I found this quote on a scrap of newsprint I cut out of the Daily Universe like 10 years ago, folded up in my triple. I am glad that I did, since I really needed this today.
There are nine requisites for contented living: Health enough to make work a pleasure; Wealth enough to support your needs; Strength enough to battle with difficulties and forsake them; Grace enough to confess your sins and overcome them; Patience enough to toil until some good is accomplished; Charity enough to see some good in your neighbor; Love enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others; Faith enough to make real the things of God; Hope enough to remove all anxious fears concerning the future.
- Goethe
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Chicken Pot Pie... OMG!!!
I was tinkering around in the kitchen last night with some extra veggies I had which I needed to use up, and I came up with what may be the most perfect chicken pot pie recipe I've ever eaten.
Ingredients:
2-3 cups shredded chicken
2 large leeks finely chopped
3 carrots, shredded
3-4 pieces of celery finely chopped
1/2 stick butter
3 Tbsp. corn starch
2-3 cups chicken broth
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder, or 1 clove garlic, pressed not chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Double crust for a deep-dish pie (I just bought Pillsbury in the refrigerator section at the grocery store)
Red Wine Vinegar
Instructions:
Mix the leeks, celery, carrots, and butter in a large pan and sautee' with the butter. If you want to throw in in some peas or potatoes that would work as well, although I didn't have any on hand last night so I didn't include them.
When everything is cooked, whisk the corn starch with a small ammount of chicken broth to get rid of any lumps, and then add the mixture plus all of the additional chicken broth to the sauteed veggies. Simmer on low to medium heat until the whole thing thickens, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of your pan.
Meanwhile, prepare a deep dish pie pan by spreading the bottom pie crust evenly in the pan.
In a large bowl, mix the thickened veggie/gravy mixture with the shredded chicken. Drizzle with Red Wine Vinegar to taste. Pour the finished filling into the bottom crust, and cover with the top crust. Crimp the edges, trim the crust, cut a few vents to let out the steam, then brush with a mixture of 1 egg beaten with 3 tbsp. water (it makes your crust shiny and goldeny brown).
Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, or until the crust looks flaky and golden.
Cool, serve, and enjoy
This was so good that we barely had any leftovers, and since the veggies were sliced up so small even my veggie-phobic 7 year old gulped his down. I had the rest for lunck today and I drizzled a little more vinegar over it, London style. It was divine. I like the interplay of the sour vinegar with the sweet veggies and chicken, and I think this is really what made the recipe stand out for me. I wouldn't use basalmic vinegar for this, because it would be too sweet, but if you don't have RWV, you could probably get away with using plain ol' white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. I only added a few Tbsp at most, but trust me, it makes all the difference. Also, I think that aside from the RWV, the thing that made this stand out over other chicken pot pie recipes that I've made/eaten is that it was so simple and unpretentious. No heavy creamy fillings, no overwhelming spices, just simple, smooth, rustic flavors combined perfectly. I liked the delicate flavor of the leeks, and would recommend using them instead of onions if you have them available. Shallots, I think, would also work nicely.
Ingredients:
2-3 cups shredded chicken
2 large leeks finely chopped
3 carrots, shredded
3-4 pieces of celery finely chopped
1/2 stick butter
3 Tbsp. corn starch
2-3 cups chicken broth
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. garlic powder, or 1 clove garlic, pressed not chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Double crust for a deep-dish pie (I just bought Pillsbury in the refrigerator section at the grocery store)
Red Wine Vinegar
Instructions:
Mix the leeks, celery, carrots, and butter in a large pan and sautee' with the butter. If you want to throw in in some peas or potatoes that would work as well, although I didn't have any on hand last night so I didn't include them.
When everything is cooked, whisk the corn starch with a small ammount of chicken broth to get rid of any lumps, and then add the mixture plus all of the additional chicken broth to the sauteed veggies. Simmer on low to medium heat until the whole thing thickens, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of your pan.
Meanwhile, prepare a deep dish pie pan by spreading the bottom pie crust evenly in the pan.
