Property Management Blog

This week is one of the toughest weeks I will have. It is the anniversary of my baby doggie Marley's death. Friday will mark the one year ago that Marley had a tumor in his spleen that was rapidly growing and the only thing we could do was to put him down. It was one of the hardest days of my life. If you know me and my husband, our dogs are like our children. They sleep in bed with us, we talk to them like they are going to respond, and we tell them that we love them. Marley was our first family dog. He came to us at 5 weeks old. He looked like a little fur ball. He was super cute. Marley was half beagle, half yellow lab. He had the cutest face. He was the runt of his little so his growth was stunted. He had the lab face and the beagle body. Marley was our 3rd child. He was so sweet and lovable. Everyone loved him. He was the only dog we had for years until we adopted Cooper. After Cooper, we got Brantley. At first Marley wanted NOTHING to do with puppy Brantley but as Brantley out older he and Marley were always playing together. Marley was our alfa dog. He KNEW he ruled our house. It didn't matter that Cooper was older and both Cooper and Brantley were bigger. Marley was the BOSS!!! After finding out that we had to put Marley down, we spent the next 2 days showing him how much we loved him. He got ice cream, milk, beer, steak, a long walk, a bath, and lots of love (which he never lacked). So many tears were shed. After it was all said and done we brought Marley home to his final resting place, under our bedroom window. He has a headstone and flowers. We still go outside and talk to him. It is like he is still with us. Marley was the best dog ever. There will forever be a place in my heart just for him. We were so lucky to have him for the 7 years that we did. They were some of the best memories we have.  

So, now that I am done crying and I have dried my eyes let me tell you why I love this weekend. IT IS 4th of JULY weekend. Nothing like family, food, friends, fireworks, and FUN!!!!! Our friends always throw the best party. We sit around the pool drinking and eating. Then, when it finally gets dark, we shoot off a bunch of fireworks. It is so awesome. We go all out with red white and blue jello shots, we all dress in our red white and blue (which is abnormal for my crew). My husband makes homemade guacamole and salsa which is the BOMB. I make either a red white and blue cake or cupcakes. I can't wait to share my pictures with you next week.

I want everyone to have a safe and happy fun filled weekend. 

Until next time........

I feel like, no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to find the time to catch up on everything. Between both kids being in sports, working full time, and all of our daughter's appointments, WHEW! It is hard to catch my breath. For the past several weeks I have been coming into work early and leaving late just so I can get caught up. Now that my work schedule is back to normal I can work on getting my home life back. One thing I can't seem to ever catch up on is LAUNDRY :( it is super frustrating. I get so close and then it is like both my children come to me with a month worth of laundry that they have been hiding in their bedrooms and I just want to fall to my knees and cry. 

I was hoping to get some SPRING Cleaning done but goooooooood grief that ran hasn't let up and the sun hasn't come out to play. I have so much winter yuckiness still in my house that I want to get rid of. I am needing to trash some old stuff and get some new stuff. I am really wanting to get new patio furniture so that I can enjoy my back porch when it isn't 100 degrees out side but I need to fix the screens first. It is always something ya know?

Mother's day is coming up and I am really looking forward to it. My mom and mother in law are all going to get tattoos for Mother's Day. We are all going to get the infinity symbol with the word "Family". It looks super cute. Hope it doesn't hurt.

The next few months are going to be heartbreaking for me. May 7, 2016 my sister in law suffered not one but two massive strokes. She survived but she is paralyzed on her right side and has global aphasia. That means she can think of what she wants to say but can't get the words to come out. It was a long battle for many months just to get her well enough to come home. In those dark days we unfortunately had to put our "baby" Marley down. He had a tumor in his spleen the size of a softball. It was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Marley was our first family doggie and was like a 3rd child to me and my husband. Still to this day I miss his sweet face. 

Both of my kids are playing soccer right now which in a way is super cool because they both play at the same fields so I don't have to drive all over the place but the bad news is that Ali's is at 8:30am and Julian's is at 11:30am. So I am at the fields from 8am until 1:30pm. It wasn't bad the first week but the second week was super COLD. 

Tips: 

Make sure to clean out your gutters. 

Change your linens~Put away your heavy blankets, change your sheets, and renew your pillows.

Mow your lawn~Don't wait too long or it will be too long for you to cut it. 

Until Next Time.........

Hello,
I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving. I had 2 wonderful Thanksgivings. I had one with my husband's side of the family on Thursday. My daughter, niece, and mother in law make their homemade sweet potato soufflé. It is a family tradition near and dear to their hearts.


