No Deal!

Today the gravity of it all hit me like a Mack Truck and I had my first panic attack in 4 years.
We shouldn’t be in this position.
Sure, our landlords were cold hearted jerks for doing what they did in the way that they did it, but ultimately, this is our fault.
Entirely our fault.
That’s not to say I’m not angry with them for the lies that they told us.
“Don’t worry, we’re not going to kick you out, we’re going to give you plenty of time to find a new place.”
Two days later: Hi, you have 30 days to get the hell out of here.
As I take the pictures of my children down off of the walls, I break down into tears and sob.
I love them more than I could ever express in words, and yet, I’ve failed them in so many ways.
Andrew just wants to graduate from 8th grade with his friends, I can’t promise him he’s going to be able to do that.
That hurts me to the core of my being.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry”.
That’s all I can say to them, but it doesn’t make any of this easier.
I don’t want this to turn into the “we got kicked out of our rental house and OMG! What are we going to do?!?” blog, and yet, “we got kicked out of our rental house! OMG! What are we going to do?!?”
Sadly, my AMAZING AND TOTALLY AWESOME plan to get picked to be on Deal or No Deal bombed in the biggest way, so all of my plans to win a sick amount of money by picking the lucky case got flushed down the toilet, along with all of the money we’ve wasted on rent over all of these years.
What? I didn’t tell you that I was going to go to an open casting call for Deal or No Deal? Whoops, must have slipped my mind! Because I totally didn’t keep it from you on purpose because I was worried about being mocked and called a loser! (Or about someone driving there just to stalk me!)
Not quite in the mood to write about it just yet, but because I am a giver and because this makes me laugh when all I want to do is cry, I’ll leave you with the email that Lena sent me the day after we spent 6 damn hours standing in line.
Things You Shouldn’t Think About Today
Vi pop-locking in line.
Lena going toe-to-toe with ladies with strollers.
Y’s kidneys failure.
The old man going after the big black booty in his crotch.
The cows from the group home.
What the guy in front of us looked like when he took his shirt off.
Y worrying about The Farting Worm.
Y convinced that the Staff Member with the Bullhorn was “just trying to get us to leave”.
What the bathroom smelled like.
My big ass blisters.
The big band version of “Hollaback Girl”.
Lena shouting out “Deal or No Deal” before hours later deeming them “users”.
Vi crying that “I’m not interesting!”.
Y getting pissy that “they want us to sell ourselves” and then writing 8 paragraphs.
Lena yelling at people to “go home” and getting all angry when they wouldn’t.
And the #1 thing you shouldn’t think about:
That we all got up in the middle of the night.
(Seriously, if I ever email you and say “Hey! Let’s go audition for a game show because, like, we are totally what they’re looking for and it will be so much fun because OMIGOD! We’ll get to spend time together being our wild and cerraaazy selves!!! Tell me to go SCREW MYSELF! I bet you Lena wishes she would have.)

58 thoughts on “No Deal!

  1. teachbroeck

    Reasons why YOU are not a failure:
    *Your kids (including teenage sons) ADORE YOU
    *From everything I have read you are a REALISTIC, FAIR, LOVING and most importantly INVOLVED mother
    * You have chosen to stay home and be a FTSAHM-something I could never do
    *You make other mothers like me laugh everyday and feel NORMAL!
    Don’t put all this on you…you have pighunter, your family and US!!!

  2. Amanda

    I’m sorry you didn’t make it on the show! If I were to pick a show to be on it would have to be the Amazing Race, I’ve always wanted to try out for it, just never have. By the way I had bean dip on Saturday and it made me think of you…haha Man it was delicious!

  3. Type (little) a

    {{{{{HUGS}}}}}
    I could have written this, had the dice landed another way. My husband JUST started a new job TODAY after being unemployed for 6 months. And before that, when I was a SAHM, we were barely making it. We were still charging groceries until after my 3rd paycheck. Its amazing that it has to be soooo hard for some of us (like me and you), and fucking 19 year olds are out there buying their 3rd houses.
    I know this sucks.

  4. Mary

    Just a quick question.. Why might he not be able to graduate with his class? Is your parents that much farther away? Most classes will allow him to stay even if you are not in the boundaries as long as your provide transportation 🙂

  5. Y

    Mary,
    He probably WILL be able to. I am willing to drive him, but if we do find a place that is too far away, well, then he won’t.
    (And my parents do live close enough, but the plan is to only stay with my parents for a month, as they really don’t have the room for a family of 5 to be living there any longer than that.)

