band aid

Instead of replacing our HVAC unit (I still contend, by the way, that it is in perfect running condition) Alex decided to put a band aid on it. A big, black band aid. Actually, I didn't realize just how scary the HVAC unit was until I took this before and after shot. Thumbs up to the new look. I think it compliments that designer black mulch perfectly. I dare someone to tell me they're worried about the HVAC now.

sunshine showing

This past Saturday was the perfect day for a showing, and we had one. The sun was shining, neighbors--the cute kind, not the scary kind--were milling about their yards and the birds were singing. Here is what our house looked like before we left it (note the sunshine pouring in through the windows and the tree perched right in line with the view from the master bedroom):

Regardless of our efforts, however, the feedback we received was "no comment," and we all know what that means. We also got feedback from another one of our showings and the realtor said her client thought the house was cute but just needs to [sic] much work. Could you be a little more specific on work? Work meaning you would like a third bedroom and would have to add on to get one? Or work meaning you want a fence? Or work meaning there's a cracked tile on the fireplace you would have to fix? The feedback was vague and negative; however, it did provide us with a new joke: this house just needs T - O much work!

happy mother's day

Catcher made this necklace for me at school today. It's my Mother's Day gift, but he took it out of the bag and tissue it was wrapped in and wore it around the house tonight. He's not wearing any clothes, by the way, because he spilled apple sauce on his pants and wanted to put them in the laundry. He had a bagel for dinner with cream cheese on the side ("in a bowl, please") and gave Scout "a couple puffs" while I made her bottle. I'm sorry, her "sippy cup." He sang a song about a moose kissing a goose and laughed himself silly when Scout tried to pull herself up in the bathtub. He picked out his Santa Claus pajamas and reminded me that he's "not Santa Claus" when I said "get over here and put on your pajamas, Santa Claus." He kissed me goodnight ("on the lips") and told me he'd go "poo poo in the potty tomorrow." Now that would be a real Mother's Day gift.

oh what a night

You wouldn't know it by looking at this picture, but this morning it was pouring down rain in Charlotte. It was so dreary that just prior to leaving the house, I thought about my closet door that I left wide open and the dirty dishes in the sink telling myself, "no one is looking at houses on a day like today." "No one" called at 10:41am requesting a showing between 11:30 - 12:30. Thank goodness Alex decided to skip the gym this morning and give the house a little spit shine, if you will, before leaving for work. I hope they liked the new and improved HVAC "garden" (at least that's how I like to think of it).

But forget about the showing. Today turned out to be a beautiful day and we were able to take advantage of it on an evening stroll through the neighborhood. Catcher and Alex were looking for owls in trees, Scout was savoring her sippy cup and I was the team photographer.

By the way, if anyone is counting, the feedback we received from last week's two showings was "no comment," so I guess they didn't like it.

give me an "s"

I know that I have come late to the etsy train, but I am really enjoying the time I've spent (or wasted?) clicking around on the site as I search for new things to decorate a new house (someday). The great thing about not having an actual new house and decorating one in your head is that today your "house" can be totally modern while tomorrow it might have a little mid-century flair, and yesterday it was a farm house. Whatever my house of the future--or house of the past--may be, I'm certain I can find room for this to decorate Scout's room (unless our new house is smaller than our current 847 square feet, but that would be weird):

Hindsvik

If Catcher wants a giant "C" we can do that too, because this company will make whatever letter you want, upper or lowercase, in your choice of finishes and ship it to you in a couple of weeks. The only potential problem I see is that I could go a little letter crazy--remember the time "Laverne-esque" monogramming was in back in the early 2000s...I had at least a week's worth of clothes with the letter S on them--and turn the house into some kind of jumbled alphabet exhibit. Or else I'll be over it by then.

weekend warrior

Yesterday at the Target--before our car wouldn't start in the parking lot--Catcher and I were given the task of picking up some Claritan for Alex since he is suffering from seasonal nasal allergies. Never having been an allergy sufferer myself, I was perplexed in the allergy analgesic drug aisle and didn't know whether I should go with the Claritan gel caps or the regular Claritan or maybe try Zyrtec, so I went with what made the most sense: the Claritan D that you have to ask for because they keep it behind the pharmacy counter. There must be a reason they hide it back there, right? I figured out that reason yesterday afternoon. Call me naive, but there must be uppers in those things or something, because I have never seen Alex so...motivated. The focus of the day became that unsightly HVAC unit, and Alex was determined to make it shine. Unfortunately, these pictures don't really do the job justice. It looks much better (albeit still a bit sketchy) in person.

Here's a look at the HVAC unit "before" (with a little Catcher in the background raking some stray leaves).

A work in progress: Alex plots out the planting of the plants (or "Christmas trees" as Catcher referred to them). And then the boys hard at work (below).

The end result. The trees are cute, and I hope they distract potential homebuyers from the atrocity that lurks behind. I wish I was able to capture Alex's heightened work ethic from the day, which caused him to not eat a thing until 8:30pm when I poked my head outside the front door and asked him if he was going to eat dinner ("Oh, yeah," he replied with the wild-eyed look of child who just drank a 2-liter of Coke, "I'll be right in!"). Actually, I think I can show you Alex's energy from the day as personified through this two year-old (*disclaimer: Catcher was not given a 2-liter of Coke prior to these pictures).

sunday fun-day

This was the truck that came to rescue Catcher and me at the Target this morning when our car wouldn't start in the parking lot. Thank goodness Alex was home with Scout because I think in this case Catcher was the better of the two to have with me since he thought the truck that came to fix our car was pretty cool...and he was a good companion to have while sitting at the Target Starbucks waiting for the AAA battery guy. When I called Alex to tell him it would be about 45 minutes for the guy to get there and check on the car, etc., etc., the first thing he asked was whether or not I had any perishables in the car. Is it me, or is that an odd thing to ask? Maybe it's because we don't get to use the word perishables enough in our everyday vocabulary that he saw his opportunity and seized it. Either way, the whole ordeal lasted less than an hour, and I was just happy that it only cost me $124 and two slices of banana bread. And I'm  actually glad in a weird way that I got to put our AAA membership to use. Oh yeah, and I'm really glad that the Starbucks was sampling some sort of coconut Frappuccino this morning Yum!