Oh, yes, we did. We bought a house and I can finally tell you! 
But, first, BREAKFAST! 
Breakfast
I’m not typically a lazy person, but yesterday I totally was. I realized that we were out of oats, but I had absolutely zero desire to go to the grocery store to buy more. Instead, I “improvised” with what was already in the pantry: bulgur and barley.
Last night, I cooked a batch of bulgur and barley and stored it in Tupperware in the fridge overnight.
This morning, I combined the cooked bulgur and barley with a random packet of maple instant oatmeal and some soy milk. The end result was a mushy mess of sweet, warm whole grains. Mmm! I topped it with a huge scoop of almond butter and immediately fell in love. The texture and “chew-factor” was out of this world! It was smooth and creamy, yet thick and hearty. 
On the side, I had a small bowl of fruit salad, which were leftovers from yesterday’s brunch.
This morning’s iced coffee selection was Starbucks Galápagos San Cristóbal, which I received from a coffee tasting that I attended back in August. It’s excellent!
Ok, house time!
As you probably know, Mal and I have been on the house hunt since last summer. We made an offer on one house, but the inspection when terribly. There were just too many “major” issues with it, so we took back our offer.
A few weeks later, we found another house that we liked even more and made an offer. Unfortunately, our first and second offers weren’t accepted by the sellers. But, eventually, we found a price that everyone agreed on.
Inspection day came and went with only a few very minor issues (nothing that made us want to rescind our offer).
The next step in the process was to sign the Purchase & Sale Agreement. At the time, I was in Iowa for a blog trip, so I signed the P & S via fax in the hotel lobby.
Signing the P & S was a bitter sweet moment for me. Of course, I was excited because I was buying a house, but signing it all alone without my husband made it kind of sad. This experience also inspired the return to my roots.
Once the P & S was signed, it was time to get ourselves a mortgage. My goodness. Getting a mortgage is not easy, especially when you are self-employed. I nearly had a mental breakdown trying to organize and provide documentation everything.
But, eventually, Mal and I were approved for a mortgage and we signed our Commitment Letter this past weekend. Now (knock on wood), we close on our new house on October 29th! We’ll be homeowners!!
It was quite the process to buy a house, but we had an amazing realtor, who was on top of everything and made the whole experience so much easier. Now, I can’t wait to move in and decorate!
P.S. Be sure to check out my jewelry giveaway to raise money for Team In Training. The deadline to enter is tomorrow night at 11:59 EST!
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Congratulations!! Buying a home is such a wonderful, stressful, great, worrisome, exiting and scary feeling!! When my husband and I bought our first house it was exhasuting. We are BOTH self employeed so I know the pain you went through! We didn’t know at the time all the things we needed to save! But we learned now and if we ever buy a house again we hope the process goes a lot smoother!
Congratulations!! Exciting news!
Awesome! I’m sure that you’ll document the move and the interior design plans for the new place! I can’t wait!
Congratulations! Can’t wait to see Murphy’s yard, lol!
Congratulations, Tina! So exciting.
Congrats, Tina and Mal! How exciting to have a place of your own! I can’t wait to see pictures and hear all about it! As stressful as moving can be, it’s always fun to get settled in and make something yours! Félicitations!!
congratulations! that’s so huge…i really can’t wait to see how it looks and how it’s all decorated once you guys move!
Congrats on your new home!! I’m looking forward to seeing some new-house Murphy pics!
Congrats!! I can’t wait to see pictures once you move in and start decorating!
Congratulations! Tina is in the HOUUUUUSE!
Congratulations Tina and Mal!
Congrats! Being a first time buyer is definitely stressful!!
Congrats on your own house, its a fabulous feeling to own something like that and know it’s all yours (well yes, tehcnically it’s the banks but you know what I mean
).
So exciting- congrats!! Can’t wait to see pictures
Congratulations! The best feeling in the world ~ Best wishes, enjoy every moment even when it feels like everything is crazy! It’s well worth it! ~Take Care
Congratulations, Tina and Mal!! That is incredibly exciting!
Congrats to you and your family!!! Getting a house and moving is one of the most exciting things, enjoy! I can’t wait to see your pictures of the move and decorating. I hope we see your decorating/setup process – I would love that!
Congrats! I hope everything goes nice and smoothly with closing.
OMG, Tina!! Congratulations!! Fingers crossed for you that the closing will come and go smoothly. WOOHOO!!
Oh, Congratulations on your home! That is such a fantastic accomplishment, I’m so happy this house worked out for you. Must’ve been meant to be.
We’re saving right now and are hoping to buy a place in early 2011. But after reading your related posts, I can see that it won’t necessarily be entirely in our hands. Sending you good vibes for a fast and seamless closing!!
Congratulations, you and Mal (and Murph) will be so happy. I can’t wait to see pictures. I know you will make it beautiful. What a joyous time for your family.
Congratulations Tina, I’m so happy for you guys! Sorry you didn’t get to “sign” with Mal, but you know the important thing.. you guys are moving in and living there, together.. the rest is all paperwork, no?!
Congratulations!!! How exciting
You will have so much fun decorating your own place. We bought our first house last year, and I couldn’t wait to head to Ikea for a furniture shopping spree 
Congrats!
We close this Friday on our home!! EEEK Like you we’ve had a few offers and a few bad inspections . . . this home has some issues but the love for it (and the fact that the bank came down in price majorly) helped (we bought a short sale).
Next on our agenda? Packing!!!!! ack!
Congratulations!
So excited for you guys! Can’t wait to see what your house looks like!
Congratulations Tina, Mal, and Murphy! I am thrilled for you!!
YAY!!!!! Can’t wait to “see” it!
Congrats to all three of you!
Can’t wait to see the new house!
It must be an awesome feeling
How exciting! I can’t wait to see your new place and hear your plans for it.
Congrats Tina, Mal and Murphy! Can’t wait to see the new pad.
How exciting! Congrats
Congrats, I bet it is an awesome feeling to have a place of your own after renting in Boston! How far outside of the city is it?
CONGRATS, TINA!!! That is so exciting! I can’t wait to see it once you guys move in!
congrats Tina! yayyyy!
congratulations on the house. *fingers crossed* that the closing process goes smoothly.
Congrats! I thought the house hunting/buying process was really stressful too and I’m lucky that my husband and are not self employed so the documentation part wasn’t too hard- still though ah! All I can say is get your hand ready for some signing on closing day
It’s all worth it in the end though, I love my house!
oooh congrats to both of you!!!!
So happy that you were able to get it all worked out. Now I can’t wait to see how you decorate.
As a new graduate (i.e….new in my profession) and my hubby being self employeed I feel ya on the pain-in-the-rear process of getting a mortage….I was shocked by the whole process when we bought our condo early summer. Congrats!!!!
I knew it! I knew this was coming! CONGRATULATIONS!!! Can’t wait to see it in detail!
Congrats on the house!! I’d love to see some photos!
Contratulations! I can’t wait to see what you do with it when you move in!
Congrats Tina–you and Mal deserve the best! Can’t wait to follow along on the new house adventure!
Congratulations on your new house!! I’m so happy for you guys! =)
Congratulations!! That is so exciting
Congrats, Tina!! What an exciting time for you and Mal. I can’t wait to see pictures.
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