Jeff and I celebrated nine years of marriage yesterday. Our cake this year was a turtle cake with chocolate ganache. Three cake laters with a spreadable caramel and chopped pecan topping. Mmmmmm.....
amusing amusements
17 December, 2009
Happy Anniversary!
Jeff and I celebrated nine years of marriage yesterday. Our cake this year was a turtle cake with chocolate ganache. Three cake laters with a spreadable caramel and chopped pecan topping. Mmmmmm.....
07 December, 2009
Ahem....
Twas the first Sunday in December
And all through the house
Not a creature was stirring
Except for Mrs. Mouse
The tree had been standing for several days now
But no decoration had been placed upon it’s bough
The lights were found all snug in their tote
But once pulled out
All but three went up in smoke
Off Mrs. Mouse flew to buy some new white lights
But upon arrival was shocked to find out
That no white was left
it had all been bought out.
Resolving not to visit another store on Sabbath day
She said with a grin, color is in!
And shortly was on her way
When she returned she took a deep breath
And set about her task
With the red and white wealth
Several turns about the tree
Soon showed Christmas cheer
Ribbon, ornaments, and a star
Promised the end was not far.
All that was needed was a vacuum with a hose
So Santa wouldn’t find tree needles up his nose.
She soon heard a noise that gave her great fright
And watched with horror
As the tree went over
And revealed her new plight.
To cry or to scream
Which one would she do?
All she knew was
she better leave the room.
The tree lay in pieces
On it’s good side
Mr. Mouse declared this stand
Had better be laid aside.
So off he flew
To find something new
To Parker Bros, to Mayo, to Lowe’s and maybe Home Depot too!
He returned in great triumph
And together they restored the tree
with just one mutual oomph
a little crooked, but still a sight to see
They then noticed the time
And saw it was getting late
Soon their sweet little elf
Would soon want her dinner date
Pizza was called in
and quickly received
so this family of three
found their hunger relieved.
And I heard Mrs. Mouse say
As she turned out the light
I guess we won’t be going
To Lessons & Carols tonight!
And all through the house
Not a creature was stirring
Except for Mrs. Mouse
The tree had been standing for several days now
But no decoration had been placed upon it’s bough
The lights were found all snug in their tote
But once pulled out
All but three went up in smoke
Off Mrs. Mouse flew to buy some new white lights
But upon arrival was shocked to find out
That no white was left
it had all been bought out.
Resolving not to visit another store on Sabbath day
She said with a grin, color is in!
And shortly was on her way
When she returned she took a deep breath
And set about her task
With the red and white wealth
Several turns about the tree
Soon showed Christmas cheer
Ribbon, ornaments, and a star
Promised the end was not far.
All that was needed was a vacuum with a hose
So Santa wouldn’t find tree needles up his nose.
She soon heard a noise that gave her great fright
And watched with horror
As the tree went over
And revealed her new plight.
To cry or to scream
Which one would she do?
All she knew was
she better leave the room.
The tree lay in pieces
On it’s good side
Mr. Mouse declared this stand
Had better be laid aside.
So off he flew
To find something new
To Parker Bros, to Mayo, to Lowe’s and maybe Home Depot too!
He returned in great triumph
And together they restored the tree
with just one mutual oomph
a little crooked, but still a sight to see
They then noticed the time
And saw it was getting late
Soon their sweet little elf
Would soon want her dinner date
Pizza was called in
and quickly received
so this family of three
found their hunger relieved.
And I heard Mrs. Mouse say
As she turned out the light
I guess we won’t be going
To Lessons & Carols tonight!
05 December, 2009
Let the Baking Begin!
Lemon Curd Pound Cake
I've had the recipe for this cake since '04, but haven't had a good opportunity to try it out. It's not a particularly outstanding recipe, but the embellishments are a definite repeat for holiday seasons to come. I made the lemon curd and poured it over the top; and seriously, lemon curd is not hard to make, do not pay an arm and a leg for store bought. And then, I took rosemary and brushed on a some warm corn syrup and sprinkled it with plain sugar. It really does look like snow covered fir branches! For the cranberries, just make a simple syrup in a saucepan and stir in berries. Keep them in the saucepan until they begin to swell, and then remove onto wax paper and sprinkle with sugar. Add some lemon rind for a clue to the flavor, and voila'! Instant oohs and aahs.
