Wij maken tegenwoordig heel wat minder foto’s van Tristan. Jammer eigenlijk, want elke leeftijd heeft zo zijn bijzonderheden. Ik zou me ook eens moeten bezighouden met Flickr. ‘t Is een eeuwigheid geleden dat ik daar nog foto’s heb opgezet. En ik zou graag een album maken, maar ik heb daar gelijk nooit tijd en goesting voor.

Vandaag hebben we onze schade een beetje proberen inhalen:

This birthday has been so much fun to celebrate with Tristan.  He understands what’s going on and has had such a good time today.  I put all the pictures of his birthday into a slideshow for you to see. 

A few notes about our day and the pictures in the slideshow:

-The first several pictures are of him opening presents before today…gifts from the Flunkers and my parents.  Opening the train station from my parents was first thing in the morning hence the PJ attire on all our parts.   

-I started making his cake last night before he went to bed and Tristan wanted to “help me”  I got as far as frosting the cake blue and then put him to bed so that the Thomas the Tank Engine part would be a surprise.  I didn’t add the trains until morning, so that’s why there’s some pictures with just the tracks. 

-Brad and I decorated after he went to bed as well so that he would be surprised when he woke up.  Unfortunately he woke up in a really bad mood, which isn’t like him.  I had to sit and rock him for a while just to wake him up a bit.  Once he saw the balloons that we had put right outside his door, his demeanor instantly changed.  The balloons were a big hit!  He played with those for a while before he even made it over to the table.  While he ate his “bar” for breakfast (Nutri-grain bar), he couldn’t take his eyes off the cake!  He was so excited and kept saying “Thomas Train cake”.

-After breakfast, we started opening presents.  He was so excited after the first one we just let him play with it and open the rest gradually.  Once he realized that he had more presents to open, he would come back and bring us the present that he wanted to open.  All day he’s played with the airplane and additional Thomas the Tank Engine characters.  He’s also watched Bambi and Toy Story – both new movies for him. 

-We had been trying to coordinate a time with our neighbors to have them come over for cake.  I kept waiting to hear back from them about a time, but eventually they just showed up!  I intended to get Tristan in a nicer outfit before they came over, but oh well.    Makai came over, but Myerr was still sleeping and didn’t make it until later.  Brad lit the candles and Tristan kept blowing out the candles before we even started singing.  Finally after the third time of lighting them Tristan got the concept and waited until we were done singing.  It was fun to see him love it this year.  In the past the singing  and all eyes on him has scared him and he’s not wanted to blow out the candles.  No problems with that this year! 

-After cake, Tristan and the girls watched Toy Story and played with balloons.  By 4PM Tristan was having too many melt downs to make it without a nap, so down he went.  We went to Wendy’s for dinner and Tristan brought a Thomas for entertainment.  After dinner, we went down to Our Lucaya to look at boats.  It had also just rained, so there were lots of puddles everywhere.  Tristan had the best time jumping, running and splashing in them!  He got quite wet, but he had so much fun.  This evening we enjoyed playing trains together!    If you haven’t guessed by now, Thomas is a favorite of his!

-Finally, I had a really hard time coming up with a song to use.  I eventually decided on a song from a CD called Seeds of Courage.  He listens to it every day during his room time and I love the scripture verses put to music.  This one is Psalm 62:1-2  “My soul finds rest in God alone, my salvation comes from Him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation, He is my fortress; I will never be shaken.”  We pray that Tristan will be able to sing these words from his heart one day. 

El conjunto amarillo podría acabar la jornada en puestos de descenso tras encajar tres goles en diez minutos y otro en el descuento durante un encuentro que tenía dominado

 Guilllermo Paredes Otero/Cádiz

Hay momentos en la vida que es mejor dejar en el olvido y la imagen que ofreció el Cádiz durante el encuentro con el Girona es un buen ejemplo. El conjunto amarillo, a pesar de ofrecer una buena imagen durante la primera mitad del partido, encajó cuatro goles en la segunda, tres de los cuales en menos de diez minutos.

