Question Follow-ups

Wow, lots of questions to answer.  I will try and get through all of them.  ;)

Closet System:
It is the Martha Stewart closet system from Home Depot.  You go online and put in the closet dimensions and pick the styles for each section you want and then it gives you a parts list.  Our HD only carries the espresso color in stock.  So, below is what you get once you finish your design.  HD is great that you can order online and pick up in the store and they will have it all ready for you.  We didn't do that the first go round, but since they didn't have enough of some of the pieces, we had to get more and the second time I just ordered online and they had a cart waiting for us.  The first go round was HEAVY and filled my entire SUV.  There was only one piece they didn't carry in the store and was an online only piece - a 12" deep drawer, so they had to ship that one to the house.

Dryer Vent:
PM came by with a flexible soft dryer vent hose and that went on easy peasy for hubby and no cut fingers!  I have now done two loads of laundry with no issues with the dryer.  The only problem I have is that our laundry room smells a little like the blue water in an unused port-a-john and I can't figure out if it is coming from the washer and dryer, the laundry soaps, or the house.  I even have an air freshener in the there and it doesn't really mask the smell.  So I keep the door closed.


Blinds:
We got the blinds at HD.  They are just their standard 2" faux wood blinds.  They had a ton of sizes in stock.  We needed 34-3/4" x 61-3/4 for most of the windows and 38-3/4" for three of the bedrooms (not the master).  So we purchased the 35x64 and 39x64.  I think they were about $30-40 each.  Hubby had to cut a small bit off of the rail at the top since it was exactly the same size as the opening, but the slats themselves were perfect in the openings.  They are one slat too long, but I'm not worried about it.  There is a way to remove the one slat, but I don't think we will.  As for the end pieces, they are supposed to be used if you mount the blinds on the outside of the window.  Ours were mounted on the inside, but the end caps can be trimmed with snips and Hubby just took off the extra corner piece and it fit perfectly.  I love how they look like crown molding.

Paint Colors:
I really need to get a better shot of the family room now that it is all set-up and clean.  We still need some pictures on the walls and I need to fill up the frames that are in a box on the mantle, but other than that, I think the family room is done.  The bedroom also needs something on the walls and probably some curtains.  I can't decide if I want curtains in the family room or not.  I love the look of the blinds and would hate to cover that up.  Anyway, the family room color is SW Sand Dune and the bedroom is Mink, which is part of the HGTV color collection called Livable Luxe.  I have paint to do the master bath, but just haven't done it yet.  It is called Silvermist and it is also from the Livable Luxe collection, so it is supposed to be complementary to the Mink.

SW Sand Dune

SW Mink

 

SW Silvermist

Fancy Curtain:
My super fancy bathroom curtain is from the Kitchen collection!  It was such a great find.  Actually we will be replacing it with a window frosting from HD.  I bought one, but it was too short, so I need to exchange it for a longer size.

Moved on Up

Well, we have finally Moved on Up!!  Like Sgt. Rich said, we are moved in, but definitely not unpacked.  Our goal is to get the first level unpacked as soon as possible.  We have people coming for dinner both Saturday and Sunday.

So far we have painted the family room and the master bedroom.  I am not a great painter by any means, but I don't think I did too bad for my first real big painting job.  We could have paid someone to come out, but I just couldn't see spending money on something I potentially could do myself. 

Hubby has hung all 12 blinds that we purchased.  We still need to buy curtains for the windows we did not put blinds in (living room, dining room, and morning room).

Hubby is almost done installing the garage door opener.  He had some issues with it last weekend and hasn't had a chance to get back at it. 

Hubby has also put up the family room ceiling fan and two outlet nightlights for the kids.  They are really cool and really light up the hallways.

Today, Hubby finished getting the TV and most of the speakers up and running.  He still needs to run the wire for rear speakers.  But all the family room boxes are finally unpacked!!  Here are some pictures from last night (before the boxes were finished).

My poor morning room has seen the brunt of the unpacking.  It is almost finished though.  Still need to find some chairs to put in here, but until I do, my rocking chair will sit in here so I can still have my morning coffee and read my books.

More Kitchen shots.  Guess I need to hit the store this weekend to get some food.  We did however make dinner every night this week except tonight since payday Fridays are always eat out nights.  It was nice to not HAVE to eat out every night as we have done for the last month.

