Crescent State Bank has a campaign running until June 13th, 2008 to support the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. If you can help, please drop of any of the requested items at your local Crescent State Bank branch. See their web site for locations. Requested Items: Canned meals - stews, soups, tuna, ravioli, etc. Pop top cans a plus! Peanut butter Cereal Canned fruits & vegetables Rice Hygiene items - toothpaste, feminine products, shaving items, soap Infant products - diapers, wipes, formula, infant cereal (no loose glass or plastic jars of baby food as they have to be discarded due to health regulations) Paper products - toilet paper, paper towels Please make donations before June 13th For locations and contact information: www.crescentstatebank.com

 

 

     Before I had kids, I didn’t even know there was a 4 in the morning. Oh, I KNEW there was a 4 in the afternoon, and I’d HEARD of a 6 in the morning, but getting up that early was for the birds. And the dumb birds at that. After having kids, I realized I’d either have to get up earlier in the day to get things done or I’d have to lobby Washington to add a few extra hours to the day. Both seemed like a lot of work, but the whole Washington thing sounded like major travel time was involved, and I already spend several hours in my trusty soccer-mom van acting as a personal driver. So 4 AM it was, just so I can get a good workout in each day.

 

     So the alarm is set for 4 AM, so I can get a few household tasks done, fix breakfast and pack lunches for the day and head down to The Body Shop, the gym I belong to. Thank goodness for The Body Shop. I hate sweating, hate working out my muscles, hate getting out of breath. But at least there I get to do all those things without focusing on them. I can take a class full of other moms who hated getting up as early as me (misery loves company) or strength train while listening to commercial-free music, or hop on a treadmill with its own personal TV set on it.

 

     The treadmill with the TV on it is my favorite. It’s about the only time I watch non-Discovery Channel TV. I can watch all the junk TV I want for 45 minutes and no one is the wiser! I could watch infomercials (I really want one of those Conair Steam Straighteners and I have a birthday coming up in August-hint, hint) or Snapped! (you know to get hints in case the hubby ever really steps out of line) or if I REALLY want to lose a few brain cells I could switch the channel to MTV and watch re-runs of America’s Next Top Model. Either way, next thing I know I’ve spent 45 minutes running uphill and didn’t even realize it. There’s nothing like being oblivious to pain.

 

     My kids are 12 and 15, so they don’t get to enjoy the free childcare at The Body Shop. But if it weren’t so creepy, I could tune in to channel 114 and watch the little ones in the day care while I work out on the treadmill. This is great for moms with little kids, but my kids just sit at the front desk sipping protein shakes and playing with their Gameboys. Laurie, the general manager, is okay with that as long as they don’t fight. She suggested that if they are going to fight, they may as well take the kickboxing class. Since the kickbxsing class requires real effort, that comment ended their personal warfare. Wow, Laurie should be a high school teacher!

 

     Let’s face it, as we get older we have to work out a little bit harder. I’m not trying to become a size 2, I’m fighting to STAY a size 10. Not because I want to keep my husband from running off with a 19 year old (that’s why I watch Snapped!). Not because I want to wear those cute miniskirts (my fifteen year-old would pass out and die!) but because I want to be around as long as I possibly can and actually enjoy life...

     When my alarm went off at 4 AM this morning I once again looked at it with one eye as if to say, really? It’s 4? In the AM? But I got up. After all, those infomercials aren’t gonna watch themselves!

• Read More »

I have a five and a half year old little girl.  The last few months have been very trying.  She's overly dramatic, exaggerating every little thing.  She expects a new toy every time we go to Wal-Mart.  She cries at the drop of the hat.  I work, so my time with her is limited during the week.  I also have a two and a half year old little boy.  Once he goes to bed, we have one hour each night that we dedicate to my daughter.  We play games, sing, do worksheets and puzzles, read, tons of stuff in that hour.  It's never enough for her.  She cries that we don't spend enough time with her. 

Our weekends are spent playing with the kids, doing family trips and errands and just hanging out.  We do things as a family, but we also take the kids one on one.  

Are all five year olds like this?   What do you do?  How do you deal with the drama and the guilt?

www.sandhillsmommies.com 

• Read More »

Just because you are still enamored with your extensive Barbie collection, don't assume that everyone else is as well. As a full-time Realtor for the past 10 years, I have seen some great houses that wouldn't sell, simply because the owners couldn't get their own personalities out of the way. Below is a list of things you can do to help sell your house, and most of them cost little or no money.

