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MrsRobinson

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Posts posted by MrsRobinson

  1. 3 hours ago, Scarlett said:

    Have you considered building?  

    When I look at houses now it is all about the location to the city because if it is on the far side of this small town it adds another 15-20 minutes to dh's long commute.  But I also want a home that flows well and has good curb appeal and no gross neighbors....which of course can change overnight, but I am not going to deliberately move next door to a mess. And as we are getting older, I am definitely thinking about dh especially since he has quite a few health challenges. 

     

     I would love to build! And there are good lots here we could pay cash for! Unfortunately, dh doesn't want the hassle of building. He just wants to move in to something now and be done with it. I was bummed. I made a really good case for building! (Sigh)

    Eta: you're building, right? Is that this year? How's it going for you? 

  2. I'm posting tomorrow's plan tonight because the morning will be busy.

    Plus, I'm instituting new rules because we keep getting later and later and we need a little structure and discipline around here. 

    #1: TV goes off at 8am sharp! If you're in the middle of something, you'll have to loose your progress because its time to get the day started. (An alarm will go off at 8am so I don't have to be the bad guy and tell them to turn it off.) 

    #2: if you ask me to eat any meals or snacks in the living room, you will loose screen privileges for the day. (This comes on the heels of a big bowl of cereal and milk dumped on the carpet, a pizza roll filling squished out onto the carpet, and a salsa bowl hit with a blanket that flung red salsa in a 4 foot streak on the carpet. I'm so done with food in the living room.)

    #3: 30 minutes screen time will not happen before all schoolwork, exercise, and chores are done. If you are waiting for me to finish a subject with your sibling then doodle something, build a magna tile tower, build a Lego creation, read in your chapter book, get a drink or snack (keep it in the kitchen!) whatever but the answer to anything with a screen is "no". 

    #4: if we have a morning appointment, you can bring along your independent work, but we will still do our regular lessons when we get home. We can take a hour break but we must do regular lessons unless you want to still be doing this year's schoolwork when you're 25. 😰 

    It sounds harsh, but man, its necessary! Its chaotic around here! The kids were very agreeable, which tells me it is definitely too chaotic if they are happy with these new rules. 

    So I have a dry erase board on the wall with tomorrow's plan so they are aware of what to expect:

    Schedule for Monday, March 4:

    -9am leave for 9:45 appointment *dress warmly and bring some work/reading to prevent boredom*

    -1 hour lunch break

    -1 hour language arts loop

    -1 hour math

    -1 hour science (we are starting our seeds so they don't consider this schoolwork 😄 )

    -house cleaning chore

    FREE TIME

    Wish us luck! I'll try to post about how well it went (or how badly) tomorrow afternoon. 

    • Like 1
  3. 1 hour ago, TechWife said:

    There aren't many neighborhoods with the same combination of house size, neighborhood amenities and proximity to schools & shopping. There are two elementary schools in walking distance (one private, one public) and grocery, etc., is less than three miles away. Houses are 15-20 years old at this point, but they are all well maintained (one of the benefits of having an HOA), which has helped our home values go up, not down.

    Wow, sounds perfect! Why on earth are you leaving? Lol! 😂

  4. 1 hour ago, TechWife said:

    Take as much time as you need! Don't let real estate agents rush you. If you need to take a week or two off from house hunting for sanity's sake, do it! There is no "perfect" house, so I can assure you, you won't miss it! Your agent should have a good idea of what you are looking for and if, during that break, she thinks that a match has come on the market, tell her to call you. At that point you can decide if you want to go to see it.

    The problem is we go way back with our agent and dh is still young and his chronic health issues are hidden. He's not in a wheelchair or using a back brace or anything. He actually did a few phases of building our agent's house 10 years ago!

    We could telling she wasn't "getting" how drastically our situation has changed. So we arranged one of the meetings with her at our house using the kids as a reason not to come to her office. While she was here, we showed her Dh's set up in the living room that takes a lot of space, his set up in the bedroom (also space hogging), the kids were thrilled to show her the school room, packed to the gills with books, desks, projects, supplies, and more. 

    Pretty quickly, she said she understood better what we are dealing with. 😄 So I don't think she'll be showing us anymore houses that rely heavily on the stairs, or have super small living rooms and bedrooms.  Here's hoping, anyway...

