Way to excited about this

"Michael, I found a blog about hating others blogs!"

CSA Dump

This summer we joined a CSA (community supported agricultural) group.  We get a basket of organic veggies every Tuesday which we split with my mother in law.  I am always excited on Tuesdays to see what kind of surprises our basket will bring us each week.  We have made several new recipes over the summer.  Each week we get SO MANY veggies.  Normally on Mondays I do a CSA juice dump.  I take all the leftover veggies from the week before and juice them. I normally add an apple or two the mix to sweeten it up.  Some of the smoothies have been better then others and Michael NEVER partakes in the CSA dump.  I always feel very healthy after I drink a smoothie with tons of veggies.  And my colon feels very very clean!

I like the coloring on this one.  It is my fav and the best tasting!

You have to stir the juice sometimes to prevent separating.

This one was pretty scary and included ALOT of greens.

All American Soap Box Derby

             Did you know Akron, Ohio is home to the All American Soap Box Derby?  I know, it's crazy right?  Who would have thought we host such a large national event!  A few weekends back on an over cast day, we attended our first Derby!  It was really a fun time.  People come from all over the country.  And they REALLY get into it!  We literally witness blood, sweat and tears.  Talk about intense!  My favorite part was going to the top of the hill and watching the racers at the start of their heats. 

"Each year since, with the exception of during World War II, youngsters from throughout the United States and several foreign countries have come to Akron with the racers they have built and driven to victory in their home communities.  The goals of the Soap Box Derby program have not changed since it began in 1934. They are to teach youngsters some of the basic skills of workmanship, the spirit of competition and the perseverance to continue a project once it has begun." - http://www.aasbd.o

Texts with Mom

Me- "Joseph said Grandma told him she wishes we would come up there to see her more."

Mom- "Honey Boo Boo is on"

RIP Rainbows

 I brought my first pair of Rainbows in 2007 while living in New York.  I have worn them every summer since.  They are the most comfortable sandal/footwear/shoe I have ever worn!  I have gotten my whole family hooked on them and brought a pair for Michael the first summer we were dating.  The other morning I woke up to the sound of Durbin wrestling around.  He had something in his mouth.  It was the Rainbows.  He had murdered them. 

The murder

Rest In Peace Rainbows!

Olympic Takes

I am semi obsessed with the Olympics.  I have been staying up way to late to watch .  I remember when I was a little girl and day dreaming about my parents signing me up for gymnastics. Some how I would  be"discovered" as being the best gymnast ever!  Needless to say I was never discovered and I cant even do a cartwheel.

This Olympics has had a few things stand out to me.

1.) Ryan Seacrest
Have you noticed?  NBC has a new sport caster.  And it is weird!  I watched him interviewing Michael Phelps.  All I kept thinking was "Wait, Kim Kardashian is an Olympic Athlete?"  Since when did this dude jump from reality TV producer and E! new reporter to Olympic correspondent?  Am I missing something?

2.) Ryan Lochte
Talk about a stud!  It should not be illegal to have this guy on TV with his shirt off.  He is smoking!  And he was on the cover of Vouge!   (So even Anna Wintour agrees.)  So classy!

(He gets two pictures.  Your welcome.)

3.) Bob Costas
Does this guy age?  What kind of skin cream does he use?  Do you think he uses botox?  Does he broadcast for anything but the Olympics?  Does NBC keep him in some sort of frozen in time capsule and only take him out every two years for the Olympics?

4.) Danell Leyva and his towel
 Danell is a grown 20 year old USA Olympic gymnast who won the bronze last night.  And this is his towel.  Apparently Danell takes it everywhere with him (totally normal) because he thinks it's lucky!  Here you can read more about the towel: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-33747_162-57484982/olympics-2012-u.s-gymnast-danell-leyvas-security-blanket/
In all fairness to the guy his Dad, who is also his couch, wears a pinky ring.  I was tempted to make that number 5 on this list but I could not find any images of it.  I think they just follow the beat of their own dumb.