13 November, 2009
It's getting better all the time....
Before:
Almost complete!
Crime scene:
Spa scene:
Fab floor:
Almost complete!
Crime scene:
Spa scene:
Fab floor:
We are nearing the end of our bathroom remodel! All that's left is to mount the new mirror, install the toilet, baseboards, and paint. Hmmmm. I guess there's still a good amount of work left. Anyways, all the work with the contractor is done. We have had a great experience with our contractor and would highly recommend Scott Bishop to all of you Knoxville folk!
We're recycling the original mirror by having it cut down, remounting it, and trimming it out with some fancy moldings from Lowe's. I love our sinks and faucets and find myself just dragging my fingers across them every time I walk by. I feel like a Kohler commercial. That's actually my surprise education in this process. I thought you had to go to a fancy fixtures store to get higher end sinks or faucets. Lowe's will order anything that is made by a company that they carry. It's not a higher price, it's just the price they would charge you if they had room to shelf and sell it in the store. So, we picked out our sink, tub, and faucets from the Kohler or American Standard websites, gave Lowe's the number, and it arrived in about a week. I know for a fact that we saved over $200 on our tub alone. I never bothered to check with the fancy store on anything else.
You may have noticed that our shower head looks a might small. Jeff and I are somewhat at odds on this one. I prefer a shower head with a hose, so that it's easier to clean the tub with- I personally despise cleaning showers. Jeff wants one of those giant rainforest heads, but we can't find one that comes with a hose. I know that they make hoses that you can attach to the shower head, but I've done that before and it drips water everywhere when you take unhook it. Any ideas??
04 November, 2009
A little laugh for your day
I got out of the shower this morning to find a very impatient dog sitting on the two top steps by the baby gate. Butt on one end, front paws on the other with a look that could best be interpreted as "if I don't go out now, it's YOUR fault". So off I go to let him out.
I return to put on my clothes, go to open the door to Mad's room and am greeted with the early morning aroma only a farmer could appreciate; POOP! As I approach, I realize it's not all contained. Mad has taken to recent exploration "down under" and has wiped the found contents all over her crib, bumper, sheets and clothes. As I pick her up, and she says, "Stinky", I realize this is a full bath rescue. I strip her clothes off, fling them into the 2 hour sanitary cycle of my washer, and run the water in the tub. As I bathe her, I formulate my strategy for complete amelioration of all things stinky. I deal with the diaper, gagging all the way mind you, drain the water from the tub and place the redheaded troublemaker in a matching diaper. I then proceed to untie all 12 ribbon ties on the bumper. I take off the sheet and mattress pad and wipe down each individual spindle of the crib. I thank God for hot running water, sanitary cycles on washers, and power- whether it is renewable or not.
I call my mom for a little restitution from her years as a parent. She seems vindicated.
I hang up the phone and deal with Mad's running nose. I congratulate myself for buying an extra box of Kleenex at Target yesterday and place it in her room. I go to change my snot and poop covered shirt and return to find half the Kleenex pulled out and scattered all over the floor.
I then check the clock and realize it is only 8:30. I punt on anything else productive being done today, and have given myself an hour of knitting therapy. I thank God, YET AGAIN, for Sesame Street.
I return to put on my clothes, go to open the door to Mad's room and am greeted with the early morning aroma only a farmer could appreciate; POOP! As I approach, I realize it's not all contained. Mad has taken to recent exploration "down under" and has wiped the found contents all over her crib, bumper, sheets and clothes. As I pick her up, and she says, "Stinky", I realize this is a full bath rescue. I strip her clothes off, fling them into the 2 hour sanitary cycle of my washer, and run the water in the tub. As I bathe her, I formulate my strategy for complete amelioration of all things stinky. I deal with the diaper, gagging all the way mind you, drain the water from the tub and place the redheaded troublemaker in a matching diaper. I then proceed to untie all 12 ribbon ties on the bumper. I take off the sheet and mattress pad and wipe down each individual spindle of the crib. I thank God for hot running water, sanitary cycles on washers, and power- whether it is renewable or not.
