When did your baby start talking? Or, has he/she yet?
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Ah-WOO!
Lately Emmett has been exploring his vocal chords. I can tell this is going to be a very entertaining process. He's about 3 1/2 months old now.
When did your baby start talking? Or, has he/she yet?
When did your baby start talking? Or, has he/she yet?
Tag, I'm it!
I'd like to extend a thanks to Jill for tagging me for this blog!
It works like this... I answer 8 questions given be the tagger, I make up 8 questions, & then I tag 8 people to answer them! Here it goes!
1. do you have any nicknames? inappropriate = acceptable. Actually, I don't. & I'm more than upset about this because I've always wanted a nickname. Just don't call me Rach. It makes me throw up in my mouth a little.
2. what's the last book you read? (and would you recommend it?) The last book I read is Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. I highly recommend reading the book & directly watching the movie afterward, because then you'll appreciate the entire experience.
3. martini. shaken or stirred? Shaken, always. Stirring is so boring.
4. if you could go on vacation anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? If I could go anywhere for a vacation & do anything, I'd want to go to Ireland w/ the Ghost Hunters International crew & investigate a really old & scary haunted castle. & then get drunk.
5. what is your biggest pet peeve? When people waste my time by asking a question seriously even though they are being a smart ass. "So, what do we do if we have to pee & we're on a phone call?" PISS YOUR FUCKING PANTS, what do you THINK you do? Ugh.
6. what is your favorite disney animated movie? (i.e. little mermaid, cinderella, etc.) Lion King, hands down. I used to stuff towels into my pants & pretend I was Nala. AS A CHILD, come on people.
7. what is your favorite little debbie? Honey Bunz. But I don't eat them often, at all.
8. who is your hero? Enrique Iglesias, but only because he offered.
& here are my questions...
1.) How did you get the career you have now, & why did you want it?
2.) What was the most awkward moment you've ever been through?
3.) What is your favorite movie, & why?
4.) What is the one food or meal you could eat everyday?
5.) What is the murder weapon, who did it, & where?
6.) Favorite article of clothing, & why?
7.) If you don't have it now, what is/was your dream job?
8.) Favorite game to play as a child?
& here is whom I tag...
Amanda my best internet friend EVER!
Brie my friend from PetSmart whom I promise to go to the Farmer's Market w/ soon!
& I could tag other people but 1.) I'm too lazy & 2.) I'm almost positive they'll do it!
It works like this... I answer 8 questions given be the tagger, I make up 8 questions, & then I tag 8 people to answer them! Here it goes!
1. do you have any nicknames? inappropriate = acceptable. Actually, I don't. & I'm more than upset about this because I've always wanted a nickname. Just don't call me Rach. It makes me throw up in my mouth a little.
2. what's the last book you read? (and would you recommend it?) The last book I read is Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. I highly recommend reading the book & directly watching the movie afterward, because then you'll appreciate the entire experience.
3. martini. shaken or stirred? Shaken, always. Stirring is so boring.
4. if you could go on vacation anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? If I could go anywhere for a vacation & do anything, I'd want to go to Ireland w/ the Ghost Hunters International crew & investigate a really old & scary haunted castle. & then get drunk.
5. what is your biggest pet peeve? When people waste my time by asking a question seriously even though they are being a smart ass. "So, what do we do if we have to pee & we're on a phone call?" PISS YOUR FUCKING PANTS, what do you THINK you do? Ugh.
6. what is your favorite disney animated movie? (i.e. little mermaid, cinderella, etc.) Lion King, hands down. I used to stuff towels into my pants & pretend I was Nala. AS A CHILD, come on people.
7. what is your favorite little debbie? Honey Bunz. But I don't eat them often, at all.
8. who is your hero? Enrique Iglesias, but only because he offered.
& here are my questions...
1.) How did you get the career you have now, & why did you want it?
2.) What was the most awkward moment you've ever been through?
3.) What is your favorite movie, & why?
4.) What is the one food or meal you could eat everyday?
5.) What is the murder weapon, who did it, & where?
6.) Favorite article of clothing, & why?
7.) If you don't have it now, what is/was your dream job?
8.) Favorite game to play as a child?
& here is whom I tag...
Amanda my best internet friend EVER!
Brie my friend from PetSmart whom I promise to go to the Farmer's Market w/ soon!
& I could tag other people but 1.) I'm too lazy & 2.) I'm almost positive they'll do it!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
The Duck Song
These are my absolute favorite, & I love showing them to Emmett & singing them to him.
I totally suggest showing these to your child, because they are bizarre, adorable, catchy, & fun!
The Duck Song part 1
The Duck Song part 2
The Duck Song part 3
Aren't they so cute? Check out the creator's YouTube for more videos & information.
What are some of your favorite weird bizarre YouTube videos?
I totally suggest showing these to your child, because they are bizarre, adorable, catchy, & fun!
The Duck Song part 1
The Duck Song part 2
The Duck Song part 3
Aren't they so cute? Check out the creator's YouTube for more videos & information.
What are some of your favorite weird bizarre YouTube videos?
