May 24, 2013
Renovation Nightmare…
I can’t believe how much work this house has become. Has anyone out there ever redone a house from top to bottom? I hate that it’s taking me so long as I wanted to host a big housewarming party this spring but it’s looking like I’m not going to be done until like fall, at the earliest. When I bought this house I thought it was going to be a fun project. I spent a long time looking intowww.electriccompaniesindallas.com for good energy rates and talking to painters about whether or not they could do faux texture on the walls…little did I know I was going to have termites all within the walls and basically rotted pipes from the basement to the attic. Yeesh. No one wants to spend their renovation budget on things like that because it’s not something anyone will ever SEE. The improvements I’ve spent tens of thousands of dollars on are the things that matter most to the construction of the home but they’re certainly not what’s going to sell the place. I’ve spent so much time in sawdust up to my ankles and wearing a fumigationmask I don’t know that I remember what I look like clean anymore. I think the advice I would give to any other renovator would be to buy your first reno home with nothing more than cosmetic improvements needed. There’s nothing good that can come from basically having to take the house down to the studs unless you’re a contractor yourself, which I am most definitely not. I never imagined this place would take so long and I would have to sink so much money into it – I think I’m going to have to live here for several years to get any of my money back out. I guess that’s the way the cookie crumbles, though, and that’s what happens when you take a risk like I did. You never win unless you play!
Sarongs for Women
May 23, 2013
Don't Mess With Texas
Police Wife
My husband is a police officer and I’m pretty much always worried he’s not going to come home after his shift. I really wish he did something less dangerous but at least he has good benefits and makes enough money that I can stay home with the kids. I really love being a mom and we’ve just purchased our first home which is exciting. Each of the kids have their own rooms and I’ve been spending my days looking into lawnmowers for the yard and on a website my neighbor told me about to research the different utility companies in the area. I’ve never had to sign up for electricity because I’ve always been a renter! There’s something really comforting about having a yard for the dog to play in and a closet for each of the kids. I thought about it long and hard (because my husband was considering quitting the force) and we decided it made more sense for him to keep working for the police company so we could afford a house. We really wanted a place for the kids to grow up and it just made more sense to buy in a good school district while home prices were still cheap enough. The market is really turning around in our area so I was worried if we didn’t buy soon we were going to get priced out of the market like we did last time. I’ve never been one to care about things like that but you know, at the end of the day I had to learn the statistics of the real estate market in our area and do the research about mortgages because my husband’s schedule is just so crazy there’s no way to predict when he would be able to meet with anyone who could help us. Sometimes being a policeman’s wife means feeling like a single mom but I love my husband and I feel like my job is to carry the weight at home.
May 18, 2013
Crocs #SplashofColor Sweepstakes!
This post brought to you by Crocs. All opinions are 100% mine.
Calling all Crocs lovers! How would you like to win a $3,000 shopping spree from Crocs?! All you have to do is follow these simple steps:
1. Using the Instagram app on your smartphone, capture 3 “Splashes of Color” and upload them to your Instagram account with the hashtag #splashofcolor.
2. Then connect your Instagram account through the Crocs Instagram Sweepstakes and enter to win!
3. Complete the entry form so they can contact you if you win! Hurry because this contest ends on 5/20/2013. So make sure to get your entries right now. You can upload three photos a day.
I already shared these photos on my Instagram account with the hashtag #SPLASHOFCOLOR, and hoping I could win the $3000 shopping spree!
So make sure you enter the Crocs Instagram Sweepstakes, and leave your comment letting me know why you want to win too! Just use the Instagram app on your smart phone to capture “Splashes of Color”— be it a gorgeous sunrise, bold colorful nails, or a big city night. Tag it with #splashofcolor and enter for a chance to win a “Splash of Color” prize package and shopping spree from Crocs!