I'm moving to Sweden

I often wonder if Great Grandpa Axel knew what he was doing when he can here to the U.S.? Why did he leave Sweden?? Was he just wanting someplace warmer to live? What was it?? Would he be pissed if we moved back??

This is Kringle, I didn't take any pictures of her with my real camera ( stupied me ) but I took this video of her with I cell phone. I've never posted a video before so I hope this works. Rest in Peace sweet little meow face. I hope the angels are loving and playing with you. xoxoxoxox

So Very Sad

I knew when I got in the pet saving bussiness that it wasn't always going to be sunshine and roses, but then again you don't really expect saving an animal to go "bad". When it does it hits you - HARD!!!!

This past weekend Ry and I rescued an aprox. 9 month old kitten. She was at my cousin Adam and Steph"s house. They had seen her around for the past couple months and once in a while Steph would feed her, especially now that it was cold. I went to their house for their daughters 1st b-day ( i made the cake ) and when I went to leave here was this kitten meowing, trying to walk through the deep snow with little frozen mittens. Even thought she was cold and had ice and snow stuck to her paws she still pounced on a little snow ball the she had kicked. It broke my heart. I cried on my drive home. I knew that if I would have taken her Ry would have been mad. But I decided to tell him about her even if he wouldn't do anything to help her. To my surprise he was like " lets go get her". Sometimes he really amazes me.

So Saturday night we go pick her up. She was soooooo loving, and even on the car ride home if she started to cry Ry would tell her to "be a good meow face" and she would stop crying. We set her up in our garage. She had a bed with lots of blankets to keep her warm, food and water and a little litter box. She was soooo happy. She couldn't decide what to do first. She would "chow down" for a bit while looking at us out of the corner of her eyes, then run over to us to be petted but would keep looking at her food then would run over to the food and eat some more them run back to us. It was like she wanted both so bad she didn't know what to do first. It was cute too, when we would open the door to the house to check on her she would get scared and run under the car but as soon as you called her she would come right to you and want to be petted. She wanted to be loved sooooo bad. Anyways last night we put her in the basement so she could be extra warm and she loved it. Ryan played and played with her. We decided to give her to Ry's mom. We thought she would be perfect for her because she was such a happy loving kitten. We named her Kringle, as in Kris Kringle, cuz its Christmas time. We though it was very fitting.

Well Ry took her to the vet today to get her checked out. She didn't look or act sick but it was just a precaution. And sure enough they had to put her down cuz she was sick with feline AIDS.
Ry called me at work to tell me the bad new, he thought I should know. I cried. It broke my heart. I just don't get why?? She didn't deserve to be sick. She was soooo beautiful and loving and great full. Plus I feel double bad cuz I didn't even get to say good-bye. I was running late this morning cuz I snoozed for 10 extra mins so it was totally my fault. So I didn't even get to play with her this morning. Thats all she wanted was to be loved and played with.

I know - if your in the animal saving business sometimes things like this happen, but come on, why this one!!! I didn't even get a good pic of her. Today SUCKS!!!! Now i feel like I need to save something else to make up for this one. I just pray that she is playing with the angels, she deserves to be happy in heaven. She was a very good meow face. Rest in Peace Kringle, you sweet little meow face. We loved you xoxoxxo :O(

Where Had November Gone??

Good Lord, it feels like November has just flown by and that Christmas is just around the corner.
Ry and I started out this month with the thought of possibly trying to start a family in January. Now we are ending the month with him being laid off, Circuit City is closing, me working 3 part-time jobs and trying to figure out what to do next. For now he is still working, everyday that he can work is 8 more hours of pay. One day he will come home and say "thats it, it over". In a way I'm kind of terrified of that day. I don't know how to take it. Will he be relieved, depressed, happy?? He HATES working there. He says that no one cares anymore and the customers are HORRIBLE. He has gotten death threats. DEATH THREATS!!!!! because the fucking customer doesn't get the deal he wants. So they will threaten to kill you, your family, the whole store. Oh and not to mention the scum of the earth telling him how much he sucks cuz the store is closing, and how worthless he is, how he sucks as a man cuz he won't be able to provide for his family. Whatever, they can all jump off a bride as far as I'm concerned. So I guess it goes without saying that he isn't a "happy camper" these days. But we will get through it. We always do. We might not have a pretty marriage on the outside but it's pretty dam strong on the inside.
Oh and not to mention that my sister and her husband are also going through this too. My Ry and my sisters Erik work or should I say worked together at the same store. On the bight side we get to go through this with our best friends. I don't know where I would be with out my little sister. She the M in my M&M's :O) Its actually cute, Ryan and Erik are very close and so are Mary and I. We see each other at least 4times a week. We are always sharing dinners and going places together, and the boys stick together at work. I think Ryan thinks of Erik as the younger brother he never had. He is very protective of Erik like I am of Mary. I also think its funny that I can't call them little sister or little brother cuz they both tower over us. I love those two. :O)

