New (bargain) Shoes!

Brown

Black

Merry Christmas to me!!!

The end. :)

Secret Santa Soiree - Package Received!

Santa visited me early this year!! I got home from work yesterday to find a box waiting for me on the porch. It was my package from my Secret Santa... :)

Before:

After:

Whoever my Santa was sure did a great job picking out my gifts! :) And probably a whole lot of research... There were a lot of items included.

• Cookie pplate (for sharing goodies)
• Snowman divided dish
• Two pieces of adorable fabric
• Vintage buttons, hem tape and lace
• Shopping list
• Owl magnet
• Bookmark (how did Santa know I needed one of these?)
• Body butter and bubble bath
• Cat frame

I absolutely love everything! I think my favorite are the Faith-Hope-Love boxes. I already have the perfect place in mind for them... Also, I can't wait to make something out of the fabric. It will most likely end up in some form of an apron or aprons. I have a couple patterns which would be adorable in this fabric!

I guess I need to get busy and make some goodies for the plate! What a cute idea. It is a plate to pass along to friends/family with goodies...and then just keep passing along. Sounds like fun to me. :)

Thanks so much to my Secret Santa!!! Can't wait to be able to thank you properly!

Also, thanks to Georgie & Amy for hosting! This swap was so much fun!

Give THANKS Swap - Package Received!

Got home today and found a fabulous package waiting for me from Angie! The much anticipated Give THANKS Swap package arrived. :) Of course, I immediately tore into the box...and actually remembered to take "before" picures of the wrapped goodies. Funny thing, if you look closely we both had the same idea for labeling the packages! I guess great minds think alike!! Makes me feel good, since my partner just happeded to be the swap mama...

After pictures were taken of the befores...I ripped open the paper and flung it aside to get to my goodies! The fabulous goodies that were picked just for me. Hooray!

• T - Triple Milled Grapefruit Soap - smells so yummy and I cannot wait to try this out! I might be generous and save this for guests, but don't hold your breath...
• H - Hemlines Stationery - I adore this stationery! It is adorable and has vintage patterns on it. How perfect is that? Obviously, someone did their research and knew I had taken up sewing again.
• A - Agatha Christie Novels - I don't remember posting anything about Agatha Christie, but I do enjoy reading me some Agatha Christie! I have read quite a few of the books, but luckily I haven't read either one of these. YAY!
• N - Notepad - This is a magnetic notepad with a black cat on it! It sort of reminds me of Holly sitting in the window, or looking out the back door. :) I needed a magnetic notepad, so I can keep track of my shopping list. Seems easier to do when it's on the fridge and not in my purse.
• K - Kissably Sweet Chocolate Peppermint Lip Balm - This one I had to try immediately, and I am wearing as I type. It's very minty and refreshing. Definitely going to be a lip gloss added to my purse!
• S - Sweets That Are Gummi - Gummy moose! I have never seen these, but evidently Harry & David make them. I have not opened these yet, I am showing some restraint...but I doubt these will last through the weekend. I have been in the mood for some fruity/chewy candy lately. :)

Thanks Angie and thanks for hosting such a fun swap!!!

Give THANKS Package Unveiled!

Checked for delivery confirmation, and this package was delivered this afternoon to Angie. So, without further ado, I will unveil its contents! :)

T – Truffles. Angie said that she likes the Lindt milk chocolate truffles, so I thought I would oblige and send her some. These are a little different than the individually wrapped version, since it looks like a candy bar. It isn’t though; there are individual pieces in the wrapper. I know, I had to try this one for myself….

H – Honeysuckle Bronze lip gloss. I thought it would be fun to include some lip gloss, since this particular color reminded me of summer. And who doesn’t need to be reminded of summer when the weather turns cold and gray?

A – Anti-bacterial Hand Soap (Nectarine Mint). This is a new scent I saw at Bath & Body Works and it smells delish… I don’t think one can have too much anti-bacterial anything during the cold and flu season!

N – Necklace. I loved the starfish necklace when I saw it. But I loved the story I found to go with it even more!

One day a man was walking along the seashore. He noticed that during the night many seashells and starfish had washed upon the beach. Thoroughly enjoying the morning sun and cool sea air, the man walked for miles.

As he strolled along, he noticed a small figure dancing in the distance. It made him chuckle to think of someone celebrating life in such an uninhibited way. As he drew closer, however, it became apparent that the figure was not dancing. Instead, she seemed to be repeatedly performing some ritual.

He drew nearer still and noticed that the small figure was a child. She was methodically picking up starfish and tossing them into the surf. He paused for a moment, puzzled, then asked, "Why are you throwing these starfish?"

"It's high tide," she replied, "If I leave them on the beach, the sun will soon dry them and they will die. I am throwing them into the ocean so they can live." The man considered her actions, impressed with the child's thoughtfulness. Then he motioned up and down the miles of the beach. "There must be thousands of starfish along here," he said, "you cannot possibly make a difference."

The young girl stopped. Her face darkened. She chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip, "You're probably right," she said softly. She looked down at the sand. Then she leaned over, carefully picked up another starfish, pulled back and arched it gently into the sea.

With a tone of gentle defiance, she said, "But I made a difference for that one."