Decorations

I wasn't kidding about the Barbie collection. My buyer clients and I walked into a house that was decent enough and met their basic criteria. Then we walked into the master bedroom. It was a shrine to Barbie. Literally dozens of Barbie's, still in their boxes, took their place of prominence on every horizontal surface in the room. In a bachelor's house. It's sort of that feeling you get when you walk in on your parents. Even though the house met my clents' basic criteria, they took it off the list, because they couldn't see past the Barbie display. You might think my buyers were immature, but you must understand that they are in control of whether they buy your house, not you. Sometimes buyers make big decisions using little details to guide them. While you might love your Barbie collection, others probably don't, so get out your "It's Moving Day" Barbie and store those collectibles away. Leave room in your house for the buyer to mentally move in their own things. Quite often I see military families make this mistake as well. While I am quite proud and supportive of our troops, I don't recommend displaying pictures or plaques that remind people of some disturbing scenes. Home is a sanctuary. Keep it quiet for the buyers by removing anything that might disturb their peace.

Clutter

Recently, I came into a house as a potential listing agent to interview for the listing. Long ago, I made the commitment to speak my mind, politely but firmly, about what issues I find. I have no desire to list a house I can't sell. This particular home was beautifully redone, from top to bottom, and sat in a very good section of town. It had been on the market, however, for two years. Obviously something was wrong. Besides being overpriced, the house was absolutely packed with furniture. The couple had married and combined furniture, so literally there were two houses of furniture in one space. Even though they were all very nice pieces, it made the house look llike a furniture showroom, instead of a home. Buyers need to be able to place their own furniture into a room, without tripping over yours. It is far cheaper to rent a mini-storage and pack away a few of your things, than to let your house sit on the market for two years. After the sellers moved out some of their stuff, the house went under contract in 28 days, and we got a backup offer as well.

Age Spots

My house is full of carpet stains. We manage to hide most of them, and if you don't like the rest of them, don't come over or clean 'em yourself. That's a fine attitude for us, because we aren't planning to sell. If you have pets, if you smoke, if you have kids (or husbands) who like to run with peanut butter and jelly, this will be a hard area for you to fix. It is SO important though. Getting those spots cleaned up will keep your potential buyers from forming a negative opinion of your home. It shows a pride of ownership, which puts the buyer's mind at ease about the rest of the house and the parts she can't see.

Messy rooms

There is nothing worse than coming into a bedroom and seeing dirty underwear. Clean underwear isn't much better. If you are really serious about selling your house, pick up everything, everyday. Clean and put away the dishes. Put toys in the right place. Your dog's favorite bone needs to be tucked away. The litter box should be clean. The toilets should be spotless. Selling your house is a pain. You are under the microscope 24/7, and you never know when a Realtor will drive up unannounced with a car full of buyers and want to see your house with little or no notice. Although we try not to let that happen, sometimes circumstances don't work out that way. If a buyer can't get in right then, quite often they will take the home off the list. I know that's not fair, but buyers are not always fair. Buying a home can be just as stressful and overwhelming as selling one.

Bad paint

Just the other day, I walked into a house with some buyers, and I nearly threw up. Somebody got the "I'm an HGTV star" complex and starting painting and changing the carpet. I kid you not, when I say the room was a combination of mauve carpet and pink walls. It looked like a collision of Pepto and Grape Nehi, and we got the indigestion. While you live in the house, paint the whole thing purple, if you want to. But when you decide to sell it, you need to begin to move yourself out of the house. That includes your tacky paint colors. Spec builders use beige for a reason. It sells. That also brings to mind a real pet peeve I have with homeowners. Just because Lowe's says you can "Do-It-Yourself" doesn't make it so. If you don't know how to keep wall paint off the ceililng, if you don't know how to properly caulk nail holes, if you don't know how to cut a straight line, this is for you: "STEP AWAY FROM THE PAINT BRUSH!!!!" Your bad paint job will cost you thousands of dollars, much more than the cost of a professional painter. When people see what a bad job you have done, they will price in a new paint job, even if they like the colors you picked.

Smelly house

Sometimes we have 20-30 houses to look at over the course of only one or two days. Imagine trying to remember all those houses. The last thing you want the buyer to associate with your wonderful home is how smelly it was. Your cigarettes must be completely undetectable, and you won't be able to discern that. Only a non-smoker who is not acquainted with your house will be able to tell. The litter box must be clean. Cat pee is a sure-fire way to ruin a first impression. Scented candles in every room is almost worse than the cats. The scent is overpowering and makes people think you're trying to hide something. One house had so many candles burning, we had to leave the front door open for ventilation. That house got crossed off the list. It's a little unfair, but the buyer is the one who makes that decision. Don't give her a reason to walk away with her nose in the air, firmly pinched between two fingers.

