is napping and sleeping, going to bed without the roar of late night television blaring through the floorboards, is priceless. Ok, maybe not priceless, but definitely worth the price. I am already envisioning the vegetable garden in the backyard this spring and traipsing with Ainsley up the street to the park and pool. Every morning we sip our coffee and watch children scurry off to the elementary school 3 blocks away and business people bundle up for the trainride downtown while Ainsley tells us all about her dreams "dadathethismama". It's quite the life, I must say.

But in my blinding love of our new house and life I have slacked off in the past week and am paying the price now. I was WIPED and I do mean WIPED out after the renovation and move. After the essentials were unpacked, main living spaces and Ainsley's room suitable for use I shut down. Ainsley and I spent a week going for short walks in the cold, getting really well aquainted with the living room, and eating meals from boxes from the freezer. Not my proudest week. But I think it was good to take a break in the midst of the madness and let our new house comfort us and relax us until we (and by we I mean I) were ready to take action again.

This weekend has been and will continue to be filled with laundry, packing, shopping, and do-it-yourselfing. I work best this way. A few days off, a few days of madness.

I am SO excited to go home for Chrismtas I can hardly stand it. I love that we own a home now in Illinois and I still call Minnesota home.

I can't belive that my baby is going to be 1 in less than a week. A year ago I was huge as a whale praying that she would come either before or after Christmas and of course, being Ainsley, she chose to come when it was most convenient for her. I've loved trying to think of ways to make her birthday special and not just another Christmas Eve. Birthday brunch was the fruit of my labors. I am most excited for the three layer mini cake I'm going to make for her to smash and the presents that I've worked so hard to make for her that I know she'll pass over for the wrapping paper. She is growing up so fast and I try so hard to cherish every day.

I am so blessed with a wonderful family, a comfortable home, and lots of reasons to celebrate. Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Ainsley!

Ahhhhh!!!!

So...we closed on our house last Friday. Luckily a friendly real estate agent loved Ainsley and watched her while Ian and I signed oodles of papers. It really was a fun experience. Great people, free coffee, lots of checks to write and lots of KEYS. All in all, a good experience. Then we drove to our new house (Ahhhh!!!!!), double checked that all of the locks were in place and drove straight to St. Paul, MN for our first stop for Thanksgiving break.
We had a great Thanksgiving. 9 whole days of family, food, and more food. Ainsley is really coming out of her shell. She is "talking" ALL the time and almost running now she walks so fast. I can hardly believe how big she is getting, right in front of my eyes. She is, in general, happy, active and oh so sweet and cute. I just love that baby and am so proud of her.
We are so blessed that our two families get along. Ian's family came to mine for the big meal and we had a blast. What could be better than turkey, potatoes, stuffing, gravy, rolls, pie, and Cranium with hats? Oh, and the Carol Burnette show.
We came back to IL on Sunday, unpacked, went to bed, and the mayhem began. yesterday I spent 3 hours with Ainsley at our empty house getting a ridiculously high estimate for a relatively minor heating duct job and the delivery of our IKEA cabinets. My parents arrived in the afternoon (in case I forgot to mention my amazing parents are driving 7 hours each way just to work their patooties off in our house and watch Ainsley for the next week+) and we proceeded to pack some boxes and make a Home Depot run with my dad.
Today we woke up and had a normal morning until my parents arrived with bagels to start the day of demolition. In ONE day we have accomplished SO much. The cabinets were demo-ed in minutes and are presently in the garage awaiting pick up. The cabinets are assembled minus doors, shelves and dawers (to be completed tomorrow). The kitchen is spackled, caulked, sanded and painted ready for re-assemply and everyone is in good spirits.
I am on cloud nine. I have been so nervous about this whole kitchen remodle, pretty much since I realize that we were going to do one months ago. But now it is all coming together and I know that at the end we will have a beautiful, functional, AMAZING kitchen that my family and I put together. Cross your fingers that the rest of the week goes as smoothly as today!