In a large bowl, mix the thickened veggie/gravy mixture with the shredded chicken. Drizzle with Red Wine Vinegar to taste. Pour the finished filling into the bottom crust, and cover with the top crust. Crimp the edges, trim the crust, cut a few vents to let out the steam, then brush with a mixture of 1 egg beaten with 3 tbsp. water (it makes your crust shiny and goldeny brown).
Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes, or until the crust looks flaky and golden.
Cool, serve, and enjoy
This was so good that we barely had any leftovers, and since the veggies were sliced up so small even my veggie-phobic 7 year old gulped his down. I had the rest for lunck today and I drizzled a little more vinegar over it, London style. It was divine. I like the interplay of the sour vinegar with the sweet veggies and chicken, and I think this is really what made the recipe stand out for me. I wouldn't use basalmic vinegar for this, because it would be too sweet, but if you don't have RWV, you could probably get away with using plain ol' white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. I only added a few Tbsp at most, but trust me, it makes all the difference. Also, I think that aside from the RWV, the thing that made this stand out over other chicken pot pie recipes that I've made/eaten is that it was so simple and unpretentious. No heavy creamy fillings, no overwhelming spices, just simple, smooth, rustic flavors combined perfectly. I liked the delicate flavor of the leeks, and would recommend using them instead of onions if you have them available. Shallots, I think, would also work nicely.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Parent Teacher Conferences: Part Deux
It's that time again- SEOP's... which are more commonly known as Parent/Teacher Conferences. I blog about them every time, because they are my most and least favorite part about being a teacher.
For all of you parents out there, here's the low-down on PTC from a teacher's perspective.
Top Five Reasons I LOVE PTC's:
5. I get credit for sitting there doing basically nothing
4. I get to show off all of the awesome stuff I do in class to parents
3. Free lunch provided by the PTA
2. Time to catch up on my reading
1. I actually get to talk to 1 or 2 parents that I really need to see.
Top Five Reasons I HATE PTC's:
5. I have to stay at work from 7:30 am until 7:30 pm. If you show up at Parent Teacher Conference later than 5 pm, the teachers are going to be extra cranky because we haven't been home since we left for work in the morning.
4. I don't get paid overtime. It's part of the job. They used to give us "Comp" days to make up for this, but they were cut from the budget this year.
3. Most of the parents that show up are grade grubbers and/or helicopter parents whose kids would benefit MORE from having their parents just ease up on them a little. These kids are wound up so tight they're about to snap... at age THIRTEEN! Seriously. If your kid as an A or B in my class, all I'm going to say is "Keep up the good work. Next!"
2. Most of the kids who ACTUALLY need help from their parents don't get it, and don't bother to show up at PTC's. Hence the failing grades in the first place... making PTC's generally unnecessary, except for an average of 1-2 kids per evening.
1. Most parents don't know what to expect and end up wasting their time and mine.
So, to make parent/teacher conferences a little more enjoyable for you and your kids' teachers, here are some tips.
1. Know what your child's grades are before you come (if possible) and be prepared with specific questions. If you don't know how your son or daughter is doing and there's no way to find out ahead of time, try to be as specific as possible at the time. If he/she is doing well, what could you be doing at home to develop their talents? If your child is doing poorly, what does the teacher suggest that you do at home to help?
2. Don't let teachers push you around. Teachers have favorites. It's a sad truth. If a teacher is ripping on your kid, volunteer to come to class with him/her for a few days. If your child is actually struggling, the teacher will welcome the relief. If they are hesitant about you attending, it may mean that they realize they are treating your child unfairly and don't want you to find out. It's a good litmus test. Follow through. Go to class with your kid for 45-75 minutes a few times. It's good for poor students and for excelling students.
3. Don't rip on a teacher unless you have actual data to back it up. Make sure you don't let things get emotional (SO hard to do! Trust me. I know this as a parent!) and be willing to listen to his/her explanation of the scenario. If you really feel that there is a genuine conflict, speak to counseling and request a change of class.
4. If your child is really growing and thriving in a teacher's class, thank them. We almost never get thanked, even though most students are little brats. Don't worry. We love them anyway and teach them because we love them, but a few props would be nice now and again. It always helps leave a good impression.
