We got our August mortgage statement 2-3 weeks ago and were overjoyed to read that our next mortgage payment was due in October, not September! Scott and I celebrated, thinking this was perfect timing since we're buying a house in September and that extra money would really come in handy this month.
Today I got an escrow analysis in the mail. They do this every year to make sure we put enough money into the escrow account each month to pay our homeowners insurance and county taxes. Something on that letter made me think they were assuming a September payment after all.
I made what I hope is the last call to that company this afternoon.
"I'm sorry. We mistakenly sent out those statements with the October date on them. You do have a payment due on September 1."
Seems to me that they should have to honor the document I'm holding in my hand that says I'm next due in October. What if we hadn't called? What if we hadn't made that payment? Good grief, people! Call or write another letter when you find errors like that! Is that so hard? You're messing with people's credit-worthiness here!
Aug 28, 2006
Aug 27, 2006
Various and Sundry Updates
The House
We heard back from the sellers of the house, and for the first time in this entire transaction, they acted within the range of normal. They accepted 4 of our 5 requests, and had a very good explanation for why they didn't want to do the fifth. We double-checked it with our home inspector, and he said they were right.
My tension level dropped by half after that phone call. It finally feels real, though I won't believe it til all the papers are signed and the keys are in our hands.
Date Night
That night Scott and I got to go out on a date! We are trading babysitting with some friends in the area, and it was our turn to go out. I introduced Scott to a new restaurant in this area, Red Robin, and we went to a movie.
We decided to go for a comedy since we both had a really stressful and hectic week. Unfortunately, I can't recommend "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." It had some genuinely funny parts, but it had a lot of sexual humor and quite a strain of God-bashing humor as well, which was really dissappointing. Neither of us had time to research the current movies before we went out. In retrospect, we should have gone for a walk at a park! We did get to laugh a little though, and spending time together without the kids was wonderful.
False Teachers
Sam got a postcard this from his preschool teachers. It included their pictures and the news that his classroom is called the Raccoon class. He's quite excited and has been talking about his teachers a lot ever since.
Saturday morning, we were visited by some Jehovah's Witnesses. I've been talking them every time they come, trying to stall them and reduce the number of other people they talk with each time they come by. This time Scott answered the door, while I was getting breakfast for the kids.
Sam was very curious about who was at the door and kept asking, "What's that sound, Mommy?" I kept telling him it was some people at the front door, but apparently my explanation just wasn't enough.
When Scott returned to the kitchen, Sam asked again, "Who was that, Daddy?"
"False teachers," Scott replied.
"Oh! False teachers!" Sam enthusiastically repeated. "Are they my teachers?"
Little Songbird
Anna has started singing. She has always been a dancer, swaying her hips and bobbing her head to any and no music. But this week we heard her singing along with a song from "The Aristocats." The end of the movie features all the cats on the cast singing, "Everybody Wants to be a Cat" in rousing jazz style. She began dancing and singing, "Ever-body. Ever-body. Ever-body."
Jumping on the Bandwagon
Someone painted Nemo and three of his tank-mates on the bottom of the baby pool at our community's outdoor pool. We went swimming on Friday and Sam asked me their names. I told him we'd have to watch "Finding Nemo" to figure it out, then promptly forgot about it. Today at lunch, Sam reminded me that we hadn't done that yet and requested that we watch "Finding Nemo" this afternoon.
Elli, with a huge grin on her face, immediately went to her movie page on her Dynavox and repeatedly asked to watch "Finding Nemo."
Burned Out
The fire in my left hand finally burned out sometime this morning, though I can still feel a fading burn if I put that hand near heat. (It burned for awhile after my shower this morning, for example.) Rinsing my hand in milk did take the edge off at 1:30am. Then I gripped an ice pack in that hand to numb the pain enough for me to sleep.
Even though I lived it, I can't really wrap my mind around that. Normally I can't hold an ice pack for more than 30 seconds without the cold getting so bad that it hurts. Yet I held an ice pack in my hand until it was completely thawed, and some of the time, it wasn't even cold enough!
We heard back from the sellers of the house, and for the first time in this entire transaction, they acted within the range of normal. They accepted 4 of our 5 requests, and had a very good explanation for why they didn't want to do the fifth. We double-checked it with our home inspector, and he said they were right.
My tension level dropped by half after that phone call. It finally feels real, though I won't believe it til all the papers are signed and the keys are in our hands.
Date Night
That night Scott and I got to go out on a date! We are trading babysitting with some friends in the area, and it was our turn to go out. I introduced Scott to a new restaurant in this area, Red Robin, and we went to a movie.
We decided to go for a comedy since we both had a really stressful and hectic week. Unfortunately, I can't recommend "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." It had some genuinely funny parts, but it had a lot of sexual humor and quite a strain of God-bashing humor as well, which was really dissappointing. Neither of us had time to research the current movies before we went out. In retrospect, we should have gone for a walk at a park! We did get to laugh a little though, and spending time together without the kids was wonderful.
False Teachers
Sam got a postcard this from his preschool teachers. It included their pictures and the news that his classroom is called the Raccoon class. He's quite excited and has been talking about his teachers a lot ever since.
Saturday morning, we were visited by some Jehovah's Witnesses. I've been talking them every time they come, trying to stall them and reduce the number of other people they talk with each time they come by. This time Scott answered the door, while I was getting breakfast for the kids.
Sam was very curious about who was at the door and kept asking, "What's that sound, Mommy?" I kept telling him it was some people at the front door, but apparently my explanation just wasn't enough.
When Scott returned to the kitchen, Sam asked again, "Who was that, Daddy?"
"False teachers," Scott replied.
"Oh! False teachers!" Sam enthusiastically repeated. "Are they my teachers?"
