Mr. Thumpy

Tonight we heard a very loud thump. I thought maybe one of the kids had fallen out of bed. But no, it was just our neighborhood raccoon. Isn't he cute? He is gigantic... the fattest raccoon I've ever seen. He loves our birdseed! (Yes, I brought it inside for the night!)

Our realtor came by this morning to look at our house and to give suggestions. Basically, wipe down the walls, doors, cabinets and baseboards. Touch up the paint in spots (don't have to repaint white! Woo hoo!). Replace the carpet. She checked out the closets and garage, basement and cabinets. She also gave me the best compliment I could ever hope to receive. "You guys don't have a lot of stuff," she said. I can live on those words for a long time. I feel like I am always striving to "clear out the clutter." It was so incredibly empowering to hear someone recognize it. She said she hasn't seen anyone with kids (i.e., bikes) able to fit both cars in the garage. She thought the closets looked great because we don't have a lot of clothes, so they look very spacious. I am very encouraged and think showing the house will be less work than I imagined. Keeping it clean (actually, getting it completely show-ready clean in the first place!) will be the major challenge. Tomorrow I get bids for the re-carpeting, the only real expense in the process, for now. I think I'll go room by room, wiping clean with hot soapy water one day and touching up the paint the next. By the time we finish cleaning this house up, we won't want to leave after all!