Finally!

We finally have our move in day! One week from today on the 25th. woo hoo! Now I can get situated on how much to pack ahead and what not!

Stupid Van

So the van totally crapped out on me last Sunday. I was at Costco leaving the parking lot when it dies. Just the engine, not the whole shibang. I restart and off we go. Dies again. I called Andrew to come and rescue me (thank god I only had Jake with me and not both of the kids). He gets in to see the problem first hand and of course it goes just fine...we make it to Titus-Will and park it at the Service Dept. wich was closed for the holiday weekend. I put my key in the drop box while Andrew walked back to get is car. When he got back we transferred groceries and car seats and drove home.
So Tuesday rolls around and they are still working on it. Wednesday they tell me it's gonna be a part for like 435 plus the 96 for the diagnostic, and then there is labor costs too. He calls me back later - woops, looks like the problem is in the transmission, another 100 diagnostic charge for the seperate system. Thurday they finally find the problem and have to order a part. Friday it's fixed. When it's all said and done for parts labor and taxes we are out lik 775. Not as bad as initially quoted so that was a relief. I am so ready to get rid of this money pit of a van (still no a/c - not a vital part of the operating system) but we are of course buying a new house so that won't be happening for a while.

Yesterday with Andrew's help we dug the ditch for the electrician to lay the conduit from the house to the garage. That was a bit of a job considering we had to deal with a bunch of roots from the old apple tree - some so large I had to get the hatchet out and go to town on it - I have blisters on my hands :( but it's done :). We also went to a wedding, wich was one of the more enjoyable weddings I have been to in a while. Jacob and Abigail were very well behaved considering the hour (it was an evening wedding - we left early, about 9pm - they hadn't even cut cake yet).

Today I get busy with more packing...hopefully we will get the word back soon on how our appraisal goes and if we will be allowed to take early possession. Oh and contractors come Monday to get all of our stuff fixed for the buyers. Then we will be officially done with everything and just waiting for closing. Hopefully all goes smooth and by this time next week we are in our new home!

Empty

My craft room is completely empty! I haven't seen it like this for 6 1/2 years. Now all of it's contents are boxed and stacked in the dining room. We have decided to pack the house one room at a time and stage everything in the dining room so on moving day we don't have to go up and down the stairs. One room at a time is more manageable than one whole house I think. I also plan on cleaning as I go so that once a room is done it's completely done. I still have to vacuum and sweep the walls and wash the windows in that room but the hard work is done.
The way I figure it I have to pack one room a day if we are to move on the 18th. We may not be moving that soon but that would be ok too as long as we DO move.
So, here's to getting it all done!

Started

Ok I have one box packed. I have 'started packing.' The real trick here is to keep going and actually 'finish packing.'

Moving Up

So my Realtor calls last night to let me know that they have schedule the appraisal of this house but also to let us know that we could potentially close as early as the 18th! Wow I guess I should get my but in gear with the packing! The current owners of the home we are buying are going to be gone by the 17th and so we can move in early if they ok it. That means that we can close early wich is great since the buyers of this house keep pushing for an earlier closing. Everyone will be happy if this happens so I say go ahead and move it up!

I Think I'm Addicted

To making spindles that is. If you want to learn to spin, I can hook you up with a cheap yet highly functional spindle (Mine usually cost less than 5 bucks to make, some less than 3).

So, here are the two newest:

The top one is a piece of wood that I covered with fabric and sealed/hardened with Modge Podge. The pottom one is a pendant that I drilled a hole in the center and used the hole that one would hang it from as the spot to place my notch (aides in the spinning process).
I already have a neat idea for a couple more spindles and am going to have to try em out.
In other news the tree guys came today and cut down the apple tree and a couple of smallish maple trees that were pressing on the garage. It was pretty painless but I am a little sad about the apple tree. I am pretty sure it was as old as the house. It really did need to come down though as it was rotted out in a pretty serious way. Electrician coming back tomorrow to install new vent fan in the kitchen.
Next we get the house appraised (buyer's expense not ours - well actually it probably is coming out of our pockets as we have agreed to pay their closing costs). Then we are really done except for the sigining of closing documents, oh and that whole packing and moving thing...I'll start packing soon...