Little Songbird
Anna has started singing. She has always been a dancer, swaying her hips and bobbing her head to any and no music. But this week we heard her singing along with a song from "The Aristocats." The end of the movie features all the cats on the cast singing, "Everybody Wants to be a Cat" in rousing jazz style. She began dancing and singing, "Ever-body. Ever-body. Ever-body."
Jumping on the Bandwagon
Someone painted Nemo and three of his tank-mates on the bottom of the baby pool at our community's outdoor pool. We went swimming on Friday and Sam asked me their names. I told him we'd have to watch "Finding Nemo" to figure it out, then promptly forgot about it. Today at lunch, Sam reminded me that we hadn't done that yet and requested that we watch "Finding Nemo" this afternoon.
Elli, with a huge grin on her face, immediately went to her movie page on her Dynavox and repeatedly asked to watch "Finding Nemo."
Burned Out
The fire in my left hand finally burned out sometime this morning, though I can still feel a fading burn if I put that hand near heat. (It burned for awhile after my shower this morning, for example.) Rinsing my hand in milk did take the edge off at 1:30am. Then I gripped an ice pack in that hand to numb the pain enough for me to sleep.
Even though I lived it, I can't really wrap my mind around that. Normally I can't hold an ice pack for more than 30 seconds without the cold getting so bad that it hurts. Yet I held an ice pack in my hand until it was completely thawed, and some of the time, it wasn't even cold enough!
Aug 26, 2006
Burning
I made salsa today. I had a huge bowlful of roma tomatoes that were soon-to-be-bad and I've already peeled and frozen two gallon-sized freezer bags of tomatoes. Since I also have a large jalapeno pepper plant full of hot peppers out in the garden, salsa was a logical use for the veggies.
So this afternoon I spent a couple hours peeling and chopping tomatoes, dicing onion, and coring/seeding/chopping peppers. Eight of those capsacin-filled hot peppers.
Without gloves.
My left hand, the one I used to hold the peppers and scoop thefinely chopped juicy pieces into the pot of bubbling tomato-y goodness, now feels like I immersed it from fingertip to knuckles straight in said boiling tomatoes.
(If you find typos in this post, I apologize. I'm not nearly as accurate when typing with one hand in a bowl of ice water.)
This has never happened to me before. I've chopped many a hot pepper in my day, and at worst, my fingernails felt a teensy bit warm and tingly. I haven't ever chopped quite so many in one sitting. And I'm actually not sure what kind of pepper these are (it's been quite awhile since I planted it).
But one thing I do know. I have a bona fide chemical burn on my left hand.
I did a little research and on a recipe for homemade hot sauce, I found this.
Further down, in a section on not immediately tasting your concoction, I read this.
Forget the ice water. I'm going to find some peanut-butter ice-cream to bury my hand in.
Modified at 12:18am Sunday to add:
I spread peanut butter on my hand like lotion three times. It helped, but the relief was temporary. The burning is no better. I can't sleep even though I took Motrin and am holding an ice pack tightly. I'm going to try milk now. Not sure what I'll do if that fails.
So this afternoon I spent a couple hours peeling and chopping tomatoes, dicing onion, and coring/seeding/chopping peppers. Eight of those capsacin-filled hot peppers.
Without gloves.
My left hand, the one I used to hold the peppers and scoop the
(If you find typos in this post, I apologize. I'm not nearly as accurate when typing with one hand in a bowl of ice water.)This has never happened to me before. I've chopped many a hot pepper in my day, and at worst, my fingernails felt a teensy bit warm and tingly. I haven't ever chopped quite so many in one sitting. And I'm actually not sure what kind of pepper these are (it's been quite awhile since I planted it).
But one thing I do know. I have a bona fide chemical burn on my left hand.
I did a little research and on a recipe for homemade hot sauce, I found this.
To make it, you'll need a blender or food processor, rubber gloves (like those for dishwashing) and goggles if your eyes are sensitive. I'm not kidding. The hottest peppers, like habaneros, can cause a chemical burn if their oils linger on your skin, so wear the gloves. Also, be careful not to touch your face while you're preparing the sauce. Trust me on this one.
Further down, in a section on not immediately tasting your concoction, I read this.
Don't reach for water because it just spreads the heat around. Go for peanut butter, milk, ice cream or yogurt--the capsacin binds to the fat in them and is swallowed harmlessly.
Forget the ice water. I'm going to find some peanut-butter ice-cream to bury my hand in.
Modified at 12:18am Sunday to add:
I spread peanut butter on my hand like lotion three times. It helped, but the relief was temporary. The burning is no better. I can't sleep even though I took Motrin and am holding an ice pack tightly. I'm going to try milk now. Not sure what I'll do if that fails.
Aug 24, 2006
Cranky
Today was an extremely full day for me, plus I've been feeling yucky again. I think that stomach bug is hanging on. I managed OK until the inspection on the house we're trying to buy.
I say "trying" because the sellers and their agents are making it as difficult as they possibly can. Today the sellers' agent babysat us while we had the home inspected. According to our agent, they never do that. But this guy hung out at the house from 1:30pm until 5:30pm... at which time he kicked us out!
We had brought Elli's wheelchair and bath chair and were planning to figure out how we're going to work the ramp in the garage, as well as determine what modifications we need to make to the bathroom.
But no. The sellers' agent said he hadn't planned to be there longer than 4pm and he needed to go. So we needed to leave too.
Excuse me? Isn't that why houses on the market have lock boxes on their front doors? So people can look at houses without the selling agent present? Aren't we all adults here? Haven't we already been in the house twice without the selling agent?
But we were polite and cooperative. We calmly packed our gear, our kids, and ourselves back into our cars and headed home to finish the home inspection paperwork. We didn't ask for anything unreasonable -- like a new furnace (even though the dinosaur is 25 years old and, in the words of the HVAC inspector, "is in poor condition though it still runs").
