Most hated chore on the household chore list? Dusting!
In life who has had the most influence on you? My parents, without a doubt. Also my grandparents, Sean, a few close friends, and some very good teachers I had growing up.
What do you consider your greatest achievement? I've had a few - graduating from the UPS honors college (and writing/presenting my thesis), getting my job at Boeing, and now buying a house!
What is the one thing for which you would most like to be remembered for after your death? Being a good daughter, sister, girlfriend, and friend.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? "You're early, we aren't ready for you yet. Please come back later."
Do you have any phobias? Arachnophobia. And I'm slightly claustrophobic.
If you were to perform in the circus, what would you do? Nothing, that doesn't really appeal to me and honestly I don't have any cool tricks - plus I'm not the daredevil type, so I wouldn't want to do any stunts.
If you could be one kind of beer which one would you be and why? Henry Weinhard's Summer Ale because it's light and delicious!
Who in your family are you most proud of? I'm proud of a good majority of my family. I'm very proud of all those in my family who have served their country - I love that I come from a military family. I'm proud of my mom and my grandma for being incredible mothers. I'm proud of my cousins for many of the struggles they've overcome. And I'm especially proud of my brother for going after his dreams. I really admire his determination and the courage it takes to go after something that could take years to achieve. I'm envious of that drive.
Name 1 thing you miss about being a kid. It's funny because I was just talking to a friend at work about this today. I miss the lack of responsibility, the sense of security in knowing that Mom and Dad would always take care of everything and that for the most part, they could always make things better.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be like James Herriot - a vet, a writer, and a farmer.
What extremely difficult life situation have you overcome and how did you do it? I had depression for two years in high school after my grandpa died. I didn't really do anything to overcome it, I just managed to survive it. It wasn't until I went to Costa Rica my senior year of high school that I started to see the beauty in life again...probably why Costa Rica will always hold a very special place in my heart.
Which is the best vacation you’ve ever had? There have been a few. Costa Rica for the reasons mentioned above. Cozumel with my family and Vegas with Sean. Also, all the trips to Long Beach growing up - those were great.
Which is the most funniest prank played on you or played by you? I can't recall any great pranks anyone has pulled on me, but I pulled a great one on Kirsten our sophomore year of college. It still makes for a great story. :)
List 1 thing you wish you could change about yourself: I wish I were less critical of people (it's a Ricker family trait)...and I would like to be more patient.
Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help? My parents and Sean.
If you could choose, how would you want to die? Peacefully in my sleep.
Name 1 thing you love about being an adult. The independence.
Which would you rather have, $50,000 or true love? True love. $50,000 isn't that hard to come by (over time of course).
What do you value most in life? Family and friends.
Do you believe everything happens for a reason? I'd like to think so, but sometimes I think that crappy things just happen and though there isn't always a reason, things tend to work out in the end.
What do you consider the most important event of your life so far? Being born. :)
What would be your dream job? A recruitment and retention specialist for a large corporation. Or a business owner.
Have you ever lived or worked out of the country? No, but I would love the opportunity some day.
Name three exotic countries you would like to visit. I can't pick just three - Africa, Germany, Italy, Greece, Ireland, and Australia probably top the list (though they aren't all exactly exotic).
If you could start your own restaurant, what would it be? I want to open my own restaurant one day, so I have way too many ideas!
What goal do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime? I want to have a family first and foremost. Then I want to have my own business.
If you could go on a road trip with any person (dead or alive), who would you choose and where would you go? I'd go with Sean because life is always a fun adventure when we're together. It wouldn't really matter where we went, but it would be fun to drive down to California and hit all the wineries!
Who was your first crush? I'm sure I had crushes in preschool (not joking), but the first crush I really remember was on Jeff Johnson in Kindergarten.
What is your favorite book? The Outsiders. And Life of Pi.
How did you meet your significant other? Online actually, but it was more romantic than it sounds.
What do you think the secret to a good life is? Love and happiness.