    Eta: this was actually in response to your comments about our agent previewing properties for us. Lol! I can't do quoting well on mobile! 😂

    • Like 1
  5. 2 hours ago, Pink and Green Mom said:

    We just sold our house in FL about 10 days ago, and closed on our new house in SC this past Thursday.  We move in tomorrow.

    Moving is the most stressful event I've ever been through.  The buying is sort of fun, but the selling is terrible in my opinion.  The lead up of work before you can list, having to deal with idiots, having to keep the house immaculate 24/7, the negotiations - it is terrible.

    Congrats! I hope the moving process goes smoothly for you tomorrow!

    • Like 1
  6. 56 minutes ago, KungFuPanda said:

    I haven't bought a house since 2001 and I'm still not ready to do it again.  I didn't even have to sell that time.  I've already decided that if we sell and move, we have to just live in an apartment for a month during the process.  When we bought this house we had to make an offer the very next day and there were three other offers on the table.  I know I'll need the emotional distance and physical security of being set up in a temporary abode, with the dog, and my son's medical equipment so my on market house can stay perfectly staged and we don't have pressure to choose from not-quite-right choices.  Of course, my kids are older, so we don't need many things in the interim.

    Yes! There is a lot of pressure to make an offer, especially when the market is hot. 

    We looked and one house and ruled it out. Then it went under contract and I thought, "oh no! We missed out! What did they see in that house that I missed?" So ridiculous, I know. 🙄

  7. 6 minutes ago, Carrie12345 said:

    I mostly enjoyed house hunting in 2000, when we were open to a very wide radius and had fewer kids. Now, my radius is so small (actually, it’s geographically large, but slim, slim, slim pickings) that I obsessively stalk listings even though we’re not ready to move. If the perfect listing were to come up, I’d consider financial gymnastics to jump on it.  We seriously thought about buying a hunting cabin last year for the land. That’s how hard it’s going to be for us, lol.

    Man, that sounds rough! Are there not very many jobs in your area?

    That is not a problem here! New listings in our price range pop up every few days but its hard to find something that works for our family. We spend so much time at home. Homeschool, work from home, and medical needs. As in, a basement for storage, shelter from storms, and even a family room is great but we need a setup that doesn't rely on stairs for dh. One we looked at had a basement garage. If he didn't enter the house through the garage, he'd still have a flight of stairs up a hill to the front door, so that wasn't going to work for us. 

    We do really like our realtor but I worry she doesn't like us! We're too picky! 🤣

  8. 3 minutes ago, KrissiK said:

    We bought one at the end of 2018 and our old one is closing escrow this week. It can be a kind of stressful process. Unfortunately, in some markets you can’t dilly-dally. I guess my advice would be.... prioritize what you want in a house and buy the one that checks the most boxes.  For us.... DH wanted a certain neighborhood, a three-car garage, we needed at least 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. We, fortunately, were not in a position where we HAD to move. We needed a bigger house and things were getting kind of urgent there, but it’s not like DH had gotten a job 500 miles away.  We finally found a house we love and that checks the boxes.

    A good realtor is also important. We really like ours.

    Ccongrats! Are you feeling settled in your new home?

  9. I thought I loved looking at houses too, until it was my turn to buy! Lol! I went with my sibling on their house buying journey and it was so fun to look at all the houses. I also went looking with a friend that was relocating to my area and she wanted my opinion on if the homes were priced right. That was fun, too.

    Now I'm walking through these houses going "hmm, interesting..." 🙄 "Ack! What's THAT?!" 😱 "rrrr...I don't know..." 😬 "pffft...I just don't know..." 🤔

    And, yes it is so hard to keep your house "showing ready" all the time. Feels like I'm doing nothing but cleaning!

  10. I am realizing this is the first time I've ever gone through the house buying process! 😱 Wow, now I understand why everyone says its stressful!

    Our first house was given to us and we remodeled it ourselves when we were young and childless. 😄 

    This time around, we are actually looking at houses with an agent and ugh, I am having a hard time! I can't visualize any of them as our family home, or the basement is creepy, or the neighbors have a bunch of junk and trash in their yard. 

    We finally found one I was reasonably content with and when we went to make our offer (less than an hour after looking at it), they had just accepted an offer! 