So as for my 3 jobs. I now get up at 5am so I can leave my house by 6:30am to get to work for 7am to work with our accountant. So I guess you could call me an accounting assistant?? I'm doing all the invoices, health care and dependent care financial stuff, credit card stuff, billing, check writing, bank records, ect... Oh and did I mention that I don't have a degree for this stuff. I really don't even have a high school diploma. Nuts !!! So I do that for 2 hours before the office opens, then I move to the front desk where I continue some of the accounting stuff plus I become the receptionist. I'm a busy little beaver. Then probably at least 2x a week sometimes more I work the aftercare program at St. Judes. So I am there from, well on half days I do the museum stuff leave at noon and drive straight to the school and I am there till 6pm. Other days I have time to go home, eat change, clean a bit then I work 3-6pm. Then I go home and still cook a lovely dinner. For now I am surviving. Coffee is my FRIEND!!! The only real crappy part is that I still don't sleep. Grrrrrr.

Other than that all is well. The deck is done - well all except some sticks but those aren't a big deal. I will post pictures soon. When I have time. It is BEAUTIFUL!!!! I love love love my deck!!! I have the bestest daddy. The kittens are good, they love the house. They are a bit spoiled. They each have their own twin size beds in the spare bedroom. Plus Tinky has her own Leather Reclining chair and Bootsie owns our closet. Not the mention all the other nest Ry has made for them all over the house. We still have BoJangles and Baily. They are good. All that is left this month is to get through Thanksgiving. Yeah for a day off Friday!!! I could use one, I'm excited for it too. Mary and I are going to hang out while the boys are at work, have a fire, make gingerbread people, string popcorn and berries, drink hot coco, and watch all the Christmas DVD's we can!!!! I can't wait!!!!!! Its just the kind of day I need.

What is it with Fall

I love Fall. It makes me LOVE everything and appreciate things more. I find myself looking at the clouds and admiring how beautifully they are painted in the sky, how the color of the sky is like no color I have ever seen before, how the air smells so clean or how you can catch a hint of the smell of leaves burning far off in the distance. How its chilly but but to chilly, the way the sky explodes with color when the sun sets, sinking down behind the magnificently colored tree tops. I love how each leaf knows the exact shade it need to change in order for the tree to be a complete work of art & how no matter how small or big a tree is they are are beautifully decorated with no help from mankind.

I love how the fall makes you what to slow down. A walk down the street or just sitting outside doesn't seem like a inconvenience like it does in the summer. I love how fall makes you feel like the rush of summer is over. I love how it makes you want to snuggle closer. How Ryan will throw his arms around me when we are outside, wrap his arms in mind and block the wind from hitting my back. I love how I'm just the right height for him that he can rest his chin on my head. I love the feel of my soft sweaters and fleece. I love how Ryan will put his cold hand on my tummy to warm them up, & how we both giggle. He giggles cuz he thinks its funny, I giggle cuz it tickles. I love how we will watch t.v all snuggled up under a blanket our cold toes playing footsie with each other trying to get the other ones feet warm. I love how he will make me hot coco. I love snuggling my cold nose into his warm neck. I love warm comfort food. Stews, chili, corn bread muffins, warm baked apples, meatloaf, I could go on and on.

I guess most of all I love my family. My wonderful husband who cares so much. I love how he is always concerned with the little things, always telling me "not to worry", how he snuggles with the meow faces and plays with them like they are children. How he makes nests for them to sleep in so they aren't chilly. How he is always asking me if I'm hot or cold. I love how everything is Bee's. I love how he laughs and smiles. I love my sister and how everything in life can be a game. How even though she is an adult she still has the innocents of a little girl. I love how she is upbeat and positive and how she is always willing to help everyone. I love my brother in law Erik how even thought he isn't my "brother-brother" he feels comfortable enough in our family to treat me like his sister. I love how he is a brother to Ryan. I love how he is aways willing to help too. I love how even he tells me to "stop worrying so much". I love that he loves Mary. I love my Pappy. How he is sooo smart and doesn't even know it. I love how he is always willing to put his stuff aside and help his kids even though we are grown. I love how he and Ryan get along sooo well. I love that I can talk to him about everything and he is honest. I love my Mom, brother and sister in law too. We just aren't that close but I would love for that to change.