What are you afraid of? Failure.
What is your most cherished childhood memory? I have so many...making poppy people with GG, summers spent at Cushman, fishing with my dad, spending rainy days watching Anne of Green Gables with my mom, Christmases in Leavenworth...who can choose?
If given a choice, what farm animal would you want to be? Random question, but I'd want to be a horse. Being able to run that fast and for that long seems really freeing.
Where is your favorite place on this earth? Wherever my family is.
What are your pet peeves? My two biggest pet peeves are bad grammar (especially from management) and people who insist on going under the speed limit in the fast lane.
Why do you like living in this area? Because Seattle is heaven on earth in the summer.
Who is your best friend? Sean. And Andrew...even though we haven't spoken in years. He will always be my best friend.
What is your favorite time of day? The time of day right before the sun sets, when it is still light out but the sun looks especially golden. Also, Sunday mornings.
What's a favorite memory with friends? In high school, Mark, Andrew, and I left school during lunch and took off for the day. We went to Red Robin for lunch, then went back to my house to swim in the lake. It was a beautiful day, so we spent the whole time out floating on tubes and talking. Later that night we had a bonfire and roasted marshmallows. I had a final that day, but since I never skipped school, my mom let me off the hook and wrote a note to excuse me.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Financing Fun
Financing a home couldn't be any more frustrating. Every mortgage company has different rates, requirements, and closing costs, so it's difficult to compare which is the better deal. On top of that, the rates change daily, so the quote never stays the same. Of course, if I had unlimited income all this would be great, but since the house Sean and I love is already at the top of our price range, we are a bit more restricted. That said, fortunately I have always been diligent in my savings, so I have plenty of funds for closing and the down payment - though I still want the best deal darn it! This need to find absolutely the best deal I can is driving me nuts because it means talking to fifty different lenders at fifty different companies, and therefore providing all my financial information fifty different times!
On a much more fun note, Sean and I are already coming up with ways to spend our money once we have a home in our possession. Sean has a friend that does hardwood floor installation, so we are setting aside funds to have the entire main floor done in hardwood - preferably Brazilian cherry if I have my way (and fortunately Sean leaves the decorating to me, so I will get my way). We also really want a hot tub, so I imagine some of the tax credit will be going to that little indulgence. I can't wait until we actually have the keys to a house so that all of this can actually come to fruition! We submitted our counter offer this evening and the seller has already accepted, so now we are just waiting to hear if the bank will accept it as well. Then I need to finalize the financing and we will be on our way to home ownership...I can't wait!
All of these recent happenings, though stressful, have made me realize how lucky I am to have such a supportive family. If my parents hadn't raised me to be so financially independent, there is no way I'd be able to afford this on my own. It's incredibly rewarding to be able to purchase a home for the first time and know I'm doing it without my parent's financial assistance. I remember back in 2007 when I first started at Boeing I was really anxious to buy a home, but I knew I didn't have the means at that time. Mom and Dad had to keep reminding me to be patient, which as most of my friends and family know, is not really a virtue I possess. I never would have thought that just a few years later everything I had dreamed about then would become a reality, and I don't mean just in the way of home buying. Though I had just started my job at Boeing and loved having disposable income, I could already tell it wasn't the right fit and HR was still calling to me. I was fresh out of a bad relationship that had gone on way too long and didn't think I'd ever find the right guy for me, which was probably the one area of my life that was bugging me the most. It wasn't until I met Sean that things really seemed to turn around, and now, three years later, I will finally be starting a job that I feel passionate about. I guess patience pays off after all!
On a much more fun note, Sean and I are already coming up with ways to spend our money once we have a home in our possession. Sean has a friend that does hardwood floor installation, so we are setting aside funds to have the entire main floor done in hardwood - preferably Brazilian cherry if I have my way (and fortunately Sean leaves the decorating to me, so I will get my way). We also really want a hot tub, so I imagine some of the tax credit will be going to that little indulgence. I can't wait until we actually have the keys to a house so that all of this can actually come to fruition! We submitted our counter offer this evening and the seller has already accepted, so now we are just waiting to hear if the bank will accept it as well. Then I need to finalize the financing and we will be on our way to home ownership...I can't wait!