Evil Joy wants to stick it to them so bad for being so difficult and for treating us like criminal charletans. I'm actually ready to walk away altogether if they refuse all of our requests outright. But if we actually buy the house, my current favorite daydream is me walking into the closing dressed in muddy overalls, acting like a total hick, and saying things like that we're going to rip out the lawn and roses, put down gravel so we can park an old RV or graffiti-adorned Volkswagon bus in the front yard, and how great it will be to hang deerskins out to cure on the clothesline out back.
I am trying very hard to remember what is really important in the grand scheme of things. That this is a great opportunity to represent Christ to them and turn the other cheek and be the bigger person no matter how childish and immature they are. That I can go into that house on September 13 after we get the keys, rip out everything they put in there, and make it ours. That it isn't the poor house's fault it was built and owned and sold by jerks.
If we actually buy the house, we'll definitely need a furnace savings account.
And a wallpaper steamer. Or three.
I say "trying" because the sellers and their agents are making it as difficult as they possibly can. Today the sellers' agent babysat us while we had the home inspected. According to our agent, they never do that. But this guy hung out at the house from 1:30pm until 5:30pm... at which time he kicked us out!
We had brought Elli's wheelchair and bath chair and were planning to figure out how we're going to work the ramp in the garage, as well as determine what modifications we need to make to the bathroom.
But no. The sellers' agent said he hadn't planned to be there longer than 4pm and he needed to go. So we needed to leave too.
Excuse me? Isn't that why houses on the market have lock boxes on their front doors? So people can look at houses without the selling agent present? Aren't we all adults here? Haven't we already been in the house twice without the selling agent?
But we were polite and cooperative. We calmly packed our gear, our kids, and ourselves back into our cars and headed home to finish the home inspection paperwork. We didn't ask for anything unreasonable -- like a new furnace (even though the dinosaur is 25 years old and, in the words of the HVAC inspector, "is in poor condition though it still runs").
Evil Joy wants to stick it to them so bad for being so difficult and for treating us like criminal charletans. I'm actually ready to walk away altogether if they refuse all of our requests outright. But if we actually buy the house, my current favorite daydream is me walking into the closing dressed in muddy overalls, acting like a total hick, and saying things like that we're going to rip out the lawn and roses, put down gravel so we can park an old RV or graffiti-adorned Volkswagon bus in the front yard, and how great it will be to hang deerskins out to cure on the clothesline out back.
I am trying very hard to remember what is really important in the grand scheme of things. That this is a great opportunity to represent Christ to them and turn the other cheek and be the bigger person no matter how childish and immature they are. That I can go into that house on September 13 after we get the keys, rip out everything they put in there, and make it ours. That it isn't the poor house's fault it was built and owned and sold by jerks.
If we actually buy the house, we'll definitely need a furnace savings account.
And a wallpaper steamer. Or three.
Aug 22, 2006
Tag! You're It!
Kat says I'm it, so being the dutiful blogger I am, here's my list of five things.
5 Things in my Freezer
1. a dozen bananas that were overripe for eating and are waiting for someone to have time to make banana bread
2. Lean Cuisine lunches for Scott
3. coffee
4. ice cream and frozen yogurt for those late-night, after-the-kids-are-in-bed sweet cravings
5. stale bread for feeding ducks at the park
5 Things in my Closet
1. bridesmaid dress for a 7-months-pregnant me
2. college graduation robe and honor cords
3. little toiletries bag for traveling, complete with travel-size toiletries
4. large hanging toiletries bag stuffed with sample-size soaps, lotions, shampoo, mouthwash, and toothpaste
5. my clothes
5 Things in my car
1. wheelchair ramp and tie-downs
2. umbrella stroller
3. 2 carseats
4. a pile of cassettes I rarely listen to anymore
5. hanging car organizer with nothing but hand sanitizer in it
5 Things in my Purse
1. keys (does hanging off the side count?)
2. mobile phone
3. wallet
4. bandaids for emergencies
5. bare-minimum makeup (lipstick, powder, eyeliner, mascara)
5 Things in my diaper bag(I rarely take one anymore - yay!)
1. diapers (duh)
2. wipes container (with or without wipes)
3. bags to wrap dirty diapers in to contain the stench
4. bibs
5. emergency seizure medicine (hopefully this will disappear this year!)
Take notice Brooke, Sharyne, Brenda, and Adwen!
YOU'RE IT!
5 Things in my Freezer
1. a dozen bananas that were overripe for eating and are waiting for someone to have time to make banana bread
2. Lean Cuisine lunches for Scott
3. coffee
4. ice cream and frozen yogurt for those late-night, after-the-kids-are-in-bed sweet cravings
5. stale bread for feeding ducks at the park
5 Things in my Closet
1. bridesmaid dress for a 7-months-pregnant me
2. college graduation robe and honor cords
3. little toiletries bag for traveling, complete with travel-size toiletries
4. large hanging toiletries bag stuffed with sample-size soaps, lotions, shampoo, mouthwash, and toothpaste
5. my clothes
5 Things in my car
1. wheelchair ramp and tie-downs
2. umbrella stroller
3. 2 carseats
4. a pile of cassettes I rarely listen to anymore
5. hanging car organizer with nothing but hand sanitizer in it
5 Things in my Purse
1. keys (does hanging off the side count?)
2. mobile phone
3. wallet
4. bandaids for emergencies
5. bare-minimum makeup (lipstick, powder, eyeliner, mascara)
5 Things in my diaper bag(I rarely take one anymore - yay!)
1. diapers (duh)
2. wipes container (with or without wipes)
3. bags to wrap dirty diapers in to contain the stench
4. bibs
5. emergency seizure medicine (hopefully this will disappear this year!)
Take notice Brooke, Sharyne, Brenda, and Adwen!
