Eight is Great

I've been tagged by the always fabulous, Amanda, with the latest fun survey to hit the blogging world. So...here goes.

Here's how 8 things works:
Mention the person that tagged you.
Complete the lists of 8's.
Tag 8 friends.
Go tell them you tagged them.

8 Things I am Looking Forward to...

1.) A cocktail (or many) this evening
2.) Summer weather
3.) Selling our home for a fair price (I hope)
4.) Hosting a dinner party at our new house (we'll have a dining room now)
5.) My best friend's wedding this summer
6.) Being fit, for summer clothes and swimsuits
7.) My little sister being home for the summer
8.) Healthy and happy children (God willing)


8 Things I Did Yesterday...

1.) Ran my butt off at work all day
2.) Worked out at the gym
3.) Went to Target
4.) Made sloppy joes (with turkey breast and wheat buns) for dinner
5.) Wrapped two presents
6.) Painted my nails
7.) Watched House Hunters on HGTV
8.) Got into bed at a decent hour


8 Things I Wish I Could Do...

1.) Eat whatever I want and not gain any weight
2.) Continue to travel with my husband - Italy, Greece, Napa again...pretty much anywhere
3.) Be more of a morning person
4.) Remember every friend/family member's birthday, anniversary, etc.
5.) Fall asleep more easily at night
6.) Inspire someone
7.) Continue to be grateful for my blessings in life and not take anyone/anything for granted
8.) Sing! - I am so tone deaf


8 Shows I Enjoy...

1.) So You Think You Can Dance
2.) The Real Housewives of (any of them, but I think NYC is my favorite)
3.) Fringe
4.) The Biggest Loser
5.) Project Runway
6.) Say Yes to the Dress
7.) House Hunters
8.) What Not to Wear

There you have it!

And, since I'm one of the last to play this fun little game, I won't tag anyone else. If you haven't given this one a go yet, now's your chance.

Our Humble Abode

Deep breaths... We did it.


As of this morning, our house is officially on the market. It was almost difficult to put that "For Sale" sign in the front yard. Seriously...Josh and I had a moment.

Oh, how I excited I am about our new home, but I always knew that this process would be bittersweet. There aren't words to express how much I have adored our first home, the good times we've had there, and the affection for which I will always look back on where we started our lives together. I hope and pray that it goes to a couple/family who loves it and takes care of it as much as we did.

And, since I took a bunch of pictures in preparation for getting the house on the market... Guess what??

Our cozy family room.

The den off the kitchen.
Our newly renovated kitchen.

Our awesome fenced in yard and patio off the den. I love to entertain out here.

Third bedroom/our office.

Bedroom #2/Guest bedroom.

Completely renovated hall bathroom.

Master Bedroom with walk-in closet.

Master bathroom - also completely renovated.

Sigh... I took a ton of pictures. Was anyone else this emotional about selling their house? Advice for the weeks to come?

And, if you know of anyone still looking for the perfect 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in St. Charles, feel free to e-mail me (highheels9899@yahoo.com) for details.

And, Did I Mention...

We're buying a house!!!

I'm almost scared to mention it because the process has gone smoothly thus far... but, what the hell... Here's to hoping I'm not jinxing us.

It all happened so fast actually. Josh and I have kept our eye on the market since about last June. We weren't dying to move right away, but we knew that we would outgrow our 3 bedroom, 2 bath eventually (no matter how much I love it). So...our realtor consistently sent us the newest listings, we looked at things that interested us, and with each one felt more and more confident that we should stay right where we were. There just wasn't anything fitting the bill for us. That is until about three weeks ago...

The house went on the market Monday, we received an e-mail of the listing on Tuesday, and promptly scheduled an appointment to look at it on Wednesday. I commented to Josh that if the house looked as good in person as it did in pictures, he was in trouble.

Obviously, we loved the house, but took a few days to let in sink in before making a return trip to walk through with both of our parents on Sunday. We put an offer in on Monday (exactly one week after the house went on the market) and accepted their counteroffer on Tuesday. And, since we were leaving for St. Maarten that Friday, I even had the home inspection scheduled for Thursday (thankfully nothing major was found, and the minor things that were found are being fixed by the owners). Talk about moving fast, folks!!! We close at the end of June.

Keep your fingers crossed for us that the remainder of the process goes just as smooth for us. Not to mention, that we are now getting our current home on the market for sale or rent. I know...right? In any case, how about some photos...

I love the wrap around porch.
The kitchen that made me swoon.

The Hickory floors, the cabinets, all the can lighting...I'm in love.

From the family room looking into the kitchen.

The family room.

The living room.

The dining room.

Front entryway.

First floor half bath.

I love the molding and wall detail.

The finished basement.

With wet bar...

The three kids' bedrooms upstairs, which will obviously be re-painted for our needs.

The view into the master bedroom. Did I mention the master has three closets?

I don't know what to say except that I'm in love with our soon-to-be new home. However, it will be so bittersweet for me to leave our current house. Josh proposed to me there, after all!! And, we've put so much work into it. I can only hope that it will go to someone who will take good care of it.

While we still have the task ahead of selling/renting our current home, I cannot say enough about how blessed we both are. What does Charlotte say in the Sex and the City movie when she's afraid to go for a run early in her pregnancy - "nobody gets everything that they want"? While we certainly don't have "everything", and I am definitely more grateful than afraid, I can still understand her sentiment.