Whoa ...

I didn't realize it had been over a month since I last blogged!
I'm all moved in, pretty much settled and extremely excited for this new adventure.

I'll add some new photos sometime soon, but for now the upload tool isn't working!

Packing Stinks.

Over the past week I've thought of a few blog topics and now I forget them. So, I will just write about packing (so that I can continue to procrastinate from it).

When I found out that I was going to get the house I thought "it's time to start packing!!" and I was so excited. So I cleaned out three or four closets, washed a whole bunch of sheets and blankets, piled up a bunch of boxes and cleaned out a few kitchen drawers.

That was two weeks ago. I haven't packed a box since.

You'd think that now I'd be a little more motivated to pack since my closing date could be ANY (gasp) day now (probably April 10ish). You'd think. Of course, I've hardly been home the past few weeks. I have been super basketball fan, went to Chicago for AP Training then to Columbus for the basketball game and a little getaway Saturday night. Then I had the emergency root canal Monday and a hair cut last night, Parent Teacher Conferences tomorrow night ... whew. I'm exhausted just thinking about it all!

I'm thinking this weekend will be it. SUPER PACKING WEEKEND! Maybe I'll post a picture of my pile of boxes.

On another note, how does one accumulate so much junk??

Brackets Schmackets.

Every year since at least 1999 I have filled out at least one if not two NCAA brackets and I have entered a pool.

I have never won a dime. Now, I do consider myself to be fairly well-versed in sports, but I know it's always a crap-shoot for this tournament. I know you're supposed to pick a certain amount of "upsets" and shouldn't always pick the number 1 seeds to go all the way. I always follow this advice ... to no avail.

This morning I woke up to look at my brackets and I got out my fancy little highlighters to mark them off (a little OCD, I know). There are way too many blue cross-outs and not enough green highlights.

Maybe next year I really need to pay attention to the teams for a month or so before the tournament, not just the week before.

Or, I'll just hope that one day my luck will finally push me ahead and I'll be a bracket champion.

Movin' on up!!

It's almost official! I am almost a home-owner!

Last Tuesday the sellers accepted my offer.

Friday I had the home inspection (nothing major is wrong, thank goodness, just a few minor repairs need to be made and two of them my dad fixed while we were there - he's awesome!).

Today I started packing. I cleaned out / packed five closets, one bookcase and washed all the bedding for the spare bedroom and all tablecloths. I figure if I start with the non-essentials now while I have time it will make it easier to pack the things I'm still using for the next couple weeks.

Wednesday I will go to the bank to process the loan and I guess to get all the paperwork done.

Supposedly we will close within 30 days. Wow. I'm thinking Easter / Spring Break will be busy busy busy for me!

Wish me luck!! I'm scared as hell, but so excited to get started on this venture!

Aunt Janis ... I like the sound of that :)

So I have known for about 4 months that I am going to be an aunt this summer, but yesterday we found out that It's a Girl!!

I am so excited ... of course, I would have been excited for a boy or a girl, but it is nice to know. I can't wait to start shopping and finding all kinds of great books, toys and clothes (of course) for her!!

This is going to be such an exciting adventure. We are going to have so much fun and from what I hear being an aunt is pretty darn awesome!

Yaaaay to all of us! Can't wait until July!!

Time Flies ...

I can't believe it is March 9 already. The past few weeks have just flown by, in my opinion. I suppose having something to do every weekend makes the weekends go by quickly, which can be good sometimes.

I was thinking that March was going to be a long month because we don't have any days off of school, but now I am rethinking that opinion. This Thursday I'll be at a meeting all day, so I won't be at school. Next week I have a personal day. The week after that I will be in Chicago for AP Training. Amid all of those things we are HOPEFULLY going to be playing basketball still, so I might be traveling back and forth to Cleveland!!

Of course, we lost an hour this past weekend, so I guess technically, time is flying by. That's good. I'm ready for spring, warmth, sun and whatever comes next.

Home Sweet Home??

For the past six or seven months I've been thinking about buying a house. I'm scared to death. As independent as I am this is one step in my life I really never pictured doing alone.

BUT - looks like the time has come!! I started looking a few weeks ago at homes in Warren and was scared and disappointed to see how deplorable the ones in my price range were.

Saturday, however, I think I may have found one. Wow. Scary. Exciting. A block and a half away from my parents ...

Anyway, I'll add more details about it later, but here is a link to the photos of the house - http://www.gmaceatongroup.com/listings/images.php?lid=42836754&img=2 .

Going to the bank tomorrow I hope for preapproval, then we'll see what happens next! Wish me luck!