Six Times Around

He's having a great day and he's been around the sun six whole times now! Today Ru turns six years old. We're celebrating some today (lunch at the local cafe, cake and special dinner at home and maybe, maybe a short romp at The Children's Museum this afternoon) and then a little more on Saturday after Daddy A has had a chance to get out and do a little top secret shopping for the man-of-the-hour.

Am so pleased to have shared a little over half a decade with this spunky boy. He's all buzz and high octane, has taught me a lot about myself and about children and been the source of loads of wonderful memories already. I cannot wait for another year of them. Am reminding myself of all the little ways I'm thankful for this boy with the twinkly eyes and the dimple and trying to keep things cheery for him in the midst of this really busy week. BUT...that said, I can't stay long....its nap-time which means it is time for all good birthday fairies to get busy with balloon arranging and cake decorating and burger prepping for all manner of party goodness which will go down tonight!

Less is More, It Just Is.

Tonight A and I are going out for the night, just the two of us, our last date night alone before the zaniness of family travel and other celebratory activities hit us full in the chest. I'm not sure if that's what's doing it or if is intention to focus on what matters in the middle of this holiday season, or even just new thinking about the coming excitement of New Year's Resolutions and the clean slate that is a crispy new January.

Suddenly I'm thinking about all the new toys and sweets and "stuff" we'll be bringing home for our little ones and I'm feeling the unstoppable urge to purge. Time to go wildly through our goods and take boat loads of things to Goodwill! Time to create empty, clean spaces! Time to set things in order in our house so that we return from Michigan to a calming space instead of insanity!

I am remembering that the things children like best are the simple ones....the ones that don't cost much or anything at all. Cookie cutters, shiny pebbles, string, the wrapping paper...you know. Am off to sort the playroom, to vacuum all the corners and to take bags of stuff, stuff, stuff to the trunk of our van for a thrift shop drop-off.

Less is more. It just is.

House Option #3!

So, intially...way back in spring of '09 there was this house. Remember that anyone? I still drive by from time to time, watching how the new owners are slowly sprucing up the place. I'm a creepy house-stalker person. I can't help it. I got all attached...and I'm living vicariously.

And then there was a long break, a lot more looking and eventually...a few minutes ago....this house. We put in a knowingly low offer and the seller's agent scoffed in our general direction and we waved goodbye.

Take three and my current dream.

 We toured this house on Saturday and have been mulling it over, looking through our pictures and piling up comps to examine since then. The neighbors are incredibly kind and friendly, the sidewalks broad, the street green and leafy, there's an apple tree in the yard and the doorknobs are glass...it sounds good.

Whaddya think? We're hoping to put in an offer this week. I can see myself canning in this house.

Is This Our House?

This could possibly be the place. We'll have to see. We spent our date night tonight, touring the house one more time together and talking, talking, talking about all the options and cons and pros and possibilities. We're now considering putting in an offer. I expect we'll decide to do something one direction or another before we leave on Friday for our week in California.

What's it got going for it?

• Its old (built in 1920) but not so old that it makes A cringe
• It has stone, wood and stucco materials (all of which make us happy)
• Its in a pretty neighborhood
• Its a great commuter house
• It has a back garden and comes with lots of cool flowers tucked here and there (hydrangea, roses, lilacs, irises, lily-of-the-valley, sedum, peonies...etc.etc.)
• It has a clothesline!
• Slate roof (makes my heart go pitter-pat)
• Is in the same town as Nutmeg and our babysitter
• Walking distance to the grocery, Starbucks, the library, the post office, area parks, and lots more
• Nice wide sidewalks for family rambles in the evening
• Sun and shade for gardening
• Two car garage
• Full basement
• 5 bedrooms and 4 baths
• A full apartment on the top story with separate entry and a lovely quiet tenant who wants to stay (we're checking out the legality of the arrangement)
• A paved drive
• Nice neighbors
• Lots of windows and light
• Two fireplaces
• Hardwood floors
• A pantry

The surprises? Its in the city. I never imagined I'd be seriously considering an urban house but its far more alluring than I thought it would be. The yard is only a third of an acre, not the half an acre I imagined would be our bottom line. We'll see how it all falls out but, at this point it looks like we may try to throw a low-ball offer and see what the owners do. If we can swing it at that price we'll be getting a steal with lots of lovely bonuses (as you can see from the above "short version" of the list).

We will have to see how sleeping on it feels tonight. Pray, advise and throw your two cents our way! What do you think?

My Vanity House Hunting List

Back the great house-hunt. Today I hit the roads in earnest and chalked up a lot of addresses viewed. I had been a little procrastinatory about the whole thing before and was taking a while to rev my engine up to full power again on the whole process. Somehow starting over feels like such a big deal, even though we never really got anywhere to speak of on the farmhouse I fell in love with. But, this weekend there was a bunch of new properties listed that fit our criteria on paper and look well worth viewing so I'm off burning gas again, peering down driveways and madly scribbling notes while idling by the side of the road.

