No time to breathe

I feel like I've been going nonstop for the past month. I've been busting my butt around the house, trying to pack and tidy up and make it presentable. There's still a TON to do. As much as I do, I look around and see what still needs to be done, and it's discouraging.

And then we're still trying to make time as a family. Today Braeden says "I like doing stuff" and we asked him what kind of stuff. He said "Stuff with Mom and Daddy". It's those things that make you realize just how important it is to spend time as a family and do different things together. It's not like we did something extravaggent today -- it was a simple trip to the mall to pick up pictures at JcPenney and then browse for something for me to wear to the twins' christening early next month. But apparently spending the day with his family was what he enjoyed the most.

So despite everything we need to do - we're trying to fit in some family activities along the way as well. It's hard, though. I wish we could afford to pay someone to come in and help pack and clean. It would make life so much easier. Well, a little easier at least.

We've also been having garage sales every Saturday - weather permitting, of course. My parents come, and the kids and I sit outside and play until Mike gets home from work. So far we've had about 5 sales - and have made $950. Pretty darn good - plus we're getting rid of alot. There's still a TON more to get rid of. Whatever doesn't sell when we're finished having sales - we're donating.

We still don't have an estimate of when the house will be ready. But our pre-drywall appointment is already coming up in less than 2 weeks. So things are really coming along. It's the water treatment plant, water tower, etc that all needs to be up and running prior to anyone taking possession of their house. I'm guessing we should be moving in mid-late August, early September at the latest.

Hopefully we'll be able to get a buyer on our townhome that wants to close early-mid September. That would work the best. We'll see how lucky we get. If someone wants to buy our place and close sooner -- we may just have to grin and bear it and take the offer. My boss did offer to let us stay in their fully finished basement if our place sold sooner than the new house was ready. I don't know how I'd feel about that - but it's nice to know we'd have *somewhere* to go.

It's hard to believe we're already halfway through May. This year is flying. Before we know it, it'll be time to move in the new house - and then it'll be Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas and then 2006!!!!

Now I'm sitting here and I'm thinking of everything that needs to be done and I'm starting to stress again. I need to relax and just take a deep breath. Everything will work out. I just need to get telling myself that.

First things first, here's a list of things that need to be done by June 1st.

- Do invitations for Kaelynn's 1st birthday party
* Print invitations
* Address envelopes for invitations
* Mail invitations (by May 25th)
- Get house ready to be put on the market
* Prepare/Clean Kitchen/Dining Room
* Prepare/Clean Living Room
* Prepare/Clean downstairs Bathroom
* Prepare/Clean Master Bedroom
* Prepare/Clean upstairs Bathroom
* Prepare/Clean Bedroom 2
* Prepare/Clean Bedroom 3
* Prepare/Clean Garage