All of these recent happenings, though stressful, have made me realize how lucky I am to have such a supportive family. If my parents hadn't raised me to be so financially independent, there is no way I'd be able to afford this on my own. It's incredibly rewarding to be able to purchase a home for the first time and know I'm doing it without my parent's financial assistance. I remember back in 2007 when I first started at Boeing I was really anxious to buy a home, but I knew I didn't have the means at that time. Mom and Dad had to keep reminding me to be patient, which as most of my friends and family know, is not really a virtue I possess. I never would have thought that just a few years later everything I had dreamed about then would become a reality, and I don't mean just in the way of home buying. Though I had just started my job at Boeing and loved having disposable income, I could already tell it wasn't the right fit and HR was still calling to me. I was fresh out of a bad relationship that had gone on way too long and didn't think I'd ever find the right guy for me, which was probably the one area of my life that was bugging me the most. It wasn't until I met Sean that things really seemed to turn around, and now, three years later, I will finally be starting a job that I feel passionate about. I guess patience pays off after all!
So much to do, so little time
Tomorrow is the day Sean and I have to accept or decline the counter we received on the Willow Park property. I really want the house, and I want to be done house hunting, but now a bunch of questions have come up regarding the financing. When I first started the process, my Realtor put me in touch with his preferred lender. While I like working with him, as I've learned more about the process, I'm not sure that he is the best deal out there. I'm torn on what to do because I don't have much time to research and as "they" always say, the grass isn't always greener on the other side. I'm afraid I'll make a decision without all the facts and then discover that maybe he was in fact offering the best deals and incentives. I don't want the deal with the house to fall through based on my financing, but on the flip side, I don't want to lose a lot of money to the process because I didn't perform my due diligence. This is all so overwhelming...not nearly as much fun as I thought it would be! I'm sure once I sign the papers and close the deal, I will be much more excited, but right now this just feels like a second job - and one I'm not getting paid for!
On a less frustrated note, I start my new job in just three weeks! I am so excited, and I love that my commute will no longer require that I sit in traffic for two hours in the afternoons! That is probably the best perk so far. It is getting really hard to concentrate on my current job because I am having difficulty really caring about anything. In a few weeks none of it will be my responsibility, so it's hard to make it a priority. Nonetheless, I am trying to stay focused, though it's definitely a challenge. I'd rather be focusing on the house hunt or training for my new position.
In Leo-related news, he struck again last night and unfortunately, Sean and I didn't have his shock collar on. I was sitting on the couch and he was curled up below me, agitated because he is a bit flea ridden right now. Sean and I bathed him earlier in the afternoon and put some flea medication on his back, though it doesn't seem to help much. I reached down to pet him in an attempt to be somewhat nurturing and sensitive to his discomfort, and as soon as my hand reached within six inches of his face, he lunged at me. Fortunately his teeth just grazed me, so no skin was broken (probably a first). After that little stunt, we put the shock collar on him and then let him be, in order to prevent him from viewing the collar as punishment. Ideally, he's not supposed to know that the collar is a bad thing, or he will only respond favorably when it is on him. Once it had been on for about twenty minutes, I went over to pet him and the little shit tried biting me again. This time his collar was on, so I was able to shock him and as expected, he retreated and stopped snarling at me. Is it bad that I actually enjoy having the opportunity to shock my dog? It sounds terrible, and yet when you've been bitten this many times, it's such a relief to see that something works in correcting the behavior. I feel terrible hurting him, but it's gotta be better than the alternative of putting him down. Regardless of his behavior, I still love the little guy and hate the thought of having to give him up.
More updates to come tomorrow after a decision is made on the house. Probably the biggest decision I've made in my life so far...kind of scary!
