Do not add your debts on a Saturday Morning.....

I may or may not have officially lost it, or, offically become BRILLIANT. In purchasing this next home and being at the very beginning stages of building again, we have started the process of looking at lenders, pre-approvals, credit reports, etc. Which, allows you to start tallying every last dollar existant to your name. A. Dont do this on the weekend, my mind is at an all time full throttle.

 

Let me back track a hot minute. When Blair and I sold our recent home, that we built and lived in for only a year, we made quite a nice chunk of change. In doing so, it really fired up my passion for home decorating, staging, selling, and well, making a nice chunk of change. It started to get the wheels turning in my head thinking: Hey, this would be a bit of fun to do on the side. I am glued to HDTV enough to know I have enjoyment in this home flipping sort of thing, and being able to make money while the market is down is quite motivating to boot. So, I did what any girl does after flipping through our credit reports{while adding up all the combined godforsakenstudentloans, UGH yay Masters Degrees!}. I called my Dad. Now, this may have not been the most impartial person to call, as he understands how much I love to save, and how much I despise short term debt. AND he and my Mom used to flip houses themselves when we were little babes. He got my wheels turning even more, and we're finding ourselves at a crossroads. To build a 'forever home' or to buy a 'flipper home'? That is the question. We have only put a deposit down on the lot of the home we may or may not now build, so we would be losing out on a very small amount of money.

 

In this part of Ohio, there is basically two areas where you can even build, as they have been landlocked for 10+ years. So, unless couples want to build, they are buying homes that are at least 10 years old. People who prefer modern, open floorplan, updated homes would have to be buyers who are inclined to gut, flip, and update. Not everyone is up for that, especially those who have children. People who are like us which like to move into that new paint smell home that is an updated finished product would pay good money to have it. Knowing that is a rare find here, why not buy a home at a great price while the rates are still low, live in it for 3-6 months while we gut it and sell it & make another nice profit again while we can. The downside of this is we are pretty much waving goodbye to the new build, new land, and new home in this area for good as again as there isnt much land to build on and work with. As long as we live here long term, which is a great unknown, we also may have to live in a home that's been gutted and flipped in the end, while sacrificing an ideal lot. BUT, in doing this, we can potentially make alot of money in the next year or two have 0 student loan/short term debt with a pretty nice cushioned savings account. Does having a new build 'forever home' mean THAT much to me right now, in the town we just moved to? Not sure. Practical route vs. Risky Route, that is the question.

 

 

Andi



Wordless Wednesday

Xoxox,

Andi 

If I Could Write A Letter to Me

10 YEAR OLD YOU...

Don't think so much, and so deeply, be 10 for Christ sake. Theres nothing to be anxious about. Enjoy summers filled with softball and flashlight tag; you'll miss them every single summer to follow. Moving from KY turns out to be a blessing. You do it alot through the years and it shapes you into a well rounded, social, flexible person. And Kimi? Dont worry there either, she'll be around forever. Hug Lexi a little extra and walk her often, turns out her bundle of Golden fur isn't. 

15 YEAR OLD YOU.....
 

Forgive yourself for having to quit gymnastics. It will lead you to some of the best years of your life. You'll never really ever "leave it", its always a part of you and you'll end up coaching girls your age now someday. 

That bad boy you're dating who breaks your heart? He didn't end up  ruining you. Turns out he just makes you less naive and more picky. Lucky for you it worked, they all get better from here. Wear short shorts as often as you can. Oh, and those 6 pack abs? Embrace. every. single. one. They eventually go away. Two words for ya: Americheer summers. God they are fun, embrace them. You will do crazier, more fun things during these summers ahead that you ever thought possible. 

18 YEAR OLD YOU....

You are about to embark into the BEST college, and years of your life. You have friends now that you will have forever.

Take shots, don't always be so cautious. Let your hair down, and never pass up the chance for a dance party. 

Math is hard. That tutor you have will eventually be replaced with an iPhone calculator. Better yet, it's a phone robot named 'Siri' who pretty much does anything you ask her to. Oh - and she calls you "Betch".
 

 

Applaud yourself for trying when you moved to Texas, you'll never regret it. Think about moving to Austin or Denver to follow & extending your "discovery phase". In hindsight, you end up coming back too soon. But, know that you tried your best. Let go sooner than you did.

