I am back from my whirlwind wedding planning weekend in Montana. It was good, we got a tent for WAAAY less than we thought ($500 versus thousands!), booked a DJ, got some ideas for florists and sampled some food from possible caterers. We're getting somewhere! I need to go back again with a little more time to do things but I'm not sure when that will be...maybe Easter will be the next opportunity. It's not exactly cheap to get there and it's pointless for me to drive if it's only for couple days. I guess we just need to accept that this year will probably be the most expensive year of our lives right now! I am sooo excited for this summer and I can't wait for it to get here...at the same time I really want to savor these moments and planning and excitement before they are gone. Less than 6 months left, I can't believe it.
21 February, 2010
whirlwind weekend
17 February, 2010
the process
We are getting closer and closer to mutual acceptance on a house...and that means closer and closer to some big changes in our lives. Right now the front runner is a brand new home in a new development. It's 2300 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, walk in closets in every bedroom, wood floor in kitchen and entry, all new appliances...and on and on. It is a beautiful place and will definitely have a great resale value when we get to the point (although, who knows, we may love it so much we could stay for much longer than we think!).
BUT the house will definitely require us to put some constraints on our fun money and expendable income. We will probably cut down our cable drastically or even get rid of it, we will have a backyard so we will cut out the cost of doggy day camp and paying a neighbor to let Scrappy out, we will consider a roommate, we will happily carpool with any and everyone who wants to share the cost of gas, we will cut coupons, we will become garage sale experts for some of our new furnishings, we will carefully plan major vacations, we will entertain at our house instead of go out...We will learn to make sacrifices that won't change our happiness, just broaden our horizons. And that's something we need to accept. We are so lucky that we can consider a place like this so early in our lives and we need to understand that we can't have EVERYTHING at once, we can learn to grow into our house and start with the basics and make it fun...and at the end of the day, come home to a house we absolutely love.
We are sending back a counter offer tomorrow and will wait and see what happens. If it's not accepted we are prepared to (sadly) walk away and keep looking. There is one other house that is a possibility but we are unsure about the neighborhood and its resale value and therefore have put it on the backburner for the time being (which really is like a day in real estate world because we are now at the point where things will move very quickly). So we'll see!
We are in our townhouse until May so we have time still for any time needed for closing (because that's when things start to slow back down again-at a snail's pace) and in fact we are happy for it to take as long as needed so we don't have to pay a rent and a mortgage in the same month. Chances are slim it will happen but we are taking precautions.
So here goes nothing! Our realtor has the details and will call the agent at 9:00am tomorrow. I am to then check in with her at 11:00am and hopefully hear some news. Fingers crossed for a good deal!
BUT the house will definitely require us to put some constraints on our fun money and expendable income. We will probably cut down our cable drastically or even get rid of it, we will have a backyard so we will cut out the cost of doggy day camp and paying a neighbor to let Scrappy out, we will consider a roommate, we will happily carpool with any and everyone who wants to share the cost of gas, we will cut coupons, we will become garage sale experts for some of our new furnishings, we will carefully plan major vacations, we will entertain at our house instead of go out...We will learn to make sacrifices that won't change our happiness, just broaden our horizons. And that's something we need to accept. We are so lucky that we can consider a place like this so early in our lives and we need to understand that we can't have EVERYTHING at once, we can learn to grow into our house and start with the basics and make it fun...and at the end of the day, come home to a house we absolutely love.
We are sending back a counter offer tomorrow and will wait and see what happens. If it's not accepted we are prepared to (sadly) walk away and keep looking. There is one other house that is a possibility but we are unsure about the neighborhood and its resale value and therefore have put it on the backburner for the time being (which really is like a day in real estate world because we are now at the point where things will move very quickly). So we'll see!
We are in our townhouse until May so we have time still for any time needed for closing (because that's when things start to slow back down again-at a snail's pace) and in fact we are happy for it to take as long as needed so we don't have to pay a rent and a mortgage in the same month. Chances are slim it will happen but we are taking precautions.
So here goes nothing! Our realtor has the details and will call the agent at 9:00am tomorrow. I am to then check in with her at 11:00am and hopefully hear some news. Fingers crossed for a good deal!
