I keep meaning to write more about this whole buying a house process, because I know someday I'll want to look back and re-live it all. Some days are really frustrating, some days are really hopeful, and some days are just plain stressful. We've been going out with our realtor every weekend to see houses on our list, which has really been fun. We've seen a few houses that we love, a few houses that are decent, and a few houses that need a ton of work. It's amazing how horrible some houses smell...like, do the people notice the stench when the walk home everyday or what?
The first weekend we went out, the very first house we looked at...oh my gosh. It was beautiful. It was a ranch, completely remodeled and just gorgeous. I would have bought it on the spot if I could have. It had a detached barn with garage, good sized lot, and seriously...I loved the house, the layout, the architecture, everything. The second house that day was beautiful, but in a bad neighborhood and it had a shared driveway...which John promptly knocked off the list. The third was in a great neighborhood, cute house, but no basement. It had the water heater and stuff in closets throughout the house so the only storage spaces were in the bedrooms and the garage. The kitchen was kind of small, but it had a mudroom which I loved.
The second weekend, we saw mostly so-so houses. The first we didn't even go into because the outside needed so much work. The second was really nice, full basement, remodeled, garage, absolutely perfect...just out of our price range by $15,000. It even had a great backyard, but fifteen grand isn't going to magically appear in our laps. The third was a disaster...the inside was circa 1970 with a mammoth amount of work necessary, but the outside was resided and landscaped really nicely. We didn't even go upstairs in that one...clearly that was a no. The fourth was alright, it was a ranch and the square footage was on the small side, and the layout wasn't really functional. John didn't like the driveway, and the basement had a really odd layout...it was like one big room with random walls put up. Odd. It did have a really nice deck though, which I liked. This past weekend we went to one that seemed okay in the pictures we saw ahead of time but it absolutely reeked...plus it was really outdated, and I didn't like the location at all. No garage either, which we really want.
We realize that we arent'y going to find a perfect house, but we're starting to learn what we can live without and what kind of work we're willing to do on the house we buy. I would really like a basement and a dining room, John really wants a garage. A good neighborhood is absolutely necessary. We'd much prefer two bathrooms over one. It's a matter of give and take, and hopefully by the end of the summer we'll have a place to call home.
We're going up to meet with a mortgage company to officially get pre-qualified, and then once the end of August arrives we'll get pre-approved and lock in at a rate and with a loan program. Exciting, but seriously stressful. One bank that I contacted last week was telling me that because John is self-employed, he needs a certain kind of bank account in order for us to get approved (which he does not have) so we were scrambling on Saturday talking to different banks to find out if this was true, and luckily it's not a requirement with ALL banks. Insert huge sigh of relief here! It's just a stressful process because it's hard to know which bank to go with, which bank is really going to give us the best deal. Everyone's out to earn money, and I get that, but I want to find a bank that's going to let us keep as much money as possible.
I had a small medical problem that halted my 30 day shredding, so I've got to start that up again soon. I got really mad at myself for having to stop, but I couldn't really help it. I have John's oldest nephew's 5th grade graduation tomorrow night, the meeting with the mortgage guy Thursday, a wedding on Saturday, ahhh! I thought I'd have a lot more free time when the semester ended but clearly that's not the case. I forgot to do my laundry today too, so I have to find something to wear to work tomorrow.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Day 3...ugh
I could barely move this morning...my legs hurt SO bad.
I did do day 3 after work though, and it seemed to help loosen them up but now I'm back to being super sore. It's getting easier, still no walk in the park, but my endurance and strength are improving (except in the lunge/arm raise thing in part one...my arms die about 6 raises before the end!) I haven't made it to the gym in two days because my legs hurt that bad, but I'm definitely going tomorrow. My arms are already more toned...so I am hopeful that this pain will all be worth it in the end!
I also found out today that I made the Dean's List with a 3.6 GPA. I'm proud of myself, this semester kicked my butt.
Tomorrow I have an appointment to see a plastic surgeon about my arm. It's been over two years, so I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do for me. A part of me doesn't want to do anything, I feel like the scars are a part of me. And they shouldn't affect the way people see me...and if they do, they aren't people I want in my life anyway, right?
I did do day 3 after work though, and it seemed to help loosen them up but now I'm back to being super sore. It's getting easier, still no walk in the park, but my endurance and strength are improving (except in the lunge/arm raise thing in part one...my arms die about 6 raises before the end!) I haven't made it to the gym in two days because my legs hurt that bad, but I'm definitely going tomorrow. My arms are already more toned...so I am hopeful that this pain will all be worth it in the end!
I also found out today that I made the Dean's List with a 3.6 GPA. I'm proud of myself, this semester kicked my butt.
Tomorrow I have an appointment to see a plastic surgeon about my arm. It's been over two years, so I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do for me. A part of me doesn't want to do anything, I feel like the scars are a part of me. And they shouldn't affect the way people see me...and if they do, they aren't people I want in my life anyway, right?
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
30 Days...
Well, I'm on day two of The 30 Day Shred.