YOU'RE IT!
End of Summer Approaches
...and so does Sam's birthday. I've officially got one month to finish his quilt. I'm pretty optimistic though -- I have the last three sets of blocks pinned and ready for the sewing machine tonight! You can see 12 sets of blocks -- two large squares, two rectangles, and four small squares in each pattern. The top row are the blocks I still need to sew, then I press everything. I still haven't decided on a layout -- whatever I do needs to be quick and organize easily so I only have to think about it once and then go on auto-pilot.
In other news, we've still got that stomach bug. No-one is vomiting (so far), but Anna has really bad diarrhea and the poor girl has such sensitive skin that her little bottom is really sore right now. My lower digestive track isn't the happiest it's ever been either. So far, Elli is showing no signs of illness, but who knows. That could show up any moment.
I've kept really busy with home-buying tasks and with keeping the kids busy during these last unstructured weeks before school. We've had lots of playdates, discovered new parks, fed the ducks, gone to the pool, and taken walks. The kids are really enjoying themselves and I'm trying to soak up the outside time as much as possible before it turns cold.
Our current home was inspected last week, and nothing major emerged. So that's a big relief -- barring loan problems for the buyers, this house should be good to close in 3 weeks. We're about half-way through the list of things they gave us, and it's only been a few days.
We're having the home we're buying inspected on Thursday. We are seriously thinking about having an HVAC guy come look at the furnace and AC unit too -- the furnace is 25 years old and the AC is 17 years old. We want to make sure they are functional before we buy the house. Of course, the way the sellers are behaving, I wouldn't be surprised if they refuse to repair or replace those units if they flunk inspection. They are the most unmotivated sellers ever. I happened to get on the MLS last week and noticed that despite the house being under contract, they still scheduled an open house for Sunday! What's that about?
Aug 18, 2006
2am
and one child has vomited, one child has thrown a I'm-tired-but-can't-sleep tantrum, and this mom hasn't gotten more than 5 minutes of real sleep yet.
The stomach flu is going around here, and some people in our church have had it in the past week. However, Sam isn't feverish, he ate an extraordinary quantity of watermelon at lunch, and he took a direct hit to the forehead from another child's forehead tonight after eating two sno-cones. So I'm holding out hope that the stomach flu hasn't just reared its ugly head in our home, while also holding out hope that he doesn't have a concussion or worse.
Anna's restless night is a mystery to me. I gave her water, I rocked her, I crawled into bed with her, and finally I gave up and gave her Motrin. She is still throwing herself around her bed and crying.
If we have sick kids, that could make things really interesting tomorrow. We're supposed to have our home inspected by our buyers tomorrow afternoon. I will definitely have to call and reschedule if the kids are sick. If they aren't, I'm still stumped as to how I'm going to get any semblance of a nap after this sleepless night.
The stomach flu is going around here, and some people in our church have had it in the past week. However, Sam isn't feverish, he ate an extraordinary quantity of watermelon at lunch, and he took a direct hit to the forehead from another child's forehead tonight after eating two sno-cones. So I'm holding out hope that the stomach flu hasn't just reared its ugly head in our home, while also holding out hope that he doesn't have a concussion or worse.
Anna's restless night is a mystery to me. I gave her water, I rocked her, I crawled into bed with her, and finally I gave up and gave her Motrin. She is still throwing herself around her bed and crying.
If we have sick kids, that could make things really interesting tomorrow. We're supposed to have our home inspected by our buyers tomorrow afternoon. I will definitely have to call and reschedule if the kids are sick. If they aren't, I'm still stumped as to how I'm going to get any semblance of a nap after this sleepless night.
Aug 15, 2006
Care of Roses
This is the front of the house we're buying. Isn't it beautiful? I'm so excited that the flower beds all around don't need much. I'll transplant a few favorites from here (my hydrangea -- a gift when Sam was born, and my hibiscus), and then maintain what's there for awhile until I decide what I want to do next.
However, maintaining what's there will be a new adventure. I've counted four rose bushes in the front, and I believe there's one more around back. I've always wanted roses, but since we knew we weren't staying in this house for long, I didn't want to spend the money and put in the time to care for them only to move away.
So now I've got them and don't know what to do with them! I need to find out what kind they are and how to care for them quick -- as in before frost. I think some roses need to be cut back, covered, and protected from winter's cold.
I'm hoping I can pick the seller's brain on it when we close -- at least to find out the kind of roses they are. But if anyone knows of a good website or book to read, send it my way! I don't want these plants to die.
Oh yeah. You might be interested in how our offer was received. We got a really good counter-offer this afternoon! They came down quite a bit, so we've countered back and are hoping to button the deal up this evening. Their realtor is a bit old-school, so it might take longer if she insists on initials and signatures for every little change... we'll see. But they agreed to everything we asked for except price -- the refrigerator (with the water dispenser Sam can use -- hurray!) stays and we can move right in when we close!
And yes, we've made those decisions that were so confusing to me yesterday. I found a really patient mortgage guy, James, who I actually went to college with eons ago. He spent a good hour on the phone with me yesterday explaining everything over and over until I got it. I hate not understanding things, so I really appreciated his patience.
It's finally sinking in. And I'm getting excited. This house has at least 50% more space than the one we're living in now. And that doesn't count the oversized garage or the basement.
Coming soon: an update on Sam's birthday quilt. (It's coming along!)
Visit to the Zoo
Today was a less-humid day than we've had in awhile, so my daughter's aide Julie and I agreed it would be a good day to go to the zoo. I'm not sure Elli thought it was a great idea, but the younger two had a great time. I think Elli gets really hot in the sun because her wheelchair is black. Despite light-colored clothing and a hat, she was ready to go home an hour before the rest of us were. It didn't help that most of the exhibits have rather high walls that blocked her view.
