Happy New Year!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone!!!

Death by the Fuzzy

So I wasn't going to talk about this incident but at the same time I wanted to share it. And it's OK to giggle because I'm trying to take the lighter side of something that could have been very serious.


Death by the fuzzy...literally.

Yes, I almost died on the ski slopes a week before Christmas. Not because of snowboarder plowing into me or because of a tree jumping out into my path and smacking me in the head. No, my near death experience was because of a damn fuzzy.

The day started out pretty normally. Mitch and I work up, had breakfast, packed up the ski gear and headed to the slopes. Only a few slopes were open because of the lack of snow and the weather started to get warmer. I had decided half way through the morning I would put on my new fuzzy gloves. They were soft and breathable, perfect for a warmer ski day.They were new, I had just purchased them the night before our ski trip. I did notice they were shedding a little more than normal but didn't think anything of it.

It was an exciting day because I had just completed a blue slope that I've been fearful of trying. But with my new boots which gave me more control over my ski's I was able to tackle that slope. I took it really slow and steady but I did it. I was able to go down this blue slope and not fall...amazing!!! It was a very proud moment for me.

After that amazing run we skied down to the ski lift and we had just gotten on the lift when my nose started to itch. Instinctively I reached up to scratched it and at the same time I inhaled. I piece of fuzzy had come off the gloves and floated down my windpipe and so the choking began.

I CAN'T BREATH!!!!!...I wanted to scream...but nothing, no air in...no air out. Panic hit hard.


I'm going to spare you the details, really the only reason I'm sparing you the details is because I don't want to relive that moment again...I relive it enough in my nightmares...I guess I'm still a little traumatized.

The fuzzy was just wedged in my throat and I just couldn't get any air in. As I was beginning to black out I was wondering how Mitch was going to explain my death to my parents right before Christmas then I heard Mitch tell me....breath really slow.


I think he was the only one staying calm, which I needed at the very moment.

So I did...breathed in really slowly and some how I was able to get a little bit of air in my lungs and hacked really hard.Then as fast as the choking began it was over.  I was able to get a deep refreshing breath. It was the most amazing thing....air into the lungs...LIFE....I wasn't going to die....I was blessed with another chance to live!!!


By the time we reached the top of the lift I could breath, although I was hacking up my lungs and had to remove all the clothing/helmet around my head. I was feeling suffocated by the helmet, gator round my neck and goggles.  I removed the other death glove and handed it to Mitch. Once I regained some composer, dried my eyes from the tears we headed down to the lodge.

Once there, Mitch very lovingly named the gloves "the death gloves" and tossed them into the trash. Then we called it a day.

No more fuzzy gloves for me!!! I have banned them from my life as well as any fuzzy thing that sheds.

Was this a life changing experience for me?....yes, to a point. I'm not going to quick my job and run off to achieve all those dreams I've ever had but I realize even more how important time really is. I'm happy I have more time to live....it really is a blessing.

New Year, New Resolution

Life always has twist and turns, bumps and bruises and as time passes by I've realized if I'm going to enjoy life I'm going to have to make it happen myself.

First thing is to get involved in something, anything.

A few years back I signed up on a meetup site. No this is not a dating site but a site where like minded people, with similar interests meetup and participate in an activity. Like the Kayaking club. People interested in Kayaking can join this group and meet other that enjoy kayaking as well. They schedule kayaking activities and you can participate if you like.

Anyway, I joined a few years ago and went to one group event and fizzled out. I guess it just wasn't the group for me. Then life twisted a little and I stopped looking at the meetups. Now life has provided some new turns, such as finding a job that allows me to have a personal life, and I'm back, looking at what meetups are available.

I have found a few groups I'm interested in. Three of them are focused on socializing with others and two of them are for volunteer work. I've always wanted to find something to volunteer for and this will give me a good opportunity to see what I'm most passionate about.

I've already RSVP'ed for one event which is a wine tasting...I do love wine:) and there is this one I really want to go to for New Years Eve. I'm hoping Mitch will want to go because I don't want to go alone. But we'll see:)There's a couple more in Jan that look interesting but I have to wait till I get a new calendar..I'm still a paper person and need a calendar to write everything down in.

So this year my new years resolution is to go out and meet people! Just get out there and have fun!! Forget the "I'll lose weight" thing or "I'll go to the gym every day" thing. I've always said it but never followed through so out with the old and in with the new...resolution anyway.

Let the fun begin!!!!

The right fit

Its been a week since I've started my new job and I have to say I am exteremly surprised at how much different things are when you are in the right job.

In my previous position it just didn't click with me. The two and half years I spent in that position was a struggle and every day I woke up tired and regretting the fact I had to go in. There were days I would just sit at my desk in tears questioning whether or not this was worth it. At one point I almost got up and walked out never to return. However reason played in my head and I decided if I wanted to keep the house I just built it would be in my best interest to fight through it. So I did.

 Now I'm in this position that focuses more on the business aspect of stuff and less of the techincal stuff. I LOVE IT! I sit in these meeting and even though I'm still learning, I'm getting it. It's completely clicking and I just get it.

I just met with my manager today and she said that she already received positive feedback for me and knows I'm a perfect fit for this position. She's really excited to have me on board and can't wait to see what I turn this position into. By the way, it's a new position and although they have an idea of what the job will look like they want me to really create the role. It was a really good meeting today. I came out of there so energized and ready to work even harder.

Anyway...it feels so good to be appreciated! And it feels good to actually understand my job as well. LOVING MY JOB!!!!

At what point do you really enjoy life?

Yep, You can tell I've been on vacation a little to long because I'm now starting to think a little to hard.

I've becoming really bored, which is not a bad thing, however I start thinking about life and all the depressing stuff that has no real answer...you know like the meaning of Life.Which is boiled down to the meaning is what you make it and it's not the same for everyone.

Anyway, I was sitting here and started to really think about when I will start really enjoying life? When will I stop stressing over the small stuff? When will it all just start being fun?

I've lost the fun in life some where along the way of building my career, changing homes and stronger self. I stress over everything, I stress over time lines and friends and my relationship and where will I be in 5 years. I stress over if I have the right job, whether or not I said the right thing that one time, what people think about me and if I've made a difference in someones life. I stress about whether or not to have kids or a family or even get married...most of which are completely out of my control but I still worry about it all. I even stress to much about whether or not my house is clean enough, are the dishes put away is the floor clean, will someone judge me because I left a pan on the stove and didn't clean it out right away.