K – Kind to the Earth Shopping Bags. The letter K gave me some trouble, but I figured it out when I saw these at the grocery one day! I love these bags, since the straps are long enough to fit over a shoulder and they are sturdy to hold lots of stuff. The best part though, is they sort of match the picture Angie used for the swap button…

S – Slow Cooker Cookbook. This was on Angie’s wish list. And funny enough, I had just been looking at slow cooker cookbooks for myself. This particular one popped into my head and I thought this might be just what she wanted/needed!

Sneak Peek - Give THANKS Package

Hello Angie! Here's a sneak peek at your package...hope you like it! I mailed it this morning. :)

Lip Gloss Swap Package Received!

So, I finally made it to the mailbox over the weekend and look-see what I had waiting for me! My fabulous Lip Gloss Swap package from Amber. YAY! She really did great and I can't wait to try out the Burt's Bees lip glosses. I haven't tried these before, so it will be something interesting to try... :) Also, she sent a cute little heart box filled with some gum and a cookie cookbook. I cannot wait to try some of these recipes, since I know there are some tried and true Betty Crocker recipes in there...I'm looking at you, Lemon Bars! YUM!!!

Thanks Amber! And thanks to Kell for hosting!

Tip Junkie Trade Secrets Swap Package Received!

I had a surprise waiting for me on Friday when I got home from work...my TJTSS package from my swap partner! :) Oh, happy day and a great way to end a pretty hectic/tiring week.

Package before it was opened. She wrapped the packages in wallpaper samples from old wallpaper books. How clever is that?! And she even sent me some samples in black and white...might have to think of something crafty to do with them.

Package after it was opened. My swap partner is very crafty!!! Makes me feel a little bad that my package was not really crafty at all.

The package included some really cool stuff! So without further ado...

• Gift Album - The album is holiday-theme. She did a gorgeous job on this! Almost makes me want to get out my scrapbooking supplies and do something crafty...
• Friendship Bag - This is the cutest little bag with Christmas cookie cutters in it! I love this idea and that it can be adapted for any holiday/occasion. :)
• Up-Cycled Scarf - I had never heard of this, but it is a great idea to use old/stained t-shirts! I can't wait to use this for the two days I might need it this winter.
• Drink Mix/Baggies - This is a fun idea for a quick/inexpensive gift and can be easily adapted for the recipient. There were little baggied included with decorative paper/labels to make my own baggies and even some drink mix recipes too! YUM!!!

Thanks to my swap partner and to Tip Junkie for hosting! :)

Two Swap Packages Sent

One Delivered! :) I mailed two packages on Saturday - one for Tip Junkie's Trade Secrets Swap and one for Unnecessarydrama.net's Lip Gloss Swap. Tracked both packages this evening and my TJTSS package was delivered! Needless to say I am shocked (Shocked!) at how quickly the USPS delivered this package...

Hope my swap partner is able to use some of my trade secrets. For once, I took pictures before the box was packed and ready to ship!

Here's a list of the contents (and the reasons they are my faves - or at least, my faves right now ...since my faves seem to change from time to time):

• Reusable Shopping Tote – one of my secrets to take with me to the mall. Usually, I can fit all my purchases in this tote and it fits over my shoulder for easy carrying. Plus, bonus is it is pink!
• B&BW Cinnamint Lip Balm – one of my secrets for any time of year…I always need a lip balm wherever I go. This one is one of my favorites, since it has a yummy flavor and is not sticky like regular lip balm or lip gloss.
• Peppermint Foot Soak – one of my secrets, since it is my go-to gift for any occasion. The variance is if it is scented differently. I have used any number of scents, including vanilla extract. My favorite right now is the peppermint, since I found the adorable graphic to use as a lid cover… This is the greatest gift item, since it gets used up!
• Ingredients for Bath Salts (Foot Soak) – use the package of Epsom salt and sea salt, add food coloring for color (if desired) and for scent - use soap scent (from Michael's/Hobby Lobby) or essential oil in the scent desired. Blend all ingredients well and voila! bath salt/foot soak. Put salt in a decorative jar and you have the perfect gift. FYI – these salts will work with a whirlpool tub, since there is no glycerin added to them.
• Manicure/Pedicure Set & Nail Polish – included as part of the gift for bath salt. I love that you can go as expensive (or not) as you want. I have also included just the bath salt and a bath pouf before. Or, gone all out and included body wash, bath pouf, body lotion, etc. as a more elaborate gift.
• Steeple Hill Book – one of my secrets, since I love to read and not read smut/bad language. Since these are Christian fiction, I never have to worry about coming across any smut or bad language. For me, the stories are just as good and don’t seem to be lacking…
• Bath & Body Works Hand Soap/Body Wash – one of my secrets, since I looooooove the B&BW scents and their foaming soap is the best! Here’s my “secret” part of it though…I don’t love spending so much money on their soap on a regular basis, so I use the body wash to refill the soap dispenser. This way, I get the B&BW scents I love and the body wash works fine as soap AND I save a little money in the process. The secret is to only add body wash to the bottom “B” on the side, then fill to the top with water and shake. You might have to shake a few times over a day or so, but I just shake before I use each time.
• Black & White Wrapping – one of my secrets, since this is my go-to color combo for my wardrobe! For some reason, I love the classic look of the black/white combo…and it makes shopping for clothes that much easier.

p.s. Amber, I promise your lip gloss is on its way!!! :)

Let the Swapping Begin!