  6. Susan

    Oh crap! You would have been fantastic on DOND! I totally would have yelled at my TV even more during that show if you’d made it.

  7. Mary

    Oh such good luck to you. What a good mom you are to be willing to drive. Sorry, curiosity got the best of me!
    Have you tried rentclicks.com? Here in CO it’s very very popular.

  8. chickadee

    Y, you did NOT fail your kids. And I don’t care what else, if anything, may be going on “behind the scenes” of this blog – I’ve been reading you since 2003 and you are an amazing mom. And I KNOW your kids know that. There is plenty to be scared and upset about right now – please don’t let that add to your worries.
    That said, the school year ends in late May or early June, I presume? I don’t know how close your folks live, but unless it’s really far away or you guys find a house fast that’s also really far, I’m sure you coud fudge it with the district and let him finish off 8th grade where he is. When I was in fifth grade, my parents moved to a house closer to my elementary school. However, the new house put me within the boundaries of a different elementary school. My folks applied to the district to let me finish out at my old (closer) school – I don’t know how it is in your area, but I’m sure there’s something that can be done for Andrew.
    I hope this didn’t come off bitchy – I don’t know you and rarely have the nerve to comment, but your current situation is really moving me. It WILL be okay. And I’m mad you didn’t get on Deal or No Deal, because I would have TOTALLY tuned in for that.

  9. BOSSY

    You know the expression, “When a door closes a window opens?” In your case Bossy hopes it’s a sunny window in a sweet happy new house.

  10. Margaret

    Hey Y, I know it’s crappy what y’all are going through right now, but we’re the parents of “The New Kid” because we move pretty frequently and if it happens that you must relocate into another school district (you know, and if you’re happy with this one, then let’s just hope it works out that you don’t) there are ways to make it less sucky and just being a good, communicative parent (which obviously you ARE) will make all the difference. (Do I get a fine for gratuitous use of parentheses?)
    And also? I would TOTALLY stand in line with you for hours to be on a game show!

  11. E :)

    This is an appropriate situation to teach your kids that it’s ok in certain circumstances to kick someone in the crotch…

  12. josie

    is this what really happens in the US? if a child misses some of the school year he has to repeat?? this is awful! he will feel such a failure, surely this can’t be allowed, why can’t he just go up to the next year and catch up?

  13. Y

    Josie,
    Maybe I worded it wrong. He’ll graduate from 8th grade no matter what, but if we have to move far away, he won’t be able to attend the graduation at the school where he’s gone for the past 3 years with all of his friends.

  14. josie

    I’m glad they will not penalise him, sorry i didn’t understand, try not to worry, kids are so resilient

  15. Amanda

    Will the new owners want to rent to you? You can contact the real estate agent to find out. It never hurts to ask, to buy you time, for finding a new place. Income property owners would rather not have to look for new renters.

  16. jesseeezmom

    Y~All I can think to say is what my Grandmother always told me: “God never closes a door without opening a window. You just have to find it girl!” He has so much planned for you! Have faith in His plan!

  17. Roland

    This will probably be the best or worst thing that ever happened to your family.
    Losers cry and eat/waste money on bean dip/gameshowtryouts etc. , If you love your kids so much, go do something about it.
    Winners do the math , suck it up and think about what matters and take care of business.
    If you polled the people that have replied to your post, probably 60% own thier home, they didnt do anything special (like win the lottery or win on some gameshow), they just put thier home/kids above the me, me.
    $8a day on starbucks/beandip is $2920 a year x (times) how ever many years you have been wasting money on rent/beandip. Not to mention that it had to cost something out of pocket to travel around to meet people from the internet, and interview Elaine from Sienfield.
    Egocentricity should be thy middle name , if you only got paid $10.00 an hourfor every hour you have spent BLOGGING or reading BLOGS or met other renters who BLOG, I am willing to wager you would have quite the down payment.

  18. kim

    hang in there! you’ve managed to get through so much crap before so i’m sure you will be fine. your family is one of the closest, most loving any loyal families i “know” and you are SO not a failure as a mom! i’m sure your kids would kick your butt if they heard you say that. everything happens for a reason – you will probably find a great home (with great cabinets) soon and things will work out just fine.
    no one says you can’t still stop paying rent and buy something, right? maybe it’d be a good idea to look into a bit less expensive places than SoCal? i know that’s be big but maybe a way for you to one day own a house? anyhow, hang in there!