10 February, 2010
developing my skill
When I was in graduate school there was one teacher who always talked about finding the good in situations and learning from them. Anytime something would be really hard she would tell us to ask ourselves, "What skill am I being called to develop?" and then we would re-think it and say, "oh, right, I need to learn patience/tolerance/compassion right now...not get frustrated" and it always seemed to make the hardest days feel a little better.
Lately at work I have been called to develop just about every skill in the book and I'm becoming a bit burnt out. I really want to find the positive in it and know that this is a challenge I can grow and learn from...but it is just getting to be a bit much. When the tears come it's about time to look at it a little differently I think. I'm trying to explore the angles, think about what I can do differently, how I can be a better employee...but I just keep hitting a brick wall. There's no secret I am actively (or semi-actively) pursuing another job as this one just isn't for me...but it's hard to leave my clients and really hard to leave the coworkers and team I really really love. But I can't keep coming home like this or having my days interrupted with such hard feelings and then not being able to find support where I expect to see it. My coworkers and my fiance are beyond anything I can ask for when it comes to hugs and condolances and creative ideas for making things better and I so appreciate them. But at the end of the day they aren't the ones who fill out my yearly review or decide whether or not I keep my job...and it's those people I need to get on the same level with...and it just isn't happening.
I usually really want the weekend to get here on days like this but then I honestly spend the weekend wishing work would start again soon so I could stop thinking about it and just DO it. If I loved my job I wouldn't mind thinking about it all the time but this isn't quite the case. I try to love it, I really do. That's what I want. That's why I'm in social work. I want to love it. I DO love it. It's me, it's my passion...but my passion is going to quickly lose it's flame if things stay this way. It's far too early in my career for that to happen...and frankly too early in my life. I don't think about it as a career. I don't do it for the paycheck because Lord knows it's no big paycheck...I do it because it means something to me, and I don't ever want it to stop meaning something really really big and important.
I'm not quite sure what my plan is from here but I know I need to move in the direction of change, quickly.
Lately at work I have been called to develop just about every skill in the book and I'm becoming a bit burnt out. I really want to find the positive in it and know that this is a challenge I can grow and learn from...but it is just getting to be a bit much. When the tears come it's about time to look at it a little differently I think. I'm trying to explore the angles, think about what I can do differently, how I can be a better employee...but I just keep hitting a brick wall. There's no secret I am actively (or semi-actively) pursuing another job as this one just isn't for me...but it's hard to leave my clients and really hard to leave the coworkers and team I really really love. But I can't keep coming home like this or having my days interrupted with such hard feelings and then not being able to find support where I expect to see it. My coworkers and my fiance are beyond anything I can ask for when it comes to hugs and condolances and creative ideas for making things better and I so appreciate them. But at the end of the day they aren't the ones who fill out my yearly review or decide whether or not I keep my job...and it's those people I need to get on the same level with...and it just isn't happening.
I usually really want the weekend to get here on days like this but then I honestly spend the weekend wishing work would start again soon so I could stop thinking about it and just DO it. If I loved my job I wouldn't mind thinking about it all the time but this isn't quite the case. I try to love it, I really do. That's what I want. That's why I'm in social work. I want to love it. I DO love it. It's me, it's my passion...but my passion is going to quickly lose it's flame if things stay this way. It's far too early in my career for that to happen...and frankly too early in my life. I don't think about it as a career. I don't do it for the paycheck because Lord knows it's no big paycheck...I do it because it means something to me, and I don't ever want it to stop meaning something really really big and important.
I'm not quite sure what my plan is from here but I know I need to move in the direction of change, quickly.
31 January, 2010
house offer
We finally saw Avatar at the IMAX today! We were laying around trying to decide what to do to avoid a super lazy Sunday when Nathan started to look up movie times. He told me if I could be ready in 40 minutes to walk out the door at 10:00am we could make it to get tickets for the movie. Getting ready that fast is a bit of a feat for me as my hair takes a million years to comb when it's wet and then takes a few more years to dry when I don't get to let it air dry for a little while. But I did it and we were pulling out of the driveway at 10:01am.
The movie didn't start until 11:30am so but we were among the first to get seats. FINALLY. I guess the first showing on Sunday morning is the least popular. The guy told us the movie following that one was already 75% sold out so we definitely made the right choice. It was definitely a good movie and I'm glad I finally saw it (Nathan's second time)! It was a lot of work to see that damn thing!