I want to stop worrying so much about everything and just live life. I want to be totally happy with my decisions in life and not second guess myself. I also don't want people to think the traditional way of life is for me either although I don't know. I've never really had the traditional anything. I've always done things ass backwards in life. 

I'm finally feeling excited about my running again...I took a minute and looked at all the upcoming races and I could feel the excite inside my chest for the first time in a long time. Why this, Why running....does it really make me feel that good...I think so.

Then I started to look at volunteer work...and there is was, that excitement again. I really want to volunteer at a children's hospital..I don't know why but I just do. And for the first time I feel like work won't get in the way of my personal life so I think I will be able to do it...give me a purpose in life.

I know I suffer from a mild case of seasonal depression and for the first time I'm actively trying to control it before it hits. Studies have shown that taking large amount of vitamin D will help with depression and I've been taking large amount along with some other vitamins to help maintain a healthy mood. So far I think its working. Come January will be the real test.

OK, I've lost my point somewhere in this posting. I guess I'm trying to stop worrying so much and want to figure out how to just live today and not worry about tomorrow. How do you live in the moment?

Preparing for Hunting Season

As many of you know I hunt pheasant and its the only animal that I hunt. I starting hunting a few years ago and have yet been able to hit one....I never said I was a good shot but I do try:)

Anyway, since I'm off work this week I decided to go to Mitch's for the day and do some practice shooting.

I have to say I'm still not a good shot. I only got one clay out of ....ummmm...well I don't know..alot!  It was a very sad thing to watch. Mitch, of course, hit almost every clay we throw. After watching him I just felt like I was wasting shots but Mitch encouraged me to continue so I did.

I just need to keep practicing maybe one day I will be able to actually hit one.

Then Mitch prepared a pheasant in the crock pot and we had a wonderful dinner. Yesterday was a good day:)

Running again

Last night after watching 2 1/2 hours of the new york marathon I decided that today was the day I was going to start running again and since I'm off work this week there was no timeline pressure so it was perfect. I don't plan on ever doing a marathon but I did enjoy running the 5K and 5Mile races.

So this morning I dusted off my running gear and slid into my cloths. Found my MP3 player and check the battery charge, luckly it was in good shape. Slide my feet into my shoes, tightened up my laces, put on my headphones, turned up the volume and started to run.

It was amazing! The weather was cooler which I prefer and at the end of the run it started to rain. The rain felt so good. I was getting a little warm so the cool rain soothed my skin.

Durning my run I had the chance check out the adjacent neighborhood and run through their walking path. The walking path was probably about 1/4 mile long and really wide. There is a steep hill about mid way through the path which will be good for hill repeats. I'll explore the rest of that neighborhood tomorrow morning.

Ok, really the New York Marathon only reminded me about how good running makes you feel. There are two reasons for starting to run now. First, the annual December Jingle Bell run is coming up soon and I have to run that race. I have about 6 weeks before the race. Second, Ski season is just around the corner and I have to get into shape for that and running is one of the best ways to build endurance.

The Jingle Bell run was the first 5k I ever ran a 12 minute mile in. For those of you who run, a 12 minute mile is a slow pace but not bad for someone who started training 5 weeks before the race. It was a really proud moment for me. So the Jingle Bell Run marks my anniversary for running. I think this is year 4.

Unfortunately I have not been a dedicated runner. I stopped running the first time because I hurt my back, the second time because I shattered my shoulder skiing, the third time becuase I couldn't get past the mental block and yes running is 50% physical and 50% mental. So now I'm on round four, lets hope it will stick with me this time.

Now to plan out all my runs for the season!

Who's There?

So 11pm last night I had just hung up the phone with Mitch and was tucked in bed when out of the darkness my door bell rang.....CRAP!, who is at my front door step at 11pm at night. My very first thought....the EX!!!

So like a coward I picked up the phone and called Mitch back...."Mitch, what should I do?"

OK here's the problem I have with the design of my house...there is no easy way to see who is at the front door step. I don't have a peep hole in my door and my front window is just so that I can't look without being seen. So what should I do?

I stayed put...I hunkered down like a coward and stayed right were I was. And why? Because I didn't have the energy to mess with him. I also didn't know who was at my door step and really who would be ringing my doorbell at 11pm at night except for some phycho?

Then the door bell goes off again...the safest thing I could think of was to just sit there and wait until they left.

Then the knocking began....OK, if I didn't answer the doorbell do you really think I was going to answer a knock?

Then all the sounds stopped. It was silent and dark and I heard nothing. I didn't hear a car door shut or hear a car pull away...So I got up the courage and got out of bed and slowly walked around the house. Carefully looking out the back windows first and making my way to the front door.

Who ever was there was gone now...but odd I didn't hear a car pull away.

Then my little dog ran outside and started to bark so I made my way to the back window and noticed my medium dog staring at the empty lot next to my house. My heart was racing and if this was one of those horror movies I would have ducked my head behind my hands and screamed at the actress not to go outside...but this actress did just that...I poked my head out the door to see what my medium dog was looking at.

And in just that one moment things started to make since.

My little dog, who I'm going to rename magic, came running toward the fence and ran right through it to me. OMG!!! she got out again!!! AGAIN!!! UGH!!!

The knocking at the door was probably to let me know my dog was out running around. My dog chewed through the plastic fencing (its just a temp fence until next spring) and has been running free for God knows how long. She actually ripped the fence....the little shit!

So out to the garage for a fix.....LOVE Zip ties...but once I was done I noticed my dog would be able to get under the fence now. So I grabbed a wire shelf and zip tied it to the plastic fence. I'm sure my HOA would not approve...but what is a girl to do?

So today I'm going to purchase more plastic fencing, chicken wire, zip ties and stakes. I'm going to expand the area, since I'm not putting the fence up until next spring my dogs need more room to run, then I'm going to take the chicken wire and line the plastic fence so little miss magic can't chew through the fence and then I'm going to take the stakes and stake down the bottom of the chicken wire every few inches so she can't dig under it.

Can you tell I'm over it?

I'm hoping this will fix the problem. They are starting construction next to my house and I can't afford for my little dog to bother the workers or worst get hurt by the construction.

