SOOO much has happened since the last time I posted! I have been away, in NOLA with our church's youth (more about that in the next post), so I haven't had time to post until now, but boy, do I have exciting news for everyone!
WE FOUND OUR HOUSE! It's a 3 br/1 ba in Elsmere (the safe part), an end unit townhome. It needs some work, but out of all the ones we have seen, this one is by far the best in move in ready condition. The 3rd bedroom is basically a large closet, but it would work for a nursery for our first child :) It has a nice size yard, a basement, kitchen, dining room, and living room. It has a covered back deck on the back.
More than likely, with our tax credit money, we will redo the kitchen and bathroom. The kitchen is just too small for me to cook in (I can't wait!), so we will probably get rid of the wall dividing the kitchen and dining room, and instead do a country eat-in kitchen. This way, it will open it up, and it will provide for more counter and cabinet space. The bathroom right now is completely purple. Tub, toilet, sink, and tile- all shades of lavender. Brian and I aren't too fond of the colors, so we decided we will probably take some space from the bedroom next to it. That way, we can add some space to the bathroom and closet space to the bedroom- it will make it a tad smaller, but it's an okay size now, so it should be fine. Add a pocket door for the bathroom, and boom- all better!
We will repaint (obviously!), and we will be ripping up the carpet and refinishing the walnut hardwood floors that are throughout the house (sqee! I can't wait for hardwood floors!), and we will be installing new appliances throughout, since the ones there are original and look antique!
Brian and I are blessed in the fact that Brian has many, many hands on skills that will save us much money in the long run- his carpentry skills, along with all his other construction knowledge, will come in very handy! This way, we can start building equity in the house, but we don't have to put out much moola to do it- just a little (okay, a LOT) of elbow grease. We don't plan on staying here forever, but as a starter home, it's a great little house. It honestly made since to do this- our monthly payments will be around the same, if not less, as rent for the apartment. This way, we aren't throwing it down the drain.
We had the house inspection today- there are some things that need to be fixed, the big ones being the brick facade and the roof. Brian has the ability to do everything except the roof, and quite frankly, it's so much money that we just can't afford that expense right now. When we closed on the house, we told the current owners (it's an estate sale) that we would not nickel and dime them for every little wrong. The roof, though, is too major of an issue, and considering that there is a little bit of water damage inside/upstairs in the bedrooms (nothing active, and nothing that is concerning right now), it needs to be taken care of, and fast.
I have not heard about surgery...yet. We were told by the end of July, which being there's only a few more days left, hopefully we will hear something positive soon!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
another :(
We lost the other house, 2 Winston Place. I am trying not to get down on myself, and trying to stay optimistic about it all. The realization that we are so young and already trying to buy our first home, when most of my friends or acquaintances our age are either renting or living at home. Not saying those are bad, but when the national age for first time home buyers is 32, we are doing pretty well.
I just have to keep my head in the game, and realize this is the housing market- and not invest my heart so much in each house that fits our needs. I know the right one will come along, and when it does, it will be the one that Brian and I make into a home together. It will be the one where we have our own Christmas Tree and BBQs, where we have family over and start a family. And when I think about those special moments that are to come, waiting a little longer doesn't seem so bad.
I just have to keep my head in the game, and realize this is the housing market- and not invest my heart so much in each house that fits our needs. I know the right one will come along, and when it does, it will be the one that Brian and I make into a home together. It will be the one where we have our own Christmas Tree and BBQs, where we have family over and start a family. And when I think about those special moments that are to come, waiting a little longer doesn't seem so bad.
Friday, July 10, 2009
All things paper...
Okay, maybe not all things. But some of the small stuff, to start off.
VistaPrint has a bunch of things for free in the month of July. All you have to pay is Shipping (just make sure to uncheck any little boxes at the end when you are going through those surveys, or you will end up getting billed monthly!). So I figured, with 100 postcards for free, and 250 business cards for free, why not take advantage of it? They also have magnets, 25 for free, and I may take up on that as well. I have been known to create different accounts... ;)
For favors, Brian and I originally decided to do a donation. I know, I will probably get flamed for it- The Knot girls (not my DE ones, but everyone else it seems) are against donations as a "favor" for some reason. They feel that it is not a favor to donate to a charity of your choice- either give them a gift, or give them nothing. Well, I don't feel that way. And from the beginning, Brian and I had chosen a charity that not only means alot, but is also in memoriam of loved ones.
Both of our grandfathers served in World War II- my grandpa in the Navy Seabees, and Brian's in the Army. Brian never knew his grandfather, as he died before Brian was born. I was extremely lucky and blessed to have my grandpa in my life until I was 22 years old. While Grandpa wouldn't talk much about the war and serving, I know that he was very proud of the fact that he served our country, and even more so of the fact that he played trumpet in the Navy Band! I remember him telling me when I was young that he wanted either a live bugler to play TAPS at his funeral, or he wanted nothing- a CD recording would not suffice.
When he passed in February 2008, he did indeed go without a bugler to play TAPS at his funeral. After talking with Brian and his dad, Mark, I found out that Brian's grandfather did not have TAPS played at his funeral, either. While having dinner with Brian's family one day, the topic of a certain organization came up, and an idea began to blossom in my mind.
