Moving days

Right before we moved almost exactly a year ago I started a blog post about my current living conditions...to help me appreciate them more. Now I've returned to this post to finish it. The current home list is below. As of right now, our plans are stay in Utah! Not exactly something we had "planned" on but the wiser decision for us at this point in life (ie, job availability). It feels so good knowing where we will be for the next few years. We don't know the city, or the school district or even the job yet but it gives me peace knowing our target is to stay in the SL valley. Wahoo!

The added bonus of Tyler receiving his real estate license a year ago (please, send clients his way.....our way, I work for him too) we've been talking about the real possibility of us finally owning our first home......after 10  years of marriage! Whoa! Something I have dreamed about for years and years. Sometimes, it completely terrifies me. But other times, I just want to be on our own already! To be able to paint, have more space, and just have that responsibility of being homeowners. But because I am sure I will grumble about fixing this and saving money up for that, I wanted to make a list so I can look back and laugh, and say, "hahaha, I was so naive. We should go back to renting."

 Blast from the past.....unpacking in 2010.

Things I will not miss about our last Provo house:
**The reverse sliding doors....that do not slide
**The cold faucet which was installed backwards
**the lack of central A/C
**going outside and downstairs to do laundry
**the spiders
**the trees and all the "shedding" they do
**small doorways, can't even fit myself and laundry basket through safely
**The Provo bubble

What I will miss:
**The Provo bubble
**My friends/this ward
**the trees
**being close to grandma
**lovely wild yard
**student living
**character of this older home
**large windows
**lots of sunlight
**Apricot tree :(


Since we moved to SLC.......
Things to miss:
**Landlord who makes/pays for repairs
**Lush large backyard
**Quiet neighborhood
**Park right across the street
**Church right across the street
**Central location in downtown SLC but not feeling like we live in a city (location, location, location)
**our next door neighbors who have two young boys
**Great hiking trail....right across the street
**Great landlords who are like a second family to us
**Safe neighborhood (except for some homes that have been burglarized)
**the nice big office with tons of shelving
**Zoey has a playmate with landlords dog
**Rent is still cheaper than a mortgage (with utilities)
**Children forced to take "baths" in a shower = less water mess on floor!

Lindsay, our landlords daughter; ie babysitter, sister friend, upstairs neighbor, comedian and opera singer

And we live in the original Salt Lake stake so we get to have conference in this historic building (Assembly Hall). The kids sang in the choir today as part of the program. 

Things I will NOT miss, or that Tyler is tired of me complaining about:
**Basement living
**The hallway, er KITCHEN
**Living with someone else, essentially
**no garage
**Hot summer with no cooling system
**ants and other pests
**lack of friends
**feeling like we have to keep up with the "Jone's" a bit
**the carpet that clogs up my vacuum
**The hills, especially in winter. Ahhhhhh
**lack of enough storage
**Carpeted dining room
**1 bathroom, with no bathtub
**Washer/Dryer in that 1 bathroom which makes it very steamy in winter months

And I'm a pretty picky "buyer". Ideally, I'd want to find a home that fits within our budget AND include...... an updated and open kitchen with window facing the backyard so I can see children playing; 5-6 bedrooms (for sleeping, guests, office and craft), 3 living areas, a master bath (average size is fine with me), several bathrooms, a big level grassy yard, 2 car garage that can fit both cars easily, short commute to work/choir, great schools nearby and safe neighborhood and a bonus would be a mud room You probably think I'm crazy! But Tyler just sold one with almost everything on this list to a friend/client so it gives me HOPE that it is possible. Are any of you moving soon? Buying? Renting? Wishing to rent again?