We accepted a counter-offer (which actually is our original offer) on this house!!
http://www.mls.ca/PropertyDetails.aspx?PropertyID=4690222
The colors are horrid, and the carpet is pretty ugly in the bedrooms, and the lino in the bathrooms would turn your stomach, lol, but that's all esthetic stuff that we'll get to as we have time. As far as we can see, there's nothing major that needs to be done!!
Of course, the sale is conditional on our financing (which should be no problem at all thanks to mom and dad!!) and a home inspection. Which, like we say, would be a shock if something turned up.
So, now we've just gotta get things rolling with the bank and setting up the mortgage... but, really, we do have a house!!!!
Oh, other than the ugliness, it's got 3 bedrooms on the main floor, with a bathroom, kitchen, living room, and dining area. The basement is all finished and has a rec room, huge laundry room area, bedroom, and bathroom. There's another room downstairs that is a storage room right now, but we'll make into a bedroom eventually. So, all in all, a five bedroom house!! More than we even thought about looking for!!!
9.11.2006
9.09.2006
a mouse in the house! - 09/09
Yup, you read it right. There's a MOUSE in my HOUSE! YUCK! He's coming up from the basement through a crack in the wall (big surprise about the crack... yeah, right) right into the food cupboards. I thought I saw droppings yesterday morning, but wasn't sure. Then later in the afternoon I heard the thing in there crunching away on our food! So, as soon as Zech woke up from his nap, I packed up the kids and we went to the mall. We walked and walked and walked for 2 and a half hours until Josh was home and he had unpacked the cupboads. Now all our food is sitting in boxes around the kitchen and there are 2 traps in the cupboards. So far, no mouse.
Of course, murphy's law, the landlord is in Saskatchewan this weekend, so he won't be around to do anything until Monday. Then he's going to come and fill the hole with insulation and put traps downstairs. And apparently we've been warned not to have a cat in the house.
I really dislike this guy.
And we're supposed to be allowing showings of the house. For the time being, until the mouse is gone, there'll be no showings. There's no way to not have food everywhere in the kitchen and that's not a good thing to see. Sure would scare me off a house! Of course, the leaking roof and the hole in the wall in the kids room (to outside! you can see right outside!!!) should be enough to scare them off.
I can't wait to be out of this house.
Yet we're not having much luck on that front ourselves. Though, we did look at a house about 25 minutes south of Brandon, and we're going to put in an offer on it this afternoon. I'm not terribly optimistic, but it's worth a shot.
And that's all for now. Oh, there are some new pictures and a video on the dropshots website!!
Of course, murphy's law, the landlord is in Saskatchewan this weekend, so he won't be around to do anything until Monday. Then he's going to come and fill the hole with insulation and put traps downstairs. And apparently we've been warned not to have a cat in the house.
I really dislike this guy.
And we're supposed to be allowing showings of the house. For the time being, until the mouse is gone, there'll be no showings. There's no way to not have food everywhere in the kitchen and that's not a good thing to see. Sure would scare me off a house! Of course, the leaking roof and the hole in the wall in the kids room (to outside! you can see right outside!!!) should be enough to scare them off.
I can't wait to be out of this house.
Yet we're not having much luck on that front ourselves. Though, we did look at a house about 25 minutes south of Brandon, and we're going to put in an offer on it this afternoon. I'm not terribly optimistic, but it's worth a shot.
And that's all for now. Oh, there are some new pictures and a video on the dropshots website!!
9.07.2006
Things are starting - 09/07
Well, school is in here which means Josh is working now. His first day was a PD (professional development) day on Tuesday, and then his first teaching day was yesterday. He was nervous, but said all went well. Funny thing, he was supposed to be teaching 2 ITV (interactive television, basically satelitte classes) classes, but noone signed up for them at any other schools! So now he just has to teach all in one classroom - big teacher has his VERY OWN classroom!!! :o) I think he'll do really well. He's been planning and getting ready all summer, and he's even set up a blog for each of his classes, so that parents can check and see what their kids are doing each day! I think that's a really good idea. So, be thinking of him and wish him luck!!
We went and looked at yet another house last night. It's in Minto, about 30 minutes south of Brandon. It's only another 30 minutes to Baldur (where Josh is teaching), so that would cut his commute in half. The house has horrid paint colors and ugly carpets, but it's well cared for and very clean. We'd definitely be painting and putting down flooring, but that would be in time. It has 3 bedrooms on the main level and then really 2, could be more with work, in the basement. For now that would give us our rooms and a spare room for visitors, which could become bedrooms for the kids when they're older. So, we're going to be putting in an offer for it and see what happens.
Ruthie is signed up for dance classes for the year. Her first class is on Tuesday! I'll have to take pictures of her all dressed up and post them for you all to share!! I'm very much hoping that having dance class will burn off some of her energy, and maybe give her a better outlet for it at home to - hopefully she'll practice instead of bouncing off the walls!