I guess I have been bitten by the swapping bug again, because here I go again. I.just.can't.stop!

So far, I have kept everything to a minimum. However, there are so many good swaps to be found out there...and so little time/money to participate in all of them. :)

Stay tuned to see all my swapping goodies...to be received over the next month or so... YAY!

Happy (belated) Birthday...to Me!

So...celebrated my birthday a couple weeks ago. Went to visit the fam in OK a quick trip (flew in Saturday before my bday and left the following Wednesday). Mostly visited family while I was up there, since I had to see the newest nephew TCB (who will be just nephew C, going forward).

Nephew C is completely adorable, but is oh so fussy. Well, either that or he didn't really like his auntie arbee! Or, maybe a little of both? Anyway, auntie SoonerSis could get him to quiet down with no problemo, but she is somewhat of a baby whisperer anyway. The gift of baby whispering definitely skipped over me to the other 2 sisters. Me? I got the pre-teen whispering gift instead, probably the reason I loved (and miss terribly) Activity Days... :(

Went to the "Great State Fair of OK" while I was visiting. It wasn't exactly as I remembered it, but I haven't been for a few years. I always enjoy looking at the vendor booths, but this year there wasn't anything particularly exciting. The last time I went, I got a really cool magnetic bracelet, a rubber stamp of my name (extremely hard to find anything personalized, so I was ecstatic) and I don't remember anything else. This year, I only bought pennies forged into the shape of cowboy hats (for me, TexSis and the nieces, and KayTee). Disappointing...but very cute! Oh well, the weather was perfect for walking around the fair that day. If we had waited to go until the following day, it would have been yucky and cold.

The last day of my vacation, we went to lunch with SoonerSis and then ended up at Penn Square Mall. There wasn't much time until I needed to be at the airport and it wasn't worth driving back home and then back, so we ended up there. Hoo-boy...stopped into Dillards and found not one, but two pairs of navy blue shoes on sale! I could only find a picture of one of them though. Aren't they cute?? Oh, I bought a couple books for KayTee while at the mall too for her helping keep my flowers watered while I was gone. Needless to say, my suitcase was full after the stop at the mall...full enough to be 49 pounds!!! Oops. I guess at least it was 49 and not 51... :)

Anyway, here are some pictures of the bday goodness...

Flowers from my VTers...pretty, huh?

DS Game I had to get - Thanks MoM and Dad!

New watch from TexSis! Oh so pretty and different from any I already have...

The Texas flag shower curtain from KayTee. Now, my guests will know exactly what state they are visiting... Awesome!!! (just need more accessories to finish this bathroom)

p.s. The shower curtain hooks are stars! How cool is that?!

Until Next Year...

Updates - Bullet Edition

I guess it is long overdue for an update!

• Minny is all healed up from her surgery and her fur is mostly grown back. By the end of the week, I had taken pity on her and left her out of the crate while I was gone. Also, I was afraid she had some swelling at the incision site (no oozing, not hot, just swelling) and took her back to the vet. Thankfully, all was normal and it was just normal scar tissue forming. Apparently, I am one paranoid cat mommy...
• I got a new calling at church! Enrichment Leader...those that know me IRL can all pick themselves up off the floor now. :) It should be lots of fun and the Enrichment Counselor is a really neat lady with tons of energy. She has been going solo with only one board member for almost six months and is pretty much ecstatic to have a leader and a board!
• Due to the new calling, I was released from Nursery!!! Not so sure I should be excited or not...since Enrichment is a lot bigger thing than just showing up for a couple hours every Sunday to work in Nursery.
• I got another new toy! Haven't taken it for a drive yet, but can't wait to try to make some yummy bread or soft pretzels or cookies or...or...or...
• And another new toy! This one I have used a couple times already. Love it! It made some really great applesauce (yep, canned nearly 12 cups). And made some smashed cauliflower too...completely better than using a hand masher. I can't wait to use this one on a regular basis!
• SIL had my third nephew - TCB. He's adorable and I can't wait to meet him when I ever make it up to OK for another visit. From the pictures I have seen, he looks just like my brother and nephew E. For those keeping track, this makes nephews - 3, nieces - 3. Hope he likes skateboarding...
• I finally bought a TV, but still haven't hooked up the cable! I told myself I bought the TV so I could do my exercise videos on a big screen and not my portable DVD player. So far, I have watched some movies and watched and exercise DVD. Does watching the DVD count? Right, I actually have to do the exercise to reap the benefits! Oh well...

p.s. I figured I better do an update since SoonerSis had done one recently...can't be outdone by my baby sis! :)

Poor Little Minny!

Poor little Minny got spayed on Friday last week...she looks so pathetic shaved and soooooooooo much skinnier! She is a very skinny and lanky kitten, but now she looks like skin and bones. I swear I feed her!!!