I wish I would have just opened the front door and my paranoia would have stopped....this is what happens when some stalks you for 6 years, you trust nothing.

And moving on

I survived my last week at Company B...it wasn't easy and there were several times I wanted to just walk out and say I was done. But I stuck with it and completed my 2 weeks I had promised.

There were several people who said if I was on a different team I might have stayed...which I might have but unfortunately I was on the team I was on. The team was very clickish and reminded me alot of how it was back in high school. Professional was not something the team represented.

I was even shocked when another coworker on a different team told me she tryed to get me on her team but the other team had their claws in me to deep. She thought that highly of me that she wanted me for her team. Believe when I say it was an honor to her respect me enough to request me.

There is a lot of good people I will miss and I'm working "friending" them on LinkIn....or whatever its called.

So now, I've been off of work for two days and I have all of next week off. So far its been great! My stress level is back down to normal. I'm back to sleeping well at night and waking up with the sun.

It's amazing what stress can do to your body, mind and mood. I feel like I just walked out of the dark and into the light. It's a great feeling to be free of the darkness.

Although I'm looking forward to starting my new job I'm also looking forward to relaxing the next week and getting some stuff done around the house or just sitting around being lazy. What ever strikes my fancy:)

Dead Man Walking

Ok the title is a little harsh but it’s kinda how I felt after I turned in my two weeks notice. The announcement went well with my supervisor. She took it much better than I had originally thought she would. Then she immediately took the news to the program lead, managers, director and a few other people. All of which needed to know.


Then we had the dreaded “team huddle” where I was placed in a room with my colleges and the “BIG” announcement was made to the entire team. OK I have to say that was the most awkward feeling. Sitting there and starting at people who in return gave me the death stare. Yep…was feeling the love.

Then out of the corner of the room one single person raised their voice and congratulated me…still awkward but it at least broke the silence. Then the painful silence began again. It was only a four minute meeting but it felt like a half hour.

So now when I walk around I feel like people are staring at me like my time will be ending soon, which in a way it will be.. Anyway I just have to survive two more weeks of stares, whispers, gossip and questioned looks. Then a week and half off for a break followed by my new job at company C.

Yes, I am totally excited for my new position!

It's Friday

Life is good right now....crazy good...weird good...it's all types of good.

Its good because it's Friday and I'm going to a friend jewelry party tonight. I'm not buying anything but I'm going to support her decision to become a jewelry consultant. Oh, and I love this jewelry line so it will be fun to see what is on display. I'm also hosting a party for next weekend which I will hopefully get some free gifts.

Then on Saturday I am packing up my pumpkins and going to Mitch's and together we are going to carve the pumpkins....I bought one of those pumpkin carving kits so this will be a ton of fun...plus we get the bonus of baked pumpkin seeds with a little bit of salt.....LOVE THEM!!!!

Then off to a friends party. October is the months of Party's. Between all of our friends almost all weekends are booked with party's. Everyone has their yearly party in Oct and so far we have been lucky that they don't overlap. It will be a tough decision when some of the parties do clash.

Then on Sunday, I will tailor my costume to fit my body so it's not hanging on me like a grocery bag. Then I'm not sure what I will be doing...maybe grab a movie from the video store or maybe organize my pictures...which they really do need to be backed up. I don't know but I'm sure I will figure it out.

This weekend is going to be like last weekend...just perfect!

Best Weekend

This weekend has been packed with so many fun things and it’s finally been sunny and warm so it’s making this weekend perfect.

First on Friday I went to JoAnn fabrics looking for fabric to make some moccasins and I found some perfect material but the best part is they were having a 60% off sale on Halloween stuff.

I’ve wanted to decorate for Halloween so I couldn’t help myself. I purchase a few things for my font garden…what do you think?

I'm not completely done. I purchased some halloween stuff last year that I need to dig out of my garage and I may not put out until halloween night just to add that little bit of fun when kids are trick or treating.

Then on Saturday Mitch took me flying for lunch. So we flew to another airport where they have a restaurant that you can fly right up to the doorstep…it’s so awesome. It was so pretty with all the trees changing colors.

This is a picture of us in the cockpit of his plane

Then after we were done flying he took me to a pumpkin patch were we picked some pumpkins. I got two pumpkins and he got one and then he bought me three little tiny ones so I could put them on my table for decorations.

Mitch standing proud with his pumpkin choice

I'm giddy becuase I found a pumpkin with bumps all over it....pretty ugly but perfect!

Then we stopped by his brother’s house where I could borrow his brother’s moccasins so no need for me to make my own. So the fabric I bought I’m going to turn into something I can throw over my shoulders so I can stay warm for the party.

Then back to his house for a steak dinner on the grill. It has been a perfect weekend for me so far. Today I’m helping a friend move her huge sectional couch and then coming home to carve my pumpkins.

Couldn’t be a better weekend! I hope everyone is have a great weekend to!

 Picture of the sun setting out in the country near Mitch's home.....just beautiful!

Halloween costume

OK..I need to stop pouting...I think I was just having a bad day when I posted my last post. Sometime I just need a kick in the ass once in a while and get over my self. I've sucked it up and feel better today.

So I got my costumes today, which I can't believe because it has only be a few days since I ordered but they came in the mail today. Yes, I said "they"..I bought them both because I wasn't sure which one would look the best. I'm still not totally sure and the good news is they were to big so I'm going to have to alter them.

I kinda prefer that they were to big because it's easier to fit to my body. I think I will do a before and after photo. It will be hysterical because the thing is hanging on me  and I busted out laughing with the way it looked. But when I pulled this and tucked that it fits me really well.

I will have to dust of Mr Sewing machine and see that I can do from myself.

Anyway now I have to figure out shoes...I'm thinking moccasin boots but I don't want to pay the money for them so I'm going to attempt to make my own:) So I've been researching tonight for a "free" pattern and guess what I found one

http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/14813

It seems pretty easy and its the boot look I'm looking for and I don't think fabric would be to much. The boots will also keep my legs warm since the party is mainly outside.

I'm running to Joann Fabrics tomorrow and see what type of material they have that will work...it has to stand up for two-three night.

I'm actually excited about this. I haven't sewn anything in a long time so this will be interesting. I will post pictures once they are completed.

