We're Home!

We've been in our house here in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin for almost a month -- the time has flown by. We love it! Here's a little catch up:

Back in March, I flew with the kids (yep, by myself) up to Chicago. Rob and I swapped families -- he lived with my dad and Ning in Milwaukee while he worked, and I lived with his parents for a month while our new house was painted and carpeted. Madeline, Charlie, John and I had a blast!

Tom and Sandie could not have been more welcoming, gracious or generous. They were incredibly patient too, as John whittled their furniture with his sharp beaver teeth and we took over their home with toys, strewn socks and crumbs. Several dear college friends live right in Geneva too, so the four weeks flew by, filled with playdates, petting zoo outings, and ice cream in the park. A highlight was a fabulous fifth birthday party we had for Madeline -- she felt so special! And my friend Erica had her daughter, Finley Marie, during our stay, so we got to meet her in the hospital and witness her first weeks of life. We also had a lovely Easter celebration, a beautiful brunch at Nicki's house, and a three-generation playdate with the babes, moms and grandmas at Sandie's house.

And then came move in day! The truck pulled up to the curb and the next 12 hours were fast and furious. In the following couple of days came the unpackers, the uncraters, the guys who fix all the stuff that broke, the guys who hang the tvs, the cable dudes... Sandie watched Madeline and Charlie in Geneva, and my dad took care of John while we sorted through some of the less glamorous parts of moving.

Madeline and Charlie flipped out when they saw their pink and blue bedrooms! Charlie's jaw dropped and he said something like, "Wow. I can't believe this is happening!" We updated the wall-to-wall hunter green carpet throughout the house, and painted every square inch of wall and wood trim on all three levels (even the parkay floors!). We are a 10-minute walk from a gorgeous swimming beach -- the kids and I call our new home The Beach House! We're far from organized, but definitely into our routines and our house feels like home. I asked Rob why it's been so hard for me to blog with this move, and he reminded me that we have three kids this time around. Oh yeah.

Living near family again is a gift -- so wonderful I know God had a hand in this serendipitous arrangement. Madeline goes to school every day now as a junior kindergartner. It's a big change and as another mom put it to me this morning, "kind of hard-core"....but she's transitioning amazingly well with her new teachers and 23 classmates. On her first day of school, we had a parade! Papa and Ning came over early in the morning with flowers and donuts, and we all walked her there together.

Speaking of which, we walk everywhere in our "walkable village." I didn't even notice I have a flat tire in the driveway until Rob pointed it out to me. We walk for haircuts, Starbuck's dates, shopping at the mall, out for lunch, to drop off Maple at the vet, grocery shop, stop at the bakery, visit the pediatrician, catch Hunger Games, and go to-and-from school. All on foot. It's fabulous.

Now that the weather is warming up a bit, we're starting to meet our neighbors. Our door is open. We're officially accepting guests!

Bobbing for breakfast hanging from a tree on Mimi's birthday

The first Easter Egg hunt. Later the bunny came to the Vlachs

Riding the train after the big Easter egg hunt

Fishing at Milwaukee's Children's Museum

The kid table at Madeline's party

We call this Hilarious Time. The kids beg for it after bath.