Bugles Across America is a wonderful organization that, purely through volunteers and donations, provides a live bugler to play TAPS at any veteran's funeral. Their website states:
Bugles Across America, NFP was founded in 2000 by Tom Day, when Congress passed legislation stating Veterans had a right to at least 2 uniformed military people to fold the flag and play taps on a CD player. Bugles Across America was begun to take this a step further, and in recognition of the service these Veterans provided their country, we felt that every Veteran deserved a live rendition of taps played by a live Bugler. To this end, we are actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.
Now, we are also doing a candy buffet, but that is a totally different story, and a product of my parents. It was added on after the decision to donate was made. But we still wanted a way to convey to our family and friends about the donation. I came up with the idea to write down why, not just that we are donating, but the story behind it as well. In addition, as a token for our loved ones to remember our donation, I found American Flag lapel pins online, at Oriental Trading, for 20 cents each (including shipping). The plan originally was to do a scroll of paper, tie it with ribbon in our wedding colors, and pin the flag to the ribbon. But now that VistaPrint is offering the postcards for free, I am thinking that is a better idea- the cost of shipping will be far less than the cost of materials for the previous idea.
Also, with the 250 business cards that are offered for free, we can get our "photosharing cards". For those who don't know, this is a currently popular idea where a card is left at each guests' seat. On the card is a saying such as "Did you take pictures? Share them with us!". Following that sentiment are instructions on how to upload guests' wedding photos to an online sharing site, such as Snapfish or Shutterfly, to a specific account (usually the username and password for the account are on the cards, and it's usually a specially created account for the wedding). This is a great way for the bride and groom to get a glance at the whirlwind day before the professional photographs come back. I was not originally planning on doing these, but now that I can get them for free, and hopefully tack them onto the postcard shipping, it will be worth it, so why not?
Finally, with my mom's and sister's and Brian's account, I will also get postcards for our Save The Dates. We are not sending out many, just to our guests who are waaaay out of town (like all of Brian's family, in Ohio and Michigan and Colorado and Arizona and well, you get the picture). I was originally planning on making the few we needed by hand, but with the free offers of postcards and magnets, I figure, why do the work when they will do a professional job, for free??
I swear, any way that I can save money, you better believe I will do it (except illegal things, duh!)!!!
VistaPrint has a bunch of things for free in the month of July. All you have to pay is Shipping (just make sure to uncheck any little boxes at the end when you are going through those surveys, or you will end up getting billed monthly!). So I figured, with 100 postcards for free, and 250 business cards for free, why not take advantage of it? They also have magnets, 25 for free, and I may take up on that as well. I have been known to create different accounts... ;)
For favors, Brian and I originally decided to do a donation. I know, I will probably get flamed for it- The Knot girls (not my DE ones, but everyone else it seems) are against donations as a "favor" for some reason. They feel that it is not a favor to donate to a charity of your choice- either give them a gift, or give them nothing. Well, I don't feel that way. And from the beginning, Brian and I had chosen a charity that not only means alot, but is also in memoriam of loved ones.
Both of our grandfathers served in World War II- my grandpa in the Navy Seabees, and Brian's in the Army. Brian never knew his grandfather, as he died before Brian was born. I was extremely lucky and blessed to have my grandpa in my life until I was 22 years old. While Grandpa wouldn't talk much about the war and serving, I know that he was very proud of the fact that he served our country, and even more so of the fact that he played trumpet in the Navy Band! I remember him telling me when I was young that he wanted either a live bugler to play TAPS at his funeral, or he wanted nothing- a CD recording would not suffice.
When he passed in February 2008, he did indeed go without a bugler to play TAPS at his funeral. After talking with Brian and his dad, Mark, I found out that Brian's grandfather did not have TAPS played at his funeral, either. While having dinner with Brian's family one day, the topic of a certain organization came up, and an idea began to blossom in my mind.
Bugles Across America is a wonderful organization that, purely through volunteers and donations, provides a live bugler to play TAPS at any veteran's funeral. Their website states:
Bugles Across America, NFP was founded in 2000 by Tom Day, when Congress passed legislation stating Veterans had a right to at least 2 uniformed military people to fold the flag and play taps on a CD player. Bugles Across America was begun to take this a step further, and in recognition of the service these Veterans provided their country, we felt that every Veteran deserved a live rendition of taps played by a live Bugler. To this end, we are actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.
Bugles Across America now has over 5000 bugler volunteers located in all 50 states and growing number overseas. Since the Department of Veterans Affairs is expecting more than 1/2 million veterans to pass every year for the next 7 years, Bugles Across America is ALWAYS recruiting new volunteers.
Bugler Volunteers can be male or female. They can play a traditional bugle with no valves, or they can perform the ceremony on a Trumpet, Cornet, Flugelhorn, or a 1, 2 or 3 valved bugle. The bugler can be of any age as long as they can play the 24 notes of Taps with an ease and style that will do honor to both the Veterans, their families, and the burial detail performing the service.