Monday, August 23, 2010
Healthy "Italian Pasta & Veges" summer dish!
This weekend I worked really hard looking for recipes that I can pre-prepare & eat through out the week. The point of these dishes are to make me NOT feel like a huge fatty after eating them. Your body & bowls can only get so far eating frozen pizzas & canned pasta.
Today my first recipe experiment ended with nothing but delicious success. I call this my
Italian Pasta & Veges
What you'll need...
1 box of penne or rigatoni pasta
1 jar of fat free zesty Italian dressing
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
2 small green peppers
1 large red pepper
1 medium cucumber
1 can of black beans
Optional: a few tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese
This recipe can make enough servings for you to enjoy for either lunch or dinner for about a week. The pasta will give you the right amount of carbs to keep you moving (NO carbs ARE NOT BAD as long as you are using them for ENERGY! come on people, get educated. Don't listen to these one sided dietitians!) & the black beans will give you the protein you need to get through the day. The mixture of the veges give you enough flavor that you literally do not need to add any more kinds of ingredients or spices that could compensate the low-calories & low-fat dish!
One more awesome thing about this dish? Don't cook it at all! After chopping up your veges, add all of it together without the skillet, add the dressing, & you have a tasty pasta salad for a hot summers day!
Easy & delicious!
What are some of your favorite low-fat recipes?
Today my first recipe experiment ended with nothing but delicious success. I call this my
Italian Pasta & Veges
What you'll need...
1 box of penne or rigatoni pasta
1 jar of fat free zesty Italian dressing
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
2 small green peppers
1 large red pepper
1 medium cucumber
1 can of black beans
Optional: a few tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese
- First, you'll want to cook your pasta by boiling the noodles for 5-10 minutes & drain without rinsing. Set the noodles to the side. (add a dash of salt & a few teaspoons of fat free olive oil to keep the noodles from sticking to each other. fat free butter can also work.)
- Next, you'll need to dice up the peppers & the cucumbers. Wash the cherry tomatoes. Open the can of black beans & drain the liquid from the can.
- Now you'll need to heat your skillet. Add all of the vegetables to the skillet & let it cook for a few mintues. Next, add the entire jar of fat free Italian dressing. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. Last, add the noodles. Saute & mix the noodles & veges until the noodles are tender & the tomatoes are all slightly burnt.
- Top w/ grated parmesan cheese, & enjoy!
This recipe can make enough servings for you to enjoy for either lunch or dinner for about a week. The pasta will give you the right amount of carbs to keep you moving (NO carbs ARE NOT BAD as long as you are using them for ENERGY! come on people, get educated. Don't listen to these one sided dietitians!) & the black beans will give you the protein you need to get through the day. The mixture of the veges give you enough flavor that you literally do not need to add any more kinds of ingredients or spices that could compensate the low-calories & low-fat dish!One more awesome thing about this dish? Don't cook it at all! After chopping up your veges, add all of it together without the skillet, add the dressing, & you have a tasty pasta salad for a hot summers day!
Easy & delicious!
What are some of your favorite low-fat recipes?
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Au Naturale
So lately I've decided that I need to be more conscious of what goes in & on my body. Lately I've been struggling w/ the IN part, so right now I'm working w/ the ON. Baby steps...
The first product I want to talk about is Dr. Bronner's Magic soap. It comes in all different forms, scents, & styles. What I've tried to far is his liquid soap in the almond scent. This is supposed to be an "All-In-One Use" type of product. Dilute it w/ a gallon of hot water, & you can mop your floors. It's a body wash, face wash, shampoo, & can even be used as a tooth paste! You can also use it on sensitive skin, & for your laundry. I just use it as as my shower face/body wash. I plan on getting either getting the matching shampoo, otherwise go w/ another natural brand. I love it's almond scent, & this product actually leaves you feeling squeaky clean. & it's made w/ 100% natural organic oils. It's always packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled plastic. However, I absolutely love this product, & the only complaint I have is that I wish it would lather easier! Read more about this magical soap by clicking here.
The 2nd product I've started using is from one of my favorite brands, Burt's Bees. Right now I'm using a 100% natural facial cleanser & a 98.2% natural body lotion. The one thing you'll find w/ this brand is that almost everything smells delicious. I am highly considering switching from the light baby shampoo I'm using now to something made by this brand. The face wash is made w/ an orange oil extract, & it smells amazing. I use it once a day, every night before I go to bed & nothing is more refreshing & relaxing than a clean face w/ an awesome scent. It does NOT leave you face feeling taught, or tight, like most cleansers. With most products like these, the key to make sure you are spending loads of money is to remember that a lot can go a long way. You don't need a huge glob to completely clean your face. A small dime sized portion will be just fine. Check out more awesome yummy smelling Burt's Bees products by clicking here.
