Yesterday Dan and I (and Morgan, too) got to see our new abode. We had a home inspection to attend to see if our home is what it claims it is.
The inspector gave it very good reviews. On the whole, nothing needed to be done to it. Oh, wait... except for the fact that there were two birdies in the attic that will need to be evicted. The inspector said a 50 cent piece of metal to cover the opening would solve that problem.
We heard some cool things about our house:
- It was a model home, so it has a few upgrades.
- It has a sprinkler system apparently.
- It has an all-house humidifier. Yes!
- It has a super duper filter on the furnace to keep pollen from flying around.
- I think it has a security system as well.
It's not a perfect house. But it's perfect for us. The carpet needs to be restretched in places. Heck, even I need to be restretched in places. (That was a pregnancy joke, folks.) It doesn't have a stunner kitchen, but a good one with some great counterspace. We won't have to repaint right away. Everything is pretty neutral. That will give me time to live with it a while to see what I want to do.
I'm really, really looking forward to a soak in my new garden tub. Ahhhhh.
And though it probably won't be for a few years yet, I'm already thinking about backyard landscaping.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Friday, April 13, 2007
Calling All Friends
We're hoping to settle into the Aurora home on Friday, May 11. We may leave the majority of unpacking for Saturday, May 12. Any takers? Then we can all be nice and sore for Mother's Day.
New House
Wow. Buying a home is craziness. I forgot how crazy it is... mortgages, inspections, etc.
I think the hardest part is that I'm hearing a lot of comments from friends about the house. I think they're trying to feel me out to see if I'm really going through with this... buying a larger house, further from the church, etc. And though the house is pretty and neutral, it doesn't have our "life" in it yet, so the photos make it look a little bland, I'll be honest.
I'm getting a little gun shy of showing friends photos of it. There's a hesitancy in their voices. Maybe it's b/c they're used to us having a little bunaglow. I don't know.
I imagine this is how women feel who adopt a child from another country but haven't yet seen their baby yet. All they have is a photo from some third world country in which the baby looks unkempt. They're trying to convince others that the baby is wonderful; in truth they know very little about the baby. They need to hold the infant, dress him and put their special family touches on him.
So, now that I've said my peace, here's what I like about our new buy:
1. It's neutral decor inside. No screaming floral wallpaper to make me grow crazy.
2. Great floors- some hardwoods, some carpet
3. Clean, clean, clean
4. No half finished projects- "We WERE going to build the deck, but we stopped."
5. Four bedrooms, 2.5 baths- Master bath has a garden tub and shower
6. There is a den which you have to walk down a little private hallway to get to... very intimate- love it.
7. The living room has vaulted ceilings, but the windows remain on the lower floor (not floor to ceiling). It has an airy but intimate feeling at the same time. Plus, it has two skylights
8. It's bright and airy. Get me through these Chicago winters
9. The kitchen has a good amount of counter space. It's not granite, but they're clean and liveable. I like that.
10. A great basement. It's not finished, but that's okay.
I think the hardest part is that I'm hearing a lot of comments from friends about the house. I think they're trying to feel me out to see if I'm really going through with this... buying a larger house, further from the church, etc. And though the house is pretty and neutral, it doesn't have our "life" in it yet, so the photos make it look a little bland, I'll be honest.
I'm getting a little gun shy of showing friends photos of it. There's a hesitancy in their voices. Maybe it's b/c they're used to us having a little bunaglow. I don't know.
I imagine this is how women feel who adopt a child from another country but haven't yet seen their baby yet. All they have is a photo from some third world country in which the baby looks unkempt. They're trying to convince others that the baby is wonderful; in truth they know very little about the baby. They need to hold the infant, dress him and put their special family touches on him.
So, now that I've said my peace, here's what I like about our new buy:
1. It's neutral decor inside. No screaming floral wallpaper to make me grow crazy.
2. Great floors- some hardwoods, some carpet
3. Clean, clean, clean
4. No half finished projects- "We WERE going to build the deck, but we stopped."
5. Four bedrooms, 2.5 baths- Master bath has a garden tub and shower
6. There is a den which you have to walk down a little private hallway to get to... very intimate- love it.
7. The living room has vaulted ceilings, but the windows remain on the lower floor (not floor to ceiling). It has an airy but intimate feeling at the same time. Plus, it has two skylights
8. It's bright and airy. Get me through these Chicago winters
9. The kitchen has a good amount of counter space. It's not granite, but they're clean and liveable. I like that.
10. A great basement. It's not finished, but that's okay.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Holy Cuteness, Batman
Here's some photos:
1. My brother and his girlfriend, Rebecca
2. Photos of Morgan and her cousins
3-4. Photos of Baby Chet being fed
5. Happy Chet
1. My brother and his girlfriend, Rebecca
2. Photos of Morgan and her cousins
3-4. Photos of Baby Chet being fed
5. Happy Chet
Home?
