On a sweet spring day!
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Birdwatching
The weather in Estes today is a bit bleak. Very foggy and rainy, but I won't complain because we really need the moisture. Unfortunate timing for the Jazz Fest this weekend, though, but I'm sure folks will still make the best of it.
In the meantime, however, the last few days have been great for bird watching! We've had lots of visitors at the feeders and in the yard this week. We have a hummingbird or two coming up to the feeders, but of course every time they are near, my camera is nowhere to be found! Alas. Here's a few of the other visitors I did manage to capture.
In the meantime, however, the last few days have been great for bird watching! We've had lots of visitors at the feeders and in the yard this week. We have a hummingbird or two coming up to the feeders, but of course every time they are near, my camera is nowhere to be found! Alas. Here's a few of the other visitors I did manage to capture.
Juvenile western meadowlarks
White-breasted nuthatch
Downy Woodpecker
A golden eagle
How Sherlock birdwatches.....
Monday, May 14, 2012
Officially Official
Well, it's officially official! We close on our new house on July 6! (Assuming that financing goes smoothly and that the inspection doesn't turn up anything bad!)
I am so excited to move. The Conklin House has been a great transition for us, but there could really never be any permanency here. It's just too small for us and definitely too small for a family. So the idea of moving into a bigger space that is officially "ours" is very exciting. I'm looking forward to mornings on the balcony overlooking the city. Sure, we'll miss the beautiful view we have here, but let's face it--we live in Estes Park! Everywhere is a beautiful view. I'm also very glad that this is happening now and not later on in the year. It means that we will be completely moved and settled well before the wedding, which will dramatically reduce my stress once we get closer to it. Now we can invite family over for holidays and not be cramped into a too-small space. Now we can have a yard for the dog to run around and chase birds at his leisure in. Now we will not have to worry about not having enough space when we start a family.
Of course, I must mention the reason we're buying this house, because in actuality it's kind of bittersweet. We had originally planned on saving this year so that we would have a 5% or maybe even 10% down payment within the next year or 18 months. However, in March Cameron's mother, Ginger, passed away. She had a large inheritance saved for Cameron and his two brothers, and what we received from that was well more than enough for us to put down a full 20% or more as a down payment. We knew that it would have made her very happy to be able to put the money toward a house and a future for us and our family and so we decided to move as quickly as we could while the market was definitively in our favor. So the fact that we are moving into this great house at this time is definitely bittersweet, but more sweet, I think. I know that she would appreciate how we are using those funds, and I definitely appreciate the amazing opportunity we have, even if it is coming from a sad place.
I'll continue to update this blog of course, although it will be undergoing a name change sometime this summer. And I'll be sure to share photos and news as the move gets closer!
I am so excited to move. The Conklin House has been a great transition for us, but there could really never be any permanency here. It's just too small for us and definitely too small for a family. So the idea of moving into a bigger space that is officially "ours" is very exciting. I'm looking forward to mornings on the balcony overlooking the city. Sure, we'll miss the beautiful view we have here, but let's face it--we live in Estes Park! Everywhere is a beautiful view. I'm also very glad that this is happening now and not later on in the year. It means that we will be completely moved and settled well before the wedding, which will dramatically reduce my stress once we get closer to it. Now we can invite family over for holidays and not be cramped into a too-small space. Now we can have a yard for the dog to run around and chase birds at his leisure in. Now we will not have to worry about not having enough space when we start a family.
Of course, I must mention the reason we're buying this house, because in actuality it's kind of bittersweet. We had originally planned on saving this year so that we would have a 5% or maybe even 10% down payment within the next year or 18 months. However, in March Cameron's mother, Ginger, passed away. She had a large inheritance saved for Cameron and his two brothers, and what we received from that was well more than enough for us to put down a full 20% or more as a down payment. We knew that it would have made her very happy to be able to put the money toward a house and a future for us and our family and so we decided to move as quickly as we could while the market was definitively in our favor. So the fact that we are moving into this great house at this time is definitely bittersweet, but more sweet, I think. I know that she would appreciate how we are using those funds, and I definitely appreciate the amazing opportunity we have, even if it is coming from a sad place.
