It's official!

We get to stay a whole more year! The man stamped our request and so we sign our new lease to our new house tomorrow! I'm so excited it's all working out. We were going through the process and everything but we were still waiting for the money approval....I didn't want to live here without COLA and OHA. It would have been done long ago...wait...we thought it was done long ago but admin was slow..go figure...we have the worst of luck with them all the time...they ALWAYS lose Dan's paperwork. We were only a little concerned since there were so many budget cuts but other than that we knew we would get approved. Now on to the next two weeks...CRAZINESS!

It's a girl!

Yes, we've added yet another girl to our family. She's not a human this time...she's a kitten. Dan has been looking like crazy for a Blue British Short hair. We finally came across one...we call her our $1000 kitty. It's been a journey to get her. She's 7 weeks old and just as cute as can be. We are naming her Katherine but she goes by "Kat."

The girls all love her and she loves all the girls including Bells who's a little "rough" with her. She doesn't seem to mind since she goes right back to Bells. She's just perfect for our family. She was definitely a PAIN to get. Dan has been looking for MONTHS for this kitten. We wanted a kitten but originally wanted a male. These types of cats go fast though and so we were so happy when we talked to someone in Wales that had 2 kittens, a male and female and were going to hold them for us until this last Saturday to go purchase them and bring them home. Well Madison and Dan drove the 4 hour drive to them and found out it was a scam! Apparently, there is AT LEAST one person looking for kittens or puppies at this house every week. Luckily we're not as naive as some and gave any sort of information or money to this person. So Dan and Madison drove back the 4 hours empty handed and sad. I thought we were going to be done with the kitten search but while I was picking up Tylenol for my sick children the next day, I get this call to come home quickly. I thought an emergency happened but no, Dan has just spoken to a lady up near Blackpool, another 4 hour drive, and she had 3 girls left but 2 people were coming that day to buy one. So Dan and Hannah went up this time and came home at 1 am Monday morning with kitty in hand. The bonus part of her is she is on the active registry so we can breed or show her. So with a total of 17 hours worth of gas and her price...she is seriously like $1000, but she's so worth it! Dan loves her...she's warming right up to him which is good...she's going to be his little buddy and go with him. And Kat is so smart being so small...no accidents and is so even tempered and mellow...I think we're going to get another one!

Oh and Abs LOVES this mat. I had it for Madison and Hannah and they loved the thing. Abs isn't too fond of not being held so I caved and bought this mat even though we already have 2 others (I gave the one like this away since I was so done with having children after Hannah). It works...she is now content on it and not being in my arms...hence why I can post!

Blessings

I feel so lucky right now and blessed. This move has just been kind of a whirlwind thing. The house we found had just been put on the board and we were able to get it. I was begining to stress out about if we were going to be able to find a house close to the girl's school. Life is crazy with 4 kids...2 of them being 18 months and 7 weeks so I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to get our stuff packed in time and be able to move things...we sign our new lease on the 1st of April and we have to be out of this house by the 14th. Then there was the cleaning and yard work and all that. Well, we found movers who are packing and moving all our stuff for a VERY reasonable price. Today I was talking to my cleaners about scheduling a move out clean and can I just say I have the two nicest and sweetest cleaners ever! They are always so sweet to me and my family for holidays and for my kid's births (they always give the nicest gifts) and now they are doing this favor me. The carpet cleaner guy I always get is giving me the price he always gives me even though he's covering more carpet and so I'm spending less than I imagined on this move out. (I do usually clean the house but I just don't have enough time or energy.) Our deposit, even if the landlord takes some out will still cover this move. Then I've had volunteers to help watch kids or do whatever which has been so nice. I don't like accepting help (it's the Trapp in me) but it has been so nice to have all these special people in my life and I just feel so blessed especially since I've been feeling SO overwhelmed. My house has been a mess (ok, so to my standards), I don't always have dinner planned like how I like and my family has been more than willing to help out or even better, just look away and wait patiently until I get to it. I feel since things are running so smoothly even though at the moment I'm stressing out, things are falling into place and our prayers were answered and I am doing the right thing staying here. Perhaps some day soon I feel on top of things once again....then again...maybe not.

Mini me

I'm around 6 in this picture...it cracks me up my kids do the exact same smile...Madison and Hannah saw this picture...they both loved seeing me as a little girl and how much they look like me.

Then there is this girl...my mom came up with the nickname..."tornado" for her. It suits her. She is everywhere all the time. I love her...I love how happy she is all the time. She's getting so big...she's looking more and more like a little girl rather than my baby Bells. I registered her for preschool today...the Montessori here takes them at 2. I'm going to need a little break...she is a shy girl but she was loving it there. I was really surprised she ventured off to explore. She never does that with new places.

3+ years ago...

This is Hannah a couple of months before she turned 2....she loved She-ra and swords. The filming is horrible and I sound silly but I just laughed watching it...especially the last few seconds of the video...

YIPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DAN'S CAR IS READY FOR PICK UP!!!! I can't wait to drive his brand new, little sporty car!

8 years!

Well it was a couple of days ago actually...the 8th. Dan and I celebrated early and took advantage of the fact my parents were here and left all 4 kids...yes...ALL 4...and took a train to Cardiff, Wales, Friday (4th) night and stayed until Sunday morning. I took my camera and didn't take one single picture! We didn't want to stress about taking pictures. Some times I think I focus on getting pictures I'm not able to enjoy what I'm seeing and who I'm with...my best friend. And so we stayed at this super cute Victorian hotel right on St. Mary's Street...P-A-R-T-Y central......it was in the building on the right just before the neon lights to the 80's club....clubs were every where...people were all over the street and just having a good time. Cardiff is known for it's night life and man...do they party. We could hear it all night long.

We went to the castle and just walked all around the city and saw other sites. It was kind of nice not having to drive. We met the Lord Mayor of Cardiff without even knowing it. This super friendly old man was just talking away to us for about 15 minutes while we were at the castle. We knew he was somebody because of his medallion around his neck but didn't know who. We also saw the big protest that was going on and actually for a minute was a part of it...well walking down the street since we had to cross the street and had to go through them. We had a nice dinner and just enjoyed time together. It was cold and super windy so we opted not to walk along the bay. We did take the city sight seeing bus and saw all the major things. Super cute city with a BIGNORMOUS (Hannah word) mall! A real mall...with heating inside...just like home...except this place was so big! We even caught a movie...a movie that was not at all what we expected but oh well. It was a perfect weekend. We did miss our girls...lots of things reminded us of them and by Saturday late morning I was missing them a lot. I got over it...Dan got over missing his Bells...(he missed all his girls but Bells and him have this special bond) and enjoyed our last weekend get away for who knows how long. So beautiful there...people so nice and the thing that I found most interesting...the Welsh language. I thought it was kind of cool they have all their signs there with Welsh first and then English. But seriously...what a CRAZY language!

Busy, busy, busy

That's what we've been up to. Well that and we've had a wonderful 16 day visit with my parents. We had a blast, did a lot of exploring around the UK. Dan and I celebrated our 8th anniversary in Cardiff, Wales ALONE, and 4 kids keep me busy!!! I'm hoping to that I'll have some time soon to write about our adventures...fun times..lots of laughs and how Bells just loves gmm-pa and mmm-ma! But now, it's 9:36 pm and I'm ready to crash.