Working Weekend

We all had a pretty busy weekend. On Saturday, Chris and I went up to the boat to get it all pretty. I never realized how much work a boat like this is to take care of. I use to think all the teak was beautiful and now it is a bigger pain in the ass than I am. Even though it was work, it was fun hanging out with Chris and doing something different. Hayden got to stay with Heather and play. He must have played really hard because he fell asleep on the way home and for the most part slept from 6:30PM to 6ish AM. When we picked Hayden up from Heather's we took her and her man, Ed, to dinner at Mi Tiera in Monroe. This was the first time we had met her boyfriend and we agree they look adorable together :o) I am so happy she has found someone and that he treats her well. They seem to really compliment each other.

Sunday I was asked to babysit for clients of mine. It turned out that it was a good idea that I took them up on the offer since Chris was going to hang crown moulding. Also, Hayden was able to go with me and I thought it would be good for him to play with their daughter. The babysitting went a lot better than the crown moulding. Luckily for Chris he had a friend help him and once they got it figured out, it went well and looks great! Too bad we will only enjoy for a few more weeks and then we move. Now he knows exactly what to do for the new house.

Today I worked and it really seemed to kick my ass. I am so tired and I ache. When I was finished I met Chris and we toured the new furniture store near his work called Mor Furniture. They have some huge pieces of furniture and a few dinning room tables I could see in our house. I also got a call from one of my "employees" and she was asked by a client to travel to Italy with them in July to assist in their travel. WOW!!! It's rewarding for me to know I have great people working with me. We also may be getting a contract for a 13,000 square foot home. A few more gigs like this and we'll be movin' on up like the Jefferson's!

Limbo

This must be what pergutory feels like. Purchasing a new home is such a pain in the ass and you are at the hands of so many people...financing, the seller, the Realtor, etc. On top of that it is stressful on a relationship in the fact that we are both nervous, anxious, excited, blah, blah, blah. It is a great adventure and we are having a great time with it in spite of the above mentioned crappola.

Tomorrow Chris and I are going to head to the boat to clean it out and get it ready to sell. Hayden will be spending the day with my sister, Tomi. Tomi hasn't seen Hayden since Christmas and hasn't met Chris at all. It had to be on her time since she had issues with me getting involved in another relationship. I understand her concern yet it divided us and she wouldn't give Chris a chance. Hopefully, we can now move past that. Family, although sometimes annoying and difficult, is very important to me.

Chris is currently watching Kung Faux. This is a kung fu movie dubbed with hip hop beats and an urban story line. WTF?!?! Anyway, I think I have to check this out.

New House Fund

Chris beat me to it but I will do it anyway. We are creating a huge wish list for the new house. To that end, we have created a New House Fund through Home Matters, Inc. website. To donate, please visit http://www.homemattersinc.com (LMAO!)

We had the home inspection today and the house is not going to fall into a sink hole any time soon so we are good. The inspection was very informative and I learned a thing or two. Chris was pleased to know we can pick up the neighbors wireless network!

Hayden did not have his play date Thursday. His friend wasn't feeling well so we will try again next week. Our Realtor did bring her son over on Wednesday (he is 6) and Hayden had a great time playing with the Sockem' Boppers. I don't have to worry about anyone picking on Hayden. That kid can really hold his own

Condo sells in three days!

Yes, you read it right. Sounds like a lovely single lady will be calling our cozy condo home in about a month. This will make the crotchety old man downstairs happy. On the other end of the spectrum, our offer is being proposed tomorrow and now that we don't have to be contingent on the sale of the condo (just that it goes through) we are pretty confident that we will get it.

About the house...it is further than we wanted it to be but the further South we were willing to go, the more house we could get and the better the selection. Our agent showed us a house that is a rambler style but with a full finished daylight basement. On the first level there is the living room, dining room, kitchen, laundry room (not a laundry closet - yea!), two-car garage, two bedrooms, one bathroom and the master with attached bathroom. The bottom floor has three bonus rooms, which we will use for a play room, media/entertainment room and office for Chris. There is also another bathroom and a hobby/craft/wine room which is unfinished and we will probably use it for just that. The yard is strange is size since it is on a cul-de-sac but I think we will be able to make of it what we want. Anyway, the deal is not sealed yet but we should know something tomorrow.

In other news, Hayden has his first play date on Thursday with a friend from school. His name is Josh and they go to pre-school together. I am picking them both up after naptime at school and they will come over here to play. This will be Josh's first play date as well. I am so excited and going to plan some activities for them.

House Hunters

Today instead of just looking on-line for our "dream house" we actually made an appointment to see one. From the pictures on the internet it was fabulous and we could compromise the lack of yard for the view of Puget SOund. We figured there must be something wrong with it since 1) it has been on the market for a while, and 2) the other houses for sale on the same street are anywhere from $400,000. to $1, 200,000. We were right!!! First, the first floor ceilings my 4'10" step-mother could touch. The kitchen, although remodeled was poor design with stairs going up to the second floor right where you would put a dinning table. Secondly, you have to walk through one of the bedrooms closets to get to the laundry room and you have to duck to get into the shower on the bottom floor. Lastly, the view is about to be obstructed by four homes that are going in across the street.

Last weekend we had Chris' mom and step-dad over for dinner. I have only met them once before at Christmas time so it was nice to see them again and we made plans for Mother's Day. Chris' parents are very nice and we had a really good time visiting with them.

We also took Hayden to the second movie he has ever seen in a theater. We saw Robots and he did great for the most part. He had his popcorn which kept him busy but half way through he started to get up and said, "all done". I thought for a minute there we may have to leave but I managed to coax him to staying. It is a cute movie and Robin Williams, as always, makes a great animated character.

Oh, and Saturday I went to the DMV and got my driver's license name changed! I am official now and the picture actually looks pretty good. I was so excited I kept showing Chris my new name. Tomorrow I hit Social Security.

This weekend we are planing to go to the Tulip Festival. I have been before but it has been a long time and I have never been to La Connor, which is where Chris wants to go. They have a parade that Saturday and Hayden has never seen one before.

Meet the Nicholas'

Last weekend we took a trip east for Easter and for Chris to meet my father and step mother, Sally. I must say it was fabulous. My dad has a reserve about him that often makes him hard to read. This is why I had been reluctant for them to meet earlier. I wanted to be sure where his head was before he could scare Chris away. It wasn't that I was worried he wouldn't like Chris, I mean how can you not? I was more worried about Dad and I. I haven't had the best of luck in the relationship area before and even told Chris jokingly in the beginning that I was "relationship Anthrax". I figured I would get some lecturing, which I did, but not nearly what I expected.

We got to my dad's in the afternoon and visited for a bit before we had to leave. Sally set up a time for Hayden to visit the firestation and sit in some fire trucks. Afterwards, we took everyone out to Moses Point Golf Course and Steakhouse. On our way to Moses Lake, we stopped in Wenatchee and picked up our wedding cake so we had it at the restaurant as well.

Sunday we hunted for eggs, Hayden ran all around the six acres and rode horses with Chris while Sally and I headed off to Wal-Mart. We had a great salmon lunch/dinner and headed back home in the afternoon.

I must say, we think Grandma Sally is alright!!! She wore the pants off Hayden who slept through the night and clear past 7:00, as well as the entire trip back home!