We visited some different exhibits this time -- we saw the monkeys/apes/lemurs/etc, which are off the beaten track somewhat. We also cut through the middle of the zoo to see the zebras and the wild dogs. The kids insist on certain animals every time though -- we had to visit the manatees for Elli and Anna, and the elephants for Sam. We packed a lunch and rode the train and all in all had a really good visit.
We visited some different exhibits this time -- we saw the monkeys/apes/lemurs/etc, which are off the beaten track somewhat. We also cut through the middle of the zoo to see the zebras and the wild dogs. The kids insist on certain animals every time though -- we had to visit the manatees for Elli and Anna, and the elephants for Sam. We packed a lunch and rode the train and all in all had a really good visit.
Sam stalks the peacocks and peacock babies that stalked us all through lunch.
I call this "Little Girl in Watermelon."
Aug 14, 2006
House-hunters
As much fun as it is to shop for a new house, I'm relieved to be nearly done with this whole process. We saw three houses Sunday afternoon, including the Victorian I posted about previously.
As I expected, the house was charming. It even had a garden bed in the back! The porch creaked and the front door was this huge heavy thing, and the house had that wonderful Old House Smell.
And then I found this upstairs. This little half-door in one of the bedrooms opened up into the coolest little hideaway! It's actually supposed to be a closet because the room's closet is about half the depth of your average clothes hanger. This bonus room has three hanging rods at different heights. I know a certain little boy who would love it.
But then we started looking closely and discovered quite a few expensive, necessary improvements. The house has wood siding, which needs to be sanded and repainted. It's a two-storey house. Not a fun job, sanding the second-storey level! Part of the roof is slate, and very few people repair or replace slate any more. All the windows in the oldest part of the house (we counted at least 20) are single-paned and highly inefficient. And worst of all, the ground-floor bathroom is just too small for Elli's wheelchair or bath chair to fit into. So I had to bid good-bye to my dream house and move on.
But before I do, I just had to share one last photo. This is the entrance to the basement. It's the steepest set of stairs down I've seen in awhile, and the basement is really more of a cellar or a cave. No refinishing it. Absolutely. Positively. Not.
The other two houses were complete duds. One was a cape cod with an impossible layout and too many stairs. The other was a wreck. We literally stepped over piles of clothes, drywall, and construction equipment. Parts were redone nicely, but the rest of it was horrible. Not Happening.
So this pair of house hunters are headed back to our first love. The house on Willow Lane. The first one we looked at, almost two months ago. Tonight. To write an offer.
Which means I've been on the phone with mortgage officers all day. I'm lost in a sea of good faith estimates, loan origination fees, interest rates, prepaid expenses, and loan-to-value ratios. It's overwhelming and I will be glad when we've made all the decisions and can move on to less confusing things. Like packing.
As I expected, the house was charming. It even had a garden bed in the back! The porch creaked and the front door was this huge heavy thing, and the house had that wonderful Old House Smell.
And then I found this upstairs. This little half-door in one of the bedrooms opened up into the coolest little hideaway! It's actually supposed to be a closet because the room's closet is about half the depth of your average clothes hanger. This bonus room has three hanging rods at different heights. I know a certain little boy who would love it. But then we started looking closely and discovered quite a few expensive, necessary improvements. The house has wood siding, which needs to be sanded and repainted. It's a two-storey house. Not a fun job, sanding the second-storey level! Part of the roof is slate, and very few people repair or replace slate any more. All the windows in the oldest part of the house (we counted at least 20) are single-paned and highly inefficient. And worst of all, the ground-floor bathroom is just too small for Elli's wheelchair or bath chair to fit into. So I had to bid good-bye to my dream house and move on.
But before I do, I just had to share one last photo. This is the entrance to the basement. It's the steepest set of stairs down I've seen in awhile, and the basement is really more of a cellar or a cave. No refinishing it. Absolutely. Positively. Not.The other two houses were complete duds. One was a cape cod with an impossible layout and too many stairs. The other was a wreck. We literally stepped over piles of clothes, drywall, and construction equipment. Parts were redone nicely, but the rest of it was horrible. Not Happening.
So this pair of house hunters are headed back to our first love. The house on Willow Lane. The first one we looked at, almost two months ago. Tonight. To write an offer.Which means I've been on the phone with mortgage officers all day. I'm lost in a sea of good faith estimates, loan origination fees, interest rates, prepaid expenses, and loan-to-value ratios. It's overwhelming and I will be glad when we've made all the decisions and can move on to less confusing things. Like packing.
Candy House
We've driven past a particular assisted living center at least once a week since it was built two years ago. Last year, we took the kids there for trick-or-treat. It's a safe place to go and the kids in their costumes really brightened the day of the residents.
Keep in mind that it's August. October was ten months ago.
Last night, as we drove by on our way home from Bible study, Sam yelled out, "Hey Mom! Look! It's the candy house!"
Scott and I cracked up, at least as much as you can do while driving a van full of your kids.
Where did that come from? And why that particular time?
He went on to discuss what each of the kids could dress up as, and he remembered exactly what he wore last year. Amazing.
----
Today Anna and Sam played in the sandbox. Sam decided pouring sand on Anna's head was hilarious. I didn't think so when I discovered the 1/4-inch-thick layer of dust and sand caked to her scalp when it started raining and I called the kids in. By the time we were done, I had draped her upside down across my lap and scritched her head like a cat's to remove as much sand as possible, stripped her down on the back patio, hosed her down with a garden hose (complete with more head-scritching), and then plopped her in the shower for a soapy-scrub-down. I think I got all of the sand.
Keep in mind that it's August. October was ten months ago.
Last night, as we drove by on our way home from Bible study, Sam yelled out, "Hey Mom! Look! It's the candy house!"