I call my mom for a little restitution from her years as a parent. She seems vindicated.
I hang up the phone and deal with Mad's running nose. I congratulate myself for buying an extra box of Kleenex at Target yesterday and place it in her room. I go to change my snot and poop covered shirt and return to find half the Kleenex pulled out and scattered all over the floor.
I then check the clock and realize it is only 8:30. I punt on anything else productive being done today, and have given myself an hour of knitting therapy. I thank God, YET AGAIN, for Sesame Street.
03 November, 2009
Let's Bake
(imagine Alton Brown saying the title a 'la "The Next Iron Chef")
I'm a bit of a chocolate snob. There. I believe in dark chocolate and lots of it. I found a deal for 35% off Ghiradelli and went to town. I have cocoa powder (baking and drinking versions), baking chips, and baking bars. I AM ready for the holidays. Although I would have bought this anytime of year, truth be told. The summer after my junior year in college, I lived in Switzerland and had a Lindt chocolate factory so close, that the night air had the sweet scent of chocolate permeated through it. I even had the opportunity to tour a chocolate factory and see how all the bars were being made. But, the Venezuelans! My favorite chocolate has so far been from this South American country. Maybe it's the sisterhood of coffee beans nearby, but I'm telling you those folks understand how to roast a bean!
I digress..... back to Alton and the holidays ; "Let's bake!"
(recipes to follow over the holidays)
02 November, 2009
Happy Halloween
Madeline had a great time trick or treating this year. We mostly took advantage of the time to meet some neighbors. I think her favorite thing was to greet people at the door and see their costumes. The sweetest little 10 year old boy, (The Phantom of the Opera) said, "I like your child's costume!" We had lots of people come by and issue welcome to the neighborhood, and got a kick out of the ATV with the hayride attached to it. It had orange lights and bats that "flew" in the wind when it got going. It was really fun to hear the children's squeals of faster, faster, faster! all through the neighborhood.
22 October, 2009
Aren't you glad?
I have received the start of this sentence a lot recently when people ask about how our Chinese adoption is going. The conversation goes something like this:
Well-meaning and kind friend: "Tell me about your China adoption."
Me: " I have no idea, it's still just in process. Currently they are matching people with log in dates (the point where you begin your "official wait", think of it as the number you draw when waiting at a service counter) of March '06 and we are logged in April '07. It's taken the government of China the entire calendar year of 2009 to get through log ins of March '06."
Friend: "Wow, so it could be years. Aren't you glad you have Madeline!"
Me: "Yes, I am."
Friend: "I guess you're learning a lot about patience, huh?"
Me: "Call me Israel." (okay, I've only thought that last part, and have managed to keep the comment in my head and not out my mouth)
The truth of the matter is; we are missing part of our family. All the sweet times that I have with Miss Madeline only remind me of what I am not able to share with our Baby China. I'm doubly frustrated thinking of all the families ahead of me, ready, waiting, and "approved" by China, who are waiting to scoop up babies who are living in orphanages right now!
I am comforted this week by a verse we were encouraged to memorize this week:
"Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup, you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines for me have fallen in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." Psalm 16:5-6
Please pray for the speedy arrival of all of these sweet children to their forever families.
Well-meaning and kind friend: "Tell me about your China adoption."
Me: " I have no idea, it's still just in process. Currently they are matching people with log in dates (the point where you begin your "official wait", think of it as the number you draw when waiting at a service counter) of March '06 and we are logged in April '07. It's taken the government of China the entire calendar year of 2009 to get through log ins of March '06."
Friend: "Wow, so it could be years. Aren't you glad you have Madeline!"
Me: "Yes, I am."