Real Estate Blues

As a realtor I have the opportunity to interact with all different types of people from all walks of life.  I really like this about my job.  I get to hear stories about people lives.  I am always drawn in and often times sit around way to long listening to their stories.  It always make me appreciate my family.  It's made me realize that people are starving for interaction with other people. I wear my heart on my sleeve and often times the people I met tug on my heart strings.  Two stick out in my mind.  For privacy reasons (and for fear of break some real estate law) I will call them the Greek and the Sailor.

 This is the story about the Sailor.

I have had his house listed for three months.  I have worked extremly hard at trying to get this house sold.  It had been listed with at least three other realtors prior to me.  I am extremly competitive and selling the house would be an awesome accomplishment.  I printed out 100 fliers for every open house.  I passed them out door to door.  I called the whole neighborhood and invited them to the open houses.  I was so determined to get this house sold.

I become very fond of the Sailor.  He was in the Navy and has a "Sailor" like tatoo on his upper arm. He had a roommate that stayed with him three days as week. But other then that it was mainly him and his dog.  I had made it a habit to call him several times a week.  I would stop by often and visit with him and his dog.  I had made him cookies and written him Thank you's for listing with me.  I felt that he was lonely.  I would sit with him and hear his stories.  Sometimes hearing the same story every time I visited.  He wanted to sell his house so that he could move to California to be with his son.  I wanted to help him reach his goal.

At the start of the third month we received an offer!  A good offer that was in line with the comps!  I was elated.  The Sailor could be on his way to California to see his son!  And I would have sold the unsaleable house!  I met with the Sailor to discuss the offer that very night I received it.  We discussed it with his roommate.  The Sailor accepted the offer and signed all the paperwork.  We were on our way!

Like in any transaction the buyer's offer was contingent on their inspections.  From the inspections the buyers asked the Sailor to make a few repairs.  Nothing out of the ordinary.  Mainly in bringing things up to code.  Pretty standard. But this is when things took a turn.  The sailor was not happy.  I would call him to discuss the repairs and he would get angry with me.   It was like a switch had gone off.  I would reason with him and think we were on the same page.  But then the next day he would have changed his mine.  This went on for a week.  On Friday I took him to see 2 new place and we discussed the repairs.  He told me he was willing to make them if they stayed under a certain amount.  I was relieved.  We laughed and joked the whole car ride.  I felt like I had really made a friend and helped someone in their life.

Then came Monday morning. 

I called the Sailor to tell him I would be over to have him sign the addendum for the repairs.  The Sailor was livid with me.  He had done a complete 180 since Friday.  He told me I took him to a termite infested place on Friday.  He told me he had to look out for himself.  He told me he had a new realtor to help him find a new place.  He was screaming at me.  I was confused.  I started to defend myself saying I had been working so hard to help him sell his house.  I said the way he was talking to me was not fair.  He hung up on me.I started to cry. 

I spoke with my manager and she advised me to take him two addendum.  One saying he would do the repairs and one saying he would not do any repairs.  I took it over.  He choose the one with out the repairs.

Today I went over to bring him a copy of his addendum he had sign.  He did not even invite me in.  He took the paper and shut the door and talked to me very briefly through the screen door.  I noticed my sign was taken down in the front yard.  I could not bring myself to ask him about it.  My heart was too heavy.

A weekend away

A few weekend back we had the opportunity to go to a family friends cabin to watch their daughter while they where away for the weekend.  It was such a nice trip for us.  I had been working crazy hours  (I originally wrote house instead of hours...clearly working a ton.)  and it was nice to get away and not think about real estate for a whole week. Ok I did take 4 calls and replied to a few emails.  But it SO nice to get away on a little vacation.  The cabin was awesome and the weather great. 

Captain Mike

Franny and their puppie Ellie (aka cutest dog ever)

Good thing this is not a close up of my face.  I was terrified!

Feeling braver

Tubing for the first time.  So fun!

Hi Jay Leno...I mean Mary Jo Korm

First and only time I drove the boat

Franny relaxing while I drive

Sunset

Gorgeous Sunset!  The sky was almost unfire

A memory Michael would like to soon forget :)  It's a little hard to get up on jet skies.  But I would not know.  I did not even give it a try!

We're Talking Baseball

One of the best (if not THE best) thing about summer is baseball.  I have always LOVED going to games and following the Indians.
I remember going to my first Indians game when I was really little with my sisters and my Dad.

