Since we accepted the offer on the house I’ve been getting ready to move by clearing out stuff. All the baby baby stuff has gone – bouncy chair, bumbo, baby walker, baby gym I donated to a local charity, other equipment I used Net Mums noticeboard, clothes, Grobags etc I sold through eBay.  I’ve blogged “how to sell baby clothes on eBay” guide if you too need to get rid, I did just this but I didn’t have time to use Auctiva.

The removals people have been confirmed and they are coming to pack us up this Saturday 23rd July *gulp*!  I’ve been on a redirection mission, most seem to need five working days notice, which is lucky as I have five working days until I move.  Here are some of the links that made my life a little bit easier today:

Royal Mail for postal redirection
BT.com for telephone redirection, we get to keep our number!
MoveMe lots of useful check lists & reminders
Iammoving.com a quick way to tell lots of organisations you’re moving
Moo.com for stickers and stationery for your new address – I need stationery!

Tomorrow is a big day – we are going back to our new house to measure up for blackout blinds, appliances etc.  I will of course be taking my camera and taking some “before” photo’s.  I’m excited but nervous – its the most expensive thing I have ever bought and we’re broker than a broke thing on broke street come Monday’s completion!

Laters, Me x

Its official we’re moving – this week contracts were exchanged on the sale of our current home Lancaster Towers and the purchase of … erm … what to call it … how about “Villa Lancaster”?  It’s a mere 0.3 miles away from where we are now, so suffice to say not much changes in terms of friends, shops, schools etc. but its a new front door behind which is a whole heap of potential dressed up in 1980′s finest.  

We’ve lived at Lancaster Towers for 9 years and we have re-done it from top to bottom, inside and out all ourselves.  Lancaster Towers is a tall town house and Villa Lancaster is a wide house, it’s on a great south facing plot, a great garden for my smalls and with a garage for bikes, scooters and the like!  I wish I had taken the time to at least photograph the before and after transformations, now I blog so I am going to blog our journey to our new house and its transformation into our home.  It will be a journey, the house purchase blows all our savings, so we’ll be taking our time but the planning, considering, choosing is all so much fun – I see a lot of mood boards in my future! 

We are leaving behind underfloor heating, stair lighting, a Quooker boiling water kettle tap, a Miele dishwasher *sobs*, a Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer, a Bosch washing machine and John Lewis tumble drier.  I have all my laundry kit upstairs – carrying the washing downstairs is just ridiculous in my opinion – I will have to get used to that though but first I will need a washing machine to carry laundry to! 

You see Villa Lancaster has got a lot of “spaces” and I don’t just mean the rooms, the garden or the garage which it does have – I mean literally “spaces” for a washing machine, tumble dryer, dishwasher, fridge, freezer, microwave – having sold all my appliances with Lancaster Towers are they were all built in my first challenge is to get me some white goods.  I’m off to measure up (and take photo’s!) at the new place on Tuesday 19th July and we move on Monday 25th July so time is of the essence, just a tad! 

I need to know what you are using, liking, disappointed by, lusting over when it comes to Fridges, Freezers, Washers, Dryers, Dishwashers and microwaves?   Chest Freezers – yes or no?  I’m watching some appliances on eBay – what do we think people, good or naff idea?

Ice Lollies at the park on the way to the airport were a terrible idea.

Lil H’s obsession Star Wars and being called “Luke Skywalker” is neither a cute nor funny development stage at airport security. *checks passport* “Hello H” – “my name is Luke” *atmosphere freezes instantly*

I can talk at a million words a minute when a mam in uniform at an airport thinks I’m a child trafficker.

Airport car parks are extortionately expensive, especially you lose your ticket.

Mr L will never be allowed to take responsibility for a car park ticket again.

The colour of your bucket & spade is of life threatening importance if you are a one year old girl and said bucket & spade is not pink and as such will be treated with an appropriate level of high drama.

There is an exception to the pink bucket & spade rule – a bucket & spade can be any colour if it has “Hello Kitty” on it.

The quality, sun protection and cost of a sunsuit is irrelevant if it does not have “Hello Kitty” on it then it will not be worn, even if the “Hello Kitty” sunsuit is cold and wet that is the preferred option. Wingeing about it being wet & cold is a given!

37yo’s sense the temperature of the Atlantic to be Baltic.

4yo’s sense the temperature of the Atlantic to be bath-like.

Wetsuits are a wise investment for children and adults holidaying in Cornwall.

I am poor at applying suncream on myself and others, don’t ask me and do help me.

An Estee Lauder hydrating face mask overnight applied to children is an effective, if expensive, solution to mild sun burn!

The decision to bring the booze left over from the naming day was inspired! Prosecco anyone?

Interflora made my day a few weeks back as I was working my way through the mahoosive pile of laundry from Center Parcs by sending me this gorgeous bouquet of flowers. 

They’ve made me smile as I desperately try to referee between Lil H and Baby G, liase with estate agents, solicitors, financial advisors, banks, grandparents and friends in the run up to our naming day, holiday and house move.  Naming day – done!  House move – on track for Monday 25th July.  Next up Holiday – we’re off tomorrow, bound for North Cornwall to Port Isaac one of my most favourite places in the whole wide world.  I’m leaving you these flowers – I hope they bring you some of the pleasure they brought me. 

Maybe you know someone who is in need of cheering up check out Interflora’s website there bouquet of the month is Sunflower and Agapanthus Hand-tied bouquet and all their Summer Flowers are just divine.  You can find florists in london and also send flowers by post.

Missing you already! 

Claire x