My second Thanksgiving was with my side of the family on Friday. Below is my 2 nephews (blue and Yellow)
my cousins (purple and no mask)
and my daughter (Red mask)

We ate lots of food and did the kids did the mannequin challenge. It was super cute.

Thanksgiving has ALWAYS been my favorite Holiday. When I was younger it was because I loved Mashed Potatoes. Don't ask me why that was the only thing that really stuck out but it was. Now, I love it because it is all about family. I love just spending time with Family. I am lucky that I have so many family members that live so close so I get to see them all the time but there are some that live far away and I don't get to see a lot. I love seeing my cousins and my kids playing together. I love hearing the laughter coming from everyone. For my son this year, I love football. My son is a Freshman in high school and he was able to practice with the Varsity team for a few extra weeks. It paid off because they ended up going to State for their division and they won State in OVERTIME! It was a nail bitter. Both teams played GREAT!!!!

Yesterday, our family decided to hang our outdoor Christmas lights. They ended up looking really good. We don't do anything super fancy. Just blue and white lights but they really do look beautiful together. I have barely started my Christmas shopping and really need to kick it in high gear. I am normally the one that waits til the VERY LAST MINUTE and it drives me crazy every year and I keep telling myself that I am going to start sooner but something always comes up. Maybe next time, right?

Until next time........

So a lot has gone on since I last did a blog. It has now gotten a lot colder. My son was asked to stay on and practice with the varsity football team which is great and all but GOOOOOOOD LORD! They practice 4 days a week and until 6:30. I kind of wanted a break before basketball season started but it doesn't look like I am getting that. It is really good for him because they are working towards playing for State and that would be awesome for him to be apart of.

My daughter has me running around all the time. I am so thankful for my grandma because she has been a big help. Ali has a lot of allergies and those allergies cause her to have asthma. She is on so much medication. We have been to a few specialist and they have decided to fight the allergies by pumping her full of what she is allergic to and hopefully she will become immune to them. She goes twice a week to get 6 shots in the back of each arm. She is pretty brave. She was also recognized as a "Special Person" by one of her teachers. He said that Ali Consistent achievement to the best of Student's ability, having a positive attitude towards learning, and contributes good nature and spirit to classroom atmosphere in a positive way. She is keeping to the family tradition. Her brother got one last year and I got one when I attended there years and years ago. 
                                                                 
We also got to celebrate our Famaiversary. I know you are like "What is a famaiversary" so let me tell ya. It is the day we legally became a family. We celebrate each year by having a wonderful dinner and dessert. We normally do something fun as well. This year my husband made homemade chicken fried rice, steak and chicken. Kind of like Benihana.

Then we had Halloween. Our daughter was the Statue of Liberty. I love how she really takes time and effort into her costume. She doesn't like to be the "norm". She always looks so cute too. She got SOOOOO MUCH CANDY. The problem is because of her braces she couldn't eat half of it. Luckily, my husband and son are helping her out.

                        
To start of the Holiday season we got out kids new pjs. How cute are these. My husband and I got some too but we are going to safe those embarrassing pictures for another time haha!


Now that all the cute pictures and family update is out of the way lets start talking about Fall. Here are a few chores you need to do around your house to get ready for the cold weather.

1) Rake your leaves~ you can also just mow over them while you can and use them for mulch

2) Clean out your gutters~ make sure you get your downspouts as well

3) Change your furnace filter~ this is important to do. Using a dirty filter can ruin your heating

4) Remember when it gets below 32* you need to leave your water at a slow drip

5) Now is the time to plant for your Spring Blooms and remember to cut down your annuals.

Until next time..........

I can't believe how long it has been since I last blogged. So much has happened. So lets just get started.

My son started his freshman year of high school ;( and he is on the football team:)  He practices 5 days a week and has a game on Saturday.

Our daughter is playing soccer and is currently a 7th grader. She is involved in choir. Seems to me that time is flying by. My very active kids have me staying busy.

The past few months have been a super crazy ball of emotions. We had to put one of our dogs down. Bob Marley had a tumor in his spleen the size of a softball and the doctor said there was nothing we could do. It broke our hearts because he was our baby. We had him for 7 years and thought we would have him much longer. I can't tell you how much we loved that dog. If I write any more about him I will be sitting at my desk bawling my eyes out.

Shortly after we said our goodbyes to Marley (the white dog), we received Hunter (the black dog). He came to us through a friend of a friend and he has brought so much happiness into our lives. He is so cute. I love his floppy ears. His personality is coming in and he just makes you fall in love with him daily.