I found out about this wonderful organization because Mark, a trumpet and bugle player, volunteers for the organization. Brian and I had agreed that we wanted to do a donation, but we wanted it to be a meaningful organization, one that would touch a part of our lives. When I approached Brian about donating to Bugles Across America, in memory of our grandfathers, he thought it was a wonderful idea that would honor our grandpas, our veterans, and provide a lasting tribute to those who have served our country.Now, we are also doing a candy buffet, but that is a totally different story, and a product of my parents. It was added on after the decision to donate was made. But we still wanted a way to convey to our family and friends about the donation. I came up with the idea to write down why, not just that we are donating, but the story behind it as well. In addition, as a token for our loved ones to remember our donation, I found American Flag lapel pins online, at Oriental Trading, for 20 cents each (including shipping). The plan originally was to do a scroll of paper, tie it with ribbon in our wedding colors, and pin the flag to the ribbon. But now that VistaPrint is offering the postcards for free, I am thinking that is a better idea- the cost of shipping will be far less than the cost of materials for the previous idea.
Also, with the 250 business cards that are offered for free, we can get our "photosharing cards". For those who don't know, this is a currently popular idea where a card is left at each guests' seat. On the card is a saying such as "Did you take pictures? Share them with us!". Following that sentiment are instructions on how to upload guests' wedding photos to an online sharing site, such as Snapfish or Shutterfly, to a specific account (usually the username and password for the account are on the cards, and it's usually a specially created account for the wedding). This is a great way for the bride and groom to get a glance at the whirlwind day before the professional photographs come back. I was not originally planning on doing these, but now that I can get them for free, and hopefully tack them onto the postcard shipping, it will be worth it, so why not?
Finally, with my mom's and sister's and Brian's account, I will also get postcards for our Save The Dates. We are not sending out many, just to our guests who are waaaay out of town (like all of Brian's family, in Ohio and Michigan and Colorado and Arizona and well, you get the picture). I was originally planning on making the few we needed by hand, but with the free offers of postcards and magnets, I figure, why do the work when they will do a professional job, for free??
I swear, any way that I can save money, you better believe I will do it (except illegal things, duh!)!!!
:(
We didn't get the 2nd house. The bank is holding really tight to an inflated appraisal, which of course bodes not so well for us.
Praying really hard, knowing that God has the right house for us at the right moment. Trusting in Him is always the best thing, always!
Praying really hard, knowing that God has the right house for us at the right moment. Trusting in Him is always the best thing, always!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
The Dress (capital T, capital D)
Of course, just like almost every other bride out there, as soon as I had the ring on my finger (which just got cleaned, by the way- so sparkly and shiny now :D), I wanted to go dress shopping. I didn't care where it was, as long as it had white dresses, I was game for it. About a month later, at the end of January, my mother gave in, and her and I hit the local bridal salons.
I had known for a while what I wanted my dress to look like. A family friend had gotten married back in 2005, and her dress had a navy blue train. As soon as I saw her pictures, I knew right away that I wanted my dress to have a colored train. Not sure what color, but a colored train. So when I had the reason to start looking at dress pictures online, I quickly came across a picture of an Alfred Angelo dress, with a colored train. I did a little more research, and found that AA is known for their bridal gowns with color accents, available in 55 colors, and bridesmaid dresses all have the ability to coordinate. Best part was, they were affordable- after all, we had only budgeted $1,000 (in the initial budget) for my dress. So when we went trooping off, I had in my mind that I wanted white with color accents, preferably strapless, A line or ball gown, no lace. I wasn't picky, and told myself I would try on whatever was pulled for me.
We started at Brides and Grooms in Newark, DE. My mom had heard about this little, tiny, hole-in-the-wall bridal salon from a co-worker, so we decided to start there. First thing- never go gown shopping on a Saturday. Ever. It's always so packed, no matter where you go. And don't let looks deceive you. This shop is so stuffed full of gowns and dresses, and only has 3 (tiny) dressing rooms. But they are awesome. Totally worth the wait on a Saturday. After we finally managed to get a dressing room and an attendant, Faith, we went to work. I told her what I wanted, and she pulled dress after dress. I tried on so many, each one prettier than the last. They didn't have the one AA dress I had in mind in stock, but I was told that I could order any style number through them. We didn't buy anything there that morning, but left with ideas and the high probability of returning.
We ate lunch, then headed to Jennifer's in Hockessin. First off, big clue there. Hockessin=money. Lots of money. We walked into the store, and immediately noticed several differences. One, they only had one customer in the store, compared to the 10-15 customers that had proceeded us at B&G. Second, there were only 2 employees, versus the 4 or 5 at B&G. The other thing that struck us as odd? At B&G, the employees were dressed professionally, but comfortable. Dress slacks, comfortable black sneakers. At Jennifer's, the employees were wearing high heels and skirts/dresses. Why does this matter? Because when someone is helping me in and out of a heavy bridal gown, and is doing that hundreds of times a day, I would prefer that they be in practical clothing. Immediately, I was on alert. Well, I found out why soon enough. They didn't have a dress in there under $4,000- we looked at every price tag. And they didn't have any that fit my style- no long trains, extremely simple styles. We pretty much immediately crossed it off the list for dress shopping. To be fair, they had GORGEOUS veils. They were a little pricey, but they were breathtaking. We are still keeping it in mind for a veil, but in terms of dresses, it was way too hoity toity for my liking.
