Day 807 | Sprinklers!

After a fairly productive day where we checked nothing off the list (how is that possible?), we hosted Brian, Tera and the girls for our first grill out.

As part of the festivities, we tried out the sprinkler system after dinner. I'm fairly certain we'll use the system more for entertainment than lawn maintenance but it's still fun!

Day 806 | Out and About

After being cooped up for the last couple of days, we busted out for lots of excitement today.

We started out the morning with breakfast on the go and a community walk/run. Then we visited with a friend for a bit before heading to an antique car show (with delicious milkshakes). 

Best part of the day, by far, was reuniting with Chris after his week away. The boys were over the moon and so was I. 

We didn't let him rest and relax from his crazy week, however, there was a local Chalk Fest at the university down the road and we had heard great things about this annual event. It definitely didn't disappoint. The creativity and talent of these 100ish artists was beyond inspiring. And what a gorgeous afternoon to be out wandering. 

We wrapped up the day by hosting my grandma and aunt + uncle for some fun conversation on our new patio. 

Days like today are 100% the reason we felt compelled to move back. It doesn't get much better. 

Day 805 | Settling In

I forgot to add one exciting detail to the day: the boys both picked out their own pjs.
Matching was obviously frowned upon. 

It's been a lovely lazy day around here. We didn't see any family all day. What's that about? Luckily we already have plans to make sure the same thing doesn't happen tomorrow. :)

The boys and I had a leisurely morning with lots of outdoor time. We met a neighbor (who seems great, by the way, and even brought over dinner!). We invited a new friend (who lives within walking distance!) over for a tour and enjoyed the excitement of new friendships. And otherwise everything was totally boring, unproductive, and perfect. 

I think the to-do list items will start taking more of a priority once Chris returns tomorrow. A dishwasher is calling my name (beautiful kitchen renovations + no dishwasher = crazy, right?). 

Day 804 | "Normal"

What mealtime looks like at new house! At least when we're trying to keep the mess off the
light-colored carpet of the dining room. :)

Today was the first day since July 7 that it's been just me and the boys for any extended period of time. That's insane.

I arrived back from my 19 hours in DC at noon today and we spent all afternoon and evening together. I did everything in my power not to do anything about all the boxes laying around and mess everywhere. I just wanted it to feel like our "normal" life...if only for a few hours. They needed that. And I needed that. 

The move seems to be taking the biggest toll on Robbe. Part of me thinks he held it together for so long (he's really showed no averse side effects of the move at all), that he finally just cracked. He's been grumpy, not eating as well, whining+crying more, wanting to be held (which hasn't been happening at all since my back drama), misbehaving in ways we haven't seen, etc. I can't blame the kid. I've been stressed to the max, too. And I'm an adult with the ability to communicate fully. 

Now that I'm home (and not trying to pull off the biggest surprise ever) and now that Chris will be home on Saturday and now that we're all focused on a bit more kid-centered attention, I'm confident he'll bounceback. Sweet boy. 

Day 803 | Surprise!

Guess what I did today? I flew to DC to surprise Chris for his going away party at work!

It was the first time we've left the kids since Chase's birth (almost 4.5 years ago). [Full disclosure: we did leave Chase one other time...when Robbe was born. But that doesn't really count.] I say this to relay how hard it was to leave the kiddos behind to make this trip. But man, was it worth it.

I mean, there was never really any question about whether I would go. I knew I needed to. Chris has loved his job so much and it was really hard for him to decide to walk away. These are the people that he has spent hour-upon-hour with, folks that have supported him and befriended him for nearly four years.

I walked away from the party realizing that this group of people, in this massive organization, has seen in Chris what I saw in him at age 18: that he's one of a kind. That he's an amazing human being, but I also learned about his accomplishments as a manager and public employe. He has touched so many lives in his capacity at the SEC and been an inspiration to so many people. I've never been more proud.

**Special thanks to my parents, brother + sister-in law, and especially Isabelle for taking the best care of Chase and Robbe to make this happen. I appreciate it more than I/we can say.

Day 802 | Hard Day's Work

Chase and Robbe went to work with grandpa for their first official shift today (so I could get a much needed massage). That's what being in a family business is all about...and you've got to teach them young!

The boys "helped" put out groceries on the shelf. One of them, the little one, decided it would be more fun to take them off the shelves, but still. 

They were happily compensated with new treasures from the quarter machines. Everyone was happy...except maybe my dad who lost an hour of his productive time in addition to needing to fix anything the boys helped with. He did it with a smile, though, and I am very appreciative. 