So what is it with fall?? There are 3 other wonderful seasons but why does fall effect me sooo much??

You Know You Work For A Non-Profit Organization When..

First off I love my job. I love the people and the art and the students and what I do in general. But that is not to say that working for a non-profit organization doesn't have its, well lets just say challenges. Some are "fun" challenges others are so ridiculous that "normal" businesses would think we were still in the stone age if they actually knew what we have to do ourselves and not have a fancy computer or a machine to do it for us. So this is my attempt to bring some humor to the non-profit world I live in.

10 SIGNS THAT YOU WORK FOR A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

10- there is a budget for Kleenex & instead of being able to order it someone must go out & buy it.
9- your phone is sooo old that they no longer even make parts to fix it and most technicians have never seen "that model"
8-not only is your phone from the stone age but most buttons no longer work do to the large amount of coffee, water, soda, and juice that has been spilled on it over the years.
7- Our mailings are actually created by us, typed by us, copied by us, and stuffed in to envelops by well me :O)
6 - In case it didn't sink in we actually have to mail out our own stuff & I'm talking folding over 2,000 letter by hand, labeling over 2,000 envelopes by hand, sealing over 2,000 envelopes by glue stick (cuz I'm sure as hell not going to lick them), and putting stamps on over 2,000 envelops by hand.
5- Yes we actually use stamps it is not in our budget to get a meter thing that would just weight it and stamp it for us.
4- When we changed our name this year by dropping the regional part "it was a very big deal"!!
3- There is no one to cover for you if you are sick. Your job either just doesn't get done that day or your boss does it and is happy to since it is a nice change for a day.
2- When the office need a change instead of actually hiring a company to come in and paint and decorate the staff actually paints their own offices.

And the #1 SIGNS THAT YOU WORK FOR A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION....

THE RECEPTION DESK JUST GOT IT'S FIRST COMPUTER EVER!!!! It is a used computer we don't have the budget to buy a new one but you would think it is the first computer ever made but the way people act about it. Every one has too see it, touch it, talk about it.

Don't get me wrong it is very cool to have a computer at my desk and I did just type this blog on it and got paid to do it so I guess I am one of those people that is super excited about the computer. Now I feel like I have a real job - isn't that what most people do surf the net at work?? :O)

Be Free Little Mouse Face

Last Thursday we let our healed little mouse face go. Ryan had the day off and since we wanted to do it together it was a good day to do it. The sun was shining, it wasn't to hot so it seemed like the right kind of day to let a mouse go.

I'm still going to miss the little guy. He was a cutie. :O)

We decided to let him go out in the cemetery that my grandparents are . I know it sounds creepy but my thought is that 1. it is a very quite place 2. there are plenty of plants to eat and 3. it is surrounded by fields. And the fact that its like 5 minutes away from us didn't hurt either. So we drove there parked but my grandparents grave walked out a bit and let the little guy go. ( this is not my grandparents grave in the picture ) We also said a pray for the little guy & asked Grandma & Grandpa to look after him. Although I'm pretty sure my Grandmother was turning in her grave, she wasn't one for mice. So I hear :O)

He did need a bit of encouragement, I don't think he liked the car ride.

But he jumped out, see the little guy? He is just to the right top corner of the cage in the grass. So he ran off, we poured out the bedding from the cage on the ground and put a pile of seed there, but I'm pretty sure he didn't come back. He ran away...Fast!!

Our New Addition Is Not Staying

Ryan and I have talked it over and after much consideration we have decided that we are going to let our new little friend go. He is getting better and we think its just the right thing to do. Mr. BoJangles situation was different - he came to us and it was the dead of winter when we rescued him so there was no way we could have let him go with out knowing for sure he wouldn't have frozen to death. But after the rain passes this week we are going to take him out to a field and let him our new friend go. I guess we could let Mr. BoJangles go to but Ryan really wants to keep him and he is fun to watch and he has been with us for a while now so he will stay. Plus we can't really have put the 2 little guys together with out knowing for sure that they both are 2 little guys. We really don't need an army of mice. Or what if they didn't like each out and one killed the other I would feel horrible. So the decision is made, our new friend well be set free. He is doing much better too. When we first brought him home he would just sit in his toilet paper tube with his little hands curled up I think cuz they hurt him so bad, but now he is moving around pretty good and I think he is feeling better. The hair on his face is even starting to grow back and it isn't red or pink anymore. He are a few pics.

