Long overdue update

I’ve been a bit MIA lately. My home computer crashed, and we’re not replacing it yet. So, I can only write at work – and believe it or not, I’ve actually been busy lately. There’s been a lot going on lately. Let me try and catch up:

DH and I put money on a building lot. We’ve been wanting to build a custom home for a long time, and now seems like the perfect time. He got offered a new job, making double what he was. (We don’t plan on having our payments being too much more though.) Also, because I am a city planner and I’m privy to information that others may not be, I learned some interesting facts about the property in my backyard, and I’ve decided now’s the best time to get out. DH and I have been working frantically to get our house ready to put on the market. Two different agents have told us that our house should sell really well – we just need to declutter. I don’t think that it is even that bad, but I’ve boxed up, donated, or thrown out tons of stuff. My closets and pantry look like store shelves – they are so neat and organized. I even folded my towels with the stripe in the same place and stacked them on different shelves according to the color. I think we are almost ready – its official on Friday. Based on the CMA, we are even asking almost 10 grand more than I’d anticipated. Wish us luck!

I’m so excited about this. Our lot is wonderful: up on a hill, overlooking a lake and the mountains. And, there is a park in the backyard. We do have a builder, and we’re meeting with him on Friday to begin drawing up our plans. He’s completely custom so we can decide (within reason) what we want. We also met with the mortgage guy last Monday, and right now we would qualify for both our current mortgage and what we think our new one will be. So, even if our house doesn’t sell, we are ok. I’m hoping it sells quickly though – I don’t want to be housepoor. We plan to move in with my parents until the new house is finished; the longer we can go without a house payment the more we can save for window coverings and new furniture. It sounds almost too good to be true doesn’t it.

Anyway (in other news): I just returned from Arizona. Gracelin and I went down for my cousin’s wedding. I was kinda worried about traveling with an “almost” mobile baby/toddler who is trying to assert her independence in every way. But, she was an angel. She loved everything, from the pool to the dance floor at the reception. The wedding was interesting. They got married in a Catholic church, but the bride is Jewish, so at the reception they did lots of traditional Jewish stuff. The reception was at her parents’ house – who are also millionaires. It was like something out of a movie. I’m sure the bar bill alone was in the $10,000s range. They served the most gourmet food – I bet they had 500 lobster tails. Everything was lavish and extravagant. Their “yard’ was more like a tropical garden and the set-up was amazing. All the tables were made of plexiglass with a linen covering, but then there was a light underneath so they glowed. Every palm tree had a green spotlight on it. Gracelin loved the lights, the people, and the music. I had her in the prettiest pink polkadot dress and she wore jewelry (which I haven’t been able to take off of her still). She was such a showoff, and truly the life of the party.

She really has been the sweetest thing lately. Her latest phrase is “no no no”. Someone at DC must say it to her a lot, because I only say “no” when she’s doing something potentially dangerous or destructive. Yesterday she was unrolling the toilet paper in my bathroom, and saying “no no no” the entire time. She says it anytime she’s doing something she knows she shouldn’t be doing, like pulling off her socks or playing with the TV remote. What a cutie. Her birthday is next week! She isn’t quite walking yet, but she’s close. She crawls really well, and will crawl after the cat for hours. The cat will lay there until G’s almost within reach, then dart away. It’s actually quite humorous.

Well – I’d better get to work. Yuck. Can’t I just be independently wealthy?