Ugh. It was so hard choosing between this & the Tom's deodorant. But let me tell you why I chose this one. First off, it's about $4 cheaper. Second off, it goes on clear, doesn't mess up your shirts, & is aluminum free. I'm recently researched what ingredients really help keep you fresh smelling. During this researched I learned that aluminum, sadly a leading ingredient in most deodorants, is really bad for your sweat ducts (pores). Your body needs to sweat. This is the way you body gets rid of toxins. So sweating is a good thing. Smelling bad, however. This product smells good literally all day. I spent the entire day today in the heat & by the time I got home, I still smelled aloe fresh. I highly recommend this inexpensive 100% natural product.
I LOVE THIS TOOTHPASTE! Ugh, it's 100% natural & it leaves your breath smelling better for longer than the leading chemical brands. It tastes like minty ass, I will admit, but afterward you don't regret it. There are a ton of other Tom's products I'm considering, but it's pretty expensive stuff. Check out their products by clicking here.
Right now I'm hunting to shave gel (which I am positive come in Dr. Bronner's, but I might have to find it online), & all new make-up. I want to find natural make-up, but I'm sure it's going to be a hard & expensive feat. I'm hoping that using this all natural products will make me feel like I'm treating myself better. I can already tell the difference in how I feel, & how my skin looks & feels. I know I can't convert Phil, but maybe I can still get Emmett to use all natural products?
Do you use all natural products? Any recommendations?
P.S. 1 week until I start my new job & 3 months until we move into our new home!
The first product I want to talk about is Dr. Bronner's Magic soap. It comes in all different forms, scents, & styles. What I've tried to far is his liquid soap in the almond scent. This is supposed to be an "All-In-One Use" type of product. Dilute it w/ a gallon of hot water, & you can mop your floors. It's a body wash, face wash, shampoo, & can even be used as a tooth paste! You can also use it on sensitive skin, & for your laundry. I just use it as as my shower face/body wash. I plan on getting either getting the matching shampoo, otherwise go w/ another natural brand. I love it's almond scent, & this product actually leaves you feeling squeaky clean. & it's made w/ 100% natural organic oils. It's always packaged in 100% post-consumer recycled plastic. However, I absolutely love this product, & the only complaint I have is that I wish it would lather easier! Read more about this magical soap by clicking here.
The 2nd product I've started using is from one of my favorite brands, Burt's Bees. Right now I'm using a 100% natural facial cleanser & a 98.2% natural body lotion. The one thing you'll find w/ this brand is that almost everything smells delicious. I am highly considering switching from the light baby shampoo I'm using now to something made by this brand. The face wash is made w/ an orange oil extract, & it smells amazing. I use it once a day, every night before I go to bed & nothing is more refreshing & relaxing than a clean face w/ an awesome scent. It does NOT leave you face feeling taught, or tight, like most cleansers. With most products like these, the key to make sure you are spending loads of money is to remember that a lot can go a long way. You don't need a huge glob to completely clean your face. A small dime sized portion will be just fine. Check out more awesome yummy smelling Burt's Bees products by clicking here.
Ugh. It was so hard choosing between this & the Tom's deodorant. But let me tell you why I chose this one. First off, it's about $4 cheaper. Second off, it goes on clear, doesn't mess up your shirts, & is aluminum free. I'm recently researched what ingredients really help keep you fresh smelling. During this researched I learned that aluminum, sadly a leading ingredient in most deodorants, is really bad for your sweat ducts (pores). Your body needs to sweat. This is the way you body gets rid of toxins. So sweating is a good thing. Smelling bad, however. This product smells good literally all day. I spent the entire day today in the heat & by the time I got home, I still smelled aloe fresh. I highly recommend this inexpensive 100% natural product.
I LOVE THIS TOOTHPASTE! Ugh, it's 100% natural & it leaves your breath smelling better for longer than the leading chemical brands. It tastes like minty ass, I will admit, but afterward you don't regret it. There are a ton of other Tom's products I'm considering, but it's pretty expensive stuff. Check out their products by clicking here.Right now I'm hunting to shave gel (which I am positive come in Dr. Bronner's, but I might have to find it online), & all new make-up. I want to find natural make-up, but I'm sure it's going to be a hard & expensive feat. I'm hoping that using this all natural products will make me feel like I'm treating myself better. I can already tell the difference in how I feel, & how my skin looks & feels. I know I can't convert Phil, but maybe I can still get Emmett to use all natural products?
Do you use all natural products? Any recommendations?
P.S. 1 week until I start my new job & 3 months until we move into our new home!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Healthy Snacking
Just recently I've realized that I am not a meal type of person. I hate eating 3 square meals a day. I'm a grazer: I need to be constantly eating small snacks throughout the day. After this realization, it's going to be a lot easier to attempt portion control. I've compiled a list of healthy & nutritious snacks I'm going to try, & knock off this habit of eating meals & grazing every day.
- dried natural fruits - tend to usually come sugar-free. They are pack full of nutrients & don't get rotten!
- fresh fruit - apples, bananas, grapes, watermelon all usually are very low in calories
- tuna - canned tuna in water can be spread on whole wheat crackers or eaten alone. Full of omega 3's & protein.
- popcorn - a fun light snack!
- fresh veges - baby carrots & celery sticks can be coupled w/ things like hummus & peanut butter!