5. Keep it brief. Elementary teachers are usually prepared to talk to you for 10-15 minutes MAX, and Secondary teachers (middle school, Jr. High, and High School) are only prepared to talk to you for 2-5 minutes. 5 minutes would be a stretch. They will most likely, during that time, highlight your child's major successes, deficiencies, missing work, and behavior. Listen and then respond with your pre-planned questions, or any major concerns that come to mind. If you would like to schedule a longer conference, do so at the time of the Parent/Teacher conference and leave it at that.
Following these steps will help relieve some of the stress of Parent/Teacher Conferences for you, your child, and their teacher, and make it a much more productive meeting.
For all of you parents out there, here's the low-down on PTC from a teacher's perspective.
Top Five Reasons I LOVE PTC's:
5. I get credit for sitting there doing basically nothing
4. I get to show off all of the awesome stuff I do in class to parents
3. Free lunch provided by the PTA
2. Time to catch up on my reading
1. I actually get to talk to 1 or 2 parents that I really need to see.
Top Five Reasons I HATE PTC's:
5. I have to stay at work from 7:30 am until 7:30 pm. If you show up at Parent Teacher Conference later than 5 pm, the teachers are going to be extra cranky because we haven't been home since we left for work in the morning.
4. I don't get paid overtime. It's part of the job. They used to give us "Comp" days to make up for this, but they were cut from the budget this year.
3. Most of the parents that show up are grade grubbers and/or helicopter parents whose kids would benefit MORE from having their parents just ease up on them a little. These kids are wound up so tight they're about to snap... at age THIRTEEN! Seriously. If your kid as an A or B in my class, all I'm going to say is "Keep up the good work. Next!"
2. Most of the kids who ACTUALLY need help from their parents don't get it, and don't bother to show up at PTC's. Hence the failing grades in the first place... making PTC's generally unnecessary, except for an average of 1-2 kids per evening.
1. Most parents don't know what to expect and end up wasting their time and mine.
So, to make parent/teacher conferences a little more enjoyable for you and your kids' teachers, here are some tips.
1. Know what your child's grades are before you come (if possible) and be prepared with specific questions. If you don't know how your son or daughter is doing and there's no way to find out ahead of time, try to be as specific as possible at the time. If he/she is doing well, what could you be doing at home to develop their talents? If your child is doing poorly, what does the teacher suggest that you do at home to help?
2. Don't let teachers push you around. Teachers have favorites. It's a sad truth. If a teacher is ripping on your kid, volunteer to come to class with him/her for a few days. If your child is actually struggling, the teacher will welcome the relief. If they are hesitant about you attending, it may mean that they realize they are treating your child unfairly and don't want you to find out. It's a good litmus test. Follow through. Go to class with your kid for 45-75 minutes a few times. It's good for poor students and for excelling students.
3. Don't rip on a teacher unless you have actual data to back it up. Make sure you don't let things get emotional (SO hard to do! Trust me. I know this as a parent!) and be willing to listen to his/her explanation of the scenario. If you really feel that there is a genuine conflict, speak to counseling and request a change of class.
4. If your child is really growing and thriving in a teacher's class, thank them. We almost never get thanked, even though most students are little brats. Don't worry. We love them anyway and teach them because we love them, but a few props would be nice now and again. It always helps leave a good impression.
5. Keep it brief. Elementary teachers are usually prepared to talk to you for 10-15 minutes MAX, and Secondary teachers (middle school, Jr. High, and High School) are only prepared to talk to you for 2-5 minutes. 5 minutes would be a stretch. They will most likely, during that time, highlight your child's major successes, deficiencies, missing work, and behavior. Listen and then respond with your pre-planned questions, or any major concerns that come to mind. If you would like to schedule a longer conference, do so at the time of the Parent/Teacher conference and leave it at that.
Following these steps will help relieve some of the stress of Parent/Teacher Conferences for you, your child, and their teacher, and make it a much more productive meeting.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Wrench in the plan...
