Our June and July have been very busy. First, with getting our house on the market. We packed, painted, staged, did projects and got the For Sale sign up on June 13. Since then, we have had 20 showings. We receive a text asking for a particular date and time for the house to be shown. The least notice we have had before a showing was 45 minutes. One time, the time scheduled was not what the realtor had asked for, so they showed up an hour earlier than we had planned for. But we have worked together to have everything ready and be out of the house each time. We have had a lot more picnics because many of the showings are over a meal time.
Emily helped Rowen paint the green bedroom. Now it is a relaxing yellow.
Rowen painting the entry way.
It is a little tricky to reach the heights needed for the stairway and entry.
Rowen and the girls added the lattice to the deck, making it safer for children.
It was raining when we got the real estate sign put up.
Jason and Emily helped Rowen with getting wood stuff down from the garage attic that had been stored up there.
Rowen sorting screws, nuts and bolts.
We had a 20 yd roll-off dumpster for the month of June that we filled level-full, as we cleaned out from under the deck, the garage, went through lots of drawers, files, trunks, and boxes throwing away what we no longer needed and could not sell, donate, or give away. We've made regular drop-offs to Goodwill and ReStore. We found out that we accumulated a lot of stuff in 27 years!
We are using the unfinished basement for storing boxes that are already packed.
This room configuration changes almost daily as we continue the process.
On June 1, Janet and the girls got to go to the mountains for a picnic with Randy and Joy's family, as they were driving from SD to Colorado Springs for God's Missionary meetings. Quil, Micah, Jonathan, and Jewelyn loved this log. We were at this same picnic spot July 2015 when Tim and Brenda were also with us.
Aunt Emily and Aunt Elizabeth are steadying influences :)
Enjoying our picnic!
After our picnic, Randy and Joy went on through the mountains to visit Malachi's grave one more time. Malachi was the baby they miscarried September 2015.
Randy and Joy are expecting another baby boy gift in August and her pregnancy is going well.
We've taken lots of walks
and eaten breakfast on the deck the majority of mornings this summer.
Another walk around Johnstown Lake.
Jason and Elizabeth--what a joy and help to have them home during this time!
Elizabeth and Emily, sweet sisters! Emily is wearing the blouse Janet wore as "going away" outfit on October 22, 1983!
Janet got Tonya and Bud's wedding quilt bound and ready to gift!
Showing the backing fabric
Connie put Tonya and Bud's names and their wedding date in the quilting.
Both Emily and Janet were election judges for the Primary Election process in June. Janet worked seven days as computer judge in early election vote center, and then as supervisor judge in Johnstown vote center on Election Day.
Emily worked in the election office with these ladies as the Opening Board, counting and opening all the ballots for them to go through the machine.
Another breakfast on the deck!
Father's Day picture. Rowen got a tie with orange in it to go with several blouses Janet has that are orange-ish.
Jason moved all the firewood from under the deck and made this very large stack!
Janet going through files, sorting, shredding, packing. The raspberry wall got painted light pink like the other walls. Our walls are not decorated now and the nail holes have been filled and painted.
The AC compressor went out of our "Annie" van. The radiator also blew in our Dodge truck. God is still good, even when things go wrong.
The family got to welcome Faith Durkee at her baby shower!
On July 4th, we had two showings scheduled, so we decided on a drive to Rocky Mountain National Park. We stopped by the Big Thompson River before we got to Estes Park, to enjoy the water.
Rowen and Janet were content to hear the water...
Jason and Emily had to experience the coldness!
They said you eventually get used to it...
Jason wanted to drive up Trail Ridge Road one last time.
Fortunately, it was a Monday, Jason's day off. Because of work, Elizabeth did not get to go on this adventure.
We will always be Coloradoans at heart, even when we move away.
On one evening, we walked to the ball park and watched some ball games while our house was being shown. Emily's friend, Natalie, flew over in her dad's plane while we were there!
On July 7, Emily got her wisdom teeth extracted. She was knocked out for it.
Natalie came over to cheer up and distract her chipmunk friend!
That Saturday evening, we barbecued at one of our favorite parks while our house was shown.
Emily couldn't eat what we ate, but she subsisted on pudding, yogurt, and applesauce. Emily has completely recovered and did so well with this surgery! We thank the Lord!!!
We've had fun making music together. (Notice our empty bookcase)
Elizabeth, Jason, and Emily have practiced together every evening they are home together so they will be ready to play prelude for Jeffrey's wedding August 6.
LaDeana and Tiffany came over one afternoon and helped us make cream cheese mints for Jeff and Lesa's wedding!
We had a fun time together and I think we got one picture of Tiffany without her eyes
intentionally crossed!
Elizabeth came home in time to help us finish up.
Another day, Emily and Janet covered pretzels for the reception we will have in Johnstown for Jeff and Lesa.
We made melted chocolate mints for that event also.
We got to go down for Sunday service at the Colorado Springs tent meeting.
The Sunday morning service under the tent.
Because of forest fires in the mountains, we have had some gorgeous sunsets!
Our dear friends and doctors invited us over for popcorn and games.
We had a lovely time with them. They are like family. We will miss them when we move.
We've packed most of our dishes, so that it will be easy to complete when the time comes.
Elizabeth sold her "Little Blue" in preparation for our move.
This particular evening, we took our picnic to the lawn beside the library. Afterwards we read in the library until the evening's two showings were over.
Mary Cruz is a weekly guest at our house. It has been fun for Elizabeth to have her friend working at Ace with her. We also enjoyed Nathan and Megan Kline and boys for a meal when Nathan preached at Federal Heights.
Yes, we've been keeping busy as we prepare and trust for God to sell our house so we can move to Taylor Mill, Kentucky! We have lots of special memories of family times this summer. If you want to see our house for sale online and take a virtual tour, click
here.