The Hardest Part is Over.

At least it seems to be. We got our list of things to be done to the house and after all the fretting and worrying it looks like it will indeed be electrical issues, a couple of small plumbing items (gas and water) and removal of 3 trees. It will cost us about $1800. Tree guy comes Monday (decided to have a liscensed, bonded guy do it rather than my brother, who is quite capable but does not have liability insurance) and I am waiting to hear back from the other contractors for scheduling.
Now we have to start packing. Ok maybe the hardest part isn't over yet...I plan on weeding out and thinning down and totally decluttering as I pack. It will probably take the full 4 1/2 weeks I have left. (yes, really, I am a total pack rat and sentimental to boot. We have lived here for 6 years and managed to not really throw much away in that time).

Laundry List

Though nothing really to do with the laundry room. Mostly what they want fixed is electrical. A lot of it. Getting estimates.

The real stinkers are these - they want us to cut down a couple of trees. That is spendy. I got a guy though who will do it for not too much (that would be my brother for gas money. Gotta love family). The big one is that the inspector said the gas meter is too close to the electrical box. The thing is I think that only applies to new construction, it sure as hell didn't come up when we had this house inspected when we bought it. If we have to move it I think it will cost more than we have to spend.

So where we are at is that we are waiting for estimates and will go over the list of things and get back to them on what we think is realistic for us to cover.

I get to visit my new house on Thursday for the inspection. Very excited to see it again (remind me of this moment 5 years from now when I am totally over cleaning up after a 7 and 5 year old in it...)

Oh, and I have been doing a few crafty things...started a mini scrap book (actually started it about a year ago but finally am getting around to assembling). I also finished Jacob's socks:

Nerves A-Plenty

Don't know why I am all in knots over the house being inspected. I mean it's over and done with but still I am all wigged out. I guess my biggest fear is that they found enough wrong with the house that they won't want to buy it. Or they will ask for more repairs than we can afford. Now don't get me wrong, my house is not in disrepair, but it is 93 years old.
SOoooo here's to hoping they still want this old house. We should know by Saturday at the latest.

Oh yeah!

Well, we found the house we want to buy...put in the offer and are waiting to hear back...now we just need to get through the inspection on this house. That happens this Thursday. Wish us luck.

Mutual Acceptance

The buyers have agreed to our counter. We just have to get through the inspection now. We go house hunting bright and early tomorrow. Yay! The fun part!

Finally

This time last year I was 6+ months pregnant thinking we would sell the house in no time. Yes go ahead and laugh now. More than a year later we finally have an offer. We have put in a reasonable counter and expect to sign papers this evening, thus making ourselves homeless in less than 2 months. I guess we should start looking for a new house...

Little of This, Little of That

Just thought I'd touch basis with the blog world. I have not been up to a whole lot so I thought posting might be kinda boring for the two of you that read my blog...But didn't want you to think I fell of the face of the earth either.

So I have been doing a few small crafting projects. While I was on Orcas in July I got a little toy loom and had at it. I made a piece of cloth and folded it and sewed it up to make a little coin purse. On Friday I finally got the zipper put in:

I decided to knit up another fun little mini from Knitty: It's a little jug or vase. About 3 inches tall:

On Monday of last week Andrew came over and we felted some more soap...one for me and one for him:

Oh and I have made progress on Jake's socks too:

In other news, we are having a second showing of the house tonight to some folks that looked at it last Tuesday. The agent called me this morning and asked if she could show my house again this evening and said, "It's to the same people, they are very close to making an offer but wanted to see the house one more time." So fingers crossed we might be able to unpack our lives soon!

