The FunYoungs New Digs!

You read that right…we have FINALLY moved out of the condo I purchased 12 years ago and into a single family house!  We ended up staying in the Temple Terrace area after much thought and consideration. We always wanted to move to St. Pete, but after weighing everything; this was the best place for us.
1. It’s close to our work (15-20 min commute) with Adams late hours we just didn’t want him having to drive 45 min at 3 am.
2. We LOVE our daycare. We struck gold with Ms. Jones. not only is she affordable, but she’s wonderful with Charlie, we trust her and Charlie has learned so much from her.  We couldn’t stand the thought of moving her.
3. Church/Schools We like our church and that there is an elementary school at it. And if school time comes and we can’t afford catholic school there is a public elementary school right next door.
4. House prices. While we didn’t get the big house on the big lot we hoped (it sold 1 month before we sold) the houses here are considerably less $ and larger than those in St. Pete.
So that’s basically why we decided to stay put after years of saying we’re moving across the bridge. Now the house… I know you’re all dying to see the house! We have BIG plans for the future and little plans sooner and now some unexpected repairs sooner than later-but don’t get me started on that!
Our new little home was listed as a 3/2 1560 SF Florida Ranch. Here is the current layout of the house.  (click photo to enlarge)

There are some funky features, but the previous owners, who had owned it sine 1968, one was in a wheel chair so it was adapted for that.
This is the south side of the house. I would like to update the color at some point.
This is the North Side/back yard. We have some plans to spruce it up.
The back yard…more plans…but there is an orange tree packed with oranges! Luckily I have a brother who is in landscaping!
Now for the inside tour. These were taken on our Walk through day before we moved in.
The Garage:
The laundry/storage to the right of the garage. (with my new w/d!)
Coming in from the garage to “the “cage”
The entrance to “the cage”
The entrance to the house from the cage.
The storage room.
Entering the house from the cage. we’re using this room as the dining room.

Looking into the house from the dining room towards the front door. Anyone want that light??
The KitchenThe living room:The hall to the bedrooms:
Hall bath-that used to be a window. Bedroom 1, we’re using it for guests:Charlie’s room:
This is where we’re sleeping:
Which leads into another room:
Where a lot of boxes are being stored!
The “master bath”
We’re happy to be settling into our new home and put our stamp on it. Thanks again to all that helped us in this process! Kelly and Kym our realtors; Jane, John and Dawn our mortgage brokers; the title companies that came to our house for BOTH closings and of course those who helped with the big move! Barb, Monica, Jimmy, Aunt Pat, Aunt Annette and Uncle Doug! We couldn’t have done it without you!
Stop by for a visit next time you’re in Temple Terrace!

13 Years later and it’s finally for sale!

13 years ago (almost to the week) I bought my first home. A condo close to USF. My dad said it would be a good investment. I felt like such a grown up. But now, 13 years later, I have a family with one more on the way and NEED to sell it so that we can get into a bigger space.

So if you know anyone looking to relax in sunny Florida PLEASE pass on this listing to them. It’s close to the city and all that it offers, but located on the river at the end of a road so it’s quiet. So quiet that some nights I hear the frogs!

http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sale/2101584870_zpid/1_pnd/28.048651%2c-82.369266%2c27.97477%2c-82.480846_rect/13_zm/1_fr/?view=map

And here are some extra pictures that I took to wet your appetite.

It’s a 2/2 2nd floor unit with 1271 SF. Walk in closets, lots of attic and storage space and a screened in patio.

It’s been a great place to live, but it’s time to move on.

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

2/23/15
I am shocked.

Beyond shocked. Floored. amazed completely and utterly surprised.

I am pregnant.

when my period didn't come the day it was supposed to, or the next day or the next I finally took a test.  I had spotting earlier in the week, once, so i thought "that's it, I'm not pregnant" And just started the waiting game.

Well i am. When i went back into the bathroom after the 3 min and saw that second line i burst into tears. I honestly couldn't believe it. I really didn't think i'd get pregnant again, and i was OK with it. I was shaking i was so surprised. I told charlie and when i asked her what was in mommy's belly she said  a baby.