Well, as I mentioned in my previous post, there are a lot of lose ends that can rapidly unravel a real estate transaction. We got a call back (finally) from the hospital that wants to buy our old place today and they said that the "board" did not "approve" them for our final asking price. They want to back down about 15K, which means we get screwed out of a year's worth of rental income on the house, basically. We don't know what to do. We could back down and take it, but that means we might not get approved for the loan on the house we put an offer on. We could just tell them to go to H-E-Double Hockey Sticks, but that means that everything goes back to normal and we keep playing the waiting game with them (and I slowly continue to lose my sanity and my will to live). We could try to negotiate. We could hold out for more, but then again we might not get it.
I know this seems like we're grasping at straws here, and that we're being greedy. I mean, what they're offering is still a really good price in today's market... but I'd appreciate it if you all would keep us in your thoughts and prayers. It's kind of a big deal to me, because that extra ammount would really mean the difference long term between having to work full time, or getting to stay home and raise a family, and whatever we decide I don't want to look back on this transaction years from now and regret our decision. If the bank approves our offer on the house in Springville, we'll probably accept the lower selling price, but if they demand that we pay the asking price, or even try to meet in the middle, we might have to go back to square one.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
I know this seems like we're grasping at straws here, and that we're being greedy. I mean, what they're offering is still a really good price in today's market... but I'd appreciate it if you all would keep us in your thoughts and prayers. It's kind of a big deal to me, because that extra ammount would really mean the difference long term between having to work full time, or getting to stay home and raise a family, and whatever we decide I don't want to look back on this transaction years from now and regret our decision. If the bank approves our offer on the house in Springville, we'll probably accept the lower selling price, but if they demand that we pay the asking price, or even try to meet in the middle, we might have to go back to square one.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Pre-Approved*
So we are pre-approved for a home loan up to 15k more than we bid on that house in Springville. We still haven't heard back from the sellers, because it's a short-sale and we didn't have a pre-approval letter at the time I'm guessing, but we're one step closer to making the dream a reality. I'm really happy things went as smoothly as they did this time. Last time it wasn't so simple, and we almost didn't get the loan for our house on time.
In case you want to see the MLS link for the little beauty we put a bid on, here it is. It's huge, hideous, and in disrepair, but with a few cosmetic changes and some landscaping (yay!) I think it could be a really nice place. We went out to see it and were struck with the incredible views and the sheer mass of the place. It's spacious enough for us to live VERY comfortably on the top 2 floors and still be able to rent out the basement to various sundry family members who need an affordable place to stay long-term... plus the basement is self contained with an exterior entrance and a kitchenette... So I'm willing to overlook the fact that it looks like an akward mix of the Addams Family house and a Park City Cabin.
Anyway, it seems like every time we get a step closer to finishing this project we have to take 2 steps back. For all we know, the bank is going to flat out refuse our offer on the place, since we bid WAY below asking price, or the sale on our first house will fall through, or something funky will come up during the inspection, or we won't find anyone to rent our current house, or, or, or...but here's to hoping. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
*For those of you who have ever watched the sitcom "Arrested Development," you may understand why getting "pre-approved" for a loan makes me laugh... There's a very hilarious episode where George Michael gets "pre-engaged" to his High School girlfriend. If you have no clue what I'm talking about, check out "Arrested Development" on Hulu. You won't regret it.
In case you want to see the MLS link for the little beauty we put a bid on, here it is. It's huge, hideous, and in disrepair, but with a few cosmetic changes and some landscaping (yay!) I think it could be a really nice place. We went out to see it and were struck with the incredible views and the sheer mass of the place. It's spacious enough for us to live VERY comfortably on the top 2 floors and still be able to rent out the basement to various sundry family members who need an affordable place to stay long-term... plus the basement is self contained with an exterior entrance and a kitchenette... So I'm willing to overlook the fact that it looks like an akward mix of the Addams Family house and a Park City Cabin.
