Everything went fine at closing and we are homeowners! We have been painting for 3 days solid and the house looks amazing! The stencils are gone, thanks to two coats of primer and two coats of paint on top of that. Evan's room is light blue, our room is light brown, the hall and living room are a grey-ish white, the kitchen is light green and the dining room has chocolate brown bottom, white chair rail and tan top. The basement is the biggest transformation, now a cream color with dark brown trim. I can't wait to get the carpet in there! I will be making all the curtains; the former owner left all the hardware in and really nice shades upstairs, so that will save us a lot of time and money because now we don't have to purchase those.
It has been a lot of work and we are almost finished with the painting. We just have the top half of the dining room and all the trim to do tomorrow. Then, I will retire my paintbrush for a while!
I will post some Before and After photos once we finish the painting.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Free Stuff + Sweat Equity = Like New
My mom forwarded an email from a friend of hers who is downsizing and giving away a bunch of furniture for free. In the list were "4 small wood bookshelves, good for kid's room or for stacking. Old and need paint!"
We need 2 bookshelves for Evan's room, and can always find a place for the others, so I hopped on the opportunity and picked all 4 of them up today. They are the perfect height and very solid. But they definitely needed some work. It's amazing what a little soap and water, followed by a fresh coat of paint will do. I finished two in just a couple of hours.
Before:
...and After:
This blue will go nicely with the lighter blue we're painting Evan's walls. The other bookshelves might work in our living room or maybe in the basement for my office. I will paint them to match the room.
Tomorrow we close and get the keys to our very own home! I cannot wait! More Before and After photos coming soon!
We need 2 bookshelves for Evan's room, and can always find a place for the others, so I hopped on the opportunity and picked all 4 of them up today. They are the perfect height and very solid. But they definitely needed some work. It's amazing what a little soap and water, followed by a fresh coat of paint will do. I finished two in just a couple of hours.
Before:
...and After:
This blue will go nicely with the lighter blue we're painting Evan's walls. The other bookshelves might work in our living room or maybe in the basement for my office. I will paint them to match the room.
Tomorrow we close and get the keys to our very own home! I cannot wait! More Before and After photos coming soon!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Some Time for Gardening
Until we are ready to exit the building on June 5, we are basically finished packing. It was amazingly fast and painless. So now we just wait until Friday to close!
With my sewing machine and yarn packed, Evan and I have been doing more gardening, transplanting our seedlings into bigger pots and planting some more flower seeds. We are putting in a raised bed garden, and will be giving the Square Foot Gardening method a try.
Our greenhouse garden is growing and will soon be ready to transplant into our garden bed! We have zucchini, cucumbers, scallions, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, peas, green beans, basil, thyme, parsley and spearmint (this will stay in its own container so it doesn't take over the bed.) We are also growing flowers: marigolds, aster, carnations, bachelor buttons, zinnia, cosmos, lavender and some ornamental grass. Everything but the tomatoes and peppers we are growing from seed.
Every morning, we go out to say hello to our plants. He bounds in, saying "hi baby seeds!" and gives them little pats. In addition to being a fun thing for us to do together, growing our own seedlings in recycled pots we gather from friends and family is an economical way to get a beautiful and bountiful garden. Growing from seed was much easier than I thought (particularly with the luxury of the greenhouse!)
With my sewing machine and yarn packed, Evan and I have been doing more gardening, transplanting our seedlings into bigger pots and planting some more flower seeds. We are putting in a raised bed garden, and will be giving the Square Foot Gardening method a try.
Our greenhouse garden is growing and will soon be ready to transplant into our garden bed! We have zucchini, cucumbers, scallions, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, peas, green beans, basil, thyme, parsley and spearmint (this will stay in its own container so it doesn't take over the bed.) We are also growing flowers: marigolds, aster, carnations, bachelor buttons, zinnia, cosmos, lavender and some ornamental grass. Everything but the tomatoes and peppers we are growing from seed.
Every morning, we go out to say hello to our plants. He bounds in, saying "hi baby seeds!" and gives them little pats. In addition to being a fun thing for us to do together, growing our own seedlings in recycled pots we gather from friends and family is an economical way to get a beautiful and bountiful garden. Growing from seed was much easier than I thought (particularly with the luxury of the greenhouse!)
The greenhouse is shaded by a huge old tree, so Evan and I put the babies outside for a day of full sun.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Finding the Funds for a Home
All my talk about budgets and spending massive amounts of money this week brings up a very important point: How on earth can anyone who isn't rich afford to buy a home? Secondly, how do we pay for home improvements after spending all our money on buying the house?
In short, the funds came from a combination of planning, calculated budgeting, living within our means, cutting back and bringing in additional income.
