Trying to sell our house from July-December was like pushing against a brick wall. Totally pointless. Don't get me wrong, we love our house- we were just ready for something new. Well, 6 promises of a contract, 2 actual contracts, 2 fallen-through negotiations, and about 35 showings (all of which I have to pack up the kids and leave the house because I SAH, I don't work) we have thrown in the towel.
I'm sick and tired of cleaning and hoping and waiting and cleaning and leaving and driving around for an hour and then hoping and waiting again. Trying to sell my house nearly killed me, and our agent did her best. She was parading our house around like a pimp and his hooker.
So here I am, metaphorically bruised, broken, bleeding. Dying on the side of the highway of life.
Well, at least it's over. At least we can just enjoy our home. Do some fun little projects (which we are). Wait... what's that... circling overhead? Freeking vultures.
Awesome.
The same day our house was de-listed from the market the calls started coming in. "Hello I'm So-and-so from Soul-sucking Realty Group. I noticed your home has been de-listed from the market. I was wondering when you're interested in trying to sell again if you want an agent who can get the job done for you."
Um, wow.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
Getting Organized
In an effort to live more simply we've set a general goal of suburban homesteading in our house. Which to us means: make what you can, be efficient with what you have, grow what we can (clearly that one will be waiting till the spring) and be organized. 
Since we're not ready to grow things yet the least we can do is make the soil rich. Instead of ordering one of those super cute composter bins on amazon (which is really tempting, BTW) I'm using something I already have. This is both green and frugal. Go me!
I recognized my limitations when it came to handcrafted spice racks. Limit reached. Amazon ordered. Very cheap, so points for frugality. And now instead of searching for what seems like ever for the friggin' garlic powder, every spice we have (which is many) is now in plain sight!
In order to streamline our lives we're putting most of our DVDs on our hard drive and storing them in the attic. We don't need the cases sitting around taking up space and honestly with those fancy new pull-down stairs putting things in the attic is kinda fun!
Since we're not ready to grow things yet the least we can do is make the soil rich. Instead of ordering one of those super cute composter bins on amazon (which is really tempting, BTW) I'm using something I already have. This is both green and frugal. Go me!
I recognized my limitations when it came to handcrafted spice racks. Limit reached. Amazon ordered. Very cheap, so points for frugality. And now instead of searching for what seems like ever for the friggin' garlic powder, every spice we have (which is many) is now in plain sight!
In order to streamline our lives we're putting most of our DVDs on our hard drive and storing them in the attic. We don't need the cases sitting around taking up space and honestly with those fancy new pull-down stairs putting things in the attic is kinda fun!Yes, Jack is watching Apollo 13. (I know you all were dying to know!) When the Husband started ripping it Jack looked over on the screen and saw astronauts and space ships. There was no turning back. He's obsessed. Seriously, obsessed.
Finally our fourth new project so far this year has been to give some love to the storage room. We used to just stack things on top of the washer and dryer, and then when they ran they would vibrate and whatever was on them would fall crashing to the floor. Not good.
Finally our fourth new project so far this year has been to give some love to the storage room. We used to just stack things on top of the washer and dryer, and then when they ran they would vibrate and whatever was on them would fall crashing to the floor. Not good.I think total we spent maybe $70 on both sets of shelves and the boards to run between them. Now we have room to keep the laundry, TP, night-time pull-ups and booze organized. But even better is we now have the space to store more things we don't use every day and when we start picking blueberries in the spring we'll have a place to store jars of jam!
Coming up: real estate vultures. They don't mess around.
Coming up: real estate vultures. They don't mess around.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Laundry Day
Sunday. Laundry day.No one really likes laundry, but these guys make it nearly enjoyable.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Outer Space
We talk about outer space often in this house. All. The. Time. For Christmas Jack got a model of the solar system and he wanted to play with it right away. Well we started working on it together right after the new year. (Note: Jack suited up for the project.)
And by together I mean that I painted many many layers with modeling paint while Jack watched, asked me what color I was using, which planet I was painting and occasionally flew around the room in his space ship.
Finally all the planets were painted (sitting in halves on the box) and we were ready to assemble. Well Jupiter and Saturn, true to life are much larger and much heavier that Uranus and Neptune which meant I was not only stringing planets on fishing wire but I was stringing washers and old bolts on the fishing wire and encasing them in the less dense Uranus and Neptune in order for the mobile to hang flat. If Jack had only been a little older this would have been an awesome discussion & experiment on mass.
But eventually we escaped and we are now free to marvel at and discuss the planets as we please.
And by together I mean that I painted many many layers with modeling paint while Jack watched, asked me what color I was using, which planet I was painting and occasionally flew around the room in his space ship.
Finally all the planets were painted (sitting in halves on the box) and we were ready to assemble. Well Jupiter and Saturn, true to life are much larger and much heavier that Uranus and Neptune which meant I was not only stringing planets on fishing wire but I was stringing washers and old bolts on the fishing wire and encasing them in the less dense Uranus and Neptune in order for the mobile to hang flat. If Jack had only been a little older this would have been an awesome discussion & experiment on mass.Then while trying to hang it we got locked in Jack's room.
