Offer accepted!

We found out over the weekend that the offer we made on a house in Valencia last week was accepted! I am so excited! We won't move until June, however, because the family living in the house now have kids and want to finish the school year. The house is perfect for us, so we'll wait. It gives us more time to shop, and save money, I guess. We are going to move the girls' bedrooms around-Avery will have her own room, which will double as a guest room. McKenna and Presley will share a room, and I'm getting rid of the bunk beds-I'm so sick of changing the sheets on that bed! Kenna will have a twin bed and Presley has a toddler bed, currently in storage. And baby blue will take the nursery furniture.

So, with the move coming about a week or so before blue comes, I guess I'm keeping the ob/gyn I've been seeing. I thought I'd be able to change, but, after a few tries, it's not possible. So, I'll still have the baby here in Pasadena. I'm ok with that. I'm trying to be, anyway. Now, I need to get started on all of the logistics, changing pediatricians, enrolling Avery and McKenna in school for next fall, figuring out insurance. Kevin and I have been trying to figure out if we should get earthquake insurance, some of our friends have it, most don't, though. The deductible is crazy high, so I don't know about that, yet. And, we'll need to purchase a decent car for Kevin. The list goes on and on. My main concern now is trying not to annoy the heck out of Kevin with all of my thoughts, ideas, and questions.

In case you're wondering, we didn't celebrate at Cheesecake Factory. Kevin came down with horrible allergies over the weekend and it just didn't happen. Maybe for Good Friday or something...

Made an offer and trying not to think about it...

Since we moved here last November, we've looked at around 15 houses, took a long break from house hunting, tried in vain to figure out the CA real estate system, and narrowed down a potential neighborhood. On Wednesday, we looked at a house that could possibly be our home. We made an offer. Now, we wait. We won't know anything until Monday, most likely. I'm trying not to get emotional over this and think about it all of the time. That's easier said than done. I can't think of anything else. I'm so excited, and anxious, and nervous. I have a peace about this situation, which is different from most decisions I agonize over. I really want this house, it's in a great location, 2 blocks from the elementary school Avery and McKenna will go to next fall, it has room for our growing family and all of the junk we have. It may even have room for us to buy more junk :) It's also close to our church. It has a great kitchen and office area. It has a decent backyard, by CA standards anyway. No pool, but our HOA pool is just a few blocks away. Truth be told, I was a little wary about having a pool. I wanted one, but there just is a lot of risks and responsibility. Maybe when the kids are older...

So, this house is perfect for us. Like I said, I'm trying so hard to not constantly dwell on it. If we get it, great! We'll celebrate by eating out at Cheesecake Factory (haven't cleared that with Kevin, yet though) If we don't, I know that God has another house we'll call home soon. Maybe we can eat at Cheesecake Factory anyway and call it comfort food!

Last night's meal and easter concert

Last night, we had grilled chicken kabobs with red onions and orange and red peppers. They were delicious. McKenna made the marinade all by herself. Here's the link to the recipe. I will definitely be making this again. I also made a pasta salad and fruit salad to go with it. And, I made hawaiian bread in the bread machine that totally didn't turn out. The yeast must have been bad, because it didn't rise and tasted and looked like a brick. Sigh. Here's the pasta salad recipe. I got it from my cousin, Julie, when we were back in Ks for the wedding.

16 oz, penne, cooked

2 cucumbers, sliced very thin

1/2 red onion, sliced very thin

1 c. water

3/4 c. white vinegar

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 T mustard

1 T accent

1 T parsley flakes

2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic salt

Wait until the penne is cooled a little, then mix all together and keep in fridge. So good.

So, I found out that the Jonas Brothers are going to perform for the easter services at Saddleback church this year. I so want to go! The services will be at Angels stadium. When I told the girls, McKenna just about lost her breath, she was so excited! Our church is doing multiple services, so I know we could hit them both that weekend. If I can only talk Kevin into it...

