Start spreading the news, she left today.

It’s been a bit of a sad day. Kate left Virginia for NYC today and I’m very happy and excited for her, I’m also jealous. She is doing what I had always planned to do, but never will, move far away and live somewhere awesome (but just for awhile).

I made it through dinner last night and did not cry until the drive home when I was listening to the “Kate’s Moving to NYC Mix”. I’m bit teary now as I listen to it again. It’s a really good mix.

I know I still have some girls here but with Kate in NY, Erika in Newport News, and Lauren in Winchester I feel lonely. It really helped that Kate came home so often. So when school starts and Mo and Claudia go back to school, I’m going to be almost girl-less.

I love my boys don’t get me wrong, but sometimes (or quite often) I just need my girls. I wish girl’s weekend had been longer.

Kate I wish you all the best in NYC. I promise I will come visit. I just miss you already!

i hate dress shopping!

So you know the second bridesmaids dress I ordered?

Let me remind you just in case…

No dice. It did not quite fit in the bust area, and it was too long and is not hemable, and the shade of Cobalt Blue was not quite right. So the search is on, again, to find another Maid of Honor Dress.

too bad i still heart this dress!

Stressed.

I’m sorry my pen keyboard has been silent. I have been dealing with house drama.

The home inspection was on Wednesday. Russ stayed home so that he could be there during the inspection, because I had to work late in D.C.

The inspector found a lot more things that need to be fixed. There is black mold under the kitchen sink, the ducts need to be cleaned very badly, the jets in the Jacuzzi tub don’t work (could be a $20 fix or a $2000 fix), the water heater needs to be replaced but is blocked by the AC refrigerant line which would have to be removed in order to get the water heater out, the fridge and oven definitely need replacing and so on and so forth.

Now because of all of this, Russ and I are thinking of going back to the bank and saying ok now we have to make about $15,000 worth of improvements can you lower the price a bit more. All we are asking is between $2,500. and $5,000. WELL our Realtor says that he does not think that the bank will accept this offer and better yet he says they might get angry and just say no to the whole thing. Like my parents I think he is trying to protect his commission. I already get 20% of it, so the lower the price goes on the house the less money he gets after all this work. If I’m not mistaken this is the line of work he decided to get into and I am his client and he does what I say! I don’t think he understands that, and I think that he thinks I’m 12 and don’t know any better.

My only concern is that he’s right and that they might say “NO DEAL!” I do not want to start this process over again. It’s too long, takes too much time, and I was totally stressed waiting for offers to be accepted or countered back.

So now I just wait until I get the appraisal back to make a decision. My realtor keeps calling, and I keep ignoring his phone calls because he wants me to sign a paper that once signed will not allow me to counter on the price based on the inspection findings.

So now we wait again.

This means war!!!!

So as the maid of honor at my friends wedding I have begun planning the bridal shower.

I asked all the other ladies what day would be good for them and I vetoed suggestions made by the FMIL (future mother in law).

Now the bride and one of the bridesmaids have not been speaking and today I get an e-mail, from that same bridesmaid, saying that she has decided to throw a co-ed party on a day that I’m busy (because she did not think to ask me and then says in the e-mail…

"It's going to be pretty informal (which is actually the shower I loved the most when I got married.)"

Well you know what? GO F@&# YOURSELF!

So now I really need this shower to be PERFECT because I want to show her who she is dealing with.

I need help ladies! I hate all those shower games so we have to come up with something totally awesome!

So far the food will be ALL her favorite foods, Margarita’s (also her favorite), a trivia game (I asked the bride and groom to answer the same questions about each other, to compare), a recipe book full of recipes written by her family and friends, a table cloth signed by all the women at the shower offering well wishes.

I need more stuff…I was thinking about showing the video we made from Camp Letts in middle school, and then I’m not sure what else? I was thinking a “photo booth” would be fun, but I would need a wall to do it on, props, and a Polaroid camera.

There has got to be something else? What am I missing, what can I add? Please help!

What part of best and final don’t you understand!

So after countering back with our best and final offer, the bank countered again! Are you kidding? What part of BEST and FINAL don’t you understand?

Our realtor says we probably won’t hear anything until Monday or Tuesday. I’m all stresses and tied up in knots. I just want to know, YES or NO?

To top it all off our realtor says that there has been interest in the unit, but no other offers YET.

I think this whole process is flawed. There has got to be an easier way for people to purchase a home, foreclosed or otherwise.

p.s. i promise i will post today about something other than my house hunting problems! i know my blogs have gotten a bit boring and pictureless.

"Hurry up and Wait" is the name of the game!

The bank has countered and we just countered back with our best and final offer.

I’m really nervous. On the one hand I hope we get it. On the other I am terrified about having so little disposable income like I am used to.

Will I ever eat out again or go shopping? Will I have a great place to live, but no social life? How much will I be able to save? Probably not much.

If they say no then it’s back to the drawing board. To tell the truth I really am tired of looking for places. I’m worried prices will continue to fall (which is good) but that interest rates will continue to rise (which is very bad)

Also if all goes well we close on Aug 8th. That same day I have to drive to Winchester for Lauren’s wedding site visit. Two days later is Lauren’s bridal shower which I am throwing. Omg.

And on top of all that I still have the second bridesmaids dress on back order, it might not arrive for another 4 or 5 weeks, when that ships it will be another $266. Also a few weeks from now is when my family goes to NYC on my tab which means an almost $300 hotel bill and another $200 for buss tickets! And I have a pending CC bill of almost $1000.

I NEED TO STOP SPENDING MONEY!

I love treating friend to meals but I think that’s going to have to stop and buying things on a whim ends now. Sad.

I hope we hear back from the bank soon. Then at least I will know.

Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit!

On this momentous of weekends, that which celebrates the independence of our great country I may have gained a bit of freedom of my own.

Russ and I have made an offer for a condo of our very own!

Now it’s a foreclosure so we have to wait and see if the bank is going to accept or counter the offer. As long as they don’t say no I’ll be happy.

The place needs quite a few repairs including all new appliances and now the bank I’m getting the loan from says that they can’t add the repairs to the loan so I need to make like 13,000 worth of repairs in cash! Yuck!

Cross your fingers and say a prayer for me that everything will work out ok!

showers and such

My BFF is getting married in October and as the maid of honor it is my duty to throw the bridal shower and the bachelorette party. BUT her future Mother-in-law is trying to take over the Bridal Shower and I am NOT happy!

Future mother-in-law said that none of the dates I proposed for the shower are good for her, and apparently her real mom’s office is throwing her another shower in July. How come no one tells me these things?

The bridesmaids dress came in the mail yesterday. It’s alright but the fabric is a bit cheap and my boobs don’t quite fit. So I ordered another dress that the Bride approves of. Its backordered so I hope it get here in time for me to return the first dress. It’s also twice as much as the first.
















I have begun to hand make the invitations and envelopes for the Shower. They are super cute. And I will post pictures when I can.

This weekend I will be going to see 4 homes. One of which has the same floor plan as the first home we loved and lost. If it’s decent I am prepared to make an offer so if all goes well I may be in escrow by next week!

BTW I have killer cramps from outer space!