Anyway, it seems like every time we get a step closer to finishing this project we have to take 2 steps back. For all we know, the bank is going to flat out refuse our offer on the place, since we bid WAY below asking price, or the sale on our first house will fall through, or something funky will come up during the inspection, or we won't find anyone to rent our current house, or, or, or...but here's to hoping. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
*For those of you who have ever watched the sitcom "Arrested Development," you may understand why getting "pre-approved" for a loan makes me laugh... There's a very hilarious episode where George Michael gets "pre-engaged" to his High School girlfriend. If you have no clue what I'm talking about, check out "Arrested Development" on Hulu. You won't regret it.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Gear up for Green- 2010 Edition
Well, this week I sat down and made my seed purchases for this year. I'm still working on a planting guide for my little beauties, as there are several that I am going to have to purchase pre-sprouted because I somehow always seem to mess up the germination, but here's what we have on tap for this year-
Fruit & Veg:
Far North Melon*
Detroit Dark Red Beet
Anaheim Peppers
Serrano Peppers
Jalapeno Peppers
Zucchini
Petit Gris de Rennes Melon*
Clemson Spineless Okra*
Black Cherry Tomato
Early Girl Tomatoes
Rainbow Mix Indian Corn
Assorted Ornamental Gourds*
Blue Moon Pumpkins
Autumn Gold Pumpkins
Stawberries (2-3 varieties)
Herb:
Rosemary
Sage
Anise
German Chamomile
Dill
Parsley
Basil
Oregano
Cilantro
Chives
Horehound
Lemon Grass
Comfrey
Flower:
Mission Bells California Poppy*
Starlight Sensation Scented Stock*
Giants of California Zinnia*
Echinacea Purpurea*
Texas Bluebonnet*
Hollyhocks
Daisies
Lillies (both Day and Easter)
Roses (I'm excited to see how many come back from last year's rose cutting madness, courtesy of Sybil's garden)
Lilacs (I'm especially excited about these because I spent ALL summer last year nursing my little starts from Ana's old house... and they made it through with a tiny sprinkling of leaves. I'm hoping they come in strong this year!)
Lavendar
Peonies
Sweet William
Daffodils...As well as a few surprises.
*New this year
Not making a return:
Cucumbers (they're too hard to grow in my soil/water conditions, and so cheap to buy!)
Onions (They're kind of boring to grow, I must confess, and take up too much room)
Radishes (turns out we don't like radishes after all! Who knew?)
Cantaloupe (I traded it out this year for a rather intriguing European Melon)
Sweet Peppers (I suck at growing peppers, so this year my goal is to master the hot ones, and move on to the sweet next year)
Watermelon (takes up too much space, that I'd rather spend growing delicious Gris de Rennes Melons... yum yum!)
I'll officially be starting seeds in about a week or 2- as soon as we get this whole renting the house nonsense cleared up- so to tide you over, here are some pics from last years misadventures in gardening.
Fruit & Veg:
Far North Melon*
Detroit Dark Red Beet
Anaheim Peppers
Serrano Peppers
Jalapeno Peppers
Zucchini
Petit Gris de Rennes Melon*
Clemson Spineless Okra*
Black Cherry Tomato
Early Girl Tomatoes
Rainbow Mix Indian Corn
Assorted Ornamental Gourds*
Blue Moon Pumpkins
Autumn Gold Pumpkins
Stawberries (2-3 varieties)
Herb:
Rosemary
Sage
Anise
German Chamomile
Dill
Parsley
Basil
Oregano
Cilantro
Chives
Horehound
Lemon Grass
Comfrey
Flower:
Mission Bells California Poppy*
Starlight Sensation Scented Stock*
Giants of California Zinnia*
Echinacea Purpurea*
Texas Bluebonnet*
Hollyhocks
Daisies
Lillies (both Day and Easter)
Roses (I'm excited to see how many come back from last year's rose cutting madness, courtesy of Sybil's garden)
Lilacs (I'm especially excited about these because I spent ALL summer last year nursing my little starts from Ana's old house... and they made it through with a tiny sprinkling of leaves. I'm hoping they come in strong this year!)
Lavendar
Peonies
Sweet William
Daffodils...As well as a few surprises.