The particular vet I took her to kept her overnight for observation, which is fine with me. She didn't get her surgery until 5:p-ish, since they had a couple other surgeries that pushed them behind. Needless to say, I was a nervous wreck all day long waiting to hear how the surgery went! Poor thing, not only had the spay, but also got a booster shot for FeIV (I think) and the microchip inserted... She has a scab on one of her sides from the microchip and then the various shaved parts from the spay. :( Anyway, when I dropped her off at the vet office in the morning, she gave me the butt before I left and wouldn't even look at me. When I picked her up the following morning, she gave me a little hiss hello. I guess she had to let me know how not happy she was to be there!

Once home, I fed the kitties some tuna and all was forgiven... Minny was making me neurotic with her incessant licking once we settled in at home. I kept thinking that she was going to pick at her stitches and I would have to return to the vet for an e-collar (aka. cone). :( As it turned out, she was just cleaning the vet smell off? She hasn't even picked at her stitches once (at least that I know of). I'm glad for that, since the cone isn't a sure thing - Hermione was a stitch-picker and managed to get her e-collar off more than once!

Minny is sure not happy having to stay inside though. She is used to going outside for fresh air in the mornings and evenings with me while I water plants... Sorry, not until the stitches get taken out (Monday). In the meantime, I have been taking her for walks in the stroller I bought. (sidenote: yes, I am one of those crazy people with a pet stroller! But I am glad to have it while I have a convalescent kitty, so she can still go outside.)

Also, poor thing gets crated up during the day while I am at work. I do come home during lunchtime to let her out for a lunch/potty break. I leave her out while I am home and at night, but I don't want her getting into anything while I am not at home. Especially, since she loves to wrestle with Holly...and I don't need any stitches getting torn out! Minny doesn't seem to realize she just had major surgery and still jumps up on the counters, on the cat tree, etc. The post-op instructions from the vet specifically say to limit such activities, but I am drawing the line at no outside and no freedom when I am not home!

Updates Aplenty!

Hello Strangers! I have been somewhat silent in the blogosphere for awhile... I have no good excuses, but here are a few highlights of what has been going on.

• First and the most exciting is that my parents came down for a visit! They stayed at my house and it was very nice and relaxing to have a "home base" instead of having to juggle the schedules between kids and the hotel. (The parents usually stayed in a hotel a few miles from TexSis's house when they came to visit, since there was no room for them to stay with us.) Thankfully, now at Hotel Arbee there is plenty of room and even thought the house isn't that big it is plenty large enough for 3 adults to visit comfortably! :) (hint, hint - now there is no hotel expense...we expect visits to be more frequent down here...possibly when it isn't miserably hot and humid!)
• Been settling into the Nursery. I'm still not exactly ecstatic about being in there, but it is better than some other callings as was pointed out to me. The funny thing about this is I am still new and learning which kid belongs to which parent; the other two regulars in the nursery got called to YW. They called another person, but she is still relatively new too! I figure as long as the kids will go with someone that comes to the door and they're all picked up...we're all good. I am probably at about 50% on who belongs with who, so at least half of the kids should get matched with the correct parent...
• Finally completed the Sister Swap with SoonerSis! We both had a ton of fun with this, and I highly recommend swapping with your sister...especially if they live in another state. I'm pretty sure both of us went a bit over our budgets on this, but in the end we were both extremely happy with our respective packages, and that's all that matters! (when I remember to take a picture I will post). I definitely stuck with the pink theme: pink KitchenAid stuff - measuring cups, spoons, can opener, pink spatulas in three sizes, Pretty in Pink DVD, sour patch watermelons, pink nail polish, pink/green mini notebook, pink rose flower pens (made by me!), pink with yellow trim apron, watermelon Extra and pink/green kitchen towels. I think that is everything... Anyway, the packages were delivered by MoM and Dad, since both of us were too cheap to mail them. It's a good thing too, since both boxes were stuffed to the gills. Mine would have fit into a large flat-rate box, but hers definitely wouldn't have!
• Bought a new toy! I decided I might as well splurge and get a good machine, since over the years I have had a few and combined they would have been the price of one good machine. It better be the last machine I have to buy. I went off the fact my MoM has had her Bernina for 42 years and it's still going... I made SoonerSis's apron with it and I have to say it sews beautifully and is much quieter than I am used to. Now, maybe I will start sewing again. I'm not much of a seamstress, but I have a bunch of apron patterns to try out! :)
• Went to see Wicked with TexSis, E and TexSis's BFF (I got to go with them since Z opted out - and TexSis had already bought her ticket). I had no idea what to expect, since I knew very little of the storyline. Needless to say the show was amazing! I wish I could sing like that...and dance. (unfortunately, I am white, white, white and am not musical in the least bit)
• Took the kitties to the vet. Came out $600+ poorer! :( Minny had an ear infection and Holly has allergies, so both have medicines. At least Holly's is on an as-needed basis and it's just eye drops. Minny had to have her ears cleaned for two weeks, plus have ear drops for a week! (note to self: cats do not like having their ears cleaned!) Plus, I got them microchipped. Not that they will need to be ID'd via microchip (at least I don't expect them to), but you never know... Not to mention, the $600 does not include Minny's spay that is scheduled for July 10th. Sheesh, these two will put me in the poor house! (At least there was no hissing/growling/bushing at the vet this time, I'm looking at you Holly...)

Before & After (and Crazy Cat Lady...)

Um - yeah, probably want to see the fabulous furniture that was delivered over a week ago! Well, without further ado...