    We are scheduled to look at three more tomorrow and, man, I'm getting tired of looking at houses and trying to make a wise (and apparently, fast) decision. 

    Anyone else planning on buying this year? Where are you at in the process? Commiserate with me!

    • Like 1
  11. Morning school work is done. We are eating lunch now and watching an episode of One Strange Rock. 

    After lunch, we'll do our weekly house cleaning chore for today. The kids already got out a project to tackle after chores. They are going to do "build your own birdhouse" kits. Its pretty good timing actually, since we are still stuck inside with winter weather but spring is just around the corner. 

    The kids requested hot dogs and fries for family movie night this week so I got all natural hot dogs with no nitrate junk, whole grain hot dog buns, and organic ketchup. Does that make it healthy? 🤔 Probably not! 😄

    • Like 1
  12. Well the playdate was cancelled because of the ice we got yesterday evening.

    The kids were so disappointed (there were pitiful tears) that I didn't have the heart to make them do bookwork. So they've done lots of Lego creations, nail polish art, oil pastels, an episode of Brain Child, reading chapter books, and they made some treat concoctions.

    My consultation thingy went way better than expected and I am so excited to see where it goes! Fingers crossed! 

    I got dinner in the crock pot and the house smells amazing! Its making me hungry! 

    • Like 1
  13. Good morning! We are hosting a playdate here again this week so we are getting ready for that. 

    I need to get dinner in the crock pot this morning, too. 

    This afternoon, I'll have the big kids do some independent work at their desks while I have a consulation here for a... thing. (Its hard to "talk" without giving too much info sometimes! Lol!) 😁

    So another busy day and another day of school not being the tippy top priority. 😣 The kids have already been put on notice that we will be working through the summer. 😬 

    • Like 1
  14. After seeing your pic, I'm curious if you can hear them? A buzz or a low din?

    Dh has a relative that has the exact same orientation to the high voltage lines and when we are there I hear a constant hum. I leave with a massive headache every time. 

    It sounds like you are getting an amazing deal though, and if you and your dh are happy with the situation, that's all that matters. 😊

    • Like 2
  15. Reading, spelling, handwriting, and math are done. We are taking an early lunch break because everyone's hungry now. 

    We'll get right back to lessons after lunch since we are running behind. We are running low on a lot of groceries and staples so I spent a long time after breakfast making a huge menu and shopping list. Then we have an appointment at 3 (not medical for once! 😄) then I can head straight to the grocery store because my list is ready! Woohoo! 

    So, lessons after lunch will be memory work, writing, science, and piano practice. Then hopefully we'll have time for exercise and the weekly house cleaning chore before we have to leave. 

    • Like 1
  16. 12 hours ago, Patty Joanna said:

    You've received good advice.  I want to add two things.   

    Animals:.  It is not just fur, but also skin and saliva that can cause reactions.  I weary of explaining to people why wheaten terriers/poodles/Bichons/ 79 other breeds aren't really non-allergenic.  The fur isn't the only issue.  A dog licks me, i get a tongue-shaped welt a quarter-inch high.  It's not just fur.  

    The other thing is that you need to keep exploring and to rely on careful observation. Skin tests showed conclusively that I had no nut allergy--but observation showed that I have a  life-threatening allergic reaction to nuts:. Throat and eyes swell shut, lungs clog, body develops hives top to toe...yeah, I'm allergic, test or no test.  I'll trust my lying eyes on this one.  

    Maybe more later when I have a real keyboard.  

    If a puppy licks me, I react like you described in bold, but I'm fine if its a full grown dog. I'm weird! 🙃

  17. 12 hours ago, Shellydon said:

    What brands of soap and shampoo do you use? What about cleaning supplies? One of mine has severe dust mite allergies too. 

    First, my disclaimer is that these products are not 100% natural but for my ds, its more about the dye/color added and artificial fragrance than anything. The fragrances in these products are plant based.

    Hand soap: everyone hand soap (available at Walmart) and a Trader Joes one that I'm out of and can't think of the name but its really good. 

