February 17th, 2009 by Kateastrophe

Our weekend was simply delicious. Friday night Matt told me for Valentine’s Day he wanted me to go pick out a new pair of shoes. I squealed delightfully and we headed out to the mall . . . where I could find NO SHOES. I’m not sure what happened or what is missing from my brain, but I couldn’t really find anything GREAT. And lately? If it’s not great I’m not having it. So, we decided to go upstairs to the clothes . . . specifically the part where there was 70% off of my favorite brand of clothes. (Please recall my last post for reference to how excited this makes me.) I proceeded to try on everything they had in my size and made out like a bandit. My husband was quite a trooper and actually liked everything I picked out (we have very different taste in women’s clothing, to say the least.) We then ate at Matt’s favorite fast food joint, Del Taco.

I’m going to go on a tangent for just a second here to state, for the record, that I don’t get the fascination with Del Taco. Matt could literally eat it every single day. I can’t figure it out. Wavy cut french fries and tacos? How do those two go together? Call me crazy but I’ll take Taco Bell any day of the week. Tangent ending now.

Saturday I got a mad cleaning bug and spent THREE HOURS cleaning out our closet and drawers and then deep cleaning (and I mean DEEP CLEANING) the bathroom. One of the things I loved about our master bathroom when we bought this house was the clear glass shower door. Thanks in part to the hardest water IN THE WORLD, it is now what I hate most about our house. You can’t just wipe it down. OH NO! You have to get out the bathroom cleaner to get off the soap scum. THEN you have to rinse that off with water. HARD WATER. Which you then have to squeegee off. And THEN you must clean the glass with Windex and THEN, as a precautionary measure, get out the Rain-X. IT TAKES FOR FRICKIN’ EVER. Needless to say just the shower takes a long time and I cleaned baseboards and grout and cupboards and all that crap. The bathroom has never been so clean and I have never been so sick of cleaning.

We spent Saturday evening on a sort of couples date with our friends JoAnne and James. We made restaurant style (read: BOILED IN BUTTER) filet mignon, mashed potatoes and corn and then finished off the meal with warm molten chocolate cakes topped with strawberries and whipped cream. DEEELISH. Matt and I then went home and were the boring old married couple who fell asleep watching old episodes of Bones. Don’t worry though, we’re going to go out this weekend to celebrate Valentine’s Day sans the crazy crowd and impossible to get reservations. I’m thinking seafood.

Sunday was spent doing the church thing and then attempting to deep clean the kitchen and family room, at which point my totally awesome vacuum decided to bite the dust (pun intended.) The “won’t ever lose suction” SOB decided to lose suction. We’re having a fight right now, Mr, Infinity and I. I’m going to win by taking him back to his home and exchanging him for a REAL vacuum, most likely named DYSON. That’s what I get for trying to save a little bit of cash. A won’t ever lose suction vacuum that LOSES SUCTION. Bastard.

Monday, at my husband’s request, we did MORE shopping at the outlets in Anthem where there was more 70% off of my favorite clothes. I restrained myself and only bought three things, but my are they glorious. We decided to end the weekend on a high note by seeing Slumdog Millionaire. There are few movies I would claim to be somewhat life changing for me and this, folks, is one of them. It deserves all the attention and awards it’s been receiving. My suggestion is to run, not walk, to see it.

That brings me to today. Sigh. There is nothing quite as lame as returning to work after a long, relaxing weekend full of quality spouse time and shopping. It becomes lame-ER when everyone you work with is in Florida working and you are stuck in the office making solicitation calls. THIS IS NOT WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR WHEN I SAID I WANTED A MARKETING CAREER, PEEPS. However, appointments at our show are good for the salespeople and what’s good for the salespeople is what’s good for me. Or so I’ve heard.

As you can see, I live a pretty boring existence. Would someone please tell me something amazingly fun you did over the weekend so I can live vicariously through you? That’d be great, kthxbai.

January 29th, 2009 by Kateastrophe

I honestly don’t know how people do it.

