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22 Apr 2013

24 Comments

Stuck in the middle with you…

Have I told you we are trying to sell our house yet?

(que the music for our current mood)

..clap along if you want….

There, you got it…

(sigh)

It turns out the bank this time, the BANK (!) wants us to install either electric eyes to go with our automatic garage doors or install updated garage doors with an electric eye so no mishaps with slow moving children, sleeping dogs, unreplaceable Ming dynasty vases or anything else of value or liability linger beneath the vengeful garage doors when they transcend from the open position.

This is insane!

We installed said doors about 10 years ago when we replaced the wooden, out of date, slightly rotting garage doors with the house WE bought. OUR bank never said anything about safety or the looming potential for robotic garage doors to reek havoc on a home owners policy.

Our realtor thinks this is silly. Their realtor thinks this is silly. The buyer doesn’t want anything to change! But the BANK thinks we need these updated, state of the art ‘garage doors’. Garage doors! ..in order to float the money to this new home buyer.

Were the last 10 years in the housing industry really this bad??

So we are forced to disconnect and dismantle said garage door opener before we close…in SIX DAYS!

Meanwhile, the previous house inspector is coming out on Wednesday to check to see if the repairs we did are adequate. Never mind I said they were done. Paid a little more than $2000 for the repairs. It doesn’t matter that we gave them a letter from a licensed contractor Vouching for the work. Crazy!

So I am inviting my contractor to come out at the same time and stand up to him. My guy is bigger and meaner looking than any ol’ inspector. I pity the fool!

NO, actually just cross your fingers for me that every goes Ok… and we don’t have to shell out any more money. He couldn’t care less about the nature of our garage doors.

So on we go….

“Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right. Here I am…stuck in this riddle with you.”

Posted in Archives

16 Apr 2013

16 Comments

Some of my favorite things…

Tonight I saw something that I had never, ever seen before.

I got home and my girls both tell me my favorite show is on TV. Coming through the door, and curious, with high expectations I asked, “Oh yea? What is this?”

They both scream out “Football!”

“Yea?”

Only to walk in the living room and find its some college baseball. (sigh) Not even close.

But here is the thing, the game was on…are you ready…channel 1679. Yes, well into the 1600’s in channels. Who needs 1600 channels? Please list your jokes at the bottom of the page about this.

Well I have been telling you about a few of my favorite kids and their birthdays over these past few weeks. I finally got around to viewing some pictures from all the various events this past month. So I wanted to share some of them here. I hope you enjoy them. And thanks for dropping by…

the b-day month started with seeing their cousins, which they haven't seen in 2 years. They were a little shy at first...

The b-day month started with seeing their cousins, which they haven’t seen in 2 years, at the O.G. They were a little shy at first…

Both of their cousins are dancers in high school. Here they are teaching D. how to stretch the right way

They taught our girls some dance moves…

They taught them some gymnastic moves

I think everyone had a great time

It looks like somebody’s birthday ~ but who’s this time?

Playing dress up ~ this is Ariel at her marriage to Prince Eric

Playing dress up in her new dress~ this is Ariel at her marriage to Prince Eric

Future Charlie’s Angel

She’s growing up WAAAAY to fast!

The famous Princess Castle. How many Princesses do you see?

Looking for an Easter basket after the Princesses had an Easter blow-out party

The girls racing at the beginning of their Easter Egg hunt

Somebody needs a bigger Easter basket.

She just couldn’t wait until the end of the hunt

Dylan! Where did all that Easter candy go?

Its where Easter Eggs come from!

Playing Air Hockey with Grandma @ Chucky Cheese

She's giving her big monster roar to Chucky Cheese

…trying to scare Chucky Cheese

Skylar had a birthday too…

Playing Peek-a-boo

Better than Easter candy AND lip gloss!

Wrong opening there Skylar ~ Happy Birthday-month girls!!

Posted in Archives and tagged birthday, Dylan, Easter, football, my favorite thing, Skylar

16 Apr 2013

19 Comments

We’re In!

After much nail biting and gnashing of teeth our home- for-sale’s price has been validated.

and….

To the best of my knowledge our home has then been cleared to sell and we are on our way to…..

Home Sweet Home

The girls couldn’t be Happier!

Skylar got to run around in her new room already

But Mom and Dad may even be more excited!

and here is the Big reason why…

Our oldest daughter starts school this fall

Below is the school rating system of the town we just left and the new area we just moved into (Hanahan)

Local School Name	Distance	Grades	Student/Teacher Ratio	GreatSchools Rating*
North Charleston Elem Charleston	2.0 mi	PK-5	11:1	1
Hanahan Elem Berkeley	2.5 mi	PK-4	18:1	8
Morningside MiddleCharleston	1.9 mi	6-8	7:1	1
R B Stall High Charleston	3.9 mi	9-12	13:1	1
Hanahan High Berkeley	0.8 mi	9-12	16:1	8

Big Difference in the school systems!

Although it seems we now need a FULL-TIME Nanny at our new location?

Anybody intereseted?

Posted in Archives and tagged now hiring a full-time nanny!

13 Apr 2013

19 Comments

Just time for a quickie..

Hey gang,

I just have time for a quickie here! Its a wonderful spring afternoon here. Ideal temperatures. Clear blue skies. The kinda day just screaming for To-Do’ lists to get done.

And here I sit.

We finished up ‘Birthday Month’ here this week with Skylar’s b-day on Monday. It was really a low key affair since both girls have been celebrating for the last 4 weeks. The upcoming month of May brings another birthday month, for all the adults this time. Not to mention all the other things that could be going on in May.

To bring you up to speed, we have been approved to buy our new house. Everything is contingent on the sale of our house.

The status of that sale is still murky. The termite inspector came by this week. While he found no termites he did want us to replace some wood damaged from water….that may be conducive to termites.

Silly me. All this time I thought that was the responsibility of the termite company that we pay the termite bond to.

Cha-ching! And the old house cash register rings up again.

Our contractor did the work required for this Termite CL-100 report plus the work needed to satisfy the 23 page home inspection. (Cha-ching). Upon his completion of the work he gave me a letter stating the house is fit to live in.

We may just stay then!

That thought has crossed our minds.

Also, the bank preparing the loan for the buyer sent their inspector out for a home appraisal, to see if the house is valued for the amount of the load. This is the last stage of the process in selling our home.

At this point we are calling it the ‘home appeasal’ since we have had to appease so many different parties. We are holding our breath and putting off boxing until we get the ‘thumbs up’ from this report.

If, and when we get that, it ~~will~~ could be smoother sailing until the sale at the end of the month. We put off grocery shopping this week in order to force us to ‘eat down’ the stash in our pantry, freezer and refrigerator. It may make for some curious meals this week!

Add to these checklists some questionable blood tests that require further investigation and the ending to a 3 year old probate from a death in the family in 2010, and the family agreements that need to take place with that, and the rest of the month looks full.

Going back to the quickie, that is why this week and the festivities earlier, were such a nice distraction. Thanks to all who helped make this and both birthdays so special for everyone!

Here’s a quick(ie) look at the beginning of the week. It can bring out the little girl in all of us, er….I mean you. If you listen closely you can hear me roll my lips in an attempt to show Skylar the proper way to apply lip gloss. And you can draw your own conclusions about that last statement…

Thanks for dropping by! I hope your weekend is fun-filled, action-packed, or relaxing, which ever you desire. I hope my friends are all hitting your goals and making the most of this special weekend!

Posted in Archives and tagged birthday, probate, sell my house

08 Apr 2013

4 Comments

Happy Birthday!

Monday was Skylar’s birthday. ~Films at 11:00!

While we are waiting for some vids to get downloaded I just wanted to give you a glimpse of the last carefree day or two.

Yes, little Skye turned 3 Monday. We had a low-key celebration at our house since she and her older sister have basically been receiving gifts over the past two weeks. Her birthday wish for her birthday dinner? Macaroni and Cheese, what else?

But mac n cheese was only the side, the main course you say? Peanut butter and jelly! And even then she still likes to pull the sandwich apart and lick the insides or pick them off with her fingers. Yes, we are still working on her fork skills. You should see what happened to poor Cinderella!

Licking the icing off Cinderella

Skylar painted her chin with birthday cake icing and then went out to play with her sister and new friend from next door. Nice and low key.

Sunday was the kick off to her birthday weekend as some of her very special grand parents popped into town and had lunch with us. Skylar smiled and laughed and enjoyed all the attention as her grandmother tried to steal all the hugs and kisses. And then, true to form, they walked both the girls out to their car and presented the birthday girls with two life-size birthday bags. It was a great day!

I think they remembered how much Skylar likes her lip gloss…

What did you eat this time?

Because she got another sampling if it again. And she loved it too!

Sitting here I just realized we never said thanks to both of you after the kids tore open their birthday booty so THANK YOU SO MUCH!! The girls loved their new princess jewelry and tents! We loved those dresses! You two are great and we are so lucky to have you in our lives!

The girls treated these grandparents to their best versions of some favorite Schoolhouse Rocks songs. Does anybody remember these? Saturday morning educational commercials? I won’t tell anyone how long ago they were on TV.

Conjunction Junction
Interplanet Janet
3 is a Magic Number
Electricity
Lolly, Lolly, Lolly (get your adverb here)
Interjections

Mom is always interested in seeing our two girls excel in school and these fun songs really fit the bill. We loved these songs as kids and so far our girls really like them too. It doesn’t matter that they don’t know what adverbs are; or interjections. Heck I was surprised at a couple of the pronouns.

But when the girls get to school these things are just going to click. Like the way Dylan can now count by fives to this song. Ya gotta have fun singing them out…

And having fun with these songs this past weekend took me to a happy place after the last week or two. You see two years ago we went to Ocean City, New Jersey on vacation and the local theater troupe put on a Schoolhouse Rocks play for kids on the boardwalk that week.

Truthfully, mom and dad enjoyed the play and songs more than the kids did that year. But listening to these songs reminded me that is our summer vacation again this year, as we hope the kids are big enough to get on more rides this time. The town is made for kids and young families. So my clan’ll fit right in!

Here is a peak at two years ago at OCNJ, the Schoolhouse Rocks songs and some of the boardwalk adventures if you want to take an impromptu trip right now.

Or if you are interested in more family dirt here is Part I…

More about the summer vaycay later. It was nice just to relive some of those memories.

Friends and family, I am still working on the videos of Skylar’s big day and pictures from Aunt Sue to give you the full scam this weekend as well as some fun things from Easter. Stay tuned!

Happy Birthday Skylar! And have a good week everyone!

Posted in Archives and tagged birthday, new jersey, Ocean City, schoolhouse rocks, Skylar