The kids are so funny when Josh gets home. He's gone before they wake up in the mornings, so they don't see him at all until he gets home around 5pm. They go nuts!! I'm hoping they'll get more used to it and calm down after a couple weeks. Though it's kind of nice because it means I get a break from them! "Mom, what Mom?"!!
We went and looked at yet another house last night. It's in Minto, about 30 minutes south of Brandon. It's only another 30 minutes to Baldur (where Josh is teaching), so that would cut his commute in half. The house has horrid paint colors and ugly carpets, but it's well cared for and very clean. We'd definitely be painting and putting down flooring, but that would be in time. It has 3 bedrooms on the main level and then really 2, could be more with work, in the basement. For now that would give us our rooms and a spare room for visitors, which could become bedrooms for the kids when they're older. So, we're going to be putting in an offer for it and see what happens.
Ruthie is signed up for dance classes for the year. Her first class is on Tuesday! I'll have to take pictures of her all dressed up and post them for you all to share!! I'm very much hoping that having dance class will burn off some of her energy, and maybe give her a better outlet for it at home to - hopefully she'll practice instead of bouncing off the walls!
The kids are so funny when Josh gets home. He's gone before they wake up in the mornings, so they don't see him at all until he gets home around 5pm. They go nuts!! I'm hoping they'll get more used to it and calm down after a couple weeks. Though it's kind of nice because it means I get a break from them! "Mom, what Mom?"!!
8.28.2006
update - 08/28
Well, we're still trying to find a house. Seems we've been looking and looking and just not having any luck at all. There was one house we liked, but won't pay what they want for it. Another we were about the go see (and then probably make an offer) but right before we went to see it, the sellers pulled it off the market. Today we were planning to see 2 more, but they either sold or were pulled off the market... AS we were on our way there.
I just don't know what more to do now. There's nothing more out there. I mean, we'll keep looking, but really we've looked at everything in the price range, within nearly an hour of Brandon. And there's nothing. And probably nothing much more will be coming up, as it's nearing the end of the selling "season". So I'm not sure where exactly that leaves us. I guess we just hope that the house we're renting doesn't sell out from under us, or we'll really be up a creek then!
So, Josh is busy getting to the school some days and getting things all planned out and ready. I don't envy him, that's for sure. I don't know how he's able to handle thinking about going - I'd be SO nervous! Maybe he is, but not letting it show? I don't know.
I'm busy with the kids, as always. Now that fall is coming, things will be starting up again, like play groups and my MOTS group, so we'll have to get more of a schedule figured out for us. That's not a bad thing, I don't think!
I'm also going to be putting Ruthie in dance class one night a week. She's very excited to "do ballet". :o) I can't wait to see her!! She wants to get tap shoes and pink ballet shoes... unfortunately that level only wears black ballet shoes... but I'm sure she won't care once she's going!!
Zech and Isaac are busy just being themselves! They're happy and healthy, as always. Isaac's smiling all the time, and has just started laughing at times. He can't quite control it yet, though! We'll have to try to get a video of him laughing to share with you all. It most definitely is one of the best sounds in the world!
And that's about it for now. I hope that the next time I update it will be with news of our new house. Kepp fingers crossed for us!
I just don't know what more to do now. There's nothing more out there. I mean, we'll keep looking, but really we've looked at everything in the price range, within nearly an hour of Brandon. And there's nothing. And probably nothing much more will be coming up, as it's nearing the end of the selling "season". So I'm not sure where exactly that leaves us. I guess we just hope that the house we're renting doesn't sell out from under us, or we'll really be up a creek then!
So, Josh is busy getting to the school some days and getting things all planned out and ready. I don't envy him, that's for sure. I don't know how he's able to handle thinking about going - I'd be SO nervous! Maybe he is, but not letting it show? I don't know.
I'm busy with the kids, as always. Now that fall is coming, things will be starting up again, like play groups and my MOTS group, so we'll have to get more of a schedule figured out for us. That's not a bad thing, I don't think!
I'm also going to be putting Ruthie in dance class one night a week. She's very excited to "do ballet". :o) I can't wait to see her!! She wants to get tap shoes and pink ballet shoes... unfortunately that level only wears black ballet shoes... but I'm sure she won't care once she's going!!
Zech and Isaac are busy just being themselves! They're happy and healthy, as always. Isaac's smiling all the time, and has just started laughing at times. He can't quite control it yet, though! We'll have to try to get a video of him laughing to share with you all. It most definitely is one of the best sounds in the world!
And that's about it for now. I hope that the next time I update it will be with news of our new house. Kepp fingers crossed for us!