Scott and I cracked up, at least as much as you can do while driving a van full of your kids.
Where did that come from? And why that particular time?
He went on to discuss what each of the kids could dress up as, and he remembered exactly what he wore last year. Amazing.
----
Today Anna and Sam played in the sandbox. Sam decided pouring sand on Anna's head was hilarious. I didn't think so when I discovered the 1/4-inch-thick layer of dust and sand caked to her scalp when it started raining and I called the kids in. By the time we were done, I had draped her upside down across my lap and scritched her head like a cat's to remove as much sand as possible, stripped her down on the back patio, hosed her down with a garden hose (complete with more head-scritching), and then plopped her in the shower for a soapy-scrub-down. I think I got all of the sand.
Aug 12, 2006
We Have Us a Deal
It's official. We signed and faxed the offer to our realtor this morning. We finally agreed on a number just about $2000 less than our asking price. We're thrilled -- the house has only been on the market for 2 1/2 weeks! What a blessing not to have to show it anymore. Plus the buyers are missionaries, so we really feel comfortable that they are going to take good care of the house.
And now we get to go house shopping! For real! We've been doing this online ever since we bought our current house. But now we get to look with the ability to actually buy. We have arranged to see three houses tomorrow after church. Then we'll go to a fourth on Monday evening after work.
On our way home from Scott's parents' house tonight, we drove by the Victorian house. Then we studied the virtual tour online. We really can't make heads or tails of the layout -- probably because it was a two-family home at one time and has been redone at least twice. We'll just have to wait and see tomorrow if it's workable. I really really hope so -- it's quite a bit less than the max we can afford so it would be very comfortable for our budget, it has 4 bedrooms, and it's just such a cool house.
Other good news: we arrived home to find a letter in our mail from our current mortgage company. As I had suspected for the past year, they majorly miscalculated the money we needed to put into our escrow account to pay taxes and insurance and such. No matter how many times I asked them to recalculate, they always came back with the same erroneous answer. So I finally gave up. Today's letter proved I was right. They have done this year's calculation and discovered, "Hey look! These people overpaid! So much, in fact, that they don't owe another house payment until October. And they can pay less per month."
Wow. What perfect timing, what with us buying a house this month and all! That's like getting a check in the mail. Praise the Lord for providing just what we need, when we need it!
And now we get to go house shopping! For real! We've been doing this online ever since we bought our current house. But now we get to look with the ability to actually buy. We have arranged to see three houses tomorrow after church. Then we'll go to a fourth on Monday evening after work.
On our way home from Scott's parents' house tonight, we drove by the Victorian house. Then we studied the virtual tour online. We really can't make heads or tails of the layout -- probably because it was a two-family home at one time and has been redone at least twice. We'll just have to wait and see tomorrow if it's workable. I really really hope so -- it's quite a bit less than the max we can afford so it would be very comfortable for our budget, it has 4 bedrooms, and it's just such a cool house.
Other good news: we arrived home to find a letter in our mail from our current mortgage company. As I had suspected for the past year, they majorly miscalculated the money we needed to put into our escrow account to pay taxes and insurance and such. No matter how many times I asked them to recalculate, they always came back with the same erroneous answer. So I finally gave up. Today's letter proved I was right. They have done this year's calculation and discovered, "Hey look! These people overpaid! So much, in fact, that they don't owe another house payment until October. And they can pay less per month."
Wow. What perfect timing, what with us buying a house this month and all! That's like getting a check in the mail. Praise the Lord for providing just what we need, when we need it!
Aug 11, 2006
Now That's An Offer
We got another offer on our house today! This time, the buyers have their heads screwed on and negotiations are going well. I think we'll have this settled tonight. At the moment, our move-out-by date will be September 26, our eighth anniversary. (Of course, since that is a Tuesday, we'll move the weekend before. That way all I have to do is any final cleaning, etc.)
It's been a little surreal, wheeling and dealing on this home sale. We're visiting my in-laws this weekend to take the kids to their county fair. We got the first call while having a picnic lunch, and the second call came in while we were watching a marching band play at the end of the midway!
Now we just need to find the right next house. That's a little unsettling for us at the moment. We are not sure how much we'll need for the next leg of this home selling/buying journey because we don't know yet which house we're going to buy. The uncertainty and the unknowns are a bit unsettling, but we chose to go this way because we knew it would be WAY more uncomfortable to have two house payments.
That house I posted the other day isn't quite as perfect as I first thought. It only has one bedroom on the ground floor, and that's supposed to be the master bedroom. It still may work -- we'll see for sure on Sunday.
It's been a little surreal, wheeling and dealing on this home sale. We're visiting my in-laws this weekend to take the kids to their county fair. We got the first call while having a picnic lunch, and the second call came in while we were watching a marching band play at the end of the midway!
Now we just need to find the right next house. That's a little unsettling for us at the moment. We are not sure how much we'll need for the next leg of this home selling/buying journey because we don't know yet which house we're going to buy. The uncertainty and the unknowns are a bit unsettling, but we chose to go this way because we knew it would be WAY more uncomfortable to have two house payments.
That house I posted the other day isn't quite as perfect as I first thought. It only has one bedroom on the ground floor, and that's supposed to be the master bedroom. It still may work -- we'll see for sure on Sunday.
Aug 10, 2006
Dream House?
I think we might have found "The One." Isn't this beautiful?
I have always loved old houses. They have such character. People put beautiful detail into them and they are so unique. I love this front porch, the high ceilings, the country garden flowers around...
And look at those stairs! Aren't they amazing? If you look closely you'll see a stained glass window on the landing! It's one of at least 3 like this in the house.
I know you're thinking to yourself, "She's crazy! Stairs? What about Elli and her wheelchair?" And that's exactly why I haven't looked at any before -- I just didn't think it was possible for a house like this to work for us.