Day 801 | Officially a Wisconsinite

It's official. As of today, I'm a Wisconsin resident and I have a new drivers license to prove it. The mini seems to be enjoying her new plates as well. DMV: check!

Day 800 | 800!

Seems appropriate for our the 800 blog post to be a photo from DC, that's where we've spent most of these 800 days.

Can you believe I've been blogging for 800 days?!? Whoa. 

It's been a *smidge* hectic around here lately, so I'll apologize in advance for the slightly-briefer team update this time around. But here goes:

Name: Sara
Favorites: cool Wisconsin mornings, ice cream runs, naptime/bedtime snuggles with my sweet Chase (we do that more on vacation), coming up with new projects for the house to-do list, the plethora of cabinet space in the kitchen at new house 

Biggest Hurdle to Overcome: slowing down. There's so much to do everywhere I look (not to mention my mile-long to do list inside my head) that it's hard for me to take the necessary breaks and give my mind + body a break.
Dreams for the Future: Settling in to our new home and all that goes with it: exploring the neighborhood, buying new furniture, finding a second car, all the organizing, and, most of all, the family time.

Name: Chris
Favorites: all varieties of Wisconsin snack food + drinks, quality brother-time, open parking spots, our new house, no traffic, a new garage (I sense a theme), the screened porch at new house
Biggest Hurdle to Overcome: one more week of work before a much-deserved break until he starts his knew job in September.
Dreams for the Future: Scoring the best deal on his new grill. He already bought one but he's determined there might be a better price + model out there. Stay tuned.

Name: Chase
Age: 4 years, 4 months

Favorites: Spending time with family (especially cousins), blueberries (he remains consistent), drinking tea, dreaming up performances for his new stage, discovering new books, the laundry shoot in new house
Biggest Hurdle to Overcome: determining whose rules to follow when mom + dad's rules conflict with grandma + grandpa's. That's a tough one.
Dreams for the Future: A bunk bed. Hopefully one we can remedy quickly.

Name: Robbe
Age: 2 years, 5 months

Favorites: Papa (grandpa), picking + consuming blueberries, his brother's jokes (he's into mostly physical humor these days), stickers, anything truck related (also consistent), talking about cows, the jetted tub in new house
Biggest Hurdle to Overcome: eating delicious summer fruit without staining all his favorite truck shirts. Seriously, can you believe the hard times these boys have been going through?
Dreams for the Future: more words. Robbe is accumulating new words every day, but it's been a slow go. Maybe now that he has to communicate with more than just me (and I'm really good at translating), he'll get the extra motivation he needs. For now, I'll appreciate having only one little one that talks non-stop. ;)

Day 799 | Exploring EC

It was a fun + productive day around here. We took some time to find a new breakfast spot (our choice was delicious) and explored the farmers market and park/concert venue that's walkable from our house. Woo hoo!

Oh, we also unpacked a million boxes and made some impressive progress, considering it's just day two. Special thanks to my mom and dad + a good family friend for spending the day crossing things off our list and entertaining the kiddos. Much much appreciated. 

Today reminded me so much of the day two years ago when we had just moved into red house (I'll link to the post I wrote when I have wifi internet again). Ahh, memories. 

Day 798 | Eau Claire Residents

It's official, we are Wisconsin residents. Chris and I signed on the dotted line (several times) this morning. We couldn't be happier with the house (it's better then I remembered), we were pleasantly surprised to find out our moving truck could arrive this afternoon (instead of tomorrow morning...side note, we didn't fill up that whole truck), and we loved being surrounded by family tonight (we don't have to do all the unpacking, child-entertaining, and organizing by ourselves!). 

This is going to be the best. 

Day 797 | Maria's Spa

We arrived at Mike and Andi's house this morning to a fancy new spa in their bathroom: Maria's Spa. Grandma got a foot + leg massage. I got my hair done + a back massage. Chase got two arm massages. And it only cost a dollar.

What a deal! 

Day 796 | Cousins-love Redux

Aren't these guys the cutest? I've said it before, I'll say it again: it's nice to actually like the people you're related to.

Day 795 | Cousin-love

All the cousins showed up to support Elizabeth during her violin concert on the square this morning. It was quite impressive to see those little ones rocking the violin, I have to say.

It's been so wonderful to watch Chase and Robbe build the relationships with their cousins. I just love it. Tonight at dinner, Elizabeth asked Chase if he has any friends at his new house and he responded with a shrug and the statement, "my cousins." So sweet. 

Day 794 | The Littles

The big cousins were all occupied with fun organized summer activities today so the littles got some quality solo-time together. 