- low-fat cottage cheese spread onto whole grain crisp bread
- bean salad - full of protein
- string cheese & low fat yogurts - for calcium
- rice cake snacks - a good alternative to snacking on potato chips
- cereal - whole grain cereals paired w/ fat free skim milk
- snacks that you can prepare ahead of time - penne pasta tossed with sliced green pepper, black beans, cherry tomatos & a light italian dressing. A low-sodium turkey or light bologna on whole wheat bread cut into fourths. Prepared tuna or chicken salad. Even a small cup of soup can be considered a quick snack.
All of these awesome alternatives will help w/ my need to constant graze & my need for a variety of foods in one sitting. Grazing has even been known to balance & hold your metabolism, & help lose & maintain your weight.
Have any light snack recipes you'd like to share w/ me? Please leave them in the comments! I love health food & trying new things!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Light bulb
So it's official. I put in my two weeks @ Hy-Vee. & as liberating & exciting as that should be, I'm really going to miss that place. It was the perfect part-time job to come back to after having Emmett, & it's a raelly fun & easy place to work. But, there is a reason they pay you so much for the job you do, because all the work I'll be doing w/ AT&T will definitely be worth the starting pay they'll be giving. I took three or four days off before I start, too, just to spend it w/ Emmett. It's going to be hard going back to full-time & not seeing my Bubba bug as much.
I've been dabbling w/ graphic design lately. If you couldn't tell w/ how many times I've changed up the graphics on my blog. It's fun playing around w/ it, & seeing what goes. Right now I'm really diggin' my Twitter themed set up. However, I do have a Harry Potter one I'll be using starting October 31st, Halloween, & will be keeping up until after I see the new movie that comes out November 19th. But anyway, if any of my readers have a blogger & would like me to attempt to make them a layout similar to mine, I'd love to! Just give me some specifics & colors you'd like. If you have a certain image w/ a color on it you love I can use that to find the color code & make something all cute & fun up! Just let me know. :)
So I've been looking at some home accessories. I'm so incredibly lost when it comes to accent pieces & little gidgets & woo-has as decoration. Here are some things I did like:
I love things that look like antiques, or just old things in general. I can't wait to go antiquing!
Another thing I really like are over-sized vases. You can fill them w/ all sorts of thing. I figured things like bamboo shoots, tall grassy plants, old fashioned umbrellas, etc.
Wicker baskets & accessories have always given me that home-sweet-home feeling. Not only do I love the earthly feel, but it's also extra storage!
A few other things I'd like to add are candles & wall sconces. We also will be using LOTS of framed Daytrotter artwork throughout the house, as well. SO FRIENDS! Any fun ideas to incorporate a few of my favorite things?
As for the outside goes, we'll have a really awesome fenced-in back/side yard. The fencing is PERFECT for both Caesar & Emmett when he's finally able to play outside. It's mostly all grassed in, so we're trying to decide if we either want to add a concrete slab patio for an outdoor eating set, or maybe something like this:
We definitely have some really good ideas, but would also appreciate any of your ideas & thoughts! Let me know by leaving lots & lots of comments!
I've been dabbling w/ graphic design lately. If you couldn't tell w/ how many times I've changed up the graphics on my blog. It's fun playing around w/ it, & seeing what goes. Right now I'm really diggin' my Twitter themed set up. However, I do have a Harry Potter one I'll be using starting October 31st, Halloween, & will be keeping up until after I see the new movie that comes out November 19th. But anyway, if any of my readers have a blogger & would like me to attempt to make them a layout similar to mine, I'd love to! Just give me some specifics & colors you'd like. If you have a certain image w/ a color on it you love I can use that to find the color code & make something all cute & fun up! Just let me know. :)
So I've been looking at some home accessories. I'm so incredibly lost when it comes to accent pieces & little gidgets & woo-has as decoration. Here are some things I did like:
I love things that look like antiques, or just old things in general. I can't wait to go antiquing!
Another thing I really like are over-sized vases. You can fill them w/ all sorts of thing. I figured things like bamboo shoots, tall grassy plants, old fashioned umbrellas, etc.
Wicker baskets & accessories have always given me that home-sweet-home feeling. Not only do I love the earthly feel, but it's also extra storage!
A few other things I'd like to add are candles & wall sconces. We also will be using LOTS of framed Daytrotter artwork throughout the house, as well. SO FRIENDS! Any fun ideas to incorporate a few of my favorite things?
As for the outside goes, we'll have a really awesome fenced-in back/side yard. The fencing is PERFECT for both Caesar & Emmett when he's finally able to play outside. It's mostly all grassed in, so we're trying to decide if we either want to add a concrete slab patio for an outdoor eating set, or maybe something like this:
We definitely have some really good ideas, but would also appreciate any of your ideas & thoughts! Let me know by leaving lots & lots of comments!
Monday, August 16, 2010
BIG BIG NEWS!
Okay, friends. This is the post I've been waiting to write!