See, I don’t have a whole lot of responsibility in my life. Sure, I work full time and I have to be all “responsible” there, and yes it’s challenging most days, and yes it’s hard work, but overall it’s not like a huge burden or weight. When I get home, I don’t have a husband demanding I have a hot dinner ready to go. He’s easy. If I want to cook, it’s OK. If I want to be lazy, it’s OK. If I want cereal, he eats a sandwich. SO easy-going, that man. Love him. He’s also really easy-going about the cleaning thing. I don’t remember the last time I mopped the floor (don’t judge me!) and as long as things are RELATIVELY picked up, he’s good. Oh and he’s incredibly neat. Everything around him is organized, folded and in it’s place. Granted, he’s not a deep cleaner (Mop? What’s a mop?) but I am (when I clean) so it’s ALL good.

Some people have very time consuming church responsibilities, but my church calling? Super easy. I have a meeting once a month and help plan parties. It’s awesome.

Other than that? I get to do what I want. Yet I always feel behind and like I’m getting NOTHING done!

I want to work out every day, but it never seems to happen. I am a creature that needs lots of sleep. Like 8-9 hours a night. Needless to say, getting up early to work out really isn’t an option. So, I figure I’ll do it when I get home, right? Wrong. When I get home, I’m starving (stupid hypoglycemia), thereby, no matter which way you spin it, I have at least an hour or two used up to either cook or find a meal. THEN I need at least an hour to digest so I don’t die at the gym. By that time it’s like 8:00 or 8:30, at which point I start considering it will be about an hour workout and THEN I have to come home and shower. Which takes another hour. (Stupid long hair.) SO by then it’s 11:00 and I’ve accomplished NOTHING except eating and working out. Imagine doing that every day. Yeah. I try to work out three times a week but STILL.

I have a few TV shows I enjoy watching, and I’ve tried to multi-task and do other things while I’m watching, but I’m realizing my brain doesn’t work like that anymore. I end up rewinding things like five times trying to catch what Derek just said to Meredith or whatever. SO, there are several hours a week dedicated to TV. It’s sort of brainless ME time, but again, I get NOTHING done.

This leads me to the weekends.

I typically need to use Saturday to clean, organize and to wade through the laundry pile because HOLY CRAP does my husband get a lot of clothes dirty. I swear I wash five of his things for every one of mine. Then there are always annoying errands like GROCERY SHOPPING to do, and before I know it, my Saturday is gone.

Now, for Sunday. Oui, Sunday. Being a member of the LDS Church, we are asked to keep the Sabbath day holy which means that we try our best not to do any hard work, shopping, eating out, etc. on Sunday. And we spend three hours in church. Oh and my church is 30 miles away so add an extra hour there. I’m not complaining (ok I sort of am but not loud annoying complaining) because I usually enjoy church and have friends there, and being forced to take it easy isn’t a bad thing, but it’s hard sometimes because I feel like most people have two days at the end of their week to do some playing and some chores and stuff, and I feel a little slighted and like I only have one. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my religion and wouldn’t trade it for anything but I am sort of making a plea for shortened church for those of us with A.D.D. or who are just easily distracted . . . it’s not going to happen, but a girl can dream, right?

Now, add in my work travel and I have pretty much just summed up my entire life for you. Do you see time for vacuuming? Decorating? Working on projects? Joining a book club? WRITING ON MY BLOG? Nope. Not there.

I’m a slightly overweight version of myself trying to figure out how to do it all. Which brings me back to the beginning sentence. I honestly don’t know how people do it. How do you add kids and still work out and keep house and help them with their homework and play with them and all that stuff? How do you decorate your homes so beautifully and still find time to make curtains and do crafts? HOW DO YOU DO IT?

I realize I’m asking the same question women have been asking forever. I realize there’s no absolute answer. I just have all these things I long to do. I look in the mirror and I am sad because my outsides don’t match my insides. I want to fit back into the clothes I’ve saved because I know I can be that skinny again. I want to find time to work out enough that I begin to really enjoy it. I want to cook a great meal every day. I want my home to be beautiful and representative of Matt and I. I want so many things and I’m just not sure how to get them without giving up other things that are important to me.

