Can the Easter bunny bring me a new house?

The last few weeks have been stressful to say the least. After a year of talking about it, we finally decided to get serious about selling our house and moving. In 10 days we've gone through a bunch of houses, met with banks and realtors, come VERY close to putting an offer in one house and changed our minds.

Mentally exhausting.

So we've decided to "check out" from house mode for a few days and enjoy the long weekend. Which for us is also first weekend of cottage season!

We'll pack up tomorrow morning, try out Bauer's new seatbelt (pics to follow) and head to the lake. Good food, good wine, good books and good music at the cottage is just what I need to get myself out of my house-stressed funk.

Happy Easter!

See you tomorrow Lake Erie!

Sometimes good things really do happen....

To good people.

As you know. I'm a bit of a blog junkie and pretty much will read anything I come across that interests me. Which results in Mr Feb Res complaining that I spend too much time on the computer.

Anyway....

A couple of years ago, I stumbled across a blog about a young couple hoping to adopt.

FYI on Rach and Ry

I don't know what it was, but there was something about Rachel's posts that really touched me. Here is this young, beautiful couple, dedicated to their faith, family and community. All they want is to start a family of their own and they can't. It just seemed so unfair.

This blog made an impact on me and I often thought of this couple and checked in on the blog every few months.

I had some time to kill at work today and was randomly perusing the web, as I do, and Rachel and Ryan's blog popped in to my head.

I did a google search and pulled their blog up and lo and behold, they will become parents to a baby boy this summer. I couldn't help but smile. A big smile.

It's amazing how this good news, from complete strangers, people that I have never met or communicated with, made my day.

Sometimes good things really do happen to good people.

Very superstitious....

I dare you to not sing the Stevie Wonder song in your head as you read that headline.

I am very superstitious.

A while back I posted about positive vibes and optimism.

I seemed to work the first time....so can you send me your positive vibes again? Last time I'll ask (this quarter...). I promise.

It smells like spring.

Last night I slept with the windows open. It was heavenly.

Spring has such a distinct smell.  Every year, without fail, I inhale that distinct spring smell and know we've turned a corner.

Mind you, the weather report is calling for some signifigant April showers, but I don't care.

I have a spring in my step. AND a fun new umbrella.

Jalapeno Jappy!

Sunday night. Nothing to eat. And neither one of us wants to go to the store.

So......let's rummage through the kitchen and see what we can come up with!

We created jalapeno havarti handpacked burgers and grilled jalapenos with cheese and roasted garlic.

Not too shabby.

lean ground beef, egg, onion, worcesterschire sauce, garlic powder, jalapeno havarti cheese

ready for the BBQ!

jalapeno, imperial cheese, onion and roasted garlic

top the burger with bruschetta

not bad for no food in the house!

Remember Me?

Sorry I have been M.I.A. we just got back from Scotland last night and were dealing with 1001 things before leaving for our trip. 

If you can call it a trip...it was more like the most whirlwind 3.5 days of my life.

Will post soon!

I was here!

Lesson Learned.

Don't go to an open house "just for fun" if it is out of your price range.

We've been talking about moving for some time and are obsessed with searching MLS and looking for new listings.

We had no plans today, and decided that we'd drive to the neighbourhood we're interested in and see if there were any open houses. Not to buy....just to get a better feel for the neighbourhood and homes.

There was one house well within our price range, but we were 30 minutes early for the open house. So, while killing time cruising around the neighbourhood, we stumbled upon another open house and I suggested we check it our for fun...since we had time to kill.

BAD MOVE.

I walked in and all of a sudden had a vision of future children playing in this house and Christmas dinners in the dining room. I saw myself yelling at kids to "take your shoes off in the mudroom" and drinks on the back patio while Bauer ran around the perfect backyard.  In the PERFECT neighbourhood.

The house needs a lot of cosmetic love, but felt like it could be an amazing home to a young family.  Ideally, our family.

Only problem is it's "just" out of our price range and "just more" than we'd feel comfortable taking on.

So, I need to:

a) win the lottery, or
b) hope this house comes down $60K in the next few days

I'm not optimistic about either.

Should have stayed home and did laundry this afternoon.

p.s. of course this house had an amazing laundry room.