BikiniBound's Diary

Flipping a house is a great idea. I flipped one a couple of years ago and made a nice little chunk of money from it. Plus, I have connections through my job and can get a lot of materials at cost so let me know if you buy something and maybe I can hook a sista up!

I dunno, I'm thinking the cost of shipping the materials from Arkansas to Michigan might cancel out the savings. :biggrinjester: I've got my eye on a gorgeous little gem of a foreclosure, but I'm sure it will sell long before I can buy it. :(

You and Claudia were very lucky to have good babies. I hope I do, too, b/c if I get one that's up all night crying every night, BB will have a serious case of post-partum depression. :banghead: Then again, I'm already up half the night...lol. :biggrinjester:
 
You have certainly been making some big decisions. It is great that your marriage is going so well - and I have to say I am pleased that you have been giving some serious thought to trying for a baby. I would hate for you to miss out on something that is important to you. You can feel young and that your fertility will go on forever and that just isnt the case for women.

Timing things until after the health insurance clicks in sounds perfect.

Marriages never come with a lifetime guarantee. All you can do is see how things are going at the minute and if they are going well - hope that it continues that way.

Margaret,
I've been giving serious thought to having a baby for years now. The problem is that H wasn't ready, and our finances were in the proverbial toilet. Over the summer I told H that if things didn't change, and change soon, I was going to divorce him. I told him my ovaries were going to shrivel up and die soon, and if we didn't get our stuff together, and make it possible to start trying, I was gonna divorce him and find someone who could give me what I want. Harsh? Maybe, but we only live once, and I didn't want to end up a bitter old woman b/c I spent too much time waiting for him to get with the program. Ha! :D

Being a bit of a part-time property developer sounds great. You are in an ideal position to see properties with a lot of potential as soon as they turn up - so you should be able to snap up the cream of the crop.

Do you get some good tv programs on the subject?

We have a channel in here in the US called HGTV--Home and Garden Channel. They have all kinds of good programs on this subject--one is called Flip This House. They also have lots of remodelling, decorating cheaply shows. But, like I said, we have already done it once with disasterous results. The good thing that came out of it was that we learned a hell of a lot, and I've also got a lot more real estate experience under my belt now--not to mention, once H gets his inheritance, we'll be in an excellent financial position. I am very confident that we will be successful this time around. Even though market values are down, we can buy it more cheaply, so we can sell it for less. It all evens out.

It sounds interesting about the gym too. We paid an absolute fortune to some gyms when we were both working and never went. It sounds a good idea to see if the new one is as nice as it sounds.

I am too much of a cheapskate to pay for a gym membership and not make good use of it. :D
 
Exercise this week:
1/21—45 min exercise bike, 15.32 miles, weight: 223
1/22—15 min exercise bike, 5.52 miles, weight: 223
1/23—30 min circuit training, weight: 223.5 :ack2:

Wedneday's calories: 1,838, 38g fiber

Well, calories were so-so today, but the fiber was great. All the fiber I've been eating this week finally kicked in today, so I'm hoping for a new low tomorrow. Ha! I've been hoping for that all week. I couldn't believe I was up a half pound this morning. :willy_nilly:

I've got 90 minutes of exercise to get in tomorrow in order to get all my challenge exercise pts this week. As I don't have a really busy day, I should be able to manage it. I plan to do 1hr of circuit training, then 30 min on the bike at home.

The weather continues to be cold and snowy. I had to clean the white stuff off my car three times today. I wouldn't mind if it wasn't so freaking cold. It was only 14F out when I was coming home from the office. :ack2:

Our real estate board just got a new, state of the art website in early December. They have been running some how to classes to show us all the nifty new things we can do--and how to do it. I attended one of the classes this afternoon, and it was pretty cool. It makes running searches and comparables reports a lot easier. I spent most of the evening playing with it at my office. I especially love the new mapping capabilities. So I checked out a report that compares the number of homes sold and the sales volume for different areas in my county. Nearly every area was down in price by 5% or more. This is the change from '06 to '07. About half were down in the number of homes sold as well--although some areas had good increases. So the buyers are out there--they're just paying less for homes than they were a few years ago.

My lender called me today. The loan for my pending sale should be out of underwriting tomorrow, and we should have a clear to close by Friday. We should be closing a week from today. :party:

The building inspector I use sent me a $20 gift card for the movies as a thank you. I still have some left on the one he gave me last year...lol. And my H has one from Christmas. I think we need to see a movie this weekend. :)
 
Hi Kimberly

Harsh? Maybe, but we only live once, and I didn't want to end up a bitter old woman

I have sometimes found with hubby that it makes sense to tell it as it is! We get on well together - but I have never been the kind of wife to keep quiet and not say what I am thinking. Men sometimes need things that we see as obvious pointed out to them.

The good thing that came out of it was that we learned a hell of a lot, and I've also got a lot more real estate experience under my belt now--not to mention, once H gets his inheritance, we'll be in an excellent financial position. I am very confident that we will be successful this time around. Even though market values are down, we can buy it more cheaply, so we can sell it for less. It all evens out.

