Nate and I moved from Washington to Arizona in July. A few days after we moved, we went on a 2 week trip to Belize and Guatemala.The weekend after we got back from our trip, we went out with a realtor to look at houses. We actually found one that we both liked on the 1st day! The house wasn't perfect, but it was only 2 years old, in a great neighborhood, and would be just what we wanted with a few updates. We both felt really good about it. We put in an offer the next day.

After waiting anxiously for a day and a half, we found out someone else had also put in an offer and we were in a bidding war. We put in our highest bid and hoped and prayed we would get it. We were then told if we would pay a little more, the house would be ours. It was still a good deal, so we paid a bit more and got the house!

I thought everything else would be smooth after this stressful week, but the next few weeks continued to be stressful, dealing with getting the loan and getting the owner out of the house. The owner was a kind of crazy old man who did not pay attention to deadlines. Finally, we were able to move into the house a week later than planned! It was a stressful process, but we are so happy to own our little house now!!!



When we were finally able to move into our house, we were so excited! Our move in date was supposed to be a week earlier but the old man who was in the house said he needed more time to pack. I got the keys for the house on our move in date and my sister, Brooke, and I went into the house. It was soooo dirty and there was still so much stuff inside. There were big garbage bags of old food on the floor in the kitchen and the bags were leaking out on the floor. I was so stressed because we were going to San Diego the next day and wanted everything to be clean before we left.

A few hours later, my mom and I were at the house and the old owner showed up. He said he had forgotten one thing. I showed him the huge pile of things he had left and he wanted us to keep them in the garage for a few weeks.. I said no way and my mom and I helped load most of the stuff in his car and he said that he didn't want the rest, so we could throw it away. It made me so annoyed because he acted like he was doing me a favor letting me throw everything away, and never said anything about the huge mess!

Luckily, we had bought a few appliances from him and his realtor told us to subtract $250 off for cleaning costs. We couldn't get someone to come clean it before we left for San Diego, so my mom and sister were sooo nice and helped me clean everything. (Nate was coaching at a swim meet and only saw the nice,clean house!) After a few hours of cleaning, it looked sooo much better and we went out to dinner at a really good Mexican place to celebrate!

Before:


After: (Just some of the mess)


My mom and sister were so nice to help me clean everything!


I saved the toilets for Nate, since he was at practice. They are his faaavorite (:


Little did I know, this was not the end of the drama though! We have been in our house for a little over a month now. A few nights ago I had a nightmare that the old man (old owner) came into the house and was kidnapping me. I always have the creepiest nightmares that feel so real!! Anyways, the day after that, I was home alone after work and someone rang the doorbell. I wasn't expecting anyone, so I looked through the peephole and it was the old man!!! I closed all of the shades, hid my chips and salsa that I had been eating and ran into the bedroom and locked the door. I texted Nate that the old man was at the house (you know, just so in case he kidnapped me, Nate would know what happened.. ) I was totally overreacting, but after my nightmare the night before I was just so freaked out and so afraid he was going to come into the house!

I already knew the old man was kind of crazy and out of it and I was afraid he still had a key and would come in the house. Luckily, he just rang the doorbell over and over a few times and then left. Then a few hours later, it was dark and Nate was still at work, coaching late. Someone rang the doorbell, and it was the old man again. I was so scared because now it was dark, and he kept ringing the doorbell over and over again!

I called Nate and luckily he was on his way home! He got to the house and the old man started yelling at him and causing a scene. He kept yelling that we owed him money for the appliances and that we needed to give him the money or he would take us to court. Finally he left when we said we would call the police. We called our realtor, who called his realtor and got it all sorted out. I am just glad that all the drama is over with (hopefully)!!!!

We have been doing lots of little renovations on the house! The first weekend we painted the living room, kitchen, den, and hallways a pale gray. It made such a difference! We are also going to redo the kitchen. We want to paint the cabinets white, install new countertops, install and island, and put up backsplash. We are also going to paint our bedroom. It has been so fun decorating and coming up with ideas for renovations! Hopefully everything will be done in the next few months! And then we will move onto the backyard!!

First night at our new house!!


A few pics so far: