Interest Rates

Lucky us:-)  We locked our mortgage interest rate just over 4% and just about as low as we were ever going to see in our lifetime.  That's great!  I read today that the rates are now climbing upwards of 5%.  I guess timing couldn't have been better. 

Now, if we could just get a great deal on energy efficient windows... we got a quote, but it was for over 20K.  Yikes!  I knew the front 4 windows would be spendy.  They are original to the house and they are huge 7' windows.  Because of this the custom replacements will have to be double paned tempered glass due to some safety code since they open to the sunporch. 

Good news for furniture, though.  We found the right sofa/chairs/loveseat at Bassett Furniture and they are having a 30% off sale this weekend.  We like that you can custom design your pieces with different fabrics, legs, and arm designs.  That way you can get exactly what you want.  Our main concern is something with back support (gettin' old!).  They also have a storage bench we are interested in to create a window seat, and mirror that would be perfect for the powder room that was already on clearance.  I think I am starting to see what the house will actually look like when we live there.  I just want to move in NOW!  We have an appointment with a kitchen designer early next week so we can get started.

We Closed!

We're homeowners.  Again! 

Our 4 1/2 year journey has led us here to our new home.  We're going to be so happy here!  After some renovations we'll move in and begin the animal rescue work as soon as things are up and running.  We've waited so long for this day!
We fell in love with the old world charm of this house.  My favorite features are the front and back porches (I've wanted a porch my whole life, and now I have 2!), and architectural details like the marble threshold upstairs, original hardwood staircase, and archway leading to the dining room (or will it be a living room?  Jeff and I are still hammering that one out;-)  I think the staircase sold the house really.  It's gorgeous.  I also like the size of the master bathroom and kitchen. 

Stats:
Folk Victorian, but built in 1920 
1 1/2 acres approx (after the county re-drew a correct property line after an error was discovered)
4 car detached garage
4 bedrooms (one is more like a walk-in closet, but it could be a guest room, not sure yet)
2 bath
2019 sqft plus a full-length attic and a basement
Kitchen
Living Room
Dining Room
Mudroom
Pantry room

Silly Tradition

Every family has certain things they do that make life sweet.  I've always said that life is in those little moments.  One silly tradition I have in my family involves soup. 

Soup in my house usually contains carrots, and I always cut one carrot coin into the shape of a heart and toss that into the pot for someone to find.  The person who finds the carrot heart in their soup gets the good luck.  My family and friends kinda laugh at me for this tradition, but I know they secretly love it; they are always on the lookout in their bowls for their little symbol of love.  Here is a picture of a carrot heart swimming in a hot bowl of hearty wild rice & seitan soup:

Silly, yes.  But if it makes people feel special when they come to eat with us, I am all for it!

We Got a Housewarming Gift...

And we're not even home owners yet:-)  What a sweet present!  It was an unexpected surprise--a very pretty set of vintage cut crystal candlesticks with prism drops.  They're gorgeous and I can't wait to use them.  We enjoy using candles often, and these will be great on a mantle (hopefully we will have a mantle!).  

Perfect Fall Day!

I spent the perfect Fall Sunday today relaxing before inspections tomorrow morning.  October is in full swing, and after a tough week it was nice to have some time to breathe.  I usually relax at the stove ;-)  I couldn't resist putting a few Fall touches around the house to enjoy today in the form of some glittered leaves from the craft store.

The leaves outside are changing, and the weather was so gorgeous so I opened the windows.  Then I baked some old-fashioned pumpkin bread.  I love the way the house smells when I bake this.  It has become a yearly tradition for me to bake the same recipe to give away to family & friends.  The house smelled fantastic (and still does) with the aromas of clove, allspice, cinnamon, and clove.  MMMmmmm! 

First Purchase for Our New Home

What makes a house a home?  This is what we've been thinking about lately as we're in the process of buying our first home together.  We want it to be a haven for friends and family and to reflect who we are.  We really want to make it “ours.”


For me, it's the little touches that count.  We just bought the first item for our new place:  window candles for each window (21 of them).  I really enjoy the ambiance and warmth they add to a home’s exterior--a home just looks more welcoming with a soft glow in each window.  To come home and see those little lights in the dark will make the house even nicer as we fix it up.




We chose cordless candles with a solar sensor that allows them to light at dusk and turn off at dawn and to be set to turn on and off at specific times.  They are going to make coming home really nice--like the house is greeting us.  Love them!