It's been decided. We're moving in with my MIL. I was skeptical at first. I didn't know how we would manage with our three kids and two cats, plus her two cats. We'd be staying upstairs. How and where would the kids play with ALL THEIR STUFF? Her house is anything but babyproof, so I was at a loss on how this was going to work.
RD went to pick her up to drive her to work the other day, and she came rushing out of the house before he even got to the door. She couldn't wait to tell him "the plan." We'll put everything in storage, with the exception of everything baby. The cribs will go in the sitting room adjacent to the bedroom upstairs. The cats - they'll have their own litter box and will stay upstairs, while MIL's cats stay on the main floor (there is a door separating the two). As for a play area, MIL is going to clear out the second bedroom on the main floor to set up as a play area. We can fill it to our heart's content with toys and babyproof galore. This sounded like it might work.
I was thinking for awhile that an apartment was the answer, but temporary housing is extremely expensive. The cheapest I could find was $2,000 a month. The only way to catch a deal is if we got a lease for three months or more, but we're looking at four weeks, six weeks tops. So it looks like MIL's house it is.
I think it will be a great set-up. As she said, "We can do ANYTHING for a month...right?" I love my MIL. She is wonderful and we get along great. I don't anticipate any real problems. Before RD and I got married, I practically lived there the year before our wedding. I had my own apartment, but as soon as I got off work I headed over there, then went home right before bed. She's hardly home, so I plan on doing all the cleaning and the bulk of the cooking (RD doing the rest). We'll also be buying all the groceries. Our gift for letting us stay there is to fix up the room that will be serving as the kids' play room after we leave. She's not wanting anything major done, but a good painting and hanging of some window treatments. I'll also keep my ears open for anything she might be wanting for the house. I'd like to buy her something in appreciation for letting us barge in like this.
So that's the plan. We close on this house June 8. The builder said they're scheduled to finish the new house the last week of June, but to be safe, to plan on the first week of July. His mom lives really close, so we can start taking stuff over as soon as we want.
As for all our furniture and endless junk, we're going to rent a large Pod to store everything until it's time for the big move.
The buyer's for this house are having an inspection done this Monday. I don't want to pack or do anything until that's done. I don't know of anything they'd find, but I guess I look at it as the last "out" people have if they want out of a contract (aside from financing, which is covered). So once that is completed, I'll start packing things up. I imagine it'll take awhile...
We've got a lot of stuff packed into this tiny ole' house.