First off, the home: We got it! They accepted our offer! Closing is set to be done by the end of October, beginning of November. Only 3 more months & we'll be homeowners! I absolutely can not WAIT! This house is absolutely perfect for our family of three, & I can't wait to make it our own! We're definitely going to need some better furniture... lol!
THE JOB:
I GOT IT! I start the 30th. I'm absolutely thrilled! This is the best news I've heard in a while!
I've truly been blessed this month & year. It started off very rocky & extremely stressful. I've been pulling my hair out for months trying to figure things out. But now w/ a new house to look forward to, & a new job to look forward to as well, things have definitely turned.
Now, I just wonder when he's gonna ask me to marry him... ? HA!
Well, it's time to celebrate now. Unfortunately I have to work @ Hy-Vee tonight. But knowing that I got the job I deserved, it won't be so bad. Won't be too bad, at all. :)
P.S. Be on the look out now for interior & home design posts! I'm gonna need all the help I can get.
First off, the home: We got it! They accepted our offer! Closing is set to be done by the end of October, beginning of November. Only 3 more months & we'll be homeowners! I absolutely can not WAIT! This house is absolutely perfect for our family of three, & I can't wait to make it our own! We're definitely going to need some better furniture... lol!
THE JOB:
I GOT IT! I start the 30th. I'm absolutely thrilled! This is the best news I've heard in a while!
I've truly been blessed this month & year. It started off very rocky & extremely stressful. I've been pulling my hair out for months trying to figure things out. But now w/ a new house to look forward to, & a new job to look forward to as well, things have definitely turned.
Now, I just wonder when he's gonna ask me to marry him... ? HA!
Well, it's time to celebrate now. Unfortunately I have to work @ Hy-Vee tonight. But knowing that I got the job I deserved, it won't be so bad. Won't be too bad, at all. :)
P.S. Be on the look out now for interior & home design posts! I'm gonna need all the help I can get.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Interior Decorators UNITE! & help me...
I just recently joined a new social networking website called Vimeo. Vimeo is a community where people can come to share their creative ideas, personal life moments, & artistic abilities via video. The huge difference between Vimeo & other similar websites, such as YouTube, is that it's specifically for people who want to share more personal video. The reason I chose Vimeo over YouTube is because I mainly only post videos of Emmett & his developmental milestones, & I'd rather put that on a website that makes me feel a little bit safer. Now that I've got that out of the way, check out the awesome little widget in the sidebar where you can instantly watch all of my videos from the website!
Another neat feature I've added to my blog is specifically for my readers who use Twitter. Recently Twitter has released a much more attractive webpage widget, which you can also see over in my sidebar. & besides only having "follow me" buttons available, they now offer "Tweet" buttons. What this basically is, is a button you can use to tweet my website (blog) to your followers! I don't expect anyone to use it, but any recognition would be awesome!Moving on...
It's time like these that I wish I were better at interior design. I'm not going to divulge any secrets, as I am waiting for a certain thing to happen before I post my reveal blog post w/ news about the new job & the new house. However, when looking for a new house a HUGE factor is decorating it. Well, I really suck at doing this. Decorating & interior design has never been my forté. If anyone can help me, maybe w/ a website or some really cool & colorful ideas for designing a really awesome dining room & living room, that would be awesome.
Some ideas I have are: I want a clean, simple, classy look. Slight bold colors, paired w/ neutrals. Something fun, but different at the same time! Let me know what you think! Also, keep in mind the dimensions of the room are smaller rather than larger!
My furniture selections are quite neutral:
& also comes w/ a large square ottoman.
Give me colors & ideas that POP!
Ready... Set... GO!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Exersaucer offer
Just a super cute video of Emmett in his new Baby Einstein exersaucer!
As for the house... we are putting an offer in today. KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED!
As for the new job... still waiting for my official offer. I'm getting impatient!
& as for the job I already have... Have you ever wondered how rumors even start? Well, just this past week I've learned exactly how petty & silly people can be when it comes to starting rumors. Just recently I told co-worker "A" that I recently had an interview. I said it went well & was waiting to hear back. Just a few days later, co-worker "R" asked if I had a new job. I said no, I had an interview & was waiting to hear back. A few days later, co-worker "T" asked me if I had a new job. I said no, I had an interview & am being considered, however a background check & drug test were pending & I was waiting to hear back. Just today, co-worker "D" asked me why I was working, because they heard that I quit.
WHAT?! You see how that escalated?
Future lesson: Keep my mouth shut!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Guilt
Today while I was vacuuming & picking up about 3 other small dogs worth of hair in the vacuum [damn you summer!]... I thought about how before Emmett came along Caesar was my only son. & by son I mean adopted son. My pride & joy! I took him everywhere & we played outside all of the time! & then I found baby pictures of Caesar! Yet I guess in this case those would be puppy pictures.
Any way, I feel guilty because Caesar is no longer the center of attention & sometimes I feel like I'm mean to him. So from now on, I'm going to try to be nicer. That is all.
No updates yet on the decision about the house or my new job. I'm still waiting to hear about both. The anxiety is absolutely killing me. Any ideas on what to do while waiting?