I remember going to my first Indians game at the new Jacobs field in 1994.  I remember we sat on the first baseline and all I wanted to do was catch a fly ball.

I remember in 1994 feeling the excitement of a great season only to be devastated by the players strike.

 I remember one time going up early to watch batting practice with my Dad.  He told me to leave my mitt in the car.  Eddie Murry hit a home run during batting practice RIGHT in front of us!  My Dad said if only we had brought the mitt!

I remember hearing the buzz of my Dad's radio every summer as he did yard work and listened to the Indians game.  I remember Tom Hamiltons (the best announcer in all of baseball ) voice booming "It's a long drive, deeeeep left center field, AWWWAYY BACKK GONE!"  All summer long though out our house.

I remember praying the Rosary during the world series in 1995 with my brother, hoping so badly for a win.  I remember the excitement and prays again in1997 only to come so close and be so disappointed.

 I remember being in college and checking the standings online in the computer lab.

 I remember in 2007 while living in New York and the Indians were playing the Yankees.  I put as my aim away message "Jesus wants the Indians to win" while living with all Jews. (Not very thoughtful of me.)  I remember the Yankees fans so disappointed in their loose.  As if they really knew what it was like to lose!

I remember turning off the TV in 2007 not able to bear to watch the Boston Red sock celebrate their American League game 7 victory over the Indians.

Every year I get that hope inside me that this might just be the year!

 I remember the first summer dating my husband and sharing our love of baseball together.  Every year we now get that hope together.  Listing to games in the car, watching them on our deck, and listening to them as we fall asleep.  We share the excitement together.

 I love this game.  I love that my husband loves this game too.

Opening day 2012 at Progressive Field

Indians baseball!

Other parks we have been to together

Three Rivers in Pittsburg

Wriggly Field Chicago

National Park Washington DC

Outside Camden Yards in Baltimore

Our Nations Capital

 The other weekend Michael and I went to visit my youngest brother Joseph (or just Joe as his friends call him) at college.  He goes to George Mason which is in Fairfax right outside of DC.  Our goal was to see the Cherry blossoms.  But due to the unseasonably warm spring they had already bloomed.  We stopped in Annapolis and Baltimore. It was a great trip.  I love the DC area.  I always feel so proud to be an America and the history major dork in me really comes out!

Boats in Annapolis

Lunch outside in Annapolis overlooking the water. (Marie's scarf is a little too overwhelming on me! Yikes!)

Building in Baltimore

Orioles game.  We love baseball.

Two Amy's.  The BEST!

Capital Building.  (I think...right?)

Heading home after a great trip!

Puppy love

A few weeks back Micheal's parents took their dogs to get a summer Haircuts.  And it's a good thing the did too because after the haircuts it was discovered that Dasiy was pregnant!  They assumed that she would give birth sometime in June.  But a week later she was in labor and gave birth to three adorable little puppies.  I have never been around puppies this little and it's been awesome watching Daisy take care of the little puppies.  She is so protective.  It's amazing how mother nature works!

Two of the puppies cuddling their mamma.

Durbin checking out the puppies

High five!

Some instagram photo love. 

Gentalmen Only, Ladies Forbidden

Hello followers!  (This means you Michael W.)

After many request from my biggest fans (fan) and a number of followers (follower) I have returned to my blog.  I know you have missed my day to day/ play by play of my super exciting realtor life!

Most recently my lovely and patience husband took me golfing.  It was a really fun weekday night date!  I got a beer and Michael got a snickers.  I was super nervous that he would loose patience's with me and vow never to take me again.  But I surprisingly did not suck that bad.  I guess I should disclose it was a par 3 course and we only played 9 holes.  I love discovering things we can do together for the rest of our lives.  We can golf now and when we are 80.  After golf we went to Fishers and sat outside.  I had another beer and Michael had ice cream.  (Notice a theme here?)

Michael showing me how it's done. Photo credit: Instgram (I'm addicted!)

Who's that dork? Please note that I wore a polo and Michael wore a under shirt.  (We know who the classy one is in this family.)

Photo Credi:  Instgram (making me look good at photography!)

We both had a great time and said we would like to go back again!   I am sure there are lots more golf dates to come.