In other news, we made an offer on the house last week! We should find out by Tuesday what the bank will bring back. We expect them to counter with a higher offer and we are prepared to negotiate but have also drawn the line where we will have to walk away. We are both getting pretty emotionally involved in the whole thing. Not really THIS house specifically but just A house. We are just really excited to take this step so we are hoping it can happen. But we also trust that if it's not the right time for us, well then it just isn't...and we can wait, hopefully. We are two of the most impatient people in the world so it's all a challenge in patience and grown-up-ness. It's well worth it though. This is the biggest purchase of our lives thus far so we aren't about to mess around. If it's meant to be it will be!
There is one other house we are going to check out tomorrow. It's a place that is just coming onto the market and our agent really thinks we need to see it. She sent us a couple pictures and it is pretty adorable. It is older than the one we put the offer on but it is-from what we've been told-in immaculate condition. It is also within walking distance of a town center with cute little shops...one of the things I really want in a house someday. So I'm excited to see if we love it just as much or more.
The movie didn't start until 11:30am so but we were among the first to get seats. FINALLY. I guess the first showing on Sunday morning is the least popular. The guy told us the movie following that one was already 75% sold out so we definitely made the right choice. It was definitely a good movie and I'm glad I finally saw it (Nathan's second time)! It was a lot of work to see that damn thing!
In other news, we made an offer on the house last week! We should find out by Tuesday what the bank will bring back. We expect them to counter with a higher offer and we are prepared to negotiate but have also drawn the line where we will have to walk away. We are both getting pretty emotionally involved in the whole thing. Not really THIS house specifically but just A house. We are just really excited to take this step so we are hoping it can happen. But we also trust that if it's not the right time for us, well then it just isn't...and we can wait, hopefully. We are two of the most impatient people in the world so it's all a challenge in patience and grown-up-ness. It's well worth it though. This is the biggest purchase of our lives thus far so we aren't about to mess around. If it's meant to be it will be!
There is one other house we are going to check out tomorrow. It's a place that is just coming onto the market and our agent really thinks we need to see it. She sent us a couple pictures and it is pretty adorable. It is older than the one we put the offer on but it is-from what we've been told-in immaculate condition. It is also within walking distance of a town center with cute little shops...one of the things I really want in a house someday. So I'm excited to see if we love it just as much or more.
23 January, 2010
house
We went and looked at 2 houses today, the one that has been our favorite so far (we were seeing it for a third time) and a new one. The new one was pretty cute on the inside and nestled in a cul-de-sac; seemingly perfect until we walked outside. How we missed the giant high voltage electric towers surrounding the house is behind me. They tower over the house and the backyard buzzes like a hairdryer in a bathtub. Totally ruined everything. There's no way we would ever be able to resell that house if we bought it. I don't know exactly what it is but it's a giant field of power lines and towers that clearly is not going anywhere soon. It means there are no neighbors on that end but it also means the environmental risks could be something we might not discover until it's too late. Bummer.
So we were back at the first house, the one that has been the frontrunner since the start. Our realtor said she thinks we can start at $213,000 and see what the bank comes back with. It's priced at $269,000 (already well below our max of $300,000) and it's bank owned. So we can definitely start low and probably get it low. She said her goal would be to get us in it at $225,000 plus closing costs. And then we'd add a $15,000-$20,000 rehabilitation loan for new appliances, new carpet, hardwood floors, crown molding, painted walls, new kitchen cabinets, a rebuilt deck and a few other things. To have a mortgage payment well within in our means and a house with our paint/color/interior specifications and brand new appliances would be so nice. We would have a great house and still have a lot of money leftover each month for beefing up our savings account, taking vacations and not feeling bad about it and doing fun things on the weekend...and even putting more money into upgrading the house if we wanted. This wasn't what we had expected when we started. So we are really close to thinking about making an offer. No new places have come up since the last week beyond the electrical tower one so I'm thinking we might be right where we need to be. The bank usually takes a little longer to respond to offers than an individual seller does so we need to get started if this is where we'd headed. We have seen it a couple times, we keep thinking about it and talking about it, nothing else we have seen is comparable with all things considered, the price is amazing...Now we just need to know how the inspection would go. There are no visible problems and it was built in 2005...but who knows. We don't get an inspection until after we place an offer so I am anxious to get to that point so we know if we're in or out.