So seriously, I know you SuperGirls are out there. I read about your lives and I’m mostly inspired, but today I beg you to share your secret with me. I promise not to tell anyone else J.

March 18th, 2008 by Kateastrophe

Too much rear in the last post?  Yeah sorry about that.  It stems from a friend in college who used to say it all the time.  When he came out of the closet a year later many things made more sense.

Too much again?  Sorry ’bout that.

Last night was exciting and stressful.  Exciting because we bought a new couch!  Stressful because we bought a new couch and I didn’t find my usual amazingly cheap deal on it!  We’ve been looking for a sectional that we love ever since we moved into our house.  It had to be fashionable and comfortable and not cost $12,000 (like the most beautiful sectional I’ve ever seen).  I would have preferred that it cost a dollar, but I wasn’t winning that battle.  We found an amazingly comfortable, very large, very beautiful sectional.  We were able to pick the fabric (sadly, it’s called “Chunkster.”  Our couch already has it’s nickname. We are calling him “The Chunkster.”) and coordinating pillows.   I can’t complain that we had to pay the retail “sale”price because most of the furniture in my house has been practically (and/or literally)  free.  I suppose it’s OK to spend a bit of money on something as often used as your family room couch.  So that hard part is over.  The next hard part is waiting the 8-12 weeks for it to be delivered.  Now that it knows help is on the way, my empty living room is screaming for the old couches.  Also, I’d like to have it here before my girls come to visit for our annual Soiree the first weekend in June.

With the new couch comes the issue of paint. I’m not sure I can use the chocolate brown that I was thinking about on an accent wall because “The Chunkster” is chocolate brown . . . decisions, decisions.  This house has been so hard for me to decorate and I don’t know why!  I guess that’s what I get for almost doubling the square footage of the old pad and being the most indecisive individual alive.  Well the second most.  My husband wins the prize on that one for sure.

Then comes the issue of the other stuff that needs to be done in the house.  So, um,  if someone would like to donate a giant, gorgeous, decorative yet functional big screen entertainment center, it would be much appreciated.  Kthanks.  The one I want is also about $12,000.  I’m also looking for someone to donate a $12,000 backyard.  Mommy wants a water feature.

Sigh.  I guess I’ll settle for my functional Ikea entertainment center and a backyard covered in rocks.  ’s better than nothing, right?!

March 14th, 2008 by Kateastrophe

Since moving into our house I’ve pretty much done NO decorating whatsoever. I had the living/dining room and kitchen painted three days before we moved and then I got good and lazy and have done nothing else except decorative towels in the master bathroom. But I really don’t think that counts. It stinks because it’s hard to have people over. The last time someone rang our doorbell the first thing they said was “Oh! Did you just move in?” Yeah, no. Almost six months ago.

I’ve got a dining room table and side table in the living/dining room and that’s pretty much it. My hope chest is in there, but, oh yeah, it’s empty because the box of stuff that belongs in it is sitting NEXT to it. There isn’t paint on any of the walls except the aforementioned. I don’t even know what COLORS I want (which is so weird for me). The office is a mess, the guest room is a hodge podge and the empty room is . . . well . . . empty.

This has got to stop. The time has come to decorate. This weekend I’m paint shopping. It’s a difficult task for me because I can’t just pick a color. I have to buy samples of like, ten colors then paint swatches on the walls. My house looks like a patchwork quilt when I do this. It’s ugly, yet effective. Then I’m calling Willy to come paint because once you hire someone to paint, you never want to go back. He’s cheap, it looks fantastic and is ALL DONE in one day. What more could an impatient girl ask for?

I’m going to attempt to get the master bedroom/bathroom and the family room done in the next couple of weeks. I have an idea for what I’m going to do in the guest bedroom (bright and happy and yellow!) and Matt is totally on his own with his study. The empty bedroom shall stay empty for now. At least the part of the house where we spend most of our time will look good. Hopefully.