Any way, I feel guilty because Caesar is no longer the center of attention & sometimes I feel like I'm mean to him. So from now on, I'm going to try to be nicer. That is all.
No updates yet on the decision about the house or my new job. I'm still waiting to hear about both. The anxiety is absolutely killing me. Any ideas on what to do while waiting?
Friday, August 6, 2010
Houses #2, #3, & #4
Phil, his brothers, & I just recently spent a whole day viewing houses. I had no idea how popular open houses were on Sundays! We saw a few extra that we hadn't even planned on, since we noticed driving by that they were open for viewing. However, I am only going to review the ones we had actually planned on looking at!
House #2 we viewed in is a great neighborhood on a corner lot. It has lots of great landscaping, & is close to Garfield & Vander Veer parks.
Before
At $115,000, this house is at the top of our price range. However, there are a million awesome features that make this house worth the price. From the look of it, everything has been uniquely updated. There is even a large finished basement! From the look of it on the website, I'd say that this house has it all.
Check out this property on QFSBO.com by clicking here.
After
UPS
Okay, when I first looked @ the pictures of the basement, I thought huge. After seeing the basement in person, I'm thinking ENORMOUS! I honestly don't think I'd ever leave it! There is a working wet bar, w/ a bar like scene near by. A huge game room, that could fit ping pong table, or pool table, etc. Then around the corner is a theater room w/ a built in entertainment center. & here is the kicker! There is a hidden panel on the center that leads to a small hidden den. You can electronically open is by either pushing down a book entitled Mafia, or by a secret switch inside. It's pretty bad ass.
DOWNS
Okay, as I said that the house seemed pretty spectacular... the downside is that the 3 rooms that were NOT spectacular at all were the 2 bedrooms, & the bathroom. Also, in a house that price, it sucks that there are only 2 beds & 1 bath. The attic could be re-done, however if it were a bedroom, you'd have to walk through a bedroom to get to it. Not good. & the bathroom was far more than disappointing.
MY 2cents
This house was incredible. However, the pluses barely outweigh the minuses. It was all smaller than it had appeared in the pictures. The basement was awesome, but the bedrooms were dinky & the bathroom would need a lot of work. I loved this property, but I dunno long term wise.
----------
House #3 we viewed is also in a very nice neighborhood, which is close to Vander Veer Park. Here is a look at what we thought about the house!
Before
At $104,900, this house has a lot to offer. It has 3 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, & a 1 car detached garage. From the pictures on the website, it looks extremely spacious. It also looks as if it's already fenced in, which would be great for Caesar. The kitchen is newly remodeled, & looks beautiful. I can't wait to see it in person. It also says the owner installed an in-ground fire pit, which would be AWESOME for entertaining. Many pluses in this properties!
Check out this property on QFSBO.com by clicking here.
After
UPS This property has A LOT of ups. First off it had 3 spacious bedrooms, 1.5 baths that both looked quite updated. The kitchen was beautiful! A really awesome touch was in the dining room, & you couldn't tell from the pictures! It was wood, but there was a really rustic looking tile in the middle where the table it placed. It was beautiful! The yard was completely fenced in, & it had an AWESOME porch.
DOWNS A few things we disliked was the fact that the owner admitted the basement would occasionally leak. We didn't see much water damage. He said he had constructed a channel that took the water directly into the drain. Another thing we didn't like is that the house had a side yard, & no back yard. It would be very hard to install a deck.
MY 2cents The 2nd time Phil & I had stopped by to look at the house (Monday night, yes this blog is taking me forever to complete. LOL) the owner showed us exactly how the channel worked. He set the hose up to leak into the side of the house that occasionally floods, & took us downstairs. To be honest, if he's willing & confident enough to flood his own basement in front of us, then I'll take his word. The channels worked just like he said they would. He also told us that he has done a lot of the remodeling himself over the summer. He was a Palmer student, & he said it was sort of his hobby. It certainly paid off, & I am in love w/ this property.
----------
House #4 we looked at is kind of one of those places that looks better on the internet. Don't get me wrong, it's cute. It has potential. But, yeah. Good neighborhood & curb appeal though!
Before
This house was $94,900, with 2 bedrooms & 1 bathroom. I am surprised at how many 2bed1bath's are on the market. We've seen some good ones, but I really want 3 beds, 2 baths. Anyway... I never really liked this house to begin with, but Phil thought we should look at it anyway.
Check out this property on QFSBO.com by clicking here.
After
UPS This property did has some ups. The dining room was large, & would of easily fit the dining set my parents wanted to give us. Also, it had a great fenced in backyard. Other than that, I was not impressed. Oh, & a lovely porch! Also, upstairs was this really awesome built-in linen storage... thing.
DOWNS Where do I start? Uhm, the living room was really small. & it had this random ugly carpet. The only piece of this open concept house that had carpet, so it was weird. The bathroom was outdated. The rooms were small. & the kitchen was in pieces all over the place. Not good!