But... this house has two bedrooms on the ground floor! And two more upstairs, with two full bathrooms, one on each floor. A four-bedroom house for less money than the three bedroom house that's been at the top of our list for the last month. Perfect.
Now, we haven't actually walked through this house yet. We didn't have time this week. We're going to see it next week. Maybe between now and then we'll get an offer on this house. We had someone come for a second look on Tuesday, and we're on another couple's short list. So I can dream, right?
I have always loved old houses. They have such character. People put beautiful detail into them and they are so unique. I love this front porch, the high ceilings, the country garden flowers around...
And look at those stairs! Aren't they amazing? If you look closely you'll see a stained glass window on the landing! It's one of at least 3 like this in the house.
I know you're thinking to yourself, "She's crazy! Stairs? What about Elli and her wheelchair?" And that's exactly why I haven't looked at any before -- I just didn't think it was possible for a house like this to work for us.
But... this house has two bedrooms on the ground floor! And two more upstairs, with two full bathrooms, one on each floor. A four-bedroom house for less money than the three bedroom house that's been at the top of our list for the last month. Perfect.
Now, we haven't actually walked through this house yet. We didn't have time this week. We're going to see it next week. Maybe between now and then we'll get an offer on this house. We had someone come for a second look on Tuesday, and we're on another couple's short list. So I can dream, right?
Aug 7, 2006
Happy "Blogiversary"
I thought I'd share these residents of my garden in honor of the one-year anniversary of this blog.
It's hard to believe I've been writing this for an entire year. It took me awhile to get going -- those first few months were rather sparse on entries. But what an awesome, hot-off-the-presses record of what's happened in our family during the last year!
I am having a lot of fun re-reading some of those early entries and seeing just how much the kids have grown, and what crazy situations we've come through. God is good and has carried us through some dark dark days in the past year. He has also blessed us with many joyful and pleasant days, and continues to grow each of us in exactly the way we need. Above all, I am thankful for His faithfulness and ceaseless forgiveness of this weak, proud, and willful woman (paradoxical to be both weak and willful, but it's true).
Don't these morning glories have the cheeriest faces? They greet me each morning as I wander into the kitchen to start a pot of coffee.
This flower is my biggest success in gardening this year. It is a hibiscus and I managed to get three plants to grow from seed. I will be digging it up and taking it with me when we sell this house!
It's hard to believe I've been writing this for an entire year. It took me awhile to get going -- those first few months were rather sparse on entries. But what an awesome, hot-off-the-presses record of what's happened in our family during the last year!
I am having a lot of fun re-reading some of those early entries and seeing just how much the kids have grown, and what crazy situations we've come through. God is good and has carried us through some dark dark days in the past year. He has also blessed us with many joyful and pleasant days, and continues to grow each of us in exactly the way we need. Above all, I am thankful for His faithfulness and ceaseless forgiveness of this weak, proud, and willful woman (paradoxical to be both weak and willful, but it's true).
Top Ten Favorite Vacation Moments
10. Watching the pure delight on each child's face as they saw a Great Lake, trudged through the sand, and splashed into the water for the first time. Elli loved riding the waves and taking walks in her beach chair, Sam loved floating on the raft with us and digging in the sand, and Anna had a ball collecting and throwing rocks into the water.
9. Watching the kids deepen their relationships with their grandparents over the week. It was so neat to see them run, arms wide open, to get hugs, or pull a grandparent over to see a rock or take a walk.
8. Spending an entire week with my parents. We really enjoyed their company and getting to share the kids' enjoyment of the vacation with them. Their help was tremendous too -- I think I actually ate a real breakfast every day last week!
7. Spending an entire week with Scott. Neither of us brought anything from work (even though we did check voicemail from home to keep up-to-date on the house situation) so we spent all our time playing and working together. What a treat.
6. Visiting the local craft store with my mom. We found a cute tiny shop in Northport that had supplies for scrapbooks, quilts, knitting, and doll-making. Mom and I had a great time poking around and chatting with the owner. I bought the kids super-easy kites to decorate and fly, and found a gift for a friend. (Hey Brooke-- got any free time to come over?) Mom found a book on making a quilt in a day, which looks really cool. (I hope I can borrow it some time!)
5. Playing in the park in the rain. Elli loved being rained on, and Sam and Anna took full advantage of the enormous puddles we found.
4.
Watching my parents play basketball with the kids. I've never seen them do this before, and both of them made baskets! Here's photographic proof for those doubters out there!
3.
Riding a boat around the Northport Bay. The people who rent out the house we stayed in were there the weekend we arrived. They were lovely people and offered to take all of us out on the lake, kids included. They took the kids through the marina to look at all the boats, then kept on going, giving us an hour-long tour!
2. Going for a sunset walk along the beach with Scott. My parents offered to put the kids to bed for us so we could get out for a couple hours. We got to watch a storm blow in across the lake and bask in the quiet together.
1. Going out on a real date with Scott. My parents took a whole evening with the kids so we could go out to dinner! We had seafood (is it still called seafood if it's from a freshwater lake?), shared a chocolate cheesecake dessert, took a walk through historic Fishtown (Leland), poked around some cute little shops, and enjoyed a beautiful sunset. You just can't beat two evenings together in one week!
9. Watching the kids deepen their relationships with their grandparents over the week. It was so neat to see them run, arms wide open, to get hugs, or pull a grandparent over to see a rock or take a walk.
8. Spending an entire week with my parents. We really enjoyed their company and getting to share the kids' enjoyment of the vacation with them. Their help was tremendous too -- I think I actually ate a real breakfast every day last week!
7. Spending an entire week with Scott. Neither of us brought anything from work (even though we did check voicemail from home to keep up-to-date on the house situation) so we spent all our time playing and working together. What a treat.