8.19.2006
Isaac is 3 months old!! - 08/19
Well, that about says it all. Isaac Benjamin is 3 months old today! I can hardly believe he's been here for 3 months all ready, though in many ways it seems he's been here forever.
There are more pictures and videos uploaded on our website for you all to see!! A really funny video of Zechie on there, being his normal ham self!
Things are going pretty good here. Josh has been down to the school a couple times getting things prepared, and he did a ton of work through the summer here at home - lesson plans and such. Just a couple weeks left of summer vacation and then he becomes "Mr. Baker"!
We're still working on finding a house for ourselves. We made an offer on one, but it wasn't accepted, and the lowest the sellers will come down to the house just isn't worth. So, that one's not going to work! We made an offer on another one today, which wasn't accepted either, but the sellers made a counter-offer so it's left to us to think about it and either say yea or nay.
I'm feeling very worried and scared about all of this. Buying a house is SUCH a huge step, and I hate that we really can't afford to do it. Though, we also can't really afford to throw money away for another year or more renting. I just hate having to ask for help from our parents. We appreciate everything more than words can say, but it's not a good feeling to not be able to make things work, to make ends meet sometimes.
So, I'm not sure what we're going to do about this house. I thought yes for sure, right up until they came back with their counter-offer. I was hoping, I guess, for more of an offer back from them, or at least that they were still willing to negotiate, but they're firm on what they've decided and that's it. So, I don't know!
...and I'm trying to put some pictures on here, but the website's not really working right right now, so I'll have to post this and try to get pics later.
Bye, all!
There are more pictures and videos uploaded on our website for you all to see!! A really funny video of Zechie on there, being his normal ham self!
Things are going pretty good here. Josh has been down to the school a couple times getting things prepared, and he did a ton of work through the summer here at home - lesson plans and such. Just a couple weeks left of summer vacation and then he becomes "Mr. Baker"!
We're still working on finding a house for ourselves. We made an offer on one, but it wasn't accepted, and the lowest the sellers will come down to the house just isn't worth. So, that one's not going to work! We made an offer on another one today, which wasn't accepted either, but the sellers made a counter-offer so it's left to us to think about it and either say yea or nay.
I'm feeling very worried and scared about all of this. Buying a house is SUCH a huge step, and I hate that we really can't afford to do it. Though, we also can't really afford to throw money away for another year or more renting. I just hate having to ask for help from our parents. We appreciate everything more than words can say, but it's not a good feeling to not be able to make things work, to make ends meet sometimes.
So, I'm not sure what we're going to do about this house. I thought yes for sure, right up until they came back with their counter-offer. I was hoping, I guess, for more of an offer back from them, or at least that they were still willing to negotiate, but they're firm on what they've decided and that's it. So, I don't know!
...and I'm trying to put some pictures on here, but the website's not really working right right now, so I'll have to post this and try to get pics later.
Bye, all!
8.10.2006
few more pictures - 08/10
Here's a few of the kids taken while we were in Souris (town about 30 mins from Brandon). Zech's pretty good about pictures when it's just him in them, but not so great when we try to get all of the kids together!!
Hello! - 08/10
Hello All! It's been a while since we've been on to update, but have no worries - all is well with all of us! Just very busy!! We've been enjoying Josh's time off this summer, getting out every day and going camping a couple times with friends. Ruth and Zech have really had fun having Daddy home so much - I'm not sure how they'll react when he has to go teach all day! But I'm sure they'll adjust.
Isaac's growing, though not quite like a weed. And that's good seeing as how he started out so big!! He had his 2 month check and needles on July 31st. He's now 12lbs 5oz and 25 inches. He's actually lighter than Ruth or Zech were at 2 months, though he's the same length as they were at 4 months!! No wonder he's long and skinny! He did well with his needles, no reactions other than a little fever, but easily treated with Tempra.
I'll post a few pictures here, and I've put a bunch more onto the website (the photos and videos link).
Here's one of Isaac I really like! Such a snugglebug, he is.
Here's a couple I LOVE of him - especially the face in the first one!!
Some of Ruth and Zech with Isaac.
Isaac's growing, though not quite like a weed. And that's good seeing as how he started out so big!! He had his 2 month check and needles on July 31st. He's now 12lbs 5oz and 25 inches. He's actually lighter than Ruth or Zech were at 2 months, though he's the same length as they were at 4 months!! No wonder he's long and skinny! He did well with his needles, no reactions other than a little fever, but easily treated with Tempra.
I'll post a few pictures here, and I've put a bunch more onto the website (the photos and videos link).
Here's one of Isaac I really like! Such a snugglebug, he is.
Here's a couple I LOVE of him - especially the face in the first one!!
Some of Ruth and Zech with Isaac.