We do not make a lot of money, but we live within our means. We have a middle class, average-American income, with school loans, debt and bills like everyone else. We have been responsible about spending and debt, so we have excellent credit. Our good credit is what got us in the door with buying our own home. But even with an FHA loan at 3.5% down and 5% fixed interest rate, we still needed about 8-10% of the purchase price for down payment, escrow and closing costs at settlement (next Friday!) With a traditional loan, typically you need between 25-35% of the purchase price. Whichever way you look at it, it is a lot of cash.
After we pay our closing costs next Friday, we have limited funds remaining for renovations. Not that the house even needs much work, but there are some things that are easier to do before we move in: reglazing the tub, painting and carpeting the basement. The entire list is longer and we have all the time in the world to do it all, but we made a spreadsheet of everything we wanted to do (with costs) and prioritized it.
Here are a few ways we found, earned and saved money throughout the home buying process.
Cutting back doesn't have to be depressing. I see it as an opportunity to be creative and resourceful. It also curbs wastefulness!
Still, we can't afford to do everything we want, so we've sought out discounts and creative financing, often through retail stores.
Financing: Home Depot has a deal right now where if we open a credit card and purchase $299 or more, we get 12 months interest free on the purchase. We plan on buying as much on our pre-move priority list at once to take advantage of this deal: everything from painting tools and primer to light switch covers. The key is to only buy things on the list, within budget, which does take discipline. Because we are expecting our first time home buyer's tax credit in a couple of months, this helps us float some expenses, interest free, until that comes in. We will pay the balance in full before the 12 months is up (otherwise you pay cumulative interest at a ridiculous rate, like 25%.) We have done this before and are very disciplined with our good credit; obviously, this strategy isn't for everyone.
Coupons are our friends: We found a coupon for $200 off Shaw carpet at participating dealers, and $10 off Sherwin Williams paints (on top of the 30% off sale this weekend!) I am not above using coupons or discounts to get the best quality materials for our home!
These are just a few tactics we've used to be able to buy a home. I hope they help someone out there!
*One example: when I cook, I save all my clean, not-quite-good-enough-for-the-main-dish vegetable cuttings in a Ziploc bag, store it in the fridge and use them make a batch of vegetable broth each week. Usually I garner 6 cups of broth, which freezes well. Before I started doing this, I was buying a container of broth at Trader Joe's for $1.99 every week to make soups and stews. I estimate it saved us nearly $100 this year. Perhaps an excessive example, but creative and effective, nonetheless.
In short, the funds came from a combination of planning, calculated budgeting, living within our means, cutting back and bringing in additional income.
We do not make a lot of money, but we live within our means. We have a middle class, average-American income, with school loans, debt and bills like everyone else. We have been responsible about spending and debt, so we have excellent credit. Our good credit is what got us in the door with buying our own home. But even with an FHA loan at 3.5% down and 5% fixed interest rate, we still needed about 8-10% of the purchase price for down payment, escrow and closing costs at settlement (next Friday!) With a traditional loan, typically you need between 25-35% of the purchase price. Whichever way you look at it, it is a lot of cash.
After we pay our closing costs next Friday, we have limited funds remaining for renovations. Not that the house even needs much work, but there are some things that are easier to do before we move in: reglazing the tub, painting and carpeting the basement. The entire list is longer and we have all the time in the world to do it all, but we made a spreadsheet of everything we wanted to do (with costs) and prioritized it.
Here are a few ways we found, earned and saved money throughout the home buying process.
Cutting back doesn't have to be depressing. I see it as an opportunity to be creative and resourceful. It also curbs wastefulness!
- Staying in and taking advantage of free/community entertainment.
- Making gifts for birthdays and entertaining at home.
- Buying used, trading or borrowing instead of buying new.
- Steering clear of retail temptation: not going shopping or going into stores just to browse.
- Researching prices and waiting at least 24 hours before making any non-food purchase over $25.
- Before buying something, asking: Is this necessary? Is it useful? Can I use something I already have or make it instead of buying it new?
- Having one car, limiting driving and combining errands has saved us over $5,000 in car payment, gas, insurance and maintenance costs this year.
- Sticking to the food budget, shopping from a list, not wasting food* and cooking from scratch to a planned menu has saved us over $1,000 this year.
- Cutting back on utilities by shutting off lights, washing clothes only in cold water and turning down the heat. Thankfully, now that winter is over, our utilities have dropped from $500 a month to $150 per month. Good insulation is also a great investment!
- Growing plants from seeds or propogating plant cuttings. Being the plant killer I have been in the past, this has been a wonderful and transforming experience for both me and Evan. I think my thumb is turning less brown- maybe a little green, even. We've enjoyed planting in our recycled pots in our greenhouse and seeing our baby seeds grow. Buying 15 packs of seeds and 3 bags of potting soil cost $25. If I had purchased seedlings in pots, I estimate I would have spent well over $100. I look forward to see how growing vegetables helps cut down our food bill, too!