Dogs and cats

Here's where I get in trouble. I know you love your pet. I know he's precious. I know he's just being affectionate. I also know that the buyers don't want to be bothered with Fido and Sparkles. Barking dogs will turn away a buyer, even if that buyer has pets of his own. If there's any way to get your pets out of the picture, it would be a bonus. If not in a kennel, then in the garage or outside. If you have a large or somewhat aggressive dog, this is especially important. Do you want the buyers to remember your house as the one with the mean guard dog or as the one with the beautiful hardwood floors?

Price

Maybe you've noticed by now that I haven't mentioned price. It's the elephant in the room. We all know price is important, but it's not the only factor. In fact, it's one of the few things on the list over which you have little control. The market dictates price, not your mortgage amount or your bills that are piling up or your upcoming world cruise. This is a harsh reality, but you must respect the market. Quite often people will stubbornly stick to an unreasonable price for their houses and miss real opportuniites to sell. For every month you overprice the market, you are making yet another interest payment. Add those up and pretty soon, you've spent a great deal more money than you would have spent, if you had lowered the price to a reasonable level in the first place. Get an objective opinion of value. Your 1970s Brady Bunch era ranch with orange shag carpet and harvest gold appliances might really trip your trigger, but don't expect anyone to pay top dollar for it. Just because you don't mind a tiny bathroom with a pink tub, don't expect everyone to feel the same way. And just because you took out a huge line of credit to pay for that new bass boat with cruise control and XM radio, don't expect anyone to be willing to pay for it through an inflated house price.

Selling a house is like a going on a blind date. You never know if this buyer is "the one", so make your house ready every time. An attractive, well-priced house will sell, regardles of the market conditions.

When Dan isn't out selling real estate with Fore Properties, he likes to hang out at Panera. You can find him there or via email: Dan@DanAskins.com.

• Read More »

     Have you finished your Spring cleaning yet?  Not sure what to do with all those nice clothes your kids have outgrown?  Don't have the time or patience to have a yard sale?  Well, call Doodlebugs!  We are now looking to buy quality, baby GIRL clothes in the following sizes:  6m - 2t.

     Doodlebugs pays cash on the spot for your gently used, name brand clothing.  So what are you waiting for???  Call Rose @ (910) 246-1500 to set up an appointment and get some $$$ for those nice clothes that are at the back of the closet.

      We are also looking to buy gently used high chairs, cribs & toddler beds.  Call (910) 246-1500with any questions or for more information.  We look forward to seeing you soon!

 

Do you Doodlebug?

  

• Read More »

I am a real estate agent and have lived in Moore County since 1983.  I found the followiing information to be valuable.  Here is something that I read recently.  "Trulia.com says buying a home near excellent schools shields the home from industry downturns.  Trulia analyzed data on 125,000 schools and found that despite the economic downturn in the real estate market, homes across the nation with highly rated local schools generally maintain or increase their value."  Moore County schools rate near the top in the state of North Carolina and that has been the case for many, many years.  This is just another of the reasons to live and invest in real estate in Moore County!    Lucretia Pinnock - Realty World - Pinnock Real Estate - 910-215-6957

• Read More »

I read an article that was quite useful about teaching kids how to wisely spend money.  It talked about them having lemonade stands, etc.  My kids and neighbor kids setup a lemonade stand about a month ago and it was the cutest thing.  They actually sold all their stock and they split up the money evenly between 7 of them at the end of the afternoon.  Here is a link to the article that I read - it's a slideshow and I thought interesting, although a lot of it common sense.

Inc.com 

 

  A blur of fur and fury is all that I saw and I couldn't help but wonder, "Can dogs be bipolar?"

Not that I am in the habit of making light of serious medical conditions, but bipolar is characterized not as a single disorder but an entire category of mood disorders. Anyone who has ever been owned by a cat could tell you that this is the very definition of a feline.

However, I had always thought of loyal Fido as being slightly more stable. That is until last month.

Succumbing to the mind-numbing pressure of parental guilt, I opened my house and heart to the sweetest set of brown eyes you ever saw. Two-years old and of mostly Labrador retriever heritage, Biscuit spends the majority of her day camouflaged as a speed bump. Her pale fur blends nicely with ourcarpet - a real plus for the maid. Yes, that means Mom.

Now there were no big surprises as our new pup negotiated territory and her place in the pecking order against the stone-cold killer cat that also shares our domicile. A quick study, Biscuit is wary of those well-armed swipes of pure evil.

In true testament to her manic species, Milkshake can purr contentedly, bat her bedroom eyes, and draw blood - all at the same time. Worse, like a spider, she'll draw in unsuspecting victims with a simpering little meow and friendly cocked head...right before pouncing.

I've considered posting one of those signs at my door that reads, "Warning Attack Cat on Premises."

