Friday, February 19, 2010

House Shopping

We’ve been talking about buying a house to get in on the incredible deals out there right now.  We’d like to get something we could stay in for years to come as our family grows.  (And no, that is not an announcement.)  Our original plan was to own our condo for about 3 or 4 years.  We’ve owned it for 5 years now, but we don’t want to take the loss to sell it, so if we buy we’re planning to just rent it out again.  Might as well have someone else pay the mortgage until the value goes back up. 

We’re looking for something on the east side of Vancouver with more square footage, a yard, no common walls, and no major repairs needed.  Today our realtor showed me a NICE 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath house that was built in the 1990s, is around 2000ft, and located on a quiet cul-de-sac.  I even met one of the neighbors who was very nice and has a son around Desmond’s age.  The back yard could be a little bigger, but there is definitely enough space to run around.  We’ve already been approved for a loan and it’s close to the price we’re willing to pay.  It’s hard for me not to get too excited because Davin still needs to see it, someone else could offer before we do, and an inspection could show something we can’t see.  Plus maybe there’s another house just like it that will post in a few weeks except with a bigger yard and a better commuter location.  God knows, so we’re praying that He makes it very clear on which direction we should go.  Still, I can’t help but feel giddy!  This beautiful sunshine helps everything seem more positive, too.

Outings and Animals

The other day we celebrated Gina’s birthday at Baby Boot Camp.  It also happened to be the first Tuesday class at JJ Jump so that made it extra special.  The kids (and moms) really enjoyed jumping on all the inflatable things.  Desmond’s favorite part was climbing up and sliding down the big slide. 

IMG_0772 On Valentine’s Day we went out to Olive Garden as a family.  It was fun, but next time we’ll leave Des with a sitter even if it means going on a different day because once he was done eating he wasn’t willing to sit at the table any more, so Davin and I had to finish up pretty quickly.  Still we had fun at our favorite restaurant.  After the little munchkin was in bed, Davin made us some chocolate covered strawberries.  Yummy!

Desmond loves his bear.  He sleeps with it every night along with his blanket.  He doesn’t carry bear by an arm, leg, or the hat, but rather by the neck.  As a result bear has no more stuffing in his neck and has a very floppy head.  Here Des just woke up from his nap and bear was just chillin’ hanging over the safety rail. Desmond was quite distraught yesterday when I gave bear a “bath” in the washing machine.  He’s much more fresh now so it was well worth the momentary separation anxiety.

I’m starting to refer to Desmond as my little monkey (or as Desmond says, “money”).  He’s excited to discover he can climb up on all sorts of stuff and reach new things he shouldn’t.  He’s been up on the kitchen table, the counters, this little nook, and even climbed up the slide at the park without any help.  Wow. 

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Super Bowl Sunday

Side note: Recently I organized the overflowing living room toys into an IKEA shelf with bins. It’s perfect! Desmond can access all his toys easily, and his favorite little trucks don’t get lost in the bottom of one big container.

For Super Bowl we went to Bryan and Rachel’s house. Rachel and I took the kids on a walk to a nearby park where the kids enjoyed burning off some energy on the swings and slide. We made it back just in time to catch the first play of the the second half – which was a good one, by the way. I’m not much into football but I know enough to track the game and Bryan can answer any questions about what’s going on. The best part is hanging out with friends and eating good food!

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Just Stuff

Recently life has felt busy at times and slow at others, and I’ve been feeling a little lonely and introspective.  Time to refocus, I think. Last month I took a mini mommy vacation. I went to a nearby hotel for two nights by myself to just recharge my batteries. It had been so long since I just breathed for awhile, spent time with God, drew pictures, and slept in. I also indulged in a massage at a nearby spa, La Bella Mi. It was wonderful!

IMG_0519 Davin's parents came down from Spokane to visit us a couple weekends ago which was very fun. They enjoyed hanging out with the little grandson. They let him pick out some toys at Target, and we got professional pictures taken at JC Penny's. It was cute hearing Desmond saying "Gamma" and "Gampa" throughout the weekend.

The other day we walked to the pet store and got a blue betta fish for Des. I get him downstairs in the morning by saying, "Let's go say 'hi' to the fish." He loves to feed it and often pulls the dining room chair over to the counter to climb up and say, "Hi, fish!" Maybe we should come up with a name.

Tonight Davin and I are really looking forward to watching the premiere of LOST with some friends.  So exciting!

Our Handsome Boy

I had lots of fun taking a ton of pictures of Desmond the other day.  We’ve been enjoying the mild weather and it was perfect for an outdoor photo shoot.  I chased him around with our little point and shoot camera (that I sure wish had more features and a better fast action setting) and after more than a hundred pictures I got a few really good ones.  My beautiful baby boy puts a smile on my face!  He loves to laugh, run and be chased.  He also has the sweetest temperament and though he’s timid at times, it warms my heart to watch his kind interactions with others.

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