When Adam got home from work an hour or so later i told him. He looked a little confused as he crawled into bed. It wasn't the reaction i was expecting since he didn't feel good, but he's excited and happy.

I actually told Tara first because i was so freaked out and Adam didn't answer his phone. she's excited. Heck i'm excited. I'm nervous, scared, but i'm definitely excited.

I love Charlie so much, and i think the thing that worries me the most is how i can spread that love. but i'm sure i'll be able to do it. :)

Right now i'm feeling good. Gassy and bit crampy my breasts feel heavy but that's it. Oh and i'm tired, but i'm always tired. Also i'm super hungry all the time and i can smell anything from a mile away.

Lets hope these next 4 weeks go smoothly.
2/25/15
At work today i'm feeling a twinge queesy. almost like i have nerves.
but i am still very very apprehensive about this pregnancy. i think it's because of the spotting i had a week ago...Adam said call your dr. if you're worried. But you know, what is my Dr. going to be able to do... So as of now i'm just holding tight and hoping all goes well! i will call my dr. soon to schedule the apt...but i'm still just not convinced this is the real deal...

3/9/15
6 weeks and the queasiness is kicking in. Nothing bed binding, but it's annoying non the less. like i could be sick at any min. This whole thing is still so surreal. I go see the dr. tomorrow. Adam has a meeting so I'm going solo. So different this time around. But new job and new responsibilities i guess. It still really hasn't sunk in and when i do start to think seriously about it and having another child it does kind of freak me out. But i know we'll adjust and do fine and love # 2 just as much as we do our Charlie girl. The dr. office called to let me know they got the first round of blood tests back and it was high with the HCG levels...so i'm def pregnant. I've told Stephanie, Felicia, Tara and accidentally Alyssa and Leah-and possibly Josh. oops. My parents are visiting...so i think i may tell them after i see the dr...but we'll see. I'm just wishy washy about this whole thing.  I guess after i see the little bugger it will get real really fast :)

3/27/15
8.5 weeks. So after being drop dead tired and queezy all day long i woke up this week feeling completely normal. It didn't even hurt when i took off my bra. So of course I worry that something is array. I really really don't think i will be ok/comfortable with all this until after our next appointment at 10 weeks. The first dr. apt confirmed my pregnancy and put me a few days ahead of where we calculated. We will stay with the Nov 1 due date however. I did take another test this week, Stephanie said to do it to help me feel better. But i just think back to my first pregnancy where i didn't know for 3 weeks that i had miscarried! I didn't even have any signs other than the little bit of blood on the TP.
So as happy as we'll be to have another child I just can't get excited until i'm a little further along. I still don't believe it. Especially when I'm feeling this normal!
We did tell my parents when they were down here and they are so excited, but under strict orders to keep mum! Joseph and Jen know as do Jimmy and Monica. We will tell Adam's dad after our apt on the 8th. Then I guess we'll see if we let the cat out of the bag.

5/2015
17.5 weeks. This pregnancy has been super easy. Like I said before after 8 weeks I've felt fine. But since then we've gotten to see our little bugger on the big screen (and he measured way bigger!) Yes, I said HE. It's a boy. Nuts, crazy and so lucky that we will get one of each. My due date is now moved to the 26th of October, so baby will come around the 20th. So far all is well and progressing smoothly. Fingers crossed it continues this way for the next 22 weeks. The name game has begun and I think it will be a long drawn out game...kind of like these NHL playoffs! ha ha ha

Project Pie: Weeks 18 & 19

I’ve been slacking on the pie posts. We have continued to make pie, but I’ve been lacking the enthusiasm in this whole pie project. Maybe it’s because the holidays are coming up. The next 4 weeks have a lot for us: thanksgiving, Charlie's bday, my bday and Christmas. So I’m a little distracted.