It's probably no wonder that I prefer to play with my daughter's Webkinz kitten. Fast becoming my number one guilty pleasure, these fuzzy stuffed toys are your ticket inside a magical world of internet games, chat rooms, and dress-ups. An award-winning computer program for children, I must confess its appeal works on big kids too.

My princess has amassed a collection of four pets; my son lags behind with only three. Each child has built their own cyberspace house, furnished with toys, appliances, clothing, food, even windows and gardens - all selected and purchased with points acquired by playing on-line games. I remind myself that my little darlings are learning valuable skills like budgeting, math, and reading. But of course, as a fellow addict - I know it's all about having fun.

If only bathing, feeding, and exercising my real pets were so easy. And don't even get me started on vet visits!

Luckily Biscuit arrived with a clean bill of health, though her behavior of late has left me thumbing the yellow pages for a doggy shrink.

An absolute angel while houseguests are seated, Biscuit's latent herding instinct kicks in as soon as anyone walks or stands. Forgetting all her good hostess manners, she'll growl, pace, and even on occasion nip at the offending ‘wolf.'

Though after years of sustained chronic fear of our predatory cat, most of my guests are fairly nonplussed to find I've also adopted a bipolar dog.

Maybe I should rethink that entrance warning sign, remove my Welcome wreath, and look to Dante for inspiration: "All hope abandon, ye who enter here."

Laura Douglass writes for the Seven Lakes Times where this column originally appeared.

• Read More »

With all of the hustle and bustle of planning this event, I forgot to post it HERE!!!

 Do you have or know of a child with a disability?

Then tell them about this NEW program in the Sandhills Area.

 

 

S.A.N.D

See Ability Not Disability

Athletic Program for Individuals with Disabilities

 

What is S.A.N.D?

Those with cognitive or physical impairments face many barriers when it comes to participating in competitive sports. SAND is an athletic program created to give children and adults with disabilities the opportunity to experience a sport many may not have the opportunity to participate in.

Because SAND is brand NEW to this area, this will be an evolving program- learning as we go. Since there will be a wide range of disabilities as well as ages (4-adult), we will be able to develop this program more and more as time goes on. It is through PARENT Participation, that this program will become what we envision in the future.

SAND will concentrate on one sport, one season at a time. The chosen sport for this Spring/Summer season will be T-Ball/Baseball. Based on ability levels, SAND participants will learn the skills necessary to play the sport. Each season will end with a FUN filled game and family picnic.

To learn more, Register or Volunteer for this exciting NEW program Please click here: www.fsnsandhills.info

-Christine Garton

FSN Sandhills Program Coordinator

• Read More »

It seems from the moment I got pregnant with our first child almost 8 years ago, I have officially given up a good night's sleep. From the constant shifting all night and 3 am heartburn that came with pregnancy to the 2 am feedings and diaper changes that came after birth, I dreamed of the day when I would finally be able to sleep again.

But for some reason, sleep has never returned. Since birth, our oldest daughter has woken up several times a week and is just now making it through the night (she's 7!). Then, like most parents, we decide to have baby number two (back in 2003) and although she has turned out to be a much better sleeper, we still have the occasional 4 am wake-up call because of a bad dream.

I thought that as my kids got older, things would be easier to manage and that I would finally get the well deserved rest I needed. But once again, I was wrong. It seems that as they get bigger so do all the things I have to do, from homework to laundry to extra-curricular activities. Now, I find that from the time my feet hit the floor at 6:30 am (Okay 6:45 because I hit the snooze), I'm running around like a mad woman until I crawl back in bed each night close to mid-night. So much for getting my recommended 8 hours of sleep! And unlike the good ole days of sleeping in on Saturdays, I'm waking up early to drag the four year old at of bed to make her 9 am Soccer Games!

And of course some of this I have brought on myself when I decided to venture into self-employment and co-manage SandhillsKids.com. Like most moms, the only time of day that isn't consumed with house, kids, sports, dogs, husband and chores, are the hours between 8:30 pm and midnight. Just like many of the users on SandhillsKid.com, that's when I jump on the superhighway and work. Anyone that has ever emailed the site has probably received a reply with a time stamp after 10 pm. 

What does this all mean? Should I quite working, stop letting the kids do sports or start taking naps in the morning instead of doing laundry (which I would love because I hate laundry). Nope, it just means that right now life is busy and sometimes, I need to stop, grab a good book and climb into bed by 8 pm! That's all.

And, hopefully, when both kids are in school all day starting in July, I will finally have time to work during the day and get back to sleep. But until then, Sleep is Overrated and Caffeine is the stimulus of choice! 

• Read More »