  19. rose

    Well, thank God for Roland!
    And I didn’t know you were spending $8 a day on Starbucks and beandip. No wonder! Your problems have nothing to do with the cost of raising a family, or the outrageous cost of real estate or anything like that! It’s Starbucks! and Beandip! That you buy every day!
    Stop now, and your troubles will be over!
    Oh, and it probably cost you a big bundle to drive all the way up to LA and interview Elaine. Shame, shame, shame.

  20. cookie

    I think it’s bullcrap you think you can whine about this when you don’t bring in a dime to help the situation! The only thing your good at is whining about how fat you are.
    Have you ever heard of pulling your boot straps up and getting a job to bring some money in?

  21. Lurker

    p you forgot to mention what a douche cookie is too. God have a little empathy assholes. Hang in there Y!!!

  22. Y

    Well, Sadie! It’s been a while since you’ve stopped by.
    And Roland.
    Sweet Roland. (Who spent an hour on my site last night
    waiting for me to respond to his very truthful and life changing comment
    I hope you feel better now that you both got your digs in about me not having a job and wasting my husbands HARD EARNED MONEY on things like bean dip! And GASOLINE! Sadie/Cookie, you especially LOVE to talk about me not having a job, so much so that you created an anonymous email account to do so. Remember… I deserve everything I have… AND LESS!!!!!!!!)
    I find the amount of time you spend assuming to know the facts of my life quite amusing (and also a little scary). Keep on assuming!
    Anyway. I hope you both have a blessed day.
    In Christ.
    Our Lord and Savior
    Amen.

  23. sarcastic journalist

    Y, you know I’m your friend. I promise you, this will turn out to be okay. I KNOW how hard it is, promise.
    Growing up, my Mom, stepfather and I were house sitters. My senior year of high school, while everyone else was having fun and getting ready for college?
    I moved every three months. Sometimes I didn’t even know where our house was and just had to drive around until my Mom came home from work.
    I don’t hold it against her. It was what we had to do at the time to survive.
    My family also moved every year or so. To a new house. And? We survived. No scars, just the knowledge that a house is what you make it. It is the people inside that count.
    You live in such an extremely overpriced area that you shouldn’t be hard on yourself. Coming up with that amount of cash for a fixer upper isn’t something that is easy.
    As for this being your fault, no. When I got fired AT THE END OF MY PREGNANCY, we couldn’t afford to pay our house. We put it on the market and drove off to Texas, nine months pregnant, to find some ratty old apartment with no notice.
    It worked out. You must find the faith that these things can turn out for the better (don’t you always complain about the house?) and that you will make it through.

  24. elise

    Since people have been sharing their mantras with you, here’s mine: As long as everyone is still alive and healthy and we all still love each other, then my only problems can be financial. And money is just money. It makes things easier, sure, but it won’t make you happy, and not having it for a time won’t make you die. When faced with losing money/things/jobs/houses or losing PEOPLE, I’m gonna choose to lose the things any day.
    Not that you need the “ooh, but it could be SO much worse” angle, but sometimes I get so upset and down on myself for situations that, when put in perspective of what I could be losing and what I have right now, aren’t so bad after all.
    All said, I do think your landlord(s?) suck(s). And I’m sorry for a sucky situation.

  25. Linda

    I’m not a hater Y, and enjoy reading you. No fake email, even though I have one. This is sad, it’s a bummer, but you need to stop and get a grip for a second. It’s almost the end of the school year. If you have a car, there is no reason you can’t get your son to school. Promise him that he can finish the year with his friends and then make it happen. Call other parents, beg, whatever, but if you can do that for him it will make him and YOU much happier…
    Also, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do…get a part time job, take anything you can get. There’s a Starbucks on every corner and their turnaround is huge…They hire part time and offer flexible hours. Even if it’s for $8 an hour it’s money you don’t have now. Work when your husband is home, ask your mom to watch the kids free, impose…It sucks, but you will get thru it.
    Lastly, I cannot believe that in your entire area there is only that one house in your price range. I understand it’s SoCal, but if it’s really that important to keep your kids in their schools, then find something that is too small, or take in a renter.
    I’m not trying to sound harsh, but it doesn’t do any good to sit and cry about it. People who read your blog care about you and your kids. Don’t panic, don’t wilt…get up every day and do something to make this better! The very first thing you should do if you havn’t already is tell your landlord that you will not vacate in 30 days as the law gives you 60. Tell him you fully intend to take that 60 days and if he has a problem with that he should talk to your lawyer. Next phone call…get a lawyer. Ask if they will take a small retainer (very small).
    You can do this!