I made it through both days, although I feel like I could collapse and never get up. It burned while I was doing it, but it wasn't that bad. I was able to move around fairly easily yesterday, woke up a little stiff today, and now I can barely move. It is the most exhausting work out I've ever tried, and its only 20 minutes long! We'll see how the rest of the 30 days go. Maybe my limbs wont feel like Jello by day 30...
John and I are planning our 2 year anniversary trip. I think we've settled on Providence, probably the Biltmore.
And I have had heartburn like whoa for the last two weeks. I wish my stomach would just settle down! I can barely eat anything anymore...no soy, no lactose, no spicy food, no tomatoes. It's annoying and hard to go shopping.
I made it through both days, although I feel like I could collapse and never get up. It burned while I was doing it, but it wasn't that bad. I was able to move around fairly easily yesterday, woke up a little stiff today, and now I can barely move. It is the most exhausting work out I've ever tried, and its only 20 minutes long! We'll see how the rest of the 30 days go. Maybe my limbs wont feel like Jello by day 30...
John and I are planning our 2 year anniversary trip. I think we've settled on Providence, probably the Biltmore.
And I have had heartburn like whoa for the last two weeks. I wish my stomach would just settle down! I can barely eat anything anymore...no soy, no lactose, no spicy food, no tomatoes. It's annoying and hard to go shopping.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
pudge
This semester killed me. The work load was much more than I previously had, and the work was more involved. I worked all day, or went to class all day, and went home to do homework until I went to bed. Every. Single. Day. I did try to keep up with the gym but that fizzled out about six weeks into the semester. I just couldn't find the time, or the energy.
I have not weighed myself, but I feel like the lack of running and lack of watching what I ate took a toll on my body. My clothes are a smidge too tight and I am tired. This is a sign - a sign that the gym is calling for me. Last week, I caved and bought the 30 Day Shred on Amazon....and even got two other Jillian Michael's DVDs all for the super awesome price of $27! The Shred is obviously 30 days, broken down into three stretches of 10 days each. I'm figuring I'll do it Monday thru Friday and take weekends off, so it will be more like the 45 Day Shred for me. I know a lot of people who have tried it, and quite a few lost several inches doing this, so hopefully it will bring me the same results. I figure if I watch what I eat, get in at least 45 minutes of cardio, and do this video and maybe some pilates mixed in, I should be able to get to where I normally am in a month or so.
John and I have found several adorable houses in our price range...and now I am dead set on getting a house instead of a condo! I keep telling myself I only have a few more months to go until we can make and offer, but that's really going to be right around the corner! We better start making appointments to see all these homes, September will be here before we know it.
I have not weighed myself, but I feel like the lack of running and lack of watching what I ate took a toll on my body. My clothes are a smidge too tight and I am tired. This is a sign - a sign that the gym is calling for me. Last week, I caved and bought the 30 Day Shred on Amazon....and even got two other Jillian Michael's DVDs all for the super awesome price of $27! The Shred is obviously 30 days, broken down into three stretches of 10 days each. I'm figuring I'll do it Monday thru Friday and take weekends off, so it will be more like the 45 Day Shred for me. I know a lot of people who have tried it, and quite a few lost several inches doing this, so hopefully it will bring me the same results. I figure if I watch what I eat, get in at least 45 minutes of cardio, and do this video and maybe some pilates mixed in, I should be able to get to where I normally am in a month or so.
John and I have found several adorable houses in our price range...and now I am dead set on getting a house instead of a condo! I keep telling myself I only have a few more months to go until we can make and offer, but that's really going to be right around the corner! We better start making appointments to see all these homes, September will be here before we know it.
Monday, May 18, 2009
i want something that i want
Everyone around me is graduating! It is somewhat frustrating, because I have three months off and then have to go back for another three and a half months to get my degree. Lately I've been wondering a lot about what my life would be like had I stayed at Providence in January of 2006. Would I be healthy? Would I have more friends? Would I be completely broke? Would I be on a different career path? Would I be with someone else? Would I be this happy? Would I be buying a house this year?
A lot of things have happened in the last three and a half years that have molded me into who I am today.
Spending two months in the hospital and another year or so working to get myself healthy really changed me and made me into a better person. I had to work really hard to get to where I am now, and I'm really proud of the person I've become. I still struggle and am constantly reminded of how easy it would be to fall back into that life - thinking of nothing but calories eaten and calories burned, scrutinizing every inch of my body, and working out until I literally collapse out of exhaustion. It would be so easy, but I am reminded everyday of the things that keep me going.
I went through a couple bad relationships that taught me about who I am and what I want in a relationship, and led me to the most amazing man. I can't imagine a stronger, braver, kinder person to share the rest of my life with and I am so completely in love with him. John brings out the best in me, he accepts my flaws and he loves me unconditionally. He and I are buying a house this fall, and I am so excited to think of all the amazing memories we will make in the future to join the beautiful ones we've already made.
