Under Contract

That's right folks!!!

After 54 days on the market and over 30 showings- we are under contract!!!

We could not be more excited... not only to move to "the big city" but also to not have to keep our house perfect while attempting to raise and care for three pre-schoolers!!

Our totally renovated 1970's brick ranch. What a fun and exhausting project you were!

Only 23 more days of living in one- story 70's charm.

The woman buying our house also has boy/ girl twins.. how cool is that!

I have been thinking about what I will miss most about this house when we move and many things came to my mind- but this was the first... the flowers and blooming trees in our yard. The previous owners were quite the gardeners and I will miss enjoying their craft! More to come on moving and what is ahead for us... stay tuned!

Some current blooms from our yard.

Walking

Isaac is finally walking. He just stood up about 2 weeks ago (after showing almost no interest previously) and starting walking! He now teeters and totters everywhere!
Here is our pretty lady about to chase him down the hallway. She is seen here carrying her doll and a boot- not uncommon in our house she is obsessed with shoes and will carry them everywhere.
Plopping down after a hard walk/ jog around the family room.

Lake Tillery

On Sunday, we had the privilege of going down to Norwood and visiting John's Aunt and Uncle. They live on Lake Tillery in a house that John's maternal grandparents built. This house holds many fond memories of John's childhood and I am so glad our children are able to go relax and explore there. Thanks to Jim and Ann for hosting yesterday, we all had a great time. The kids even slept in this morning!!

The view from their front porch.

John's grandparent's home (and now his Aunt and Uncle).

Ethan and his cousin Jay. Don't they look like they could be brothers.

Jay styling on the Jetski.

Scarlett (Jay's sister) and Livy driving the boat.

The captain of the ship!

Carrie (john's cousin), me, Livy and Ethan out for a boat ride.

John's mom (Grandma) and Isaac.

Just the boys.

John and Shannon on the Jetski.

John's Uncle Jim and Aunt Ann.

Thanks again for a great day!

Swimming Lessons

Ethan had his first dose (ever) of swim lessons this week. Going to the pool everyday with my three kids is just not an option for me right now. So, we were beginning to get concerned about how timid Ethan was in the water. I have always loved all things related to water- and I want my children to love them too! He took lessons at the grade school/ high school John went to and the high- school where I taught. They were awesome! A big thank you to Ms. Cook!!! Ethan LOVED it and is already asking when he can go back! Here are some picks of him "swimming"!!

Waiting for class to start.

Ethan with his class.

The babes waiting for the show to begin.

Ethan swimming across the pool!

Enjoying the water.

Noodley fun!

Yeah to year one of swim lessons... four more years to train for the next summer olympics!

A Life to Celebrate

My Grandmother's Engagement Announcement circa 1948.

Marianna, Rita, Jackie, and Flossie

My grandmother (Rita) and her three sisters.

Don't they just look like a greeting card image!

I wanted to include these pictures in the last post- about her surprise party. But, I could not get the scanner to do what I wanted. Well, now all the party posts and all the Ohio posts are finished. I guess the long awaited trip to Ohio is actually over! Oh the tragedy! Another year until I can enjoy the treats of the Midwest. Happy (early) Birthday Granny! I love you.

A Surprise Party

My grandmother turns 80 this December.

The family surprised her last Saturday and threw her a Birthday Party.

We had so much fun. Nearly all of our family was there to celebrate her and her life.

I hope she enjoyed it, because everyone else did!!!

I do not think I can adequately put into words how much I love and honor my grandmother. She has shown me through word and action what the important things in life are... family, faith, loyalty, devotion, and hope.

So much of who I am is because of her and my mother's influence.

My Granny taught me to love Christmas, the value of hand- made gifts, to love crafts of all kinds, the power of a bag of M& M's, and the importance of the family meal (and dessert ;)).

Happy Birthday Granny! I love you so.

My cousin, Tina made my Grandmother this awesome Scrapbook.

The book commemorated her first 80 years so beautifully. We all enjoyed looking at it.

A time to eat cake!

