(Bella loves her feet)

I have found it so hard to have time to post lately. Or I’m not taking the time and it’s not really bothering me. I’m not sure which it is. But either way, Chris has def. been better at posting lately. So this week, I’ll try for a post and pic everyday. We’ll see…

I am somewhat of a busy body. I guess this goes along with motherhood, but I was kinda already one. I love love love spending time with Bella during the day… we walk, play, EAT, diaper change…so I spend my nights getting ready for the next… chores… etc. Then I lay in bed thinking of things to do the next day.

Question for ya: what would it be like to have a whole day where you didn’t think even once about something else you should/need to be doing? Would this be as huge for you as it would for me?

Ok, so this pic is of Bella, Bandit and I on one of our walks this past BEAUTIFUL week. She can now sit up for short stints of time unassisted (30 seconds or so then crash), and so we’ve moved her up in strollers so she can see what’s going on. I think she is enjoying it! She feel asleep on the way home here - I love the way she looks so tiny in this huge stroller. If ever I get sad that she is growing too fast… all I have to do is put her in here! 

chris and i sat out on the porch tonight and read. we’re reading Blue Like Jazz with our small group. most have yall have probably read it already, but we aren’t too big a’ readers. but we are loving that book. i’m actually reading a couple, which again, is so unusual for me, but i am loving it. i’m catching up on some old books that i’ve heard are good over the last couple of years…

we have a bookcase of books that i doubt we’ll read twice. so i’m trying something new. i’m going to post a few books we have. if you want one of them, just comment and it’s yours. if this works, i’ll post some more. if it’s too boring and no one takes us up on it… you won’t see this again! you can take more than one, as well. i just want others to benefit from the books before they are too outdated!

Wild at Heart - John Eldredge

Captivating - John & Stasi Eldredge

If You Want to Walk on Water, You Gotta Get out of the Boat - John Ortberg

Weekends with Morrie - Mitch Albom

When Godly People do Ungodly Things - Beth Moore

Your Money Counts - Howard Dayton - good small group book on money

Intimate Allies - GREAT book to read in a married small group OR with your spouse!

Cure for the Common Life - Max Lucado 

Marriage on the Rock (two books and a workbook!) we used this in our small group. Not to be confused with "Marriage on the Rocks". ha.  - Jimmy Evans

Ok, go! 

Props to Amy (Long) Howard that spotted this article in the AJC print edition in the real estate section! It’s an article about the buyers of our Waldo house. This makes me feel great 1) because they love the house and 2) they really liked our renovation. Jessica even said at the closing table they weren’t changing a thing - even down to the paint colors! (They also negotiated in our dining room table we had over there for staging - so I guess we had the same taste!) I miss ol’ Waldo! But I am glad such a nice couple moved in.

By C.W. Cameron
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/23/08

Our house hunters:

Josh Alexander, 29, works as a legal assistant at King & Spalding and Jessica, 33, is in the client services department at Moxie Interactive. Josh says, "We’d been putting off looking for a home because the market seemed so crazy, but the recent downturn opened the door for us. We wanted an older house intown that had character and was close to MARTA because we both use it to get to work." Jessica adds, "We love playing Frisbee so we wanted to be close to a recreation area. We were looking for a 3/2 with a little storage space."

The process:

They met their agent, Helen Archer of Keller Williams Premiere Atlanta, through her husband who works with Jessica. "She had helped several coworkers, and they all had a great experience. She kept in touch with us periodically sending us an e-mail about houses and sharing information that helped educate us about buying a house," Jessica says. "We found the house we wanted the second weekend we were looking," says Josh. "We hadn’t expected to find exactly what we wanted so soon. She really understood what we were looking for and guided us to the right place."

Choice #1: This $220,000 two-bedroom, one-bath Grant Park bungalow was built in 1920. "We love the yard and garden. It’s planted with low maintenance shrubs and flowers and is really tasteful. The backyard has a water fountain. There’s access to the garage off the alley, and it feels like a really good value for the price," says Josh.

Choice #2: "The renovation of this 1920 Grant Park bungalow opened up the kitchen to the dining room and family room, and there’s a fireplace in the middle. The kitchen has granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, and there’s new electrical service and fixtures throughout the house," says Jessica. It’s listed at $239,900.

Choice #3: "This 1926 three-bedroom, two-bath bungalow in East Lake is not even a block outside the Decatur city limits, so we’d have access to all the amenities of Decatur/Oakhurst but not have to pay the taxes," says Josh. The house is three-sides brick and the lot has great old hardwood trees. The kitchen has granite countertops and there’s a master suite with sitting room. It’s listed at $210,000.

Which home did they choose? Our house hunters went for No. 2. "The renovation was great, and we even loved the paint colors," says Jessica. "The kitchen and bathroom had been completely renovated … and the house is two blocks from Grant Park on one of the best streets in the neighborhood. When we were looking at the house, the neighbors all greeted us and made us feel at home. … Every day we’re in it we say ‘We love this house.’ "