We left there, and headed to the typical bridal store that everyone thinks of when they think bride- David's Bridal. I was against it from the beginning, but my mom convinced me that we needed to go to get an idea of what we wanted and didn't want. When we walked in, it was packed. Tons of brides, everywhere. Tons of dresses, everywhere. When you enter the store, they have a desk where they "register" you. AKA, they get your info so they can blitz your mail box (both real and electronic) with tons of crap. Luckily, they were busy with another bride, so we wandered over to the Plus Size section, and started looking. I was appalled at what I saw- ugly dresses, few to choose from, in horrible condition. Some even had stains on them! A consultant came over and tried to "help" us, but God bless my mother, who knows how to scare them away. I was disgusted with what I saw, in terms of both dresses and consultations. It was like an assembly line, and I felt like a cookie cutter bride. What little service we did try to get when looking for help with the flower girl dresses was abominable. The only thing we found to our liking was a cute flower girl dress, but for the same price, I can get the one that I really want from AA!
We went home that day, empty handed but for a few bridal CDs we had found at David's Bridal. My mom and I decided to find out when my sister was free, and two weeks later, we took a drive up to Lancaster, PA. Alfred Angelo has a flagship store there, and has many more of their styles in stock then B&G did. We showed up, and it wasn't horribly busy for a Saturday. We started on bridesmaid dresses first, which Meghan modeled for us. I had originally wanted the same dress for all the girls, in a tea length. After seeing some on Meghan, I decided to go with a floor length skirt- it's more classy for a formal church wedding, floor length is appropriate for an October wedding, and this way, they can all wear a silver shoe, but it doesn't have to match. I had decided to do separates, which would allow for some leeway with the bridesmaids' choice, but now, I have decided that it doesn't have to be a separate- as long as it is in my color, floor length, satin, and Alfred Angelo, I will be happy.
We then moved onto my dress. The lady who was helping us had pulled a whole bunch of dresses, based on my criteria. She showed me what she had pulled, and I told her to put the second one back- it was everything I didn't want, and I had seen the picture online and thought it was hideous. She insisted on placing it in the dressing room anyway "just in case". Begrudgingly, I agreed, and my mom and I got me into the first dress, my first choice- which looked horrible on me. It did nothing for me at all. We went to change dresses, and my mother said to put the not-an-option dress on, just so we could get it out of the dressing room, because it was taking up so much room. I agreed, got into it, walked out- and fell in love. It was perfect. It brought the attention to the right places, it worked with my body, it was amazing. And it had everything I didn't want, too! Sleeves, which made my arms look smaller, and accentuated my bust line. Re-embroidered lace, which looked wonderful and sparkled with the crystals and beading. It had a colored sash, that made my waist look smaller, and a sweetheart neckline that made my bust look gorgeous. Okay, it was an A-line, and it had a semi-cathedral train, two things I wanted. I put that dress on, and proceeded to sit in it for the next hour while Meg tried on more dresses. I was in love.
Brian and I had decided earlier that if I was going to get a color in my gown, it would be a royal/brilliant blue. We discussed it together, because we wanted to be on the same page for the rest of the planning, in terms of colors. So we decided on Cobalt Blue for the dress, with the bridesmaids in Cobalt Blue with White accents. Our colors for the entire wedding are also Cobalt Blue and White, with accents of silver. We may do a lighter blue in there as well, but we haven't fully decided yet.
We told the saleswoman what color we wanted, and sized me. She then told us that the dress was on sale during the promotion they were running. It was originally $800 (in my budget!), but was on sale for $650 (even better in my budget!). At this point, my mom went outside and made a phone call to B&G, to find out pricing through them (remember, they are in DE, and AA was in PA- that means tax!). When they said $520, she said sold, and we ordered my dress through them the next week. It took 6 months to come in, and it is so breathtakingly pretty. I can't wait to get my surgery, lose weight, and look beautiful for Brian the day we are wed!
(I am not posting pics here...sorry, but Brian has access to this site, and others, so the pics are staying in my hot little hands! He doesn't want to see the dress, or be tempted to see it, before the big day!)
I had known for a while what I wanted my dress to look like. A family friend had gotten married back in 2005, and her dress had a navy blue train. As soon as I saw her pictures, I knew right away that I wanted my dress to have a colored train. Not sure what color, but a colored train. So when I had the reason to start looking at dress pictures online, I quickly came across a picture of an Alfred Angelo dress, with a colored train. I did a little more research, and found that AA is known for their bridal gowns with color accents, available in 55 colors, and bridesmaid dresses all have the ability to coordinate. Best part was, they were affordable- after all, we had only budgeted $1,000 (in the initial budget) for my dress. So when we went trooping off, I had in my mind that I wanted white with color accents, preferably strapless, A line or ball gown, no lace. I wasn't picky, and told myself I would try on whatever was pulled for me.
We started at Brides and Grooms in Newark, DE. My mom had heard about this little, tiny, hole-in-the-wall bridal salon from a co-worker, so we decided to start there. First thing- never go gown shopping on a Saturday. Ever. It's always so packed, no matter where you go. And don't let looks deceive you. This shop is so stuffed full of gowns and dresses, and only has 3 (tiny) dressing rooms. But they are awesome. Totally worth the wait on a Saturday. After we finally managed to get a dressing room and an attendant, Faith, we went to work. I told her what I wanted, and she pulled dress after dress. I tried on so many, each one prettier than the last. They didn't have the one AA dress I had in mind in stock, but I was told that I could order any style number through them. We didn't buy anything there that morning, but left with ideas and the high probability of returning.