Wear sunscreen. Never stop being silly. It's what makes you, you. 

 

HEY 25 YEAR OLD YOU....

 

You're doing exactly what you should be doing in your career. Every step will lead you to where you are in your 30's, and you absolutely love your job. So breathe a little & don't be so stressed in the 'searching'. There is nothing laughter, a girls night, or letting your free spirit shine can't cure. 

Next year is hard. Real hard. You make it out okay, better off even. You can't always be the one in control. Sometimes the universe is. 

Be patient in knowing that you are exactly where you're supposed to be {turns out patience will never be your strong suit, but keep working on it}.

Don't be lame and stay in the night of the Blizzard of '08... It turns out to be the best decision of your life to bundle up and leave your apartment. You end up meeting your husband. 

HEY 30 YEAR OLD YOU...

Spend as much time with your family as possible. Just as you are aging, they are too....

You never end up having enough time. Every month you say aloud 'I cant believe it's already the 1st of the Month'. Literally, every single month.

Always be in search of new things that challenges you. Volunteer. Don't be so hard on yourself. Continue to always be thankful. You have the absolute best friends and family around. 

And lastly, enjoy these moments as a Family of 2 before they are a Family of 3. Create traditions. Trust in yourself always. Never lose hope. And know that the best is always yet to come....

What would you write to yourself?

xoxo,

Andi

"You spin me right round baby right round-like a record baby-right round, round, round"

Whew. Spinning. Literally, head explosion. I'm sitting in the ATL airport en route to Pensacola, FL for CPNB training at The Andrew's Institute {amazing} to work with some of the best surgeons and anesthesia docs around. Pretty pumped about it, although it couldn't be happening at a crazier time. Move your entire 4 bedroom home into a 2 bedroom apartment on Sunday & leave for a week on Monday evening? NOOOOOO big. *swigs from flask

In GREAT news, closing was simple & The Posey's are moving into their new home as I type. We really lucked out with the timing of the housing market upswing + rates still low, and with it being summer, it was the perfect equation. Although nerve wracking and filling the plate FULL {overflowing more like it} on top of high work demands this quarter, I'd sell my house on my own allover again. The savings we made by listing it FSBO made it all worth it. As long as there's a Broker involved, you'll be all good. I'd recommend it to anyone. 

As Luis on Million Dollar Listing NY says, "Boom, I Love it!". I am pretty proud of myself. If you haven't seen the show mentioned above, DO IT NOW, and thank me later. We are addicted. Although my husband is clearly straight, and actually very alpha, he may or may not light up & "high kick squeal" when Fredrik enters the screen. I don't blame him. Fredrik is hilarious and beautiful... And so is his husband. Again, tune in. It does not disappoint. 

                     {Ugh, swooning} 

I digress. Leaving the house was somehow easier than I expected. Maybe it's too soon to say that & I'll have a delayed effect when the dust settles. But,  the opportunity is fantastic and I really love the next home we are building {think our previous home but on crack}. Good news is everything we didn't do or think was necessary the first time that we do now, we get to do allover this time.

One moving tip to all the gypsies like myself out there, pack your clothes in garbage bags like below. It was hands down the best idea this time to use. I ALWAYS took them off the hangers and had to spend time re hanging them once arriving, but this way, rip off the bag and voila! It's like they never left the closet. Heaven send. Thank you Pinterest.

Some sweet, small, farewell gatherings amidst last minute packing from these babes made our send off to Dayton a bit easier to bear...

Glenna & Kittle at Bernard's for old time Dawson sake. Always a pleasure to gab with these gals. Every time we part, I wish I had half the session on record as they things that fly out of our mouths are the same things that brought us back together at Dawson. Inappropriate, raw, honest and hilarious people; love these girls. #Lifers

And this guy? Well, gawd. Just LOOK at him. My sister had an early a.m case to be in and dropped Isaac by for a spend over +half day date and although I was drowning in boxes, I wouldn't miss that date for the world. 

                        {spooning} 

   {back yard summer fun with the Bubs}

....clearly this boy needs a pony dog like Atticus. They were best buds from the womb. No joke. He used to sit in front of my sisters preggo belly or lay his head on her lap and protect Isaac. Hasn't done it to anyone else before or since. He learned how to pant and crawl around like a dog. Now when you ask him "Isaac, what's the doggy do"? He'll pant with his tounge out. Hey, at least I didn't teach him to lift his leg and pee. 