Isn't he cute??

See his hands all curled up. Poor little guy :O(

This is how we found him today, he made himself a "hiding palce"

He's a sleepy little guy

This is Mr. BoJangles running in his wheel.
He is such a little mouse face.

Something New To Rescue

So this whole "we must rescue and help all creatures" thing has taken a turn. We now save frog. Yes frogs. Toads too. We were outside working on our deck with Pops and we see this little frog. Actually Ryan almost stepped on it!!! So he leads its, more like pushes it or guides it with a stick by poking its butt all the way from the back of our house to the pond that is like 130 feet back. Yes it is a 130 feet back we have measured it. He was soooo proud of himself for saving this frog.
A while later I went to get another board and what do I see. Yes another frog!!! So this one too gets rescued and taken to the pond. Although I picked him up, I didn't poke his butt for 130 feet. Oh but that's not the end of it. So Erik comes over and he is out helping us, looks down one of the holes we dug for the posts and what does he see. YES Another FROG. The poor little guy must of accidentally fallen down it. So Erik lays on the ground reaches down the hole and grabs the little guys and takes him to the pond.
The sad thing we realized later is that these little guys more than likely came from the pond, jumped/hopped all that way just to be taken back down there but some stupid humans that think they are helping. And I'm sure we will be rescuing them again some time soon.

I have also realized that maybe I shouldn't question God on the whole saving mice thing. Cuz there are always frog that need help too.

We have a new addition to our family

If they call me Snow White because of the way I am with animals then what should they call my husband?? Friday morning I get a call at work and its Ryan telling me that he has a mouse stuck to one of those horrible sticky mouse traps. He wants to know what to do. He says it is bleeding and is really hurt. I wanted to throw up. I have seen those mouse traps and what they can do to a mouse - basically it is designed that the mouse will rip himself to death trying to get off. Its very sad and the makers should be stuck to a pad just like it - naked!!! Maybe then they will know what it feels like. Anyways the first thought that come it mind is there is nothing you can do and that you will just have to put it out of its misery. Ryan did not like this answer. You can't just pull him off cuz you will pull its skin off too. Maybe you can cut him off. So that the sticky stuff is still attached to him but at least it will be free. He says he will try that and call me back.

About an hour later he calls me back telling me that he got the little guy off he cleaned him up with an alcohol swab, he is now in a box and I need to come get him on my way home from work. Not only did he cut him off he very carefully got all the sticky stuff too. What a guy :O) So we get him a small cage and put food, water and bedding in it for him. I feel sooo sorry for this little guy. He has no whiskers cuz he ( not Ryan ) pull them all off trying to get his face off the sticky pad, he had be bleeding from his mouth, his feet were all red and bloody and he can't walk right. I think cuz they hurt. But he is doing better. We have him in our room where it is quite most of the day, and he is eating and drinking and hiding out in a toilet paper tube. Seriously God, is this our/my calling to rescues mice. I'll do it, you know I will, I can't help it I love little critters but really mice??

That bring me to story #2 our first rescued mouse from January - Mr. Bojangles. Remember him?? The little shit bit me :O) And drew blood. We were trying to clean his cage which is just about impossible cuz he jumps around everywhere and we can't catch him. The only way is to trap him in side his toy jeep. ( Yes, he has a toy jeep to sleep in ). So we get him to run in it and Ryan sticks his hand over the opening and starts to lift it out of the cage and I see he is trying to squeeze through a small hole Ryan's hand didn't cover so I stick my hand there and he bites me. So we drop it back in the cage and close it. OK so here is my idea - maybe I am only to rescue them and help them, then let them go?? So i mention to Ryan that maybe we should let him go?? What do you think his response will be?? A. - Great Idea honey B. - But I don't want too but we will cuz he is a wild mouse after all C. - No!! And the answer is C!!!!! He actually got mad at the idea of letting him go!!! But it's not like we can let him go now anyways cuz what if he has rabies or something and since he bit me we need to keep him for at least 2 weeks. Good Grief!!! Oh and so I have proof I have told Ryan that I think it would be a good idea to let our new little friend go once he gets better. But he is already is set on keeping him too.

** For the record he has found and threw out allllll and any sticky traps he found at work and has told his boss that when ever he see one its throwing it away.