--
House talk aside...we tried to go to Avatar at the IMAX tonight. Nathan said Avatar 3D at Christmas but has been raving about how good it was and had badly he wants to see it at the IMAX theater. So I finally agreed to go. Unfortunately the rest of the world did too. We got there an hour early and it was sold out and the line to get seats snaked around the whole theater lobby. I'm not sure if we will ever be able to get in! This is Nathan's second try for IMAX and my coworker also told me she had the same problem. Even if you buy tickets early in the day you still have to go a few hours early to stand in line for seats. It must be amazing.
So we were back at the first house, the one that has been the frontrunner since the start. Our realtor said she thinks we can start at $213,000 and see what the bank comes back with. It's priced at $269,000 (already well below our max of $300,000) and it's bank owned. So we can definitely start low and probably get it low. She said her goal would be to get us in it at $225,000 plus closing costs. And then we'd add a $15,000-$20,000 rehabilitation loan for new appliances, new carpet, hardwood floors, crown molding, painted walls, new kitchen cabinets, a rebuilt deck and a few other things. To have a mortgage payment well within in our means and a house with our paint/color/interior specifications and brand new appliances would be so nice. We would have a great house and still have a lot of money leftover each month for beefing up our savings account, taking vacations and not feeling bad about it and doing fun things on the weekend...and even putting more money into upgrading the house if we wanted. This wasn't what we had expected when we started. So we are really close to thinking about making an offer. No new places have come up since the last week beyond the electrical tower one so I'm thinking we might be right where we need to be. The bank usually takes a little longer to respond to offers than an individual seller does so we need to get started if this is where we'd headed. We have seen it a couple times, we keep thinking about it and talking about it, nothing else we have seen is comparable with all things considered, the price is amazing...Now we just need to know how the inspection would go. There are no visible problems and it was built in 2005...but who knows. We don't get an inspection until after we place an offer so I am anxious to get to that point so we know if we're in or out.
--
House talk aside...we tried to go to Avatar at the IMAX tonight. Nathan said Avatar 3D at Christmas but has been raving about how good it was and had badly he wants to see it at the IMAX theater. So I finally agreed to go. Unfortunately the rest of the world did too. We got there an hour early and it was sold out and the line to get seats snaked around the whole theater lobby. I'm not sure if we will ever be able to get in! This is Nathan's second try for IMAX and my coworker also told me she had the same problem. Even if you buy tickets early in the day you still have to go a few hours early to stand in line for seats. It must be amazing.
14 January, 2010
whew
My mom is in town and it's wedding planning time! She flew in at 6:20 this morning so she is asleep, building up her energy for all the wedding dress appointments we have! I believe we will find something this weekend I really do. And I'm excited for it! We also have tickets to the wedding show which probably won't do much for us since the wedding is in Montana but it will be fun to get ideas. There is a wedding show in Kalispell in Feburary and I am watching ticket prices to see if I can go. It would be extremely beneficial. I should have a bought a plane ticket when they were on sale, what was I thinking!
Nathan and I were pre-approved for a mortgage two weeks ago so the hunt for a house has begun. We saw a couple on our own and our realtor will be hopefully showing us some this weekend (and mom can give her input). It is really hard to look at houses in our price range over here and then compare them to houses in the same price range in Montana. The houses here a bit smaller and the backyards are even smaller but the biggest thing I notice is how close they are to the neighbors! In most neighborhoods a person could stand between two houses and reach out and touch both. It kills me. BUT we are here for at least a little while so we're going to have to accept that! We are also still considering townhouses as an option if we need to watch the price. Nathan really doesn't want to share any walls and I agree with him. I am holding out hope for a good place in our price range but if we have to wait, we have to wait.
It has been really exciting to think about owning our own home and contributing to an asset so I am hopeful the process will bring good results.
Lastly though, I can't help but think about buying a home without thinking about so many people who don't have a home...my job sends me on these revelations all the time as I talk with my homeless clients... but now Haiti is on my mind. I am always devastated to see people suffering from such a massive disaster but Haiti hurts my heart even more as one of my good friends is there working in an orphanage. I spent the last two years looking at her pictures, hearing her stories, learning all about Haiti and falling in love with it. I hear stories on the radio about children laying on the dead bodies of their relatives, not knowing what to do next. People are hungry and thirsty and sick...I am feeling so pulled to go there. I wish I could. I am thankful we are sending help but I worry it was not fast enough. My friend Brittany is hours away from Port Au Prince but there is a good chance her orphange will soon overflow with new children. I know Brittany's heart can love as many children who walk through the door but I hope the orphanage can physically and monetarily handle it. I am sending money to Danita's Children as I know it will go to such a good cause. Beyond that I'm just praying as much as possible for those who are suffering to find peace and those who are hungry to have food and shelter and care.