Stayed tune

Halloween blahs:(

I know every women has body image issues me included. I struggle most of the time to except the way my body looks but for some reason my body issues really flares up around Halloween. I’m not a small girl and I know I need to lose about 20 lbs and over all I’m alright with the way I look until Halloween sneaks up and its that time of year to look for a costume.


The dreaded costume…ugh! The hours spend at multiple costume shop only to walk out empty handed and even more discourage than when I first walked in.

You know how every group has the one “fat” girl in the group? The girl that everyone keeps just to keep everyone feeling better about themselves, well I’m the fat girl. I’m the largest one in the group…I’m the heifer of the group at size 14. I can jiggle, wiggle and roll with the best of them. It's a hard title to accept but someone has to be that girl.

There are so many outfits that are so cute and yes ,so slutty and I wish I had that rockin body that could pull off that look but I don’t. I get to look at the plus sized outfits which are never as cute and fun as the “regular” sized girls. They all kinda remind me of a potato sacks.

However I did find two costumes that may work out for me.

I figure I could pull off these costumes if I go get some spanx to smooth out and hide all the bumps and rolls I have. It will tighten up my tummy and I think I could rock these costumes. The good news is they have an XLarge and according to the charts I will be able to fit into them with a little wiggle room because I still want to be able to breath a little bit in the outfit.
 
Now the questions is which one should I get?
 

Oh Yeah…I flew a T-6!!

How often does someone tap you on the shoulder and ask you if you want a ride in a T-6?

For those of you who don’t know what a T-6 is here is a quick description:

The North American Aviation T-6 was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s

This was the T-6 I flew

So let me back up a little bit., Mitch for the past 6 or 7 years builds a pedal plane to raffle off for SMA support. For the past 5 or 6 years I have assisted him by helping in the sales of the raffle tickets during a fundraiser at a local airport.

This is a picture of the pedal plan Mitch built this year

 Also during the fundraiser you can purchase rides in different planes and helicopter and all proceeds goes to SMA support.

While I was sitting at the both for the pedal plane Steve (organizer of the fundraiser) walked up and asked if I would like a ride in the T-6 and when someone is willing to give you a free ride in a T-6 you never pass it up. So I accepted with excitment!

So he walked me over to the plane, looked at a lady and said I was prepaid for this flight. The cost of the flight is about $180 or so.

So I climbed into the plane, buckled up and off we went. Laura was the pilot and during the flight she asked if I wanted to fly the plane. Seriously!!! Yes I would love to. So she did a quick instruction on how to fly and then said "you have controls".

I was in control for about 2 minutes…which doesn’t sound like a long time but when you are flying a huge plane like this it was long enough for me. She had me use the pedals to turn the plane and then I handed over the controls to her.

It was awesome! An experience that is just to hard to describe. Part of me wants to try to get my pilots licenses but part of me is worried that I won't be able to because I have vertigo. But I might just go ahead and try:)

To Cable or Not to Cable

It’s only been a month and a half since I gave up my cable. I gave up my cable because I was planning on my second house not selling and I was cutting costs everywhere I could. As you know, my house did sell so there not as much worry about finances and I could get cable if I wanted.


So now I’m asking my self if I should get cable or stay with the bunny ears.

There are things I miss about cable such as the DVR and the ability to rewind, record or pause shows. I MISS HGTV!!!! Which was my Saturday morning show. I really miss the FX channel and FX movie channel. UGH…I’m really missing cable

But I’m also finding there are many pros to not having cable. The first and hardest to give up is the money savings. Yes, I am a money girl. I love seeing my bank account increase in dollars and not decrease. With out cable I am saving about $86 a month and in one year I am saving $1032. Just imagine what you could do with a thousand dollars.

Not having cable also makes me get up and get out! For example this Saturday I was up at 7:30, watched the news for about 45 minutes or until they started to repeat them selves and began organizing the other half of my house. So now the Guest room is cleaned, unpacked and anything that needed stored is now in the closet (which still needs to be organized). My office and exercise room is finally put together and boxes were condensed and empty boxes moved out.

I’ve also dropped 10lbs and almost a dress size….that rocks! I think its because I’m more active. I’m not running or exercising and haven’t really changed my eating habits. I’m just up more because I don’t have 80 channels to scroll through and 30 shows to watch. I get bored with TV now and can’t just sit there any more. I think that little change has really helped.

So in the long run not having cable is a better thing for me but I’m still having withdrawals. I still want the option of having 80 channels to chose but oh well, I’m not willing to give in yet I will just have to resist the urge to call the cable company and fork over an additional $86 a month.

The Final Card is Being Played

OK, so this is becoming a very old and tiring story in my life. It's like beating a dead horse over and over again.

The EX showed up, yet again.

Yes, the ex from 6+ years ago showed up at my brothers door step last night. Yes, you heard me correctly, it was my brothers house. I'm guessing the EX figured out that I no longer live at my old house. I'm guessing he either drove by and saw the for sale sign was down or he actually stopped by and the new owner answered the door. Regardless I figure he knows that I moved.

So now that he can't find me where he normally would what does he do.....shows up at a relatives house and opens up the conversation talking about the girls. Of course he started talking about the girls...that is his last hand he has to play.

Earlier this year, after his dad showed up at my door step, I was talking to my mom and we ran through the list of all the things that he had to stay in contact with me and going through the list I realized he has exhausted all things expect for the girls. We figured the girls were going to be the last card he could play.

And it looks like he is working his last hand. Because my brother said if he hadn't started talking about the girls then he would have told him to leave. So here it is the EX's last hand, the final hand is being played.

So now what do I do?

Who knows!!! To be honest I'm kinda tired of this whole thing. Like I said at the beginning it's like beating a dead horse over and over again. It doesn't shock or surprise me anymore that he is still showing up. I'm not really angry just irritated. It's almost like an ongoing joke in my life and in a sick twisted way it's kinda funny. It's the mistake that will never end.

OK, enough about the EX. Its time for me to cook some breakfast and start painting my bedroom...make this new house feel like home!!!

Its time to Celebrate!!!!

Celebrate what, you might ask....well, let me just run down the list for the month of August alone.

1) On Aug 4, accepted and offer on my old house. This was a long process! I put the house on the market in May and didn't get anyone actually looking until the very end of July. Then I had 4 showing with in 2 weeks and the last showing ended in an offer.
2) Closing on my NEW house. On Aug 5 I signed on the dotted line and could call the new house home! Very exciting moment in my life.