Before: Waiting for furniture delivery...between 5:-9:p...arrival was around 8:p.

After: Furniture in place, and it fits!! Hooray! Although, I might have to get another chair for the master bedroom. It's that comfortable! :)

Another After, complete with my laundry in the background and Holly on the ottoman... The cats seem to really love having furniture to lay on! Hmmmmm...who knew?

Cat Tree: I ordered the cat tree in hopes that the cats would claw on this and not on the furniture! So far, so good... :) It took me t+1 seconds to realize that this spot was a really bad idea and moved it to the location in the above picture. Note: not near any windows/blinds/curtains!

Can you tell who is who in this one? Me neither, I think Holly is on the top shelf and Minny on the other shelf. I'm a bad cat mommy and can't tell them apart anymore! Unless I can hear the bells on their collars...those are different, since Minny has 2 bells. Done specifically for the reason that I can tell them apart by their "noise". :)

Furniture! (and other house talk, etc.)

I finally went and ordered my furniture on Saturday. YAY! It is scheduled for delivery this Saturday. :) I stuck with my original decision and got the sofa/chaise and the matching chair/ottoman. I have no idea what it will look like in the living room, but I figured if I couldn’t fit the chair the way I wanted it I could put it up in the master bedroom. I didn’t want to order one and not the other. Besides, if I ordered one and then the other, would they match? Plus, why should I pay two delivery charges? Anyway, I even stuck with my original color…so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I love it!The color in real life is more the color of the chair than the color of the sofa in the pictures...they better match when they get delivered...or else!

The second/guest bedroom is cleaned up for MoM and Dad’s visit! It still needs some work, but at least the floor is cleared out so I can put beds in there. :) I still need to hang the curtains on actual curtain rods and actually buy the beds, but baby steps…right?

I cut out the apron for SoonerSis this weekend. I didn’t actually start to sew anything, but I figure cut out is one step closer…if it comes out like I envision, she may not get the apron. I just might have to keep it for myself! Or, I guess I could actually make another one too. I have plenty of fabric leftover. Especially, since when I bought all the fabric I bought enough to make more than one apron. Most likely two or three! But, I always figure you never know which pattern you want to use, so it’s better to have plenty of fabric on hand. :)

TexSis finally came over this weekend and had the grand tour of me “moved in”. She hadn’t been to take a tour since before I actually moved in, so it looked much different with all my stuff here! Oh, and the appliances too… She asked me how I liked having so much space and I didn’t have a good answer for her. It’s weird to have all this space and (basically) nothing to put in it. For example, in the kitchen I have a whole base cabinet that is empty, plus the cabinet over the refrigerator – empty and the top two shelves in the kitchen wall cabinets – empty. I know I can move some stuff from the pantry to the cabinets, but just haven’t been motivated to do so! :( Also, I still can’t believe that all the space is mine. I don’t know when that will actually sink in, but I’m sure it will come sometime.

In other news, my tomato plant looks soooooooooooooooo sad these days. It has no leaves left on the vines, but it still is producing tomatoes! I have no idea what is wrong, but as long as it keeps giving me tomatoes I’m fine with its pathetic look. I should have taken some pictures before the plant started dropping leaves like crazy, but never did. Now, pictures of the plant would be too embarrassing to post!

The new ward is…different than my last ward. Not sure if it is different in a good way or bad way yet though. On the positive side, they seem to be able to keep KayTee and me straight; which says a lot right there. You know how single people all look the same… :) On the negative not so positive side, I have been called to the nursery for the fourth time! I have no idea why I keep getting called to the nursery of all places, since little kids are not my most favorite thing. However, where else at church do you get to play for 2 hours and get snacks? The story I got was they have a really hard time staffing the nursery...apparently the Lord knows that I will serve where I am needed, even if it is in the nursery. :P The positive side of this is I figure that this is my one stint in the nursery and then I won’t have to be in there again! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it…

Jury Duty Again! Really??!

I got called up for jury duty again! I have no idea why my name keeps popping up to serve jury duty. This time, it is for a justice of the peace…not sure what that means. Other than I don’t have to go to the county courthouse; which translates to not downtown. :) The bad thing is I have no idea where this place is. I mean, I recognize the street name and have driven it many many times, but never realized that there is some sort of justice of the peace along this particular street. Weird! I guess I’ll find out next week…since they don’t see fit to give someone much notice.

Just for the record, this is my third time to get called up for jury service since December 2004! And it gets better than that…TexSis has been called up since then; as well as both of my parents. My parents have not been called up ever and then both of them got called up within about a year’s time. I guess it must be something about our last name (sooooooooo not a common one) that is flagged these last few years… Plus, I had never been called up before December 2004 either…not quite as impressive as my parents, but still! And now to be called up in this short of time seems fishy to me. Plus, this most recent summons went to my old address and not my new address (never set up mail to forward – just never got around to it yet!). Oh and it gets better, TexSis and I don’t even live in the same state as my parents! Coincidence or not?

On Sealing Grout...