But eventually we escaped and we are now free to marvel at and discuss the planets as we please.Now I've moved on.
Tonight I started the dinosaur project for Henry's room. One Stegosaurus down, several other dinos to go.
Tonight I started the dinosaur project for Henry's room. One Stegosaurus down, several other dinos to go.Thursday, January 6, 2011
The Crime Scene
I just spent approximately the last 30 minutes trapped inside my son's room (Jack) with him while poor Henry cried from his crib next door.
We've had the handles turned around since Jack started using a big-boy bed because we needed a way to keep him in the room so he wouldn't wander around the house in the middle of the night. I was standing on Jack's dresser, hanging on his model of the solar system (more on that in another post) when Jack shut and locked the door from the inside.
Annoyed. Yes? Pissed... okay, kinda. But I've grown up with locks like these, I used to pick them as a kid in my house growing up with simple things like the ends of shoelaces or the pointy part of the cap of a Bic pen. But Jack is not even three yet, he doesn't have shoes with laces or a desk filled with Bic pens. Shit. SHIT SHIT SHIT!!!
I find this plastic hanger in his closet and break it apart to get the little metal hook. I'm still thinking about how awesome I'm going to be when I MacGyver myself out of this situation in the time it takes him to build a car out of duct tape (like 20 seconds).
Well the metal hook fits part way into the door but then the hook widens and no matter how hard I shove it won't go in the little hole.
Something smaller.....
I need something smaller. Think, Emily. Sewing machine. Well I don't have anything but the sewing machine itself up here but maybe I'll get lucky and I'll have left a needle in the thing and can take it out and use that. That just has to be small enough.
There is a needle in there, and it is small enough. And that little thing must be made of steel because I pushed and shoved and it didn't bend or break but it didn't work either.
Then Jack says to me "Mommy, I need to go potty." Holyfuckingshit. This is so not happening to me. So I do what any logical mom would do when she was locked in her toddler's room. I open the window and ask him if he wants to pee out the window. He doesn't. Grrrrrreat.
It is at this point that I burst into tears. The Husband went to work late, and I told him to stay at work and not come home early so I'm going to be trapped in this room until sometime after 6 and I don't even know what time it is. There's no one walking their dogs in the open space behind our house. I don't have a clue how long I might have to wait for the neighbors kids to come home so I can yell to them to call my husband, the fire department, the president. Anybody!
I'm holding on to the knob of the door on my knees screaming, "Please, let us out! Please, let us out!" Jack now seeing that his mother has gone completely insane bursts into tears and requests a hug. "I'm sorry I locked da door, Mommy."
Snap. Back to reality. I instantly pull myself together because I have to get us out of here. I can hear Henry through the wall screaming. I start repeating over and over out loud "Every problem has a solution." Like a mantra.
"Jack, honey, look out the window. If you see Lia or any of your friends or someone walking a puppy dog tell Mommy. Can you do that?" My little soldier says "Yes, Mommy." Like he means business and walks over to the window.
"Do you want to go pee pee out the window?" "No, Mommy. Pee pee goes in the potty." Well I can't disagree with his logic.
I try to push the pins out of the hinges using that hanger hook that's too big for the keyhole in the handle of the door. They won't budge. The hook is probably aluminum, it usually takes a screwdriver and a hammer to get them out, but if I had that I could just take the doorknob off.
I make peace with what I'm about to do. Stand up take three steps back and throw myself against the door. Picturing the frame splintering and the door crashing against the walls in the hallway. At least we can fix all that. ::Smash:: My pathetic little body hits the door like a bug on a goddamn windshield. So much for that idea.
I jamb the hanger hook between the door and the frame twisting and turning it hoping to, well frankly I don't really know what I'm hoping to do. All of a sudden part of the hanger hook breaks off. The thick bulky part.
Hope. A tiny glimmer of hope. Maybe now it will fit all the way through the keyhole.
It does!!!
Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Oprah Winfrey! Thank you, Tom Cruise!!
p.s Needless to say, we're turning the knob back around before bedtime tonight.
p.p.s. Yes, Jack held it till we got out and Henry's not pissed anymore, now that he's had a little snack.
We've had the handles turned around since Jack started using a big-boy bed because we needed a way to keep him in the room so he wouldn't wander around the house in the middle of the night. I was standing on Jack's dresser, hanging on his model of the solar system (more on that in another post) when Jack shut and locked the door from the inside.
Annoyed. Yes? Pissed... okay, kinda. But I've grown up with locks like these, I used to pick them as a kid in my house growing up with simple things like the ends of shoelaces or the pointy part of the cap of a Bic pen. But Jack is not even three yet, he doesn't have shoes with laces or a desk filled with Bic pens. Shit. SHIT SHIT SHIT!!!
I find this plastic hanger in his closet and break it apart to get the little metal hook. I'm still thinking about how awesome I'm going to be when I MacGyver myself out of this situation in the time it takes him to build a car out of duct tape (like 20 seconds).