3) Actually moving into my new house. On Sunday Aug 21 I rented a Uhaul and gathered family and friends who helped me move all my stuff in one day. It was exhausting but exciting, at least for me:) Now the fun part is trying to organize my house and figure out where everything should go!

5) On Aug 29th, Boyfriend surprising me with the best house warming gift ever!!! This is a handmade, all wood entrainment center...it so beautiful!

4) Closing on my old house!!!! Yes, that is right, on August 31 (last day of the month) I closed on my old house!I sat across the table on August 31 from the buyer and was about jumping out of my skin as he signed his name on the all the dotted lines. I left that room with the biggest smile on my face and a huge amount of stress off my shoulders!

I think August has been the best month this year!

Best Home Warming Gift Ever!!!!

The little stinker surprised me when he came over Sunday night.

So here's the story:

I was working on getting more things washed and put away when I heard the door bell ringing like crazy. Of course I had no idea who was at my front door and when I opened it up there was Mitch with a box in his hands.

I was a little confused because it was about 8pm on a Sunday and it's not normal for Mitch to be standing at my front door when he knows he could have just walked in...I did give him a key at closing!

He's standing there with this shit eaten grin on his face and proceeded to tell me he brought peaches for me and just about pushes me away from the door. ummmm..OK? Peaches, great! Then he asks me what I'm doing. I told him I was doing laundry.

He walks into the kitchen and opens up the box and bag which contain the peaches he brought me and some veggies from his garden. I can't complain because I love fresh veggies! Then he asks me again "what are you doing"

Ummmmm laundry.

He starts to talk again about something and the asks me a third time "what are you doing"...I said "Laundry, you already asked me that"

It's a little fuzzy but somewhere in there he told me to grab the laptop, magazine or something and go into the bedroom and stay in there. At that point I figured something was up but I had no idea.

He poked his head in and stated to me that I need to stay in the bedroom and don't come out until he tells me to.

OK...I was getting excited but didn't have a clue...it was killing me.

Then after 30 minutes (maybe less) he poked his head in and said "OK you can come out". Then he stops me at the door and puts his ball cap on my head and over my eyes and starts to lead me to my great room. I was reaching for the cap so I could pull it up just a little bit so I could see the ground and my feet...but Mitch wasn't having it.

He lead me by the arms in to the great room and took off the ball cap and I saw this right in front of me.

It took me a second and then it registered in my head what it was. It was my new entertainment center that Mitch built for me!!!

All I could say is
Oh My God are you serious!
His response "it to heavy to be joking"

It is made of all wood, which makes it super heavy. It has soft closing drawers and doors. The stain is dark enough to have the contemporary look but light enough you can see the wood grain. Its the prettiest thing I've ever seen.

Isn't Mitch the sweetest guy ever:)!!!!!!

The glass is missing from the doors because Mitch wanted me to pick out the type of glass to go in it..so that is my next thing I need to do.

I wake up everyday and look at it and can't believe that it belongs to me!!!! It's so perfect for my house.

Home Sweet Home

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen I am finally moved into my new home.

I'm sorry to say I don't have any good stories about me driving the 26' truck because Mitch volunteered to drive the thing for me. Probably a very good thing because if you saw my driving with a standard car you would be scared.

And even better news is I SOLD my old house! An offer came through at the beginning of the month and both the inspection and appraisal went well and now closing is scheduled for next week!

So all the stressing I was doing was not even worth it. All the planning and budgeting to make sure I could maintain both homes was not needed.

August was full of goodness and I am so so so thankful everything is working out.

Now I just have to put this house together!

Gather the Troops

Today is the big day of moving so I had to gather the troops to help with the move.

I'm renting a 26' truck which will be a real treat because I will be driving the darn thing. My step dad was originally going to drive the truck for me but i scheduled the move during his golfing trip. So I am going to attempt to stay on the road and run anyone over. So warning now to everyone, I would strongly suggest you stay clear of any Uhaul trucks out on the road today because I'm behind the wheel of one of them.

I spent all day yesterday packing up everything and everyone should be here this morning to move everything. This will be a long day and I'm already tired.....but excited.

So the other day I took one of those free career test from CareerFitter.com. Of course it doesn't provide to much information...summary below

You have a natural ability for organizing and mobilizing people toward achievement of a clear goal. Your objectivity allows you to develop procedures or regulations that takes care of present and future situations. You are someone that promotes and defines a strong work ethic, and is practical and results-oriented. Your desire for structure, schedule, and order make you the classic administrator. You believe in standard operating procedures, and have little use for speculation, experimentation, or fantasy. Consequently, these abilities can make you very desirable in positions of leadership

I was completely honest to a point it pissed me off to answer some of the questions....its was hard because I wanted to appear one way but stopped myself and answer the question honestly. I hit submit and boom there was the summary.

My favorite part is the last sentence....these abilities can make you very desirable in positions of leadership.

In leadership...I like that. Funny thing Mitch has told me for years that I do well in leadership position....now the hard part is getting someone to want to hire me ina leadership position.

Hummm...time to sit back and think!

What next?

What is next?

I have no idea and for some reason that really bothers me. I know that the stress with both houses is not quit over yet...I have till the end of the month and my home stress will be gone. Which I am so excited for.

Now I need to figure out what I want to do when I grow up...I have no plans! I have nothing...I accomplished one of my biggest dreams and that was to move out of my old house (put to rest my old bad memories) and move into this great dream of a house and start new happy memories. I've done it...well almost. I still have to move but I got my BIG dream.

Now what? What does someone do when they achieved one of their biggest dreams...its almost like I'm coming off of a high and my emotions are starting to take a nose dive.

I read a quote one time that said with out dream you never really live. Now I get it...I didn't at the time but now I do. I've achieved all my big dream. Finishing college, finding a better paying job and now moving on with my life into a new house.

Now what? What else is there in life?

Maybe I should go back to school? learn a new language? volunteer for some type of charity...what will fill that empty void that I am feeling?

Great room and Dinning room Painted

I spent all of Saturday painting my Great room and Dinning room. I didn't realize how much longer it would take to paint 9ft ceilings. Climbing up and down the ladder ended up being quite a task but the end result is awesome.