I'll continue to update this blog of course, although it will be undergoing a name change sometime this summer. And I'll be sure to share photos and news as the move gets closer!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Some News!
Well, readers, looks like this blog will be taking a change of name soon...and that's because we'll be leaving the Conklin House soon. I don't want to put the horse too far ahead of the cart, but it looks like we will be buying a house! We'll be moving across town to a beautiful house that looks a little something like this...
We saw it a little earlier this week and put in an offer on the same day because we liked it so much. The bank responded this morning with a very generous counter-offer and we decided to accept it! We'll be submitting a contract later today and ideally we will close in 60 days. Fingers crossed!
The house is great and will be a wonderful starter home for us. It has 2 bedroom and a loft on the third floor that can be used as a guest bedroom, 3 bathrooms, laundry room, 2 balconies, wide open great room/kitchen/dining room and a huge fenced yard. It's very sturdy and has never had anybody live in it. Plus it just looks so cool! I'm very excited. I've grown very apathetic to living in this tiny, dark house and I can't wait to have a bright, open, lively space to live in and start a family in.
We will keep you updated!
We saw it a little earlier this week and put in an offer on the same day because we liked it so much. The bank responded this morning with a very generous counter-offer and we decided to accept it! We'll be submitting a contract later today and ideally we will close in 60 days. Fingers crossed!
The house is great and will be a wonderful starter home for us. It has 2 bedroom and a loft on the third floor that can be used as a guest bedroom, 3 bathrooms, laundry room, 2 balconies, wide open great room/kitchen/dining room and a huge fenced yard. It's very sturdy and has never had anybody live in it. Plus it just looks so cool! I'm very excited. I've grown very apathetic to living in this tiny, dark house and I can't wait to have a bright, open, lively space to live in and start a family in.
We will keep you updated!
Monday, March 26, 2012
Finally Adjusting
Pretty good morning when there are elk in your driveway, huh?
I think I am finally adjusting to the change from life in a big city to life in Estes Park. I know it's been over four months, but this has been an exceptionally hard transition for me. Most of it has to do with the fact that I left a job I really loved and was unable to find another one until very recently. I was idle for the better part of four months and that's essentially a recipe for disaster for me. That, coupled with the fact that we live in a fairly remote location, added to the rough winter, left me feeling like I was stuck in a box for a long time. Every time I went down the valley and visited Fort Collins, I missed it a lot, and I started having some doubts about living here for a long time, which put me between a rock and a hard place knowing that we're here for the long haul.
Now that I have a job and I'm out of the house more regularly, things are getting better. Spring is on its way and I don't feel so isolated and stuck in my house all day. I can open up the windows and listen to the birds and hear the world outside. The last time I visited Fort Collins, I didn't miss it quite as much. I think I am finally becoming okay with living here in Estes Park.
I am still feeling slightly wobbly with my new job, although everyone seems to be telling me the opposite regarding my performance. I am having a difficult time making myself feel confident with my job, maybe because I feel so much pressure to be great. Most of that is myself, I know. I have high standards for myself. I don't want to let anyone down. I still seem to wake myself up every night over-thinking details from my last shift which keeps me up most of the night. I am ready to feel confident and be able to sleep through the night knowing I did a good job at work. Coupled with all of this doubt, I know, is the fact that Cameron and I haven't quite been able to coordinate our work schedules yet, with the result that I am working when he is off and vice versa, which has been another frustrating transition. I haven't yet been able to get a good rhythm down as far as balancing work life and home life, so because of that I also haven't done any writing in several weeks which is starting to get to me too. With any luck, soon this transition will start to feel more complete and everything will begin to fall into place. I know that with summer coming on I will be even more busy than I am now, so it is critical to get into a confident swing.
In any event, the weather is finally turning here and Estes is looking beautiful. We are still waiting for everything to bloom--but spring is definitely on its way to the Rocky Mountains.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
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