I am My Fathers Daughter

I am my fathers daughter is sooo many ways. I see it all the time. When I was a kid we had a hard time getting along but I think it was because we are so much alike. Nothing is impossible, everything can and will be fixed, and we are both very optimistic. And we both have patience of GOLD!!

Ryan and I built our first house and have been in it for 3 months now. During the building process my dad was sooo helpful in determining what to pay to have done and what we could do ourselves. My dad saved us a ton of money by doing this. We put our money into making the home big and saved money by going with the basics for flooring, counter tops, paint, things that we can change later after we have kids, and putting in our own closet shelving. One of the BIG things we decided to do our selves was the deck. They wanted way too much money for a small deck and dad and I knew we could do it bigger, better and it would still cost less. So a couple of weeks ago we decided that with summer ending we wanted to start this deck thing. We drew out the plan and have begun the work. It is taking a bit longer than we had thought it would but then again my dad and I think alike and everything we came up with was "we can totally do that", "no biggie". Well now that we have been working on the deck we have realized that it is a biggie :O) This deck is going to be Massive!!!! Its 12ft by 20ft by 28ft by 8ft, and wraps all the way around the sun room. We are even adding extra support for a hot tub. It is going to be AWESOME!!! Its even big enough that when we have kids we can lock the stairs off and it can be like a huge play pen. A child could easily ride a bike on this thing and have plenty of room. My dad is AWESOME!!! We joke all the time that we have the same disease - optimism!!! But I am totally cool with taking our time and it will be great. I am sooo excited!!! I guess God knew what he was doing when I got to be my daddy's daughter :O)

My Beautiful Sister

My little sister got married. Her day was soooo beautiful! But not as beautiful as her!!!! I am soo blessed to have a sister like her and her new husband is AWESOME!!!! (Not that he is that "new" he's been in the family for almost 5yrs. ) Here are some of my favorite pictures of her and Erik. These are just some there are more, I'll try to post them later. We are still pretty busy.

Isn't she BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

Putting in her vail

I think this is my Favorite picture of her.
The Most Beautiful Bride In The World!!!!

Erik & Mary at Hacienda to do some pre-reception drinking

Strawberry margaritas and they are both wearing white.
" Thats my Little Mary" :O)

Way too Busy

It has been a month?? I can't believe it. Oh well :O) Life is really busy and exciting. Lt. Mary is getting married in a month ( oops OMG!! I mean a week, good lord what am I thinking?? ) and I am sooo happy for her. We have been spending sooooo much time together and loving it. I don't know what I do with out her. Working together on her wedding stuff has really brought us closer. The memories we have made in the past 6 months we will have forever. I hope some day if I have daughters that they can be as close are we are. The only down side is that I have been trying to writing a toast for her wedding and I keep getting all teary eyed. I promised her I wouldn't make her cry and if I cant even write it without crying then we have a problem. Well back to it, just needed a break :O)

I truly am Snow White

What is it with me and animals?? Do I give off a vibe that says "hey little creature if you need help I'll help you."?

So I am walking in my back yard looking to see how much our grass is growing and I see this little bird sitting on this big rock just a chirping away. No big deal, right. All of a sudden it flies up to our sun room windows circles around and heads right for me!!!! I just stood there hoping it would just fly past me and IT LANDS ON ME!!! A BIRD LANDS ON MY HIP!!!! I am standing there looking down this cute little gray and yellow bird clinging to my dress. It was actually really cool. It was just looking around and surprisingly I wasn't scared :O) It "rested" on me for a good minute I would say. It might have stayed longer but I had a brilliant idea to try to take a picture of it with my camera phone. I almost had it too but as soon as I moved my hand to the button to take the picture it flew away. Well not away but to the ground like a foot from me. So of course I see this as a sign that the little bird needs something so I run inside grab Mr. BoJangles food (remember the mouse we rescued) and pick out all the bird seed and proceed to throw it all over the back yard for the birds. God I need help :O) At least this one we didn't take in and "save".

We are HOME!!!!