We ate lunch, then headed to Jennifer's in Hockessin. First off, big clue there. Hockessin=money. Lots of money. We walked into the store, and immediately noticed several differences. One, they only had one customer in the store, compared to the 10-15 customers that had proceeded us at B&G. Second, there were only 2 employees, versus the 4 or 5 at B&G. The other thing that struck us as odd? At B&G, the employees were dressed professionally, but comfortable. Dress slacks, comfortable black sneakers. At Jennifer's, the employees were wearing high heels and skirts/dresses. Why does this matter? Because when someone is helping me in and out of a heavy bridal gown, and is doing that hundreds of times a day, I would prefer that they be in practical clothing. Immediately, I was on alert. Well, I found out why soon enough. They didn't have a dress in there under $4,000- we looked at every price tag. And they didn't have any that fit my style- no long trains, extremely simple styles. We pretty much immediately crossed it off the list for dress shopping. To be fair, they had GORGEOUS veils. They were a little pricey, but they were breathtaking. We are still keeping it in mind for a veil, but in terms of dresses, it was way too hoity toity for my liking.
We left there, and headed to the typical bridal store that everyone thinks of when they think bride- David's Bridal. I was against it from the beginning, but my mom convinced me that we needed to go to get an idea of what we wanted and didn't want. When we walked in, it was packed. Tons of brides, everywhere. Tons of dresses, everywhere. When you enter the store, they have a desk where they "register" you. AKA, they get your info so they can blitz your mail box (both real and electronic) with tons of crap. Luckily, they were busy with another bride, so we wandered over to the Plus Size section, and started looking. I was appalled at what I saw- ugly dresses, few to choose from, in horrible condition. Some even had stains on them! A consultant came over and tried to "help" us, but God bless my mother, who knows how to scare them away. I was disgusted with what I saw, in terms of both dresses and consultations. It was like an assembly line, and I felt like a cookie cutter bride. What little service we did try to get when looking for help with the flower girl dresses was abominable. The only thing we found to our liking was a cute flower girl dress, but for the same price, I can get the one that I really want from AA!
We went home that day, empty handed but for a few bridal CDs we had found at David's Bridal. My mom and I decided to find out when my sister was free, and two weeks later, we took a drive up to Lancaster, PA. Alfred Angelo has a flagship store there, and has many more of their styles in stock then B&G did. We showed up, and it wasn't horribly busy for a Saturday. We started on bridesmaid dresses first, which Meghan modeled for us. I had originally wanted the same dress for all the girls, in a tea length. After seeing some on Meghan, I decided to go with a floor length skirt- it's more classy for a formal church wedding, floor length is appropriate for an October wedding, and this way, they can all wear a silver shoe, but it doesn't have to match. I had decided to do separates, which would allow for some leeway with the bridesmaids' choice, but now, I have decided that it doesn't have to be a separate- as long as it is in my color, floor length, satin, and Alfred Angelo, I will be happy.
We then moved onto my dress. The lady who was helping us had pulled a whole bunch of dresses, based on my criteria. She showed me what she had pulled, and I told her to put the second one back- it was everything I didn't want, and I had seen the picture online and thought it was hideous. She insisted on placing it in the dressing room anyway "just in case". Begrudgingly, I agreed, and my mom and I got me into the first dress, my first choice- which looked horrible on me. It did nothing for me at all. We went to change dresses, and my mother said to put the not-an-option dress on, just so we could get it out of the dressing room, because it was taking up so much room. I agreed, got into it, walked out- and fell in love. It was perfect. It brought the attention to the right places, it worked with my body, it was amazing. And it had everything I didn't want, too! Sleeves, which made my arms look smaller, and accentuated my bust line. Re-embroidered lace, which looked wonderful and sparkled with the crystals and beading. It had a colored sash, that made my waist look smaller, and a sweetheart neckline that made my bust look gorgeous. Okay, it was an A-line, and it had a semi-cathedral train, two things I wanted. I put that dress on, and proceeded to sit in it for the next hour while Meg tried on more dresses. I was in love.
Brian and I had decided earlier that if I was going to get a color in my gown, it would be a royal/brilliant blue. We discussed it together, because we wanted to be on the same page for the rest of the planning, in terms of colors. So we decided on Cobalt Blue for the dress, with the bridesmaids in Cobalt Blue with White accents. Our colors for the entire wedding are also Cobalt Blue and White, with accents of silver. We may do a lighter blue in there as well, but we haven't fully decided yet.
We told the saleswoman what color we wanted, and sized me. She then told us that the dress was on sale during the promotion they were running. It was originally $800 (in my budget!), but was on sale for $650 (even better in my budget!). At this point, my mom went outside and made a phone call to B&G, to find out pricing through them (remember, they are in DE, and AA was in PA- that means tax!). When they said $520, she said sold, and we ordered my dress through them the next week. It took 6 months to come in, and it is so breathtakingly pretty. I can't wait to get my surgery, lose weight, and look beautiful for Brian the day we are wed!
(I am not posting pics here...sorry, but Brian has access to this site, and others, so the pics are staying in my hot little hands! He doesn't want to see the dress, or be tempted to see it, before the big day!)