Right after we got Hunter I found out that I had a massive kidney stone that needed to be surgically removed. It was really fast. It couldn't have come at the worst/best time. Worst time because we had planned a family trip to Michigan and my husband was NOT going to let us go on because of it. Best time, well frankly, my family needed a break. We consulted with the DRs and they cleared me to go sit by the lake and do nothing but relax so, that is what I did.

I wasn't able to get into the lake but it was okay because I got to enjoy a relaxing and peaceful weekend with my family. It was great seeing my kids laughing.

We also took a short one day trip to Chicago because 1) the kids have never been 2) I haven't been in like 20 something years. We walked around and ate at some of the "HOT SPOTS". I was super excited because we got to see the Firehouse that they use in Chicago Fire. We saw the "Bean" and many other great things. 

We are currently ripping the carpets out of our house and installing laminate floors. In doing so, I am realizing that it would be a good idea for me to do some Fall Cleaning. So if you get the bug and want to join me here are some ideas.

~Wash your windows inside and out (with 3 dogs and their noses pressed against my windows this might seem like a pointless task but one that should be done)

~Dust and wash your blinds

~Dust and wipe down your walls and baseboards

~Dust off the refrigerator condenser coil. You can use your vacuum brush to assist you.

~Declutter and reorganize your closets

~Replace your furnace filter

~Check your some detector

~Check weather stripping and caulking around your windows and doors

~Clean out your gutters and down spouts

Do a little at a time. Don't overwhelm yourself. You can do one room a day or a weekend, depending how much time you have. Good Luck and Until Next Time........

I love, love, love the spring season. I love feeling the sun on my cheeks. I love that the nights still get cool enough that you can still have a bonfire. I love that the kids are in soccer and baseball. I love that all the beautiful colors come out on the trees, flowers, and everything looks so fresh and new.

One of the things that I like to do in the spring time is to take pictures. I love pictures. My house is full of pictures. My phone is full of pictures. I have pictures every where. Here is a picture of my mother with my two kids (dark blue and green shirt) with my nephews (light blue and red shirts). They love their mamaw so much. They are always fighting over who is the first to give her a hug and kiss whether she is leaving or coming. They push their way to her.

This is Ali's favorite picture. She loves that just their shirts are in color.

Here are all of them giving her a kiss. So much love. It is really amazing what photography can do. We took pictures at this same spot a few years ago and those kids have grown like weeds. I love watching each of them grow into the wonderful kids they are. Hopefully, one day they can take their kids and grandkids to this same spot to take family photos. It is such a beautiful place.

I love looking at pictures. I like to see what the world was like before I was born. My husband and I went to dinner last night and met a man that shares the same birth day as I do. Both of us are April 9th however, he was born in 1942. I was fascinated by that. Could you imagine all the wonderful, scary, beautiful things he has seen in his life. Back when everything was black and white, before facebook, emails, and computers. I would love to time travel back to live a few days in each decade just to see how it was.

Now with all of that said, remember that with sunshine and spring comes RAIN! Make sure that you have cleaned your gutters and inspected your downspouts to make sure that there isn't any blockage. The last thing you want is a clogged downspout draining into your house. Make sure you have changed your filters so that you get nice cold air when you kick on that a/c. This Saturday would be a good day to get all of your yard work done because it is only going to be 70. Sunday is suppose to be HOTTTTTTT so be sure to mow your lawn on Saturday.

Until Next Time...........

Looking for a new place to rent can be an exciting but exhausting process. You may already know what you want in an home, and you probably have your heart set on a specific area or neighborhood. However, some aspects of finding a home and renting are not exactly enjoyable. Getting approved for a rental isn’t always easy. However, there are a number of things you must keep in mind, as well as steps you must take, to help make the process simpler.

1. Some Landlords Require Good Credit History~ When looking at credit history it might now always be about the score itself. We look to see if you have left owing money to another landlord or apartment complex. We also check to see if you owe any utility companies.

2. Rent Doesn’t Help Your Credit Score~ When trying to apply for a mortgage loan remember that rental payments are not apart of your FICO Score.

3. You Can’t Always Remove a Co-Signer or Joint Applicant~ Understandably, your situation can change within a year. Your roommate can move out of the apartment. If you choose to have a joint applicant, understand that you can’t easily remove this person from the agreement. Each person that signs the lease remains responsible for the unit and the rent payments until the lease ends. To renew the lease for another term without your co-applicant, you must provide information proving you can afford the rent on your own.

4. Get renter's insurance~ It is NOT the landlord or owner's responsibility to replace any stolen or damaged items from your property.