Actually we have been home for, well it will be 2 weeks tomorrow :O) I love this place!!! It is soooo beautiful!! So big!! I'm soooo excited. Ryan is too!! The move went really really well, better than I thought it would have gone. The moves got to the apartment at 9:o0am and went straight to work. There were 3 guys, in there 20's I would say and they just busted ass. It was amazing to watch. At 10:00 am Ryan and I left them and went and closed on the house.My dad came over to "watch" the movers for us while we closed. I am proud to say that I did not throw up on the closing agent. That whole closing thing had me very nervous. All those papers to sign. But we made it through it and no ones hand fell off from signing. We got back to the apartment at 11:30ish and the movers were just finishing up. I was floored. I can't believe what would have taken us a day to do these guys did in just 2 and 1/2 hours!! My dad said that they would carry something down the stairs and then run up all those stairs to the 3rd floor to get something else. They are nuts!! But AWESOME!!! We got to the new house at 12:00 pm and they went right to work. I had them put most of the stuff in the back spare bedroom till I could figure out what to do with it. But they did put our bedroom stuff in our room and even set up the bed for us. They put the furniture in the Family room just the way I asked them too, and the same for the desks being put in the other spare room. They were done by 1:30pm. AMAZING!!!!

We had sooooo many people visit us that day too. Family and friends who were excited and happy for us stopped by to check the new place out. I love having my door open to guests. We had wine coolers, beer, and snacks for them too. Lunch was sooo funny, my cousin Steph stopped by, with her to adorable kids :O), so her and I went to McDonald's to get lunch for everybody. My order went something like I need 10 double cheese burgers, 10 Mc chickens and how many apple pies do you have?? The lady actually went and counted. I took them all, 11 I think?? I wish I knew what those people were thinking?? I have a pic somewhere of our fabulous 1st meal in our new house. After lunch we pretty much went straight to work unpacking and putting things away. We had a lot of help and a big THANK YOU to all who helped or just stopped by that day, it wouldn't have been the same with out all of you. Mary ( my sister ) and Mary ( my sister in law ) unpacked my kitchen for me :O) My Pops put my curtain rods up, so I can hide my nakedness :O) Joe used his muscles and cut the shelves for the closets. My mom and his Mom ironed my curtains :O) I can't remember what else, but that's a good portion of the things going on that 1st day. We have pizza for dinner which was also very fitting. I loved it.

Ryan and I also brought the meow faces here that night. It was interesting. I don't know weather they were sacred or excited but they explored and had fun I think. Tinky did have a few problems which she solved by trying to sleep on my head. I did manage to get her under the covers instead, which I think was just as good as my head. I think?? Nizzy, is my fearless one, she explored and was just as happy as can be. Although she did sleep in Tinky's nest for a few nights, but she is over that now. Her favorite place is in the closet. Typical girl. They are completely at home now, and they LOVE running and playing on the stairs, which Ryan scolds them for. Its really cute.

Other than that we are just unpacking little, by little. We have all the major stuff done now it is just finding a place for all the other stuff. But we have a basement so I think a majority of it will be going down there till we need it. Hey that's what basements are for.

I do have to share one more thing. The other evening/night Ryan was outside adjusting the sprinklers and working a little bit on the yard and I was in the kitchen making dinner and it really hit me. THIS IS MY HOUSE!! THAT IS MY HUSBAND WORKING IN OUR YARD!! I'M COOKING IN MY BIG BEAUTIFUL KITCHEN!! It really felt like heaven at that point!! I am sooo happy, Ryan and I are the happiest we have ever been!!! We are sooo in love with each other!! Life is great and when the time is right for us we will start trying to have a family. I am soooo blessed!!!

Tee Hee Hee Its All Done!!

Guess what???? Our House is officially completed!!! I'm soooooo excited!! It is sooooo beautiful!!! I can't believe I get to live there. There are only 5 little thing left to do. The humidifier water line still needs to be hooked up. One of the closet doors are missing its handle. There is a little bubble under the vinyl in the Kitchen that they are going to fix. The front has to be sodded and the back seeded. A few paint touch ups. That's it, then it is all ours!!! So needless to say I really need to finish packing!! I wish we could just move today, but it won't be much longer. I think I can wait. I think...

On another note the mittens are having the best time around here. There are sooo many boxes to explore. They are climbing and jumping and hiding. Its crazy!! I think they know something is going on but I don't think they understand . Although they both like to jump into a box and meow for us to look I think they are saying "look mom, I'm all ready, aren't you proud of me?? They are soooo silly. I love our little meow faces.

So I'm going to go back to packing. Have a great weekend all !! :O)

Once again I have the GREATEST POPS EVER!!!

I know I brag about my dad a lot but he really is TOTALLY AWESOME!!! Our house is just about completed and we have our final walk though coming up. This is the last chance we have to make sure everything is correct before we close on the house. Ryan and I originally wanted to have my pops with us to make sure that everything is good, but we came to realize that it is just too much to ask of him to take off the day for the walk through and a day off for the move. So my awesome dad spent his day with me yesterday at the house looking over everything. I just think he is the best to have done this for me. I mean for a guy who only gets 2 days off a week, I know that most people only get 2 days off, but to spend the day with me at my house when he has a ton of his own things to do . It just show how giving and unselfish he is. He's the bestest and I really appreciate everything he does for me.