Drugged and House Stuff

So yesterday I finally went to see the doctor about my crazy itching...what I didn't tell ya'll that it came back and I just itch all day everyday? I guess cuz it is not nearly as bad as that first time...just a little itch on my arm, or leg, or back, or well, pretty much my whole body, but tolerable. I got sick of it and went on it (with two kids in tow, good thing I didn't have to get into a gown or something). Doc did a low tech scratch my skin with the back of his fingernail to see what my reaction was. It flamed up beyond what is normal so he said that I had some kind of Derma...something. Basically translates into "take these antihistimenes until it goes away because we don't know what it is." He gave me some office samples of a drug I had not yet heard of. Told me to take one once or twice a day...maybe half of one since I'm small...and at night because they can make you 'a little groggy.' I got home about 1pm (after the grocery store and taking my Sweetheart some lunch) and put Jake down for his nap. Then I discovered a message on my machine from an agent wanting to show the house between 1 and 2. Um...ok so now I have to bust ass to get the house in showing condition before 2. I called to tell her it was ok, but the end of her window was better for me. A guy answered...a coworker I guess...she had left her phone at the office. I kept cleaning anyway since I thought she might show anyway...at about 2pm just as I was finishing getting the house all done and turning on the tv to sit down for a few I see them pull up. I told them they were welcome to look at the house as long as they were ok with me sitting in the living room with Abby and didn't mind that Jake was asleep in his bed. They were fine with that and just then Andrew arrived and chatted with me while they looked at the house. Everyone took off and I finally sat down to watch my show. I took one of my new pills and cut it in half...took the slightly bigger half. This was right around 3:30pm. Shortly after that I got a call from another agent wanting to show my house again to a client that had seen it a couple of months ago (I am thinking maybe a sale fell through...we were #2 on a lot of people's lists and maybe now we'll be #1). Yeah! two for the price of one cleaning! Good thing too since they wanted to come either now or in an hour or so (right in the middle of dinner). I told her now would be fine. Of course I didn't realize they were like right around the corner...they pulled up while 1. I had no shoes on. 2. Jacob was running around naked from the waist down and 3. there was still littlle boy pee in the toddler potty. Thank goodness she was standing outside finishing up a phone call it gave me time to take care of all of those things. We drove around the block and parked out of sight until they were done (well I could see the house but I don't think they could see me.) I started dinner shortly after we got back and kept thinking about how dissapointed I was that the medication had not done a darned thing for my itching and maybe I should have taken the whole pill. I decided to take it shortly before bed. Once dinner was done and overwith (about 6 - 6:30) I started to feel tired. Really tired. Like fall asleep on the couch tired. I don't know how long I slept but it was reminicent of the tired I felt when I was pregnant. The crappy thing is...I still itched. When I woke up I still felt very groggy. Brian said I looked awful...like I was high. And that really is the best description...I was having all of the side effects of being high (like on vicoden or percocet) but not the high feeling - just the tired heaviness. I slept very very hard last night and only slightly itch this morning. I think I am going to try Claratin (or whatever the generic version is) since this stuff does not seem to be worth the trouble (even if it was free). I might give it one more shot but I will wait until bed time to take it. Maybe that is why it works...it doesn't stop the itching...it just knocks you out cold so you don't even know you itch (kinda like vicoden...you don't not feel pain...you just don't care about the pain).
So, here's to maybe getting an offer on the house and maybe the itching stops soon.

Busy busy

It has been a very busy couple of days. So here are the basics. Tuesday night Brian and I watched some TV and I sat and spun and spun and spun until I had finally finished my cotton singles. I was a little sore from spinning for so long but so be it. I don't think I'll be doing cotton again any time soon. I wanted to learn about the fiber but I think I simply enjoy wool more and I don't really like to knit with cotton that much (I make wash rags with it - that's about it). When I got up on Wednesday I Navajo-plyed the singles and got about 57 yards of naturally colored cotton. Then I put a pot of water on the stove to boil and dropped the cotton in to set the twist. I was surprised at how much color was left in the water. I guess I assumed that because it was naturally colored that there would not be any color in the water (then again grass is naturally green and if I boil that the water will turn green too...). Boiling it also darkened the yarn slightly (again that is counter intuitive to the color seeping into the water, but I guess that's the way it works). This will be a washcloth as that is really the only thing I do with cotton.

