The house saga continues!

This really is a huge PITA!!! We got another offer on the house today. They are offering more than the asking price, but they want............get this...................$3500 in moving expenses (our agent nixed this before he even brought the offer to us) AND $6500 in closing costs. WTF? I don't think so!!! They also want other small stuff like title insurance, repair fees, warranty, our refridgerator and stove, and all blinds. Are they completely out of their minds? That is a lot of money and we don't have that much equity in the house to begin with. We haven't even been here for 3 years. I'm thinking of countering with what they are offering and closing costs ONLY. We are putting in a call to my brother-in-law who is a mortgage broker to see if the $6500 in closing is legit anyway. They can also have the refridgerator, stove, and blinds. I'm not giving them anymore money though. I've decided that I'm selling this house on MY terms and if the potential buyers don't like it then they can buy a different house. I refuse to get screwed. I'm content with staying here if it comes down to it. Yes, the gas to and from work everyday is still going to be an issue, but otherwise I love my house.

The zoo is always fun!

Elephants...................giraffes.........................and tigers...................oh my!




Joshua in his "Cool dude" shades!



Ari is having fun in the bamboo forest.


Hey, 16 year olds are good for something..............carrying around cranky 1 year olds on a hot day at the zoo! Just kidding Christian, you know I love you!!

Sneaky Little Monkey!!

Does dog food really taste that good?

Ari will sit right beside the dog food bowl with her back against the wall and stealthfully slide her right hand into the bowl and pick out a piece of dog food. When she thinks I'm not looking she will then slip that piece of dog food into her mouth. As soon as I say her name she takes it out of her mouth and gently places it back into the bowl only to repeat the whole process a few minutes later. We do the same routine several times a day. I will move her away from the bowls and give her a toy to play with, but she comes right back within minutes. I'm guessing that dog food is a wonderful tasting food that we are all just missing out on!! LOL

Even though it is gross it is the funniest thing to watch. She really thinks she is pulling something over on us. She even gets this little innocent look on her face when she sits down. Like she has no intention of doing what she knows she shouldn't be doing. I love it!!

End of an era.............goodbye #9!

It's a very sad day for this Titans fan. Confirmation came today that Steve McNair has been traded. Not only has he been traded, but he's been traded to the Ravens of all teams! I knew there was a strong possibility he would go, but I was hoping against hope that it would not happen. Being a lifelong football fan I understand that this happens, but I hate it. It hurts my heart to see those players I love leave my beloved team. Steve was the last of the Titans who initially won my heart. I had no intention of being a Titans fan. I grew up a Dolphin and thought I would forever be one. Then the Oilers moved to Nashville. I went to a game in Memphis. It was fun, but no allegance change. I went to a few games at Vanderbilt. Still no change. They changed their name to the Tennessee Titans and came to the Coliseum. I was lucky enough to get tickets to every home game. That first year in the Coliseum was amazing for me. That team played with such heart. They seemed to be able to find a way to win and it wasn't always pretty. With each game I became more and more of a fan. I finally realized that they had my heart during the playoff game against the Bills. I wasn't able to be at that game, but I was sitting in front of my tv biting my finger nails watching. I remember calling my mom when the Bills went ahead with 16 seconds left. I was in tears. I was jumping for joy by the end of that conversation though with the Music City Miracle. It was at this time that I knew I was a Titans fan forever. They made me cry. The only other football team that has ever been able to make me cry is my Georgia Bulldogs and I live and die Georgia football!! Steve was a major part of winning my heart that season. They have made me cry several more times over the years, but what a ride it's been. The memories will be forever etched into my heart. I do miss all those guys from that season and I will miss #9 as well. I wish nothing but good things for Steve in his new home. Except, of course, when he plays my Titans! ;-)

To Steve................Thanks for the memories!! You will be sorely missed!!

Well hell!