Must Have
I want this for Brian. It's a must have, and considering his rancious laughter when I showed him, totally appropriate. Visit etsy seller SomethingBlueDesigns for this and more awesome tees.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Among other things...
If you don't know by now, Brian and I are in the process of trying to buy a house. Right now, we are renting an apartment, and after some distinctly unpleasant happenings, we looked at each other and said the same thing- this is ridiculous. With what we are paying for rent, we could be in a small house of our own, building equity and making a home. One of the biggest peeves that Brian has struggled with this entire time in the apartment is since he is not the owner, he cannot fix or update anything here. With him being very hands on, and very handy to boot, not being able to paint and spruce up, fix and make more efficient has driven him nuts. If we are in a house of our own, not only can we put the money into making that home better, it will help build equity along the way as well. Right now, we are throwing it all away. So, about 2 months ago, we started looking at houses.
First off, let me explain something. If you haven't read below, please do, and take note of my medical situation. For us, the decision was made for me to live with Brian instead of my mom because of my medical situation. It's certainly not ideal, but Brian is better equipped to take off work if needed for a medical procedure, or if something goes wrong and I am bed bound. My mom is a home infusion nurse, and while she is obviously devoted to her family, that devotion includes working a job that takes many hours, with not much leeway. Me living with Brian, who is better able to care for me all around, works best in this pitifully crappy situation. Like I said, not ideal, and not what I wanted to be doing ("living in sin", as some would say), but right now, my health has to take precedent.
So we begin the search for the house that we would make a home. First off, let me say that our realtor is AWESOME. Yes, all caps AWESOME. Lauren Hill, of Remax of Wilmington. I cannot recommend her enough. When Brian and I had that initial conversation, it was put upon my shoulders to contact Patrick, our pastor, and see what, if anything, he could recommend. He told us that Lauren, who is a member at our church, is a realtor and that she helped him get into 2 houses, sell the first one, and helped his mom sell her house and move as well. Since we know her through the church, I felt comfortable pairing up with her. And it has not been a mistake. She really has steered us in the right direction, flat out telling us where she wouldn't take us or sell us because the neighborhood or surrounding area was bad. She has given us her honest opinion, telling us we didn't want this house or that one because the construction was known to be shoddy, even if the area was okay. She even went so far as to take us to a not so good section of town to show us what we were "missing" (we didn't even get out of the car, it was that scary!). When we have found something we like, she insists that Mark (Brian's dad) and either my mom or dad come and approve the house- make sure there are no unforeseen issues that might get us in trouble down the road. Lauren Hill, of Remax of Wilmington. Remember that name, because I will always recommend her to anyone that asks. She's amazing, simply wonderful.
Okay, enough about the realtor (we love you, Lauren!). Unfortunately, being young 20-somethings, we don't have much saved or make enough for a huge house. We were pre approved for low amount, but we are determined to make it work. Mark taught Brian and his brother, Alan, carpentry and wood working as a skill very early on, and they all are huge into it as a hobby. My dad has many skills as well. Right now, that's our saving grace, sweat equity. We may not have much money, but when you can install appliances, finish hardwood floors, section off and finish the basement, and add other amenities that may not cost much to buy but cost a chunk to install and fix, you have an upper hand in all this. Even though the houses that we are looking at may not be in the best condition, a little elbow grease, some paint, and sweat go a looooong way.
We started the search, and I think right now, we have seen 50+ houses. Some are in total disrepair, some are in not that great sections of town, some are just a little too small. So we trudge on. The other downside? Because the amount of money we are approved for is low, most of the houses we have looked at have been either short sales (where the sellers owe more to the bank than they will ever get at market for the house, which means the bank has to approve the sale) or are foreclosures (where the bank owns the property). This makes the process extra strenuous because we can't just go in and sign the agreement, inspect, settle, and move in. No, we have to take that extra step through the bank, which is what holds up most sales and takes forever- because of the housing market and the economy, and since most of these sellers bought when the market was grossly inflated, there are stacks and stacks and stacks of these agreements waiting for approval. I am not kidding- clerks are hired just to clear this paperwork. This process can add up to 3 MONTHS to the entire ordeal. Whoa.
Finally, the topper to the whole thing is that since we are first time home buyers, we are going for that $8,000 tax credit- the biggest reason we are looking now, instead of waiting a little bit. Which adds a bit of a time crunch to the whole thing- the paperwork for that has to be submitted by December 1st, and to do that, Lauren wants us in a house by Halloween. Count backwards 3 months, and yes, that puts you right about...NOW. Just a smidgen pressed for time. On top of all of that, we are doing FHA as first time home buyers. Not a bad thing, as it often offers lower interest rates and required settlement help, but it does mean special home inspections and weird criteria to meet- no dirt on the walls, things like that. Odd, but we take it as it comes, and hope for the best.
Right now, we have found 2 that we really like. First one is a 2 br/1 ba in good condition. It's got a family room and a living room, plus the dining room and a huge laundry room. No basement, no garage, but a good sized lot. It's in a great area, and the interior is in good condition. We put the bid in oh, 6 weeks ago, but it's a short sale, and with 3 other offers on the house, could take a while- and with that many bids, we may not have that good of a chance of getting it. Plus, Mark raised some concerns of termites- there is already damage on the back of the house, and since it's a slab house, he is worried about the condition underneath. The good part is there is room for improvement/additions, if we wanted to, and in more ways than one. There are some other FHA requirements that have them worried as well, so we decided to go out looking for more houses, hoping to find another one.