Well the metal hook fits part way into the door but then the hook widens and no matter how hard I shove it won't go in the little hole.Something smaller.....
I need something smaller. Think, Emily. Sewing machine. Well I don't have anything but the sewing machine itself up here but maybe I'll get lucky and I'll have left a needle in the thing and can take it out and use that. That just has to be small enough.
There is a needle in there, and it is small enough. And that little thing must be made of steel because I pushed and shoved and it didn't bend or break but it didn't work either.Then Jack says to me "Mommy, I need to go potty." Holyfuckingshit. This is so not happening to me. So I do what any logical mom would do when she was locked in her toddler's room. I open the window and ask him if he wants to pee out the window. He doesn't. Grrrrrreat.
It is at this point that I burst into tears. The Husband went to work late, and I told him to stay at work and not come home early so I'm going to be trapped in this room until sometime after 6 and I don't even know what time it is. There's no one walking their dogs in the open space behind our house. I don't have a clue how long I might have to wait for the neighbors kids to come home so I can yell to them to call my husband, the fire department, the president. Anybody!
I'm holding on to the knob of the door on my knees screaming, "Please, let us out! Please, let us out!" Jack now seeing that his mother has gone completely insane bursts into tears and requests a hug. "I'm sorry I locked da door, Mommy."
Snap. Back to reality. I instantly pull myself together because I have to get us out of here. I can hear Henry through the wall screaming. I start repeating over and over out loud "Every problem has a solution." Like a mantra.
"Jack, honey, look out the window. If you see Lia or any of your friends or someone walking a puppy dog tell Mommy. Can you do that?" My little soldier says "Yes, Mommy." Like he means business and walks over to the window.
"Do you want to go pee pee out the window?" "No, Mommy. Pee pee goes in the potty." Well I can't disagree with his logic.
I try to push the pins out of the hinges using that hanger hook that's too big for the keyhole in the handle of the door. They won't budge. The hook is probably aluminum, it usually takes a screwdriver and a hammer to get them out, but if I had that I could just take the doorknob off.
I make peace with what I'm about to do. Stand up take three steps back and throw myself against the door. Picturing the frame splintering and the door crashing against the walls in the hallway. At least we can fix all that. ::Smash:: My pathetic little body hits the door like a bug on a goddamn windshield. So much for that idea.
I jamb the hanger hook between the door and the frame twisting and turning it hoping to, well frankly I don't really know what I'm hoping to do. All of a sudden part of the hanger hook breaks off. The thick bulky part.
Hope. A tiny glimmer of hope. Maybe now it will fit all the way through the keyhole.
It does!!!Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Oprah Winfrey! Thank you, Tom Cruise!!
p.s Needless to say, we're turning the knob back around before bedtime tonight.
p.p.s. Yes, Jack held it till we got out and Henry's not pissed anymore, now that he's had a little snack.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
A Sign of Solidarity
Today Henry went in for his 9 month check-up. He was 29.5 inches long and weighed 21lbs13oz (which is quite a bit lighter than I had been guessing- I guess that shows what I know.)
Henry got 2 shots while we were there: DTaP and Polio.
Jack came along for the trip and was scheduled to get a flu shot (not that I told him that).
While we were there we talked to the Doctor about the hemangioma on Henry's left eyelid. We have been referred to a pediatric Opthamologist because if it continues to grow it could impact his vision and would have to be surgically removed. The doctor felt, and I agree, that it is better to have a first measurement of the hemangioma now before it has already reached surgical proportions (if it ever does.)
I explained to Jack that he was going to get one shot today and while he said "I don't want a shot." at least he didn't throw a tantrum. Jack went first, then Henry. After Henry's shots he took longer to recover than Jack did, which surprised me a little given their personalities.
Jack walked over to Henry still whimpering on my lap and said "It's okay, Henry, I have a boo-boo band aid too." And he pat him on the back. I just about died. So. Stinkin'. Cute.
After we got home Jack regaled Daddy with his story from the doctors office "Daddy, today I cried at the doctor. I got a shot. My band aid is in my pocket." (Close enough.)
Henry got 2 shots while we were there: DTaP and Polio.
Jack came along for the trip and was scheduled to get a flu shot (not that I told him that).
While we were there we talked to the Doctor about the hemangioma on Henry's left eyelid. We have been referred to a pediatric Opthamologist because if it continues to grow it could impact his vision and would have to be surgically removed. The doctor felt, and I agree, that it is better to have a first measurement of the hemangioma now before it has already reached surgical proportions (if it ever does.)
I explained to Jack that he was going to get one shot today and while he said "I don't want a shot." at least he didn't throw a tantrum. Jack went first, then Henry. After Henry's shots he took longer to recover than Jack did, which surprised me a little given their personalities.
Jack walked over to Henry still whimpering on my lap and said "It's okay, Henry, I have a boo-boo band aid too." And he pat him on the back. I just about died. So. Stinkin'. Cute.
After we got home Jack regaled Daddy with his story from the doctors office "Daddy, today I cried at the doctor. I got a shot. My band aid is in my pocket." (Close enough.)
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
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