- DIY. Painting, cleaning and moving ourselves (with the help of friends and family helping with Evan) saved thousands of dollars.
- Both of us have taken on side projects and jobs for extra cash.
- We have sold things on eBay we don't need (the lot of CDs sold for $125, by the way!)
- We've unloaded furniture on Craigslist that doesn't work with or fit in our new house.
Still, we can't afford to do everything we want, so we've sought out discounts and creative financing, often through retail stores.
Financing: Home Depot has a deal right now where if we open a credit card and purchase $299 or more, we get 12 months interest free on the purchase. We plan on buying as much on our pre-move priority list at once to take advantage of this deal: everything from painting tools and primer to light switch covers. The key is to only buy things on the list, within budget, which does take discipline. Because we are expecting our first time home buyer's tax credit in a couple of months, this helps us float some expenses, interest free, until that comes in. We will pay the balance in full before the 12 months is up (otherwise you pay cumulative interest at a ridiculous rate, like 25%.) We have done this before and are very disciplined with our good credit; obviously, this strategy isn't for everyone.
Coupons are our friends: We found a coupon for $200 off Shaw carpet at participating dealers, and $10 off Sherwin Williams paints (on top of the 30% off sale this weekend!) I am not above using coupons or discounts to get the best quality materials for our home!
These are just a few tactics we've used to be able to buy a home. I hope they help someone out there!
*One example: when I cook, I save all my clean, not-quite-good-enough-for-the-main-dish vegetable cuttings in a Ziploc bag, store it in the fridge and use them make a batch of vegetable broth each week. Usually I garner 6 cups of broth, which freezes well. Before I started doing this, I was buying a container of broth at Trader Joe's for $1.99 every week to make soups and stews. I estimate it saved us nearly $100 this year. Perhaps an excessive example, but creative and effective, nonetheless.
Composting Class and a Lesson on Eco Renovation
Last week, I took a Backyard Composting class at the Pennsylvania Resource Council. It was quite informative and covered everything I need to know to use the Earth Machine compost bin they gave us, only costing $30 for both. What a deal! I am armed and ready to make my own compost now. A good thing since our new house doesn't have a garbage disposal.
In the room where we had the class, they had made all kinds of eco-friendly/sustainable renovations, including using no-VOC paint, carpet made of recycled materials. Recycled carpet! I hadn't even thought of such a thing. My guess is it's better for the environment and for us, breathing in fewer carpet-emitted chemicals.
In the room where we had the class, they had made all kinds of eco-friendly/sustainable renovations, including using no-VOC paint, carpet made of recycled materials. Recycled carpet! I hadn't even thought of such a thing. My guess is it's better for the environment and for us, breathing in fewer carpet-emitted chemicals.
After researching it a bit and checking it out at a local carpet store, I found improved ecological carpeting options are now very common and accessible to all; it's good quality and priced comparably with new-fiber carpet. For some of the more economical options, we found carpet from recycled water bottles, recycled carpet fibers, and even a naturally stain resistant corn fiber (no chemical stain resistant added.) These fibers are durable and come with solid warranties. We found many in stock at our carpet warehouse in the range of $1.50-$2.50 a square foot; right in our budget. Through this experience, I have learned that if a carpet store has a huge roll of the carpet you want in stock and you are carpeting a 350 square foot basement, the price per square foot is negotiable. Especially in this economy, and when your salesperson plays hockey and so does your husband.
I have been coveting the luxury of no-VOC paint for some time and have done a lot of legwork to find a way for us to afford it, since it's very important to me. No-VOC paint has been challenging to fit into our paint budget of $30 per gallon maximum, including tax, because it tends to be about 20% more than the regular (toxic) version of paint. We had planned our budget based on buying regular Behr paint at Home Depot. I noticed Sherwin Williams is having a 30% off paint sale now through this weekend, so I bought our entire 15 gallons of paint we need, just the no-VOC base. I will go back and get the colors mixed once we are in the house and can finalize our color choices. Piggybacked with a $10 off coupon, my excellent quality Sherwin Williams no-VOC paint cost about the same as the regular Behr paint at Home Depot.
I have been coveting the luxury of no-VOC paint for some time and have done a lot of legwork to find a way for us to afford it, since it's very important to me. No-VOC paint has been challenging to fit into our paint budget of $30 per gallon maximum, including tax, because it tends to be about 20% more than the regular (toxic) version of paint. We had planned our budget based on buying regular Behr paint at Home Depot. I noticed Sherwin Williams is having a 30% off paint sale now through this weekend, so I bought our entire 15 gallons of paint we need, just the no-VOC base. I will go back and get the colors mixed once we are in the house and can finalize our color choices. Piggybacked with a $10 off coupon, my excellent quality Sherwin Williams no-VOC paint cost about the same as the regular Behr paint at Home Depot.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
10 Days 'till Closing
Ten days until we are homeowners!