Friend: "I guess you're learning a lot about patience, huh?"
Me: "Call me Israel." (okay, I've only thought that last part, and have managed to keep the comment in my head and not out my mouth)
The truth of the matter is; we are missing part of our family. All the sweet times that I have with Miss Madeline only remind me of what I am not able to share with our Baby China. I'm doubly frustrated thinking of all the families ahead of me, ready, waiting, and "approved" by China, who are waiting to scoop up babies who are living in orphanages right now!
I am comforted this week by a verse we were encouraged to memorize this week:
"Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup, you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines for me have fallen in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." Psalm 16:5-6
Please pray for the speedy arrival of all of these sweet children to their forever families.
15 October, 2009
12 October, 2009
An apple a day and yummy yarn
Some goodies from the apple orchard. I got a little over 2 bushels of apples to make into applesauce and a few pies. It's going to be a little sticky around here for a few weeks. I don't typically eat a fresh apple, but will eat applesauce happily anytime. I hear it's the new cure for swine flu....
A trip to my favorite knitting shop in Maryville yielded some beautiful results, the best one being this undyed alpaca yarn. I probably spent a good five minutes just stroking this yarn against my face. The sweet shop owner says she does the same everytime a new shipment comes in.
a new winter hat for Maddie....
discount bin happiness!
We had one of those weekends that just fell apart. Although the apple orchard was supposed to be a fun family outing, it rained and Maddie got sick on the way home. She was sick most of yesterday, and would throw up and then go back to playing. Weird. I spent most of the day doing laundry, including my favorite: hand washing the car seat cover in the bathtub.
A trip to my favorite knitting shop in Maryville yielded some beautiful results, the best one being this undyed alpaca yarn. I probably spent a good five minutes just stroking this yarn against my face. The sweet shop owner says she does the same everytime a new shipment comes in.
a new winter hat for Maddie....
discount bin happiness!
We had one of those weekends that just fell apart. Although the apple orchard was supposed to be a fun family outing, it rained and Maddie got sick on the way home. She was sick most of yesterday, and would throw up and then go back to playing. Weird. I spent most of the day doing laundry, including my favorite: hand washing the car seat cover in the bathtub.
I went a little nuts at the yarn shop because each of these little orbs of possibilities best represent blocks of time that is all my own. Time where something completely unique and loved is produced. The finished product is then a time capsule of my escaping and somehow producing something beautiful in the midst of chaos. Ah to knit!
07 October, 2009
Day 1 of Master Bath Remodel
Hooray! Finally! Woohoo! Goodbye to you people who once sat in the tub, and I don't know! Blech! Be gone!
Hello to you fabulous pile of tile!
Our bathroom will have 8x12 wall tiles going vertically and the 12x12 tiles are for the floor. I was thinking about staggering the floor tiles, but keeping them at right angles. Any thoughts?
I love this tile pattern. It's perfectly simple and gives me a great backdrop to change my mind a hundred times. It reminds me of an early 1900's bath in London.
....okay, I've not been to London and was born in the seventies, but dream a little dream with me. Use your imagination.
Hello to you fabulous pile of tile!
Our bathroom will have 8x12 wall tiles going vertically and the 12x12 tiles are for the floor. I was thinking about staggering the floor tiles, but keeping them at right angles. Any thoughts?
I love this tile pattern. It's perfectly simple and gives me a great backdrop to change my mind a hundred times. It reminds me of an early 1900's bath in London.
....okay, I've not been to London and was born in the seventies, but dream a little dream with me. Use your imagination.
04 October, 2009
A Fashion Show
Long pearls are so in for the fall!
....although it does make walking a trifle difficult...
going backstage, sans pearls...
Every girl needs a good catwalk...
and a good laugh after the fall! And they say the feet have grippers!
07 September, 2009
Late night dealin'
Okay, so many of you have heard me rave over the new Recycle Bank program. Basically you put your recyclables out every two weeks and they are weighed in their container. This weight translates into points that are easily redeemed online for all kinds of benefits. So far I have gotten discounts at Origins, Stir Fry Cafe, Scholastic.com, and Boden- just to name a few.
