Day 361: Closing day!

Though we were late, the closing went through. And here's our new house!
Our friend Jesse has already started painting this evening, and we've picked out some carpeting. This place will look very different in a couple of days. We weren't sure if we'd replace all the carpet or not, but once the furniture was gone and we saw all the stains, we decided it'd be easier to replace it all, especially with babies licking the carpet in a few months.

Day 360: Picking colors

We grabbed a color swatch book to try to pick out some paint colors and get our new place painted before we move in all our stuff. Here Jamin was trying to find a color that would go well with the fabric on my vanity's bench. We actually ended up going with a lavender shade for our bedroom instead of trying to match the bench. It'll be so fun to have different colors at our new place!

Day 359: Preparations and presents

As we prepare to close on our house in a couple of days and move on Saturday, I'm trying to keep a few things out and available, like gifts and eating utensils for the moving crew. I managed to shop around at Target to get a baby shower gift for Brenda and a few other items, trying out their electronic carts for the first time. It was an interesting experience making beeping noises every time I backed up and bumping into a few aisles. I only knocked a few items over . . . I definitely have more sympathy for people that try to get around stores in wheelchairs.

Day 358: Family Sunday

Jamin didn't have to start work yet today, as he has most Sundays this summer, so we had some nice family time. Zaria enjoyed some extra "papa time."
We also had Dan and Gwendolyn over to help fill a few boxes. Gwendolyn wanted me to take a picture of her-- I told her to pose and this was the result. The thinking 3-year-old.

Day 357: Portraits waiting room

Jamin, Zaria and I got our portraits taken this morning for the church directory. They used the nursery for one of the waiting areas, which worked well since a few of the kids were able to enjoy some toys while they waited. Sadly, Zaria only started smiling by the last picture, which was one that can't be in the directory. Not that I expect many smiling toddlers in the book.

Tomorrow will be the last Sunday for Zaria in this nursery-- next week she'll be out of town with Mom and Dave while we move, and the week after that she moves up to the next older group. Jamin will be moving up with her to teach the 18-36 month-olds.

Day 356: Mini golf outing

Yup, that's Jamin trying to get his golf ball out of the tunnel. There were 12 of us that went golfing tonight, and the vast majority ended up with scores a bit over par. Some were quite glad of the 6-stroke limit, in fact. We broke up into groups of threes-- you can see Jamin's group members Mike and Aaron being quite amused.
Mandy, one of my group members, actually scored a hole in one! Just in time as this was the 18th and last hole. I was hoping to do the same, but it didn't pan out. (=

Day 355: Our little Olympian

The word on her lips in this shot is "running." Zaria's been watching a little bit of the Olympics with me and she decided to do her own relay back and forth through the kitchen this evening. She'd start with her back to the door, and chime in with me as I said "Ready, set, go!", and then she'd run and grab my leg, then run back to do it again. I think this went on for 15-20 minutes. Moments like this I love being a mom.