House Hunting - HELP!!!

We hear all over the place that now is the time to buy...we thought we would jump on the band wagon. With the $8,000 tax credit, low interest rates, and such a buyers market we would be crazy not to finally buy our own home. I never dreamed this would be such a hard decision. This is when it would be nice if you could have your crystal ball to look into the future to tell you if your home really will be worth a lot in the future, will we like our neighbors, is it a great place to raise kids, etc. etc.

This is probably why we have not posted in a while, because we have been pretty consumed with all of this. At first we were thinking of building. Omar is able to receive a discount with specific home builders due to his occupation. Also it is a great time to build because builders are slashing prices. But being picky, the home that we really like is out of our price range right now and we decided that maybe the area that we would end up living in is a little bit further than we would like (although it has great schools, growth, and other things). Who knew there was so much to think about.

So we heard about all of the foreclosures and short sales that were supposedly going on. We started doing our own searching and we actually happened across a real estate agent whom we like and fits the credentials that we were looking for (thanks to all my research - you know how I am). So we have been house hunting. We spend hours each day browsing through the MLS system and driving around neighborhoods to find homes. We have only been in maybe 10 homes now and have pretty much narrowed it down to 2 homes. But then again we are not sure...we are both the type that we know this is an important decision and want to be sure about our decision...so let us know what you think!

House #1 - N. Pearl St
This home is in Springfield Historic District and is a bungalow (I have always wanted to live in one of those). It was built in 1910 has 2,361 square feet with 4 bedrooms and 2 full baths. The home is exactly the price range that we are looking for and is currently appraised for approximately $100,000 more than the selling prices. The lot size is huge it is .21 acres with plenty of room for a pool if desired and even gardens. This is a Short sale, has double porches, the exterior has beautiful craftsmanship detail, original wood floors, fireplaces in almost every room including the master, upper deck overlooking extra deep lot, newly renovated kitchen and bathrooms, exposed brick wall in kitchen and family room, off street parking, and a 1/2 block from a large park. When we saw this home I was not sure if i could necessarily see ourselves living there. We would be able to move it pretty much right away, but there is some work that needs to be done and some iffys. We saw some stuff on a window that may possibly mean termites and one of the upstairs bedrooms had some of the drywall that fell from the ceiling so we are not sure if there is water damage. We could see that the home could probably use about $50,000 worth of work to better shape. The kitchen is to die for and has an original island. Also, both bathrooms are brand new and upgraded. All bedrooms are upstairs and so all the rooms share 1 bathroom so we would need to probably add another bathroom at least for the master. All bedrooms are large and have fireplaces. It is a really nice home in an area that is beginning to be revitalized and rid of the crime that used to be prevalent. The schools are top-notch (the high school is #4 in the country!). We have talked with different neighbors that shared the neighborhood is really close with one another and have a lot of get togethers. Many of the neighboring homes are worth way over $300,000 once restored. The home is about a 30-45 minute drive to my work.









House #2 - Hampton Rd
This tri-level home is a 4/3 (meaning the middle level is the front entrance). Built in 1964 it has 1,754 Square feet on a corner lot. It is located in Mandarin about a 20-30 minute drive to my work. It has a formal living and dining room and kitchen upstairs. Bedroom, a den, full bath and storage room downstairs. Freshly painted and Brand New Carpet installed. The master bedroom upstairs is right next to the other 2 bedrooms and has a small full size bathroom and a TINY closet. The kitchen has the original appliances and the whole thing needs to be updated, but at least is a decent size. The yard has a round about for parking and also room for an RV. The backyard is nice-sized and has a cement porch (not covered). We thought of maybe turning the den into the master bedroom and that 4th bedroom next to the den into a large master closet and bath. This home is priced a little higher than we were wanting to pay and is not a short sale or foreclosure. The home really is ready for move-in.

Cirque du Soleil Saltimbanco

Omar and I was able to go and see Cirque du Soleil Saltimbanco for FREE. It was through work as I was there to build relationships with different matches. It actually worked out perfectly. Omar is a lover of Cirque du Soleil and one of his goals is to go to all the different Cirque shows that exist. We went and saw the La Nouba in Orlando together while we were dating. He had seen it 9 times, 8 other times with ex-girlfriends. He told me that was usually the last date he would go on with them before he broke up with them. It was the other way around for us, I tried to break up with him the day before the show, and look at us now...MARRIED!

The day before I found out about the free tickets, Omar asked me to go and buy us some. The cheapest tickets are $100. I was not excited about paying, but we ended up getting the free. Sweet. Online I learned that, "Saltimbanco is the oldest of the Cirque du Soleil shows and was the inspiration for all future performances. The name comes from the Italian “saltare in banco” which means to “jump on a bench”—experience urban life and all its lively inhabitants. The story takes you through a dreamlike world in a city where diversity is the link to hope. Like all Cirque de Soleil shows, it tests the ability of the human body and will leave you amazed."