5. Read your lease~ I know that when you move into your new property you are excited and ready to go. However, once you are moved in and settled re-read your lease. When you first move in you might be in a hurry and didn't hear something that was told to you about late fees, plumbing issues, and/or lock outs. It is better to know what is what instead of being surprised about it later.

When you begin to look for a new home be sure to have everything that you need before applying. This helps the process when applying. Call the complex or property manager beforehand to see what items you may need. Many properties need your proof of income and driver's license. Some places request your social security card as well. Remember that application fees are NOT refundable. It cost money to run your credit report. If your application is processing or processed, you will not get the application fee refunded. Some properties also allow you to place a hold fee on the property as well. Before applying for a property make sure that their isn't already a hold fee on the property and if not, see if you can place the hold fee on the property if you are really interested.

Until next time...........

Happy New Year.

I hope that everyone has had a good start to the New Year. Mine has been good so far. Busy, busy, busy. Sometimes I feel like I do too much and other times I feel like I don’t do enough.

So we have had a few changes here at TBH Management. We have officially moved. We are now located at 6028 N. Keystone Ave. We are just north of Kessler on the west side of the road.  We really love our new accommodations and would love for you to come and visit us.

We have a beautiful new waiting area for you to enjoy while filling out your application.

Also, we have a new employee. Meet Amanda. She will be helping us out part time, Monday thru Friday.

We have had some weird weather here in Indiana this week. One day it is some cold you can't breathe and the next day you are running around in a light sweater. It is getting ready to get super cold again today so TBH Management wants to make sure that you are aware of so MUST DOS to prepare for the colder weather.

1) When it is below freezing make sure all your faucets are at a drip. This will keep your pipes from freezing and leaving you with no water.

2) Make sure you leave the cabinets underneath your sinks open at night as well. This allows the heat to get to the pipes keeping them warm.

3) If you have a space heater make sure that it is placed in an area that is not near any fabric or on carpet.

4) Make sure you change your furnace filter. Proper air flow is key when getting your heat to flow throughout your home.

Until Next Time.........

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite Holiday. It is all about family, food, and fun. We start by going to my sister in laws house where my daughter, my niece and my mother in law make a family favorite recipe of Sweet Potato Casserole. This year they were joined by Jack. The day and night is filled with laughter and fun.

Then we get to do Thanksgiving with my family on the Friday after Thanksgiving. We love to play games with the kids and watch them all smile and laugh together. They are so close that they even take each other's punishments together. My son, the handful that he is, got into trouble. He was jumping in front of the camera while people were trying to take pictures. I very strongly demanded that he take a seat. Next thing I know all of his third cousins are sitting next to him. I couldn't help but laugh. One of the best stories of Thanksgiving was meeting my new 28 year old cousin. She is the daughter of my Uncle Greg. He passed away 25 years ago. Anyways, his daughter found our family and was lucky enough to come to Indiana and meet almost the whole family. It was so much fun getting to know someone who just FIT IN. We laughed, talked, and ate until all of our little hearts were content. We watched the kids do the limbo, play freeze dance, pin the nose on the reindeer, and laugh. It was probably the most wonderful Thanksgiving my family has had in a long time.

Now that Thanksgiving is over it is time for CHRISTMAS. The most expensive Holiday ever. I am not a fan of people who put their tree or lights up before Thanksgiving. I mean, let us celebrate one holiday at a time. Now, the day after Thanksgiving I am ready for the Tree. Nothing smells better than a Christmas Tree in my house. We decorate our tree with blue and white lights and many, many, many, many ornaments. My mother has given the children a Christmas ornament every year since they were born. My husband's mother has given him all of his ornaments that he has made throughout the year. After my husband puts the lights on the tree the first ornaments hung are our very first ornaments. Unfortunately, for me, I don't have one. I don't know if I have never had one or if it was lost in one of our hundred moves, or if it was lost in the fire that we had when we lived out in Arizona (along with the majority of my baby pictures).

On Christmas Eve my husband will read the T'was the Night Before Christmas to our children. A tradition that was apart of his family for as long as he could remember. His dad's side of the family would gather together and have dinner. After dinner, starting with the oldest and going to the youngest, they would take turns reading passages from the Bible. After everyone was finished reading the grandkids and great grandkids would cuddle up on his lap and in his amazing voice he would read the story. He did it with so much Jolly and Joy.

Now that I have wiped the tears from my eyes I wanted to let you know that we are MOVING OFFICES. Our new office is located at 6028 N. Keystone Ave. It is on the West Side of Keystone just North of Kessler. We are next to Jacob's Law.

Until Next Time...............