After doing that Jake and I played for a bit and I got my sewing room cleaned up...I really should have taken before and after pics cuz it was a disaster. I decided to 'go shopping' in my fiber bin to see what I want to spin next. I decided on a pencil roving I bought from the Crown Mountain Farms booth at Madrona. Here is a picture from the web site but mine has more orange in it.I grabbed that, some empty bobbins, my lazy kate and they plying head for the wheel and brought them down. I got the plying head put on so I could ply the singles that I had been working on from the roving that Brian brought home for me one night. Some of you know that story and the rest will just have to wonder. I started plying but was not making a dent at all in the singles bobbins. It was very similar to the knitting black hole in which you measure your knitting and get say, 3 inches and then you knit for an hour and still have 3 inches...yeah, that black hole. Same with the singles: treadle and treadle and treadle and NO progress seems to be made. I gave up for a while to tend to the kids and visit with my friend. We decided to make a run to the store and pick up stuff for dinner. We ended up making a chicken fettuccini with a tomato cream sauce from the Williams-Sonoma cook book. It was simple and fabulous. It didn't hurt that we made fresh pasta for the dish. After the kids were in bed we started watching a movie. 'Zack and Miri Make a Porno.' It was funny and sweet. Very graphic as you might assume from the title (really? there are naked people bumpin' uglies in a movie with a title like that? who would have thunk it?) Anyway while we watched I plyed. and plyed. Then Brian got home and started watching the movie and we started it over for him so he could see the whole thing. I plyed and plyed and plyed. When I finally stood up I thought my legs were going to fall off. I probably should have gotten the clue when I started using the wheel as a single treadle - trading off legs. I still wasn't done yet by the time the movie was over. I think I plyed for 3 hours straight.

Thursday morning Brian got up and went to work early (yes he's ambitious but for 2 reason's besides that 1. We are going on vacation for a week - he needs to be all set to go for that and 2. the real reason - Abby, who I pulled into bed with us when she woke up and wouldn't go back to sleep sometime before the sun was up - kept reacing over at him and her nails were long enough to scratch him. I swear I just cut those. I feel like I cut them twice a week and they just grow like gangbusters). Anyway I was having one of those really rare mornings that I get to sleep in a little then BANG! At first I thought what I heard was a gunshot. Then I looked out my window and couldn't see anything so I looked to see what the time was - No power! Then I knew it was a blown transformer that caused the noise. I got up and called the power company and they sent someone out. I got up and got the kids up (what, you think they were going to sleep through that noise?) and settled in for some milk and grahm crackers (our standard morning fair). Then I plyed and plyed and saw the light at the end of the bobbin. I plyed some more and finished the singles! Yay! I am happy I only had a little bit left over on one of the bobbins. So here are the singles now a 2 ply. I will ply one more time from the inside and outside of a centerpull ball to get a chain plyed yarn.

I was worried that I was not going to have enough room on the bobbin but it fit fine. After breakfast we got dressed and mowed the front and back lawns. That was work but it was also kinda nice too...glad I did it before the sun came out though. When I put the lawnmower away I figured I was in the garage, I may as well haul out the camping gear we are going to need...so I got that all pulled out and into the house. I fed Abby and Jake had a snack and we headed out to WalMart to get a few things for the camping trip. Once we got home we had lunch and Jake had a nap. While I was up in his room I got all of the kids clothed out and dug out the swim diapers, air mattress and other bedding for the trip. I fed Abby again (these kids keep wanting food, like several times a day - sheesh) and then got all of the kids clothes sorted and folded and put into the camping pile. I decided I was exhausted and should rest while the kids were sleeping. So just as I give myself permission to drift off the phone rings. Damn. Good thing I didn't get too far into sleep mode since it was a realtor wanting to show the house - Yay! But now I had to bust my ass to clean not only the standard shit but I had all the camping gear to deal with too. Short version is I tossed most of the camping gear in the car and got my house cleaned up. I had my friend come over and help me move the old mattress out of the hallway and into the garage (yeah, I know we got the new mattress a week ago - what's your point?) I finished with the house about 5 minutes into the window for the agent to show up and headed out with the kids to meet up with Brian at the used bookstore. We wandered there for about a half an hour and then decided to have dinner at the teriyaki joint right next door. Finally home for a little sit down. I was pretty beat by the end of the evening.

