We made it!

So the last 3 weeks have been somewhat hectic to say the least...

but, WE MADE IT and couldn't be happier!!

Here's a brief recap (more for my sake) interspersed with the few pictures that I have available at the moment - more to come later...

Dec. 16 - movers came to pack everything up in our STL apt.

Dec. 17 - movers loaded everything onto the truck - we checked into a nearby hotel after cleaning the place from top to bottom.

Dec. 18 - Alex's last day of school in STL - some very hard good byes - an exciting, but sad day.

Dec. 19 - The girls and I left STL in the ever ready mini van and 8 hours later reached our NE Wisconsin destination.

Dec. 20 - visited the new house, cried happy tears, and decorated for Christmas.

Like most sane people, I have an aversion to yard ornaments; however, my father-in-law thought it would be a good idea to have this waiting for me in the yard upon our arrival. It lasted long enough for one picture and then I had Alex remove it. I probably earned it and can't complain as both my in-laws and parents have taken care of our house for the last 6 months while we were gone. :)

Decorated mantle - ready for Santa's visit!

My in-laws had put up our Christmas tree for us - it just needed the girls to decorate it!

Dec. 21 - met Culligan technician at new house to have him install a water purification system (our 120 year old house has lead pipes - not good for young kids and pregnant mommies). Then we went to Alex's new school to meet her teacher and new classmates.

Here she is on the playground with new friends (in the blue climbing up the slide). Maddie is in the front getting ready to throw snow at me. Lots of snow does NOT keep Wisconsin school kids indoor at recess!

Dec. 22 - met the moving truck at the house at 8 am. 5 hours later everything was moved in and unpacked - but not organized. My parents and brother's family came over to help me put some stuff away - thank you! Later, Nate's parents and sister came (she shoveled my front porch after the avalanche of snow fell from the roof!) to help out - all of my family has been a tremendous amount of help - I am so blessed to have them all! Went to dinner and then crashed at my in-laws!

Dec. 23 - met cable/internet guy at new house and got some organizing done. Drove to GB (about 45 minutes) to pick up girls who had spent the afternoon swimming with my brother and his wife - again, thank you! Came back to the house and waited for Daddy to show up who, luckily, flew in before the winter storm hit. He got here around 9 pm (thanks for picking him up, Dad!) and we enjoyed our first night in our new house as a family. Pure bliss - even with the musical bed hopping throughout the night!

Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve - what!?!? Enjoyed a leisurely morning ignoring the mess and relishing in each other's company. Went to church and spent the evening celebrating at the in-laws with steak and lobster (yum!). Got home around 10:30 and then got everything ready for Santa's visit!

Dec. 25 - Merry Christmas! Miraculously, the kids slept until about 8 am - then we enjoyed cinnamon rolls and opening presents around the tree. Drove to Green Bay to be with my family for a few hours before coming back home.

Dec. 26 - slept in! Got a few small unpacking projects done around the house, had some visitors stop by (and our 12 year old cousin hooked up the Wii for us!), and then hosted dinner for Nate's sister and husband. Very fun evening!

Dec. 27 - said a tearful good bye to Daddy as he will be joining us later in the month, went to Target (where Alex lost her tooth - now, the tooth fairy had to remember to show up!!), and then came home to settle in - just the three (and 1/2) of us.

Dec. 28 - Dr. Appt. - Auntie Dana came to babysit - one of the joys of being closer to family.

Dec. 29 - My parents came over and while my mom had a Wii bowling tournament with the kids, my dad did some odd jobs around the house for me. Aren't dads wonderful? :) A friend from Milwaukee drove up later - we dropped the kids off for a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa's and met up with some college friends for the evening.

The girls tested out our yard for the first time - it met with their approval. I thought they would only last about 15 minutes in the snow and cold - they came in about 1.5 hours later with runny noses and red cheeks - ah...the memories from childhood. (And, not to brag, but, really, aren't they beautiful??) :)

Dec. 30 - Jan. 2 - went "up north" to the cabins for a few days of relaxation. Awesome!

Maddie took a spin with Papa on the snowmobile.

Alex gives her little sis a lift on our walk.

Snow angel.

Alex's turn on the snowmobile.

Jan. 3 - more odd jobs around the house and prepared Alex for her first day of school.

Jan. 4 - dropped Alex off at school after a tearful goodbye, checked out Maddie's preschool, and then came home and crashed on the couch before cleaning up the office.

Here's Alex (complete with butterflies in the tummy) before heading out the door for the 1st day of school. It takes us a bit longer to get ready in the morning with all the bundling that takes place!

Jan. 5 - dropped Alex and Maddie off at school - my first "free day" in weeks - got some errands done then rested until time to pick them up. Drove to Green Bay to have dinner with my parents and hang out for awhile. Back home.

Jan. 6 - dropped Alex off at school after a VERY tearful goodbye from both us. It's so hard leaving your child behind when they are nervous even though you know they will be OK. My tears were an accumulation of sadness, stress, tiredness, and hormones - a dam waiting to burst! My mother-in-law came over and helped take down the Christmas decorations, do my ironing (as you know, I despise ironing!), and help with the kids. We went out to dinner with her and Auntie Dana and then had our first overnight guest - Grandma! We all slept like rocks!

Jan. 7 - today. Here I sit, alone in the peaceful house, waiting for the locksmith to fix one of our doors.

It hardly seems possible that so much has happened in the last few weeks - it was a crazy, busy, sad, happy time all rolled into one. We still have a lot of adjusting to do, but overall, couldn't be happier about our situation. Moving back to Wisconsin the middle of winter definitely has its downfalls, but with so much family close by it was the right decision for us. I haven't lived in Wisconsin for 6.5 years and have forgotten much about the winters - the cold and snow doesn't bother me (yet) - truly, it's beautiful - but I forgot how filthy your car gets from the road salt and slush, how you can't see the lines on the road after a snow fall, and how parking lots lose spaces to big mounds of plowed snow!

It has truly been a whirlwind - crazy, but enjoyable - now, just 12 more weeks until we welcome a true whirlwind into our lives - baby Owen. :)

Hope you are all well!