Around Here

Lots has been going on lately. We made an unexpected trip to Houston last week and were there on Grandma's actual birthday! While we loved helping her celebrate and see Grandma and Grandpa, we didn't like the reason for the trip. Everything will be ok though.

We got back to Austin Saturday evening and took baths and went to bed. Sunday we went out for lunch at Trudy's. Logan had an accident on the way there in the car so I took Isabel and Brian took Logan to get some new clothes. Isabel got a Shirley Temple and was pretty excited about that. She requested them for her birthday party.

Since it was St Patrick's Day I made corned beef and cabbage. I also put some food coloring in the toilets and told the kids that some leprechauns visited us. Isabel was seriously amazed. It was so funny. She then got a little frightened and we had to do a leprechaun search to make sure there weren't anymore in the house.

I found my unused gift card stash and called on to see the balance on my Bed Bath and Beyond gift card. It was just enough to cover a bread maker! I've been looking at them for a while and am so excited to have bread with just 5 ingredients and no preservatives! I've already made 3 loaves!

First loaf!

Enjoying some bread with honey.  It was so good.

Yesterday I spent all day ( while the kids were at school and then napping) painting Isabel's hutch that was delivered on Sunday. It took about 6 hours and 3 coats of paint. It was an off white, creamy yellow color. It's being discontinued and it was that or navy blue. The color was not my style at all and didn't match anything else in the room. I painted it white, but the silly off white was bleeding through as a bit blue(?). It was frustrating, but it looks great now! I just need to put the protective coat on and then we can get it in Isabel's room.

We're also still trying to close on our refi.  It's getting ridiculous.  Brian is about ready to walk away from Bank of America.  It took them 3 months to begin processing the loan.  Since it took so long we had to send updated statements, etc.  They mailed us a GFE last week and it was completely different from the one we got 3 months ago.  After Brian getting angry (he rarely gets angry) at our contact (who really just wants the loan to close so that he can get his commission) they added back some credits they had removed, but they didn't allow us to waive escrow.  WTF?  After the contact said he would 'see what he could do' Brian said we need a definitive answer today and a closing date or we're walking away.   We went with BoA because our current mortgage is with them and we thought it would be more streamlined.  WRONG.  In hindsight we should have gone with the other quote we got, but what can you do.  I just can't believe that after having a mortgage with a bank for over 5 years and never once having a late mortgage or property tax payment that we're being treated this way.  It has now been FOUR MONTHS since we first started the process.  It's like they absolutely don't care.  So if anyone reading is considering a new mortgage or refi, I would strongly encourage you to NOT go with Bank of America.

The perfect roast chicken.  SO good!

He was so happy about something.

Watching the car wash.

I was watching dishes and she was out by herself.  You can't see it from the picture, but she just had the biggest grin.  So excited to be swinging and enjoying life!