It's been One Month!

Ok, so today is the one month mark for when we put our offer in on the house, and I am hoping and praying that we do not need another post one month from now saying "it's been 2 months!". I guess that's what we signed up for. We were well aware of all that goes along with buying a short sale, and we still know that it could take a whole lot longer to be approved by the banks.
So, say a little prayer for us, and hope that we hear something very soon!
Thanks!
I will update you as soon as I hear something

*UPDATE!* there are two more weeks until our contract period of 45 days is up. We are planning on giving them some additional time, either 15 or 30 days, and we are hoping they will give us some kind of progress update when we do that. *

another day of bargain shopping

My little sweet pea and I went to an awesome birthday party today for one of my friends children, I knew we would be passing a furniture store on the way home, and I had heard that they have some amazing deals, so I figured it was worth having a look around. We will need to buy seating for the living room in the new house, and I wanted to try to get an idea of what was available, and how much it would cost.
Here's what I found at Unclaimed Freight:
This beauty was only $299, and although it caught my eye as soon as I walked by it, I think it is a bit to formal for our style, so we kept on looking

This one definitely is in the running for us. Less formal, fun, easy to keep looking clean, classic yet clean lines. Plus! Get this - it is a sleeper sofa. This has potential for both our guest room and living room. The sofa by itself is $429 and with the love seat it comes to $589. I know it would be hard for me to not get the love seat when it's only $160 more, but we'll see what we need.

What I love about this next sofa is the fact that it is a nice light tan, and seems like a durable, kid friendly fabric, so I could pretty much make it work with any of my possible color schemes, and the timeless lines of the design are reassuring to a cheapy like me. This style is not going anywhere anytime soon. This was only available as a sofa love seat set and it was listed at $597. They said it would be $1499 at a "regular" store, but I don't always believe the hype. Either way it's a deal.

 I REALLY like the next one, and it's only $299. Seriously, when I saw these prices I could've cried tears of joy. I love saving money. I love how clean looking this one is. I love the light color, and it is HUGE! This has to be the longest of all the sofas, and what a price! The best part of all was when I sat down and put my hand on it, it has got to be the softest sofa I have ever felt, I am guessing that it's microfiber, but wow! This place is sofa heaven!

Here's one last little piece of eye candy for you. This is the first gem I spotted upon entering the store. It's a light green bone leather, and with a price like that, how can I not buy it. When I get Mike back there this is the first thing I am looking for, and I will buy it immediately. I am in love with an ottoman! The cute little legs with tiny little wheels. It's so sturdy and it has nail head trim. YUM! I can just picture it with a cute little tray on top with a good book and a vase of flowers.

OK, I'm done for now. I will keep you all up to date when we take the big furniture plunge. I have lots more places to check out before we jump on anything. I am SO excited! I want to move right now!

a few helpful hints for moving

here are some of the things that i've found helpful while moving, i hope they will help you get started and give you some new ideas along the way

• organize items by the room they are going to.
• label - label - label [use one of those ginormous sharpies and go nuts] i like to label more than one side of the box so I can see what it is even if it's stacked and the top is not visible

• start packing as soon as possible, the more time you have the better, every time i have moved i had more stuff than i thought i did
• pack a box or bag [even a suitcase- they have to move anyway, might as well use them] for each family member with everything they need for 3-5 days. keep these with you and include the following- 
• several changes of clothes/ underwear and jammies
• a favorite pillow, blanket or comfort item [essential for children - even older kids]
• medications- both prescription and frequently used over the counter medications
• toiletry essentials - toothbrush, soap, shampoo, razor
• pack as if you were going away for a long weekend
• securely tape small parts and screws to the bottom of your furniture. lost parts can turn beautiful furniture into useless garbage. if you have a lot of small parts put them in a snack baggie before taping them on.
• don't buy more rubbermaid totes than you can use in the new house. it's a waste of money!
• check out your local grocery store during the box hunt. fruits and veggies come in double walled super sturdy boxes. they are great for heavy items.
• never underestimate the power of social networking, let your friends know you are moving and need boxes, tissue paper, who knows they might even have some bubble wrap for ya!
• draw up a card with your new address and any other pertinent information, as you see your family and friends pass them out so they know where to find you after the move.
• bring up the move often to your children. if there will be any major changes other than a whole new house make sure they are aware of them well before hand and remind them often.

• don't be afraid to bring extremely fragile favorite items along with you in the car. if you would cry over it being broken use extreme care and loads of bubble wrap during transport.
• if you're moving to a new area-
• call your doctors and dentist to get copies of your medical records.
• always visit several times before buying. be sure to ask locals about crime rates, schools and neighborhood quality. try to make friends and get peoples honest opinions
• don't overfill your fridge, packing fridge and freezer food is a horrible task and is easily avoided.
• make lists. lists of what you have in the rooms in your current house, and what you need in the new house. inventories are very important
• weigh out the pros and cons of hiring a moving company. if you don't have a lot of stuff you can do it yourself with the help of friends and family. if you have a ton of stuff you can always rent a truck, and still do the grunt work yourself, it's a great way to save some money.
• PURGE- if you have a lot of stuff that is of no use [read: basement papers, and broken pieces] have a dumpster dropped off for a week. When we sold my Mom's house we packed a 3 ton dumpster to the edge and amazingly enough it weighed over 3 ton when they picked it up. It's tough to part with your stuff, but sometimes it's just gotta go!
• for some more great tips check out movers edge 101 Best Moving Tips

if you have any more helpful tips please share them. we still have a couple weeks to go until our big move.

I'm dreaming of a new Kitchen

I could quite possibly be driving my husband insane with all my talk about the stuff I want to do in our new house. I keep looking over the MLS pictures and the ones we took during our showing and I just can't stand the potential. It SCREAMS at me! I have so many ideas, and I can not wait to get started.
*UPDATE- the banks have started to ask the home owner questions - which is supposedly a good thing and a sign that things are moving along [EXCITING]*
So, as I go crazy in an attempt to figure out the most cost effective solutions to the work that needs to be done you can have some fun checking out my plans for La Cocina. Keep in mind that all of the stainless appliances are just a few years old, and will be staying in the house! WOO-HOO!

OK, So here is a shot from the back of the kitchen to the front of the house. To the left is the side door, and you can see the dining room and front door/ entry through the doorway in the kitchen. To save some cash we plan on painting the existing cabinets white. I actually kind of like the design on the face of the cabinets, and I am positive that they will look fantastic once they have a fresh coat of paint. To further bring the kitchen up to date we have a few more ideas in the works!

Here is a picture of a kitchen that was featured as a Reader Redesign on younghouselove.com  these homeowners did an amazing job, and did it for right around One thousand bones. check out the blog for more pictures and details. It is beautiful and has a lot of the same features that we love.
Stainless Steel Appliances - Ours came with the house!

An Apron front sink! This one from IKEA is significantly more affordable than others on the market.

 

Butcher Block Counters! I'm not exactly a fan of the fifties laminate, and with some more amazing ikea  pricing it is a small investment which looks like a very pricy upgrade.

In hopes of keeping a reasonable budget [under 1K] we are going to do all the work ourselves, and look for the best possible deals.

We are still working on the color scheme, but here's a preview of what I'm leaning towards!

We're not quite there yet, and the shades didn't transfer perfectly, but it's the jist of it, not to say that I won't change my mind completely. Just wanted to fill ya in on what we're thinking right now, The cream/white is the main color with the light teal being the main accent and a few small pops of the deep red here and there. Let me know what ya think!