Last night, I was reading through a blog to try and find inspiration for activities to do with Madeline. I found several books (Slow and Steady, get me ready, and Mommy, teach me! are a few) that I thought sounded like it would be worth a shot. Our library didn't have them, so after shopping for them on Amazon, I was reminded of a company who had rewards with Recycle Bank. I logged on and found a "sale" on the reward offer at half price, and got $10 off of my order. Better World Books was started by some Notre Dame students irritated at the high cost of textbooks and exploded into a company that saves millions of books from landfills and promotes literacy causes all over the world. My shipping was free and they even offered a .12cent carbon offset for the shipping if I'd like it. Pretty fabulous. They sell all kinds of hard to find books and many of them are available for as little as $3.
On a side note, do any of you moms out there have a good suggestion for activites for toddlers? Or resources? All suggestions are welcome! Currently, I am reading "The Creative Family" by Amanda Blake Soule. Her philosophy is wonderful and inspiring, but with all the house stuff going on right now, I need something a little more concrete.
Last night, I was reading through a blog to try and find inspiration for activities to do with Madeline. I found several books (Slow and Steady, get me ready, and Mommy, teach me! are a few) that I thought sounded like it would be worth a shot. Our library didn't have them, so after shopping for them on Amazon, I was reminded of a company who had rewards with Recycle Bank. I logged on and found a "sale" on the reward offer at half price, and got $10 off of my order. Better World Books was started by some Notre Dame students irritated at the high cost of textbooks and exploded into a company that saves millions of books from landfills and promotes literacy causes all over the world. My shipping was free and they even offered a .12cent carbon offset for the shipping if I'd like it. Pretty fabulous. They sell all kinds of hard to find books and many of them are available for as little as $3.
On a side note, do any of you moms out there have a good suggestion for activites for toddlers? Or resources? All suggestions are welcome! Currently, I am reading "The Creative Family" by Amanda Blake Soule. Her philosophy is wonderful and inspiring, but with all the house stuff going on right now, I need something a little more concrete.
28 August, 2009
Etsygazing (the saga continues)
Urban Bead - $12
marywibis $18
sarahminshall $25
AnniesStudio $35
Ah, Cherry Blossoms!
27 August, 2009
Accentuate the Positive....
Can you believe there is no long hanging storage in here?
Eliminate the negative
Which color do you like? They were both intended for the main level, but I'm leaning towards the one on the left for the main and the one on the right for Madeline's room once she leaves the nursery behind.
Don't mess with the in-between... (the dining room sans master bed)
I thought I'd share some of the updates of our house this last week. We had new carpets put in a week ago, and what bliss! Nothing like walking barefoot on nice clean carpet. I have learned a early remodeling lesson. We got a less plush grade of carpet, and I regretted it the minute I stepped on it. The woman at the carpet store thought it would be more than adequate for bedrooms, but we were used to something a little more dense. If the carpet lasts for the minimum of 10 years that it is supposed to, it would have been worth the $50 extra a year for it's life. Lesson #1- Buy the best you can afford to. (which is why the kitchen is off in the distant future, b/c we could only afford a nice new Coleman stove at this point)
Lesson #2- We are on the cusp of middle age. Movers are worth every cent. The day after the carpet was installed we hired movers to bring the furnture up to the top level. Two gentleman (they took their shoes off to walk on my nice new carpet, A++++++) moved everything within an hour and 15 minutes. Unbelievable. You know when you move into a new house, there are certain things that only you can do. Where do the dishes go? Go buy new toilet seats. Install the baby gate. But I have learned that movers and a housecleaning team on the day of closing will make your sanity last. Anyone can mop and move a box. This way you hit the ground running and don't feel like you are playing catch up for the first month.
Eliminate the negative- Our bathroom tub is being used as a super sonic paint rinsing station. It has grossed me out from the first time we saw the house and it is the first of our remodeling jobs. I've got the tile picked out, but the tub we are debating over. Currently it is a jacuzzi, but I'm replacing it with just a soaker tub. Any thoughts?