But on week 18 Adam found himself in the chapter that held both Pumpkin and Pecan pie. So he decided to make both. Yep, he made two pies in one week. The pecan pie was so good our daycare provider asked if he’d make her one for her thanksgiving dinner. The pumpkin pie was also good, but I’m not a huge pumpkin pie fan so I’m not a good judge. Adam said it was good. Tomorrow he’ll be making more pecan pies. Last week I was on refrigerator pies and since Publix had a sale on fresh raspberries I chose Raspberry Chiffon pie.

I asked Adam to make my crust since he’s really good at it and I didn’t feel like making one (and my lack of enthusiasm).  The pie itself was pretty simple. Just a lot of cooling and chilling and things like that. I really enjoyed licking the spoon too…it was yummy!

When it was finally ready to eat I was pleasantly surprised how much it tasted like my grandmas go to Christmas dessert: Raspberry Fluff (insert grandma “do you know how expensive raspberries are getting? I don’t think I can make it next year” but she did)

The pie probably could have been a little more set. I may have not cooked the Jell-O as much as I should or got it hot enough, but it was still edible without making a huge mess and we all enjoy it!

This week I reminded Adam it was his turn to make a pie and he’s on Ice Cream… I have a feeling we might be skipping this week since he’s already making pecan pies! Besides I’m pretty sure an ice cream pie would be perfect for Charlie’s Birthday week!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Project Pie:Week 17

I got to chose the cream pie this week and my choice?

S’moreIt looked pretty easy to make so I tackled it one morning before I left on a business trip.

I bought the crust (I know I’m such a cheater) And I planned to use the Hershey's bars Charlie got from trick or treating so there wasn’t much I needed to get.

Well of course when you think something will be quick and easy, It never is. First off one of my yokes broke. So I was trying to get yoke out of my whites. Second I realized as I was mixing in the vanilla pudding we had at the house the word “regular” was italicized and it made me think, what do they mean. Well one quick glance at my instant pudding mix box I realized that in 1978 they probably had a choice…cooktop pudding or instant. So 15 minutes later I’m still stirring and waiting for my mixture the thicken. In the end I figured I could deal with it when I got back from my trip and thicken it up with some tapioca.

Flash forward 2 days I get home and the pudding is pretty think and chilled in my fridge. So I decide I’ll just use it and I assemble my pie and start to beat the egg whites.

And I’m beating and beating and beating. While I’m beating I see the Tips section for making meringue. 1. Use room temperature eggs (pulled mine right out of the fridge) 2. Any small amount of yoke could ruin the meringue (we all know how that went)

Finally after a good 20 min my whites formed stiff peaks and I was able to get the pie in the oven. Then I cooled it before I put it in the fridge to chill.

Charlie went to bed and we cut into it looking forward to some gooey goodness. It wasn’t really gooey, you call it runny.

Overall the flavor was there. But the chocolate and the marshmallows hadn’t melted at all. And because there were only chocolate pieces some bites didn’t even have any. The pudding mix basically took over.  In the end I couldn’t finish mine and Adam though it was ok, just not the S’mores taste he wanted.

So will we make it again? Maybe, but with a lot of tweaking!!

Next week Adam is going to skip ahead so that Pumpkin Pie falls on Thanksgiving week. 

Happy Halloween

We’re off trick-or-treating with our little Elmo!

We hope you all have a safe, fun and candy filled night!

BOO!!

(and no I did not dress like this to go trick or treating with little kids!)

Project Pie: Week 16

Wow. 16 weeks of pie and my pants still fit!
This week brought us back to the beginning and fruit pies. Adam chose French Crunch Peach pie.
Peach pie is my all time 2nd favorite pie (behind blueberry) And this recipe is one for the books. It’s not as good as mom’s but it’s good!
Of course he made the perfect crust.
Mixed it all and up and dumped it in.
Charlie helped with the topping:

Baked it
And ate it warm!

mmm good!
Crunch on top isn’t too overpowering and the egg gives it bit of a custard flavor, but it all works well together. It’s not too sweet so adding ice cream is a welcomed topping.