Settling in

Well, we're nesting. We're loving our new place and spending a ton of time working on different projects. It's a lot of fun- but a lot of work! Here's the house:

Mom and dad painted our master bedroom. One wall is chocolate- or hot fudge, as mom liked to call it.

This is our green kitchen (complete with power tools and stuff that still needs a home). I love how the color turned out.

These are my herbs that sit in the kitchen window. There are six: cilantro, oregano, basil, parsley, mint, and rosemary.

This was part of the wonderful moving crew that helped out on Saturday morning. And, of course, my new piano. (!!!)

More photos to come as we continue completing projects! :) Come visit soon!!!

We're IN!!!

We're officially moved into our new house! It started Friday afternoon with both sets of parents and a lot of scrubbing and rolling. We painted 3 rooms- AWESOME colors (pictures to come), and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. I felt completely inept as I watched both moms going nuts with cleaning. I have a lot to learn! Dads worked on things like installing new (curved) shower curtains, fixing little glitches in the systems, rearranging pipes and vents for my new washer and dryer, etc. Later that night, my brother, Renae, Emily and Brian came to help. We shampooed carpets, painted second coats, and cleaned, cleaned, cleaned! It was a lot of fun to have everyone there.

Saturday morning, our wonderful crew showed up. All together we had 15 people helping us that morning with the big move. What a blessing! I've got to give props to my man- he worked his butt off! That man didn't stop, not even to eat, until it was done. I'm not surprised- he's wonderful. And I. LOVE. HIM. The rest of the day was spent unpacking boxes and trying to decide where things go. Nate and I feel so fortunate to be in this house and we can't wait to share it with the people we love. So, if you're in the area, stop by. I love to hear the doorbell ring. And if you're not in the area, then make plans because we love having people over. And we have a guest room already set up and ready to go. So now, you have no reason to stay away.

We're getting internet on Tuesday, so until then we're making the .51 mile (mapmyrun.com) trek to Mike's house to check our mail and get our facebook fix. More, my fix, I think. I don't know that Nate will even log in. Anyway, we love our house, we're ridiculously thankful for it, and we want to share it with you- so come over!

SOLD!

We're closing on our house this afternoon. (!!!) It seems like we've been waiting for a REALLY long time to move in. People kept telling us, "It'll be here before you know it..." in an attempt to make us feel better about the length of time we were waiting. Nate and I decided today, awake and still laying in bed, that it wasn't, in fact, "here before we knew it", but that the day seemed to take a really long time to finally arrive. :) I know in the past I've told people that same thing, "Don't worry, it'll be here before you know it..." From now on, I'm going to keep that saying to myself. :)

We thought my dad would have to work over the weekend and wouldn't be able to make it down for all the fun of cleaning, painting, etc. But turns out, he worked his butt of last night to get a large part of a major project done at work- so now they're able to join us. I can't tell you how much it means to have them here. I felt really selfish for wanting so badly for them to be here- but this is an exciting weekend for us. You know how you daydream about things and the way they'll pan out... and my mind's picture has them here. So, I feel completely fortunate that now they are able to come..... THANK. YOU. GOD!

I cannot wait for our doorbell to ring. I want ya'll to stop over and visit. We both love having people over to our home and it would do my heart good for you to pop in every once in a while.

I've got to get going. We've got a breakfast date this morning!

Ta-ta for now!!!

tickling the ivories

I almost forgot- We're buying a piano!!!!

I took the advice of some of you and sold my guitar. The next day, I found a Wurlitzer piano on Craigs List. We'll move it the weekend of our move into the house. CAN'T WAIT!!!!

May Miy Muy Moy Mey

I have so much to write about. It kind of seems overwhelming, which may be why it's taken me so long to get a post going. I'm not at home, so I'll have to upload photos later.

Here's the last few weeks:

Nate and I ran our first race together. It was the "Novartis Run" that was either a 2 mile or 10k. We chose the 2 mile. :)

Nate's cousin was in town from Minnesota and came to cheer us on that morning.

Afterwords, we went to Las Margaritas for lunch and headed back to his parents' farm for the weekend. We did some 4-wheeling, ran around the farm and played croquet in the front yard. It was really great- my new family, great food, beautiful Nebraska spring days, and lots of relaxing!

We've seen my parents a number of times as well- Easter was spent with them. It's always SO fun to go back home. Especially when my brother makes it the same weekend- it's a blast to have all of us together. Look at mom's giantic carrots!

We're closing on our house in 2 1/2 weeks. (!) We're so excited and have been picking out paint colors for a few rooms we're going to try to get done Friday. We've got some people volunteering to help- which is a great blessing. We're SO excited!

My best friend, Rissa, is getting married!! Tony flew up to Oregon to drive her back to NE and proposed by a waterfall on the way. From what I hear, it was pretty incredible. I was able to see her twice this last week- for her hooding ceremony from UNMC and her graduation party. I'm SO proud of her! Ann went with me to keep me company Thursday night so I wouldn't have to drive there by myself. What a pal!

School is winding down. I think we have 23-ish days left....which seems really crazy. It's been such a great year. My kids have p-u-s-h-e-d me! It's been a wonderful learning experience and I've fallen in love with every single one of them. They're funny! I have one little girl who waits in the office every day after school for her ride. I stepped into an administrators office which has glass windows facing the main office where the kids wait. My little girl was sitting in one of the chairs right next to the windows and was waving and smiling at me. Just when I said to Julie, "Isn't she cute!" I turned around and saw her little nose smashed up on the class leaving smears trailing as she dragged her nose down the window. THAT is an image I will have frozen in my mind for quite a while. :)