Monday, June 15, 2009

Ginger's Goin' Green

Not too long ago I decided to plant a garden. (Yeah, anybody who knows anything about a garden knows not to start it in June! Smart one, Ginger!) So I asked (farmer) Danny Johnson, the EQP in my ward, if his family had any land they don’t use. “As a matter of fact,” Mr. EQP said, “my family does have a long strip of land they let people in their ward use it. . .for free!” Evidently there are a lot of families in their ward who live in apartments and would like to plant a garden—hmm, that sounds just like me! They provide the land and even the water and it’s considered a service from the Johnson family. I offered a monthly or seasonal fee, but the Johnson family refused. I then begged them if I could at least give them some homemade salsa or zucchini bread from the harvest. They agreed to that. (That means if the salsa or bread doesn't turn out, I'm going to ask you if I can have some of yours that you made from your garden!) I talked to mom and Becky about what kind of seeds to get, what kind of starters to purchase and how often do I water what. Becky helped out and have me a few of her watermelon starters and mom gave me great advice about the tomatoes. I go out almost every day and weed and water my little plot of land. (And because it’s right by Utah Lake, I soak up just as much mosquito repellent as sunshine!) Little green sprouts are starting to shoot up out of the dirt. I’m getting so excited! I planted red, green and yellow peppers, big boy, jet star and cherry tomatoes, cantaloupe, watermelon, sunflowers, two different kinds of beets, radishes, spaghetti squash, zucchini and yellow onions. I’ll keep you posted come harvest time!


Monday, June 1, 2009

Holy Ton of Photos Batman!

As most of you know, I've been house hunting for the past 5 months. Mom, Dad and I have walked through at least 35 different condos and townhomes and nothing really seemed to click. Offers we made were either ignored or refused. (Even a seller thought it was best to foreclose instead of take our offer which was above asking price! Crazy people!)

And then a few decisions were made, price ranges were reduced dramatically and the search became a little more difficult. I began to become frustrated and started to loose hope. . .

But then. . . .I found a place! Keep in mind I’ve looked at everything from Springville to American Fork and guess where I found it? Two stories beneath where I’m currently renting. Yup! It’s in the exact building as Becky’s and Brent’s condo!

I placed an offer and accepted the seller’s counteroffer and as of this morning I am officially under contract! (Yahoo!!) I’m trying very hard not to count my chickens before they hatch, but it is a distressed sale and I have good feelings about this place. (And it doesn’t help that mom and I talk for hours about paint, wainscoting, carpet, furniture and all the fun stuff!)

Mom, Dad and I will meet with our lender tomorrow to figure out the loan and hopefully get locked in. (I’ve done a few things on my own, but if I didn’t have such good parents I would not be where I’m at today. Thank you mom and dad!)

It’s a 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo on the first floor. I have all the appliances and even a BBQ grill! (Just in time for summer!)

10 reasons why I like this place:


1)Location, location, location! It’s 30 seconds to the interstate, but it’s very quiet and out of the way. I take Geneva to work and it’s so beautiful with all the trees! My commute’s only 10 minutes.

2)Awesome Singles Ward. If I get married to a guy I met in this ward this condo was one of my best investments. It worked for Becky and Brent, it just might work for me!

3)I love knowing it comes with all the appliances!

4)Half the Elder’s Quorum said they’ll help me because I said I’d have a BBQ for all the guys who’ll help me move.

5)Moving will be so easy! From the third floor to the first floor! Heck, I could just through my stuff off of my balcony and walk down the stairs and move it in!

6)There’s not too much to paint. (Yes, you’ll notice the sage green in the kitchen and bathrooms and that needs to go! Egh! However, the one thing that took me by surprise was the laundry room. It’s a bright cherry yellow with a deep red, knotty alder cabinets above the washer and dryer. The color isn’t me or what I thought I would find attractive, but I really like the cheery laundry room. (It just might have me singing ‘Whistle While You Work’ as I do my laundry.

7)If I move to Hawaii, Becky and Brent can look after it. . .as long as I pay them! Or—if they move, I can look after their apartment!

8)Bay Windows—luuuve it!

9)Patio. . .I’m gonna have the cherry house swing out there!

10)And because it’s on the ground floor—I CAN GET A LITTLE DOGGIE!!!!

Some of you have requested a few photos. They’re out of order . . .sorry. The blue room is the other private bedroom, not the master. Here’s what the place looks like. I’d love feedback! What would you do differently to this place on a very tight budget?


Looking at the Front Door



Standing in the entryway, looking at the living room



Bay Window



Kitchen from Living room



The feez-fezzer



Kitchen from Hallway



Main hallway



Main Bedroom standing in hallway (Yep, that paint's gotta go!)



Main bedroom's closet



Main Bedroom



Standing in Hallway, looking into main bath



Main Bath



Master Bedroom



Standing in Master Bedroom, looking through master bath into master closet (shower and toilet are to your left)



Master Sink


A stupid picture of master shower


A more reasonable picture of the master shower



Master bath



Washer and Dryer



Standing in the main bath, looking past the laundry room to the front entry hall. (Front door is past the laundry room to your left)