Have I mentioned before that sealing grout is no fun? Even in small doses it isn’t fun! The good news is I have finished sealing the grout in the living room. :) I finished over the weekend, so over the long weekend I can go and buy my furniture!!! Hooray! I still am getting the sofa/chair I picked out forever ago...unless I change my mind when I get to the store. Anyway, now all I have to do is finish the kitchen and do a second coat in the dining room. So, that should just be another few days. Then, I guess the really fun part is maintaining the sealant...not sure how often it needs to be re-done...but I guess I'll find out!

In other news, Minny has figured out how to get on top of the fridge! I’m sure Holly is just ecstatic about that little tidbit. Since, I’m pretty sure the reason Holly went up there in the first place was to escape from the kitten… Anyway, the other day when I got home from work there was this little black face staring at me from on top of the refrigerator and it wasn’t Holly’s. This was not a fluke either, since she has been up there more than once since that day. Apparently, both of them like to channel their inner panthers and keep a close eye on things whilst I am away… :) Gotta love them!

More House Talk, Etc.

Hmmmmmmmmm – still not really “settled in” at the house…but I better get a move on, since MoM and Dad should be coming in just over a month! Guess I better get busy.

When I moved in, I went to Home Depot and bought some red geraniums for the front porch and a patio tomato plant for the back porch. Lo and behold, I have actually harvested tomatoes off that plant! They look like some sort of grape tomato and they’re delicious. The good thing is that the plant has already paid for itself in savings from me not having to buy tomatoes at the grocery store… :) I hope that I can keep harvesting all summer long, but I don’t seem to have many (if any) blooms on the plant right now. I’m not sure if the plant is concentrating on ripening all the fruit right now and can’t be bothered with making flowers too, or it once this fruit is ripe it’s finished for the season. I guess I’ll find out…

I bought a backyard composter! (yes, I have a composter and still no furniture) They had it at Sam’s club and I couldn't resist. I have already put some stuff in it and so far no smell, but supposedly a good composter will not develop a smell and if it does something is wrong! I have plenty of grass clippings to put in there, since they mow the yard and don’t pick up the clippings. I’m sort of glad about that, since it’s fodder for composting. However, I think the lawn guys should have a better mower if they’re not going to collect the clippings… Regardless, I don’t have to actually mow the lawn, so I guess it’s all good.

I’m slowly sealing the miles of grout I have in this house! I’m probably about halfway through. I want to know who in their right mind decided to put so much tile in this house? What?! It was me?? Sheesh – nobody to blame but myself for my own misery! I am happy with all the tile, with the exception when I’m sealing the grout…grumble. At least I have finished all the bathrooms, the dining area, the entryway and the backsplash in the kitchen. So, it’s not like I haven’t been working on it…but, by now it should be all finished. Yep, when I get home from work it’s about the last thing I want to do! Plus, it’s hard to keep the kitties out of the way while I work. My new strategy is to do small sections at a time and have a definite time limit (maybe 30 min tops). That way, I get some done on a regular basis and don’t have to commit to a huge area at a time! Oh – and I told myself I can’t get my living room furniture until it’s all finished! (it would be a huge pain to do once furniture is in the living room)

In other news, I’m almost finished with the swap package for SoonerSis. I just have to get the apron made! I did dig out the pattern, fabric and embellishments though. So, now I just need to buckle down, cut it out and sew the thing! :) I have found some good stuff, so I hope she likes it! Our theme was Spring/Pink, since we’re both pinkies and it is spring. (FYI – pinkies in our world are people who like pink! Nieces Z & E think people who like pink are kin to the devil and always say “pinkies” like it’s a bad word) In all honesty, I have done better with the “pink” part of the theme and not so good with the “spring” part! Oh well, it’s the thought that counts…and all the goodies are things that I would keep/buy for myself.

Happy (Work) Anniversary!!

So, it’s been nine years since I started my job at this company! I never thought I would be here this long…when I started my plans were for 2-3 years and move on. Maybe to another company here in town, maybe in Oklahoma, who knew?

Instead, I have stayed on and been able to go to school, study for the CPA exam and attain my CPA. I think it’s mostly due to the fabulous managers I have worked for (with the exception of a couple). Said managers were always really supportive of my studies and would work around the (sometimes) crazy schedule; plus, I was able to work 3 days a week a couple years ago so I could finish the last pesky requirements for the CPA. I really don’t think many employers would do that these days! And then, I was able to work my cushy 30 hours/week schedule until I was finished with the CPA.

Plus, my position with the company has grown as I have grown professionally. I know that’s not really an anomaly in the workplace, but it’s nice to not have the same duties now as I did waaaaaaaaaaaay back when! I’m grateful for being able to take on more responsibilities/duties that fit my strengths and not have to continually deal with strengthening weaknesses. (i.e. payroll, I am so not a payroll person!)

Well, here’s to another nine! :)

Updates Galore!

First off, I have to say that I can't believe it's been almost three weeks since the big move!! Where has the time gone? And why isn't everything unpacked? Packing everything is a horrid chore, but unpacking is even worse! Where to put everything? Am I sure this is where I want this? Or is it better over here? I'm proceeding slowly, since I really don't want to unpack everything, just to have to rearrange things in a couple months...