  26. Jen from Boston

    Speaking a s person dealing iwth the Boston housing market, Christ…Southern CA, man. wow.
    But there HAS to be SOMETHING for you and your family. Maybe even with nice cabinetry. And you WILL find it. (or an Internet friend, you got some pull, so who knows?)
    just have to keep saying to yourself, “It will get better, it WILL get better…” to get thru this (which I think you know).
    Wow Deal or No Deal? With Lena and VI? How good is Vi’s Popnlocking? I heart that girl. Where’s your camera for THAT?
    (Still say you are owed 60 days by CA law.)

  27. Jen from Boston

    Agree with linda – tell dicklord you’re taking the 60, and if that’s a problem, to cram it (er,whatever).
    You’re (he’s) telling you that his house has been in escrow since 120 days before April 3rd? I call bullshit. there are a lot of requirements he’s gotta meet to get the 30 day approval. and if he was still singing the “please don’t leave – I’ll give you plenty of notice when the house sells” it doesn’t sound like it was to me.

  28. Y

    Linda,
    I appreciate what you’re saying.
    I just hate that because I write an emotion that I’m feeling in one moment (which happened to be the moment that I was taking down all of the pictures of my children I’ve had hanging on the walls for the past 10 years) that people assume I’m sitting around just crying about it.
    I don’t sit here and write every resume I sent out, or every application I filled out, or every single person I’ve called, emailed, left voices messages for regarding a house for rent.
    I can only imagine how annoying it is to read these entries, but forgive me for being human and feeling sad about the entire situation. But, it’s unfair to assume that I’m just “sitting around crying”.
    Because I’m not.
    Anyway. Again, I appreciate your honesty.
    P.S. It IS legal for them to only give us 30 days. I called around and found out all of our rights.
    Sucks, but that’s life, eh?

  29. WG

    You are NOT a failure, Y. I am a firm believer in the idea that everything happens for a reason. It may not seem like it at the time, but everything works out exactly like it should.
    ***Hugs***