My new house is actually starting to feel like a new home. I figure when I move all my stuff in it will be more home like.

Anyway here are some pictures of before and after...which I know you all love:)

Before

 After

Before

After

The brown is a little dark but I thinking once my furniture is in and pictures are hung it will look good.

It will take me a while to get all the rooms painted but this is a good start:)

One of Those Days

One of those days


Have you ever had one of those days? Well today is one of those days that make me feel bi-polar. I’ve had so many ups and downs my head hurts.

Once again grab your popcorn or favorite snack and sit back relax and laugh your heart out.

The day started off pretty normal. I got out of bed got ready for work and noticed that I had a mess of dishs in the sink. I did think for a second “maybe I should take the time to put the clean dishes away and the dirty dishes in the dishwasher” Then I decided I can do that when I get home tonight or over the weekend.

So I take off to work…the normal stuff drove me nuts such as the construction and slow traffic. Get into work and everything just falls apart. Timelines are exploding and people are screaming and very needy.

It’s about noon and I had decided I was about ready to go to lunch when my phone ring and it’s the Showing Center. **CRAP**

I answer “HI”
They respond “Hi this is the Showing Center and we have an agent who wants to look at your house now”
NOW? I respond
“Yes, I have her on the other line and she is at your house and would like to show it.

Pictures of my dirty sink, my dirty cloth , unmade bed flash through my mind….**CRAPCRAPCRAP**

“Ummm can you give me 45 minutes to drive home so I can remove my dogs from the house”
Showing Center” Hold on” ....Pause....” yes they will be back by 12:45”

OK, great, thank you
I literally run out of the building to my car that is parked in the back 40 and take out like a bat out of hell.

I’m coming up to the interstate and a stop light catches me…then all of a sudden my car spitters and spatters and then dies. **ARE YOU KIDDING ME**

I try to start the car several time and not good, I flip on the flashers and then I try to take my keys out only to realize I still had the car in drive.**UGH** I put the car in park and turn my key..it starts right up…light turns green and I floor it.

**JUST GET ME HOME*** I keep saying to myself

Of course by this time I'm starting to stress out so much that my chest is starting to tighten and breathing begins to hurt. Mind you, it was a VERY stressful week at work to top things off. Which now, I'm driving very carelessly because I have to get home, get this done and get back to work.

I'm cutting off semi's, crossing lanes in a no passing zone and speeding over the speed limit in a construction zone. My head is pounding, my chest is tight and I just want to slam on my breaks, jump out of the car and scream at the top of my lungs.
Some how I get home safely, run inside with only 15 minutes left and the house looks pretty bad. So I run outside to the garage, grab a box and begin to throw EVERYTHING into this box. I’m talking about dirty dishes, shoes, old towels, cleaning supplies and anything that is laying around that needs to be removed.

I gather up all my dirty cloths and put them in a basket and shove that into my linen closet. All my clean clothes got shoved into the closets and then there was the random stuff laying around that I picked up and stuffed in the dryer.

Then, of course, I had digestive problems with 5 minutes to go I run into the bathroom and just as I was sitting down my dogs start to go crazy. **CCCCRRRAAAPPPPP** they were here. And here I am with my bathroom door wide open and people at my door step wanting in. ***UGH***

I jump up and quickly wash my hands , flip on lights and gathered my dogs up.

Now here is the fun part….Because I was supposed to close on my new house my car is stuffed with so much stuff that is looks like a hobo lives in my car. Normally my 50lb dog goes in the back and the 30lb dog is up front but not this time. I had to stuff both dogs in the front seat…not a pleasant thing but they did fit.

I left and then 45 minutes came back just to see them leaving the neighborhood. Wow…45 minutes a good thing right?

Once the dogs have been dropped off I dial my realtor and ask her to get some feed back…and feedback came very quickly.

Per Auto response (aka the showing center auto email)…”client liked the home possibly will write an offer, tomorrow. Thanks” (yes this is how it was written exactly!)

OK….so that make my day so much better. To know there could be an off on the table tomorrow is a great thing.

So please pray or dance or put out good vibe in the universe (what it is that you do) and lets hope I am provided a workable offer.

Dangle the Carrot a Little Longer

And the waiting game continues!

You would think by now I would be the proud owner of a new house but once again closing was set only to be move, yet again.

The Mortgage guy said that this all should be resolved by tomorrow and asked if I could do the closing tomorrow. Of course I want to do the closing tomorrow but my work schedule does not allow for it and of course I can't close on Thursday because of my work scheduled...too many meetings.

So we have settled on Friday at 4pm.

I want to get excited but I've been down this road three times in the last week. So I've decided I'm not going to get excited until I have the keys in my hands.

Let the waiting game continue!

Design on a Budget

I have to say I'm impressed with the landscaping at the new house. Of course it's very minimal but it's nice. However its a little too minimal for me. So over the weekend I was discussing with Mitch what to do to spruce up the front a little bit with out spending a lot of money.

The solution, remove some of the hostas from the old house and add it to the front of my new house. I know, its sad, but I might was well use as many resources as I have and to be honest if I remove some of the hostas it might make the old garden look a little cleaner.

I'm probably making the transfer this coming weekend.

I'll have to take before and after pictures and post.

Two Days To Go.....

I'm starting the count down again to closing.

I have to admit I was completely bummed about not getting to close on my house on Friday. But I got over it quickly when I did some shop therapy on Saturday.

I know, probably not the best thing to do since I really don't have much, if any, money left to spend at this point. But I finally figured out a design for my bedroom after watching HGTV. I'm going to paint one wall a silver blue and the rest of them will be a beige type color. Then I will dress the bed in a chocolate comforter and the furniture will eventually be a dark brown/ coffee color.

I've got the paint colors picked out but I need to wait on those due to cost. Anyway I was shopping on line at Kohl's and found the most perfect chocolate comforter. It really was perfect with the detail I was looking for. The original cost was about $200 and it was on sale for $90. Ugh, I wanted to buy it so bad but the budget won't allow for it. So I shut the web page down.

Later on Saturday I ended up going out shopping (which was my shop therapy)at one of my favorite discount stores and I headed straight for the bedding section. And there it was, sitting on a shelf marked 50% off a chocolate comforter set. It was originally $100, then because it was a discount store it was marked down to $60 and then with the 50% off I got an eight piece comforter set for $30.