MY 2cents My first thoughts were WOW. This needs A LOT of work. It was tiny, & look a lot bigger on the outside. The basement wasn't in that great of condition. & the people selling the house were in the living room, so we didn't even get to look around it. It was the most awkward house showing, ever. I didn't like the house, though in a great location. If I had the money, I would of loved to gut it, & redo it. Because it has potential to be a great house.
----------
Overall, it was super fun looking around! However, I loved the 3rd house we saw. It was pretty perfect. But we'll keep you updated about anymore houses we see, or decision we make.
ALSO!!! I got the job I wanted @ AT&T. Meaning, that if we do find the house we love/want, we can make it a reality. All I have to do is pass the background check, & a drug test, & I'm good to go. See, I've never actually failed either of those before, but this company seems pretty particular. So, I'm hoping it all turns out alright. WISH ME LUCK!
House #2 we viewed in is a great neighborhood on a corner lot. It has lots of great landscaping, & is close to Garfield & Vander Veer parks.
Before
At $115,000, this house is at the top of our price range. However, there are a million awesome features that make this house worth the price. From the look of it, everything has been uniquely updated. There is even a large finished basement! From the look of it on the website, I'd say that this house has it all.
Check out this property on QFSBO.com by clicking here.
After
UPS
Okay, when I first looked @ the pictures of the basement, I thought huge. After seeing the basement in person, I'm thinking ENORMOUS! I honestly don't think I'd ever leave it! There is a working wet bar, w/ a bar like scene near by. A huge game room, that could fit ping pong table, or pool table, etc. Then around the corner is a theater room w/ a built in entertainment center. & here is the kicker! There is a hidden panel on the center that leads to a small hidden den. You can electronically open is by either pushing down a book entitled Mafia, or by a secret switch inside. It's pretty bad ass.DOWNS
Okay, as I said that the house seemed pretty spectacular... the downside is that the 3 rooms that were NOT spectacular at all were the 2 bedrooms, & the bathroom. Also, in a house that price, it sucks that there are only 2 beds & 1 bath. The attic could be re-done, however if it were a bedroom, you'd have to walk through a bedroom to get to it. Not good. & the bathroom was far more than disappointing.MY 2cents
This house was incredible. However, the pluses barely outweigh the minuses. It was all smaller than it had appeared in the pictures. The basement was awesome, but the bedrooms were dinky & the bathroom would need a lot of work. I loved this property, but I dunno long term wise.----------
House #3 we viewed is also in a very nice neighborhood, which is close to Vander Veer Park. Here is a look at what we thought about the house!
Before
At $104,900, this house has a lot to offer. It has 3 bedroom, 2 bathrooms, & a 1 car detached garage. From the pictures on the website, it looks extremely spacious. It also looks as if it's already fenced in, which would be great for Caesar. The kitchen is newly remodeled, & looks beautiful. I can't wait to see it in person. It also says the owner installed an in-ground fire pit, which would be AWESOME for entertaining. Many pluses in this properties!
Check out this property on QFSBO.com by clicking here.
After
UPS
This property has A LOT of ups. First off it had 3 spacious bedrooms, 1.5 baths that both looked quite updated. The kitchen was beautiful! A really awesome touch was in the dining room, & you couldn't tell from the pictures! It was wood, but there was a really rustic looking tile in the middle where the table it placed. It was beautiful! The yard was completely fenced in, & it had an AWESOME porch.DOWNS
A few things we disliked was the fact that the owner admitted the basement would occasionally leak. We didn't see much water damage. He said he had constructed a channel that took the water directly into the drain. Another thing we didn't like is that the house had a side yard, & no back yard. It would be very hard to install a deck.MY 2cents
The 2nd time Phil & I had stopped by to look at the house (Monday night, yes this blog is taking me forever to complete. LOL) the owner showed us exactly how the channel worked. He set the hose up to leak into the side of the house that occasionally floods, & took us downstairs. To be honest, if he's willing & confident enough to flood his own basement in front of us, then I'll take his word. The channels worked just like he said they would. He also told us that he has done a lot of the remodeling himself over the summer. He was a Palmer student, & he said it was sort of his hobby. It certainly paid off, & I am in love w/ this property.----------
House #4 we looked at is kind of one of those places that looks better on the internet. Don't get me wrong, it's cute. It has potential. But, yeah. Good neighborhood & curb appeal though!
Before
This house was $94,900, with 2 bedrooms & 1 bathroom. I am surprised at how many 2bed1bath's are on the market. We've seen some good ones, but I really want 3 beds, 2 baths. Anyway... I never really liked this house to begin with, but Phil thought we should look at it anyway.
Check out this property on QFSBO.com by clicking here.