17 August, 2009
You say goodbye.....
This is one of the last pictures I took of Madeline before we moved. I really think she is looking around her room and telling it "bye!" I personally thought of all the hours we spent in her great-grandmother's rocking chair reading books, sleeping (or trying to!), and just cuddling. It was funny; although we lived in the house for 8 1/2 years married (Jeff almost 12), when we left all we could think about were the memories we had created with her the last year and a half.
This is Madeline's current room - that's her as she drifts off for a nap. No room is set up and we are exhausted from a summer spent as nomads. Wednesday the new carpet arrives and we will finally be able to move in completely.
This is the living room- I'm sure you knew that-and the one good thing about moving into a bigger house is that there is tons of room. We never had a living room before...
nor a dining room, so why not make it a temporary master bedroom? It also functions as a grande changing table.
This is the room that I'm dying to overhaul. To the right is the wall that separates the kitchen from the family room. It will come down, but I'm going to have to live with it for the time being. The entire kitchen will eventually be gutted. New cabinets that go to the ceilling, removing the bulkhead, and rearranging the appliances.
I do miss my old house, but mostly because it was familiar and had all of us so invested in it. It wasn't working for us anymore space wise. And so I say hello, hello, HELLO! To a new life beginning... and yet another trip to the home improvement store.
09 August, 2009
Home at last, home at last...
Thank God Almighty we are home at last!
...and as soon as I can find my camera cord, pictures of the chaos will soon be uploaded.
Our closing went great and we are officially in house and out of the PODS. My mom and sister have been furiously cleaning the kitchen - having officially announced it DISGUSTING- not in a call in the Health department way, but in a "have they heard of a mop?" kind of way. You know the previous homeowner's had only a 1 month old, but somehow kindergarten papers were found in the back of a drawer. Seriously. I'm not going to even get into the rest of the house.
We are currently camping in the downstairs while we wait on the new carpet to be measured and installed upstairs. Our master suite is located in the dining room and the nursery in the living room. I wish I could put the world on pause while I eradicate cobwebs and their makers, paint the bedrooms, and redesign the bathrooms. But both money and time are at a premium, and as I remind myself moment by moment- this is the real world, darling!
I wish that I had bought gift cards to Lowe's, Home Depot, and Target while we were staying at my mom's. I have been to each of these four times in the last 48 hours and have dropped at least $100 each time. Buying gift cards would have lessened the impact to Visa, which has been all to cooperative. Why is shelf paper so expensive anyways??? Isn't it just paper? I recycle that stuff for free all the time!
All that to say, I am happy to have a home back, and I can already tell with some"hair and make-up" this will be a wonderful home for all of us. It just has a great vibe.
...and as soon as I can find my camera cord, pictures of the chaos will soon be uploaded.
Our closing went great and we are officially in house and out of the PODS. My mom and sister have been furiously cleaning the kitchen - having officially announced it DISGUSTING- not in a call in the Health department way, but in a "have they heard of a mop?" kind of way. You know the previous homeowner's had only a 1 month old, but somehow kindergarten papers were found in the back of a drawer. Seriously. I'm not going to even get into the rest of the house.
We are currently camping in the downstairs while we wait on the new carpet to be measured and installed upstairs. Our master suite is located in the dining room and the nursery in the living room. I wish I could put the world on pause while I eradicate cobwebs and their makers, paint the bedrooms, and redesign the bathrooms. But both money and time are at a premium, and as I remind myself moment by moment- this is the real world, darling!
I wish that I had bought gift cards to Lowe's, Home Depot, and Target while we were staying at my mom's. I have been to each of these four times in the last 48 hours and have dropped at least $100 each time. Buying gift cards would have lessened the impact to Visa, which has been all to cooperative. Why is shelf paper so expensive anyways??? Isn't it just paper? I recycle that stuff for free all the time!