I can't believe that I am almost the owner of a beautiful house!! Every thing is just about done. The carpet was laid Friday so I got to walk on it, bare foot!! I know I'm a dork but it is sooooo soft between my toes. I can't wait to live the!! The kitchen is calling my name I can hear it. I want to decide in advance what the first meal I will cook will be. I think it needs to be something special and great. I know our first meal in our house will be pizza, beer, wine coolers, soda, ect. Not a real special meal be I think it is a traditional one for the first meal in a new house. Plus our fridge and stove won't be delivered till the following morning, so its not like we have a ton of options. But I want the first meal I cook to be awesome. I will have to continue to think about that. Other than that we are just packing like mad!!! Our apartment is completely torn apart you can hardly walk though it. Well its not that bad but it ain't that great either. But we won't have to deal with it much longer. Oh and I am sooooo happy we have our movers scheduled!! I was really dreading having to move all this stuff ourselves. It would have taken forever and been a ton of trips or we would have had to rent a U-Haul or something and walking up and down 3 flights of stair a billion times just does not sound like fun to me. The movers say that it will take them about 3-4hrs to get everything out and maybe 2-3hrs to unload so we will be moved in by 4:00pm-ish!!! This is a very good thing since we only have like 2 days to move and turn in the keys to this place.

Now I have to get back to packing but here are just a few pics.

Basement - all insulated and ready to go.
Also see all the lights!! NO SCARY BASEMENT!!!

The black granite in the master bath.
It looks sooo cool!! I love it :O)

O.k that's it :O) I thought I had more but I guess not.

Oh the Anticipation

Heheheh!!! I am sooo excited!! Ryan and I went out to the house Thursday and guess what?? Our counter tops are in!! There are even more beautiful than I thought. And as if that wasn't exciting enough they were installing our lights fixtures!! Our house is going to be sooooo AWESOME!! I can't wait!! On another note... I almost had a heart attack the other day!! Thursday afternoon I got an e-mail for Tony, our construction manager. All the e-mail said was, "We need to talk about your counter tops, call me as soon as you get this!!!" My first thought was, we're hosed!! We have to be out by the end of the month, and now we don't have counter tops. Crap now what do we do?? I called and he tells me that they ordered the counter tops in the wrong size. The master bath counter tops that is. And that it was going to take 2 1/2 weeks to get the correct size in. ( If the house isn't complete we can't close ) So then he asks......... "how would you like a black gannet counter top in there instead??" Heck yes!!! So now we have a cool black counter top in the master bath!! Its going to look awesome!!! Just a few more weeks!! Maybe I'm a little bias, but I think our house is sooooo beautiful!!! I can't wait to live there!!

Oh and I hate packing!! How did we get so much junk?? I have packed a lot of boxes and it looks like I haven't even started to pack. Its really frustrating!! But its got to be done. I try and sort things and throw things out but it isn't working that well. At least at the new place there is plenty of room to put all the junk. :O)

And one last thing here are some new pics.........

Our Kitchen with the counter tops on
Its going to be soooo awesome and see
the light in the ceiling :O)

closer view.... aren't they beautiful??
They go sooo well with the cabinets

The counter top bar thing that we
can eat on.

I am soooo happy about this....
Its the folding counter in the Laundry room!!!!

The cabinets and counter top in the main bath,
our bath has the same cabinets but will have the black gannet.

Although they look black it is really just dark wood.

The ball is rolling

It won't be too long now and we will be in our Awesome New House!!! We are getting so excited!! Lately I have be trying to pack. It is more work than you think. We have a fair amount of boxes packed but not nearly enough. But little by little boxes are getting packed and things are being organized. I just have to keep working on it day by day.
Tonight we bought our range and refrigerator. They will be delivered the day after we close. We have decided to hire a moving company to move all the big stuff and the heavy boxes and we will get the lite things on our own. By doing this we will definitely be out of the apartment in one day!!!! I really can't believe all this is happening, it has seemed like a dream, and in a way it still does. Ryan is getting excited too. He has been sooooo goofy and happy lately, sometimes I don't think he's the same person. We keep thinking of this as a new start. We are leaving all the old crap behind and we are starting over. I really think we needed this. It has made our marriage sooo much stronger.
Also we did get our new address, I won't post it but we do have it and I all ready know it by heart!!! They put our cabinets in last week, they also have started the trim and our doors are on. They should have the counter tops in this week and maybe the lights. Its coming along quite nicely. We love it!!!!