*New this year
Not making a return:
Cucumbers (they're too hard to grow in my soil/water conditions, and so cheap to buy!)
Onions (They're kind of boring to grow, I must confess, and take up too much room)
Radishes (turns out we don't like radishes after all! Who knew?)
Cantaloupe (I traded it out this year for a rather intriguing European Melon)
Sweet Peppers (I suck at growing peppers, so this year my goal is to master the hot ones, and move on to the sweet next year)
Watermelon (takes up too much space, that I'd rather spend growing delicious Gris de Rennes Melons... yum yum!)
I'll officially be starting seeds in about a week or 2- as soon as we get this whole renting the house nonsense cleared up- so to tide you over, here are some pics from last years misadventures in gardening.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Real Estate Transaction: Phase III
We are going in to the bank on Monday to get "pre-approved" for our loan. I don't really know what that entails, but I guess it's not a huge deal. We have officially put our current residence up for rent, although we're not really sure if we want to stay here and buy another investment property, or if we want to rent this beast out and live somewhere cheaper. It all works out basically the same mathamatically in the long run.
It's really surreal- I thought that I'd start my family in this house and that I'd raise my kids here, but 2 1/2 years later, the only person in my house with a growing family is my SIL. It's been bitter-sweet. I love my home, I truly do, but I've never been able to enjoy it fully because out of the 2 1/2 years we've owned this place, I've had long-term house guests for all but about 3 months. And let me tell you, being woken up at 6 a.m. by someone else's crying baby for going on 2 years is no picnic.
I think more than anything else, that's why I want to leave here. I guess on some level I feel like if we don't more some place else, Ana will never leave our house, either. I guess that's really immature of me, and somewhat selfish, but I want a place that I can call my own; some place that I don't have to share with another woman (who incidentally breaks all my stuff and never apologizes for it); some place where I don't feel mildly threatened all the time by someone who is openly hostile towards me.
So wish us luck- regardless of what we end up doing it'll be a stressful few months... and if you know anyone who wants to rent a gorgeous 4 bed 3 bath house in Provo for $1400/mo., let me know.
It's really surreal- I thought that I'd start my family in this house and that I'd raise my kids here, but 2 1/2 years later, the only person in my house with a growing family is my SIL. It's been bitter-sweet. I love my home, I truly do, but I've never been able to enjoy it fully because out of the 2 1/2 years we've owned this place, I've had long-term house guests for all but about 3 months. And let me tell you, being woken up at 6 a.m. by someone else's crying baby for going on 2 years is no picnic.
I think more than anything else, that's why I want to leave here. I guess on some level I feel like if we don't more some place else, Ana will never leave our house, either. I guess that's really immature of me, and somewhat selfish, but I want a place that I can call my own; some place that I don't have to share with another woman (who incidentally breaks all my stuff and never apologizes for it); some place where I don't feel mildly threatened all the time by someone who is openly hostile towards me.
So wish us luck- regardless of what we end up doing it'll be a stressful few months... and if you know anyone who wants to rent a gorgeous 4 bed 3 bath house in Provo for $1400/mo., let me know.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Back from Cali
We got back from SF on Saturday. It was a great trip. Luis and I had a lot of time to talk things over and come up with a plan- or at least the bare bones of a plan- for the next few months. Plus we got to eat some killer sushi and see my family, which was well worth the 20 hours of driving we did.
The wedding itself was stunning. Lisa got married at a vineyard in Livermore California. I'm not into the whole wine culture thing, obviously, but I am really in love with agriculture and grape vines are just so darn pretty. The ceremony was held in the wine cellar at sunset, which is why the pictures are all goldeny. Afterwards there was dinner and dancing in their events room. It was simple, and very elegant, and I was so happy to see my little sister glowing like that. She's a beautiful woman and I love her very much. Here are a few pics from the day, although I didn't take many because I just wanted to sit back and enjoy it all without worrying about things like shutter speed and lighting.
