Fair Fun :))

It's fair season :)) 

Well, we went to the Racine County Fair 5/6 days. And oh man did we (Nick) go over budget. I realized I have been very frugal with our money lately. Trying to pinch every penny so that we can save more for our new house. Nick on the other hand spends like crazy.... 

Anyway, Bryson LOVED the fair! He was in heaven being around all the tractors and farm animals. Such a country bumpkin :)) 

My little country boy :))

Staying out late watching Tractor Pulls! 

Playing on the lawnmowers...

@ the concert! 

This weekend confirmed Bryson's new room theme -- tractors & trucks! 

Fearful I'm raising my boy to be a hillbilly :-/

-Mandy :))) 

House Buying Update

Short Sale OUT.... Foreclosure in.

We were SICK of waiting for our offer to be looked at by the bank and let alone be accepted, so Nick signed the paper work and closed the contract on that house.

It really was a hard decision, because the thought of house shopping again was horrible.

FORTUNITLY we found a cute house in Bristol (my home town) that was priced 12,000 less than our offer we put in on the short sale. Yippy!!

We are currently negotiating the price with the bank and hopefully we can call it home real soon!!

I am starting to look up ideas for the kitchen and how to fix that up because the layout is HORRIBLE!

I will update you as soon as we hear back from the bank!

-Mandy :))

Wedding Binder :)

My wedding binder is assembled!

This week I was determined to start planning my wedding, so that means putting together my wedding bible.

Instead of picking on up from Hobby Lobby, the cute pink binder that I've been tempted to buy YEARS before getting engaged, I went the cheap route and made my own.

While searching through Wedding Binder DIY ideas on Pinterest I noticed many brides have used the same template, so I jumped on the band wagon.

Russell and Hazel offers free wedding templates on their website. So, I printed out all 57 pages :)

Luckily I had a three ring binder lying around -- even though it isn't the prettiest binder around it was the cheapest - FREE! It was filled the 3-hole clear gloss covers, BONUS!

The wedding templates are numbered and I am assuming they are suppose to be filed in order -- but I put them in the order that made the most sense me to -- checklists, bridal party attire, vendor information with the planning worksheet....

I made a cover complete with a picture of us. I gave the binder the title 'becoming mrs. blum', in the font - I love what you do (DOWNLOAD HERE!)


I went to Target and grabbed some colorful side tabs to divide all the categories and smaller side tabs for the sub categories.

Needless to say I am in L.O.V.E with the finished result :)

Happy Planning!

-Mandy :))

Four Days Left....

The final count down begins.... the bank has until Thursday to counter or accept our offer for the Short sale in Paddock Lake. I am getting a bit nervous because I was actually able to see myself in this house and could picture how I wanted to set up every room, the repairs, and add-on we were going to do.

Short Sales really SUCK. We have wasted a month waiting around for this house, so I am going to be VERY upset if we loose out on this because the bank is being a pokey puppy. I am getting aggravated with our realtor because I feel she isn't being assertive enough with this whole process. Everything I have researched on short sales recommends badgering the bank to get the ball rolling. I feel like she is sitting back enjoying the time she isn't showing us any listings. I should contact the bank myself :)

We went back out on the hunt last night and let me tell you there are SLIM pickings!!
Let's just hope we see some activity from the bank so we don't have to pull out and look at more houses.


-Mandy :))

#shortsaleproblems

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA :))))

Well its a hot one out there!! Jeans were a bad choice!

Today we went to the Union Grove Parade. Bryson didn't like all the horns and sirens from the fire trucks. BUT got over that fast when he saw the tractors. Funny thing is he ONLY recognized the red tractors -- made his daddy proud!

We all had a GREAT time!!

 

We chilled out (enjoyed the AC) at Nicks parents for awhile, since we don't have central air and are trying to keep electric bills down -- haven't installed our windows units. I have almost broke down and had Nick pull them from the basement but our $96.00 energy bill is a constant reminder to NOT GIVE IN!

 

Unfortunately, fireworks got cancelled not because of the weather. Bryson ruined our fun night out by being extremely over tired and crabby. I was super bummed, I love FIREWORKS, but I couldn't reward bad behavior -- parenting's hard :(

 

HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR HOLIDAY! STAY SAFE AMERICA!

 

-Mandy :))

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

While I am working on my education, I have opted to become a nanny vs daycare teacher, secretary, sales associate...

Major reason I am a nanny... I get to spend quality time with my little man :)
No weekends, holidays, and cash money is nice too!

Well... I am now nannying for a house that is over ran by FIVE children, 4 boys and 1 girl. So Monday - Friday I am in charge of 6 children (including B). My first week I was ready to throw in the towel. I was being super nanny -- dishes, mopping, nerf gun fight, outside games, walks, board games.....

That came to an end real fast... the older boys are 7,8, & 10 -- they can entertain each other. I started focusing on the wee ones. Don't worry I still interact PLENTY with the big dogs too!

I have gotten us all on a pretty good schedule. I make sure we are outside twice a day for at least an hour. The wee ones are easy riding toys, plastic pool, hose, chalk = one hell of a good time! But with this all this rain... we have been stuck inside and it is driving us all a little bonkers.

So I decided I needed to step up my nannying game and come up with some activities for all 6 kids to participate in.

Activity 1:

Smore cake pops:  Chocolate chips
                            Graham crackers
                            Marshmallows
                            Sprinkles

I had  a bowl of melted the chocolate chips, smashed graham crackers, and different sprinkles. I set out the marshmallows on plates and the kids were able make there own smore cake pops -- decorating them in different sprinkles and toppings. I got in on the fun.. and they were amazingly good -bad for the diet.

Activity 2:

They had a large box sitting in the recycling bin. I grab that out, cut it open during nap time, and went on a hunt for some crayons. After snack I laid it out on the living room floor with the crayons and ALL the kids went to town drawing and coloring on it.  It kept every one entertained for a good hour -- MAJOR bonus -- TV WAS OFF!!

  Happy Rain Days :)

-Mandy :))

The house that built me....is SOLD :-(

Well today is a very emotional day for me.  As of 5PM someone else will be the new owners of my childhood house. I know I need to act like an adult and just face the fact that this is happening -- is it wrong of me for wishing some type of misfortune on the walk through and closing. Like their loan didn't go through or my parents have a change of heart at the last minute..

I can't stand the fact that a new family is going to occupy MY house and call it home. 10216 187th was my safe haven, a place I was always felt loved and just being there brought up my sprits and changed my mood. 

Even though I moved out over 4 years ago, I always considered my parents house -- home. When I was visting them I would always tell Nick I'm home, not my parents house, lake house, or Bristol -- it was always HOME! 

I felt like this house made my family closer. I am 7 and 8 years younger then my brothers --- so we were never 'close' and I would have never consider them friends. But when I got older, we became close, thanks to the summers spent on the boat, beating the heat in the water, BBQ's in the front yard, partying in the garage (gameroom). Sharing this common place and doing all of these activities together made us friends. 

Last night was my final time being in my childhood house.  I took my final walk around the house and the memories starting flooding in my mind. Isnt it weird how you can bypass the same spots for years without triggering those memories. I took pictures around the house, trying to preserve every memory of my home.

The tears really started pouring down my face when I was driving away from 'home'. It truly isn't easy driving away and leaving 20 years of memories behind...

Please disregard the mess... 

- Mandy R. :((