One Month Countdown & 2 New TVs?

So I guess today begins the one month countdown. We are scheduled to close at 9am on Wednesday, April 22nd. I'm a little impatient, as is Matt, about getting started on the house so we called Janet to see if we could possibly reschedule for the 20th. It's only two days sooner but I'm on vacation that whole week so it would make a big difference for me. I hope it works out to be the 20th. I'm not as patient as I thought I would be. I just want it to get here already!

As we get closer and closer, we're trying to get everything squared away that we need. This weekend was supposed to be dedicated to finding paint colors. That took all of fifteen minutes in Home Depot. The bedroom colors were easy. The difficulty comes in deciding on colors for the spare bedroom and the office and agreeing. We'll figure that one out as we get closer. The other purchase of the weekend was a new television. Matt's wanted a new television I think since we moved out of the apartment. He's done all sorts of research and watching of sales and prices and he finally found one that was a great deal with great financing so to Sears we went on Saturday. We ended up with a 52inch LCD. I think it's a Samsung. I'm not sure about all the details but I do know that it's a $2,000 television and we got it on sale for 1399 with 24 months interest free financing. Amazingly we got the 52 inch in its box in the back of Matt's Mazda Speed 3. I didn't really think it was going to fit but Matt had faith and, well, as it turns out, Matt was right. Haha.

Of course if we're getting a new television with all this High-Def capability, we need something to play high-def movies on, and so enters the PlayStation 3. At Sears in Peabody, there weren't any in stock so this adorable salesman at Sears sold us our television with the promise that we could pick up a PS3 at another Sears and add it onto our financing. We drove back home, dropped off the television, and headed to the Sears in Saugus at Square One Mall. At this Sears, we were told by the man that in order for him to get the financing to go through on both purchases, he would have to return the television and rebuy it in the computer system. It made sense and sounded easy enough. It was all on paper, no moving of TVs so whatever. Off we went down to merchandise pick-up to get our new PlayStation 3. I scanned our receipt in the kiosk and out came a man with a 52 inch television for Morrissey. Matt and I were both speechless for a minute. Here was a chance to get a second television for no additional money and just walk away with it. It was their mistake and we could have had 2 new TVs! However, after only about 10 seconds of thought, Matt and I did the right thing and told the man that we already had the television and that we only needed the PS3. He actually questioned us (only once) but we left without the television. I figure that has to be good karma for something. One can only hope.

So in the end, we have only one new 52inch television, a new PS3, and hopefully, if all works out, a new closing date!

Bed in a Bag

Since I went to college, I've picked out my own bedding. I'm pretty sure it has consisted of me going to Target or Homegoods, browsing, and leaving with something I absolutely loved. Why it can't be that easy this time around is beyond me! I know what part of the issue is - it can't be too girly because now it's really our bedroom, not just mine. Matt and I have to agree on it. That's where the problems stem from. We've spent a good ten days searching and scouring every website we could find. Every one that I loved, he despised and vice versa. On a few occasions, he agreed that it was okay but I feel that he should love our comforter as much as I do. As it turns out, Matt will never really and truly love a comforter - he just doesn't care that much. He has, however, learned that if he lies to me and tells me he loves it, it can save us both a lot of aggravation. Too bad that took all ten days. Haha.

I started with all the basics. I went through every comforter, bedspread, and duvet cover on every website I could find. We finally settled on this simple, plain green comforter at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. My parents, being as fantastic as they are, offered to buy us our bedding as part of our housewarming. Saturday, we went off to get our new comforter. I wasn't convinced with the comforter so along the way, Matt and I made a few stops. I tried TJ Maxx, Homegoods, JC Penney, Macy's, and Sears before heading to Bed, Bath, and Beyond. There was one comforter at Macy's that we both actually agreed upon and liked but we weren't sure so we kept going. At Bed, Bath, & Beyond, we bought the plain green comforter and I pouted the entire way home. It just wasn't anything fantastic. It was plain and simple... not too bright, not too happy, not too green, not too anything. I went to work, and after discussing it with my good friend Susan, I decided that the one at Macy's was the best comforter we'd seen in a long time and a fantastic deal. With Sue's 20% coupon (thanks Sue!) and the sale price, we got a great set including the comforter, sheets, shams, bedskirt, and curtains! As I look at it, I'm even more stoked about it. It's really pretty perfect! Now if only April 22nd would hurry up and get here!