El conjunto gaditano llegó a tierras catalanas con la intención de despejar dudas y mejorar la imagen ofrecida en el partido de la jornada anterior contra el Villareal B. Las dudas parecían resueltas ya que, a los cinco minutos de darse el pitido inicial, el Cádiz se acercaba por segunda vez a la meta rival tras un fallo en la defensa catalana y Orbeche intentaba estrenar el marcador con un disparo que acabó desviado. Dos minutos más tarde lo intentaba López Silva con igual suerte.

Sin embargo el partido era del Cádiz que jugaba en el campo rival con las líneas adelantadas. Por el contrario el Girona, que estuvo a punto de quedarse con un jugador menos después de que el arbitro le perdonara la segunda amarilla a Marc Bernaus, sólo podía defenderse y jugar al contragolpe.

Los cadistas Nano y Cristian pusieron a prueba al guardameta rival apenas cumplido el primer cuarto de hora de encuentro. No obstante los tímidos acercamientos del Girona al área amarilla fueron sustituidos por la ocasión más clara del encuentro tras una jugada de Kilo Ratón a los 21 minutos de partido. El equipo catalán amenazaba y los jugadores amarillos López Silva y Cifuentes veían la cartulina amarilla al intentar que el contrario no llegara al área.

El gol tardaba en llegar para desesperación de las aficiones pero las ocasiones más claras las tenía el conjunto gaditano. Carlos Caballero intentaba marcar casi al final de la primera parte con un saque de falta al borde del área pero desviado por encima del larguero.

Con el pitido del descanso y los jugadores caminos del túnel de vestuario el Cádiz dejaba una primera parte brillante donde lo único que había faltado era el gol. Sin embargo con la segunda en marcha quedó claro que esa buena imagen fue sólo una ilusión. El Girona, tras el cambio de Juanma por Marc Bernaus, salía con ánimos renovados y con ganas de llevarse el encuentro. Y vaya si lo consiguió. Dorca tras un contragolpe en el minuto 51 sorprendía al guardameta cadista y a todo el estadio y ponía por delante al conjunto de Narcís Julià.

El equipo amarillo no tuvo tiempo de hacerse a la idea del jarro de agua fría que había recibido y responder ya que dos minutos más tarde el cancerbero del Cádiz Zlamal provocaba penalti sobre Peragón, jugador que marcaba la pena máxima. Con dos goles en contra el Cádiz intentaba batir al guardameta del Girona y aspirar al empate pero no sabía que el rival minutos más tarde le iba a abrir los ojos y Migue después de que el recogiese un balón que golpeaba el larguero elevaba el 3-0 al marcador. En menos de diez minutos el encuentro se le había puesto muy cuesta arriba al conjunto de Javi Gracia.

El Girona se replegaba atrás y volvía a jugar a la defensiva pero en esta ocasión sabiendo que tenía los tres puntos en el bolsillo. Julià daba un respiro a Chumetra y Tortolero y dejaba salir a Gabri y a Cañas. Por su parte Javi Gracia intentaba arreglar el estropicio sacando a Enrique y a Tristán, más preocupado en hacer jugadas personales, e hizo alguna que no concluyeron positivamente, que en pasar el balón y que otro marcara gol.

Sin embargo ante la falta de puntería el Cádiz simplemente deseaba que pasaran los minutos para que la pesadilla llegara al fin. Pesadilla que se convirtió en goleada cuando en el descuento Gabri marcaba el cuarto gol del equipo catalán.

Con un 4-0 el Cádiz firma su peor resultado de la temporada y puede, no sólo terminar la jornada en puestos de descenso, sino hacer que peligre el futuro de Javi Gracia como entrenador del equipo.

Eric and Alan were 20th century staples.  Does this old school smoosh work in the 21st?

Thanks to Charlotte Vera for suggesting Alaric as Name of the Day.

Alaric is Goth.  Not the dark eyeliner, Siouxie Sioux Goth.  Nope, we’re talking the havoc-making, Rome-sacking Visigoths.

Alaric I ruled the Visigoths early in the fifth century, establishing a new royal line and invading the Eternal City in 410.  He was a big deal back then, and you’ll find references to him in art and literature through the ages.

Alaric II came along a few decades later, in 485.  In between the two Alarics,  Gesalec, Sigarec, Wallia and Thorismund held the throne, among others.  Your average Visigoth monarch’s moniker would not wear terribly well circa 2009.