All that to say, I am happy to have a home back, and I can already tell with some"hair and make-up" this will be a wonderful home for all of us. It just has a great vibe.
28 June, 2009
Ch Ch Changes
What a week we have had!
First and foremost, Madeline is walking! She had been building to it over the weekend and began really trotting around on her own on Father's Day.
Here she is with her purse
on her way back from the market
with an Idaho potato. She grabs these from the floor of the pantry and holds it up like a prizefighter with their first belt. Then it's placed along with her pictures into the purse. Crazy thing.
We signed off on our inspection contingency on our own house, so now I really feel that it is going to go forward. The inspection report that came back gave me a heart attack, but thanks be to God for my civil engineer husband, who took that jargon down to a Saturday home improvement day and knocked it out. There was another little hurdle with the roof that gave us pause, (darn those FHA loans), but we seem to be back on track. Our closing is set for July 17th.
As we signed off on the contingency for our soon to be former house, we also signed a final contract on our new house. Talk about a whirlwind! The inspection for that house is slated for Wednesday, and if all goes well, we look to close somewhere between July 31 and August 7th. Weird dates, right? The couple who we are buying the house from is expecting their first baby any day now, and that will affect when we close. Can you imagine trying to move with a newborn?? This house is located in Westmoreland and I will be able to walk my sweet daughter to Rocky Hill Elementary! What a treat.
Now if you've been doing the math, we are homeless for a few weeks. We will be bunking in with my mom during that time. I hate the thought of not moving in right away, but it saved me the stress of worrying over closing on two houses the same day. Thanks Mom!
In the meantime, we are setting up obstacle courses in the house with moving boxes, eating random meals, and taking off for a few days rest to the cabin for the 4th. All you folks in Knoxville just dying to move someone in July heat, come see us! We are having the PODS delivered for packing on July 11th!
First and foremost, Madeline is walking! She had been building to it over the weekend and began really trotting around on her own on Father's Day.
Here she is with her purse
on her way back from the market
with an Idaho potato. She grabs these from the floor of the pantry and holds it up like a prizefighter with their first belt. Then it's placed along with her pictures into the purse. Crazy thing.
We signed off on our inspection contingency on our own house, so now I really feel that it is going to go forward. The inspection report that came back gave me a heart attack, but thanks be to God for my civil engineer husband, who took that jargon down to a Saturday home improvement day and knocked it out. There was another little hurdle with the roof that gave us pause, (darn those FHA loans), but we seem to be back on track. Our closing is set for July 17th.
As we signed off on the contingency for our soon to be former house, we also signed a final contract on our new house. Talk about a whirlwind! The inspection for that house is slated for Wednesday, and if all goes well, we look to close somewhere between July 31 and August 7th. Weird dates, right? The couple who we are buying the house from is expecting their first baby any day now, and that will affect when we close. Can you imagine trying to move with a newborn?? This house is located in Westmoreland and I will be able to walk my sweet daughter to Rocky Hill Elementary! What a treat.
Now if you've been doing the math, we are homeless for a few weeks. We will be bunking in with my mom during that time. I hate the thought of not moving in right away, but it saved me the stress of worrying over closing on two houses the same day. Thanks Mom!
In the meantime, we are setting up obstacle courses in the house with moving boxes, eating random meals, and taking off for a few days rest to the cabin for the 4th. All you folks in Knoxville just dying to move someone in July heat, come see us! We are having the PODS delivered for packing on July 11th!
16 June, 2009
Signed, Sealed...
...and closing soon!
We accepted an offer on our house that came in over the weekend and signed the contract last night. Our inspection is this Thursday, so we are still holding our breath, but things look good.
My first question was, "When do we get to stop showing the house????" As long as the inspection goes well, it should be next week. Our closing is set for July 17th. Now we just have to settle on a house.
We've found a house that we like a few months ago, and are going to see it again this Wednesday with a contractor. The kitchen has a wall that separates it from the family room and I want to make sure that it can be removed fairly easily. My current kitchen is the ever efficient galley, but this go around I want to be able to entertain while I cook. I think it's safe to say it's my first choice, but we are trying to figure out if it's okay to buy one of the first houses you have seen or should you keep looking. Jeff says this is my OCD kicking in and he is right. I want to see what else is out there to confirm my decision.
