Crazy Week!

Since my last entry, Eric and I have been on a whirlwind. We went to Chicago last weekend and while we were there, we sold our house! We got to the Windy City on Friday and by Sunday the documents were all signed that was it. We got home to Lawrence on Monday and started looking for a new place to live immediately. Couple house searching with the last week of my graduate class and it was a LONG week (to say the least). We got a great deal from the buyer of our current house, but the condition was that we had to be out last night by 5:00 pm. Eric, John and I worked pretty much all weekend and made it by about 1 hr.

We have found a new house in Eudora, Kansas, and will move in on Thursday. We actually have had our eye on this house for about a month, but never got serious with it as we had to sell our current house. Well, it sold so quickly that we were able to jump on it and get a great deal as it is a buyer's market. We looked at several houses here in Lawrence, but we just kept coming back to this place in Eudora. My commute to work with have an extra 4-5 minutes each day, but I am not worried as I really like the new place. It is brand new ... 4 bedrooms, 3 baths and an unfinished basement. We are really excited =)

We will close on the new house on Thursday. We are staying with our friend, Joe, this week until we can get in the new place. Poor Huey has been so confused with the move. I finally called our vet's office today and took him over there to be boarded for the rest of the week. He hasn't eaten in over 2 days. I hated having to do it, but he is just so anxious right now and would not just calm down and relax. Eric and I will go see him daily while so that we can walk and play with him. He will get to come to the new house then on Thursday!!

House for Sale!

Ok, we had our first call from the realtor today telling us that we need to get the house all cleaned up as someone wanted to come take a look. Of course, we haven't been very tidy over the past week with the boys out working and myself wrapped up in camp. But, alas, calls went out to Eric and John to rush home and help get the place cleaned up by 6:00 pm so that we could disappear for the realtor to show our house. I must say that we did really well in the short time we had. John wasn't too interested in helping, but as soon as I explained that he will get his own area (even when company comes) he was all on board to help out. The house looked great so we will just have to wait and see.

My weeks of craziness have come to an end finally. I wrapped up the last of my summer camps this afternoon. As those little bodies headed out the doors to their parents for the last time, I could not help by smile. I didn't get to do it very much though as I was headed off to class. This time next week I should be finished with my master's degree. It has been about 4 years in the making so I am VERY excited. On top of that, I defended my comp exams this afternoon (after camp and after class). Looks like I passed so that is one more thing down!

Eric and I are headed off to Chicago tomorrow afternoon. We have not had a "vacation" this summer so we are going to spend the weekend with Teddy and Lindsay. We have not seen their new house yet either, so we are excited to be getting away. It should be alot of fun (as long as Teddy is nice to me and does not go into Big Brother Mood!)

Long week ...

I will admit that I am tired and it is only Tuesday!! We just finished with our second day of basketball camp .. it is our last one of the summer. We have 105 1-5th graders (boys and girls) in this week for camp. They are really cute ... every basket is like celebrating a national championship. Camp runs everyday from 9 am - Noon, which is not too bad.

The part that I have been dreading is the class that I have to go to immediately following camp everyday for 2.5 hours. I am in my final graduate class and should finish up next week with my degree. So, between summer camps, normal work hours, comp exams and class, it has been a LONG summer. I shouldn't complain, though, as I have been given great opportunities with all of this.

I am looking forward to celebrating, though. Our bball team is heading to Australia for 11 days so I will get to really celebrate there with the coaching staff. No more school for KT!!

Birthday!

It feels like we have been celebrating Eric's birthday now for three days (which we have), but the real "day" has finally come. It took Eric awhile to wake up this morning as he, John Wall and John Wulf stayed up till about 3:00 am on the back porch last night. Guys being guys .... this is usually what happens when Eric gets together with the college buddies. Eric and John Wall just left for the airport. They are going to hang out in Kansas City for a little bit before they go to the airport. Eric has been grinning from ear to ear all weekend and John has let loose too, so I would say I was successful with my birthday gift :)

I have included a few pictures of the weekend. These were the best shots I could get of the two as they are always STUPID looking when they see a camera! Happy birthday Eric ... #27!!

Yea! I kept the secret ...

I must say that I am pretty proud of myself....I was able to keep the secret about Eric's birthday gift for nearly two months. For his gift this year, I arranged for one of his best friends, John Wall, to fly in for the weekend. I called John back in May to see if we could make it work and I just KNEW that Eric would figure it out beforehand. But, he didn't! Thanks to some creative help from Lindsay and Johnny Wulf (as well as numerous others who didn't spill the beans), we were able to surprise him last night at the airport! John flew in after work last night and Eric thought we were at the airport to pick up Lindsay. He had been told that she was coming in this weekend to work camp for me, which starts on Monday.

He was very excited as many of our friends have never been out here (to date, Evan is the only one that has graced us with his presence). John and Eric have spent the last 20 some hours "catching up" and driving ALL around town. We stopped at Outback in Kansas City for a late dinner and it was just like "old times" with boys being boys. I think that John has seen nearly every inch of Lawrence and KU thanks to Eric. I am really glad that we were able to make this work ... Eric (and I) are really enjoying John being here.

There is no plan for the rest of the weekend, but Eric's official birthday is tomorrow so I am sure that the celebration will continue. He has requested yellow cake with chocolate icing, so I will be making that tonight or tomorrow. I have also heard plans of a "boys night" out on the town tonight, but I will have NO part of that. I take that back ... I will probably be the driver at about 2:00 am. John Wulf is working a basketball tournament today, but he has requested they don't leave the house until he is home from the tournament!!!

Getting the hang of it...

So today Eric and I met with a mortgage lender to discuss finances for our next new home. We put our current house on the market this week and hope to find a buyer relatively soon. We really like our current house (great open floor plan, nice location and friendly neighbors), but we are starting to feel a bit cramped. I find it overwhelming all of the money plans that exist out there, but I am confident that we will find a house that we LOVE and can live in the next few years. We aren't looking for the dream house yet, but we do need more space!

My youngest brother, John, moved in with us recently as well, so we have added another being and all his belongings. We are happy to have him though and look forward to seeing him attend KU. It has been a dream of his so we are happy to help make it happen. He is just working right now (trying to save $$) and then will start school in mid-August.

John returns from work tonight. Eric got him on a crew through his company, so he leaves on Monday mornings and works out of town all week and then comes back on Friday afternoon. We have to run to the airport later on this evening to pick up a visitor and then we are headed for a pre-birthday dinner at Outback...It is Eric's birthday weekend starting today (birthday is Sunday). Make sure to give him a call if you can remember!

Last thing before I sign off for the day -- I know that some of you may think I am a dork for doing this, but I don't care. My whole goal is to keep you all in the loop since catching one another on the phone seems to get harder and harder. Make sure and check in with me and help me keep this going. I am serious about sending pics and news notes as I would love to keep everyone informed about our lives and our family.

Here goes nothing....

I have always wanted the chance to say what is on my mind and here is my chance. Bear with me as I figure out the kinks of this deal, but hopefully you find it interesting. Stay tuned....