I am scarred, literally, and came to terms with how quickly life can be taken away. At first I hated my scar, but now I kind of like to think it shows how strong I am. That and it also reminds me to always wear my seatbelt. It was another obstacle, another uphill climb, but I came out on top and it led me to the love of my life. If my arm didn't look like a map of the Rocky Mountains, John probably would never have noticed me at the gym, and who knows where we'd both be today.
Last May was probably the hardest month of my life. Sometimes things are thrown at us unexpectedly and out of the blue we are forced to grow up and make an adult decision. Facing that, something I wasn't planning on facing for several years, and having to make a decision that would affect the rest of our lives was not an easy thing to do, and it got even harder when our control over the situation was taken away. Some might say that was a blessing in disguise, but I'm not so sure. We came out of it together, and stronger than ever. I like to think that John and I are a better couple because of it.
In coming home from PC, I definitely altered the way my life went. I've literally worked my way through college, but it's enabled me to buy a brand new car on my own and by the end of this year I will be a homeowner. None of that would have happened had I stayed at PC. I lost my friends, which has been a struggle for the last three years. My college friends were left behind, my high school friends were in different states, and I made no long lasting friendships at CCSU because I commuted. It has been strange, the last few weeks, with my high school friends graduating and coming back to Connecticut.
I dont think these 'what-ifs' will do me any good, but still, it is hard to picture how my life would have turned out if I stayed at PC. I'm sure I would have amazing, strong friendships, and a great education. But I would be massively in debt, and just starting out. I already have a great job that will be here for me until I get a teaching job. I am going to the best school in the state for my Master's degree. I have the love of my life, who I am sure I would not have met if I'd stayed at PC. I will always miss the idea of a real college experience and I will always wonder what my life would have been like. But I am so happy with the life I've made so far, and I'm proud of what I've done. It hasn't been that easy, but I do think it has been entirely worth it.
A lot of things have happened in the last three and a half years that have molded me into who I am today.
Spending two months in the hospital and another year or so working to get myself healthy really changed me and made me into a better person. I had to work really hard to get to where I am now, and I'm really proud of the person I've become. I still struggle and am constantly reminded of how easy it would be to fall back into that life - thinking of nothing but calories eaten and calories burned, scrutinizing every inch of my body, and working out until I literally collapse out of exhaustion. It would be so easy, but I am reminded everyday of the things that keep me going.
I went through a couple bad relationships that taught me about who I am and what I want in a relationship, and led me to the most amazing man. I can't imagine a stronger, braver, kinder person to share the rest of my life with and I am so completely in love with him. John brings out the best in me, he accepts my flaws and he loves me unconditionally. He and I are buying a house this fall, and I am so excited to think of all the amazing memories we will make in the future to join the beautiful ones we've already made.
I am scarred, literally, and came to terms with how quickly life can be taken away. At first I hated my scar, but now I kind of like to think it shows how strong I am. That and it also reminds me to always wear my seatbelt. It was another obstacle, another uphill climb, but I came out on top and it led me to the love of my life. If my arm didn't look like a map of the Rocky Mountains, John probably would never have noticed me at the gym, and who knows where we'd both be today.
Last May was probably the hardest month of my life. Sometimes things are thrown at us unexpectedly and out of the blue we are forced to grow up and make an adult decision. Facing that, something I wasn't planning on facing for several years, and having to make a decision that would affect the rest of our lives was not an easy thing to do, and it got even harder when our control over the situation was taken away. Some might say that was a blessing in disguise, but I'm not so sure. We came out of it together, and stronger than ever. I like to think that John and I are a better couple because of it.
In coming home from PC, I definitely altered the way my life went. I've literally worked my way through college, but it's enabled me to buy a brand new car on my own and by the end of this year I will be a homeowner. None of that would have happened had I stayed at PC. I lost my friends, which has been a struggle for the last three years. My college friends were left behind, my high school friends were in different states, and I made no long lasting friendships at CCSU because I commuted. It has been strange, the last few weeks, with my high school friends graduating and coming back to Connecticut.
I dont think these 'what-ifs' will do me any good, but still, it is hard to picture how my life would have turned out if I stayed at PC. I'm sure I would have amazing, strong friendships, and a great education. But I would be massively in debt, and just starting out. I already have a great job that will be here for me until I get a teaching job. I am going to the best school in the state for my Master's degree. I have the love of my life, who I am sure I would not have met if I'd stayed at PC. I will always miss the idea of a real college experience and I will always wonder what my life would have been like. But I am so happy with the life I've made so far, and I'm proud of what I've done. It hasn't been that easy, but I do think it has been entirely worth it.
Monday, May 11, 2009
lightyears
Reason #435094 why I have the cutest boyfriend ever:
Me: I love you to infinity and beyond!
John: I love you too, Buzz.
He totally feeds into my Disney obsession ; )
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
crash
If I fall and crash and burn
At least I know you’re by my side
As I crawl, the lessons learned
Remind me I'll survive
I've been hurt and I've been scarred
At least I know that I'm alive
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