Now I still have a buttload of crap to do for the trip. So today I am going to spend the day cleaning out the van (vacuuming and all of that) packing and I think I still have a few things to pick up from the store that I managed to forget. I would like to finish plying my yarn but I don't know if I am going to get to that. Now Jake would like some strawberries, so I am off to cut some up...

Hopeful

We have had a lot of showings lately. We had 2 at the beginning of the week and another 2 yesterday. We also had 2 today. One of those was a repeat from yesterday. I am very very hopeful that the house will sell soon. I am sooo ready to unpack my life. I am trying very hard not to get my hopes up and I am trying very hard not to get ahead of myself (something I tend to do quite often and quite fiercely).

In other news I finished another bear (poor thing has been 'gestating' for waaaayyy to long on my sewing table).

Fingers Crossed

Someone came to look at the house today. For the 2nd time. They are waiting to see if the offer they made on another house is accepted but we are number 2 on their list if that falls through. While I don't usually wish for failure, I do today. So please, let the bank accept the other offer and let them come buy our house. I am so ready to unpack my life (even if it means packing it ALL up first).

Better Safe Than Sorry

I really hate it when I make myself feel silly but sometimes it just happens. Yesterday I woke up and immediately noticed that Abby was not being very active at all. I am usually woken up by rib or bladder punches. Had my tea (lots of sugar) and no change. Had a hearty breakfast and no change. Decided to to some kick counts...under the recommended number, so I called the midwife's office. Was instructed to drink 2 large glasses of water and do another count. I did and got lots of movement, Yay! However throughout the day her movements decreased and when she did move it was almost as if she was lethargic. So late afternoon I drank more water and counted again. Barely got to the minimum number but got it none-the-less. A couple of hours later I tried again and 'failed' the test. I just felt off besides that so I decided to call back into the midwife (on-call at this point) and they told me that it was probably nothing but to go ahead and come in and they would do a no stress test and listen to her heart tones. So away we went, got to the hospital and admitted yada yada (really glad I didn't have to wait in the ER waiting room - Labor and Delivery come down and get ya when your preggo). As soon as they hook me up to the machine she starts moving like there's no tomorrow (of course). Needless to say they watched for 20 minutes and said all was good and sent us home. Again better safe than sorry - at the very least it was a little peace of mind that let us sleep. I am glad we were able to get home and in bed by 10 because of Brian's exam today.
Oh and we showed the house again on Thursday too! Hoping we might get something of course, but there are no garuntees. The agent said the house showed well, and since we had showings on back to back days I am hoping the market is picking back up. I guess that means I am going to have to start keeping my house clean again...

Hoping for a Sale!

I haven't really posted because not much has been happening around here. Same ol' same ol' everyday things.
Saw the midwife yesterday and she says I am 'very soft' and a 'solid 3cm' so I have made a little progress as far as my getting ready for labor...still nothing eminent and I could stay pregnant for several weeks. Not that I expected it sooner anyway since I am just full term (37 weeks) today. So now is when I can officially say "I could go at any time" I want to wait until after Brian's exam on Saturday though. She'll come when she's ready I suspect.
Yesterday I decided to take Jake over to Grandpa's earlier in the day rather than just before my appt. and I am glad I did because when I got home I got a call from an agent who wanted to show the house...I don't think I would have been able to pick up the clutter with Jake's 'help' since she only gave me 40 minutes notice. But....I think they liked the house and as usual I am going to be cautiously optimistic.

Feast or Famine

Things seem to come in 'clumps' for me. Good and bad. Yesterday was mostly trying rather than bad per-say but it was what it was.