Menu Plan Monday

• Spaghetti, salad, cheesy garlic bread
• Grilled chicken, penne pasta salad, homemade Hawaiian bread
• Chef Salad, bread
• Breakfast for supper-french toast, bacon, fruit
• Sweet and Sour meatballs, rice, corn
• Green chili enchiladas, chips, salsa, black beans and corn

Breakfast-cereal, waffles, yogurt, granola, banana bread, fruit,

Lunch-tuna salad, sandwiches, leftovers, chef salad,

Snacks-granola, yogurt, cheese, crackers, fruit, almond butter, gorp, popcorn, carrots,

Avery's account of the quake...

Last night we had a earthquake. it was a little bit scary. But it lasted about 10 seconts. My Dad said well that was fun! Earthquake means a sudden violent shaking of the earth, caused by a shifting of the earth's crust. I was in bed when it hit and I felt my bed vibrate. I ran to Mom and Dads room and we watched the news.

Our 1st Quake!!!!

So, last night was pretty much like any night at the Osborn abode. The girls went to bed. McKenna got up multiple times during the night saying she was either thirsty, scared, or couldn't sleep. The last time she got up was around 3. Kevin got her a drink and I went to the restroom (for the 3rd time since going to bed), a pregnancy side effect that I'll be happy to say goodbye to. We all went back to sleep. The next thing I knew was my bed was shaking, the blinds were moving back and forth and my heart immediately started beating faster. Kevin jumped out of bed and ran into the girls room. Avery was already getting down from the top bunk. McKenna and Presley were still sleeping. Avery came and got in bed with us, while I turned on the TV, my heart still racing and my mind trying to process what just happened. It was such a weird feeling, the earthquake lasted only 5 seconds, max. It was like my brain knew what was going on, but because we were sleeping, it took my body longer to respond. A few minutes after I turned the TV on, the breaking news team appeared. A 4.4 earthquake. At 4:04am. The center of the quake was about 25 miles South and a little east of us. Avery, Kevin and I were all wide awake. At 4:15am. And, then, we all said we were hungry. Kevin caved first and got a bowl of cereal. I was craving pancakes, but waited until 7 to fix them. Avery stayed in our bed, she and Kevin fell back asleep. I found myself out on the couch watching the news coverage. One cool thing about this is that all of the smart people who study this kind of stuff are based out of CalTech, which is in Pasadena, so there was a lot of news coverage from Pas. One comforting fact I learned was that SoCal is not capable of having a large earthquake, like Chile experienced, simply because the fault line isn't as long as the one in Chile. The one that happened this morning is considered normal.

At least for tornadoes, we have some warning. I think that's what caught me/us so off guard. We were sleeping and felt helpless.

Avery's first school assignment this morning was to write in her journal about what happened. If she gives me permission, I'll post her account later. She's such a good writer, especially for a 7 year old.

3 things came to mind this (early) morning-

• We need to have consistent family training for earthquakes. I want to make sure the girls know exactly what to do.
• I need to have an emergency kit available. I don't quite know what will go in it, but the tv people said we all need one, so I'll put one together. I assume batteries, water, flashlight, the usual, etc...
• When I fix a big breakfast on a weekday (like the pancakes I fixed this morning), I also get stuck having to clean the kitchen afterwards, because Kevin had to go to work. There's a big pile of mess calling me name. Sigh.

The search continues...and Menu Plan Monday

After a break from house hunting, Kevin and I are finally ready to start up the home search again. There are some more standard sales on the market, so hopefully we'll find a home before blue comes. Oh, I hope so. I just can't imagine having a baby in this apartment. I also went to Crate and Barrel for the first time over the weekend, and now, I can't wait to shop! Wow, that store is amazing! I could go there everyday and just look for ideas. It's my new favorite store.

Made my 3rd trip to Trader Joes this weekend. Going without a list was a huge mistake, and blow to our budget. But, I snagged 2 things that will be regular purchases from now on, if not weekly purchases-pomegranate seeds and kettle popcorn. OM Goodness, both were so good!

Here's our menu for the week-

• Chef salad-Avery fixed the meal last night. All. By. Herself! She was so excited...
• Hamburgers, homemade fries, salad
• pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans
• Homemade pizza, fruit and veggies
• Slow cooker chicken, potatoes and carrots, salad, Hawaiian bread
• Chipotle?