The second one is also a short sale. It's a 2 br/1 ba as well, but it's got an already finished attic, a double sided basement, a sun room, and a deck. It's also got a shed out back. The kitchen is sooo much bigger! Because of where the bathroom is located, we could easily add another bathroom upstairs in the finished attic, and have a master suite. The possibility exists that we could finish off half the basement, since it's a dry basement. If we do that, we can also add a bathroom downstairs as well. It needs some work- it's got hardwood floors throughout that need to be taken care of, the kitchen floor needs to be completely redone, all the carpet over the wood needs to be ripped up (cat pee...eww), it needs paint throughout, some windows and the slider need to be replaced, the sub floor in the attic needs to be redone, and on top of that all, there is still stuff left over from the sellers, and all that has to be hauled out and away. The good thing with this one is it is in much better shape structurally, and once fixed up, will definitely appreciate in value. It's in a little bit more iffy part of New Castle, but it's not bad at all, since the Catholic Church up the block has done some revitalization in the neighborhood, which has really turned it around (it wasn't bad to begin with, but it had started to slide 10 years ago when my older sister lived on the next street over. Since the church's efforts, it's really turned around). This one is definitely our top pick. And since we are the only bid on the house, and have been since it was re-listed (note the re- it's been on the market since around last October, and even then had only 1 offer!). We think they haven't had any offers because it's listed really high for the condition it's in- we put in at our highest, and apparently, the sellers are liking it and willing to take our offer, once a few things in the paperwork are changed. It's the bank approval that we have to worry about.
Of course, we now joke that we will find out about the house and my surgery at the same time, and it will happen when we are away in NOLA chaperoning the youth group for the National Youth Gathering. Then, Brian would have to do all the stuff to the house himself while I recuperate. Of course, we will take it either way, but having to work because I got the surgery I have been fighting for is something he will gladly and joyfully shoulder.
During all of this, Brian has been awesome. I know I say it a lot, but it really is true- he is my better half, and wants only the best for me. This entire time, when I am weeping and wailing about not having a job to contribute more to the search, Brian looks at me and says, "I just want you better. I don't want your money, I don't want your work- I just want you not in pain." You can tell he is so heartfelt about it. He keeps telling me that the long housebuying process is so painful for him, all because he just wants to give me a home, something we can build together. I know that I may not seem grateful at times, and yes, we do fight. But at the end of the day, when I am lying in bed in the dark, I am saying prayers of Thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father above for the wondrous gift He has seen fit to give me.
I am so humbled that God sent Brian into my life, and I will always and forever be in debt to my Lord and King, not only for sending Brian, but for the ultimate gift of love- His Son, Jesus. Wow, what a wonderfully amazing God I have! With every breath I take, I will praise Him. And with every thought I have, I will thank Him- for the love of my life, and all that I have, despite my circumstances. Jesus loves me, this I know...
First off, let me explain something. If you haven't read below, please do, and take note of my medical situation. For us, the decision was made for me to live with Brian instead of my mom because of my medical situation. It's certainly not ideal, but Brian is better equipped to take off work if needed for a medical procedure, or if something goes wrong and I am bed bound. My mom is a home infusion nurse, and while she is obviously devoted to her family, that devotion includes working a job that takes many hours, with not much leeway. Me living with Brian, who is better able to care for me all around, works best in this pitifully crappy situation. Like I said, not ideal, and not what I wanted to be doing ("living in sin", as some would say), but right now, my health has to take precedent.
So we begin the search for the house that we would make a home. First off, let me say that our realtor is AWESOME. Yes, all caps AWESOME. Lauren Hill, of Remax of Wilmington. I cannot recommend her enough. When Brian and I had that initial conversation, it was put upon my shoulders to contact Patrick, our pastor, and see what, if anything, he could recommend. He told us that Lauren, who is a member at our church, is a realtor and that she helped him get into 2 houses, sell the first one, and helped his mom sell her house and move as well. Since we know her through the church, I felt comfortable pairing up with her. And it has not been a mistake. She really has steered us in the right direction, flat out telling us where she wouldn't take us or sell us because the neighborhood or surrounding area was bad. She has given us her honest opinion, telling us we didn't want this house or that one because the construction was known to be shoddy, even if the area was okay. She even went so far as to take us to a not so good section of town to show us what we were "missing" (we didn't even get out of the car, it was that scary!). When we have found something we like, she insists that Mark (Brian's dad) and either my mom or dad come and approve the house- make sure there are no unforeseen issues that might get us in trouble down the road. Lauren Hill, of Remax of Wilmington. Remember that name, because I will always recommend her to anyone that asks. She's amazing, simply wonderful.
Okay, enough about the realtor (we love you, Lauren!). Unfortunately, being young 20-somethings, we don't have much saved or make enough for a huge house. We were pre approved for low amount, but we are determined to make it work. Mark taught Brian and his brother, Alan, carpentry and wood working as a skill very early on, and they all are huge into it as a hobby. My dad has many skills as well. Right now, that's our saving grace, sweat equity. We may not have much money, but when you can install appliances, finish hardwood floors, section off and finish the basement, and add other amenities that may not cost much to buy but cost a chunk to install and fix, you have an upper hand in all this. Even though the houses that we are looking at may not be in the best condition, a little elbow grease, some paint, and sweat go a looooong way.