On a less frustrated note, I start my new job in just three weeks! I am so excited, and I love that my commute will no longer require that I sit in traffic for two hours in the afternoons! That is probably the best perk so far. It is getting really hard to concentrate on my current job because I am having difficulty really caring about anything. In a few weeks none of it will be my responsibility, so it's hard to make it a priority. Nonetheless, I am trying to stay focused, though it's definitely a challenge. I'd rather be focusing on the house hunt or training for my new position.
In Leo-related news, he struck again last night and unfortunately, Sean and I didn't have his shock collar on. I was sitting on the couch and he was curled up below me, agitated because he is a bit flea ridden right now. Sean and I bathed him earlier in the afternoon and put some flea medication on his back, though it doesn't seem to help much. I reached down to pet him in an attempt to be somewhat nurturing and sensitive to his discomfort, and as soon as my hand reached within six inches of his face, he lunged at me. Fortunately his teeth just grazed me, so no skin was broken (probably a first). After that little stunt, we put the shock collar on him and then let him be, in order to prevent him from viewing the collar as punishment. Ideally, he's not supposed to know that the collar is a bad thing, or he will only respond favorably when it is on him. Once it had been on for about twenty minutes, I went over to pet him and the little shit tried biting me again. This time his collar was on, so I was able to shock him and as expected, he retreated and stopped snarling at me. Is it bad that I actually enjoy having the opportunity to shock my dog? It sounds terrible, and yet when you've been bitten this many times, it's such a relief to see that something works in correcting the behavior. I feel terrible hurting him, but it's gotta be better than the alternative of putting him down. Regardless of his behavior, I still love the little guy and hate the thought of having to give him up.
More updates to come tomorrow after a decision is made on the house. Probably the biggest decision I've made in my life so far...kind of scary!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Decisions, Decisions
Sean and I went to the open house today for the home in Elk Run. The house is adorable - very cozy and the neighborhood is great. It definitely needs some updating, but at only $220k, we would have plenty of money for renovations. Plus, the Realtor guessed that because the house is a short sale, it will probably end up selling for around 200k or 205k. Not bad at all, and then even more money for renovations! Sean and I have some big decisions to make because our response to the counter offer on the Willow Park home is needed by Tuesday or the counter expires. It's a tough call because I absolutely love Willow Park and the home is substantially larger than the home in Elk Run. However, there is also quite a price difference and it would be a lot of fun to personalize the Elk Run home to our preferences. I wish I could see into the future to determine how long Sean and I will need to stay in the new home. The Elk Run house is definitely a starter, whereas we would have more room to grow into the Willow Park house. So much to take into consideration!
Sean's parents went with us to the open house and they seemed to like it as well, though they did acknowledge that it needs a lot of work. Afterward we went back to their place and his mom and I settled in around their kitchen table with some tea and talked for a while. Sean has been commenting lately on how dirty my car is, so he went outside to wash it - I never see much point to washing my car in the winter because as soon as it rains, it's filthy again. Because his mom and I were so caught up in our conversation, I didn't notice how much time had passed until Sean came in again and two hours had gone by! It doesn't take anyone two hours to wash a car, so I had no idea what he had been up to. I found out as soon as we went outside. Sean had waxed my car for me - a job I hate and truth be told, have never actually done myself because I just know I wouldn't like it. He takes such good care of me. My car looks beautiful now!
On the drive home, we both noticed how beautiful the sunset was - evenings like we had tonight make me want to drive around and just enjoy how spectacular this area can be when the sky is clear. I just can't get over the weather we've been having. So much for six more weeks of winter - spring has already arrived! This winter has been relatively mild, aside from the few weeks of extreme cold we had, but other than that there hasn't even been that much rain. It does make me worry about the type of summer we'll have - hopefully we're done with the extremes for a while because I don't want to suffer if we buy a home without air conditioning (though the Willow Park home does have central air - one more factor to consider). The Seattle area truly is gorgeous when the sun is shining.
