My great idea of Christmas shopping without any kids last week came to a screeching halt when the local schools closed for TWO DAYS due to a mild ice storm! It was quite crazy because on the second day, all the streets were clear and dry. Everyone I know was frustrated that school was still out. I finally went shopping with Arden on Friday morning, and Stuart is still wrapping up buying kids' gifts today (yes, three days before Christmas!).
On top of that, Arden has now gotten another bad cold with yucky nose and crankiness. She has also had a really bad diaper rash for almost two weeks now, so I am taking her to the pediatrician today to get that checked. The boys have never had one that wouldn't clear up, and hers is pretty bad. From what I've read, it might have turned into a yeast rash that needs medical treatment. I hope we can get her feeling better before we travel for Christmas on December 24.
We closed on the Cabot house today and are in the midst of taking everything off the walls and doing touch-up painting, etc. It will be a crazy remaining six days to get everything loaded up, but we are excited that the end is near!
Keep us in your prayers, and please pray that Arden gets better and no one else gets sick this week!
P.S. I must make sure I dress Arden in more pink because she has been mistaken for a boy three different times this week when I've had her out!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
14 days and counting . . .
We are getting down to the final 14 days before out big move! It has been pretty busy, as I just finished my semester at the college (where I'm an adjunct instructor of Comp I) on Friday and entered my last grades this weekend. Last week was a blur of trying to grade final exam essays every night after the kids were in bed, while dealing with title companies and packing during the days!
This next week, I intend to shop . . . Christmas shop that is! If you know me, then you know that in my entire life, I have never, ever been this late in doing my Christmas shopping. Usually, I'm done before Thanksgiving. This year, I have absolutely had no time with the house selling, house buying, and my job (which is normally very relaxed except for the last two weeks of each semester). So, I am aiming to hit Target on Tuesday between 12-2 p.m. That is my only window without kids before school gets out on Friday for Christmas break, and every other daytime hour is booked with three dental appointments, school Christmas parties, a haircut appointment, and a photo session for the kids. So, Target had better have the items I need, or Christmas won't be very merry!
Stuart headed back to Bentonville today for his last week apart from us. He comes home on Friday and will be on vacation leave until January 2, in order to make the big move. Next weekend, we will have to wrap up some final Christmas shopping. We close on the Cabot house on Monday, Dec. 22. Then, we will head to Stuart's parents on Dec. 24. Then, we will have Christmas Day alone back in our house (for one final time). We will visit my mom on December 26 and prepare for the packers (ie: put aside everything we don't want them to put into boxes, so we have clothes for the next four days). Then, the packers arrive December 27, and the truck is loaded on December 29.
If anyone would like to volunteer to take my children(one, two, or all three), on Saturday, December 27, or Monday, December 29, we could really use a few hours of childcare, so the kids aren't here in the house and underfoot while the packers and loaders are working. Let me know if you feel charitable! Ha ha.
This next week, I intend to shop . . . Christmas shop that is! If you know me, then you know that in my entire life, I have never, ever been this late in doing my Christmas shopping. Usually, I'm done before Thanksgiving. This year, I have absolutely had no time with the house selling, house buying, and my job (which is normally very relaxed except for the last two weeks of each semester). So, I am aiming to hit Target on Tuesday between 12-2 p.m. That is my only window without kids before school gets out on Friday for Christmas break, and every other daytime hour is booked with three dental appointments, school Christmas parties, a haircut appointment, and a photo session for the kids. So, Target had better have the items I need, or Christmas won't be very merry!
Stuart headed back to Bentonville today for his last week apart from us. He comes home on Friday and will be on vacation leave until January 2, in order to make the big move. Next weekend, we will have to wrap up some final Christmas shopping. We close on the Cabot house on Monday, Dec. 22. Then, we will head to Stuart's parents on Dec. 24. Then, we will have Christmas Day alone back in our house (for one final time). We will visit my mom on December 26 and prepare for the packers (ie: put aside everything we don't want them to put into boxes, so we have clothes for the next four days). Then, the packers arrive December 27, and the truck is loaded on December 29.
If anyone would like to volunteer to take my children(one, two, or all three), on Saturday, December 27, or Monday, December 29, we could really use a few hours of childcare, so the kids aren't here in the house and underfoot while the packers and loaders are working. Let me know if you feel charitable! Ha ha.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
A Great New Blog
If you know me, then you know that I love to decorate. I love fabric . . . the kind that is $50 per yard. I love expensive fringes and ribbons. I drool over the thought of new furniture, and I enjoy browsing in stores like Norwalk and Ethan Allen. One of my favorite catalogs is Pottery Barn. I enjoy making things for the house . . . window treatments, table runners, fringe trimmed lampshades.
Well . . . I also have the problem that I can't afford to buy full price, or even new most of the time. I have that "champagne taste" on a "beer budget" problem. I do enjoy a good bargain, flea market, Ebay auction, etc. I love to be able to share that I bought all my living room furniture used, that the boy's valance is actually just stapled bandanas from Walmart that I spent $8 on, and that Arden's custom made crib bedding was purchased used from an Ebay auction. I do have "splurge" items every once and awhile (like Arden's custom made drapes . . . but I can count that as money well spent to get a baby to sleep!).
I came across this wonderful blog about decorating. She's a Christian gal in North Carolina who also does the "crazy, Dave Ramsey, only pay cash for everything" plan that I also do. She gets my philosophy! She has a house to die for . . . and she makes everything with tacks, a glue gun, and remnant fabric! She's my new hero!
I'm excited to find some new ideas to implement in our new house, which is a great time to repurpose some old items and try something new.