But Alaric is the exception.  He sounds like a three-syllable combo platter made up of Eric and Alan, but he’s actually from the Germanic elements ala - all and ric – ruler, or something like “king of all.”  It’s a fitting name for the founder of a dynasty.

Besides the Visigoths, there was a legendary king of Sweden called Alrek 0r Alrekr, and often Anglicized as Alaric.

While Alaric has never appeared in the US Top 1000, you’ll find Alaric in the census records.  The Latin form of the name – Alaricus – pops up in medieval records, too, suggesting that he’s been in occasional use for generations.

But most modern parents probably discover Alaric in the pages of a book.  If not history, then fiction:

• Katherine Kountz used Alaric for a character in her long-running Deryni fantasy series – he’s a duke, and a good egg;
• Stephen King used it for Roland’s grandfather in his Dark Towers series;
• One of Anthony Trollope’s Three Clerks was Alaric Tudor;
• PG Wodehouse, best known for his Jeeves & Wooster series, also wrote about the inhabitants of Blandings Castle.  The elderly, grouchy Duke of Dunstable is a frequent visitor – and wears the name Alaric.

The British Navy used Alaric for a submarine late in World War II, and at least one Alaric has served the US military with distinction – back during the Civil War, Union Army officer Alaric Chapin was awarded the medal of honor.

It’s difficult to decide if Alaric is over the top in 2009.  Gavin and Tristan are Top 100 picks.  Boys answer to Sebastian and Julian.  Romeo ranked #466 and Orlando #419.

Perhaps the best way to describe Alaric is from the title of one of my favorite user-created lists at Nameberry:  My Braver Alter-Ego Would Totally Use These.  The list groups Alaric with other gems like Horatio, Junia and Crispin – quirky and stylish, but just a bit less accessible than almost mainstream choices like Asher.

Alaric offers a few nicknames – Al, Rick and Aric are the obvious three.  If those don’t thrill you, proceed with caution.  While more and more parents use – and prefer that others use – their child’s full name, there’s no guarantee what will happen when your son hits middle school.  Or tuck Alaric in the middle spot, where he’d be a good substitute for Alexander.

Then again, what kid wouldn’t be delighted to learn that he was named after a barbarian king?

Yep. I sell and install Dish Network and DirecTV satellite tv systems for a living (shameless plug!). In this business I encounter some really rich folks that have really big, nice houses and drive amazing cars (scroll down for an example) and I encounter plenty of regular everyday folks. I also spend a large amount of my time in the rural areas of the upstate. Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting a man (and installing satellite for him) that talked, walked, and acted JUST LIKE GOMER PYLE from the Andy Griffith Show.

When I pulled into the driveway/dirt path he hollered “howdy doo!?” in a loud voice. When I walked up to the front porch that he yelled those words from, he continued to speak to me at the same volume level as when I was getting out of my truck out in the driveway….the ENTIRE TIME I WAS THERE! I really do think I lost some hearing….

While I was setting up his receiver in the living room, I asked him if there was a phone jack nearby. When you connect a Dish receiver (that feeds two rooms simultaneously) to a phone jack you can save $7 a month on your bill. His nearest phone jack was on the other side of the wall that his receiver backed up to. So while his wife sat on the couch watching me and him work this out, he grabs my flathead screwdriver and yells/says “I know! I’ll put in a new phone jack real quick!” He runs into the other room (behind the wall the receiver is up against) and next thing I know my screwdriver is coming through the wall. His wife comes unglued!!! That was my day yesterday. It’ll probably happen again soon too…

Indigo, Tennyson, Barnaby, Ashby, Rowan, Arlo, Benson, Beckett, Dashiell, Dante, Emmett, Emilio, Gabriel, Gulliver, Hugo, Harvey, Leo, Oakley, Orlando, Pablo, Preston, Perrin, Quinlan, Raphael, Romeo, Remy, Rupert, River, Rafferty, Rutherford, Samson, Sommer, Steven, Troy, Tristan.

Bellona, Bedelia, Decla, Eloisa, Evangelina, Freya, Ferelith, Genevieve, Greta, Ginella, Hazel, Hyacinth, Honora, Isabella, Isadora, Junia, Luciana, Lucelia, Leora, Maddalena, Noella, Ophelia, Ottilie, Polly, Pearl, Primrose, Rosabel, Romilly, Raphaella, Rosamund, Seraphina, Sofiel, Simone, Tallulah, Valentina, Viola.