We are now in the middle of preparing to move, and so far it's not been too crazy. We have everything set up, and now I'm scheduling our few small outsourced renovations: reglazing the bathtub and shower walls and installing carpet in the basement and the guest room. Besides that, it's just painting, cleaning and of course, moving. We're doing all that ourselves, with the help of a UHaul and 3 of Jeff's generous coworkers who have offered to help move and paint. I will be sure to post before and after photos, especially of the basement, which is getting a complete makeover, releasing it from its 1970s brown paneling misery.
Over the past week, I've been doing some packing of non-essential items, amounting to about 1/3 of our belongings. This move is going to be so much easier than our last one, because we have space (about 1800 square feet!) to actually live and function around the boxes. Back in LA we were literally climbing over boxes to get to more stuff to pack in our tiny 800 square foot place. We are pushing packing the rest of our personal belongings to this weekend. SuperCrafty.com gets packed the day before we move, so I will only be unable to ship orders for a maximum of 3 days, extending over a weekend.
In preparation to having most of our kitchen in boxes for nearly a week, I've been cooking and freezing casseroles, mac n' cheese, and vegetarian chili so we have food that requires only a microwave to heat up for the week in between closing and moving. For lunches, I plan to make bread and have sandwich staples on hand. Much cheaper than ordering takeout for every meal.
We have been enjoying the break from the very rainy spring by playing outside and gardening in the beautiful weather we have right now. Of course there's always time for a big pile of books.
We are now in the middle of preparing to move, and so far it's not been too crazy. We have everything set up, and now I'm scheduling our few small outsourced renovations: reglazing the bathtub and shower walls and installing carpet in the basement and the guest room. Besides that, it's just painting, cleaning and of course, moving. We're doing all that ourselves, with the help of a UHaul and 3 of Jeff's generous coworkers who have offered to help move and paint. I will be sure to post before and after photos, especially of the basement, which is getting a complete makeover, releasing it from its 1970s brown paneling misery.
Over the past week, I've been doing some packing of non-essential items, amounting to about 1/3 of our belongings. This move is going to be so much easier than our last one, because we have space (about 1800 square feet!) to actually live and function around the boxes. Back in LA we were literally climbing over boxes to get to more stuff to pack in our tiny 800 square foot place. We are pushing packing the rest of our personal belongings to this weekend. SuperCrafty.com gets packed the day before we move, so I will only be unable to ship orders for a maximum of 3 days, extending over a weekend.
In preparation to having most of our kitchen in boxes for nearly a week, I've been cooking and freezing casseroles, mac n' cheese, and vegetarian chili so we have food that requires only a microwave to heat up for the week in between closing and moving. For lunches, I plan to make bread and have sandwich staples on hand. Much cheaper than ordering takeout for every meal.
We have been enjoying the break from the very rainy spring by playing outside and gardening in the beautiful weather we have right now. Of course there's always time for a big pile of books.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
It Has Begun!
Two weeks until closing! Except for what we're using daily, the dining room and Evan's room are packed entirely. Next I'm working on closets. I'm dreading the kitchen, but we won't tackle that until the Memorial Day Weekend packing marathon we have planned. So far, Evan seems to be taking it in stride, asking to see pictures of the "new house" and talking about all the stairs we have there. We did just move 10 months ago, so this is not new to him.
It looks like we live in the middle of the jungle, with all the green outside the window. It's been raining so much that everything is growing, growing here!
It looks like we live in the middle of the jungle, with all the green outside the window. It's been raining so much that everything is growing, growing here!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Reusing and Recycling Plastics
Recently I called our new township* to find out about recycling. In comparing the new service with our current township's, I was surprised and horrified to learn that where we are now, they only accept plastics #1 & 2 for recycling. All those cottage cheese, margarine and yogurt containers are #5 plastic, which cannot be recycled! The bags the newspapers come in are #4. So much cannot be recycled here! Fortunately, our new township accepts all plastics, numbers 1-7, so we are moving to a more eco-advanced place.
So, in the meantime, what to do with all those #5 containers? Put plants and seeds in them!
I took a skewer, heated it on the stove and poked drainage holes in the bottom. At least before we take them with us to Havertown for proper recycling, they will get reused, and we will have lots of nice baby plants to put in our raised bed garden.
If you are interested in learning more about plastic's omnipresence in our world and what you can do about it, take a look at Beth's blog, Fake Plastic Fish. Fascinating!
