Found house...will wait...

So Ben and I found the house of our dreams (well at least my dreams and maybe just my current dreams, not the dreams of the house we may want in 20 years). But it is gorgous! We have been browsing for quite a few months. And this is the best house that we have found yet. Ben and I put in a contingent offer on our condo closing in Seattle, but they rejected it. Turns out they have to sell and close all of the houses on one side of the street first (a total of 4 houses... 1 is complete, 3 more to go). Because we want lot 5 and it happens to be on the other side of street we have to wait. But it is worth it!

Here are the trees our house will be next to.

The kitchen..with granite...yeah!

Now don't get too attached, because you never know what will happen in this market. I am trying not to be, but the fact is...I am blogging it, never a good sign.

Mutual Agreement in effect!

So I just can't say we sold it yet, because you never know in this market. But we do have a mutual agreement with the buyer for the sale of our condo in Issaquah. Yeah!!!!!! We have been so patient and were expecting to wait at least three or so more months. It first went on the market in January at $20,000 higher than the current sales price...nothing. We took it off the market and got some renters in there for the summer. Then had lined up another renter for the fall. The switch over happened labor day weekend. The same weekend, Ben and I went up to Seattle and installed brand new carpet and crown molding. We also bought a flat screen plasma TV to incent possible buyers. Well it worked! We got a full price offer yesterday and we accepted last night! Ben is quite bummed that we cannot get the TV back, but maybe someday we can have our very own plasma TV. We are quite grateful that we can have this money at the beginning of our marriage so we can start fresh and buy a house of our own!

Millions of Peaches...Peaches for Free

Ben and I had the opporunity to spend the whole day together on Saturday. So after running some Ben errands we went to pick peaches. We kept following signs to where it said "u-pick peaches and necterines". Once we go there, it said "closed for ripening". Ben would not settle for a closed sign, so he called the owner of the farm and to our surprise, they said come on up. Once we found the barn an 85 year old man, Farmer Bay walked out with his cane. We listened to his life stories for about 15 minutes and then he told us we could pick some necterines off the trees, but the peaches we would have to be picked-up off the ground. We found quite a few ripe and good "wind fall" peaches on the ground. And then after we picked our 10 lbs. of peaches and necterines and went to pay our $8, the little old man and woman did not have change. They said since they were not technically open that we should just take them for free. We even stopped at a garage sale and picked up a 100 year old book on mechanics of some sort for $5. Wow what a day! So far we have made, peach ginger marmalade, peach tomato salsa, french peach pie and even Ben got into the peach fest and made a cobbler! Too much fun :)

Rafting up close

Class V Rapid Play by Play: Christie Rafting...

And I survived...

Tent vs. Cabin @ Mt. Hood

Mt. Hood

Ben & Christie

Karie & Dain

In celebration of Labor Day (thank you all who have labored before me so we can have this three day weekend before the summer ends), the gang went camping! I mean Karie, Dain and Ben and I. Mom joined us for a couple nights too. And then on the last night my brothers, Dave and Steven and my sister and her whole family came up for the annual smores contest. I only won 2nd place with my nutella toasted coconut smores. Beat out by Raspberry chocolate...well done Cheryl! Unfortunately, it was raining that day and they all chose not to stay :( And even though it took many hours of menu planning, shopping and packing, it was a fun time had by all! We had to go up to Seattle on the way to work on the condo, which is not really on the way, but Ben was making fun of how much stuff we really had. Take a peek :)








The next weekend, I attended an annual meeting with my company and we too went to Mt. Hood and stayed over night after some very fun river rafting. We stayed at the Inn at Copper Spur Mountain in cabins. And after our little adventure in the flooded tent the previous weekend (long story), I have to give extra points to the cabins. Not as adventurous, but much dryer. Ah, to be one with nature.