The house in Elk Run
Sean's parents went with us to the open house and they seemed to like it as well, though they did acknowledge that it needs a lot of work. Afterward we went back to their place and his mom and I settled in around their kitchen table with some tea and talked for a while. Sean has been commenting lately on how dirty my car is, so he went outside to wash it - I never see much point to washing my car in the winter because as soon as it rains, it's filthy again. Because his mom and I were so caught up in our conversation, I didn't notice how much time had passed until Sean came in again and two hours had gone by! It doesn't take anyone two hours to wash a car, so I had no idea what he had been up to. I found out as soon as we went outside. Sean had waxed my car for me - a job I hate and truth be told, have never actually done myself because I just know I wouldn't like it. He takes such good care of me. My car looks beautiful now!
On the drive home, we both noticed how beautiful the sunset was - evenings like we had tonight make me want to drive around and just enjoy how spectacular this area can be when the sky is clear. I just can't get over the weather we've been having. So much for six more weeks of winter - spring has already arrived! This winter has been relatively mild, aside from the few weeks of extreme cold we had, but other than that there hasn't even been that much rain. It does make me worry about the type of summer we'll have - hopefully we're done with the extremes for a while because I don't want to suffer if we buy a home without air conditioning (though the Willow Park home does have central air - one more factor to consider). The Seattle area truly is gorgeous when the sun is shining.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Disappointment
Well today was disappointing. We got a counter offer back on the smaller of the two houses and it wasn't as good as we were expecting. They aren't budging much, thanks to the bank. I'm so tired of dealing with short sales, but when so many homes on the market are short sales or foreclosures, they are hard to avoid. Sean and I really need to sit down and figure out if this house is right for us at this price. If so, it might be worth the extra cost, but otherwise we will be moving on - once again. Fortunately, we did find another house we might be interested in and it's a lot cheaper. It's in Maple Valley in Elk Run, which is a great neighborhood, and the price would allow us to do some fun renovations. We are going to the open house tomorrow to check it out a bit more. Here's hoping it's not a let down.
That's all for today, not much else to report.
That's all for today, not much else to report.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Updates for 2010
Well, it's official, I've succumbed to the world of blogging. I've been avoiding it for years, much like I've been doing with Twitter, but with everything that's been going on lately a blog seemed the easiest way to share.
Sean and I have been house hunting for the past month or so and I am so ready to be done with it. I love looking at houses, but the process is so overwhelming and frustrating. We have submitted three offers so far and none have been accepted. On Tuesday we went out for the fifth or sixth time with our Realtor (I've lost count of all the house hunting expeditions we've been on) and we actually found two homes we agree on! This is quite the accomplishment for us because Sean and I have drastically different tastes in housing. I want a house with charm and a little personality, and preferably one with a decent backyard for Leo. Sean on the other hand wants new construction, which generally means a big house on a tiny little lot. The homes we found are a nice balance between what we both want and need, so it's the perfect compromise. We put an offer on each of them today, hoping to get a counter from both so we can decide which one to pursue. The houses have been on the market for a while now, so the chances of a bidding war at this point are slim. In other words, one of these is likely to be our first house! Though Sean and I have been living together for about five months now, this is going to be a really big step for us - and a bit out of order, but I'm okay with that for now. :)
As for Leo, my little four legged biting companion, he has been seeing a dog trainer the past few weeks to work on an attitude adjustment (ie aggression). For those who don't already know, I adopted Leo last February 2009 from Furbaby Rescue, an animal rescue group up north (and one I would not recommend for any potential adopters reading this). A few days after his adoption, Leo bit me in the face, enough to do some substantial damage which resulted in a trip to the ER in order to prevent scarring (because what woman wants teeth marks scarred onto her face?). Because I didn't know his history and what he had been subjected to, and because I was informed by Furbaby that he had never shown signs of aggression (yeah right), I decided to keep him. Long story short, he has bitten both Sean and I numerous times since then. Because I can't stand the thought of having to put him down, I am now shelling out hard earned cash each week for Jessica, our awesome dog trainer, to work on improving his overall attitude. Though we have seen minor improvements prior to today's session, Leo truly is one stubborn dog so it has been slow going. Last week Jessica suggested we use a shock collar, which admittedly is a last resort, but one that I am more than willing to try. Would I have said that a few weeks ago? Probably not, but I swear I have come so close to killing him myself that this is a much better alternative. So far he is responding quite nicely to it and once again I am feeling a faint glimmer of hope that one day I will be able to cuddle my dog without the fear of him mauling me.