The wedding itself was stunning. Lisa got married at a vineyard in Livermore California. I'm not into the whole wine culture thing, obviously, but I am really in love with agriculture and grape vines are just so darn pretty. The ceremony was held in the wine cellar at sunset, which is why the pictures are all goldeny. Afterwards there was dinner and dancing in their events room. It was simple, and very elegant, and I was so happy to see my little sister glowing like that. She's a beautiful woman and I love her very much. Here are a few pics from the day, although I didn't take many because I just wanted to sit back and enjoy it all without worrying about things like shutter speed and lighting.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
On the Road...
I'll be hitting the road in about 2 hours, heading to SF CA for my youngest ex-step-sister's wedding. Messed up. I'm looking forward to it, but also not so much. Interacting with my former step-family dredges up a lot of painful emotions for me, which is probably why I don't do it so much. I am, however, looking forward to seeing my not-so-little brother Brendan, whom I haven't seen in a LONG time. Too long.
Regardless, Sunny California, here I come! While on the road, I may play this song, which has been horribly stuck in my head for days now. Why? I cannot tell you. I don't usually listen to ultra-stoner Cali-rock and I'm not sure where I picked it up, but I guess it's fitting for the occasion...
Regardless, Sunny California, here I come! While on the road, I may play this song, which has been horribly stuck in my head for days now. Why? I cannot tell you. I don't usually listen to ultra-stoner Cali-rock and I'm not sure where I picked it up, but I guess it's fitting for the occasion...
Monday, February 8, 2010
UALPA, Fitness, Real Estate, and Going to California
It's been a frustrating week since the last time I posted. I didn't have time to work out last week because I spent basically every night after school working on arranging the UALPA test, which is our state's answer to No Child Left Behind's stipulation that all English Language Learners must be identified and classified. What it means for me is that I had to go through a list of about 300 students (1/3 of our school's student body) and check their paperwork to make sure it was current and up-to-date, then create a testing schedule for about 100-125 of those kids. It took days.
After that was done, I had to start administering the test, which meant coordinating 2 very reticent "assistants" and pulling kids out of their regular classes to take this test. It's literally one of my worst nightmares... ever.
That being said, I did a surprisingly good job of sticking to an eating plan. Usually when I get stressed I binge on any and every carb within a 10 mile radius. The damage this time was minimal, and I ended up maintaining my post-birthday weight. Not fantastic, but I'm proud of the small accomplishments I made as far as my fitness goes last week.
Regarding our recent Real Estate transactions, Luis got cold feet last week when he found out a house on a different block sold for nearly 50% more than we agreed upon. This scared me because last time he heard something like that, we put our house back on the market for a year and I had to waste away in limbo for most of 2009 not knowing where I would be living or working, or if I was EVER going to get rid of my long-term house guest. I know that sounds really selfish of me. The house I live in right now is AMAZING and we are so lucky that we can afford it during a recession. I just don't do well with uncertainty, and it really was one of the most stressful years of my life.
Luckily, his buddy talked some sense into him and explained that although 300% would be life-changing, a 200% return on a 5 year investment is something that you take. Period. Without worrying about what other people are getting. So the sale is still moving forward.
In my last post I mentioned we were looking at 3 different options; a new-build in Provo, a new-build in the south part of the county, and a remodel. Well, the more we look in to it, pray about it, and weigh out the possible costs and long-term resale, we feel better and better about the remodel. It's more square footage than we could afford with a new-build, plus it would cost much less. The resale values of the houses we are looking at to remodel are only slightly less than the resale value of either home we would choose to build, plus we will save money on carrying costs long-term because we can move into a remodel in a matter of a couple of weeks, whereas it could be next year by the time a new-build would be finished.
Anyway, we've only seen photos and the exterior of our number one choice, but we've got a showing scheduled today and if it looks good, we'll probably put an offer on a 5 bed, 3 bath, 3000 sq. foot home on 1/3 acre up in the Sherwood Hills subdivision on Provo's East Bench. It's about a mile away from Rock Canyon park, for those of you who know Provo. I'm pretty excited, to say the least. The house is ugly as heck, but you can fix ugly, as my previous ventures into the world of real estate have taught me.