Nathan and I were pre-approved for a mortgage two weeks ago so the hunt for a house has begun. We saw a couple on our own and our realtor will be hopefully showing us some this weekend (and mom can give her input). It is really hard to look at houses in our price range over here and then compare them to houses in the same price range in Montana. The houses here a bit smaller and the backyards are even smaller but the biggest thing I notice is how close they are to the neighbors! In most neighborhoods a person could stand between two houses and reach out and touch both. It kills me. BUT we are here for at least a little while so we're going to have to accept that! We are also still considering townhouses as an option if we need to watch the price. Nathan really doesn't want to share any walls and I agree with him. I am holding out hope for a good place in our price range but if we have to wait, we have to wait.
It has been really exciting to think about owning our own home and contributing to an asset so I am hopeful the process will bring good results.
Lastly though, I can't help but think about buying a home without thinking about so many people who don't have a home...my job sends me on these revelations all the time as I talk with my homeless clients... but now Haiti is on my mind. I am always devastated to see people suffering from such a massive disaster but Haiti hurts my heart even more as one of my good friends is there working in an orphanage. I spent the last two years looking at her pictures, hearing her stories, learning all about Haiti and falling in love with it. I hear stories on the radio about children laying on the dead bodies of their relatives, not knowing what to do next. People are hungry and thirsty and sick...I am feeling so pulled to go there. I wish I could. I am thankful we are sending help but I worry it was not fast enough. My friend Brittany is hours away from Port Au Prince but there is a good chance her orphange will soon overflow with new children. I know Brittany's heart can love as many children who walk through the door but I hope the orphanage can physically and monetarily handle it. I am sending money to Danita's Children as I know it will go to such a good cause. Beyond that I'm just praying as much as possible for those who are suffering to find peace and those who are hungry to have food and shelter and care.
04 January, 2010
home
In reference to the previous post: I found a graphic designer who made us an adorable Save the Date for $16.99 and I am so happy!
We took down all of our Christmas decorations yesterday as our complex advertised that a boy scout troupe would come by today to collect trees. We got a bunch of Christmas decorations as gifts and I decided I wish Christmas could come twice a year. I LOVE it so much and it went by way too quickly. I had a really good time at home with our families. As we were driving back we realized it actually gets harder to leave everytime. I noticed that Nathan did not say a single thing about wanting to get back home (to Seattle) like he usually does when we're away. He loves to go places, especially if there are lots of people involved, but he always looks forward to getting home. I do too but usually I could stay about a week longer than he'd like and still be happy. But during this Montana trip he seemed to feel at home. There's just something about Montana. And obviously you all know what it is if you've ever lived there.
We decided that as of right now, moving to Montana is in our five year plan, right at the end of it. Who knows what will happen between now and then but right now that's where we stand. We want to raise our family there, near our own families so choosing to wait much longer would cut out some important years. But we also need to make some more money over here, see and do all the fun things, keep up with the city life. I'm not quite ready to be back in such a familiar place yet but it's helpful to know it is on the horizon.
We took down all of our Christmas decorations yesterday as our complex advertised that a boy scout troupe would come by today to collect trees. We got a bunch of Christmas decorations as gifts and I decided I wish Christmas could come twice a year. I LOVE it so much and it went by way too quickly. I had a really good time at home with our families. As we were driving back we realized it actually gets harder to leave everytime. I noticed that Nathan did not say a single thing about wanting to get back home (to Seattle) like he usually does when we're away. He loves to go places, especially if there are lots of people involved, but he always looks forward to getting home. I do too but usually I could stay about a week longer than he'd like and still be happy. But during this Montana trip he seemed to feel at home. There's just something about Montana. And obviously you all know what it is if you've ever lived there.
We decided that as of right now, moving to Montana is in our five year plan, right at the end of it. Who knows what will happen between now and then but right now that's where we stand. We want to raise our family there, near our own families so choosing to wait much longer would cut out some important years. But we also need to make some more money over here, see and do all the fun things, keep up with the city life. I'm not quite ready to be back in such a familiar place yet but it's helpful to know it is on the horizon.
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