  30. Mrs Butter B

    Oh Y, you made me laugh with Roland/Sadie/rose/blah blah comment. That kind of crap from them really makes you think the US was wrong to eliminate the insane asylums and just allow people to stay at home. Think how much better the world would be if all the true nut cases were safely chained to their beds and unable to reach a computer keyboard! Hoorah for straightjackets!
    That said, please stop blaming yourself. You live in a very expensive cost of living area, but what choices do you have? You can leave your whole family, your hubby’s job, your kids friends, and move across country to the South or midsouth area to live in a nicer house, but without everything that’s important to you.
    Renting isn’t so bad. And its not like you had 300,000 dollars lying around and instead of buying a house, you and Pighunter went to Europe for a few months and left the kids to fend for themselves.
    You’ve invested a lot of time into being a SAHM, and that’s a full time (albeit volunteer) job. You’ve made a difference in 3 little lives, yes. But you’ve also made a difference in every life that those 3 original lives touched. Exponentially, you’ve touched a ton of lives, because you sacrificed financial gain to be there for your kids, when they get up for school, when they get home from school, for Gabby-bear when she’s little and innocent and unable to tell you if something bad happened at daycare.
    You know, the US gov’t pays farmers NOT to plant in order to keep prices regulated and the soil fertile. maybe they should consider paying SAHM’s (whose spouses work especially) a living wage to stay at home and actually parent their kids, like you have. Maybe we’d have fewer gangbanger wars and drug addict kids and teen pregnancy and heck, just about anything negative.
    The situation is terrible, and I hate that it happened, but you were raised in a “God-first” household, I’ve heard you talk about it. Or read you talk about it. Anyway, whatever. THe point is, maybe God’s about to give you a huge blessing now. Maybe fear has held you in the rental house of doom, with horrid cabinets, unable to have a social life, for too long. You know stress makes you fat? Well, maybe you’re about to get rid of some of the reasons for the eating part. If you aren’t depressed about your ‘hood & house, then maybe you’ll feel better. It worked for us.
    Just because you aren’t where you want to be right now financially doesn’t mean you’ve screwed up. It just means you have something to work towards. You just can’t let it get you down!
    And as for crazy Roland’s comments- I found them quite funny. The Elaine thing- I can’t watch that show without thinking of your interview. Funny, huh. It takes money to make money. You invested into your writing career by doing that interview. You added something to your resume/portfolio. Maybe you should try some freelancing articles with a major magazine or something.
    As for the beandip thing, I refigured his math a little bit. I doubt seriously that you go buy a can of beandip every day, nor do you go to Starbucks daily. In fact, beandip is considered food, and shouldn’t be separated from the regular grocery list. If we only eat what we need, we’ll spend more money that eating junk because healthy food is much more expensive than crap. (And less filling)
    Just for conversation’s sake, lets consider Starbucks a “luxury” item (like tobacco products, alcohol, Krispy Kreme- oh my gosh yummy Krispy Kreme).
    Does it matter? Should you be deprived of having any luxury items in your life? No treats? Nothing? Whatever, that’s nuts. And way too OCD. Nobody lives like that. You’d drive yourself as crazy as Roland/Sadie/sam/rose have driven himself/herself.
    You’ve provided a roof over your youngin’s heads. You’ve kept them well fed, well clothed, AND they’re still living at home with 2 married parents, just like when they were born.
    Now THAT’S an accomplishment. Maybe a lot of the readers here own their own houses (although I doubt it, a lot of people live in large cities where apartments/townhouses rule), but how many can say they’ve held together a marriage, a family, an amazing feat? And how many have done it without much money on hand?
    You are a success Y! Don’t let the materialistic vultures in this world make you forget it. One day, you’ll be able to look back and say, “Wow, look at the memories we have, the little splurges here and there that made such fun times. Look at the fact that my kids grew up happy, content, confident and successful because Pighunter & I invested our time into them, instead of working like dogs and sticking our kids in daycare. Look at how Pighunter and I are still together instead of falling apart, probably because I was home everyday to great him and made him feel cherished instead of out earning a paycheck to keep up with the Joneses.”
    Money isn’t everything. You’re probably just stressed because of the move (which always stinks) & the living with the parents (again, stinky) and the fear of the unknown (which we all have to some degree). Just keep plodding along- handle what you have to handle each day, and don’t borrow trouble. I’m forwarding you something my aunt sent me via email, and it really helps keep me focused, bless her little heart.
    Keep your chin up!

  31. Mrs Butter B

    Dang Y. You need to install a word counter on this comment thing. I did it again. Sorry!

  32. Sadie

    I like how you use religion crap when you think it makes you look good or sumting and then in the next sentence your swear like the foul mouthed person you really are. I’m sure God is impressed with that along with your boozing. Dad should be real impressed also with what you turned out like, but i’m sure he will get a taste of that when you have to drag you and your brood to his house.
    Not everyone is going to agree with you and hey look at it this way….stress is great for losing weight.

  33. Sarah

    As a SAHM we make sacrifices… so we can stay home. There is nothing more important than what you invest into your children! I applaud you for making the choice to stay home!!
    ps.
    You could move to the midwest where a 4 bedroom house sells for $90,000… I’m just sayin.

  34. Y

    90,000? for a 4 bedroom house?
    God. We really should think about moving out of here.
    You can’t TOUCH a house (not even a fixer upper) for under $400,000 out here.

  35. Corinne

    I usually just lurk around here, but I have to empathize with you. I know what it’s like to try to find a rental home in SoCal that’s not in the weird part of town and allows pets…and then come up with a security deposit that totals in the thousands of dollars once you do find something. I know it’s impossible to buy right now, because I’m right there with you. And it’s something that cannot be understood until you’ve lived here.
    So just know that I’m feeling your pain and I know you’re doing everything you can.
    As for me? Texas looks pretty good some days.

  36. Y

    Well, thanks for that Corinne.
    People who don’t live here really can’t understand just how expensive it is. (We’re looking at at least $3,500 to move in.)
    But! Get this! (so excited, just HAD to share.) I found a house that is about 15 minutes from here for only $1,500. (We pay $1,300 now). FIFTEEN HUNDRED! I’ve not been able to find anything decent under $1,700, so I’m kind of wetting my pants with excitement right now.
    However, I do not know if they allow pets yet. I HOPE THEY DO.
    Fingers crossed.