Sometimes the market improves and you can get to make a better profit than you were hoping for. Buying cheap is positive.

I am sure that you will do really well with it this time round. Experience can make a big difference - and I am sure that you will have analysed what could have happened better last time round so that you improve things this time.

Understanding the order of the tasks required in forming the project plan and coming up with a sensible concept of what is required and realistic pricing plus a contingency seems to be a good start on the programs that I have seen. Some people seem to waste a fortune by doing things in the wrong order and adding extra jobs without realising that things will then cost more.

Good luck in getting your new low. If all else fails - try eating salmon!

Take care
Love
Margaret
 
:hurray: Hey there,can ya guess where I am going tonight,lol some place your grandma likes to go lol???Have a gr8 day and GL with the challange weigh in,I am down -1lb this week and it would have been more but TOM came yesterday!**huggs***Tammy
 
Well, I hit a new low today--finally. Only a half pound, but I'll take it. :)

Tammy--Granny is there as I type..lol.

Margaret--yes, we made all kinds of mistakes the first time we attepted to flip a house. The good thing that came out of it was increased wisdom.
 
I dunno, I'm thinking the cost of shipping the materials from Arkansas to Michigan might cancel out the savings. :biggrinjester: I've got my eye on a gorgeous little gem of a foreclosure, but I'm sure it will sell long before I can buy it. :(

You and Claudia were very lucky to have good babies. I hope I do, too, b/c if I get one that's up all night crying every night, BB will have a serious case of post-partum depression. :banghead: Then again, I'm already up half the night...lol. :biggrinjester:

Ha!! No shipping from AR required, I could just give you discount codes or hook you up with much less expensive options and dealers. I work for an architecture firm and I do all the contracts as well as all the construction documents, fee projections, budgets, etc.

We are lucky to have good babies but I think you will handle it much better when it's your own. It has NEVER bothered me to get up at night with her. Teething was a bitch but we got to spend tons of Mommy and Daughter time in the recliner during this period. I am an extremely impatient person but I LOVE getting up with her. I miss her when she goes to bed so I sit in the glider next to her crib just watching her each night before I hit the sack. She lays on her belly with her boo boo (butt) up in the air when she sleeps. It is sooooo damn cute!

Have a sooper thursday! I am headed to an evening meeting that probably won't end until 7pm. Bah!! :waving:
 
Well, I hit a new low today--finally. Only a half pound, but I'll take it. :)

Congratulations on the new low. That is brilliant. :party: :party:

When are you posting the new bonus for the challenge?

I ask because it is Friday already here (just) and I will want to know in the morning (when you are likely to be asleep) in case I need to buy any different groceries.
 
Congrats on the new low girl! I'm so happy for you :).

My sis took the baby to the doctor and he thinks he has colic or reflux, hence the constant crying. I must say with my own baby lately I've been leaving her alone with her little tantrum, which seems to end after I stop paying attention. So I think none of us pointed out that the difference in ages plays a big part in deciding which strategy to use. So of course a newborn under 6 - 12 months should not be left to cry while your strategy of ignoring the crying might work with a 19 month old having a temper. Glad we got THAT cleared up LOL.
 
Congrats on the new low girl! I'm so happy for you :).

My sis took the baby to the doctor and he thinks he has colic or reflux, hence the constant crying. I must say with my own baby lately I've been leaving her alone with her little tantrum, which seems to end after I stop paying attention. So I think none of us pointed out that the difference in ages plays a big part in deciding which strategy to use. So of course a newborn under 6 - 12 months should not be left to cry while your strategy of ignoring the crying might work with a 19 month old having a temper. Glad we got THAT cleared up LOL.

I disagree with you on the not ever leaving a baby to cry. I think there are sometimes when it's necessary. For example, if the baby is put to bed for the night, and is fine until put in bed, then starts crying only because they don't want you to leave, they should be left to cry for the 5-10min it takes them to fall asleep. Most babies cry when they are tired, so it's only natural they cry when you put them down to sleep. Otherwise they learn that if they cry, you'll come running every time. This is usually only when the baby is well past the newborn stage--say 5-6months on. I know plenty of parents who new very well their babies were perfectly fine and only crying b/c they wanted to be held. They will never learn to sleep on their own if the parents come running in the room everytime. You may disagree with me, but I don't believe it's heartless. Neglecting a baby who is in need of attention is bad, but when there's nothing wrong, and it's time for bed, I feel it's ok. Also, during the day, they don't need to be held every minute of the day. You'd never get anything done if you did. Obviously, babies need to be held, but not 24/7.

In my experience, newborns don't usually cry unless they either are hungry, tired, in need of a diaper change, or are sick. But when you said he cried unless he was held, it sounded more like he was just crying to be held. Colic is a bitch. I have heard that if they're breastfeeding, cutting out wheat from the mother's diet can help tremendously. Otherwise, I think there is medicine you can give them. According to my gran, my dad had a terrible case of it, and some green drops in his bottle did the trick. I hope the doc gave your sis something for the poor guy. If that's his problem, no wonder he's been crying all the time.