Well, it's hard to wrap our brain around it, but it appears that as of yesterday, we bought a home. It's in Oakhurst North subdivision in Aurora and I'm excited to call it home sweet home.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Three Year Olds
Morgan had a fantastic time with her cousins in Charlotte. She surprised me. I thought she would not be too keen on Britt (the almost-3-year-old) and dig Chet (the 5-monther). It was the opposite.
Morgan and Britt played together a lot. They did fairly well. But, selfishly, I thought their fighting was more entertaining. Whenever Morgan had a toy that Britt wanted, he simply went up and took it from her. Morgan threw her head back and wailed. Britt would immediately go to another toy and pretend that nothing happened. He gives an excellent "Who? Me?" look when adults are around.
But Morgan would set Britt up. She would deliberately take his favorite toy and kind of parade it in front of him. He had a red play truck that he especially liked. As soon as he woke up in the morning, Morgan would DASH over to the toy and pretend to ADORE it.
Sometimes, when Britt was very upset, he would "bulldoze" her out of the way. He's built a bit like a fireplug and has the mass to outweigh her. A simple, slow, pushing seemed to work. Sometimes, but rarely, he would hit her and then dash away, quickly finding another toy. It was hilarious. *ahem* I mean terrible. Truly terrible.
Morgan would tattle on him quite a bit. That was a riot, too, because she kept calling him "that boy" or "Drew" for some reason. Could be the cause for his lack of listening to her... wrong name.
In any case, there was no doubt that everyone had their proper amount of testosterone and estrogen. A good time was had by both, generally speaking.
Morgan and Britt played together a lot. They did fairly well. But, selfishly, I thought their fighting was more entertaining. Whenever Morgan had a toy that Britt wanted, he simply went up and took it from her. Morgan threw her head back and wailed. Britt would immediately go to another toy and pretend that nothing happened. He gives an excellent "Who? Me?" look when adults are around.
But Morgan would set Britt up. She would deliberately take his favorite toy and kind of parade it in front of him. He had a red play truck that he especially liked. As soon as he woke up in the morning, Morgan would DASH over to the toy and pretend to ADORE it.
Sometimes, when Britt was very upset, he would "bulldoze" her out of the way. He's built a bit like a fireplug and has the mass to outweigh her. A simple, slow, pushing seemed to work. Sometimes, but rarely, he would hit her and then dash away, quickly finding another toy. It was hilarious. *ahem* I mean terrible. Truly terrible.
Morgan would tattle on him quite a bit. That was a riot, too, because she kept calling him "that boy" or "Drew" for some reason. Could be the cause for his lack of listening to her... wrong name.
In any case, there was no doubt that everyone had their proper amount of testosterone and estrogen. A good time was had by both, generally speaking.
Children- Nature's Little Humility Pill
It's no surprise to anyone with children that these squirts will quickly find your Achilles heal, work it to the fullest and don a pouty lip as if they didn't know. They're smarter than we think.
Recently I was in a public setting (can't for the LIFE of me remember where) when Morgan said she had to use the bathroom. My potty-training attenae responded to the call and I swooped up my daughter to go to the restroom. Somewhere between the time I picked her up and the time I took 5 steps, Morgan determined that she no longer had to go and wanted to resume playing with the toys. I told her "No, Morgan, you should at least try to go potty." I picked up my rather disagreeable daugther who is no match for my motherly strength when she suddenly burst out loudly: "Please, Mommy! Please don't take down my pants!" Now I don't know about you, but I found this statement downright embarassing. First of all, I have NEVER heard her say that, even in the privacy of our own home. And then, using her new command of the English language, my daughter proved that the tongue is indeed mightier than the sword. I countered something lame like, "Well, if you don't have to go..." but inside I was afeared. Truly afeared.
Where had my 3-1/2 year old offspring learned to embarrass her mother so? Surely not on Sesame Street. Even SpongeBob wouldn't go that far. *sigh* No matter, my pride was altered the moment she became mine. Surly little girl, I love you.
Recently I was in a public setting (can't for the LIFE of me remember where) when Morgan said she had to use the bathroom. My potty-training attenae responded to the call and I swooped up my daughter to go to the restroom. Somewhere between the time I picked her up and the time I took 5 steps, Morgan determined that she no longer had to go and wanted to resume playing with the toys. I told her "No, Morgan, you should at least try to go potty." I picked up my rather disagreeable daugther who is no match for my motherly strength when she suddenly burst out loudly: "Please, Mommy! Please don't take down my pants!" Now I don't know about you, but I found this statement downright embarassing. First of all, I have NEVER heard her say that, even in the privacy of our own home. And then, using her new command of the English language, my daughter proved that the tongue is indeed mightier than the sword. I countered something lame like, "Well, if you don't have to go..." but inside I was afeared. Truly afeared.
Where had my 3-1/2 year old offspring learned to embarrass her mother so? Surely not on Sesame Street. Even SpongeBob wouldn't go that far. *sigh* No matter, my pride was altered the moment she became mine. Surly little girl, I love you.
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