Fear and Parenting in Las Vegas

Well, after a year and a half, it appears that the party at Nancyville is going to be on the move again. We’ve loved our townhouse digs over the past year and a half, but noisy neighbors, crappy managagement, and a desire to give the kids and the dog more room to play has taken over.

So we’re looking.

My Dad graciously offered to buy a house across the street from him and rent it back to us, but I’m turning him down. I appreciate the sentiment…wanting to have us closer so he can see the kids more…wanting me to be closer so I can help my mom more…wanting us closer because he wants my mom to help out more with the kids…wanting us closer so he can attempt to co-opt my dog.

All of these are sweet reasons, but I’m turning him down.

Too close to them…too many strings attached…the neighborhood’s in decline and it’s not a place I want to live any more.

It’s time for us to move forward, to move on. Have no fears, we’re not leaving town. We’re just looking for greener pastures a bit westward.

And now the search begins for a perfect house with enough space to hold us and our stuff…with awesome energy efficiency and all the appliances included…two car garage… great yard that takes little to no care…located close enough to a major thoroughfare to make our commutes easy, but far enough to be away from the noise. Cul-de-sacs are awesome. Parks are cool. A community swimming pool would be prefectamente.

Am I asking too much?

Okay, I’ll compromise. I’ll put up with HOA assholes with rulers measuring length the grass on our front lawn. I’ll deal with gated communities that reek of white elitism. I’ll attempt to find beauty in spanish tiled, cookie cutter, stucco fortresses. Sometimes you’ve gotta take one for the team.

Oh, and we’ve got to be able to afford it and they have to hold it for us  until late July/early August. o wish us luck.

The search begins.

The new design is up!

Don’t you just love the new header that Schmutzie (from Sweet Blog Designs) made for me? Her original design had a showgirl with a cat on her crotch, but we dialed that down because, you know, I’m all about the class here.

Once settled on the header, Terra (aka Zoeyjane) sprinkled copious amounts of code pixie dust and pulled the rest of the design together and moved me into my new gigs. She’s fabulously patient with my short-attention-span-theater approach to finishing this project (we started this process almost a year ago!)

If you like this, you should see my Twitter background that Maria (also from Sweet Blog) did for me).

Thanks so much to Schmutzie, Maria and Terra for all of their work on this. Also thanks to Whit, Tricia, Adam, and everyone who confirmed that a cat on my crotch was a little to edgy for me.

So how do you like it?

(This is the part where you leave comments and tell me how nice it looks even if you’re not sure if you like it.)

When you’re done blowing smoke up my ass here, you can check these posts and tell me I’m brilliant there as well.

On Savvy Source:

• King Putt – Northwest
• Lake Mead Marina
• Las Vegas Natural History Museum

Three years ago, you had your first recital. You were a star from the start.

Two years ago, you swapped ballet slippers for tap shoes.

This year, you started to sing and act while you dance.

Although, from what I recall from three years ago…

the performer in you was always there.

Congratulations, baby girl. We’re so proud of you.