I’m thinking red for the family room. Well red and tan. It matches the kitchen and I LOVE it and miss it from the old house. Matt isn’t the biggest fan but he can decorate his garage if he wants. For the master . . . I’m not sure. If I do red and tan in the family room and the master is close to it, can I get away with green? Like a nice, mellow sagey green? The issue is that the OLD bedroom was sagey green and ivory and, while I loved it, methinks it’s time for a change, but I don’t know WHAT to change to! Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? Calling all decorative minds to help me!!

Should you need reminders of what the house looks like, here is a link to the post with all the pictures of the new house, and just for fun here are pictures of the old house (with the red I love and the green in the master). Beware, the pictures in the new house were taken right after we moved in and still very messy. And yes, the bed has moved out of the family room, despite Matt’s insistence that sleeping in front of the big TV was “what all the cool kids are doing.”

December 14th, 2007 by Kateastrophe

And by “it” I mean the countdown to my birthday, courtesy of my baby brother Patrick who reminded me that I even HAVE a birthday coming up. 17 days to go. (If you’re counting, yes it’s December 31st, which I’m proud to share with Miss Molly and NO it wasn’t awesome growing up with my birthday on a holiday, but it’s become more and more awesome every year so I’m not holding it against the first 17 years of my life. Really.)

I can’t believe I’ll be 27. For some reason 27 is a scary age for me. Not because I feel old (I mean I DO feel old, but that’s due to the fact that I just bought my second house, third car and do all sort of ridiculously ADULT things) . . . I think it’s more because of the pressure associated with 27. It’s the age everyone claims to be once they are over that age. I feel like there’s a lot of pressure to make 27 my best year ever. That way, when I’m 45 and people ask me how old I am, I can say “27!” and think back on when I really was 27 and be joyful. I plan to try to make it the best year ever, but I’m fearing the pressure.

So, I’m moving on and not talking about being 27 anymore.

As I’ve said before, what is WITH this December? I am so behind my usual end of the year extravaganza!! I usually have a huge list of Christmas and Birthday wants, a huge gorgeous tree set up, Christmas music playing at all hours and all my shopping is usually done and all the presents are wrapped by now.

None of the above have happened. Thus my shock when Patrick reminded me it was my birthday in just a little over two weeks. Which means his birthday is in three days. My baby brother is 21! Now THAT makes me feel old! It also means Christmas is just a little over a week today and hi, freak out because nothing is done. Have I mentioned nothing is done? Good because nothing is done. And we’ve decided not to get a tree for our house this year because we’re only in town for another week and I’m freaking out a little inside because it goes against everything I believe in, so things will remain to be undone.

Except this one thing. I got my Dad RED FLEECE FOOTED PAJAMAS WITH A BACK DOOR. I’m DYING at how awesomly funny they are and how sad I am I won’t be there to see his face when he opens them. They were Matt’s idea and I bow down to his genius.

Now, in memory of last year’s amazing(ly overlit) Christmas tree, I leave you with a picture of said Christmas tree. May she and the lights we were too lazy to take off of her rest in Christmas peace.

November 20th, 2007 by Kateastrophe

I’m on the road to recovery! Thank you to all of you for your well-wishes. Half of my face has recovered and hopefully the other half isn’t far behind. I can breathe a little better and can sleep better as well. At least my Thanksgiving wasn’t ruined! Phew!

I’ve realized that I have way too much to do lately, and no energy whatsoever with which to do it. I need to get a new couch, but I’m too tired to get up off the OLD couch to go look for a new one. I need to go to a friend’s house to pick up some accessories I bought from them but the thought of driving out there has me ready for bed. I need to paint my family room, start decorating for Christmas (and buy new decorations because holy crap my old decorations don’t cut it!), landscape the backyard and a whole host of other things that need to be done and I’m just.so.tired.