Not only was the sell of our house postponed, but now it has been cancelled. The couple buying our house are now separating and can no longer buy it. Geez people. You would think that if someone was having marital problems they wouldn't be trying to buy a house. Right? They have to have been having these problems before they put an offer on our house. I mean really, it's only been under contract for a month. This is getting to the point of ridiculous. Don't they have to pay a penalty for breaking the contract? What happens to the earnest money? I guess that is something I need to talk to my realtor about.

I have decided that I am going to look at the positives here.

1. We have more time to find the "perfect" house.
2. I am home to keep the house presentable since we are out of school for the summer.
3. We learned a few things about offers, counter offers, and closing costs. (This could help us make a little more money on the sell.)

This is going to be a good thing for us. Please remind me I said this when I am stressing out later! LOL

Chirp.........chirp............chirp!

Anyone hearing crickets around here? I swear that there is nothing going on in my life at the moment. Not really. Friday was the last day of school for the kids. I still have tomorrow and Wednesday then I am out for the summer! WOOHOO!!! Mom came to visit this weekend. She was coming to help me pack for the move, but alas we are not moving at the end of this month. That has been postponed until the end of June. Ugh!! So, we didn't do much. She went to check out a few houses with me. I have a very short list that I need to get to my realtor so we can go look at them tomorrow. I'm so over this whole house hunting thing. I'm tired and frustrated. I just want a place to live so my kids can play outside. That is my main consideration at this point. They love to be outside and where we are now the yard is horrible in back because we can't grow grass and the front slopes to the road too much for me to be comfortable with them playing out there. Please keep your fingers crossed that we can find a place soon.

Am I ready for this?

OMG!! We got an offer on our house this morning and we accepted. It is now under contract to be closed on May 31!! Umm, we haven't found a house for us yet!!!! We have less than a month to find a place to live! I don't want to be homeless!!! I did find a house that I absolutely loved yesterday, but unfortunately there is a contract on it. Is it horrible of me to wish that the contract falls through so we can get it? I really really LOVE that house!!!

Wish us luck on finding a house soon.

Geez, sometimes people amaze me.

As you all know we have put our house on the market. We have been kicked out of our house almost daily. This evening I got a call from the scheduling people asking if someone can come by and look at the house between 8-9pm. Um, no. That is awful late to be viewing a house especially when you have 2 kids who have to get up rather early to go to school the next morning. Come on people, think just a little.

I'm soooooo over this!!

Okay, selling a house while you are living in it totally sucks! I'm so tired of having to make sure the house is in perfect condition every day. It's hard to do with 2 kids and a dog. Actually, it is impossible. I'm tired of getting the call that says someone is going to be by at a certain time and I have to pack up the kids and the dog and leave my house for at least an hour. Can they not give me an actual time instead of a window of time? That might make it a little easier. Oh and isn't it fun (NOT!!) when they call at 2:00 to tell you that someone is coming by between 1:30 and 2:30? They did this to Michael yesterday. Luckily, he was already out of the house. I just want someone to put an offer on this house so we can put an offer on a house that we like. It needs to be over so I can relax some. Selling a house is very stressful and I've decided that stress is not my friend. It is making me kinda irritable!

Joshua

Happiness is......................

Father and son

I love this picture!

Ari

She just has that look of "I'm definitely going to get into trouble today!" LOL
Look at those pig tails! Aren't they just the cutest things?

I wish I would have had a working camera tonight!

This was Wild West Week at Joshua's school. Today the kids were supposed to wear their "cowboy" clothes. Well, Joshua refused to wear his denim shirt and his boots this morning. He wouldn't even put them on at school when he saw all the other kids wearing theirs. Not long after we get home he sees his boots and his shirt and wants to wear them. This wouldn't normally be something funny, but tonight he was just in his t-shirt and underware. Now picture this.......................t-shirt with denim shirt over it, Finding Nemo underware, and cowboy boots! I was laughing so hard at my son (Does this make me a bad mommy? LOL). Of course I go in search of the camera. I find the old one, but no batteries and it has been taking pretty bad pictures lately. The nice new camera is with Michael so we don't get to document this unusual outfit for future embarrassment. How sad! LOL