6. Visiting the local craft store with my mom. We found a cute tiny shop in Northport that had supplies for scrapbooks, quilts, knitting, and doll-making. Mom and I had a great time poking around and chatting with the owner. I bought the kids super-easy kites to decorate and fly, and found a gift for a friend. (Hey Brooke-- got any free time to come over?) Mom found a book on making a quilt in a day, which looks really cool. (I hope I can borrow it some time!)
5. Playing in the park in the rain. Elli loved being rained on, and Sam and Anna took full advantage of the enormous puddles we found.
4.
Watching my parents play basketball with the kids. I've never seen them do this before, and both of them made baskets! Here's photographic proof for those doubters out there!3.
Riding a boat around the Northport Bay. The people who rent out the house we stayed in were there the weekend we arrived. They were lovely people and offered to take all of us out on the lake, kids included. They took the kids through the marina to look at all the boats, then kept on going, giving us an hour-long tour! 2. Going for a sunset walk along the beach with Scott. My parents offered to put the kids to bed for us so we could get out for a couple hours. We got to watch a storm blow in across the lake and bask in the quiet together.
1. Going out on a real date with Scott. My parents took a whole evening with the kids so we could go out to dinner! We had seafood (is it still called seafood if it's from a freshwater lake?), shared a chocolate cheesecake dessert, took a walk through historic Fishtown (Leland), poked around some cute little shops, and enjoyed a beautiful sunset. You just can't beat two evenings together in one week!
Aug 6, 2006
Michigan Vacation
We're back. I'm still a little bleary-eyed from the push to get home yesterday, despite sleeping like a rock in my own bed last night. Perhaps this is because we dove right back into our usual Sunday commitments this morning. Most likely it's because it takes a couple days to recover from an essentially sleepless night (which I had on Friday night). Plus vacations with children aren't restful the way I'm used to thinking of rest. It's a different routine and we do lots more fun stuff, but we still had lots of work keeping them fed, clean, protected from sun and sand and water, and well-rested. That last one was the toughest on me, and accounts for 3 or 4 rough nights of sleep. Hence my bleariness today.
The week was very nice, though we experienced the blistering heat everyone else in the nation did. I knew we were in trouble when the weather forecast we saw Saturday reported that Fargo had hit 102 degrees that day. We were really far north in Michigan -- the equivalent of Green Bay, Wisconsin -- but we still saw temps in the high 90s on Monday. This is almost 20 degrees hotter than normal, especially for the coast of Lake Michigan. Most residences up there do not have air conditioning -- they just don't need it. So the kids were especially uncomfortable trying to sleep at night. We spent the hot days in the cold lake water and devised reasons to drive places so we could cool off in the air-conditioned comfort of our vans!
The kids travelled really well, all things being equal. Sam and Anna know how to get each other mad (amazing how quickly siblings learn this!), so they had a few screaming matches in the van. I thought my head was going to explode -- a 5-foot-by-9-foot metal box really concentrates screaming. But they quickly saw the error of their ways -- realized they were taking their lives in their hands -- and settled down.
We went to the beach every day except one (the day the hot air got pushed to the east by a lovely rain storm -- I have NEVER been so happy to see a thunderstorm and a rainy day in my entire life). Here are some of my favorite photos from the week. As always, click the photo to see the full-size version.
Anna loved inspecting all the rocks on the beach.
Splashing in puddles is a great way to enjoy a rainy day!
Scott took Elli out for a long float on our hottest day in Michigan.
Elli and I ride a swing on our rainy day. She loved playing in the rain.
This is the beach chair my dad and uncle built for Elli. It worked well to get her down to the beach and also made a great wave rider!
Grampa took Sam out for a test drive, too.
Sam grabbed his feet, wrapping himself around the raft, and said, "Look! I'm a rectangle!"
We built a fort out of chairs and a bedsheet the afternoon it rained.
Gramma and Anna had a special bond all week.
We celebrated our last day at the beach by building a big fort in the sand.
The week was very nice, though we experienced the blistering heat everyone else in the nation did. I knew we were in trouble when the weather forecast we saw Saturday reported that Fargo had hit 102 degrees that day. We were really far north in Michigan -- the equivalent of Green Bay, Wisconsin -- but we still saw temps in the high 90s on Monday. This is almost 20 degrees hotter than normal, especially for the coast of Lake Michigan. Most residences up there do not have air conditioning -- they just don't need it. So the kids were especially uncomfortable trying to sleep at night. We spent the hot days in the cold lake water and devised reasons to drive places so we could cool off in the air-conditioned comfort of our vans!
The kids travelled really well, all things being equal. Sam and Anna know how to get each other mad (amazing how quickly siblings learn this!), so they had a few screaming matches in the van. I thought my head was going to explode -- a 5-foot-by-9-foot metal box really concentrates screaming. But they quickly saw the error of their ways -- realized they were taking their lives in their hands -- and settled down.
We went to the beach every day except one (the day the hot air got pushed to the east by a lovely rain storm -- I have NEVER been so happy to see a thunderstorm and a rainy day in my entire life). Here are some of my favorite photos from the week. As always, click the photo to see the full-size version.
Anna loved inspecting all the rocks on the beach. 
Splashing in puddles is a great way to enjoy a rainy day!
Scott took Elli out for a long float on our hottest day in Michigan.
Elli and I ride a swing on our rainy day. She loved playing in the rain.
This is the beach chair my dad and uncle built for Elli. It worked well to get her down to the beach and also made a great wave rider!
Grampa took Sam out for a test drive, too.
Sam grabbed his feet, wrapping himself around the raft, and said, "Look! I'm a rectangle!" 
We built a fort out of chairs and a bedsheet the afternoon it rained.
Gramma and Anna had a special bond all week. 
We celebrated our last day at the beach by building a big fort in the sand.
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