Anyway, the move went well...even though the movers showed up about six hours later than expected! I had scheduled the move for the "2nd Move", which translated they will show up after they are finished with the "1st Move". Usually, this will be sometime after lunch - 1:p or so. NOT in my case, the movers didn't show up until 7:30p (yes, 7:30p!!). Thankfully, they had everything loaded and unpacked at the new house by 9:15p. SOOOOOOOOO worth the money to have the movers haul all the boxes/furniture up the stairs - with the exception of the few kitchen boxes I had them leave on the main floor. I felt sorry for the movers for having such a long day. The "1st Move" was actually two loads in their truck, which is the size of the largest U-Haul. This is why they were so late! I can't even imagine having that much stuff to move. If I did, I would just leave it and start over again. ICK!

The cats are settling into their new digs, although for the first few days Holly was out-of-sorts. She kept slinking around and acting weird. I think her first thought when she was in the pet taxi was "Vet" and she was not having anything of the sort! She screamed all. the. way. to the new house...and got Minny to join in about halfway there. Sure glad that it's a short drive...otherwise it would have been them or me! :) Both of them like to climb on the counters, which irritates me to no end. Holly wasn't too bad about this at TexSis's house, Minny has always been attracted to the counters. I hear that aluminum foil works to break them of the habit...might just have to try it.

Holly has taken up residence on top of the refrigerator most of the time. I guess she likes being able to check everything out from there. And it's nice and comfy with a towel up there too. Speaking of towels, Holly also likes to go into the cupboard where I am storing the kitchen towels (for the time being). I couldn't find her the other day and guess what? She was nestled in her cupboard clubhouse snoozing on the kitchen towels. Weird!

Here's Holly on her perch...the top of the refrigerator! The only reason I think she gets up here is because Minny can't...gotta escape from the kitten in any way possible. :)
I still have no dining/living room furniture. I'm hoping to save up the $$ for living room furniture in the next month or so. I figure I can do without dining furniture for the time being, especially since I basically only eat one meal a day at the house anyway. Besides, a TV tray works too! :) I still am going to get the couch/chaise I picked out at Rooms to Go. I think I'll probably opt for the matching chair and ottoman too. I'm not so sure about a coffee table in there and I don't know what I will do for end tables. I found a TV stand that I liked at Target that had matching end tables, so I'll probably start there. Baby steps... For now, I look like a minimalist to the nth degree...no furniture on the main floor except my desk chair, a small bookcase and a couple floor lamps.

Swapping Goodness! :)

Ummmmmmmmm - I guess I'm one of *those* bloggers that receives great swap gifts and then blogs about them waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay after they are received...can I plead the moving to a new house defense?
About a million years ago, I joined in a swap hosted by Girlville...and here's the swapping goodness I received from Puglette. (with link to the post of what I sent to her...complete with pictures) She sent me some fabulous goodies for me to enjoy sitting in my backyard. The gist of the swap was to send your partner some things that help you take time to relax, hence the name of the swap. Puglette said she enjoys sitting in her backyard to relax... Thanks for my fabulous package Puglette!!! :)

• Pitcher & 4 glasses with watermelon design
• 4 ice cream bowls
• Gardening gloves
• Flower Seeds
• Bird Feeder
• Paper Lanterns
• Water Bottle
• Wind chime (I was just thinking I needed one of these for the back patio...)
• Soap (for my fabulous tub...which I still haven't used!)
• Tea
• Pink storage basket
• 2 kitchen towels
• Easter bunny with candy

My set of "relaxation" items included (photo "borrowed" from Puglette...):

• Pedicure items: nail polish, foot soak, foot lotion, orange sticks, nail files, etc.
• Bath items: bath salts, candles, chocolate
• Reading items: books and (more) chocolate

The other swap I joined was the Easter Egg Swap hosted by Mississippi Songbird. I was partnered with Sherry, who must have snooped around my blog...since she included some of my favorite things in the package! I have to admit that Sherry was much more creative in filling those eggs than I was...included in the package was:

• Dove milk chocolate eggs
• Mini Robin eggs
• Heart shaped paper clips
• Decorated mini binder clips
• 2 crocheted flower pins
• Butterfly confetti
• Beads
• Fabric yo-yos
• Silver Glitter
• Bubbles
• Stickers
• Crocheted rooster
• Crocheted egg cover (this is soooooooo cute - it is covering the bright pink egg)
• 4 notecards (can't wait to use these!!)
• And some of my faves: Carmex, Zero candy bar & Dove candy bar - YUM!

Thanks Sherry!!!

Here's a picture of my goodies to Sherry...photo courtesy of Sherry:

• 2 Cadbury eggs
• Lindt truffle eggs
• Funky shaped paperclips
• Magnets
• Purple nail polish
• Starfish necklace w/ poem
• Stickers
• Rhinestones
• Beaded bookmark
• Mini Robin eggs (whole bag)
• Peeps
• Push pins (coordinate with the magnets & paper clips)

House Pictures

Countdown to closing... I am still on schedule to close on Tuesday!!! These are the "after" pictures from all the stuff that needed to be "fixed". There wasn't anything major to fix, just the typical wall marks, scratches, etc. Hooray! Movers are scheduled to come on Thursday afternoon, so in the meantime, I will be packing lots and lots and lots of boxes...not sure how I ended up with so much stuff! At least now, I will have plenty of space to put it... :)

Here are more pictures, in case there haven't been enough!

Front entryway...it's not that big...half bath is the doorway on the left.