Check it out!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Quick Update
**Update, 12/5/08, 8 p.m.**
We just found out that the appraisal for the Bentonville house came back slightly above the sale price, so there is no issue with the mortgage! We are now waiting on the roofer's report on any potential repairs (hopefully minor) and are moving towards closing on that house.
**Update, 12/10/08, 2 p.m.
The roofing report on the Bentonville house showed no significant damage and no repairing needed. Everything on both houses is going smoothly; we are ready to close on the Cabot house with the title company already finished with their end.
Just a quick update --
Everything is pretty much done to close on the Cabot house on time. We've finished the appraisal, inspection, termite clearance letter, survey, title work, etc. Since the buyer's are paying cash, their funds have been verified, and there is no lender to deal with. It's been a bit of a headache this week, as our appraisal on the Cabot house came in under the sale price we'd agreed to. That was quite a shock, as we thought we had priced low. However, only two homes in our neighborhood have sold in the past year to use as comps since we live in a small neighborhood with relatively low turnover. Those two sales were priced low and did not have the upgrades my home has, but they were all the appraiser had to compare for sales prices. We came to a compromise with the buyers since they didn't have to satisfy a lender, and we met in the middle for a new sales price (they came up from the appraisal, and we came down from the original sale price). The inspection went well, and the buyers are not making us fix anything. We are on schedule to close on December 22 and vacate by December 29.
The Bentonville house was inspected this week, with some damaged shingles as the only issue. The sellers got a roofer out there yesterday, and we are awaiting his report today. It appears to be minor damage, and all the other inspection items were small. The main things we are waiting for is the appraisal! Since our Cabot house appraisal was low, we are concerned about the Bentonville appraisal. That house is in a similar situation to our Cabot home, in that there aren't any good comps from 2008 sales in that neighborhood for the appraiser to use. Only five homes in that neighborhood sold in 2008, and all of them were significantly smaller than the one we are buying which can skew the comp figures in an appraisal. We expect to get the report today or Monday, and we are praying it appraises close to the sale price, so we don't have to walk away from the property, as our mortgage is tied to the appraisal value. If the appraisal is low, we are going to ask the seller to lower the selling price to the appraisal value and see what happens! If this house falls through, we will live in temporary housing in Bentonville for 2-4 weeks while we try to close on another property (which we would have to locate!).
Keep praying! It's a crazy, wild ride with real estate in this market!
We just found out that the appraisal for the Bentonville house came back slightly above the sale price, so there is no issue with the mortgage! We are now waiting on the roofer's report on any potential repairs (hopefully minor) and are moving towards closing on that house.
**Update, 12/10/08, 2 p.m.
The roofing report on the Bentonville house showed no significant damage and no repairing needed. Everything on both houses is going smoothly; we are ready to close on the Cabot house with the title company already finished with their end.
Just a quick update --
Everything is pretty much done to close on the Cabot house on time. We've finished the appraisal, inspection, termite clearance letter, survey, title work, etc. Since the buyer's are paying cash, their funds have been verified, and there is no lender to deal with. It's been a bit of a headache this week, as our appraisal on the Cabot house came in under the sale price we'd agreed to. That was quite a shock, as we thought we had priced low. However, only two homes in our neighborhood have sold in the past year to use as comps since we live in a small neighborhood with relatively low turnover. Those two sales were priced low and did not have the upgrades my home has, but they were all the appraiser had to compare for sales prices. We came to a compromise with the buyers since they didn't have to satisfy a lender, and we met in the middle for a new sales price (they came up from the appraisal, and we came down from the original sale price). The inspection went well, and the buyers are not making us fix anything. We are on schedule to close on December 22 and vacate by December 29.
The Bentonville house was inspected this week, with some damaged shingles as the only issue. The sellers got a roofer out there yesterday, and we are awaiting his report today. It appears to be minor damage, and all the other inspection items were small. The main things we are waiting for is the appraisal! Since our Cabot house appraisal was low, we are concerned about the Bentonville appraisal. That house is in a similar situation to our Cabot home, in that there aren't any good comps from 2008 sales in that neighborhood for the appraiser to use. Only five homes in that neighborhood sold in 2008, and all of them were significantly smaller than the one we are buying which can skew the comp figures in an appraisal. We expect to get the report today or Monday, and we are praying it appraises close to the sale price, so we don't have to walk away from the property, as our mortgage is tied to the appraisal value. If the appraisal is low, we are going to ask the seller to lower the selling price to the appraisal value and see what happens! If this house falls through, we will live in temporary housing in Bentonville for 2-4 weeks while we try to close on another property (which we would have to locate!).
Keep praying! It's a crazy, wild ride with real estate in this market!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
A "Must Read" Christmas Favorite
If you haven't read the short book The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson, then you need to do so this holiday season!
This short, seven chapter book is written at about a 3rd grade reading level and is readily available in the children's section of all bookstores and libraries. It is best read out loud, so everyone can enjoy the humor and dialogue!
We traditionally read this book to the boys sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas over a one week period, with one chapter per night at bedtime. We just finished it last night.
Here's a short synopsis:
"The Herdman kids lie, and steal, and smoke cigars (even the girls). They also talk dirty, cuss their teachers, and take the name of the Lord in vain. The last place anyone expects to see them is in church.
So no one is prepared when the Herdmans storm Sunday school and take over the annual Christmas pageant. Before anyone can stop them, they're plotting revenge on Herod, frightening the angels, and burping the baby Jesus. They've got the whole town up in arms.
How the Herdmans turn a series of disasters into what everyone agrees is the best Christmas pageant ever is a hilarious, touching, and unforgettable tale from a beloved storyteller."
It is family-appropriate, and it gives lots of opportunities for good discussions on sharing the gospel, forgiveness, redemption, and acceptance of others who are different.
If you choose to take on the challenge to read this book with your kids over this holiday season, post and share how it went!
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