Julie, the NILMDTS photographer, gave me a sneak peek of the pictures she got of Tristan. I will be sharing them after Neil has had a chance to see, but they are spectacular. I stared at each image for ages today trying to recall his baby scent and the silkiness of his hair under my chin, and the feeling I had when Neil brought him to me around the surgical curtain and held his cheek to mine. I just kept begging, whispering to him, “Please stay- just as long as you can. Please, stay!” But how do you convince an angel to stay in this dreary world? Even so, he did.

Daddy's boy

So many memories in one day and they all keep fading, more each day. But those pictures have brought those memories back to me on a day I really needed it.

I think I am doing well in some ways. I get out of bed each morning, I go for days without crying and I think in general I am handling things well. But in a separate compartment of my life, my heart is broken. Shattered, actually. A new heart-angel friend said it so well; That out of the millions of pieces of her broken heart, she was being built a new and stronger one. But it’s such a painful process.

I am not worried about Tristan at all. I know he’s perfectly ok. He’s probably watching me with a “tsk, tsk, tsk… if only i could show you the whole picture,” on his face. But my heart aches for the moments I should be having with him now; the middle of the night feedings, the excitement to take him out to church and in public, waiting for the night he would finally sleep all the way through, the trip to Kiddie Kandids to get his first pictures done, reminding McKenna not to try and pick him up, and keeping Adele from poking him in the eyes!…Just holding him.

Welcome to our family, Tristan

I thought I would share a poem I wrote for Tristan shortly after we were given our options and asked to consider them. It’s very rough and flawed, but I don’t want to edit it because the way I feel now would change it because its different from how I felt then. And I want to keep that. So for Tristan,

The Choice

What would you pay

For one single day;

To feel the warmth of sunlight,

As it’s washed from your face

Mommy's angel

By late Autumn breeze laced with frosty bite?

What would you give,

For one moment to live;

To be held in a tearful embrace,

As your heart blazes warm, overflows with pure love,

As it reflects golden in my face?

How much is it worth,

Your foot on this Earth;

To run, to jump, to dance, to play,

Chasing fireflies o’er grassy hills

As pink skies retire Sun another day?

Is there pain too much, a price too high

"we said hello, and at the same time said goodbye"

For the chance to see tomorrow’s dawn sky;

When you  long to return Home above,

Leaving our loving hands

For the arms of Jesus’ love?

- By Arae Wyatt 2009

Happy One Month memories to Tristan today. We love and miss you dearly.

Tristan and the puppy McKenna picked for him -photos by Julie Williams, NILMDTS

]]> http://toalmas.wordpress.com/2009/11/14/das-neue-semester/ Sat, 14 Nov 2009 12:43:18 +0000 alvanx http://toalmas.wordpress.com/2009/11/14/das-neue-semester/

Das neue Semester hat angefangen. Schon vor vier Wochen. Wird vermutlich mein bisheriges Lieblingssemester – mit seinem Schwerpunkt auf NT, während das erste Semester von der Missionswissenschaft und das zweite von der Praktischen Theologie geprägt war. Ich merke, wie sehr mich das Neue Testament mit seiner Botschaft und seiner Geschichte begeistert – und bin mir fast sicher, dass ich mich im Master-Studiengang darauf spezialisieren werde. Auch wenn und obwohl das vermutlich die meisten Kommilitonen machen werden. Aber bis dahin ist ja noch Zeit.