And last but not least, all of this is going on while I'm planning a trip to California for my youngest ex-step-sister's wedding in San Francisco. This is also very stressful for me because I have to take off personal time during a stressful work/personal week... but maybe I need a few days off, anyway, and it's kind of a personal obligation that I committed to a year ago.
Anyway, that's me in a nutshell. What's new with you?
After that was done, I had to start administering the test, which meant coordinating 2 very reticent "assistants" and pulling kids out of their regular classes to take this test. It's literally one of my worst nightmares... ever.
That being said, I did a surprisingly good job of sticking to an eating plan. Usually when I get stressed I binge on any and every carb within a 10 mile radius. The damage this time was minimal, and I ended up maintaining my post-birthday weight. Not fantastic, but I'm proud of the small accomplishments I made as far as my fitness goes last week.
Regarding our recent Real Estate transactions, Luis got cold feet last week when he found out a house on a different block sold for nearly 50% more than we agreed upon. This scared me because last time he heard something like that, we put our house back on the market for a year and I had to waste away in limbo for most of 2009 not knowing where I would be living or working, or if I was EVER going to get rid of my long-term house guest. I know that sounds really selfish of me. The house I live in right now is AMAZING and we are so lucky that we can afford it during a recession. I just don't do well with uncertainty, and it really was one of the most stressful years of my life.
Luckily, his buddy talked some sense into him and explained that although 300% would be life-changing, a 200% return on a 5 year investment is something that you take. Period. Without worrying about what other people are getting. So the sale is still moving forward.
In my last post I mentioned we were looking at 3 different options; a new-build in Provo, a new-build in the south part of the county, and a remodel. Well, the more we look in to it, pray about it, and weigh out the possible costs and long-term resale, we feel better and better about the remodel. It's more square footage than we could afford with a new-build, plus it would cost much less. The resale values of the houses we are looking at to remodel are only slightly less than the resale value of either home we would choose to build, plus we will save money on carrying costs long-term because we can move into a remodel in a matter of a couple of weeks, whereas it could be next year by the time a new-build would be finished.
Anyway, we've only seen photos and the exterior of our number one choice, but we've got a showing scheduled today and if it looks good, we'll probably put an offer on a 5 bed, 3 bath, 3000 sq. foot home on 1/3 acre up in the Sherwood Hills subdivision on Provo's East Bench. It's about a mile away from Rock Canyon park, for those of you who know Provo. I'm pretty excited, to say the least. The house is ugly as heck, but you can fix ugly, as my previous ventures into the world of real estate have taught me.
And last but not least, all of this is going on while I'm planning a trip to California for my youngest ex-step-sister's wedding in San Francisco. This is also very stressful for me because I have to take off personal time during a stressful work/personal week... but maybe I need a few days off, anyway, and it's kind of a personal obligation that I committed to a year ago.
Anyway, that's me in a nutshell. What's new with you?
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Real Estate Transaction: Phase II
So we met with a builder yesterday to talk about the prospect of turning our hard-earned (cough, cough) equity into a new home. There's still a TON of options on the table, but we have it narrowed down to roughly 3: a. build a new home on the East Bench of Provo on a smaller lot in a nice neighborhood b. build a new home on a 2.5 acre mini-ranch in Genola UT, which is about 5 minutes south west of Payson (roughly 20 minutes south of Provo) c. purchase an existing home in the Provo Temple neighborhood and pimp it out with granite counter tops and a jacuzzi tub.
Luis's biggest concern is long-term investment potential. My biggest concern is NOT downgrading from the house we're in now. Either way, the plan is to rent and/or sell out our current property and move into something a little more cost-appropriate than what we're in now. If we can pull this off, I can quit my job as early as next year... or switch to part time... or go back to school, get my Master's and start teaching community college.
Sweet....
Luis's biggest concern is long-term investment potential. My biggest concern is NOT downgrading from the house we're in now. Either way, the plan is to rent and/or sell out our current property and move into something a little more cost-appropriate than what we're in now. If we can pull this off, I can quit my job as early as next year... or switch to part time... or go back to school, get my Master's and start teaching community college.
Sweet....
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