    Shampoo/body wash all in one: Dubble Trubble Kids by Daniel Galvin Jr London (big pump bottle at Target)

    Lotion: Aveeno Baby Fragrance Free Daily Moisture Lotion

    Laundry: ALL free and clear liquid + vinegar in fabric softener dispenser (+ oxi clean dye/fragrance free scoop in with his bedsheets and blankets washed on sanitize cycle)

    Cleaning: I make cleaning sprays. I just keep things stocked like vinegar, baking soda, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, lemons, Dr. Bronners Castile Soap, and Dawn dish soap (the essentials one without the blue dye). Then I just grab recipes off Pinterest as needed. 

    Dishwashing liquid: Dawn essentials, seventh generation, really anything that says no artificial colors or fragrances

  18. Good morning! I think we should get a full day of homeschooling in today! *gasp!*shock!*

    Memory work, spelling, writing, handwriting, math, and science before lunch.

    Audio book at lunch.

    Weekly family housework chore and exercise after lunch.

    Piano practice and read alouds this afternoon. 

    I have a few errands to run today and I'm really hoping dh is feeling well enough to watch the kids. I need a minute to myself! 😲  

    • Like 1
  19. 58 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

    We have gotten just about everything done.  We are at home for the moment, DD10 still needs to read.  

    Dh should be here in about 15 to 20 minutes, after which we will go take the rental back and get some more money back.  Then, I am hoping I can go pick up DD8's GS cookies.  Once I am home, I need to place an order for more cookies.   

     

    AAAAnnnnnnddddd, I didn't get dinner in the crockpot this morning as planned, so I don't know what I am going to do for dinner for the kids.  We ordered pizza on Friday, had the last of our frozen pizza stash yesterday while I was sorting cookies.  I have food to cook but it takes a while.  

     

    Guy we bought the car from is a dork.  Dealing with getting the title notarized was a PIA.  The kids were bonkers at the BMV and it's always so crowded and stressful.  And by the time we were finishing up with DS6's doc appointment they just about done for the day.  

     

    I didn't get dinner in the crockpot either! 😰 

    I'm thinking breakfast for dinner... 😊

    • Like 1
  20. Medical appointment this morning. Plus we are house sitting for 2 different houses because our family all went on vacation. So that will be 40 minutes just in driving plus probably an hour total at the 2 houses. Uggh. House sitting and helping people move are 2 of the most annoying extended family obligations. 🙄 And nobody reciprocates and house sits for us because we never get to go on vacation with all the medical issues and even if we did, we have no pets (also because of the medical issues)! Relative: "hey, the Robinsons have no life, they can clean up our pooch's poo while we relax on the beach!"  Wow, I may be a little bitter! 🤣 

    We will do a partial school day this afternoon when we get home. Memory work, reading, writing, and math. I'll be happy with that for today.

    Critter- I'm super curious as to what "tired" chicken means. I think I might be a tired chicken! 😂

    • Like 1
  21. Oh and as for tips, I wash ds' bedding weekly on a sanitize cycle with oxi clean. He has a specialty allergy pillow and an air purifier in his room.

    I replaced my vacuum with a Shark vacuum with a HEPA filter. That made a huge difference!

    We also went to free and clear laundry detergent. We went to all natural cleaning supplies, dishwashing liquid, hand soap and ds' shampoo and body wash. After about a year, I forgot I was out of hand soap so I just grabbed some pumpkin spice orange colored hand soap off the shelf at the grocery store. He sneezed repeatedly every friggin time he washed his hands at that sink! I bought the all natural soap and trashed that junk! I couldn't believe the difference! 

    I can't help with food because there is only about 10 things ds will eat ever in life so... 🙄

    • Like 1
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  22. Did they test him for dust mites? That's what triggered a HUGE reaction in my ds' allergy skin test and explained the need for year round Zyrtec, according to his allergist. 

    You don't have a dog or a horse, but do you have a cat or other furry pet? I was also told that if you are allergic to one animal with dander, your allergic to all animals with dander even if the skin test doesn't trigger. I don't know how acurate that is but it has held true for me and for both my boys.

    Have you not tried Claritin or Zyrtec yet? We were at the point that he was doing year round Zyrtec, a topical cream on his face, as needed, and nasal and eye drops seasonally. So the allergy testing for him was to see what his allergy injections should consist of. But that decision was made after years of treatment and a very poor quality of life for ds. So I'd start with those medications if you haven't yet. 

    And yes, I'd want more investigation as to why he has allergies year round.

    • Thanks 1
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