Aus Amerika bin ich natürlich schon lange wieder zurück. Ich bin zwar nie dazu gekommen, meine Beobachtungen fertig aufzuschreiben, habe mir aber Notizen gemacht und werde das (spätestens auf der nächste Reise über den Ozean) auch noch zu Ende protokollieren. Ich habe auch ungefähr 20 Ideen für gute Beiträge, die ich schreiben könnte – wenn ich mich zeitlich nicht so vereinnahmt fühlen würde. Nicht nur muss ich dieses Semester besonders viel für die neue Sprache Hebräisch machen, sondern es winken bis Februar auch an die 800 Seiten Pflichtlektüre und einige vielseitige Seminararbeit. Und diesmal war mein guter Vorsatz, das nicht alles erst im Januar zu machen.
Aber nicht nur das Studium, sondern auch die Familie verlangen im Moment besondere Aufmerksamkeit. Wegen eines unverschuldeten, ärgerlichen Missverständnisses haben wir Probleme mit dem Arbeitsamt. Die Wohnung ist winzig, und wir werden uns entweder eine neue suchen oder noch einige Energie in platzsparende Lösungen investieren müssen. Tristan muss mit seinen siebeneinhalb Monaten nun langsam lernen, was Gehorsam heißt, und dass er nicht immer seinen Willen bekommen kann. Dazu kommt, dass er in letzter Zeit keine feste Nahrung mehr mag. Das heißt für Whitney, dass sie ihn wieder mehr stillen muss, vor allem nachts. Hielt noch vor ein paar Wochen ein gutes Abendessen mehrere Stunden vor, wacht er nun mindestens dreimal in der Nacht hungrig auf – besonders für meine Frau natürlich nicht einfach.

Unser einjähriges Hochzeitsjubiläum ist vorbei, und noch immer haben wir keine Dankeskarten, noch Hochzeitsfotos oder richtige Geburtsfotos verschickt. Ich empfinde das als eine lästige Pflicht, obwohl ich natürlich weiß, dass vielen Menschen das sehr wichtig ist. Warum können nicht einfach alle Leute mein Blog lesen und bei Facebook sein, wenn sie sich für uns interessieren? Briefliche Mitteilungen und Rundbriefe sind ein Produkt des 20. Jahrhunderts. Ach ja – Entschuldigung, dass wir damit bisher so lange gebraucht haben.

Seit der Sommerpause habe ich mir nach und nach einige weitere Aufgaben und Verpflichtungen angesammelt, denen ich jetzt auch sehr gerne nachkomme. Beim Open-Source-Projekt Offene Bibel bin ich seit einigen Monaten für die Neuigkeiten auf der Startseite zuständig und habe auch auf dem Planeten (=themenbezogene Blogsammlung mancher Internetprojekte) schon ein paar Mal zur Feder gegriffen. Irgendwann werde ich wohl auch Gründungsmitglied des Trägervereins sein.
Für das entstehende Bibelprogramm BibleZ übersetze ich die Dokumentation ins Englische. In unserer Gemeinde habe ich im Rahmen meines Praktikums zweimal gepredigt und möchte das auch wieder tun. An der FTH mache ich seit kurzem im Technikteam mit. Di bis Fr gibt es täglich 40 Minuten, in denen sich die gesamte Hochschule im “Plenum” im sogenannten Plenarsaal versammelt und verschiedenen Veranstaltungen nachgeht. Das kann ein Gottesdienst sein, ein (christlicher) Vortrag, die Vorstellung eines Missionars oder Ehrengasts. Oder manchmal einfach Organisatorisches und Abkündigungen.

So, das ist jetzt wohl lang genug. Da mir kein runder Schluss einfällt, bediene ich mich stattdessen ganz elegant eines Stilmittels und ende abrupt.

Il y a quelques semaines, j’étais agglutiné dans mon lit à regarder la télévision de façon larvaire. Je passais en revue toutes les chaînes, un zapping psychotique face au néant cataclysmique menant à un ennui anxiogène. Vous trouvez que cette phrase est remplie de mots qui font genre et qu’elle ne sert à rien, c’est normal car fait de manière totalement consciente. Lors de ce passage rythmique d’un canal à l’autre à l’aide de ma télécommande, quelques images retiennent mon attention quelques secondes sur un clip des années 80 diffusé sur la chaîne Virgin 17 dans le cadre d’une émission rétro-nostalgique repassant tous les tubes top 50 de mon enfance. Après un Desirless et son Voyage, Voyage et un A toutes les filles qu’on a aimé avant de Barbelivien & Félix Gray, sonne l’heure de Tristan avec Bonne humeur ce matin. En le revoyant, je me souviens que Vincent Cassel y fait une de ses premières apparitions en tant que chœurs/danseurs dans le clip donc impossible de passer à coté, je veux revoir ça.