Speaking of kids, I now have to dial off this iPhone & turn around to strangle the one who has been kicking my back for an hour on this flight. "Goosefraba"

Andi 

Why I blog.

Maybe I was a little late to the whole blog world, when some people began to get "over it". I began blogging because I enjoyed reading about what was going on in others lives, decor tips and DIY tricks, as well as the fact I simply love to read. There are people I follow that I know personally, and those I feel like I've known for years due to this site but have never actually met. Most of the people I followed in the beginning haven't blogged in months or years, but along the way I've picked up a new blog or two to follow that I enjoy reading over my morning coffee or as I wrap up my day in bed via iPad.

It seems like now-a-days, the Instagram and FB world have taken over and less & less people want to actually write or do anything more than instant gratification of a quick upload and 20+ immediate "likes" or "comments". I'm still one of those old timers that sends hand written "just because" or "thank you" notes, and at least once a quarter I write (or receive) a special love note from my hubbs. Sometimes I think to myself "holy crap! Our kids are going to grow up with/without {insert here}" and it makes me super sad. For example, have y'all heard of the new app called "Tender"!?! There are currently men & women, throughout the globe, who can simply turn on their iPhone location and see other people in their surrounding areas, wherever they may be, and "smile" at eachother then immediately begin chatting {think aol} about meeting up for sex, etx. Apparently, right now at least, it's known for the instant booty call & not formal dating-ish like other sites {match, eharmony, etx}. I mean, call me blue haired, but WHAT THE HAY! Seriously? How in the world do future generations even have a shot at a normal life.......

Anywho, I blog because I enjoy reading others shares. Quite frankly I wish the people who used to blog kept blogging, I miss y'all out there {you know who you are}. It's like the people who Instagram but have no pictures... Petpeeve! It's like, blogging withot giving back to us bloggers who enjoy reading what you have to say. I blog because I find it therapeutic, even if I didn't have a sole out there that crossed this pages path, and because well, quite frankly my memory sucks. If I didn't have chronological order of my life's events they would all jumble and make 0 sense {another reason why im a picture-a-holic}. My close friends would agree that more than likely ill end up in some looney bin asking who you are & how I got there at some point because I'm only 30 and already rely on them for recall. I blog because these pages hold lives stories, and well, because I don't want to be a creeper and never give back.

Xoxo,

Andi

Serious steam to blow

So, Blair & I have had quite a lack luster summer between work travel & he running his new summer league at the new school. We usually take a nice vaca {who am I kidding, ya can't beat Greece from last year!!} but this summer got away from us. So, we decided last weekend to cash in on a friends' invite to meet up at their Lakehouse {Izzy, his gf Ashley who I freaking ADORE + Ken and his amazing wife, Alison} on Lake Erie. Their beautiful home and hospitality were on point, and after B & I spent a day "screaming it out" at Cedar Point, we headed to Ken & Alison's. A weekend on the boat cooking out in addition to bonfire evenings were just what the doctor ordered. 

Although CP is a blast, I'm fairly certain I'm too old for rides now, b/c it took me until the next ride to get back to my equilibrium.

{Blair & Ashley, while shooting the AR-15  in the garage} 

{Alison, Ash & I} being bad betches 

...and then the drinks started flowing & the cardboard cut out of P.O.S came out. Yes, this happened. 

So did a beautiful day on the water, and Blair's first time wakeboarding. I couldn't believe what a natural he was! Got up the first {and every time}, go babe!! Work it, own it. 

We were sad to leave our new found friends, Tinker & Lucy, but hope to meet again soon! Thank you Flower Family, we had the best weekend we've had all summer! 

A huge motivator in getting away and enjoying a nice weekend to "check out" was due to the fact A, we desperately needed it and B, today we were to find out if our close scheduled for Friday is in fact on the books as the buyers lending was glitching, and we weren't for sure if we'd have to put it back on the market or not. We were in the mental mood to check out & put that thought on the backburner & are so glad we did. We heard today, and it's a huge relief to announce, that we are on schedule to close this Friday (holy 6 days to pack and move) by Sunday. 

We can't believe it's finally happening but are so excited everything fell into place & we are on to our next adventure. Although we are leaving a home & city we love; growth, adventure & surplussing on opportunity is what it's all about!

Cheers!

Andi