Homeward Bound???

Do you like it? It's one of the options for our new home. It's simple, but there is plenty of fresh air (I hear that's good for children). The kitchen is a HUGE down grade from our current one, but it will be nice to not be tied to the hum drum life of a house wife. Ha!

Ok, I gotta laugh so I don't cry. Here's the newest on the house. We were ready to accept an offer on our present home. We were doing our due diligence on the new home. We had the regular inspection, pool inspection, etc. Then we learn that there is a defect in the home that the home owner knew nothing about. We got another type of inspector in there and they said the same as the first.

After much prayer, discussion, moments of denial, and then a couple of reality checks we decided we couldn't take on the liability. It's a fabulous house, and a great fit for our family. It just isn't going to happen.

So ... what to do now. We've gotten 5 offers on our home in a week. We don't want to lose that opportunity, but we also don't want to give up a house that we love if we don't have another that we love more to move into. And, let's be honest, though I LOVE having my house spotless at all times. I'm a bit sick of obsessing about cleaning. I don't know how people do it. My kids are doing awesome at helping, but I sense their resolution weakening. You can be on your best behavior for about a week and then the messy truth springs out. Ha!

We're going to look at a few more homes this week. Our excitement over the whole thing has waned. Maybe we'll find that yard we're hoping to, maybe we won't. Anyone know anyone who wants to sell their house??? (Trying to keep optimism alive).

Locks of Love

Aubrey has been growing out her hair for over a year. The plan was always to wait until the day after school gets out to cut it and donate it to Locks of Love. However, she came home from school this week and said she wanted to cut it before school got out. I have been looking forward to her cutting it off for so long I was on the phone within 10 minutes trying to find a place to do the deed.

Before

After. She loves her new look.

House update: 3 offers within a week is good, right?!

House Update

So, we listed our house last Tuesday. Had our first Open House Thursday ... just for the realtors. Then they scheduled Open Houses for both Saturday and Sunday. You'd think after all the time and work we were putting into our house this last week that I'd be glad to be sent away for a few hours each day. NOT! We ran out of things to do and wanted to just rest. Ha! I was so happy to be home and FINISHED with everything on Sunday night.

Today I noticed that they updated the pictures of our house on realtor.com. The photographer did great things with our house. It looks so big and roomy. There is no doubt I LOVE my house! So grateful for all the time and work we were able to put into it.

Also today, we got our first offer! It makes me feel good that someone else also thinks the house is beautiful. It was a LOW offer, and almost made us laugh right out loud. So the game begins of offer, counter offer. No telling how long this will go on. I'll keep you posted.

Adults Only Post

So why the Adults Only Post title? I dread ruining other people's kids' traditions. Let this be your warning.

We are working like CRAZY to have our house ready for an Open House on Thursday. My "to do" items are getting checked off the list, but they are VERY long lists. One thing that has saved us is that we got a storage shed. It's to make the house seem so much bigger and less packed with junk. This week I tackled all the closets. As I was cleaning the top shelf of my closet I ran into something disturbing. An old sandwich baggie full of baby teeth. What are we, witch doctors? Was I saving them to make a necklace? What do you do with those things??? I've always been afraid to throw them out for fear that a kid would find the evidence of no tooth fairy one sad day. But now the jig is up. All my kids are "in the know". It was with great relief that I threw that sick little sack away! Eww!

On to house news. Yesterday was full work day. We all awoke at 6 am to have the garage sale going at 7 am. (We were highly successful selling to 2 costumers and raking in an impressive $12. Why did we wake up early again???) Anyway, while the sale was (not) happening, the kids were also outside weeding the front planters. Brian and I were packing the van for a storage shed run and getting everything off the floors to have the carpets cleaned.

At one point we had a handyman (finishing bathroom), at AT&T worker, a realtor, a painter (giving color advice), a landscaper (preparing a bid), and carpet cleaners (running their machines) all in and about our house at once. It was CRAZY! While I was a little on overdrive, I did feed off the energy. It was such a great feeling to know things were moving in the right direction and getting done!!!

The "to do" list for this week: Finish painting bathroom, do paint touch up on walls (how do shoe marks get that high up there??), clean out garage, fix a closet door, do a couple of dump runs, and take down posters in kids' rooms. Oh, and then stage the house to make it look like no one actually lives here, only stores their furniture. This part I dread!

I think we're going to make it!!! And then I can sleep! :)

House For Sale

We have been so crazy busy! I have missed PTA obligations, missed working in the classroom and even forgot about teacher appreciation week. Too much going on.

For those who don't know, Brian and I thought it might be a good time to find a new house with more land. I thought we were just looking to find a neighborhood we liked and then watch that area for a couple of years until the right house came on the market. Good plan, right?!

You guessed it. Within just a few weeks we found a house (thanks, Diane) that we totally love. So, as of Monday our house is up for sale. If you know anyone looking for a 4 bedroom, 3 bath house ... just let me know. :)

If we sell it quick enough, the house is ours. I'm so hoping someone thinks our house is as cool as we think it is. I love my house. The kitchen is AWESOME! In fact, though I love the new house, the kitchen is a definite down grade.

Between now and Monday, we'll finish the bathroom, fix the fence, paint touch up's, pack extras, have the carpets cleaned, and a billion other things. I'm tired just thinking about it.