Moving On Up with the Help of a Fortune Cookie and Stanley Steamer

Wow, I need to blog more.  I need to take more time out to reflect on what's going on in my life, but Michael and I have had recent adventures that demand a little blog time....
We've been talking about getting the house on the market for awhile now, and we've finally had some things happen that have really helped us make a positive turn and get 'our butts in gear' (as my mom would say).  My fortune cookie from Chinese take-out has proven to bring us some good luck, and I hope it continues!

Big Dreams!!!!

 In the last week, we've met with a realtor and despite Michael's 'jump in' attitude, I had to 'put my foot down' and say, "Things have got to be done around this house before I let anyone take pictures!"  We've been working on small projects here and there, but last Wednesday we finally decided to take on some bigger projects.  Why we waited until the start of the school year? I'm not sure... nor do I ask questions at this point!  The projects that need to be done around the house include de-cluttering (we have to make it look BIG!), painting (sorry Adam, but the drywall hole in the wall still remains a constant reminder of crazy, younger times), a new back door (that is rotting still as we speak), and new carpet (years of wear and tear with animals, and one lovely red stain from fruit punch crystal light). 

As we get these projects moving and met with the realtor, Michael asked him if he had any suggestions as we got the house ready.  Now mind you, he is a family friend, but the realtor and I nor the realtor and Michael's mom had any real side conversations.  He looked Michael dead in the face and said, "The deer has got to go!"  Selling points for the realtor, and ten points for Kate!!!!  As we've slowly started to de-clutter, Michael looks at me and says, "this house is starting to look like it did before you and I got serious."  Yes Michael.. I've been trying to get this across to you for a long time. :)  Goodbye Charlie, the next time I see you hopefully you will not be staring at me as I eat!

My Fondest Memory of Charlie stems from Lexi: "Kate can you please have Michael put that in your bedroom so it doesn't stare at me while I eat?!?!"

Now fighting the red stain, has been an experience.... We decided to have Stanley Steamer come and clean the carpets and try to 'work their magic.'  Well, they've definitely worked their magic.... They come and clean the downstairs and the dye in carpet still remained.. we figured it would happen, they got some other stains out, so we were happy.  They moved all the furniture to one corner of the room, not putting anything on the Styrofoam blocks.  The dumbest thing they could have done.  Saturday, I go to move Michael's prized recliner (the one I hate, and he finally agreed to move to his parents to declutter... another ten points for Kate).  As I moved the chair, two dark lines appeared in the middle of the dining room from the stain on the stupid (but now my favorite) recliner... not far from the painful red stain that makes me cringe every time I walk over it.  Michael immediately called Stanley Steamer, and as they came out on Saturday and saw the damage, we knew it was going to be a nightmare.  They left Saturday without touching a thing, and said the manager would be out Tuesday.  The manager and large, expert stain remover gentleman came and worked for about an hour, trying to remove the stain... with no success.  He started running through the options, and decided he would come out the following day and try something else.  He then started to talk about 'cutting' a patch of our carpet from a closet, and patching it (maybe I'm missing the boat, but fresh closet carpet in the middle of a well used dining room carpet just didn't add up to me).  Michael and I kept our cool, and decided we would wait until they came back the following day to figure out what the next route was....  Fortunately for us, the stain did not come up, Michael kindly said patching it wasn't an option for us, and we are now getting brand new carpet put in by Stanley Steamer (god definitely has a funny way of working). 

The stains that saved us some money....


Now, we wait until we find out when we get the new carpet, and until then, we rush like mad to paint at least the living room so we don't have to put drop cloths down (painting/beer party at the Wilson's on Saturday :)).

goodbye awful crystal light stain...

I might actually be sad when this is covered up...  it's a sign of growing up :-P

Looks like the house is coming together like it should, and as we are making improvements it's becoming 'nicer' and if only we had a yard for the dogs to play, and an extra bedroom and/or basement... then I'd consider staying.

Please send prayers up that our good luck this past week, carries over to when we get it on the market!   Until then, I'm gonna keep singing this song while we work: