Move Update

This is a sneak peek at our master suite. J did this painting a few years ago and it really stands out in this new space.

We have a couple more furniture pieces to move around, finish painting the ceiling in the bedroom area of our master suite, and hang some curtains.

Then there is the task of finally unpacking the rest of our shoes, clothes, books, toys, electronics, etc. I'm hoping to have the kids' playroom unpacked by Monday morning.

J still has a few decorative projects for us to tackle. I'm pretty excited about them. We have been teaming up again on these tasks and it has been fun.

I am ready to have the laundry room and garage wide open and free of boxes and furniture. So very ready.

Corner Stones

This is a little peek at the flat stones just outside our garage door, leading to the backyard. J planted ground cover that will grow between the stones. I'm excited to see how it will look as it matures.

Home Surprise

I love my husband!!!!!!!!!

I came home to find that J had partially set up the kids' bedrooms and the dining room!!! It meant so much to me that I hugged him and cried. 

We've been pushing it so hard for so many months. Last week, we did as much as possible and had to crash most of this weekend. It was necessary! 

It was J's day off and he said he slept most of the day. I didn't think twice about that because I knew he needed it. When I got home, both kids' beds were moved and on their frames, their night stands and computer was set up, and he managed to setup part of our dining room. 

This is a pic of the first thing J hung in our house today. It's one of the last gifts Grandma Barbara gave us. 

Pretty emotional night for me.

Reality

This was my kitchen after the guys left last Saturday. I'm still so overwhelmed by boxes. I'm trying to create a sense of normalcy. It feels like a long time coming.

The End of an Era

One week ago, we moved out of Widney Loft. I took one last tour of Widney Loft on Sunday evening, after everything had been cleared and cleaned. As I looked at the skyline view one last time, I broke down and cried. J came over and held me and kissed me. We stood staring at the skyline for a bit. After walking around each room, we locked the door on our first home in Chicago.

Ceiling and Window

Mini Me was two years old when we moved to Chicago. Living in a loft, Mini Me didn't have a ceiling or a window in her bedroom. The walls went up to the 8-foot height and the ceiling was at the 16-foot height.

Mini Me was so excited at the prospect of having a ceiling. This is a pic of her the first night in her new bedroom. There is even a window!

The doorbell rang and the kids asked what that sound was. Interestingly enough, five years in a loft condo has affected our kids' perceptions. I think it's great that our children have had the opportunity to experience a different style of home than the average person.

We are all excited about our new place and the new experiences it will bring.

Couch View

View from my living couch. We look like box hoarders! There's even a path like the hoarders on TV have....

Kitchen Ready

I prefer this pic to the one posted before. This is free of the construction debris. Starting to get excited! Cross fingers - should get the certificate of occupancy tomorrow.

Are Dolls Real?

Maybe. Maybe not. Just in case, I packed them face up so they can breathe and talk to each other. And I popped holes in the box so they can definitely breathe and so it won't be quite so dark for them.

Look, I'm just not willing to take the chance....

Best Chicago Real Estate Agent

Meet my new friend, Amanda Bell. I got lucky and met Amanda during our recent home search in Chicago. Not many people know that I used to be a real estate agent. Yup. So as a former realtor I know who is good and who is not. Amanda Bell is a top notch realtor.

Amanda listened to what we asked for and delivered what our family requested. When we met in person, Amanda was on-time every time, all locations were completely lined up and ready for viewing, and she had insights on each location. She gave us all the time we needed to view and never made us feel rushed.

More importantly, Amanda fought for our best interests. She was supportive and let me have my whiny meltdown and didn't skip a beat! Throughout the experience, it felt like Amanda was a really knowledgeable friend. So I friended her on FB so we can keep in touch!

Here is a link to Amanda if you are in the market for a home in Chicago - she does home sales and leases!  http://amandabell.bairdwarner.com

We're Moving!!!

It's official! The Chicago Widneys are moving!!!

We have loved Widney Loft for five years and have formed amazing life long relationships with our neighbors who are family to us. They are one of the main reasons we did not move sooner. 

We have found a house in Chicago on a beautiful, tree-lined street in a great neighborhood that our family will be able to grow into! The house meets everything on my wish list and then some. 

This is a sneak peek of Widney Crib. 

 

Box Pick Up

Today was my box pick up day. I drove around collecting boxes I had stashed at our offices or arranged to pick up.

I had purchased about 45 boxes and packing materials on Craigslist for $30. The rest I got from work, a dear friend (Dr. C), and a toy store hook up I made through a co-worker. There's more in the living room. This is a good start. ;-)

Guess what I'm doing this weekend!!!

My Very Own Ceiling

We live in a loft. The ceilings are up 16-ft in the air. Our bedroom and Mini Me's bedroom have walls that only go up to 8-ft tall. When I showed Mini Me this pic, I told her this could be the ceiling to her bedroom. She said, "I get a CEILING???!!!"

Poor baby girl. She was two when we moved here and doesn't remember having a ceiling in Tulsa.

Yes, Baby, you get a ceiling!

Moving Casualty

I've been a member of the Northside Babysitting Coop for five years. Most of the people in the co-op live on the north part of town. Like the name says. When I first started there was at least one other family that lived relatively close by. Not sure they are still in the co-op. I have a few regulars that don't mind trekking out this way.

Right now, we live just south of the downtown Loop. We are getting ready to move further south. I have 11 co-op hours to use up by month's end. I'm very confident that no one from the co-op will trek out further south to sit for us.

Sigh deeply. I really enjoyed the free babysitting and being being able to get me time when I sat for people with sleeping kids. 

Moving

We are moving by April 30. We've known our condo was not going to cut it for much longer but we love, love, love our neighbors and the skyline view.

Moving is scary because downtown Chicago is not like anywhere else for housing. Well, maybe New York and Miami. And downtown LA. Most places in the city are a couple blocks away from a bad area. Some places it's a block away and others are the bad block. So not only do we have to look for a place to meet our needs for the next 3-5 years that is easily accessible to both of our places of employment and the kids' school but we have to check to make sure we aren't going to be in the middle of a sketchy area.

I went online and found a great place in an amazing area. Fell in love. They picked someone that can move in April 1. I'm crushed. Crushed. That area was PERFECT for our family.

I've been working 50-60/hr weeks, parenting solo lately, and I have had to add home search and packing to that. I fear I will have very loud, very ugly mental breakdowns every day until after we move. Someone else is going to have to pack the sharp knives.