I must say that both of us were not nearly as impressed with Saltimbanco as we were with La Nouba. It was just really different and it was hard to understand the story line, if there was one. There was not nearly as many acrobatics either. This one was a traveling Cirque and so perhaps there was not enough room to have a large stage to do more acrobatics. We decided we would have been very disappointed had we paid for the tickets.

Home from Bulgaria

Waiting for Kelly to come out!

Kate excited to see Kelly

Kelly arrives!
The Pratt kids came to see Kelly too
The group to see Kelly
Kelly with our new cousin and President Pratt


So Kelly, my sister, returned from serving her mission in the Bulgaria Sophia mission. I had not seen her for 18 months. My mom went and picked her up in Bulgaria and they toured around the country for a little over a week. The flight came in at 5:30 PM on Thursday. I took off Friday to spend with my sister and drove down Thursday afternoon to meet Kelly at the airport. With the help of Erin Pratt and Erica Pennell we had a group of people meet Kelly at the airport to welcome her home. I had tried to organize a group to invite all of Kelly's friends to come (any amazing sister would), but her webpage was in Bulgarian and I couldn't read it - go figure. I then tried to use my account to see how to change it to English and it then my Facebook changed to Bulgarian. Needless to say, my Facebook is still in Bulgarian.

They even made cute signs as you will see below. We had a great time and turnout. We went and ate at Abuelos Mexican restaraunt after meeting Kelly at the airport and my aunt Diana and Uncle Turner met us there as well. Friday morning at about 4 AM, I woke up to go to the bathroom at my mom's house and noticed that Kelly was awake from jet lag. I ended up staying up with her and looked at pictures and then Kelly, my mom and I went to an early temple session. Saturday we went and saw my dad. I was just plain exhausted the lack of sleep from the day before killed me. Omar had come in town on Friday to work in Orlando for the weekend. I went back on Sunday so I could teach my new Sunday School class. It is hard to believe my sister is now home. Time just flies by these days.

Southern Boil and Birthday

So one of my few friends here in Jacksonville had her birthday. She was in the Young Women's presidency with me and her name is Casey. It was really nice of her to invite us and it was just plain delicious! We had a good time talking, eating, and Casey and I even went for a walk later that evening around her neighborhood to work off all the food we ate. The Boil had shrimp, crab legs, whole eggs, potatoes, corn and sausage.
Does that look perfect, or what?
Casey's step-dad made the yum-yum boil
Casey, the birthday girl, with one of the large containers of the boil
Victor (Casey's husband) and her step-dad with 1 of the 3 pans of food.

A "Wicked" Night Out!

So Omar and I went to Wicked last Wednesday. It was wicked awesome! I loved it. It was actually Omar's first broadway show and he seemed to enjoy it as well. Our seats were probably the best in the house - we had tons of leg room, our visibility was amazing and we got the seats for a great price. I had never been to that theater and everyone would walk by and ask how they could get those seats. We just lucked out since I ordered the tickets online. Go me! Anyhow...the show was not what I was expecting and it totally explained what appears to be the "true" story of the Wizard of Oz. I recommend it. Even if you have not seen the Wizard of Oz go and see it becuase Omar still has never seen the Wizard of Oz and he liked it.

Movin' On

So there has been a major change in our life for the past 2 weeks. We are now attending an English ward and left the Spanish Branch. This is something that has been coming for quite a few months now. If it hadn't of been for my new calling to be Young Womens President in the Spanish Branch last November/December we would have left the Branch in January when we moved to a new apartment. We finally felt after a few more months of serving in the Branch that it was time to move on. It was hard and in ways is still hard for me to leave. To serve the Young Women has always been my wish and dream. The Young Women's program changed my life while growing up and I wanted to give a little bit back. I feel that I did what I could at the time, but it was time for Omar and I to leave so we could continue to grow spiritually ourselves.

So far we both really like our new English Ward, the Mandarin 2nd. There seem to be good people. They have already extended a call to me, but I have not been sustained (so it is still a secret). Relief Society has also asked me to sing on Mother's Day and I have been invited to join the choir.

We haven't really made any new friends yet. But it took us a while to make any friends in the Branch. The nice thing this time is that the people will actually live close to us. In the Branch our closest friends are about a 30 minute drive on way!

I must admit that I have a lot more free time now. Young Women's was becoming more stressful than my job of running Clay County! I am thinking of ways to keep my Spanish learning in tact. I do not want to loose everything that I have gained with the language. I might join a Spanish class and try to work with speaking Spanish to Omar more. We will see. Life is good.

Whose afraid of the Swine Flu?

NOT US!!! I guess at least not yet, because we just booked travel for a cruise in December that part of it goes to Mexico. We will be gone for 7 days on the Carnival Glory (yup this is a picture of our ship - how pretty it is). 224 more days until our cruise! How exciting!

We will leave from Miami and then go to:
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
Roatan Isle, Honduras
Belize City, Belize
Cozumel, Mexico