Friday, July 26, 2013

Catching up!

We have been busy during the month of July!  After we got back from Minnesota on the 4th we spent a weekend with my family to celebrate my parents 40th anniversary.  We spent Friday at Adventureland then Saturday morning the men golfed while I took the boys back to Indianola for swimming lessons.  Saturday afternoon we played wiffle ball out in the yard and other yard games with the kids.  Saturday evening was supposed to be a quiet family hot dog roast but my sister in law & I decided to make it a surprise party and invited a few of my parents closest friends and relatives.  We had a lot of fun that night!  Sunday morning was a quiet morning spent at home playing games and packing to go back home.  There are pictures below of all our fun activities.
 
This week we are packing up and preparing to move!  We get possession of our new house on Monday the 29th but don't actually close until July 31st.  Our current house closes the 31st as well.  We have rounded up some friends and family to help us load and unload a trailer on Monday afternoon.  We hope with so many people it will go quickly!  Next time I update this blog we will officially be moved...I am in awe and wonder!
 
Isaac & Caleb at Adventureland, waiting to ride the Ferris Wheel

Still in line with Grandpa Bryce & Grandma Arlene

My two brothers and their families loaded and ready to ride the Ferris Wheel

Isaac & Daddy waiting for the Ferris Wheel to start

Caleb with Grandpa & Grandma waiting for the Ferris Wheel to start

Isaac & Caleb wanted to ride the semi trucks while everyone else went on the roller coasters. Daddy went along as well

Then we were off to the airplanes!

Enjoying the airplane ride

After airplanes we had to go ride motorcycles and cars.  Isaac picked a big motorcycle

Caleb picked this car

Riding the motorcycle and the car

Isaac helping Grandpa Bryce roast hotdogs for supper Saturday night

Some of the people who surprised mom and dad for the hotdog roast on Saturday night

We even bought a cake for them

40 years together and still smiling!

I thought it would be fun for them to feed each other cake again just like they did 40 years ago

And they look the same as they did back then...

Caleb is still potty training and very proud that he kept Buzz Lightyear dry

Saturday evening we got out the sparklers and Isaac LOVED them!

Caleb got in on the action too with daddy's help

Sunday morning we played CatchPhrase outside on the patio. Isaac & Caleb are helping Grandma

Isaac & Mommy playing CatchPhrase together

Caleb & Grandpa Bryce playing Buzz & Woody

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

4th Of July & Moving!


We are excited to share with all of you that our house has been sold and we have purchased a new one!  This experience has been interesting to say the least but we are so thankful for God's providence in our life and for the new house He has provided.

The house we originally bought fell through as we were waiting on our house to sell.  Neither Zach nor I were really that upset about it but it left us wondering whether to keep ours on the market or not.  We had quite a few people come through and look at it but no one gave us any offers.  A week after the original deal fell through we both were set on taking ours off the market and then that very night an offer came in.  Because we had no where to go we were pretty firm on our price.  We thought when we countered back the people would walk away but they didn't.  They accepted instead.  So we sold our house contingent upon finding a house of our choice.  In that situation they give you 7-10 days to find a house before the deal is void so we spent 2 evenings house hunting in a mad dash.  After the first night we were very discouraged because everything on the market was either out of our price range or not exactly what we wanted.  But on night two, we found a house that had exactly what we were looking for.  We will be moving to the east side of Indianola, very close to all the schools and only a few minutes from our church.  We close July 31 but are hoping to move to the new house a day or two early as our current house also closes on the 31st.

We spent the 4th of July weekend with Zach's family in Minnesota.  Zach's sister flew in from Oregon and it was really nice to spend some time with her.  We went to the Austin 4th of July parade on Thursday where Isaac & Caleb came away with enough candy to last them the rest of the year.  That evening we went out to the farm and put the pontoon on the lake for some fishing.  I'm not really a fisherman but I did cast a few times into the water and came up with the prize catch...a walleye.  Zach's dad says there are only a few left in the pond and he hasn't seen one caught in over two years.  He was very excited!  After fishing we went out to the fireworks.  Isaac and Caleb both really enjoyed the show!  Friday & Saturday were spent hanging out with family and relatives around Austin.  We came home Saturday evening and used Sunday as a day to recuperate.

Isaac & Caleb waiting for the parade to start
Isaac & Caleb helping Grandpa Leif drive the tractor
This weekend we will head out to my parents to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.  It was actually in May but my brothers are teachers and couldn't get away at the time.  Zach got super cheap tickets at work for Adventureland, a small amusement park in Altoona.  We will be going there as a big family on Friday and then will camp out at my mom & dad's for the weekend with my brothers and their families.  After that little adventure we will put our noses to the grind stone and finish packing for our move.  Busy times ahead for the Erickson's but we are so excited!