Oh yeah, and I have to shop for Christmas. Most of you know that a) I love to shop and b)I work for an eCommerce company . . . A tends to conflict with B because I like to go to the mall and shop for presents but I SHOULD shop online to support my industry. I just don’t usually do it. Except for maybe this year. I’m thinking of going virtual for my Christmas shopping and even I can’t believe it. What do you guys think? How do you shop for the Holidays? Does paying for shipping make you want to pull out your hair like it does me, yet somehow you add up the time it takes to go to the mall, find a parking space, drag your butt from store to store and realize that it might just be worth it? I’m still trying to decide.

Also, what the CRAP do I get my husband? He’s very hard to shop for. I can’t get him tools because “tools aren’t FUN they mean I have to do work with them. I like fun presents.” I can’t get him what he really wants because hi, I don’t have $40,000 sitting around with which to buy him a nice truck. Clothes seem boring to buy because he has a uniform of sorts and getting him the fiftieth blue and tan plaid shirt just seems . . . wrong. HELP!!?!?!?

Ok and on to Thankfuls. I skipped yesterday because, well, see the first paragraph. So ten Thankfuls on the way and then I’ll see you all tomorrow!!

1. Hannah. We had the funniest conversation yesterday over email and I miss her and her gorgeous babies to death right now. I was thinking about a night many years ago when we laughed so hard for almost an hour that we couldn’t talk, breathe or do anything. All over a guy’s lip zit. AHAHAHAHA. Dear Hannah how I love you.

2. A clean car. I’m not good at keeping my car clean and I wish I was because it’s sure nice to be in when it’s not a disaster.

3. Chocolate hazelnut mousse cake with fondant. It was a co-workers birthday today and we got the most delicious cake. Mmmmm.

4. The ease with which I can buy music on iTunes. It’s bad for the bank account but good for the soul.

5. That my husband didn’t get one bit mad when I called him up AFTER I’d just spent almost $200 on concert tickets.

6. Instant Messenger. I’m not sure I’d know anything about some of my best friends without it. I haven’t talked to one friend on the phone in almost six months, but we talk every day on IM.

7. Carbohydrates. That’s all I’m gonna say about that.

8. The thought of eating my Grandma’s creamed corn on Thursday. If I could get away with it, that’s all I’d eat at Thanksgiving.

9. Little kids voices. SO precious.

10. My brother Sean. We talked yesterday and somehow got on the subject of tap-dancing lawyers and we were dying laughing. He’s become such an amazing man and one of my greatest friends. I’m so proud of him and how much he’s overcome. He’s literally and figuratively my hero.

November 13th, 2007 by Kateastrophe

Today I worked from home because I had to meet some servicemen taking care of some issues with the house. I am surprised with how much I was able to get done despite working ten feet from my big screen TV. I was also able to supervise the work being done on my house, which was nice.

Have I mentioned I love our new house? Because I do. It’s starting to feel like home and I don’t miss our old house anymore. We still have lots of little things to do and some furniture to buy, but I’m not impatient and that will come in time, we’re in no huge hurry. I do want to have a Christmas party this year, so I’m hoping I can make it look a little more homey in at least the common areas, specifically the family room. It needs paint in a bad way, but I also need a water softener. And by need, I mean HAVE TO HAVE RIGHT NOW oh my gosh the hard water stains are going to drive me to take pills. For real. So I think the paint may take second seat to the softener, because those suckers are expensive!!

So, now that you’re caught up on my boring day, I give you my Thankfuls.

1. Soft carpet. I love walking around barefoot at home and digging my toes into our gorgeous, soft, wheat colored carpet.

2. People with accents. I know, I know, to some people I am the one with the accent . . . but today i heard Paula Deen say “auuul” (oil) like fifteen times and I giggled with glee every time she said it. I also love a British accent. I just watched The Holiday the other night and mmmm Jude Law . . . with his accent. Meow!

3. My recently fixed master bathroom toilet. It’s been sorta broken since we moved in and I am overjoyed at the prospect of NOT running through the house to the half bath to use the lou in the middle of the night or early in the morning. Ahhh modern plumbing.

4. Forks. Yep, forks. I spent some time in China several years ago and let me tell you what, whoever invented the fork had the right idea. Eating without them sucks. Chopsticks are hard and spoons just aren’t right for SO many things.