Premier constat incroyablement triste, Tristan a un look à la mode d’aujourd’hui et ça c’est terrifiant quand on pense que les années 80 sont l’abomination, l’infamie du fashion, du beau et de l’esthétique (cf. la coupe de cheveux de Desirless ou le maquillage de Jeanne Mass). Tristan se lève de bonne humeur ce matin, et décide d’aller faire du vélo, un synopsis haletant et excitant. Sauf qu’il est pas un mec comme les autres, comme il est de bonne bonne humeur ce matin, il prend une plateforme de déménagement pour descendre de son appart, chose tout a fait normal un dimanche à Paris. En bas dans la rue, ses potes choristes chantent au milieu du bitume avec un T-Shirt blanc Batman so chic.

Le clip aurait pu être oublié de tous mais le temps a fait qu’il est un have-to-be-seen car Vincent Cassel, César du meilleur acteur en 2008, est devenu célèbre mais aussi parce que même si ce n’est pas écrit dessus, la réalisation est signée Mathieu Kassovitz, sa première oeuvre télé-diffusée.

Pour la petite histoire, Tristan était à la fin des années 70 le leader d’un des plus gros groupes de punk parisiens de l’histoire : Guilty Razors. (Même époque que Metal Urbain ou Asphalt Jungle). Tristam Nada, de son vrai nom, s’est forgé un nom dans les nuits branchées parisiennes dans les années 80 car grand ami de Eric Cantona, Mickey Rourke et toutes la scène alternative parisienne. Il restait dans le buzz car il était aussi “artiste urbain“, comprendre ici graffeur de rue, appartenant au collectif  “les musulmans fumants ‘“, adepte de la libre figuration. Tristam est encore aujourd’hui un artiste actif qui continue la composition musicale via son Myspace mais aussi la peinture dans des salles d’exposition parisiennes.

C’est peut être une chanson débile mais je suis attendri quand je l’entends. Un hymne positif sympathique qui sent bon le Marc Toaesca et les années Mitterand.

Tristan, having fun playing with building blocks which Mummy Jeanne has put into his singlet. Hahahah.

Never a dull moment in Amarr…

It’s official. President Obama has signed a bill that extends the tax credit for first-time homebuyers (FTHBs) into the first half of 2010. This program had been scheduled to expire on November 30, 2009.
In addition to extending the tax credit of up to $8,000 through June 30, 2010, the extension measure also opens up opportunities for others who are not buying a home for the first time.
So Who Gets What?
The program that has existed for FTHBs remains intact with the one exception that more people are now eligible based on an increase in the amount of income someone may now earn.
Additionally, the program now gives those who already own a residence some additional reasons to move to a new home. This incentive comes in the form of a tax credit of up to $6,500 for qualified purchasers who have owned and occupied a primary residence for a period of five consecutive years during the last eight years.
Deadlines
In order to qualify for the credit, all contracts need to be in effect no later than April 30, 2010 and close no later than June 30, 2010.
Higher Income Caps in Effect
The amount of income someone can earn and qualify for the full amount of the credit has been increased.
Single tax filers who earn up to $125,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, single filers who earn $145,000 and above are ineligible.
Joint filers who earn up to $225,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, joint filers who earn $245,000 and above are ineligible.
Maximum Purchase Price
Qualifying buyers may purchase a property with a maximum sales price of $800,000.