*Pennsylvania, among its many oddities, has counties and within them, townships, which basically define the school districts.
So, in the meantime, what to do with all those #5 containers? Put plants and seeds in them!
I took a skewer, heated it on the stove and poked drainage holes in the bottom. At least before we take them with us to Havertown for proper recycling, they will get reused, and we will have lots of nice baby plants to put in our raised bed garden.
If you are interested in learning more about plastic's omnipresence in our world and what you can do about it, take a look at Beth's blog, Fake Plastic Fish. Fascinating!*Pennsylvania, among its many oddities, has counties and within them, townships, which basically define the school districts.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
My fabulous produce market had huge 3 pound bags of fresh broccoli florets on sale for $1 each! (And by the way, it really irked me to buy them in those plastic bags, but I caved in for the sake of the food budget!) They weren't going bad, but they had so many of them I guess they just had to price them to move. The promotion worked because I bought 4 bags; 1 each for my mom and brother, and 2 bags for us. What on earth was I going to do with 6 pounds of broccoli?
I trimmed and lightly steamed all of it, froze half, and put the other half in the fridge to use up this week. (The manager at the market told me to lightly steam before freezing, and that it could be kept up to a month in the freezer.) Because we're moving in 3 weeks, I plan on making lots of dishes with broccoli in them. It's a good thing we all like it!
Tonight I made broccoli cheddar soup, served with steamed and pan-fried pierogi.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Serves 6-8
3 cups low salt vegetable broth*
1 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp flour
3/4 cup 1% milk
3 cups trimmed and steamed broccoli
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cup diced potatoes (about 3 medium)
3 cloves garlic, crushed through press
1 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1. Chop all vegetables and grate cheese. Set aside.
2. Combine broth, water and flour in large soup pot, mixing until flour is dissolved. Stir in carrots and potatoes and cook on high.
3. Meanwhile, in a frying pan, saute onion and celery for about 3 minutes. Add in garlic and cook about 2 minutes more until vegetables are soft. Add to soup broth.
4. Once broth comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high and cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Add milk and broccoli; reduce heat to simmer.
6. Add in dill, mustard and pepper, stirring well and cooking for about 2-4 minutes.
7. Stir in cheese in 1/4 cup increments until it melts completely.
8. Working in batches, puree soup a blender or food processor until smooth.
9. Serve immediately.
*I have found that in almost any case, I can substitute an equal amount of water mixed with a bit of miso paste where a recipe calls for broth. Around here, the only place I can find miso paste is Whole Foods.
I trimmed and lightly steamed all of it, froze half, and put the other half in the fridge to use up this week. (The manager at the market told me to lightly steam before freezing, and that it could be kept up to a month in the freezer.) Because we're moving in 3 weeks, I plan on making lots of dishes with broccoli in them. It's a good thing we all like it!
Tonight I made broccoli cheddar soup, served with steamed and pan-fried pierogi.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Serves 6-8
3 cups low salt vegetable broth*
1 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp flour
3/4 cup 1% milk
3 cups trimmed and steamed broccoli
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cup diced potatoes (about 3 medium)
3 cloves garlic, crushed through press
1 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp dry mustard powder
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1. Chop all vegetables and grate cheese. Set aside.
2. Combine broth, water and flour in large soup pot, mixing until flour is dissolved. Stir in carrots and potatoes and cook on high.
3. Meanwhile, in a frying pan, saute onion and celery for about 3 minutes. Add in garlic and cook about 2 minutes more until vegetables are soft. Add to soup broth.
4. Once broth comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high and cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Add milk and broccoli; reduce heat to simmer.
6. Add in dill, mustard and pepper, stirring well and cooking for about 2-4 minutes.
7. Stir in cheese in 1/4 cup increments until it melts completely.
8. Working in batches, puree soup a blender or food processor until smooth.
9. Serve immediately.
*I have found that in almost any case, I can substitute an equal amount of water mixed with a bit of miso paste where a recipe calls for broth. Around here, the only place I can find miso paste is Whole Foods.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Evan v. 2.5
Evan is now 2 1/2, and it's been almost 1 year, 9 months since his surgery. Overall, he's doing fabulously and you would never know what he's been through. His speech is catching up and he is very articulate and clear when speaking. He puts two and three words together, and occasionally 4 words. He definitely has an opinion about things, which doesn't surprise me given who his parents are. I asked him if he would like crackers or raisins for a snack and he replied, "No. Wheat Thins please." (We don't give him Wheat Thins. He sees Jeff eating them and somehow picked up that this was the name of this particular cracker. They are indeed little sponges!) He understands and uses possession "Mama's office" and is starting to comprehend plurality, "two buses" vs. "one bus." He reads numbers, counting to 12. After 12 comes 20, of course. (Twenty is the equivalent of "a lot" in his mind. I'll ask him how many trees he sees and he replies "twenty!") We are teaching him please and thank you, and not surprisingly, because it's a prerequisite to get what he wants, "please" has resonated more than "thank you." I'm confident both will become habit, eventually.
