Lots to report! GRANDMA addition

Ok, last blog to round out our crazy week last week. Note to self -- don't ever try to watch 5 kids, close on a house, and move in a Grandma into a retirement home in the same week!!

Grandma is around 94 years old. She lived in GA for the first 90 years of her life, and then moved out to Idaho to live with her daughter Ann in 2007. However, after Ann's husband got back cancer and had to have surgery, Ann had to put Grandma into a retirement home up there. Ann still visited several times a week, so the arrangement worked out. However, Grandma often complained about being cold and being so far away from her grandchildren (most of whom are here in the Atlanta area). She just wanted to come home.

Well, Ann and Jason's dad Frank found a nice home for her right here in Lawrenceville -- very close to a lot of us. She moved down over Easter weekend - Frank came down to settle her in. But all of her stuff was being boxed up in Idaho and shipped down. It was supposed to arrive over the weekend, but it came early and arrived on Wednesday, May 4th! So, in the middle of keeping the 5 kids and dealing with the wire transfer for our closing, Jason and I get a call from Frank. Someone needed to help Grandma unpack boxes. She was literally trying to do it herself, and everyone was worried she was going to hurt herself pulling down boxes! In case I didn't mention it, Grandma probably weighs 80 lbs soaking wet!

I rushed over there and spent Wednesday evening getting out her essentials and trying to organize a few things. Jason went to Heather's house to fix dinner for the kids. Then Saturday morning, Jason and I both went over there and did a few more things to help Grandma. We still have at least one more round of going over there to help her hang some pictures and move some stuff out of there and to our basement so she has some more room, but her room looks a lot better now! And we ate some meals with her there in the dining room and got to know some of the people that worked there and others that lived there. So, it was good.

I'm glad that Grandma is home and we can see her more. Definitely pray that she settles in quickly and makes friends there at the home. Everyone seems really nice! Here is a pictures of Frank and Grandma at our wedding. :-)

Lots to report! HOUSE addition

So... of coure everyone wants to know about the house! Here's the timeline of events in the last few weeks:

- March 18- saw the house and loved it.
- March 19- Cam came by and checked it out and didn't find anything too major wrong.
- Offer on the house: March 20, along with 3-4 other offers.
- ~March 25th -- found out they are going forward with our offer!!
- April 5th -- official acceptance of our offer from the bank! Lining up a home inspection and had to turn on all the utilities in our name for the inspection.
- April 11th - home inspection and everything went well!
- April 11 to April 25 -- getting property survey, finalizing everything with the loan, getting appraisal, getting property insurance, getting home waranty, etc.
- April 15 - Find out that some repairs need to be done for the house to appraise. Cam sends in estimate to do the work. He is approved by the bank for the work.
- April 26 - Cam does the repairs on the floor and sink.
- May 3- House is re-appraised and all is good.
- May 4 - SCRAMBLING trying to get this wire transfer for the downpayment. It was a VERY stressful day, but it went through ok in the end -- right at 5 pm when the bank closed!!
- May 5- Closing Day!! Very stressful with revising the HUD at the last minute. They left off Cam's repair invoice and the property survey. Closing was supposed to be at 4 pm, but we didn't get to the table until 5:30 and left around 6:30 pm. Still wasn't officially ours because bank was not there to sign.
- May 6 - One last panic with a piece of paper that was not signed, but we got it taken care of and the bank signed off on the HUD around 4:30 pm. The house was officially ours!!

Now we have to make repairs, etc. Jason and I started on Saturday, but we were too busy between helping Grandma unpack boxes (Grandma moved to a retirement home in Lawrenceville from Idaho -- whole other story) and trying to get to Carrollton for mother's day. Tonight will be mine and Jason's first night spending the night in the house -- on an air mattress. The plan for moving the stuff right now is Memorial Day. Trying to get the carpet cleaned and walls painted first.

Will keep you updated as we progress!

Lots to report! KIDS Addition

The last week of our lives was VERY exciting -- as Jason talked about with the kids. It was an amazing experience and I love my nephews and niece SOOOOO much. I don't know how Heather does it all the time -- but I have a new theory about having 5 kids. I think it's gotta be a lot easier when you have them one at a time (I know, shocker). But then you get used to having one baby, then 2 kids, then 3 and so on. Going from 0 to 5 -- big shock! But the kids were GREAT and we had so much fun. I was so exhausted, and I'm still so exhausted because it was like being at a constant slumber party for 8 days. I went to work every day, came home and cooked dinner while Dad and Jason took kids to baseball and/or church, then we ate dinner and watched TV and movies until very late while snuggling on the couch (oftentimes with popcorn, cookies, or ice cream). And then on the weekend we took them to see Gwinnett Braves on Friday, Tangled on Saturday, and bowling on Sunday!! So, one big whirlwind and it was AWESOME. It's weird and lonely now NOT being at their house!! I have tons of pics and videos of G Braves, and bowling. So, easier to check them all out at shutterfly: http://jasonandholli2011.shutterfly.com/, but here is a sneak peak:

Jason helping Noelle bowl:

All 4 boys under the blanket at the ball game:

Jason convincing Noelle to kiss the ball for good luck (GROSS!):

Kids! Lots of Kids!

So, since last Thursday we have been helping take care of our niece and 4 nephews while Heather and Kevin are in Hawaii for a wedding. Let me just say it has been a heck of an experience. I have played lots of games, driven kids to baseball, we went bowling, and even had to been the authoritative adult. It has been a learning experience.

Holli has taken lots of pictures and a couple of videos too, hope she posts them soon.

Jason