Kitchen/living room...the door is the coat closet...not sure why there are weird streaks in the picture, probably the flash...
Kitchen again, now with the white appliances
Guest bedroom
Guest bathroom...the flecks on the tub are to mark the scratches that still need to be fixed...and a scratch on the vanity...
Master bedroom, from the doorway
Master bedroom from corner of room...the windows are on the same wall (facing north)...the closet is the second one in the master suite...perfect for shoes!!

Master bathroom...yes, the tub is as heavenly as it looks! I forsee many, many bubblebaths being taken in this tub...especially after a long day of work. (blue tape is because window does not latch properly)

Master bath shower...they had to redo the tile for this one, since it was set wrong the first time...it looks really pretty, now it's done right! When I signed the paperwork, I wasn't sure I wanted the separate tub/shower, but I think it will be awesome...now I know the tub is so nice.

Miss Me?

Hello Internets! Oh, how I have missed you...my computer contracted a nasty virus and was out of commission for a couple weeks. (my fault, since I didn't get it to our trusty IT department until today) I know at least one person missed my updates - hello Dad! :)

So, I have just over a week until moving day! I scheduled the movers to come move me on April 2nd and I am supposed to close on the! house! on March 31! Ummmmmmm, yes, in just over week I will be a homeowner!? I guess I know what I will be doing for the next 30 years... :)

Everything is coming along with the house, with only a minor problem with the wall tile in the master bathroom... The tile was the right color, but it was set square instead of on the diagonal like I requested. I probably could have lived with it set square, but they were fixing it today when KayTee stopped by the houses this afternoon. (side note: KayTee is closing on her house tomorrow!!!) I am supposed to have the final walk-through tomorrow to mark all the things that need to be fixed. Unfortunately, the master bathroom will not be finished...but I can look at the rest of the house tomorrow. *squee*

The sod was put in this afternoon as well, so I now have my (required) two trees and grass in the backyard. :) The trees are both some sort of oak, but they aren't the same type of oak. It looked like the other yards all had "matching" trees, so I'm not sure why I got so lucky and have two different trees. In reality, I am glad to have two different trees. Since I know at least one of the oaks is a messy tree! (it is the same as the ones we have at work in the parking lot) KayTees trees are the same as the one TexSis has in her front yard and that one is messy too! ICK! I guess it's a good thing that yard work is part of my HOA fees and I (hopefully) won't have to rake the millions of leaves that fall! :)

I have my package ready to mail to Puglette for the Take Time to Relax Swap. As per my ususal smartness, I did not take pictures before packing the box... I was on a roll getting the package together and once everything was in the box realized I hadn't taken a single picture! I did include some things to relax...and a couple Mr. Pickles for the Chicken Game. (there's even a Flickr group...interestingly enough called, The Chicken Game) Anyway, Puglette, if you're reading...package will go into the mail sometime this week...so be on the lookout! :)

Bad news, I had to drop out of the apron swap...too much going on at work and deadline too close! We're down 2 in our department and I'm moving and it's quarter-end again and...and...and... I couldn't be sure to have time to complete my project. :( Oh well, it was better for me to bow out now than flake on the swap, because that would be much much worse.

Good news, amidst all my swapping frenzy...my SoonerSis and I decided to do a swap of our own! (to be sent in May - so I have plenty of time to get ready) We thought it would be fun to swap with someone we knew, and since we're both pinkies decided to do a pink/spring theme! (FYI - pinkies are people who like pink...E & Z say it like it leaves a bad taste in their mouths) I already found one thing for the package and have the fabric picked for the apron. All I really need to do for the apron is pick a pattern and get my creative juices flowing...after the move, of course! :)

p.s. I will take some more pictures of the house tomorrow...and maybe even post them too!

(Another) House Update!

Well, here's the latest on the house-front...most of the tile has been installed! The first floor and kitchen tile are both finished. Hooray! The guest bathroom and the master bathroom/walk-in closet floors are finished. It looks like all that is left for the ceramic tile is the front of the garden tub and the shower walls. :) I'm very pleased how the kitchen turned out. The tile-counter tops-cabinets look good together without being matchy-matchy. I had my doubts I knew what I was doing when I picked everything, but so far, so good. However, the carpet is not installed yet. I'm sure that will be fine, since it is just a generic tan/beige. So, pretty much the whole house is neutral, but I figured then I can use the decor to bring in the colors I want; and that is much easier than having to re-do anything!

The sprinkler system has been installed, and my two (required) trees are planted! It looks like all that needs to be done to finish the yard is install the privay fencing and plant flowers/shrubs in the front. I'm glat that is being done for me and I don't have to do it though...not that I mind planting flowers...it's more of a time-thing these days! :)

Here's the tiled backsplash in the kitchen, the tile really does not match the counter tops. It turned out pretty with the tile set on the diagonal...

Here is the bar/sink. This is probably truer to the color combo, but the counter tops look really light. There are actually flecks in the counter tops that match the tile. Also, the floor is the same color as the backsplash...but in this picture it is covered with kraft paper...probably to keep the grout clean?

The guest bathroom...the tile in the tub/shower is white 6x6...the floor is a little lighter than the main floor...it was called "white" but has some color in it...imagine this bathroom decorated in a Texas theme! :)