First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit – Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about the tax credit.
What is a tax credit?
A tax credit is a direct reduction in tax liability owed by an individual to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In the event no taxes are owed, the IRS will issue a check for the amount of the tax credit an individual is owed. Unlike the tax credit that existed in 2008, this credit does not require repayment unless the home, at any time in the first 36 months of ownership, is no longer an individual’s primary residence.
What is the tax credit for first-time homebuyers (FTHBs)?
An eligible homebuyer may request from the IRS a tax credit of up to $8,000 or 10% of the purchase price for a home. If the amount of the home purchased is $75,000, the maximum amount the credit can be is $7,500. If the amount of the home purchased is $100,000, the amount of the credit may not exceed $8,000.
Who is eligible for the FTHB tax credit?
Anyone who has not owned a primary residence in the previous 36 months, prior to closing and the transfer of title, is eligible. This applies both to single taxpayers and married couples. In the case where there is a married couple, if either spouse has owned a primary residence in the last 36 months, neither would qualify. In the case where an individual has owned property that has not been a primary residence, such as a second home or investment property, that individual would be eligible.
As mentioned above, the tax credit has been expanded so that existing homeowners who have owned and occupied a primary residence for a period of five consecutive years during the last eight years are now eligible for a tax credit of up to $6,500.
How do I claim the credit?
For those taking advantage of the tax credit in 2009, you may choose to either apply for the credit with your 2009 tax return or you may apply for the credit sooner by filing an amended 2008 tax return with Form 5405 (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5405.pdf).
Can you claim the tax credit in advance of purchasing a property?
No. The IRS has recently begun prosecuting people who have claimed credits where a purchase had not taken place.
Can a taxpayer claim a credit if the property is purchased from a seller with seller financing and the seller retains title to the property?
Yes. In situations where the buyer purchases the property, even though the seller retains legal title, the taxpayer may file for the credit. Examples of this would include a land contract, contract for deed, etc. According to the IRS, factors that would demonstrate the ownership of the property would include: 1. the right of possession, 2. the right to obtain legal title upon full payment of the purchase price, 3. the right to construct improvements, 4. the obligation to pay property taxes, 5. the risk of loss, 6. the responsibility to insure the property and 7. the duty to maintain the property.
Are there other restrictions to taking the credit?
Yes. According to the IRS, if any of the following describe your situation, a credit would not be due.
• You buy your home from a close relative. This includes your spouse, parent, grandparent, child or grandchild.
• You do not use the home as your principal residence.
• You sell your home before the end of the year.
• You are a nonresident alien.
• You are, or were, eligible to claim the District of Columbia first-time homebuyer credit for any taxable year. (This does not apply for a home purchased in 2009.)
• Your home financing comes from tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds. (This does not apply for a home purchased in 2009.)
• You owned a principal residence at any time during the three years prior to the date of purchase of your new home. For example, if you bought a home on July 1, 2009, you cannot take the credit for that home if you owned, or had an ownership interest in, another principal residence at any time from July 2, 2006, through July 1, 2009.
Can you buy a home from a step-relative and be eligible for the credit?
Yes. Provided the person you are buying a home from is not a direct blood relative, the purchase would be allowed.
Can parent(s) who will not live in the property cosign for a mortgage for their child and the child that is a qualifying FTHB still be eligible for the credit?
Yes.
Can a separated spouse who has not owned a home for four years qualify for the FTHB tax credit if the spouse has owned a property anytime in the last three years?
No. However, the spouse may be eligible for the repeat buyer credit. The best path to take in any situation regarding income taxes is to speak with a professional tax preparer or CPA.
If you have any questions that fall outside the situations here, give me a call and if you do not have an accountant to speak with, I can refer you to one.

To Search For Homes Visit: http://www.TristanHomes.com

Thanks,

Tristan Ahumada

The U.S. Department of Justice has obtained a record $2.725 million settlement against Los Angeles apartment owners for alleged rental discrimination. In a lawsuit brought in August 2006, the Justice Department claimed that Donald T. Sterling and others engaged in discriminatory practices, such as refusing to rent to African-Americans, Hispanics, and families with children, refusing to rent to non-Koreans in Koreatown buildings, misrepresenting the availability of rental units, and preparing internal reports of tenants’ racial profiles.

Under the name of Beverly Hills Properties, the defendants in this lawsuit own and manage about 119 apartment buildings containing over 5,000 apartment units in Los Angeles County. Their agreement to pay $2.725 million is the largest monetary settlement the Justice Department has ever obtained for rental housing discrimination. The bulk of the money will be placed in a fund to pay tenants harmed by the defendants’ discriminatory practices. The defendants must also take certain measures to ensure non-discriminatory practices, such as obtain fair housing training and monitor their employees’ compliance with fair housing laws over the next three years. For more information, the Justice Department’s press release is available at http://ping.fm/yVLKG

Tristan Ahumada

www.TristanHomes.com

From the numbers coming in the real estate market seems to be stablizing. In Southern California we have seen a drastic reduction in inventory in 2009. Current sales and inventory suggest that the supply will decline by the end of 2009, which would put us at pre-2006 levels or below.
Analysts are still saying that the stabilization of the market doesn’t mean that home prices will rise soon though. The continue to point at what they call “shadow inventory,” which are foreclosed homes that the banks are holding off the markets (who knows why). These analysts are thinking that most of these homes will start hitting the market in Spring 2010.
Overall they are optimistic with the housing recovery and agree that although prices will not be going up soon, they have started to stabilize. We have definitely seen that in Ventura County and Los Angeles County. The San Fernando Valley has seen a great decrease in inventory as well as the Conejo Valley. In Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village we have seen the prices of the lower priced homes and condos go up in the last couple of months because of the lack of inventory. To search for homes feel free to visit me at www.TristanHomes.com.