5. Feed readers. Oh the joy of not having to search out your new posts. I love using my reader to help direct me to your posts. I do love me some bloggers.

November 3rd, 2007 by Kateastrophe

Brace yourselves . . . they’re coming. I’ll try to go easy on you and not overload your brains with TOO many pictures. It might hurt. Most likely it will hurt me and not you guys. But it might hurt both of us, so I’ll be careful.

First, I give you the final pictures of our first home. I have to say that it’s SO WEIRD to think of someone else living there now. We closed on Friday and it’s done, done, done. It was stressful and stupid and irritating but it’s done and now we can move on, but a part of me is sad to end that amazing chapter of my life with my husband. So here you go:

The way I took this picture is very odd and . . . optical illusion-like.
Ha. Oh well! Goodbye beautiful floors and lovely red paint!

The final picture of the outside. Sorry it’s at night. We’ll sure miss that mature palm tree! We should have taken it with us!

The final picture of us in front of our house, even though all you can see is the garage light. Haha. Oops! Also, memo to us: pictures we try to take of ourselves are usually very unflattering.

Now, I give you pictures of the new house! I am going to go chronologically, from dirt to final product. Sidenote: I have yet to take pictures of the slightly unpacked, slightly better looking version of the house, so just remember that I took these THE DAY AFTER we moved in. No judging.

Our bit of earth

Later, after they dug a bunch of stuff up. Veeeery exciting.

Pre-plumbing and the frame for the foundation

Walls!! Sort of . . .

Almost there . . .

Almost there . . .

Ta-Daa! Complete with empty lot next door that will cause many headaches when someone finally buys it and they begin building on it. Seriously, EVERY OTHER LOT IS SOLD. Just my luck that the ONLY unsold lot is next to our bedroom windows. Seriously.

Le front door

The view from the entryway

Formal Living/Dining/Entry/Great Room/HOLY AWESOME NATURAL LIGHT!

Great Room from upstairs, where there is a small loft, three bedrooms and a bathroom.

Most of you have seen this already but this is the kitchen (unfortunately pre-paint. I gotta get one with the new paint. I promise I’ll do it. It’s light brown, if that helps!)

Family Room/Master Bedroom for the first week

Master Bedroom sans bedroom stuff

Master Bathroom (two sinks AND a separate tub/shower? I’ve died and gone to heaven)

Closet. Sigh of joy.

Our first meal in our new house. Traditional Move-in Pizza Hut. Mmmm.

I LOVE our new house. I’m having trouble decorating, but that doesn’t take away from my absolute joy every time I drive around the corner and see it standing there. I seriously can’t believe it’s ours. I keep having to pinch myself. Especially when I see the view from our front porch. I gotta give it to Arizona, it has the most incredible sunsets. And now I have an unobstructed view of them every day. I’m in heaven and so, so grateful.

Well, I have lots of pictures of our trip to the dunes, but I think those will have to wait for another day because I’m about pictured out. Just to give you a teaser though, I proudly present me, kicking my husband’s butt on top of a huge sand hill.

We got very, very sandy.

Stay tuned Sunday for my newest installment of Soap Opera Sunday . . . the one in which I completely embarrass myself. Again.

October 26th, 2007 by Kateastrophe

So we’re off to the Coral Pink Sand Dunes with Matt’s family and our quads. I bought new pink and black gear for the occasion which might spark the question “Kate, why on earth did you buy matching ATV gear to go out with your family?”

Well, that is another discussion for another time, but basically . . . IT’S PINK AND BLACK!!!

We won’t be back until late Monday night, so I’m sorry I won’t be participating in Soap Opera Sunday yet AGAIN. I suck. But trust me, I’m the worse off. I’m gonna have sand in places you didn’t know sand could GET by the time we finish up four days at the dunes.

I leave you all with the knowledge that when I get back, it will be a week full of pictures because WE FOUND THE CAMERA CORD! So you’ll be able to see me in the Shark Tank at Mandalay Bay, the new house, final pictures of the old house and me, covered in sand, but stylishly. I might dub it Ocular October or something stupid like that because you might just get pictures!

