Fancy That

Hard to believe that nearly a month ago, I posted about putting our house on the market. In that short span of time, we've sold said house and bought a new house. Which just seems...insane. Of course, a little uncertainty goes along with every real estate transaction, and being a complete and total control freak, this is something I can barely stand. I've held off on serious packing and getting ready to move because I've wanted to be *sure* that everything will happen according to plan. Except... I'm starting to realize there is no way to be certain. And since waiting to pack everything until we close on the condo is really not an option, it looks like I need to move forward. Interesting little life lesson there.

In my mind, I'd imagined this summer as a carefree whirlwind (remember, I didn't think the condo would actually sell!) of beach and pool trips, playing the summer library game, attending outdoor concerts at Ravinia, bike riding to SuperDawg, and making multiple trips to Lincoln Park Zoo (especially since we are now Zoologist members and get unlimited free parking). Instead, it's shaping up to be a whirlwind of boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap, stress, and home improvement. The girls are thrilled beyond belief about the new house, and I feel like a lot is riding on us to make this house perfect for them. And really, a lot *is* riding on this.

I hope that through all of this I'll be able to remember to slow down and take some time out for the things that make summer, well, summer. And I hope that the move to the 'burbs ends up being a positive change for the entire family. I am already mourning the things I'll miss about the city, like:

• The icy cart guy (how do people get ice cream in the suburbs?)
• Portage Park Pool (lines, snarky lifeguards, and all)
• Curio Cafe
• Smoque
  
• SuperDawg
• Movies in the park (which we've never actually been to but which I've always been meaning to try)
  
• The lake
• St. Viator and all our awesome friends there
• Our totally awesome neighbors
• Our proximity to downtown (not that we really take advantage of it)
• Our proximity to Wrigley (which we haven't been to in five years)
• The snowfree-in-the-winter Lakefront path

I'm sure there are many, many things I'm forgetting. I'll spend the next month (less than a month!!) trying to cram all of those things into our schedule while also trying to figure out how one packs 550 stuffed animals and 1,324 Happy Meal toys in a way that makes sense. I have a feeling we'll be donating a lot of stuff to charity. Just don't tell the girls!

Wish me luck!