Thoughts on Thursday

Here's a happy hodge podge because Chris has been working super late, the sun has been out super late, and I don't like to do anything until it's too late (like pack). 

Time has been slipping by so fast now that daylight savings time passed. Isn't it supposed to make the days seem longer? I adore our time outside and may have let the boys put off homework because honestly I really don't care that much. There's so much research right now about how inconsequential homework is in the elementary school years and I'm just going to go with that. Chris was on a research kick about this a few months ago (after N had hours and hours of homework in first grade). 

T's teacher had twin baby boys a month ago. And they can't find anyone to fill her spot. In December they had her replacement come in often to meet the kids and get to know them. Then a week before the teacher's leave started, she decided not to do it. So they had another teacher come in that last week with the teacher, and then she decided not to do it. Now the kids are stuck with rotating subs and it SUCKS. T has asked me to homeschool him next year. I don't blame him. 

I ordered this dress from Old Navy and I can't wait for it to come in. It has great reviews. I'm trying to wear more dresses (maybe because my jeans are too tight).

I adore this shirt from Anthro... but I need it to be cheaper, or match more in my closet. 

And these JCrew shoes are calling my name. I don't have time to paint nails these days.

I hadn't had a hair cut in a year. Last Friday I had it chopped thinking maybe I can go another year. My stylist did say it was actually in great shape (note awkward selfie face with non-matching eyebrows... must fix).

We went out with friends for the first time in FOREVER! We did one of those exit rooms, where you're given a scenario and you have to make it out. Ours was the Queen City Bank Heist and we were stealing a diamond. They give you an hour and we made it in an hour and two minutes (I think they let us finish since we were so close). It was so fun. Afterward we went to Olde Mecklenburg Brewery. I had never been before and it was quite an experience. It was so much fun to be out with friends and without the kids. It was also the first time I haven't put KC to bed. She did okay but was attached to me all the next morning.

If you haven't tried the Harris Teeter express lane, it's free till the 29th. It really is the best. It makes everything so much easier - meal planning, eating at home more often. Just do it!! (I totally took a screen shot of my phone and sent it to my friends who don't use Express Lane yet).

KC is so out of control these days. She knows what she wants and has no problem screaming and going limp to get it. But then she's so crazy cute. 

We are so excited to be moving to our new house soon (our inspection is tomorrow). I also try to be totally upfront with people, it's not like we are moving to a gorgeous new home. I took pictures of my two favorite features of the house. One being an antique oven (I'm assuming it's been there since 1966) and the other being the most awesome double vanity I've ever seen. It will be awhile before we can update and for once I'm okay with that. When we bought our current home I rushed to furnish it, paint it, landscape, and I really should have taken my time and figured out how we wanted the space to look and flow. So this will be my kitchen for a good 5-10 years. And I'm excited about it (the wall paper will go, and the cabinets will be painted... but that's all I have planned for now). 

I hope your week is going well! We start Spring Break tomorrow. The kids are exciting for Easter and the following week T turns 6!! It will be a busy and super fun week! I'm linking up with Annie and Natalie! 

The Craziest 48 Hours

This weekend we bought one house and sold another house. At some points we almost ended up without a house and at some points we could have ended up with three. I may have an ulcer and I'm sure my blood pressure was shot all weekend. I want to write this down more for me, but it's crazy enough to share.

Some back story: I mentioned awhile ago we were deciding whether to sell our home. After meeting with our realtor, deciding the value of our home, seeing the homes we could afford to move to, we decided it was time. While we wouldn't change our house, we dislike our location (and you know what they say). We started putting some work into our home, painting, a little updating, and some granite. All this time our realtor took us out to look at homes. He refused to put our house on the market if we didn't have three strong options we would be willing to put an offer in on if our house went under contract. He must have been worried we were going to move in with him if we ended up without a house.

On Thursday we did our final round of house hunting. Our close friends (my husband's best friends since elementary school, who happened to marry) mentioned a house in their neighborhood, across the street from them, was about to go on the market. This was the perfect neighborhood and perfect location. We weaseled our way into an early showing, hoping if we loved it we could get an offer in fast (other people knew it was going on the market and had already put in an offer before we saw it). The house was beautiful. It most definitely needed work and lots of it. But it really captured our attention. The yard wasn't quite what we wanted, but we were okay with moving forward with an offer once our house went on the market. Our friend even texted the home owner to let her know we were putting in an offer soon (during which they also delivered their second child, that's a real friend right there, worried about your house hunting while having a baby).

Then the weekend came and the craziest 48 hours began:

3pm Friday
Our house went on the market. Our realtor told us we priced our home at the high end of the range, but we were okay with that. We could reduce our price or we were okay staying put. We do love our home. Our third choice home also went under contract at this point.

4:15pm
Our showings started.

7:45pm
While sitting with a sick kid sitting in newly bought underwear in the car, we received our first offer, over asking.

8:15pm
Our showings ended, six total.

8:15am Saturday
Saturday our showings began. Luckily we had tball and it was a beautiful day.

9am
Our second choice house goes under contract. It had been on the market for 6 months. But God's timing is perfect.

3pm
At this point, we had had 24 showings in 24 hours and 9 offers, 5 over asking. We also had a kid get sick which required a paper towel wash down and clothing change in a park bathroom. Good times. Meanwhile, the home we put an offer on was making us jump through hoops. We had to prove multiple times we could handle both homes if ours didn't sell and even then they were making us wait. Our realtor was getting antsy and we were too. The same day this home went on the market another popped up right on the other side of the neighborhood. And it had a lot of promise (and a garage). Saturday night our realtor called and said we had a showing the next morning and he told all those offers on our house we'd make a decision Sunday afternoon.

10am Sunday 
We headed out to see this new home. The minute we walked in we knew it had to be ours. It just screamed sweet family home. It also screamed extremely old and out dated, but it was so easy to see past that.

10:10 am
After ten minutes in the home we were ready to put in an offer. Our realtor ran to the office typed up the offer, we signed and sent it off with our fingers crossed. If this home came back accepting our offer before the other home accepted then we could walk away without any money lost.

Then we waited. At the playground, at the baseball field, at Target, all because our house was still having showings. Our offers started racking up. At 12 offers our realtor started telling other realtors that if the offer wasn't over asking they shouldn't waste their time. He also said in his 15+ years he had never seen anything like this.

2pm 
We heard our offer had been verbally accepted but we needed to change the name on the offer because it was an estate sale. We took our other offer off the table and accepted an offer on our home.

6pm 
We were done. Contracts were signed. We did have to wait till Monday for them to be returned but to our realtor that was a formality that was happening (we may have worried just a little).

When I think about the weekend, I'm blown away. I'm looking forward to the month of reminiscing in our current house while anticipating the memories we will make in our new house.