After
UPS
This property did has some ups. The dining room was large, & would of easily fit the dining set my parents wanted to give us. Also, it had a great fenced in backyard. Other than that, I was not impressed. Oh, & a lovely porch! Also, upstairs was this really awesome built-in linen storage... thing.DOWNS
Where do I start? Uhm, the living room was really small. & it had this random ugly carpet. The only piece of this open concept house that had carpet, so it was weird. The bathroom was outdated. The rooms were small. & the kitchen was in pieces all over the place. Not good!MY 2cents
My first thoughts were WOW. This needs A LOT of work. It was tiny, & look a lot bigger on the outside. The basement wasn't in that great of condition. & the people selling the house were in the living room, so we didn't even get to look around it. It was the most awkward house showing, ever. I didn't like the house, though in a great location. If I had the money, I would of loved to gut it, & redo it. Because it has potential to be a great house.----------
Overall, it was super fun looking around! However, I loved the 3rd house we saw. It was pretty perfect. But we'll keep you updated about anymore houses we see, or decision we make.
ALSO!!! I got the job I wanted @ AT&T. Meaning, that if we do find the house we love/want, we can make it a reality. All I have to do is pass the background check, & a drug test, & I'm good to go. See, I've never actually failed either of those before, but this company seems pretty particular. So, I'm hoping it all turns out alright. WISH ME LUCK!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
House Hunters
Not only a fabulous television show on the best channel to zone out on, but also a Rachael & Phil family reality! Phil & I have been obsessing over home-ownership for quite some time now, but never really took the plunge until recently.
It all started when a house in Phil's sister's old neighborhood went up for sale. Phil loved his sister's old home, & figured for the ripe price of $87,000, the neighbors house would be a once-in-a-lifetime bargain. We were dead wrong.
Though in a quiet quaint neighborhood, the house was in shambles. Nothing had been updated since the early 80's, the fireplace had a hideous built-in smothering it's loveliness, & there were no defining rooms. Nothing in the house caught our attention, & nothing seem salvageable. We were quite disappointed. But, this got us thinking, what could we find?
#1
The first house I found was only 1k more than this disaster we previously viewed. For $88,000 it had 2 bedrooms, 1 newly finished bathroom. It appeared very well kept, & all appliances stay. The downsides: not very much extra space, even though there were large closets in almost all the rooms of the house. The basement was TINY. Could definitely only be used for laundry. Also, it wasn't in your premier neighborhood. What I loved about the property: There was a huge partially fenced backyard. The front yard was well kept & partially landscaped. The best selling point would be the amazing concrete porch. It was the kind of porch you'd want to sit & spend time on. I also adored the cute little kitchen. Though I loved it, we'll probably have to pass it up.
Check out this property on QFSBO.com by clicking here.
We plan on looking at a few more properties over the weekend. I'll keep you posted on what I think of them, what goes on, & our house hunting process!
ALSO: If you have any home buying/house hunting advice please feel free to post them in the comments!
--------- Dream house...
There is 1 house we would jump on. I currently applied for a full time job, & I am waiting to hear back. If I am hired, we are going to go into together & see if we can get preapproved for this one house. If we are approved, we want this house REAL bad.
For $115,000 w/ 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a den, & a laundry room, this house is AMAZING inside. We are going to go look @ it either Friday or Sunday. It has a partially finished basement with a wet bar & hidden den. It has a beautiful fire place, & an amazing kitchen. I love every single room in this house.
Check out this property on QFSBO.com by clicking here.
Will keep you posted! Ta-ta!
It all started when a house in Phil's sister's old neighborhood went up for sale. Phil loved his sister's old home, & figured for the ripe price of $87,000, the neighbors house would be a once-in-a-lifetime bargain. We were dead wrong.
Though in a quiet quaint neighborhood, the house was in shambles. Nothing had been updated since the early 80's, the fireplace had a hideous built-in smothering it's loveliness, & there were no defining rooms. Nothing in the house caught our attention, & nothing seem salvageable. We were quite disappointed. But, this got us thinking, what could we find?
#1
The first house I found was only 1k more than this disaster we previously viewed. For $88,000 it had 2 bedrooms, 1 newly finished bathroom. It appeared very well kept, & all appliances stay. The downsides: not very much extra space, even though there were large closets in almost all the rooms of the house. The basement was TINY. Could definitely only be used for laundry. Also, it wasn't in your premier neighborhood. What I loved about the property: There was a huge partially fenced backyard. The front yard was well kept & partially landscaped. The best selling point would be the amazing concrete porch. It was the kind of porch you'd want to sit & spend time on. I also adored the cute little kitchen. Though I loved it, we'll probably have to pass it up.
Check out this property on QFSBO.com by clicking here.
We plan on looking at a few more properties over the weekend. I'll keep you posted on what I think of them, what goes on, & our house hunting process!
ALSO: If you have any home buying/house hunting advice please feel free to post them in the comments!
--------- Dream house...
There is 1 house we would jump on. I currently applied for a full time job, & I am waiting to hear back. If I am hired, we are going to go into together & see if we can get preapproved for this one house. If we are approved, we want this house REAL bad.
For $115,000 w/ 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a den, & a laundry room, this house is AMAZING inside. We are going to go look @ it either Friday or Sunday. It has a partially finished basement with a wet bar & hidden den. It has a beautiful fire place, & an amazing kitchen. I love every single room in this house.
Check out this property on QFSBO.com by clicking here.
Will keep you posted! Ta-ta!
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