I finally got to use my birthday present (Dec. 28).  I figured there was no point opening it up till after we moved. I have used it every morning since the day after settlement.  I love my new coffee maker.

We moved over the fridge from our old house and the one from RH is currently sitting in the garage waiting for us to take it back over to the old house.  That will be next weekend.

The dining room is set-up, but we decided we didn't like the location of the china hutch so we will have to move that this weekend.  No furniture for the living room yet - that will have to wait a little bit.  We don't really ever use a living room anyway, so no hurry.

For now, Hubby's stuff is in garage, but soon he will open a door between the garage and the study and will move all his tools to the study.  But, even with the stuff in there I can still park my SUV.  What a nice change from our townhouse where even with an empty garage my car was too long and we couldn't park both cars at the same time.  You can see the RH fridge in here.

My washer and dryer came on Saturday and I finally used them this week.  I watched the washing machine to see how it works, but didn't watch the dryer.  I really should have.  The HD guys didn't install the vent correctly and when the dryer was done I finally went back into the laundry room only to walk into a sauna with moisture dripping off the ceiling.  :(   Not happy.  Talked to PM to see if he had a suggestion and he brought a different kind of hose.  So we'll see if we can get that one to stay on.

Hubby still needs to put up the closet organizer that was sitting in my car for 3 weeks.  Glad to finally get my trunk back.

Here is our painted bedroom with what was our family room tv.  We put the basement tv in the family room, our family room tv in our bedroom, and now the kids need a new tv for the loft.  We will get one eventually, but I think I need some curtains in the house first.  Hopefully I can get some better shots this weekend of the paint color.

My one and only "curtain" in the house.  Eventually we plan to use a frosted glass film on this window.  This is the window above our soaking tub.

The only other thing we have done is to swap out the dining room light with the one we had in our old house.  I love the fact that it matches so much better than what RH put in.

Knock Knock

....Who's there?

.....
....
...
..
.

WE ARE!!

Finally made it to settlement today.  What a ridiculous situation we have been through.  But, it is all over now and we have the keys.  Settlement went quickly and I think we were done in about 20 or 25 minutes.  Went over to the house afterwords and ordered pizza.  FINALLY unloaded the closet organizer from my car.  Hubby is now taking some stuff over to the house.  Tomorrow we will be finishing packing at the old house and then going over to have a slumber party at the new house.  Saturday is painting and projects day.  Hubby will be putting up the garage door opener and blinds while I paint the family room and master bedroom.  Movers come Monday.  Everything still feels a bit unreal.  Just happy to finally have the keys in hand and know that we finally have our forever home!

Turning Blue

I think I'm turning blue in the face from holding my breath. Remember, the mortgage company we are dealing with is not NVR. We had to switch, at NVR's recommendation, since they knew they would not be able to settle us until February so that I could get my first paycheck. So, the new underwriter said they would take just an offer letter. I got a step better with a formal acceptance letter. The underwriter says they still need a written VOE (verification of employment). They fax it to my company and they fill it most of the way out. Underwriter says it isn't good enough. My company says that the VOE with the acceptance letter is all they will provide until I start on Monday. Underwriter again says not good enough. We get verbal verification. Again, not good enough. My company won't budge, underwriter won't budge, we are now at a Mexican standoff.

NVR had said that if the outside mortgage company doesn't get us settled today that they would take back the loan and we wouldn't go to settlement till January 31st. Well, I guess they made another exception because they are letting the outside mortgage company try for settlement next week - shooting for Wednesday. So, we are hoping that my company will provide a full and complete VOE on Tuesday and we can settle on Wednesday.

So do I cross my fingers and hold my breath? I guess we will see.

Common Sense

I know mortgage companies and banks have been hit hard with the recession with many people foreclosing on their houses and bad loans being made.  Because people were idiots over the last 10 years it is hampering those of us who have been honest.

So....here we are, the day before settlement and we still don't have the all clear.  The hold up is a condition from the underwriter stating that they need a VOE (verification of employment) for me.  From my previous post, I said that I had been laid off and only recently finally got a new job.  The new job starts Monday, the 16th.  The underwriter knew this and said that with only an offer letter they would be able to process the loan when NVR required me to actually work for 2 weeks.  The underwriter has said that the VOE must be completed including salary.  Well the company I will be working for has provided salary information in my acceptance letter (a letter that is more than just an offer letter and is legally binding for me to start work).  The company has completed the VOE form the underwriter requested - MINUS the salary since I haven't actually started they cannot complete that portion - however, they say the acceptance letter should be sufficient.  Not good enough for the underwriter.  So we got verbal confirmation.  Good enough, but not good enough - so they changed the conditions and now the new condition says my company has to provide a letter stating I have met all pre-employment conditions.  Those conditions are - valid and able to work in the USA (passport) and agreement to a drug policy.  Both of which won't be fulfilled till the first day of work.