Of course the whole business of buying a home is in many ways, deadly serious...gigantic investments of money, huge risks, so much discussion and evaluation and work to line up values with your spouse so that you can both find the perfect nest together. All that aside, there's frippery involved. Of course there is...I'm involved. Today a little window into the silly small things that I'm looking for or hoping for or dreaming of but don't dare expect to find...etc. Just the slightly embarrassing bits that I can only share with you loyal reader types if you promise not to tell. Shhhhh.....

Little Things I Long For In A House (But You Better Not Tell):

• A romantic street name. I know this doesn't matter but, somehow if I'm really truthful it does make a difference to me. I would be wooed easily but a tiny cottage on Chipmunk Lane but the same house on Center Ave. somehow seems much less sparkly.
• Old plantings. I am a sucker for grandma's lilacs and old heritage apple trees of unknown variety that still bear but are in need of a good firm trim to dress them up the coming fall. A always says, "You can plant your own plants! That's a silly reason to choose a house." And I know he's right but...but...but..*sigh*
• Ramshackly garden sheds, old chicken coops or small barns that have fallen into rescue-able disrepair. I love hints of old farms or at least lush old gardens...signs that once this property produced and was dearly loved by somebody long ago, little outbuildings give me that sort of warm and cozy feeling. 

• Big maple trees with stout branches, just right for hanging a swing off of....bonus points for a charming view of said tree and imaginary swing from the kitchen sink.
• A greenhouse. I realize this is rather unlikely but...a girl can dream. (just keep it on the down low)

• A particular shade of whipped butter yellow with white trim. This color just makes me go weak in the knees, I've dreamed of a house in this hue since I was a wee thing.
• Garden beds rimmed in rocks and/or raised bed vegetable plots all marked out already and neatly positioned in the sunshine. (Pitter pat, pitter pat)
• A root cellar...I realize this is about as likely as the greenhouse wish but, folks, its in my secret heart...how great would that be? *sigh*
• A walking distance little corner store, for those nights when I forget to buy milk or you really need a coffee quickly. Its not necessary but, its part of my fantasy. 
• Moss between the paving stones that make up the walk to the door. I realize that many homeowners, yea even master gardeners are busily scraping moss off their stones and Round-uping any weeds that manage to creep in between the cracks but, I'm weird...I don't care if its a slipping hazard....give me a misting of green moss or some run-away creeping thyme or a little irish moss and I'll be sold.
• A small woodstove. Nothing enormous, nothing truly productive, just the pretty sort of little stove set on curving legs in the corner of the living room or a distant edge of the kitchen...something that will make me feel a touch more pioneer and will embolden me about future power-outs. Extra points for a bit round hoola-hoop of a firewood ring at the back door that comes with the house.

We Escape But, Are Nearly Drowned In The Process

Wet, wet, wet today. But, I was not to be deterred from our first outing to see the outside world and fairly healthy individuals. We are all tired of each other and tired of our house and tired of being cooped up together. Time for a little out and about...even if we do have to wade through knee deep puddles and drive an amphibious vehicle to get out. You do what you have to do.

So, it wasn't really that wet but, it has been raining pretty mercilessly all day long (although they forecast snow so, hey) and in some places we did find the road had started to flood over a tad. At our house it really just meant the boys were allowed to carry their umbrellas with them when we left and nobody around here really cries too much about that. I realize child-sized umbrellas are a bit of a frivolity (yea even a bit of a nuisance as you have to restrict their indoor use lest they be destroyed instantly) but, they're a really adorable frivolity. I have a similar weakness for rubber boots although they're slightly more practical as they make the inevitable puddle jumping into a less painful experience for the onlooking mommy. But yes, also umbrellas make for really cute primary color heavy pictures. Cute is worth something.

We went out prancing through the wet to the shoe store where we measured Ru and Dee's feet and bought Ru two new pairs of shoes since he has grown up a size and a half and got Dee a pair of dress shoes he was without although his current size is still just dandy. You should all be proud of me because I did not buy myself any new pairs of shoes that I do not need. (Score one for reasonability! Yes!) Shoes at amazing prices are achingly hard to pass up, even if I don't really consider myself a member of the card carrying handbag obsessed, compulsively footwear collecting set.

Speaking of collecting things....just a quick note to let you all know that Liberty of London is the new Designer on a Dime that Target will begin featuring on March 14th. For those who have a touch of the Anglophilia that tends to infect those of us following certain bloggers (exhibit a, b, and c) or reading certain books dreamily in our spare time this could be both both deadly and an astounding stroke of luck. I am plotting whether it is foolhardy to plan a trip to Target on the 14th or if I should go the 15th. Choices, choices. *sigh*

And also, speaking of window shopping and dreaming and design inspiration and spring and other such lovely things....Argh! Just discovered Modcloth!!! Love love love. Where have I been? Did you all know about it and not tell me? I suddenly feel out of the loop somehow.

So, yes...

That got a bit rabbit traily in the direction of shopping suddenly. *ahem*

Not sure what came over me.

Happy end of the week! Am brewing a good post about children and food for tomorrow! Do show!