I apologize. Ocular October is a lame, stupid name.

OK we’re off on our elebenteen hour drive. Have a great weekend!

October 16th, 2007 by Kateastrophe

I only have a few minutes but I wanted to update you all on the boring goings on in my life. Because I know you care sooooooo deeply. Or something.

So, in no particular order, I give you:

- I would LOVE to post pictures of the new house for all of you, but somehow in the move, I have misplaced the camera cord. Well, by I, what I actually mean is Matt misplaced it. And by misplaced I mean packed in a box and forgot which one. So um . . . yeah. Sorry about that, but not really because all the pictures are of a HUGE MESS. Our bed is in the family room due to technical difficulties with the frame (which should be fixed tonight. Who knew a 200 lb man doing a superman-esque leap onto the bed after running down the hall at full speed might actually do damage to a bed frame? Oh wait. I did. And I warned him.) and there are boxes and wrappings and blue tape (from finding little things that need to be fixed by the builder) EVERYWHERE. So it’s really in no condition to show you.

- We are almost completely moved out of the old house. Now all we have to do is a bit of cleaning. I’m proud to say the house was not that messy. We got the wood floors pretty dirty moving everything around but all in all, I pat myself on the back for being able to keep the house relatively clean over the past six months. It’s been helpful in many, many ways. And has sucked and been stressful in many, many ways.

It’s bittersweet to be moving out of that house. After spending one night in the new house it seems small, cramped and old, but I still love it. Our blood, sweat and tears went into turning it from a pink carpeted, outdated disaster to something we were proud of. Tomorrow as we do the final cleaning and shut the door for the last time, I will be sad because a very, very happy chapter of Matt’s and my life together is ending. We were in love when we got married for sure, but I truly fell madly in love with my husband in that home. I will miss it and be sad. But only on the drive to the new house. Then I will see the new house and I will be happy again because I really LOVE our new house.

- The Great Internet Debacle of 2007 is raging a war at our new house. We had one of the satellite companies come and install our new TV system and they forgot to mention that they were tapping into the cable box in the study . . . which means that the TV in the study works but the cable Internet doesn’t. That’s a big problem because as nice as a TV is in the study, Internet would be nicer considering it’s where the desktop computer lives. The satellite company promised us a phone call in 24-48 hours to arrange a time to fix it and it’s now been 48 and no call from them. For now we’re thinking wireless on the desktop, but that uses valuable USB cords and heaven knows we need those for multiple iPods, the laser mouse, wireless keyboard . . . you know other junk. So wireless it is for now.

BUT then we tried to use the wireless router. Somehow, on the drive from the old house to the new house, the router broke. It wasn’t dropped, damaged . . . who knows what happened. Maybe it’s against new construction. However, JUST the wireless part broke, the router part still worked. So we had Internet when we were connected to it through a cable but didn’t have wireless. *scratching head here.* So after an hour of trying to figure it out on our own, we decided to do the really dumb thing and call tech support. IN INDIA. (Please note I have nothing against India in general, I just find it very, very difficult to understand and be understood by anyone in another country trying to do TECH SUPPORT.) It was a giant disaster.

“Please plug your modem into the router and then your router into your laptop.”

“Done. I have Internet“

“No, take the laptop cord out of the modem and put it in the router and that should get you connected to the Internet“

“Um, that’s what is already done. And I have Internet on the laptop.”

“I repeat myself kindly please. I need your laptop plugged into the router.”

oh.my.gosh. It went on like this for like two hours and three disconnected calls. We finally talked to someone who seemed to understand what was going on and it appears our router stopped assigning an IP address. So um . . . now that means new router or wait for the company to send us a replacement one.

And the money keeps rolling out.

It’s expensive to move. And I’m tired of sleeping in the family room and eating fast food. And lifting and unpacking boxes. And not exercising and feeling fat. I want so badly to wave a magic wand and make it all done.

*squinting eyes and waving hands*

Not done?

Crap.