You're spot on ignoring your daughter's tantrums. They feed off the attention, so when no one's watching them, they soon realize there's no point in throwing one, as it isn't going to get them whatever it is they want..lol. :biggrinjester:

I can assure you that a baby who is under a year old is capable of being fussy because they are pissed. My story about my ex-friend's baby is a prime example. She was fine until her mom walked out the door. Then the crying began, and didn't stop unless she was sleeping or her mom came back. She wasn't hungry, sick, tired or anything else--just a momma's girl who was mad that she was stuck with me. :D She never gave me any trouble until she hit about 9 months. Then it was torture. And, man, could that baby fill a diaper! If I was holding her and heard her fart, I knew I'd better get her to the changing table pronto, or both she and I would be covered in poo. :ack2: :biggrinjester:
 
Congratulations on the new low. That is brilliant. :party: :party:

When are you posting the new bonus for the challenge?

I ask because it is Friday already here (just) and I will want to know in the morning (when you are likely to be asleep) in case I need to buy any different groceries.

Thanks!

Sorry about posting the bonus. It completely slipped my mind this week! Since it's just drinking water, I think you'll be fine at the supermarket. :D
 
Ha!! No shipping from AR required, I could just give you discount codes or hook you up with much less expensive options and dealers. I work for an architecture firm and I do all the contracts as well as all the construction documents, fee projections, budgets, etc.

We are lucky to have good babies but I think you will handle it much better when it's your own. It has NEVER bothered me to get up at night with her. Teething was a bitch but we got to spend tons of Mommy and Daughter time in the recliner during this period. I am an extremely impatient person but I LOVE getting up with her. I miss her when she goes to bed so I sit in the glider next to her crib just watching her each night before I hit the sack. She lays on her belly with her boo boo (butt) up in the air when she sleeps. It is sooooo damn cute!

Have a sooper thursday! I am headed to an evening meeting that probably won't end until 7pm. Bah!! :waving:

Ah, I see what you mean about discounts now. Thanks! It'll be 3-4 months before we're ready to do anything.

That is so cute about Bella and her boo boo. :D Well, if I'm half as attentive to a future baby as I am to my cat, the kid will be spoiled rotten. I love to watch my cat sleep. He always looks so sweet and peaceful. Even my husband is enthralled with the Dommer. :D We're a couple of dorks. :jester:

I hope your meeting was short and sweet, and that you got to go home and see your family.
 
hey bikinibound! i like your screen name :) i just started reading your diary...i read the first few pages and then realized that it was over 200 pages so i jumped to the last few pages, but wow i'm so impressed that you've lost over 50 pounds! that's an amazing accomplishment! i admire the amount of exercise you do...i wish i was that motivated, i'm gonna try to exercise more regularly! and i think it's great that you're getting healthy before you have kids too! that's my plan :)

congrats on your new low! (lol "new low" sounds like a negative...but not to us "losers" hehe)

Hi Linzee,
Welcome to my diary. Thanks for checking it out. :)

Trust me, I never exercised like this before I started losing weight. Oh, I might have done it for a week or two, but then gave up. Now I tell myself that it's mandatory, not optional. I'm also in a challenge right now that requires us to exercise 5hrs a week in order to get full pts. So that is a huge kick in the rear to keep me going. Consistancy is the key. You just need to eat right and exercise consistantly, and you'll do just fine. :)
 
Exercise this week:
1/21—45 min exercise bike, 15.32 miles, weight: 223
1/22—15 min exercise bike, 5.52 miles, weight: 223
1/23—30 min circuit training, weight: 223.5
1/24—50 min circuit training, 40min bike, 13.66 miles, weight: 222 (new low)

Thursday's food: 1,688 calories, 33g fiber

I'm pleased about the new low, but am hoping for a new on Friday morning.

I'll be around in the a.m. Friday b/c I got suckered into taking an office shift for a co-worker. So no sleeping late for BB tomorrow. But that's good b/c I didn't get to sleep until 7am this morning. I went to bed at 2:30am, but couldn't sleep. At 4:30, H and I were both wide awake again. I can't get to sleep and he can't stay asleep. So we ended up having some early morning fun. ;)

It's colder than a nun's nasty atm--7F. Burrrrr...

Sorry if this seems loopy. I took half an Ambien about 30min ago to help me get to sleep at a decent hour, and it's taking affect. Guess I'd best be saying Good Night. I'll get to everyone's diaryies in the morning. :beating:
 
Good luck for another new low on Friday morning.

Thanks for posting the bonus - I should be able to cope fine with drinking the water. It is a little more water than I normally have - but I am so lazy I worked out that an extra half litre sorts me out so I will have that. I cannot be bothered with messing around with measuring jugs.

I was sorry to ask the question - but I had this vision of you saying no bananas or something after I had just done it on Friday.
 
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