The family.

Some more of the family.

Yet, more of the family.

The kids table.

These are my grandmother's great grandchildren and great nieces and great nephews.

Okay, so I thought you might be wondering why my family was all wearing name tags.

Do we not know each other??

No, these were not your conventional name tags.

Each one was specifically made for the wearer and said things about when my grandmother was their age. So for example the above name tag says, "When Great Granny was my age 7-Up was Invented". This is the one Livy wore- since she is 1- this happened when my Granny was 1. Get it?

Here are two other examples below... the first is my brothers and one of my favorite- he is 23. The next is my mom's- I won't call her out on her age.

Aunt Jayne and Isaac.

After he dove for the cake- he would not be left out of the sweet and messy goodness!

Sally, Sue (my mom), Amy, Karen, Pattie.

These are the Tangeman women of my mom's generation.

My female cousins.

Me, Katherine, and Tina.

The cousins of my generation.

Ben, Shannon, Katherine, Tina, Sean.

A Very Brady Birthday.

The men were not at all happy to be part of this photo... sorry guys.

Granny and her favorite granddaughters.

Shannon, Katherine, Tina, and Granny.

Mom, Me, Granny.

I don't know what their problem was, they don't look very happy.

Must be fatigue after a day of parting hardy!

Three generations of Tangeman women. Livy was asleep and I was not about to wake her - so we did not get a picture of all 4 generations (this time).

Tina, Sean, Granny

OHIO

Well here are some pics of our fun trip to Ohio.

They are in no particular order.

Isaac and Olivia watching Ethan in the backyard.

If you happen to be wondering, "What is that Wonderful contraption they are in ?". Well, it is a wood play- pen and it is about 60 years old (to my knowledge). My grandmother used this for her four children and I think most of the grandchildren (my generation) used it too.

When we visited with (just) Ethan as a baby , my grandmother suggested getting it up from the basement and using it. Well, I did what any modern mother would do- I scoffed at her. Put my baby in that wooden death trap. I was certain that the playpen would not pass code now - and surely had been recalled in every state multiple times! I looked at it folded in the basement, but never seriously considered subjecting my child to such ... abuse!!

Enter the twins. We arrived at Granny's house (what I call my maternal grandmother) on Wednesday night. John and quickly realized that they would be quite the handful while we were there. They were overly excited and curious about every little thing in my grandmother's house. How can I explain this... they were like babies on crack!

So Wednesday night after we put them to bed I could not stop thinking about what to do with our twins while we were there. I woke the next morning determined to head right out to Target and purchase a SuperYard. My sanity and peace being well worth the 60+ dollars. But, then Thursday morning I remembered the beloved PLAYPEN!!!! After cleaning it up and filling it with all kinds of wonderful toys and kitchen gadgets (their favorite type of "toy")- they loved it- and barely fussed. Just played happily. I may be trying to find one of these on Craigslist!!

So, the moral... do I love my babies any less than Ethan?? Of course not, I laugh at the thought. But, if having twins has done nothing else for me, I has mellowed me to care only about real dangers, not imaginary ones. I have enough to worry about. My children played happily and safely inside those jail bars (Ethan's words - not mine).

My paternal grandparents. We spent July 4th with them. And, yes, all you Southerners, it was cool enough to need a sweatshirt that evening!!

Isaac and Livy swinging on the same swings at the same park I enjoyed as a childhood. Down the road from my grandmother's house. I want a park we can walk to!!

Isaac and Livy have their first M&M's at Great Granny's house. This is a right of passage in the Nash family. We all had our first taste of the sweet and crunchy goodness at my Granny's house.

Let's just say they REALLY enjoyed them!

The family playing Wii.

Above my brother Ben, and below my mom and my cousin Katherine. I think everyone is bowling.

Katherine brought the system to my grandmother's. It was a blast.

As, I have said before the main reason we went to Ohio over the fourth was to celebrate my Granny's 80th birthday. I will share pictures of that and blog about it later. I am dreading blogging about it and uploading the pictures, because it means the trip is really over!