So the underwriter is not taking common sense into the equation.  They wanted verification - they got that minus the salary.  They wanted salary verification in writing and got it verbally instead.  And somehow it still isn't enough.  On top of all this - NVR has the condition that if this outside mortgage company can't get this one on Friday, then we are back to going with NVR and have to wait till I have worked for two weeks.  In the meantime, I have had to reschedule the movers and may have to again, our washer and dryer delivery was changed to this Saturday and will have to change again, Verizon was changed and would have to change again, we had to reschedule utilities once already, mail has already been forwarded to the new house since we thought we were moving for New Years, and not to mention that my house is COMPLETELY pack with no pots and pans or food and we have already been eating out for EVERY meal for the last two weeks.  I can't go another two weeks!  I think I will have a breakdown if I we don't get this done on Friday.

COMMON SENSE PEOPLE.  Find it.  Use it.  Please.

I Think I See The Light

I think we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.  After many many emails and phone calls we finally had the regional RH manager say that the only right thing to do at this point is to get us into the house as soon as possible with whichever mortgage company can get it done first.  NVR was sticking to Jan. 31st and the alternate mortgage company can get it done by the 13th.  So.... finally..... we should have keys no later than Friday the 13th - boy isn't that a bit cliche!  Everyone says the 13th should be good luck for us.  I hope it will be.  There is a chance we can close before Friday, but I won't hold my breath.  I would be blue in the face if had back before New Years.

Our house is pretty much packed - been that way since Christmas.  We finally packed 90% of the kitchen today - guess we are eating out till we move.  This week will be pretty much arm sweeping the tables and dumping everything in boxes.

Our planned schedule is to settle on Friday the 13th - unload my car which has our Martha Stewart closet system (and has for over 2 weeks), move over food boxes and some hand move items, and start taping off rooms to paint.  We will also be camping out in the new house.  Saturday is painting day - family room, master bedroom, and master bath, install garage door opener, get washer and dryer delivery, and have Verizon FiOS installed.  Sunday is closet install and then collapsing.  Monday I start my new job (yay!!) and the movers come.  We have a busy weekend ahead of us, but it is a very welcomed busyness.


**Picture shown is owned by me and is of Skyline Drive in Virginia**

Let's Do the Limbo Rock

Every limbo boy and girl

All around the limbo world

Gonna do the limbo rock

All around the limbo clock

Jack be limbo, Jack be quick

Jack go unda limbo stick

All around the limbo clock

Hey, let's do the limbo rock

Limbo lower now

Limbo lower now

How low can you go

Well, here we are in 2012 and we still are waiting.  There is a road block between the mortgage guy we had to go to (outside of NVR) and RH and NVR.  The mortgage guy can have us to settlement on Friday or Monday and NVR says that since he couldn't do it by the end of the year like he tried (but couldn't get done because of the holidays and everyone on vacation) that they will now take the loan back and settle it themselves, but not until the end of January.  As for me, I am tired of the constant tug and pull and just want it all done and finished.  At this point I think NVR should not be able to take it back - it is like they are changing the rules on us at the start of the 4th quarter.  Not cool in my opinion.  At this point we are living out of boxes since we had thought we were going to settlement on Dec. 31st.  I even packed all the non-perishable foods.  I don't want to live like this for another month.

So..... one more song - this one to take my mind off of all this mess and put me in a better mood.

Chasing Cars

original by Snow Patrol, performed by our cruise ship director Graham Seymour on a cruise we took in June 2011 to celebrate our 10 year anniversary.

We'll do it all
Everything
On our own

We don't need
Anything
Or anyone

If I lay here
If I just lay here
would you lie with me and just forget the world?

I don't quite know
How to say
How I feel

Those three words
Are said too much
They're not enough

If I lay here
If I just lay here
would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life

Let's waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads

I need your grace
To remind me
To find my own

If I lay here
If I just lay here
would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life

All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see

I don't know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all

If I lay here
If I just lay here
would you lie with me and just forget the world?