In addition to being an avid reader and Thomas train fan, Evan's becoming quite the sports nut, which comes as a surprise to no one. Jeff shortened a hockey stick for him, and he will play for hours either inside or out, yelling "he shoots, he scores!" as he handles the stick with agility; left handed of course.
Evan still has 1-2 gelastic seizures a day, always when he goes to sleep. Because a sliver of the HH remains, it is likely these will continue throughout his life, but there is no way to be certain. Evan receives OT once a week and is being phased out of speech therapy, now just twice monthly. A preschool teacher comes once a month to meet with him and make sure he is developing on track and will be ready for preschool. So far, she says he's doing great, especially given what he's been through. This is a nice service and it's paid for by the state, so I'm happy to oblige, even though there is no rush. Because he has an October birthday, we're going to wait until next fall, when he's almost 4, to start preschool.
Because Pennsylvania is set up on the county system for early intervention services, I will be transferring his records to our new county coordinator at the end of the month. Fortunately, Evan's therapists all wanted to continue on with him after we move. He only has 5 months left on Early Intervention, so this continuity will be the best for Evan. We really like his therapists, so we're happy they are also available to work in Delaware County and can stay on with us. Because Early Intervention goes to age 3, we are hoping that just a few more months and he'll be in good enough shape that he doesn't have to go to the Intermediate Unit and continue OT once he's 3. Because of his dyspraxia, he might need to continue on, though. We'll see what they recommend.
Any struggles he has are so minor compared to many other kids with a history of HH and infantile spasms. Every day we are amazed by Evan, not only because what he's been through, but also just as parents raising a 2 year old. He's doing everything he's supposed to be doing at 2: throwing tantrums, running, climbing, pretending, and wanting to do what we do. Even in the frustrating times, I count my blessings. I shudder to think of what we could have been facing without the surgery and it puts everything in perspective.
In addition to being an avid reader and Thomas train fan, Evan's becoming quite the sports nut, which comes as a surprise to no one. Jeff shortened a hockey stick for him, and he will play for hours either inside or out, yelling "he shoots, he scores!" as he handles the stick with agility; left handed of course.
Trying to wake up Rocco, his dog-cousin, with "tickle tickle." Rocco is a saintly, patient dog.
Evan still has 1-2 gelastic seizures a day, always when he goes to sleep. Because a sliver of the HH remains, it is likely these will continue throughout his life, but there is no way to be certain. Evan receives OT once a week and is being phased out of speech therapy, now just twice monthly. A preschool teacher comes once a month to meet with him and make sure he is developing on track and will be ready for preschool. So far, she says he's doing great, especially given what he's been through. This is a nice service and it's paid for by the state, so I'm happy to oblige, even though there is no rush. Because he has an October birthday, we're going to wait until next fall, when he's almost 4, to start preschool.
Because Pennsylvania is set up on the county system for early intervention services, I will be transferring his records to our new county coordinator at the end of the month. Fortunately, Evan's therapists all wanted to continue on with him after we move. He only has 5 months left on Early Intervention, so this continuity will be the best for Evan. We really like his therapists, so we're happy they are also available to work in Delaware County and can stay on with us. Because Early Intervention goes to age 3, we are hoping that just a few more months and he'll be in good enough shape that he doesn't have to go to the Intermediate Unit and continue OT once he's 3. Because of his dyspraxia, he might need to continue on, though. We'll see what they recommend.
Any struggles he has are so minor compared to many other kids with a history of HH and infantile spasms. Every day we are amazed by Evan, not only because what he's been through, but also just as parents raising a 2 year old. He's doing everything he's supposed to be doing at 2: throwing tantrums, running, climbing, pretending, and wanting to do what we do. Even in the frustrating times, I count my blessings. I shudder to think of what we could have been facing without the surgery and it puts everything in perspective.
Evan and cousin Lucas (3 mos apart) read up on the latest business news. These buddies are so cute together and had a great visit!
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Sewing for Me - Simplicity 3835 Top
I am caught up on sewing my etsy orders, so I decided to make myself a summer top that is not (gasp!) a Favorite T from the Gap. I have had Built by Wendy/Built by You Simplicity 3835 in my sewing pile queue for quite some time, so I decided to take a few hours and make it. It's a very easy pattern, and I made it from 2 yards of 100% cotton sage green fabric with a white scroll pattern; from the bolt wall on sale for 3.99 a yard.
Never one to follow pattern instructions exactly, I used the sleeves from the dress in the pattern ensemble, which are longer than the ones for the top. Also, I added a couple of inches to the length, because I am tall. I usually wear size 14 or 16, but cut this larger because I have read around the net it's not so generous in the bust area. I am glad I cut it larger, and was able to take it in quite a bit. To make it less mu-mu-looking, I put long darts in the front and back, which really helped define the shape. To do this, after I sewed everything but the sleeve and bottom hems, I turned the top inside out, tried it on, pinned the dart placements, measured the distance from the side seams and bottom to make sure they were even, and then sewed them. Easy!
The verdict: I'm not sure if I love this top; maybe it's the print (too tablecloth-y?) or the gathered neckline which makes my already broad shoulders look a bit more padded. But man, is it comfortable, and it does camouflage my middle issues a bit (thank you, 10 pound baby.) So I will probably wear it a lot, since it's no more or less flattering than stretchy plain Gap T-shirts and the style is a whole lot cuter.
Any suggestions on patterns to try for easy, cute summer tops that flatter those of us who aren't a size 8?
Friday, May 08, 2009
Free Shipping Coupon for SuperCrafty.com
Our move is 3 weeks away and we start packing this weekend. As far as Jeff's back is concerned, the less we have to move, the better, so I've marked down a lot of yarns to clear out bulky inventory. Almost everything is on sale including Malabrigo! What better time to stock up on your holiday knitting yarns than now, when everything's on sale? I know, crazy, but just think: no holiday knitting panic because you'll be so on top of it!
To further entice you to help clear out my inventory, I'm offering free shipping at SuperCrafty.com. I've turned on the coupon code scblogfree so you can get free shipping to US and Canada addresses through next Wednesday.
To further entice you to help clear out my inventory, I'm offering free shipping at SuperCrafty.com. I've turned on the coupon code scblogfree so you can get free shipping to US and Canada addresses through next Wednesday.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Greenhouse Growing
Proof that I don't kill absolutely every plant: I've kept those chives and oregano for nearly a year now! The tomatoes and thyme were also purchased as baby plants, but seem to be doing quite nicely. I hope they make it another month until I can get them in the ground!
Maybe it's Evan's luck; Look at his wildflowers compared to my paltry scallions and dill! We've had luck with lettuce (in the pink planter) and 2 pea plants but not peppers and marigolds. It might not be sunny enough for them. We're still waiting on the zucchini and cucumbers to see if the seeds sprout.
Maybe it's Evan's luck; Look at his wildflowers compared to my paltry scallions and dill! We've had luck with lettuce (in the pink planter) and 2 pea plants but not peppers and marigolds. It might not be sunny enough for them. We're still waiting on the zucchini and cucumbers to see if the seeds sprout.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
USPS Food Drive this Saturday
Just a reminder that this Saturday 5/9 is the USPS Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.
Leave a bag of non perishable food items (e.g. canned items, cereal, rice, pasta) by your mailbox for pickup. The donated food will go to the Food Bank at Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest,) the nation's largest hunger relief organization.
In my monthly shop at Aldi this week, I picked up 8 cans of vegetables and beans, plus 3 boxes of mac n' cheese. A total of $5.20, but it will help someone who needs it, especially in these tough times. At my tiny local post office, I noticed they had bins for collecting food, too, if you don't want to leave it outside.
If you would like to participate, you may want to check with your local post office to make sure they are doing pickups in your zip code.
Leave a bag of non perishable food items (e.g. canned items, cereal, rice, pasta) by your mailbox for pickup. The donated food will go to the Food Bank at Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest,) the nation's largest hunger relief organization.
In my monthly shop at Aldi this week, I picked up 8 cans of vegetables and beans, plus 3 boxes of mac n' cheese. A total of $5.20, but it will help someone who needs it, especially in these tough times. At my tiny local post office, I noticed they had bins for collecting food, too, if you don't want to leave it outside.
If you would like to participate, you may want to check with your local post office to make sure they are doing pickups in your zip code.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Reliving the Good & Bad of High School
My 20th high school reunion was this weekend. I was pleasantly surprised to have our school treat us to not only a cocktail party on Friday, but a catered BBQ on Saturday. They also had sand buckets for our kids, filled with a beach ball, crayons, coloring pages and some snacks. None of this cost me anything. Saturday evening was a party at a classmate's house, where we were only asked for a $10 donation. The turnout was a bit low, with only about 20 people in attendance over the weekend (our graduating class had 75 people.)
Overall, it was more or less enjoyable, minus one unpleasant incident involving (what else?) Facebook. I was inadvertently copied on a recap of the first half of our reunion weekend, written by a now former high school friend to our mutual friend who was unable to attend the reunion. It contained unnecessary and rather catty commentary on several of our classmates, including myself. I addressed it with her in person, and was impressed with myself at not only how calmly I handled it but also how little it (and she) bothered me over the rest of the evening. Amazing that at age 38 I had to face the same juvenile crap I dealt with in high school. While it's a bit of a fresh scrape today, I'm sure it will soon be forgotten. And so will this former "friend."