That equalled lots of outside time frolicking at a playground and in grandma and grandpa's backyard. Man, it's nice to actually spend time outdoors now that we're in a place without 95+ degree temps (at least for the moment). 

Day 793 | Family Time

From yesterday's big party: all the grandkids with Grandma and her birthday present.

The beautiful Wisconsin weather and fun family time continued today. Just the best. It's nice when you genuinely enjoy hanging out with the people you're related to. Right?!?

Day 792 | Robbe's Senior Photo

It's been a busy and exhausting day. We
celebrated Chris's mom's birthday with a big party filled with delicious food, good friends, and lots of laughter. The perfect celebration for such a lovely person.

Unfortunately, I didn't snap any photos there so this one of Robbe that Chris took will have to do. Apparently the little man asked for a photo in the jungle with his new fork lift. Hahaha. It might be my new favorite photo of him. 

Day 791 | Belts'

We made it to Chris's hometown. And we're staying put for the week. It's going to be glorious. 

First item on the agenda: spend time with the fam. Second item on the agenda: get ice cream from Belts'. Yeah, it's going to be a good week. 

Day 790 | Like a Dream

I finally downloaded the photos from the little park get together we hosted last weekend. I'm going to miss these faces. Saying goodbye to these folks (and several others who aren't pictured here) has been about the toughest thing I've done.

Right now, it just feels like we're on our typical Wisconsin summer vacation. The boys and I flew in yesterday and will be living out of a suitcase until our moving truck arrives next weekend. We're heading to Chris's hometown tomorrow...just like we usually do.

Our first day back in Wisconsin could not have been better. It was sunny and 70 degrees. It was filled with family and fun. I even got a bit of a kid-free time when the boys went to the farm with Grandpa. This is why we made the decision we did. This is why we need to live here. These people, this pace of life, the freedom that comes from growing up as a little kid in a small town.

For now, this whole move seems like a dream. I'm in this fuzzy world between the friends and house I said goodbye to yesterday and the boxes and paperwork yet to come next weekend. It's actually probably the perfect place for me right now.

Speaking of dreams...you might be wondering what's going to happen with the blog now that I'm no longer living in the District (I guess I should have picked a more generalized name, who would have thought?). To be honest, I'm not sure where I'll go with the blog. New name? New concept? Maybe. I'm pretty sure I'll continue it in some fashion, but I'm just too wiped out to commit to anything new. For now, keep checking in here on a daily basis. I'll do my best to capture this next chapter.

Day 789 | Farewell DC

"You will never be completely home again, because part of your heart will always be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place."

-Miriam Adeney

So long for now, DC. Sniffle, sniffle. 

Day 788 | One More Sleep

The moving truck arrives at 9:00am tomorrow. We're finishing up the last few boxes and contemplating our to do list for tomorrow amidst feelings of extreme excitement and extreme sadness.

The boys have been using a countdown chain to prepare themselves for the big move (as if stealing all their toys and books hasn't been enough of a clue). Tonight there was great celebration as they tore off the last link of paper. Do they have any idea what's actually going on here? I'd like to think so. They're smart kids. 

Day 787 | Working Hard

We've been working our tales off all day and somehow we still have things to do. I feel like our possessions reproduce while we're sleeping somehow.

We did, however, manage this lovely coffee break while we waited for the car to be serviced (we're efficient like that). Just one more day of this chaos and then *fingers crossed* we can take a bit of a breather. A well-deserved breather. 

Day 786 | Final Farewells

Well, we didn't make it to the top of the Washington Monument, sorry Chase, but we did make it down to the Mall for one final stop to take in the beauty of the District. And man, was it the perfect outing. The weather couldn't have been better, we found a parking spot (always a challenge), the crowds were manageable, and the monuments were awe-inspiring, as usual. It's like DC was trying one last time to lure us into staying. Unfortunately, we have too many boxes packed to let it convince otherwise.

As if the goodbye to the monuments wasn't enough for one day, we hosted a park party to say goodbye to all our friends this afternoon. We had a bunch of amazing people show up to play one last time at the park that sold us on this neighborhood originally (here's one of the original Tree Park posts). I held it together shockingly well...until the last two goodbyes. Then I lost it. Saying goodbye stinks. Saying goodbye to the best friends a girl could ask for really stinks.

I'm going to miss this city. I'm going to miss this neighborhood. I'm going to miss this house. I'm going to miss Chase's school. I'm going to miss the monuments and museums. I'm going to miss the playgrounds. I'm going to miss the walk-ability. I'm going to miss the Metro (even if it is a mess a lot of the time). I'm going to miss our favorite restaurants. I'm going to miss the energy. I'm going to miss the tourists (no, really!).

