the new addition

So after the Sofa Debacle of 2010 (where we got a little tipsy at brunch and bought a new sofa that we didn't need) and all the old furniture was gone, there was quite a bit of time with just the new couch, nothing else in the living room. I had sold the coffee table since it was too big for our space, sold the arm chair that had matched the old sofa and we were left with just a sofa with nothing else.

I started scouring the interwebs looking for just the chair and coffee table or ottoman to put in the room. Lo and behold, I found just the perfect chair at Target of all places. All of the furniture I had seen in stores has seemed to be very college dorm room. When I was looking online, I was a little weary of what the quality would be like. The chair I wanted happened to be 15%, plus free shipping, and I got 6% cash back from ebates. With a deal like that I pulled the trigger and ordered. Hubs unpacked and assembled it before I even got home.

I walked into the house to find my new love.

The color is fantastic with our green walls, but isn't so bold that it over powers the room. The added seating was also a bonus. Now the sofa doesn't look so lonely.

We also got a couple other items from Target that I am absolutely smitten with. 

A little blurry, but this is the Chesapeake Dining Buffet

And the Falls Village Nightstand, I can't get a picture of it, but check out the link.

These two items were a little time consuming to put together, but totally worth it. I love them, and I love that they are from Target even more.

Next up on the search list, the perfect coffee table or ottoman. I'd really like an over sized storage ottoman, we'll see what I can find.

Do you have any go to places for online furniture shopping?

because it's been a while

It won't be anywhere near snowmageddon 2010, but we're in the midst of what will probably be our biggest snowfall of the year. Hubs called me at about 2:45 to say "leave work now, it's BAD out there" I got home a little after 4. I work three miles away. Everything is a disaster here, haven't seen a plow yet and we have about 6 inches on the ground already. So for your viewing pleasure.....

my first video on YouTube!!!!

2011 won't be the year ....

we buy a house.

There I've said it. As eager as we were to move, I doubt that it'll be happening anytime soon. After meeting with our agent in December and going over the comps in our neighborhood, there is no way we can sell our condo without taking a HUGE loss. We don't have money to be losing. So we'll stick it out until we can get a little closer to the selling price. I don't think that means a couple months, I think that means a year or more. Sad.

We would need about 3 times what we had in cash reserves to be able to sell, paying sellers agent fees, and buy with a meager down payment and closing costs.

I'll still be looking at houses on the market and I'm sure we'll still be doing open houses, but unless there is a ridiculous deal out there, we won't be buying.

I was just too stressed with paying down the house, credit cards, while also saving cash to take to closing. Trying to be so frugal and cheap was really stressing me out and stressing hubs out. We want to be able to live our lives, and staying in the condo isn't the end of the world. It's just not preferable.

Yes, rates will go up. Home prices will go up. But we just can't buy right now, unless we win the lottery.

In the meantime, we'll be paying down the mortgage to try to bridge the gap of where we are and what we can sell for. We'll continue to increase the cash reserves so when the time comes, we are ready with down payment and closing costs to buy. But really, the stress level is lifted and we can relax and just enjoy whatever 2011 brings us.

and maybe i'll be wrong and we do win the lottery.

Happy 2011!!!!

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I hope everyone had a fun New Year's Eve! We have really taken it easy the past couple of years. This year we did dinner out with friends and then headed home to play Just Dance 2 until Snookie dropped in the ball.

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I'm not usually one to make resolutions, but I really need to get some things done this year! What a better motivator than tell everyone online what I intend to accomplish this year.

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First up, I'd like to get all of my CDs uploaded to my itunes. I can then start selling some at yardsales or just donating. Get that clutter out of my house!

Along the same lines, I'd like to purchase an external hard drive to back up all of those uploaded songs. I have so much music and so many pictures that only exist on one computer that I would hate to lose should a crash occur. Eventually I'd like to purchase a new computer as well, but that may be more than 2011 can handle already.

The next goal is to get rid of our credit card debt. I've gotten down to zero several times, and as soon as we get there, EMERGENCY! and we have to rack up the debt. The slippery slope is then started and once a big purchase is made on the credit cards, a tank of gas, a lunch out, or a new sweater just doesn't seem like a big deal, but that stuff adds up quick. Since we are trying to get approved for a home loan, we have to get that debt to credit ratio down. I've been slowly chipping away at it in 2010, but I think we can knock it out once and for all this year.

Finally, as cliche` as it is, I need to get on the Fit Train this year and get serious about losing some lbs. I'm starting Weight Watchers again and making hubs do it with me for a while. I think with both of us on board, we'll be able to get the momentum rolling quickly. We did the official weigh in this morning (YIKES) and started the year with a sensible breakfast. It'll also be back to the gym and maybe finding some dough to do personal training again. I'll be one of those resolution folks that all of the avid gym goers hate. Too bad for them.

There are a number of other things I'd like to do over the year, but these are the biggies. Hopefully this will give me plenty to blog about and get back online!!!

What are you resolving to do this year?