On a more positive note, I was able to reconnect in person with several classmates with whom I had corresponded by Facebook or email, and it was lovely to hear what they had been up to. I learned 2 other locally based classmates married hockey players, and we hope to all get together for a BBQ next month (after the move of course.) One of them lives 6 blocks from our new house and has little kids and a big swing set. Wrapping it all up, last night after the final event, I hung out into the late hours with 2 of my dear high school friends. We spent our time catching up more, mostly about ourselves and families. Of course we did talk about our classmates, but surprisingly there wasn't much to report that wasn't positive. I feel so lucky to have maintained these friendships with these two great ladies for 25 years!
Overall, it was more or less enjoyable, minus one unpleasant incident involving (what else?) Facebook. I was inadvertently copied on a recap of the first half of our reunion weekend, written by a now former high school friend to our mutual friend who was unable to attend the reunion. It contained unnecessary and rather catty commentary on several of our classmates, including myself. I addressed it with her in person, and was impressed with myself at not only how calmly I handled it but also how little it (and she) bothered me over the rest of the evening. Amazing that at age 38 I had to face the same juvenile crap I dealt with in high school. While it's a bit of a fresh scrape today, I'm sure it will soon be forgotten. And so will this former "friend."
On a more positive note, I was able to reconnect in person with several classmates with whom I had corresponded by Facebook or email, and it was lovely to hear what they had been up to. I learned 2 other locally based classmates married hockey players, and we hope to all get together for a BBQ next month (after the move of course.) One of them lives 6 blocks from our new house and has little kids and a big swing set. Wrapping it all up, last night after the final event, I hung out into the late hours with 2 of my dear high school friends. We spent our time catching up more, mostly about ourselves and families. Of course we did talk about our classmates, but surprisingly there wasn't much to report that wasn't positive. I feel so lucky to have maintained these friendships with these two great ladies for 25 years!
Saturday, May 02, 2009
How To: Yogurt Cheese
Yogurt cheese is something I've wanted to try making for quite some time. It's so easy! I made both plain and the version pictured here, in which I added fresh chopped chives from the greenhouse. It's also great as a base for dips. Replacing sour cream, it tastes fattening due to its consistency, but isn't. Here is how to make yogurt cheese.
Materials: Plain yogurt (I used nonfat, but you can also use regular or low fat,) mesh colander/strainer, cheesecloth or paper coffee filters, bowl to put under mesh strainer to catch whey.
Directions: I unearthed my package of cheesecloth and cut a piece the size of my mesh strainer. Then, I scooped about 16 oz of fat free organic yogurt into the strainer and cheesecloth, and placed it on a bowl so it could drain. I covered it in plastic wrap (or you can simply put a plate over it if you don't use plastic wrap,) then put it in the fridge overnight, for at least 9 hours. The longer it drains, the thicker your cheese. In the morning, I had a tangy, fat free spread.
Here's how it looks when it has finished draining overnight. With or without herbs, it's delicious.
Materials: Plain yogurt (I used nonfat, but you can also use regular or low fat,) mesh colander/strainer, cheesecloth or paper coffee filters, bowl to put under mesh strainer to catch whey.
Directions: I unearthed my package of cheesecloth and cut a piece the size of my mesh strainer. Then, I scooped about 16 oz of fat free organic yogurt into the strainer and cheesecloth, and placed it on a bowl so it could drain. I covered it in plastic wrap (or you can simply put a plate over it if you don't use plastic wrap,) then put it in the fridge overnight, for at least 9 hours. The longer it drains, the thicker your cheese. In the morning, I had a tangy, fat free spread.
Here's how it looks when it has finished draining overnight. With or without herbs, it's delicious.
Friday, May 01, 2009
Bag Lady
Thanks to everyone who continues to support my new side venture, making reusable bags for shopping. I sell them in my etsy store and plan to expand my offerings with reusable nylon bags for bulk foods and, if I can get the pricing right, nylon or polyester shopping bags that roll up into a tiny size to keep in your purse. I am working on that one, but we'll see.
I was so happy to be overwhelmed with orders last week, and I'm nearly caught up on my sewing. I'm so grateful to be busy, between supercrafty.com and this, it's such a relief to have a little money coming in...especially since we close on our house in 25 days!
I was so happy to be overwhelmed with orders last week, and I'm nearly caught up on my sewing. I'm so grateful to be busy, between supercrafty.com and this, it's such a relief to have a little money coming in...especially since we close on our house in 25 days!
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