7.19.2006
Isaac's 2 months old today! - 07/19
Isaac Benjamin Baby is 2 months old today! I can't believe he is!! It just doesn't seem like it's been 2 whole months since he came into this world, yet in other ways it seems like it's been a lifetime.
We went to Winnipeg on Monday for the night - stayed at a really neat hotel in a really nice suite! On Tuesday we met up with friends of ours and went to the zoo.
There are more pictures from the zoo on our pics and videos page. I'm trying to be good about throwing pictures on there every week or so, and then they show up on whatever day they were taken - very neat! Hopefully you've all had a chance to check them out and see the videos, if you haven't, you should! There's an adorable one of Isaac cooing!!!
We went to Winnipeg on Monday for the night - stayed at a really neat hotel in a really nice suite! On Tuesday we met up with friends of ours and went to the zoo.
There are more pictures from the zoo on our pics and videos page. I'm trying to be good about throwing pictures on there every week or so, and then they show up on whatever day they were taken - very neat! Hopefully you've all had a chance to check them out and see the videos, if you haven't, you should! There's an adorable one of Isaac cooing!!!
7.07.2006
we have video!!! - 07/07
I just tried out a site to be able to share videos with all of you, and it worked!! It's over there (or rather right now it seems, down there at the bottom of the screen for some reason) with the other links. Just hit "pictures and video" and you can get to them! It might take a minute for them to load, but it's totally worth it! And make sure you have the sound on!!
Enjoy, all! I know we sure are!!
Oh, and I'll probably be using that site to share our pictures - it's a much easier site to upload the files onto, and I think it's an easier site to use, too. You can even see when the pictures were actually taken! So neat!!
Enjoy, all! I know we sure are!!
Oh, and I'll probably be using that site to share our pictures - it's a much easier site to upload the files onto, and I think it's an easier site to use, too. You can even see when the pictures were actually taken! So neat!!
7.06.2006
Happy Birthday to me and Papa! - 07/06
Well, my 24th birthday was last Friday, and Papa's birthday is tomorrow. So, happy birthday to us! This is the beautiful cake Ruthie designed for me.
I had a great birthday - we went strawberry picking, out for lunch with a friend and her kids, and got to have chinese food and ice cream cake for supper!! Who could ask for anything more?!! I wish I could have been home for my birthday, though. I can't help but to remember the family birthday parties out at the lake. I miss those so much!
Here's a picture I got the other day - you can kind of see Isaac's little grin in it, well, I can anyways!
He started to smile and grin a couple weeks ago, and last week he started cooing. I love that sound!!
We're all doing pretty good out here. We're looking for a house, still, having no luck finding anything to rent out of town in the right direction, and though there are places for rent here in town there seems to be nothing that's any bigger than what we're in now. It's definitely a stress point for me, but I'm trying to stay optimistic about it all. It's been quite hot the past couple days, so we've gotten the kids to the water spray park downtown last night and tonight. They've really enjoyed it! We're hoping to get them to a paddling pool tomorrow afternoon for a bit, as it's supposed to be hot again. We're hoping to get to Carberry on Saturday and camp overnight with our friends. Josh will, of course, be taking his telescope... for the kids (wink, wink)!!
Oh, before I forget - I'm getting some more pictures added to our photo albums (May and June's pictures). There's a link to the albums on the right hand side of the screen!
And, before I go, here's a great picture of Isaac's grin. I didn't even realize I'd caught this picture until I was looking through them afterwards on my camera. He definitely loves his big sissy!!
I had a great birthday - we went strawberry picking, out for lunch with a friend and her kids, and got to have chinese food and ice cream cake for supper!! Who could ask for anything more?!! I wish I could have been home for my birthday, though. I can't help but to remember the family birthday parties out at the lake. I miss those so much!Here's a picture I got the other day - you can kind of see Isaac's little grin in it, well, I can anyways!
He started to smile and grin a couple weeks ago, and last week he started cooing. I love that sound!!We're all doing pretty good out here. We're looking for a house, still, having no luck finding anything to rent out of town in the right direction, and though there are places for rent here in town there seems to be nothing that's any bigger than what we're in now. It's definitely a stress point for me, but I'm trying to stay optimistic about it all. It's been quite hot the past couple days, so we've gotten the kids to the water spray park downtown last night and tonight. They've really enjoyed it! We're hoping to get them to a paddling pool tomorrow afternoon for a bit, as it's supposed to be hot again. We're hoping to get to Carberry on Saturday and camp overnight with our friends. Josh will, of course, be taking his telescope... for the kids (wink, wink)!!
Oh, before I forget - I'm getting some more pictures added to our photo albums (May and June's pictures). There's a link to the albums on the right hand side of the screen!
And, before I go, here's a great picture of Isaac's grin. I didn't even realize I'd caught this picture until I was looking through them afterwards on my camera. He definitely loves his big sissy!!
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