So, that's the most recent update. Lots going on, and lots more to come. Sean has been dropping the "m" word more and more lately, so there should be more exciting news to come in the next few months or so. First though, I want to find a house and get settled so we can be done with this whole process!
Sean and I have been house hunting for the past month or so and I am so ready to be done with it. I love looking at houses, but the process is so overwhelming and frustrating. We have submitted three offers so far and none have been accepted. On Tuesday we went out for the fifth or sixth time with our Realtor (I've lost count of all the house hunting expeditions we've been on) and we actually found two homes we agree on! This is quite the accomplishment for us because Sean and I have drastically different tastes in housing. I want a house with charm and a little personality, and preferably one with a decent backyard for Leo. Sean on the other hand wants new construction, which generally means a big house on a tiny little lot. The homes we found are a nice balance between what we both want and need, so it's the perfect compromise. We put an offer on each of them today, hoping to get a counter from both so we can decide which one to pursue. The houses have been on the market for a while now, so the chances of a bidding war at this point are slim. In other words, one of these is likely to be our first house! Though Sean and I have been living together for about five months now, this is going to be a really big step for us - and a bit out of order, but I'm okay with that for now. :)
Home Offer #1
Home Offer #2
In other news, after two years of job searching in a truly crappy economy, I finally got a new job! It is still at Boeing, but it is a little closer to home at the Long Acres site, which means no more two hour commutes from Everett in rush hour traffic! I can't even explain how happy that makes me. My last day is March 11th, so as of March 12th I will no longer be a procurement agent. I'm transferring over to human resources, which is a much better fit and where ultimately I belong. I'm very excited about the change and I can't wait for all the possibilities. Sean has been looking for a new job as well since we both hate that he works nights, but the pickings are slim right now. That said, he is amazing with computers, so if anyone needs any IT help or knows of any available jobs in that department, please let us know!
As for Leo, my little four legged biting companion, he has been seeing a dog trainer the past few weeks to work on an attitude adjustment (ie aggression). For those who don't already know, I adopted Leo last February 2009 from Furbaby Rescue, an animal rescue group up north (and one I would not recommend for any potential adopters reading this). A few days after his adoption, Leo bit me in the face, enough to do some substantial damage which resulted in a trip to the ER in order to prevent scarring (because what woman wants teeth marks scarred onto her face?). Because I didn't know his history and what he had been subjected to, and because I was informed by Furbaby that he had never shown signs of aggression (yeah right), I decided to keep him. Long story short, he has bitten both Sean and I numerous times since then. Because I can't stand the thought of having to put him down, I am now shelling out hard earned cash each week for Jessica, our awesome dog trainer, to work on improving his overall attitude. Though we have seen minor improvements prior to today's session, Leo truly is one stubborn dog so it has been slow going. Last week Jessica suggested we use a shock collar, which admittedly is a last resort, but one that I am more than willing to try. Would I have said that a few weeks ago? Probably not, but I swear I have come so close to killing him myself that this is a much better alternative. So far he is responding quite nicely to it and once again I am feeling a faint glimmer of hope that one day I will be able to cuddle my dog without the fear of him mauling me.
So, that's the most recent update. Lots going on, and lots more to come. Sean has been dropping the "m" word more and more lately, so there should be more exciting news to come in the next few months or so. First though, I want to find a house and get settled so we can be done with this whole process!
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