We started the search, and I think right now, we have seen 50+ houses. Some are in total disrepair, some are in not that great sections of town, some are just a little too small. So we trudge on. The other downside? Because the amount of money we are approved for is low, most of the houses we have looked at have been either short sales (where the sellers owe more to the bank than they will ever get at market for the house, which means the bank has to approve the sale) or are foreclosures (where the bank owns the property). This makes the process extra strenuous because we can't just go in and sign the agreement, inspect, settle, and move in. No, we have to take that extra step through the bank, which is what holds up most sales and takes forever- because of the housing market and the economy, and since most of these sellers bought when the market was grossly inflated, there are stacks and stacks and stacks of these agreements waiting for approval. I am not kidding- clerks are hired just to clear this paperwork. This process can add up to 3 MONTHS to the entire ordeal. Whoa.
Finally, the topper to the whole thing is that since we are first time home buyers, we are going for that $8,000 tax credit- the biggest reason we are looking now, instead of waiting a little bit. Which adds a bit of a time crunch to the whole thing- the paperwork for that has to be submitted by December 1st, and to do that, Lauren wants us in a house by Halloween. Count backwards 3 months, and yes, that puts you right about...NOW. Just a smidgen pressed for time. On top of all of that, we are doing FHA as first time home buyers. Not a bad thing, as it often offers lower interest rates and required settlement help, but it does mean special home inspections and weird criteria to meet- no dirt on the walls, things like that. Odd, but we take it as it comes, and hope for the best.
Right now, we have found 2 that we really like. First one is a 2 br/1 ba in good condition. It's got a family room and a living room, plus the dining room and a huge laundry room. No basement, no garage, but a good sized lot. It's in a great area, and the interior is in good condition. We put the bid in oh, 6 weeks ago, but it's a short sale, and with 3 other offers on the house, could take a while- and with that many bids, we may not have that good of a chance of getting it. Plus, Mark raised some concerns of termites- there is already damage on the back of the house, and since it's a slab house, he is worried about the condition underneath. The good part is there is room for improvement/additions, if we wanted to, and in more ways than one. There are some other FHA requirements that have them worried as well, so we decided to go out looking for more houses, hoping to find another one.
The second one is also a short sale. It's a 2 br/1 ba as well, but it's got an already finished attic, a double sided basement, a sun room, and a deck. It's also got a shed out back. The kitchen is sooo much bigger! Because of where the bathroom is located, we could easily add another bathroom upstairs in the finished attic, and have a master suite. The possibility exists that we could finish off half the basement, since it's a dry basement. If we do that, we can also add a bathroom downstairs as well. It needs some work- it's got hardwood floors throughout that need to be taken care of, the kitchen floor needs to be completely redone, all the carpet over the wood needs to be ripped up (cat pee...eww), it needs paint throughout, some windows and the slider need to be replaced, the sub floor in the attic needs to be redone, and on top of that all, there is still stuff left over from the sellers, and all that has to be hauled out and away. The good thing with this one is it is in much better shape structurally, and once fixed up, will definitely appreciate in value. It's in a little bit more iffy part of New Castle, but it's not bad at all, since the Catholic Church up the block has done some revitalization in the neighborhood, which has really turned it around (it wasn't bad to begin with, but it had started to slide 10 years ago when my older sister lived on the next street over. Since the church's efforts, it's really turned around). This one is definitely our top pick. And since we are the only bid on the house, and have been since it was re-listed (note the re- it's been on the market since around last October, and even then had only 1 offer!). We think they haven't had any offers because it's listed really high for the condition it's in- we put in at our highest, and apparently, the sellers are liking it and willing to take our offer, once a few things in the paperwork are changed. It's the bank approval that we have to worry about.
Of course, we now joke that we will find out about the house and my surgery at the same time, and it will happen when we are away in NOLA chaperoning the youth group for the National Youth Gathering. Then, Brian would have to do all the stuff to the house himself while I recuperate. Of course, we will take it either way, but having to work because I got the surgery I have been fighting for is something he will gladly and joyfully shoulder.
During all of this, Brian has been awesome. I know I say it a lot, but it really is true- he is my better half, and wants only the best for me. This entire time, when I am weeping and wailing about not having a job to contribute more to the search, Brian looks at me and says, "I just want you better. I don't want your money, I don't want your work- I just want you not in pain." You can tell he is so heartfelt about it. He keeps telling me that the long housebuying process is so painful for him, all because he just wants to give me a home, something we can build together. I know that I may not seem grateful at times, and yes, we do fight. But at the end of the day, when I am lying in bed in the dark, I am saying prayers of Thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father above for the wondrous gift He has seen fit to give me.
I am so humbled that God sent Brian into my life, and I will always and forever be in debt to my Lord and King, not only for sending Brian, but for the ultimate gift of love- His Son, Jesus. Wow, what a wonderfully amazing God I have! With every breath I take, I will praise Him. And with every thought I have, I will thank Him- for the love of my life, and all that I have, despite my circumstances. Jesus loves me, this I know...
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