Anyone seen a Canon around?

I cannot find my camera. This gives me a sad for many reasons.

I have great pictures on there from our trip to the children's museum near our house. The Kiddos had a fabulous time(read:there was much kicking and screaming to get them out of there)!

Also, lots of people want to see pictures of the house, especially now that almost everything is unpacked. It really is a great place. And I can't show it off.

The kids are having great fun exploring their new environment. The park directly behind the house is definitely more of a blessing than a curse, I've decided. They love the other surrounding parks and our city's beach, too. And right now, I can't capture any of it. Le sigh. :(

Except for The Man, we have all had what I call The New Place cold. Do you have that experience? You find yourself in a new environment(home, workplace, area of the country, etc.)and you pick up new germs and you get sick? Happens to me every time.

Now, if you'll pardon me, I have a wayward camera to find. Whistles. Heeeeeeere, camera, camera, camera...

Oh. My.

We're here. We've been here for over a week. It's been hectic. It's been frustrating. It's been emotional.

And, yet, it's also been reassuring. We feel safe here and have been welcomed by a couple of neighbors. The kiddos are OK-not great-but better than I thought they would be. They've met a few kids who live in our subdivision. We have made contact with the friends that we have here in the area.

We have done a little exploring here in our suburb, but there is much more to come. I am very excited! I hope the kiddos are ready!

Please wipe your feet before entering

So I've been packing. It's keeping me busy. Not that I needed more busy, but, ya know...

The house has been on the market since Monday and we have had three showings with one repeater. No word yet on whether or not the repeater will make an offer-he was back just this morning-but we are encouraged by the amount of traffic we've had come through the house so far.

It's weird to have people you don't know come through the house without you being there. It's downright creepy, in fact. They are critiquing something you own behind your back. Like, "That is the worst paint color.", which I said to The Husband upon first entering the room that would become our bedroom. The Pepto pink is now a warm yellow shade. I fully expect to come back home after a showing to a note saying, "That is the ugliest couch. EVER!".

And, OMG...8 days to M-day...gulp.

Taking the Piggy to Market

Our house is now up for sale. We signed all the paperwork today. It will be on the MLS Monday.

We have enjoyed our home. It's in a nice, friendly neighborhood within walking distance to our little downtown. The house itself is a cute, 1920's colonial. It's the only house the kiddos have ever known.

I didn't shed any tears signing the papers, mind you. We have had buyers' reality(not really remorse). Our bargain basement appliances, the fact that only one of the interior doors closes properly, the small room just off the full bath that we never really knew what to do with; you get the picture.

Anyway, with some very good luck in this crappy real estate market known as Michigan, all of those issues will be for someone else to deal with.

Any takers? :)

Two weeks and counting...

My family and I are moving to the Chicago area in about two weeks.

There. It's typed. It's out there in the blogosphere.

This is scary stuff for me, and not just because we are moving with a 3 and a 2 year old in tow. In thirtysome years, I have never lived outside of Michigan. And as far as Chicagoland goes, I've only been there a handful of times. So, I'll be a stranger in a strange land. A Stranger in Chicagoland. See what I did there?

However, I am determined to explore my new surroundings. Most of the time, I'll have the aforementioned daughter and son with me. But sometimes, we be joined by my husband, who is already in Chicago for his new job. (BTW, Happy Birthday Honey!) And, on a few miracle occasions, it will just be me and him. High on the Chicago to do list-find a proper babysitter.

Anyone out there have any suggestions? Popular places that everyone loves? Little out of the way places that only the locals know? Cool stuff for families? Good date night spots? Let me know in the comments or shoot me an e-mail.

I'll post more about the move and our adventures here.