But, at the end of the day, I'm really really going to miss the people. It's always the people that make anything memorable, isn't it. I keep telling myself that my three best friends (Chris, Chase, and Robbe) are all coming with me, but I'm beyond sad to be saying goodbye to all my non-family friends. I've worked really hard to make these friends and it seems too early to be saying farewell.

We'll call it "see you later" instead. That sounds better.

Day 785 | Packing

Chris and I promised a year ago that we were going to hire movers to pack our house up if we actually ended up deciding to move back to Wisconsin. We've tackled that challenge five times in 10 years and decided we were done. Twelve months later and about 40 boxes in, that decision was thrown out the window. Why, you might ask? I decided I wanted to save the money to splurge on nice patio furniture for our new, amazing three-season room. That's a fair trade-off, right?!? And, you know what dawned on me, I don't actually mind packing. And here's why:

Top five reasons I don't mind packing:

1. There's nothing more satisfying that the perfectly packed box. Man, I've had some really impressive ones this time around. If only photos could do them justice, maybe I'd create some sort of calendar out of all my favorites.
2. It makes the move seem real. I didn't like the idea of living a totally normal life right up to the day before our move. I don't think it would have been great for my emotional state and definitely would have been harder for the boys to understand. Now, they see the boxes every day and me packing every day and we're talking about the move nearly constantly.
3. The money saved. This one is obvious, I know, but have you ever received a quote to have boxes packed? It's no joke. To satisfy your curiosity, in DC it's about $12 to pack a normal box (clothes, books, etc.) and then the price jumps to about $40 per box for fragile items (i.e. your entire kitchen). Of course there are some in between prices as well. That's no joke. We figure it'll save us about $2000 to pack everything. You're all going to love the patio furniture so much more now!
4. The purging. If someone else packs your stuff, how do you go through everything so that you're not packing an old basketball jersey from high school (ok, to be fair, that one actually did make the cut, but I threw a lot of other stuff...). I don't want to bring all my old junk to my beautiful new house. 
5. Ease in unpacking. I'm fully aware that the unpacking process is no picnic either. But, if I pack my own boxes and have a general idea of where stuff is and how much I still need to find homes for, I'm confident I'll be in a better place after the movers unload the truck.

Keep in mind, we're still hiring professionals to load and unload the truck and drive everything cross country. That, we will pay the crazy expensive fee for. Neither Chris nor I have the friends willing to help us move (we're not 20 anymore) or the stamina for a 16+ hour trek in a Uhaul. Bring on the movers!

Day 784 | Powering Through

If you haven't been able to tell through all the super fun and positive "bucket list" blog posts, things have actually been a bit rough around here. After our bout with hand, food, and mouth disease, I've been struggling with my back pain creeping in and some crazy wrist pain (to the point I couldn't pick anything up). On top of that, fireworks hit our house on the 4th of July (how does that happen?!?) and we woke up to $600 worth of damage to our siding (one week before we close on the house). Sheesh.

Instead of spending the rest of this post ranting about everything else that could be bumming me out these days (did I mention I lost my keys for 1.5 hours on Tuesday and was totally housebound because of this...not cool with only eight days left here!), I'm going to focus it on what helped me shift my mood: this little weed in our back alley.

Is that the most impressive thing ever? I don't know why but every time I look at it, it's a reminder that if you stay focused, keep trying, and power through the hard stuff, you can do it. Seem a little deep? Probably, it is only a little weed after all, but I appreciate the reminder and thought you might, too.

The last few weeks have been my concrete layer. I just need to keep pushing forward and someday, some day, there will be reward + relief.

Day 783 | A Final Museum

If you're keeping track, we are one (1!) activity away from finishing our bucket list. Today we ventured down to the Mall for a trip to a museum. It wasn't the museum previously mentioned on our lists, you might notice. Chase decided to call an audible and select the National Museum of the American Indian instead, for two reasons. One, he could feed the ducks at the Capitol reflecting pool. Two, he wanted to play with the igloo. 

The American History Museum is always a crazy mess so I completely grabbed hold of this shift in plans and we went with it. There was a moment of panic when we found out the igloo wasn't going to open until later in the day, but luckily we befriended a sweet employee who made an exception for the cute kid who wanted this to be his last museum trip before he moves. Yeah, I laid it on a *little* thick, but super-sensitive Chase wasn't going to handle this turn of events well. In the end, good fortune won out and we were allowed ten minutes to build it up. Whew.