Ah, the volatile weather of Spring

And so it begins. Last night was rather scary. We had some really rough weather starting around midnight last night. I woke up to hail beating down on my roof and against my windows. I laid there just listening intently to the storm. I was a little nervous. Around 1am there is this huge clap of thunder and Joshua screams. He made it to our room before I could get out of bed to go get him. He was scared to death. Poor little guy. He ended up staying in bed with us the rest of the night. Michael got up around 1:30am and went downstairs to take the dog out........I guess. When he came back up I sent him back to watch the weather. It was so windy with continuous thunder and lightening. I ended up going down to watch too. I stayed up until about 2:30am before venturing back to bed to try and get some sleep. The storm ended somewhere around 3am and I finally went back to sleep. We didn't have any tornados in our area, but back to the west of us was hit pretty hard. We were lucky this time.

I love Springtime because it starts to get warmer and the trees and flowers come alive again, but I also dread it each year. Bad weather like that really scares me now that I have kids. It seems like it is getting worse too. Maybe it's just because now I pay more attention to it and I'm also in an area where we get more bad weather than where I've lived in the past. I'm hoping that this year it really isn't as bad though. Although, they are already talking about more severe storms coming through at the end of this week. Let's keep our fingers crossed that they are wrong.

Memories

I've been sitting at my computer tonight going to my regular websites and all of a sudden I'm blindsided with memories. These memories have nothing to do with anything that I am doing at the moment. I wonder what triggers them sometimes. I've been sitting here for awhile now thinking about my grandparents. I miss them so much and it makes me so sad that my children will never know them. They were wonderful people. It's funny how one memory will lead to another and another and another. They are all great memories, but they make me a little sad. I just wish I could hug them and tell them how much I love them and how much I miss them. People say that it gets easier with time when you lose someone you love, but some days it really isn't all that easy. They have both been gone for many years now and it still hurts. I was very close to them. They were my stability when I was growing up and I don't know if they ever knew how much that meant to me. How much that helped me get through some very tough times.

I'm remembering sitting underneath a quilting frame learning how to hand sew a quilt from Ma. I can remember always wanting to go everywhere Pa went even getting mad when he left without me. I would make him take me somewhere as soon as he got back if he left me behind. I remember sitting on the kitchen counter watching Ma cook and learning her secrets. I remember sitting on their front porch shelling butter beans and peas in the summertime. There are so many more. I could fill pages upon pages with my memories. Most days they make me smile and they do tonight too, but they are also making me cry tonight.

Ma and Pa I love you both so much and I miss you tremendously.

Had a cute conversation with a 2 year old today.

Joshua: Momma, why you go this way?
Me: I have to get my medicine so I can feel better.
Joshua: Okay, let's go (we are stopped at a red light)
Me: We can't go the light is red. We can go when the light turns green.
Joshua: I like green.
Me: Me too, that is my favorite color.
Joshua: My favorite color is black.
Me: Really? Mommy likes red and black together.
Joshua: Joshua just likes black. Mommy, the light is green let's go.

It is so hard to believe that I can have an actual conversation with him now. It's amazing how much they learn in just 2 years.

Just shoot me now...............please!!

I am so sick of being sick. I swear that since Christmas someone in my house has been sick. I haven't gotten completely over whatever it was that I had and it has settled in my head (no cute comments here!). I CAN'T BREATHE!!!! It is driving me nuts. I think it may have turned into a sinus infection. I know, I need to go to the doctor. I tried. The place I can go for free through our insurance at work only had morning appointments last week as opposed to their regular afternoon appointments. Of course this happens when I need them. I am making an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. This has to end. I'm tired of not being able to breathe.

Oh yeah, now Ari has a runny nose again. Joshua was complaining that his stomach hurts and he has a slight cough. Spring needs to get here quickly so we can get well at my house.

