A New Leaf

This past week has been very rough.  We have been working all day and late into the evening everyday moving our office out of our living room and into its new location while still keeping up with our everyday tasks and orders. 

So now we have come to a bittersweet moment.  The move has been made and now we must report to work at our new location, which is not really far down the street, but it is far enough to not be able to see the little guys playing in the front yard everyday and get them up from their naps for a little snuggle time before they run off to play with Gramma Uita.  But is it also far enough to not be disturbed when we are are the phone or trying to reach a deadline.  It is far enough for us to be able to concentrate on work and not be constantly distracted by laundry and diapers and snacks and lunches and...well, you know, everything!

This will be the first time since Jo was born that we will both be working outside of the house, and the first time since Elizabeth was in 3rd grade that  I have not been home when she gets out of school. 

But this is a necessary change.  What we will miss in being beside the kids all day, we will make up by actually having some space to ourselves and being able to separate our personal life from our work life.  And it has been a long time coming.

So, while we will miss the kids, it also means that we will be able to work more effectively, helping the business to grow, which means more income for us which means a little better life and the possibility that Jimmy can take over the income part of the family and I can stay at home or at least work part time. 

And, for those of you in France who have been long awaiting pictures of our house and the way that it is set up now, I will give you a 360 look at our 'new' living room!  Now, please keep in mind that we just moved the last boxes yesterday, so the room is still in need of things like a coat of paint and a couch and whatnot, but for the most part, except for some loose ends to be tied up on Jimmy's desk, which stayed, it's looking pretty good!

So, here's so pictures:

This is the view of the piano that you get when you come in the front door.  To the left is where you go through the dining room to get into the kitchen.  To the right, you can just see the door to the bathroom, which has to stay closed all the time or Gabe will play in the toilet.  (What's with little kids and toilet water?!?!?)

This is the wall where the couch will eventually go.  We are looking for a sofabed, so if you know anyone getting rid of one...

 We moved the TV out of the little cubby in the dining room in anticipation of being able to watch movies while sitting on our sofa.  I think that we will keep Jimmy's desk in here for now.  It is a good place to do homework or whatever, and it has huge drawers, which if we take the desk down, I have no idea where I will put everything that is in the drawers!  There's my Liz going through her loose ends!

 This is just a really awesome picture that Elizabeth painted a few years ago.  I was so impressed at how she made the reflection of it in the reflecting pool, even if it doesn't really look like the Lincoln.  It's still cool.  I don't think I could paint like that.

Ok, back to the tour:
This is turning back toward the door.

 And this is the best part:

All the toys, organized.  I love they way it turned out.  They are not crowded nor jumbled, so the idea is that they will be easier to get out, play with and put away...at least that's the hope...and no one will have any reason to just throw them all in one bin and shove them somewhere.  Jo was so excited!  She loves organization, and I'll bet she is the toy police and helps keep them all straight.  And there's one bin for shoes and one for the ever illusive diaper bag.  That thing ALWAYS goes missing!  So many people grab it and take it somewhere and then since it never really had a home, we were always looking for it!

 

And that's it.  There you have it.  Our living room...a room in which we can live.  Right now Jimmy and I are sitting on the floor, but still, it is a floor with NO BOXES!!!!!  I can't believe it! 

I will post pictures of the new office space soon, and I'll keep you posted on how it goes with being apart from the kids. 

Right now, though, I am going to just lie on the floor...

because I can!