I have to admit it was not the most perfect comforter (I really really fell in love with the one at Kohl's) but considering I'm on a tight budget it was comparable and will work for the time.

So after finding an awesome deal on a comforter for my new house I'm getting all excited about the closing again. Just two days away, I'm crossing my fingers and I will have a new house.

Will It Ever End?

It seems like it will never end.

I was supposed to close on my house on Thursday but there was a problem. The appraiser did the appraisal on Tuesday but forgot to turn in the documents. So Thursday came and for some reason no one was able to get a hold of the appraiser. And the documents were still MIA.

So my 2:30 closing was pushed out to 4:00pm. At 5pm someone was able to get a hold of the lady and she scrambled to throw the documents together and get them out the door. So with this bit of information we reschedule for Friday 11:30am.

Friday morning came and I received another call...the documents were not filled out correctly. Multiple things were wrong with them and, of course, the under writers rejected the appraisal. So now it's back in the hands of the appraiser and she has to redo all the documents.

The Closing is now pushed out to Tuesday at 4pm.

Some where in all this mess I've lost some excitement for this. Maybe my excitement will come back when I'm at the closing table signing those documents. Maybe it will be when I am handed the keys to my new house...who knows, I just hope the closing will actually be on Tuesday.

One Week and Counting

I can't believe that my closing date will be on July 28! This is a dream I never thought I would reach.

We did the final walk through this past Wednesday. There is still a lot of stuff that needs to be completed before closing but the building contractor assured me that it would all be completed in a week and by closing.

Another bonus! A lady from work came over last week and informed me that Sherwin Williams is going to have a 40% off paint sale. I thought I would have to wait to paint...which was killing me because I can not stand living in a house with no color. Anyway I finally made my mind up on which colors I was going paint the great room, dinning room and kitchen.

I'm still working on my bedroom and master bath...I just can't seem to come up with a color scheme yet.  Once I'm in there I know something will come to mind.

So here is my crazy plan for the next couple of week ends.
Sign on Thursday - drive to the house and start taping the trim
Friday - come back and paint, I'm not sure I will be able to get all three rooms done in one day but I'm going to make my best effort.
Saturday and Sunday - work on the fence....oh yes, putting up a fence in 90 degree weather and high humidity is the joy of my life...ugh!!!! Luckily I have family and friends who have volunteers to help.
Following Saturday and Sunday - finish the fence.
Then I can finally bring the dogs in and show them their new house.

I still can't believe the closing is less than a week away. I've called all the utilities and have them scheduled to be transfered into my name on the day of closing. I'm ready to move!!!!

Don't worry pictures will be coming shortly:)

My realtor suck!

So what do you do when your realtor does nothing? You put a little fire under their feet to get them moving or ask them to release you from the contract.

So here's the back store.

I hired a realtor who I thought would get my house sold. I did tell them that I had a potential buyer but due to financial reasons may not be able to purchase my house. They said great here's the contract we can sell your house.

I signed

6 weeks later potential buyer couldn't purchase the house and I've only had one person come an look at it. We held one open house for only 2 hours and didn't have anyone come and look...main reason, the realtor didn't advertise the open house.

So a week ago I sent an email asking what else could be done. She asked if I thought about a short sale.....hell no! I haven't and the biggest reason is because I won't qualify for a short sale. So I very plainly said I'm not doing a short sale and I'm not renting. We need to sell this thing.

She came back and said I need to drop the price another $5000.  WHAT!!!

So, I sent off another email asking what they are doing to market my house outside of putting it on the Internet and holding the one open house that had no results.

Now I will wait to see what she says.

My end result will be they will either release me from the contract, because they are doing nothing to get my house sold or they will get off their bottoms and do something to bring me people. Either way I will get my way.

House update

Things are moving along nicely. I visited my house today and I am getting so excited!!!

Brick is going up!!!

 
Drywall is up!!!!

This is looking into the Great room from the Dinning room

 This is looking into the dinning room from the great room

This will be the Kitchen.

This is my HUGE master bedroom.

Words just can't explain the excitment I feel!

And the House Goes Up!

If you blink you miss how fast homes go up these days.

In one day...maybe two.... my house went from slab to this......

This is my Den that will be my office. The door is at an angle and will have french doors hung.

This is the dinning room and front door.

Which I am planning on turning my dinning room into a pool room. I can hear you cringe. Actually a lot of people have rolled their eyes at this idea.

But here's the thing, I will only use the dinning room maybe once or twice a year and the rest of the time it will sit and collect dust. That is an awful lot of space to waste not including the cost of heating and cooling it. I enjoy playing pool and I plan on opening my house up for entertainment. So a pool room makes since to me. Oh and the other thing is...it's my house..I do with it what every I want!!!!


This is the view from my living room...I can't wait for the fire place to be installed!!! Just imagine the view in winter. The snow falling outside, the fire lit and I'm sitting on my couch listening to music and sipping on hot chocolate.  Yes that is how I dream about it.

This is the view of the kitchen, the nook and my master bed room. The kitchen has a wrap around bar. To make it clear the door to the master is in the hallway on the other site of the kitchen. Once the drywall is up you won't be able to see the bedroom:)

This is one of the bedrooms. Look at the view and the size of the window. I've decided this will be my exercise room. It will be great to have the treadmill set up so I can see the outside while I run.

This is getting more exciting with every wall going up. Just think in the beginning of August I will be able to move into my new house. A house that has not been lived in by anyone. A house that is void of memories and I will be the first one to imprint the memories.

It will be my clean slat to a new start.

Why change something when it’s working?

That is the question I asked myself as I open up a quote from my most recent dentist visit.


I had this great dentist from childhood and then I moved to the other side of town and decided 8 years ago that I didn’t want to drive to the other side of town that I could find a dentist in the town I was in.

So two of my friend recommended this dentist so I decided to check him out. Overall I like his personality and he seemed alright. As time when on he convinced me to take out the old filling and replace them with new and better filling. He said that old filling expand and contract with heat and cold and leave gaps where cavities can grow.

OK, I thought. Sounds alright, let’s get it done. So he worked on two or three teeth on my left side. Ever since the “bigger, better newer” filling was put in I’ve had some pain in my teeth.