I have been praying for months that the people who bought our house would see it as a blessing and be just delighted with it. It seems that my prayers have been answered as their realtor says that they are simply thrilled and can't wait to move in. Thank you all for your prayers on our behalf.
We accepted an offer on our house that came in over the weekend and signed the contract last night. Our inspection is this Thursday, so we are still holding our breath, but things look good.
My first question was, "When do we get to stop showing the house????" As long as the inspection goes well, it should be next week. Our closing is set for July 17th. Now we just have to settle on a house.
We've found a house that we like a few months ago, and are going to see it again this Wednesday with a contractor. The kitchen has a wall that separates it from the family room and I want to make sure that it can be removed fairly easily. My current kitchen is the ever efficient galley, but this go around I want to be able to entertain while I cook. I think it's safe to say it's my first choice, but we are trying to figure out if it's okay to buy one of the first houses you have seen or should you keep looking. Jeff says this is my OCD kicking in and he is right. I want to see what else is out there to confirm my decision.
I have been praying for months that the people who bought our house would see it as a blessing and be just delighted with it. It seems that my prayers have been answered as their realtor says that they are simply thrilled and can't wait to move in. Thank you all for your prayers on our behalf.
06 June, 2009
A offer, a counter, a sleepover
This week has brought it's adrenaline rushes that's for sure! We had a low offer on our house Tuesday night (like ten pm) and we countered back Wednesday evening. It was a young couple expecting their first baby in August. They wanted us to close on June 30. Once they received our counter they refused it saying that they had given us their best offer and could do no more. Our counter was fair, and even dipped below the house across the street that sold a few weeks ago, but oh well. We feel good about the decision concretely, but emotionally it's hard.
However, it did motivate us to start looking at houses again. I have learned that I prefer to look when not under pressure and feeling like I have to make an offer right away. I'm more objective and clear headed. Aren't we all? We looked at 5 houses over the past 24 hours and to be honest, I AM APPALLED at how some people live and how they belive they can show a house. One house reeked so badly of pee I could not breathe. The other had filthy showers and dirty underwear on the floor. It's not like we called at the last minute, we made the appointments two days in advance. Oh well, hopefully ours being well kept will bring in another offer.
Madeline had her first sleepover away from her parents Friday night. She stayed at her Grandmary's, had a ball, and is still sleeping soundly away at her afternoon nap. Hooray. For Jeff and I, we went to dinner at Calhoun's on the river (shout out to the Temples), looked at houses, and generally moved slowly. It was so restful to not worry about someone climbing up the pantry shelves or keeping up with the ticking time clock between naps. Ugh... speaking of which....
However, it did motivate us to start looking at houses again. I have learned that I prefer to look when not under pressure and feeling like I have to make an offer right away. I'm more objective and clear headed. Aren't we all? We looked at 5 houses over the past 24 hours and to be honest, I AM APPALLED at how some people live and how they belive they can show a house. One house reeked so badly of pee I could not breathe. The other had filthy showers and dirty underwear on the floor. It's not like we called at the last minute, we made the appointments two days in advance. Oh well, hopefully ours being well kept will bring in another offer.
Madeline had her first sleepover away from her parents Friday night. She stayed at her Grandmary's, had a ball, and is still sleeping soundly away at her afternoon nap. Hooray. For Jeff and I, we went to dinner at Calhoun's on the river (shout out to the Temples), looked at houses, and generally moved slowly. It was so restful to not worry about someone climbing up the pantry shelves or keeping up with the ticking time clock between naps. Ugh... speaking of which....
01 June, 2009
Happy Birthday Aunt Allyson!
You say it's your birthday?
But I thought you were coming....
are you sure she's not coming?
but she'll be here in a few weeks?
I'll save you a spot. Bring some cake.
Love - Madeline and my mommy and daddy
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