DC Bucket List, Deadline: July 13

• Visit Turkey Thicket playground
• Ride the Wheaton Miniature Train
• Watch the ball drop at the Discovery Building
• Eat at our sushi restaurant
• Wade in Yards Park
• Ride the Metro
• Pick berries at Butler's Orchard
• Fort Steven's Park 
• Eat at H&Pizza
• Visit the top of the Washington Monument
• Watch the airplanes at Gravelly Point
• Jump at trampoline park
• Play at the National Building Museum
• Have a snack by the train tracks
• Feed the ducks at the Capitol
• Build an igloo at the National Museum of the American Indian

Day 782 | Wheaton Miniature Train

The heat couldn't keep us down today. To Wheaton we went for one last ride on the infamous (to us, anyway) miniature train and carousel. We've been here a handful of times over the past two years and it never disappoints. It just might be one of my favorite outdoor activities in the area. I think the boys would agree.

And, to keep with the focus on nostalgia, here are some past miniature train posts:

Day 50
Day 150
Day 746


DC Bucket List, Deadline: July 13

• A final stop at the American History Museum
• Visit Turkey Thicket playground
• Ride the Wheaton Miniature Train
• Watch the ball drop at the Discovery Building
• Eat at our sushi restaurant
• Wade in Yards Park
• Ride the Metro
• Pick berries at Butler's Orchard
• Fort Steven's Park 
• Eat at H&Pizza
• Visit the top of the Washington Monument
• Watch the airplanes at Gravelly Point
• Jump at trampoline park
• Play at the National Building Museum
• Have a snack by the train tracks

Day 781 | Snack on the Track

It was a rough morning. Lots of factors collided to challenge my ability to keep it together. By around 10:30am (yep, this all happened before then), I had pulled myself together enough to take the boys on an outing across the street to have a snack and watch the trains. It was as enjoyable (if not more) than I remember it being. Are you getting tired of me mentioning how much I'm going to miss this place, yet?

For the sake of nostalgia:
Snack on the track: Spring 2015
Snack on the track: Fall 2014

And for those keeping track:

DC Bucket List, Deadline: July 13

• A final stop at the American History Museum
• Visit Turkey Thicket playground
• Ride the Wheaton Miniature Train
• Watch the ball drop at the Discovery Building
• Eat at our sushi restaurant
• Wade in Yards Park
• Ride the Metro
• Pick berries at Butler's Orchard
• Fort Steven's Park 
• Eat at H&Pizza
• Visit the top of the Washington Monument
• Watch the airplanes at Gravelly Point
• Jump at trampoline park
• Play at the National Building Museum
• Have a snack by the train tracks

Day 780 | Happy 4th!

We celebrated America's birthday by attending the Takoma Park parade this morning: our annual tradition. The weather was gloriously overcast and shockingly cool. Just perfect. The boys loved every second of it.

I've never really been a fan of parades, but, surprise, surprise, kids have managed to change that!

Day 779 | Pizza

The sounds of exploding fireworks fills the air as I type. I'm reflecting back to Chase's first 4th and how nervous I was about him being woken up by all the loud pops. I've come so far in this journey of parenthood...but it's funny how new little anxieties still manage to creep in (but not about fireworks anymore) even though I'm experiened enough to know I shouldn't let such things get to me. It's a never ending journey, I guess.

With that said, the main subject of tonight's post: pizza. Another check on the bucket list! We ate our final &pizza meal. It's been awhile since we've enjoyed it's deliciousness (it's harder to visit since we moved off the Hill). I have to say, it didn't disappoint. We'll miss you, yummy pizza!

Day 778 | Errands

We didn't pack a single box today. Don't worry, though, we crossed off a lot of other important things: a trip to the dump (Chris was really impressed with their efficiency), a trip to drop off donations, some much needed tidying around the house, some much needed rest for my back (yeah, it's acting up again), plus two pretty fantastic belly super hero tattoos.

So, all in all, a pretty productive day after all. Here's hoping we can get to a couple of boxes tomorrow.

Day 777 | Metro + Building Zone

We buckled down to cross two more bucket list items off the list: a metro train ride and the National Building Museum.

It was a highly successful outing full of lots of playtime and giggles along the way.


DC Bucket List, Deadline: July 13

• A final stop at the American History Museum
• Visit Turkey Thicket playground
• Ride the Wheaton Miniature Train
• Watch the ball drop at the Discovery Building
• Eat at our sushi restaurant
• Wade in Yards Park
• Ride the Metro
• Pick berries at Butler's Orchard
• Fort Steven's Park 
• Eat at H&Pizza
• Visit the top of the Washington Monument
• Watch the airplanes at Gravelly Point
• Jump at trampoline park
• Play at the National Building Museum
• Have a snack by the train tracks