I finally went back to him only to discover I have fractures in my one tooth. ***CRAP**

OK what does that mean…how we fix it. We need to put a crown on it ***DOUBLD CRAP***

OK what is that going to cost. He needed to put it through to the insurance company to find out.

So I wait for a quote.

Two weeks later I got an estimate in the mail…..$1200 with an out of pocket cost of $750…WHAT!!!! With insurance I am going to have to cough up $750. That is ridiculous.

It’s ridiculous because more than one person said it would cost about $800 and depending on the coverage about $350 out of pocket.

So, in the mist of being pissed off I decided I was going to call my old dentist. The receptionist answered and gave me a quote over the phone…out of pocket about $350. OK, let’s schedule it.

So now I will have a temporary crown placed on my tooth in two weeks and then two weeks after that the real thing will be place on.

I still think the other dentist did something to my tooth when he remove the old fillings and put in the new fillings. I don’t have problems with my teeth and to have to submit to a crown is heart breaking for me.

I should have stayed with my old dentist and none of this would have happened.

So, as the old saying goes,

DON’T FIX SOMETHING IF IT AINT BROKE!!!

Home Options

Mitch and I went to the "home design" place a few weeks ago to pick out all the stuff for my house. It was a lot of fun and only took about 45 minutes. I think it went by so quickly because, believe it or not, I knew mostly what I was going to get.

 First we had to pick out the brick, then siding and then door and shutter colors. The house is completely brick wrapped with a little bit of siding just below the roof...sounds weird but I will get a picture once its up. Or I might just snap a picture of a house the is already built:)

 

Then we picked out the flooring, cabinets and counter tops. I did upgrade the Linoleum which allowed me to have one kind of linoleum in the kitchen and a different kind in the bathrooms. Same for the counter tops. The cabinets will all be the same. Its hard to see the difference in the linoleum but there is one:)

Then we picked out the fireplace. I'm most excited about the fireplace. I've always wanted a fireplace in my home so that I could enjoy a nice cup of hot cocoa and watch the fire burn on a cold winter night. I kept it simple and went with a gas fire place instead of wood burning. The only thing I cringe at is the cost of gas.    

The "standard" fireplace had a marble surround and was flush with the floor. I almost didn't get the fireplace because I was not happy with they way it looked. So I gritted my teeth and forked out the money for the upgrade. A nice stone look with an actual hearth to sit on.

I also added 2 extra feet to the living room/dinning room area. I struggled with that one as well but decided it would be well worth the cost. The Living room was originally 14 X 21. I felt like the room being 14ft wide was a little small so I added two feet and now the room is 16 X 21. Much better when you consider my couches are larger than normal.

It was interesting picking out my wish list for the house. When I had decided I wanted to build this house I sat with the sales lady and she put together my "Wish List" of things I wanted and added the price of each item. I had a good sized wish list and when I saw the bottom dollar, outside of my eyeballs popping out of my head,  I decided a lot of that stuff I can do myself.

The only things I really changed on this house were structural things (such as stone fire place, adding 2',  9ft ceilings and brick wrap) and left the cosmetics stuff (such as laminate/wood floors, fixtures, paint) up to me.

Which when I removed all the extra frilly stuff my budget fell back down to where it was manageable. It was surprising how all the little things added up.This has definitely been an experience...I'm so excited and can't wait for the whole thing to be done!

Broken Ground

After about a month of waiting, due to this crazy ran...my builder has finally broken ground.

I know its not much to look at but if you look really close you can see the footers in the ground. I'll try to get a better picture, this one was sent by the sales lady, who is awesome to work with.

I'm getting excited now. They say the walls will be up before I know it. What takes the most time is all the other stuff once the roof is on.

We are scheduled for a closing date at the end of July...although I have feeling the closing may not happen until the beginning of Aug...which I'm alright with:)

Demons from the Past

There is a little bit of me that gets extremely tired of the EX popping his ugly vulture head back into my life.

If its not exactly him, its one of his extended self's. This time it was his dad showing up at my house after dark. I swear the family has no since of respect of someones time.

This man had not had any contact with me since the divorce which 6 or so years ago. Now out of the blue he is at my door step...I guess I can say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

It was rainy and cold so I invited him in, only because I was not going to stand at the door and freeze. I have to say that he did look a little uncomfortable being there. Of course I wasn't the most excited or warming to him.

He stood in my door way and asked if I was selling my house...my answer was "yes". He just stood there for a moment and said "oh". Then he asked if I still worked for company A...I said "No, I moved on"...long pause. He said "oh, so you move one". I said "yes, I moved somewhere else"

He talked a little bit and then made notice that I wasn't married....I smiled and said I have a steady boyfriend.

In my head all I could think about was "Why are you here?" and " don't give him any information". 

He took a seat on the small couch and started to tell me the details of his wife's death. At least now I know she is actually dead and has been for exactly one year. Yep it was her one year death anniversary. OK, creepy, I know... but what ever, this is the EX's family we are talking about here.

After he went on and on, which seemed like forever, I finally asked him why he stopped by and his response was he didn't know if I knew she had passed and he wanted to let me know.

OK, great..Now I know.

So he gets up and leave, telling me it was nice seeing me. I just told him to have a safe drive home.

This morning I woke up and check my email and there it was, he wants to friend me on facebook. Ummmm....didn't have to ponder that one at all...HHHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLL NO!!!

I tryed to just brush it off but for some reason it is really getting to me. Its slowly eating at me. Something is not right about it. Him showing up on my door step like that....something is just not right.

I can't wait to move out of this house. I keep thinking that things will change once I move because it will no longer be comfortable for him. The fact that he used to live at this address gives him that false since that he is free to come to this property at any time. If you haven't figured out he is very narcissistic and controlling.

Here is my conspiracy theory: EX sent the dad to do some spying. Dad facebook me because EX wants some information about me. I really believe the EX is behind this whole thing. Still creepy!

The other thing that I notice when the dad was talking about the death he NEVER brought up the EX or the girls. He talked about the entire family, even the half sister who lives in Texas but not the EX.

I have noticed a pattern
The EX only shows up about every 6 months. It's not necessarily him in person but in some way he shows up. Back in November he left me a note with some pictures and now it's his dad popping in.

I am really getting tired of this and I need to figure out how to make it stop. Maybe moving will make it all stop...just three more months!