On a better note.........................only 5 more days of waking up at 5 am and I am on Spring Break!! I have 2 whole weeks of being home with my kids and going to see Mom in Florida. I hope the weather is nice. I will be busy at home though. We are putting the house on the market so I have to start boxing stuff up so it can be presentable for showing. It is going to be difficult keeping it presentable with 2 kids, a husband, and a dog. I'm ready to get it going though and get moved closer to work. The 40 minute drive every morning is wearing on me. I hate having to get the kids up so early and rushing to get out of the house on time. I just hope this house sells quickly and we find something we like just as quickly. So, if you have time say a quick prayer that things work out timewise for us.

Future songwriter?

Joshua has been going around singing a little song all night tonight. If it is one they sing at school, I've never heard it. So, I am going to say he wrote his own song until someone tells me otherwise. LOL

He would make me sing it and then crack up. He is just too funny sometimes. We tried to get him to sing it to his daddy on the phone, but all he would do was laugh.

The song goes something like this.......

Hey! Hey!
Zip-a-dee-A
Bee bop A

My son really is a little ham!!

Ah, a mommy free day all to myself!!

I even got to sleep in until 9am. WOOHOO! Michael told me to take some time for myself today. I left the kids with him and went shopping for jeans and such. I bought much more than that though! Then I went to eat at Red Lobster. It was so nice to be able to sit down for a meal and not have to worry about hearing "Momma, I want......" "Momma, I need......" or just "MOMMA!!!!" I really enjoyed myself.


I did see something that just made me roll my eyes. There was a table of 4 women and a 2 year old across from me. This poor little guy. They were tearing his food into bite sized pieces...........even his roll and they wouldn't let him hold his own drink and it had a lid on it. I felt so bad for him. He so badly wanted to hold his cup. I am by no stretch of the imagination a perfect parent, but I do know that you have to let them become independent. Joshua wouldn't let us hold his cup now if we tried.

Anyway, it was a great day that I needed. It's really nice to get some time to yourself once in a while. Now Michael is off getting his alone time. He helped me get them fed and bathed so that was great. I just had to put them to bed.

Wow!! What a night!!!

This was one of the best concerts these guys have put on in a long time. They rocked us for 2 1/2 hours nonstop. I danced, I screamed, and I sang along with every song. Funny how you never forget the words. It was an amazing night and I have to thank my wonderful husband for endulging me in my obsession on the most romantic night of the year knowing that he ceased to exist for those 2 1/2 hours while Jon Bon Jovi sang just for me. Now I know that there were 16,000+ people in the GEC last night, but he can make you feel like he is singing just to you and I have decided that I want to believe that! LOL

They started out with Last Man Standing which was no surprise. Jon was on a platform by the lighting and sound setup. He walked through the crowd to get to the stage. That was pretty awesome. They did the old stuff and several from the new CD. Jon plays the crowd so well. I was wondering if they would touch on the stuff happening with Richie since it was Valentine's Day and they did. Jon said something about how Cupid could sometimes be a bitch and then called Richie over to the mic. He said yeah he sure was and he had gotten him good. Jon laughs and says who can be to down when there were 20,000 available women there and that he was going to "sell" Richie to everyone of them. They then went into a rendition of I'll Be There For You. It was pretty cute. They did about 3 ballads with Jon out in the audience not very far from us. He sang My Funny Valentine in honor of the day. They left the stage before the encore and I was a little disappointed that they hadn't done Welcome To Wherever You Are, but they did it when they came back out. They ended the show with Wanted which was expected as well. Jennifer Nettles from Sugarland came on and did Who Says You Can't Go Home with them. I kinda figured she would since I knew they were in town for a show of their own last night.

I am going through withdrawls already. I want to see them again and hopefully I will get to this summer. My obsession continues after 20+ years and I expect it to continue for 20 more. I want to one day take my daughter to a Bon Jovi concert.