Tristan Ahumada

If you live in Southern Ca, you probably know someone losing a home or someone who has lost a home to foreclosure. Well, now it’s going to get a little better for some people who are losing their homes only if Fannie Mae owns the mortgage. Here is how it works: To qualify, homeowners have to live in the home as their primary residence and prove that they can afford the market rent, which would be determined by the management company. The rent can’t be more than 31 percent of their pretax income. Fannie Mae, through its new “Deed for Lease” program, will allow borrowers to transfer ownership to Fannie Mae and sign a one-year lease, with month-to-month extensions after that. The rental program is designed to help home owners in the nation, for those that couldn’t do a loan modification and want to keep their home. This should help out a good number of people in Ventura County and in Los Angeles County. This is a good program, if large banks were to do this with all their foreclosures it could stablize the housing market a lot quicker. I highly doubt that our nations largest banks will do so, but who knows.

http://ping.fm/5nZrb

Visit me at www.TristanHomes. com

Tristan Ahumada

Washington, November 05, 2009

The National Association of Realtors® today commended the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives for passing a bill that includes an extension and expansion of the current home buyer tax credit as an important step in ensuring a real estate and economic recovery.

“Realtors® appreciate the swift action by Congress to extend the home buyer tax credit and expand it to some current homeowners,” said NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate in Dallas-Fort Worth. “As the leading advocate of housing and real estate issues, we urge President Obama to sign this legislation into law quickly to keep the momentum going in the fragile recovery of the nation’s housing market.”

McMillan praised the efforts of several senators to put the recovery above politics. They are Sen. Johnny Isakson, (R-Ga.); Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.); Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.); Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), chairman of the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee; and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

NAR economists estimate that the current tax credit has contributed approximately $22 billion to the general economy, and approximately 2 million people will take advantage of the tax credit this year.

“The substantial rise in home sales we’ve seen over the past few months proves that the tax credit is working and is being used by buyers who were waiting for the right opportunity to get into the market,” McMillan said. “This important incentive is helping to stabilize the housing market, stimulate the economy and create new jobs in communities all across our great nation. Extending and expanding the home buyer tax credit will enable even more families to take advantage of current low interest rates and affordable prices to invest in their future through homeownership.”

The bill would extend the present $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers through April 30, 2010. Current homeowners are eligible for a $6,500 tax credit through April 30, provided they have lived in the home they are selling, or have sold, as principal residence for five consecutive years in the past eight years. If potential home buyers have a binding contract on or before that date, they will have until July 1 to close the transaction.

Income limits for eligible home buyers are expanded to $125,000 for single buyers and $225,000 for couples. The purchase price of the home cannot exceed $800,000. To help guard against fraud, buyers are required to attach documentation of purchase to their tax return.

Detailed information about provisions in the tax credit legislation is available on Realtor.org.

The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

Visit us at www.TristanHomes.com or www.SearchSantaBarbaraHomes.com

Tristan is een beetje onhandelbaar de laatste dagen. Niets is goed. Hij is voortdurend boos. Hij doet opzettelijk stoute dingen. Hij daagt uit. Hij gooit met alles. Het begint als hij uit de crèche komt en het houdt niet op voor het slapengaan. Op straf staan in de gang, in de hoek staan, niets helpt. Slopend, ik kan het u verzekeren.

Bestaat er nog zoiets als groeispurtjes aan zijn leeftijd? Say yes…

I carved a pumpkin on halloween night. Here’s a picture of it. Anybody else carve one? How about this….I carved it in the dark, without a pattern. Sort of. See I had a pattern, but I couldn’t fasten it to the pumpkin, so I had to kind of freehand it while looking (in the dark) at the pattern. It was pretty fun. I’m proud of it I think…