I found some photos of our first days and weeks here at Twin Oaks, and want to add them our family scrapbook here!

It is already a stretch for me to remember how things were when we first moved in!

Two days after we moved in, the Vernon Communication crew showed up to dig and drop a fiber line to our home for our phone and internet service.

It still took three more weeks to actually get the services hooked up – but at least it was an encouraging start!

It also gave the kids something to watch all morning!

Our first three weeks also included mattresses everywhere at night, and lights out for the whole house when the kiddos needed to be asleep.

Every morning Chad and I would stack the mattresses somewhere and fold and stack all of the bedding.

It brought making the beds to a whole new level!

We also lived a week without an island counter top.

Putting away dishes was easy though!

It seemed like everyday something would arrive!

Soon after the counter arrived, the stools I ordered came in and Blake picked them up on his way home.

The township showed up unannounced one day too, and fixed the drop off at the end of our driveway.

When I saw the knobs installed on the island, I knew right away I did not like them.

I waited though to see the counter with them, and then the stainless appliances too.

I still did not like them!

Thankfully they made a knob that would fit the already drilled holes and that matched our other knobs.

There have been contractors here non-stop.

Some days we would be doing school over top of some serious noise – like an air compressor right outside the school room door!

There was just no where to escape to though!

I have tried to keep things as normal as possible in all the chaos.

The kids had chores the first day we lived here.

We have been doing school, library days, reading to the littles A LOT, and playing outside every chance we get.

On days when Eliza was itching so bad with the chicken pox, I ran DVD’s in the lap top for the littles to watch.

They love the Letter Factory DVD’s – and they learn so much from them!

The Amish built our stairs, and all of the caps on the stairs and in the boys room out of oak.

It all turned out so beautiful!

The basement started coming together!

The progress was a blessing to watch!

In the evenings and on the weekends the boys and Blake would install whatever they could.

Each closet that was built made my day!

Our front closet is HUGE, and we made it so functional by putting hooks all the way around – a row up high for adults and a row down low for the kiddos.

I have fit a lot of coats and sweat jackets in there.

It has been a full four and a half weeks since we moved!

I am grateful to have a few photos to look back at someday!

I enjoy keeping our family’s memories here and printing those scrapbooks at the end of each year!

On date night this past Friday night, Blake and I set goals for the weekend.

We usually do that every Friday night while on date night!

We set some lofty goals for the progress of Twin Oaks, and set loftier goals for that semi that was being delivered – but we also set the most important goal too – the one where we keep our kiddos hearts through all of the hard work that was being asked of them.

That meant working together with joy, but also having some fun things planned for the weekend too!

Saturday night was the biggest chance of rain, so we decided to have a movie night that night!

We stopped working at dinner time, got everyone showered and bathed, popped popcorn, made chunky monkeys and then all watched a movie together.

Such a super sweet time.

Memories in the making!

Sunday night we decided to surprise the kiddos with dinner over a bon fire!

We were really still working – because I had a huge pile of papers that needed burned!

It was our first fire at Twin Oaks!

Even if it was rather hodge podge!

It was a beautiful night!

The kiddos had a blast!

Monday night we surprised the kiddos with a drive over to a lake that is right near our new home.

I have a feeling, now that we have seen this beautiful place, that we will go there often!

Chad threw for Sadie and she went for a swim!

It was pretty overcast, but still a beautiful evening!

It is always SO cute how much the kids thank us for these very simple things!!

We had as much fun as they did!

We are collecting these moments….and hanging on TIGHT.