  37. Lucky

    Hey there Y
    I can so relate – but I won’t drone on, atleast not today 🙂
    I know it will be SUPER SUPER rough to move, we just did it about 8 months ago. We moved from Sacramento (which is becoming a mini-LA price wise) to Eugene OR 🙂
    It was rough on the kids, but they are doing FANTASTIC now, and they say they wish we would have moved sooner! Because of the drop in cost of living, we are finally getting caught up on old debts and still have “play” money to do fun stuff with them that we couldn’t afford before.
    My suggestion, if at all possible, is to move in with your parents and get a waiver for the boys to finish out the end of the year at their current school. That should be perfectly acceptable, lots of schools do it because parents end up exactly in your boat. I would take that time to save up some money, as you have stated you want to do – even get a part time job to fatten that up a bit. Then?
    Move the HELL out of California. Seriously! Its a scary thought, trust me! I am bred, born, raised SoCal…but I had to do what I had to do. We knew absolutely NO one when we moved to Eugene. Seriously! No family, no friends, and only 1 job between the two of us. You can do it, we did it – and MAN am I ever so glad that I did!
    Take the plunge! Make it an adventure, get the kids involved, they will get excited too! A brand new start! OH the possibilities! Oh, and just in case you are curious….why Eugene where we knew NO one?
    We went here: http://www.findyourspot.com
    And here we be 🙂 Goooooo DUCKS! *quacks* Hee. 🙂

  38. Mary

    Hey Y- out of curiosity.. again.. do you have any attachments to the city you live in? Or even Cali? I read that anywhere decent is around $1,700 and just OHMY GOD! That is insane.

  39. Kristin

    Hey Lady-
    Had I but known that you and Lena were tooling in line for hours, I glady would have come up and delivered lattes…

  40. Jenny

    Sweetie – I’m praying that you guys find the perfect house, and you can do “the worm” out of the driveway as you leave.

  41. Helen

    OMG my landlady just came to the house and DID THIS TO ME!!! I have 5 kids at ome, one autistic, this is the perfect house, I CANNOT move again. Doesn”t it just make you hate these people who take ALL THIS MONEY for months and years and still we are totally at their mercy.
    You and me baby, we can scream together. My eyes are puffy and my head throbs and lets face it, that is NOT a look that makes new landlords want to take us on is it?

  42. Sarah

    $400,000 for a fixer upper??? Ouch! California real estate is out of control!
    We bought a 4 bedroom house on 3 acres and a lake and STILL pay less on our mortgage than you are on rent! CRAZY!!
    What does your husband do?

  43. Julianna

    Construction is booming here and you can still buy under 110k 🙂 They are building the World Trade center here over the next 5-6 years.
    Y, I know how it feels but if it would make you feel better… I got this cat book sent to me by my friend. there is a kitty named “Yvonne” who apparantly like “bronzer” and some other stuff and I totally thought of you and almost sent you the picture.

  44. Katie

    I rarely comment, but I wanted to say something in support of you today Y, if only to counteract some of the truly horrible comments you’ve had on this post. Basically, I want to say everything Mrs. Butter B did. If anyone implies or states that you are inferior or you created a problem by not working, please don’t listen to them. Just shut your ears off. You don’t deserve any of that. Right now you clearly need love and support. I think that most reasonably intelligent people know that blogs do not show every single part of your life. Most of us do realize that you’re not sitting around crying 24/7 over this 🙂 Most intelligent people also realize that in your area there simply aren’t affordable houses to be found. I mean, duh. Hang in there!

  45. Stephanie

    If you don’t like Y, or what she has to say, why the hell are you here reading her blog? I feel sorry for people like you because it is obvious from your comments to her how empty your own life is.

  46. Safa

    You are so not a loser! I read your blog regularly but rarely post because you always have soooo many comments I feel mine would just be more of the same. However, there is no rule that says you have to be a homeowner. As long as you establish a loving home for your family….as the wise sage and imminently unattractive rapper Biz Markie once said…”wherever I lay my hat is my home”….really. Stuff happens but guess what? Your children will not look back in a few years or even 6 months from now and feel like you failed them as a parent.

  47. becky

    dude. i totally understand about the prices. you can’t rent a house here in a fairly safe neighborhood for anything under $2K a month. as soon as we started earning enough to buy a house, prices skyrocketed. houses that were 300K went up to 500-600K. and in our neighborhood, where prices were already upwards of 450K, they went up to 800-900K (for 50 & 60 y.o. houses). it’s ridiculous. things are slowly dropping, but still not enough to be affordable for us. i know that we will NEVER be able to afford a house out here. and that sucks, because we’re going to need the room in about a year.

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