We're Moving!

Before anyone gets excited, we're only moving a block and a half. Why, you ask, would anyone in her right might do such a thing? Several reasons, actually:

• Gorgeous apartment (if a little smaller)
• Cheap rent
• Back yard
• Central air

I recently got hired to take over my friend Konnichiwa's job as manager of several rental properties. (See previous post for more info on 'Nich.) They're moving to South Carolina for grad school, and I've long loved their place, so I applied for the job.

Our apartment is the biggest unit of a 5-plex, plus there's a triplex and a house around the corner. The owner is also thinking about buying the complex of studio apartments on the corner in the next couple years, which would increase our salary--and our workload.

The apartment is two story, with two large bedrooms and the bathroom upstairs. Downstairs is a large living/dining area with lots of light, and the kitchen and laundry. The kitchen opens onto the back yard, with a big shade tree and a lawn to play on and a little bit of space for a garden. Hardwood floors in the living/dining/entry, and did I mention lots of light? Yeah. Big windows. South-facing. And a lawn in front to play on.

We'll lose the ample storage space we enjoy with our two back rooms, but the closets in the new place are big, and maybe we can get creative with food storage in Atticus's room. We also have to trade our nice big washer and dryer for a smaller, stackable set, but since we currently have to run our dryer through four cycles to get one load dry, we'll probably still come out ahead. (I suspect there's a bird's nest in the pipes somewhere.)

If all goes as planned, we'll stay in the new place until we buy a house in a few years. Rent isn't free, but it shouldn't be more than $250/month. (We could choose a smaller/cheaper apartment for free, but we wanted the nice one.) With the savings in rent I'd like to get a second car and save for a house.

The biggest downside, though, is that we actually have to move. I'm really not looking forward to that part, especially since we'll be doing it the end of May/first of June, right when James is finishing the semester and I'm getting ready to go on vacation for a week. Considering I made James move last time during finals week, he may never let me talk him into moving again.

Wish us luck. We'll need it.

Birfday Party!!

Atticus turns three on Monday, and we had his birthday party today. This was his first "friend party," and he's been sooooo excited about it. We even practiced blowing out candles earlier this week. The party was pirate themed, and the idea was to have the kids dress up like pirates, but no one wanted to. Oh well. They still had fun. We had it at the church to give them more room to run around, which I think was their favorite part.

Around the table (counterclockwise from Atticus): Atticus, Abby, Ella, Aubrey, Alex, Mia, Henry, Cardon

In the back (left to right): Baby Ethan, Konnichiwa, and Dennis (Mia's family); Aubrey (Cardon's mom); Patricia (Alex's mom)

Aubrey and Patricia are my gym buddies, and Konnichiwa watches Atticus twice a week when I go to work. I watch Abby's little sister, Shannon (not pictured), each Friday. I was really happy that my brother Mike was able to come with his three kids. Henry is just a couple months younger than Atticus, and they have a good time together.

Mia finally got into the whole pirate thing. I don't think it lasted long....

Opening presents was an adventure, because Atticus wanted to stop and play with each toy as he opened it. But we kept him on task, and it worked out that there were enough toys for all the kids to play, and Atticus didn't mind sharing. He got lots of cool stuff, but his favorites are these two trucks from his aunts Erin and Heather. They make noise. And they're in bed with him right now.

Atticus had a great time, and it really wasn't that hard to put the party together. We'll have to do it again next year. :)

Shatner Love

I'm listening to this album after a long hiatus, and it's just pure genius. From the shockingly vulnerable "What Have You Done?" to the goofy "I Can't Get Behind That" and the honesty of "Real," it's just an amazing album. A friend couldn't get past the fact that it's Captain Kirk, which is a shame, because it goes so far beyond that. I love this part from the end of the title track:

"Has been" implies failure - not so

"Has been" is history

"Has been" . . . was

"Has been" . . . might again