Irish Bars are Always Open

In the process of searching for end tables to match our impossibly difficult to find coffee table, we've been in and out of a lot of stores. Since our coffee table came from Bob's Furniture back when we first moved in together, we figured we'd try there. No such luck. Apparently, that item is now discontinued. The sales lady was nice enough to mention to us that Big Lots often carries discontinued Bob's Furniture items. So on Saturday, off we went to Big Lots. With no luck there, I figured I'd drag Matt into Anne & Hope Curtain & Bath Outlet... Maybe they'd have a comforter? Or an end table? You never know.

As soon as we walked in the door, there was this huge St. Patrick's Day display. With little luck in the rest of the store, Matt and I each immediately agreed that there were two items that we must purchase. These items were two signs to hang by the bar downstairs. In fact, we decided, without any doubt, that these two signs would hang in our basement. It was easier than picking the house or the comforter or which room should be what in the house... it was quick and painless. One sign, the tall sign, Matt thinks should hang on the wall in front of you as you walk down the stairs into the basement. I think it's a fantastic idea. The other sign will hang somewhere behind or beside the bar. There are few things we know about decorating and fewer things we whole-heartedly agree on, but these two signs were an easy yes!

The Next Big Thing

So we signed the Purchase & Sales on Tuesday night. What a relief. As long as all of the financing goes through with the banks and mortgage companies, we're closing on April 22nd, halfway through my school vacation. We're both so excited. It's rather scary thinking that very soon we could be paying a mortgage and being "grown up". I hope we're ready!

One of the first things we've been talking about buying is a new bed. The bed we have is only a full, and Matt's feet hang off the end. Besides that, our bed is old; it was given to me by a friend a few years ago. Friday night we went out looking for a bed, as well as searching for the end tables that match our coffee table. We started at Bob's Discount Furniture, where we bought our coffee table. Apparently, they no longer carry our coffee table so we searched for something else that would match and found nothing else. We found some kitchen sets to keep our eye on for when the time comes but that was about it.

We tried Bernie and Phyl's, too. I hated the store. I lost Matt in there for a good 20 minutes. It reminded me of Ikea. There's probably a method to going through that store but I couldn't figure it out.

Our last stop before dinner was Mattress Giant. I would have given up by then but we were with my parents and they wanted to check out a new mattress so we stopped. We spent, I think, over an hour and a half in Mattress Giant. We were the only people in there, besides the salesman, John, and he knew his stuff. He talked about mattresses as if they were the only thing in the world. He was missing quite a few teeth and had an odor to him, but he was the only salesman and he quite obviously knew what he was talking about. In the end, Matt and I decided to finance a king sized bed. We set it up to be delivered on April 23rd, right after we move in. Now of course, the anxiety comes in trying to find a comforter. I've searched online at Kohl's, Macy's, JC Penney, Sears, Domestications, Bed,Bath, and Beyond, Target, Walmart, and Overstock.com and still, I haven't found anything especially fantastic. Of course, not only does it have to be fantastic but Matt and I have to agree on it as well. Next big thing: kitchen set? end tables? television? paint? hardwood flooring? We'll see.

More Pics of the House

Just wanted to share a few more pictures with you all!:)


The back yard from the side of the three season room.

The backyard.
My gas stove!!
Another view of the basement.
The other side of the basement. Future work out room?
The dining room, looking into the three season room.

Living room.


Bathroom.