First was our visit to the pediatrician to get our friend the pea out of someone's nose. We get there and get the news that he is due for shots too. I was pretty sure I had him all caught up on his shots at the last visit and if not how come I didn't get a phone call so I could stay on top of this kinda thing? Anyway...after weighing in etc, it took me and 2 nurses to hold the boy down while the RN tried to fish the damn pea out. She couldn't get it but during the process I mentioned that I had tried with a bulb syringe at home and one of the 'holder' nurses said 'oh, lets try that, I am really good with those.' She tried a couple of times and never produced said pea, but during that process Jake had a bit of a gagging, swallowing episode and we think he swallowed the darned thing. Either way we couldn't find it anymore so we just get to watch and wait and make sure he doesn't develop a cough or 'icky snot' that my show the damn thing moved into his sinus. So he was pretty pissed at this point. First he had been screaming 'MOMMY DOWN!!' then he moved onto telling the nurses 'Bye bye' wanting them to go away. He got calmed down enough to be breathing normally when she came in with the shots. So that set him off again. He was doing better by the time we got dressed and out the door (Thank God for the Gerber Graduates yogurt drop samples they had at check out...they made a wonderful 'treat' and really helped calm him down). We went and saw Daddy at work because Jake was upset with Mommy and really needed Daddy for a while...I really love that Brian works so close to home I am going to miss that when we move (someday).

We got home long enough for a diaper change, midmorning snack and for me to pay the bills (it's sooooo much fun watching my bank account go from 3 grand to 120 bucks in the span of 10 minutes). Just had to make sure we'd have enough in the account to pay for an inspection of our van...oh yeah the steering has been binding up on me...not exactly the safest thing so we HAD to get it taken care of. The guy asked if I wanted a shuttle service home or if I wanted to wait...I figured it couldn't take them all that long to LOOK at the damn thing...needless to say we waited for 2 stinking hours before they told us what the problem was...I would have been fine getting it over the phone, I just wish the guy had realized that I had a toddler with me and had told me it could potentially take that long (I miss my damn Toyota...The only service the damn thing EVER needed was oil changes, tire rotations and on one occasion, a new windshield). The fix is going to cost us about 1100 bucks. Joy. Not exactly what we need at a time when we are going to be dropping a crapload of money to pay for labor and delivery sometime in the next (God willing) 4 weeks. We got a shuttle ride home and got some lunch (poor kid had to wait that long but he did really well and they did provide cookies in the waiting room, so that helped even if they aren't exactly nutritious). By the time he went down for his nap it was 3:00 (he usually naps around 11 or 12 at the latest).

I had time to sit down for 1/2 hour before dinner had to go in the oven and I figured since I was up I may as well tidy the living room and kitchen, etc. Brian got home and we chatted while we puttered around the kitchen together when we got a phone call from an agent wanting to show the house (YAY!) we hadn't shown the house in 7 weeks and so my standard of cleanliness has been on a slow decline (well not my standard, but just giving a damn really since no one has been coming anyway)...The big surprise was that they wanted to see the house in 20 minutes!!!! I specifically ask for a minimum of 1hrs notice but I wasn't going to give up the chance to show my house so (thank God again) Brian was home to help me. I can't believe how clean we got the house in 20 minutes (not really dirty, but the clutter piles up ya know...) Now don't get me wrong, we were just shoving shit in drawers and closets, but in the end the basic need was met. Since we couldn't really go anywhere because the van wasn't here (3 of us don't fit so well in Brian's pickup) we just sat on the tailgate while they toured the house. I am really glad I was cooking dinner because our house smelled like turkey and not cat hair (and thankfully not a combination of the two cuz that would have been really bad). Anyway I guess overall showing the house was on the good side of things rather than bad but It meant I didn't get to sit down when I should have yesterday evening. Let's just hope they want to buy our house now.

Hopefully today will be less eventfull (except of course for that couple who saw our house yesterday, I want them to decide they really like it...I can take action if it means selling the house).