Latest news is we may sign tomorrow. Would have been today, but new flood disclosure to sign today with the new flood maps. (New as of last week).

Probably saved some time since I sent them my flood insurance info though they didn't ask. I noted it was now mandatory and they may need the proof of insurance.

The timing is SWEET. I am surprised the house appraised as much as it did. Give it a few weeks, not so sure it would. Dangerously close to less than 20% equity, with some of the lower sales prices in recent months. So, for some reason our stars have aligned.

We are lowering our interest almost a full percent, which is kind of our refinance guage. If we can lower it a point? Probably worth it. But since it has been 6 years, I think we are seeing more cost savings because of how much we paid off the last 5 years. I ran some 4.5% and 4.25% amortizations after seeing all these crazy low rates in the news. For us, it really makes little difference. So I will be happy we jumped when we did, and won't sweat another 0.5%. (& if rates keep sinking I wouldn't rule out another refi. I just highly doubt it will happen). In the meantime, holding out for 4.5% could have meant loss of too much equity in the meantime. So I am happy as a clam!

I have no doubt the refi is on hyper speed lest home values drop more. Someone with equity? Get 'er done before things change!

But I could easily see being in a position, in this market, with not enough equity to refi. I heard in Cali it was pretty difficult to get anything more than 75% loan to value ratio, these days. We have 65% today. May be 100% tomorrow. Who knows!

Well, what a Christmas present, to save $200/month! We may sign on anniversary of owning our home 7 years. Funny how that worked out.

-----------------------------

Well, I don't do Christmas! Hehe. I do Christmas, but I don't do crazy Christmas. Everyone is running around like a chicken with their head cut off, and in making small talk people asking me if I am ready for Christmas seem shocked when I say, "Yes." Hell, if they asked me last month I would have said yes.

Dh is very proud of himself. He bought some used Legos (like TONS) for $80 a while back, and he finally went through them, kept the ones he liked, and sold the rest yesterday. For $80. He had like 10 calls when he listed them. He probably could have turned a profit. So the kids get a pile of legos, for free essentially.

Dh ended up keeping $160 from Scholastic. A bit of a hog if you ask me, but whatever. (Gave $160 to the school). So he spent it all and we got piles of free books and games, etc., for the kids. Some for gifts for other people, etc. He is very pleased with this. He did work 8 hours, at Scholastic, to earn this. So took some sweat.

Kids also got some video games and stuff that dh pretty much got for free by buying and selling things.

So really, not much money spent on them. I was going to go to the Dollar Store for stocking stuffers, but seems we got it covered.

I got them bike horns for their stockings already. Dh wants to get some nuts as well.

---------------------------------

This weekend we are doing the family gift exchange thing. So I have some stuff to wrap up Saturday. But otherwise, so busy with work, I don't have time to deal with Christmas. What it comes down to, I guess. One reason why I try to be done way early. I don't need anything on my plate the next 2 weeks. Work is plenty!

Christmas Day we will have our parents over. Take & Bake pizzas for lunch and dh is making some soup for dinner. Very low key.

We probably would have just had leftovers for dinner, but MIL invited herself over and now we have to come up with more food. Don't even ask - I can't go there. My mantra is we are blessed to have our parents alive and well this Christmas. It will get my through. But the whole situation is very aggravating otherwise. I am just hoping she doesn't ruin Christmas, again, like last year. (It never occurred to me she would try again and that dh would let her. Ugh! Though to be fair, not sure dh had much choice. For now it's, let's give it a chance - she has no one else for Christmas. I just figured either it will go well or she will dig her own hole. Either way I guess. Hoping it goes well though. Wouldn't be an issue if she had been civil and sane last year. Too much to ask?)

I can't wrap my brain around what she used to do for Christmas every year and why she now insists on butting in on us and making it difficult. I have no idea the answer to that - it was just never an issue before. She was all bitter last year because we weren't keen on changing up our tradition. God Forbid we have our own life and plans. But she is determined I guess.

-----------------------------------

Dh & I had our lunch date yesterday. Yay!

We had our first parent/teacher conference after lunch and BM did exceedingly well. Yay! They did have report cards and his was ALL good. & I tell you, his teacher can be picky. So, it was pretty impressive. Nothing bad to say. So we took BM out for frozen yogurt in the evening.

Kind of crazy, the weather went from unusually warm, to unusually cold. So has been very wintery here. & I am a little grumpy about that. Grumpy that it is too cold to go outside. (Too cold for me anyway).

Well, kids are out of school next 2 weeks. So it will be interesting. It's actually kind of nice not to have to drive them to school and stuff. I will be busy at work. Busy busy busy. So it kind of works out, but dh is in for a busy few weeks. LM does not return to daycare/preschool until February!

P.S. I paid $1.47/gallon for gas today. Woohoo!