Refridgerator, Range and Mower..Oh My

Well it looks like May 24th is still sticking as the completion date, so that's cool. Although we actually won't be able to move in till the very end of May or early June. Buts that's ok :O) we still have at ton to do. We have been looking for a refrigerator, range and mower, which is much harder to do than it sounds. We have looked just about ever where we can think of, and I do mean everywhere. We even looked in the forbidden store ( Best Buy ). Its not that we can't find anything its that we find too much, and we aren't really sure what we want. Well that is not completely true, we do know what we want in a fridge, kind of?? Its really hard to go in a store and they have like 50 different ranges or fridges and try to narrow it down to just one. We have certain things that we know we want but its not enough to really eliminate anything. For example in a range we know we what a gas range, so if there are 50 different ranges it will eliminate maybe half if you are lucky. But from there we are stuck. Do we want convection, accu bake, speed convection, or just a normal oven??? Do we want 4 or 5 burners?? And some have 2 ovens, which I think is AWESOME, but do I NEED it?? I really don't know what I need. Its just too frustrating. This is a big deal, whatever we pick will be with us for years and years. My parents have had there range for like 25yrs. I think that is the part that freaks me out the most, whatever I pick will be with me forever, or pretty close to forever. Its not like our car leases that we can just trade in if we don't like the car or just want an up grade. Plus its not like I can take the range home and try it out to see if like it. I have to go on looks and what I read about it. But I will have to pick something and I will but, I will also worry, wondering if I made the right choice. These things are a lot of money, and I really don't want to screw it up. At least we have an idea about the fridge. It has to be a side by side. We know we want the water/ice in the door and the ice bucket that is in the freezer has to be in the door, not the top shelf of the freezer, the door saves space. Other than that it is mostly bells and whistles. We did find one at Lowe's. Well I should say we narrowed it down to two, which is really good for us. There are very similar, the main different is in the shelves, but we actually haven't picked which one we want. As far as the mower, we have only just started to look. It will more than likely be a push/self propelled mower, I really don't care what it is, although I should since I will be the one doing the mowing. I think it would be really mean to make him mow the grass after being at work all day and I only work part time. Plus I like mowing.

Other than all that, we ( I ) need to really get on the packing wagon. I just don't know where to start. Everything had been really fun, up untill now. I really just want to get a bunch of boxes and just tthrow stuff in, I really don't feel like going through everything and sorting and wraping, ect... But that probabaly isn't a good idea. So I guess I need to get my butt in gear and pack, boooooooo :O(

Tee Hee Hee

Ryan and I went out to the house today and talked to the drywallers. They are painting tomorrow :O) It took a little longer for the drywaller to finish cuz I guess with the weather the plaster took a little longer to dry, or something?? Oh well, all I know is that they paint tomorrow, it dries over the weekend and next week I think we will get the cabinets, counters, and floor. YEAH!!! We're on our way!!!

Just a few pics of our house

So I said I would post some pictures so here they are in a very random sort of way.

There are only a few, i am really busy packing and such, sorry :O(

Ryan waling in the family room, I am standing in the kitchen taking the picture

Our sun room

The kitchen, all drywalled and ready for some paint

Standing in the family room, looking at the foyer

Ryan in the foyer

Ryan and I trying to be cute, this is the back of the house

The back/side of the house, it looks sooooo big :O)

The insulation my dad and I added between the laundry room and bedroom#2

it is mainly for a sound barrier, so if a kid is sleeping they

can't hear the washer or dryer

My pops is awesome!!!

My Pops adding the insulation

Me adding insulation :OP

That's all for now I will add more in the next few weeks, this week they are painting and laying the vinyl floor, then putting in the cabinets and counter tops....ect. I'm soooo excited, just 6 weeks and we will be in a house!!!

May 24th!!!!!!!

May 24th is the date ( as of today, it maybe sooner or could be a little later ) that our house will be completed!!! HOLY CRAP!!! I have to pack!!! O.k well I'm not going to start today :O) . But I can't believe it!!! We were originally told the end of May, that was when we were going to break ground in January, but when they weren't able to because the ground was too frozen they moved the dig date to February 14 and the complete date to June, but when they tried to dig on the 14th the ground was still to hard. They finally were able to break ground March 5th - ish, which put the complete day the middle to end of June. So that was what I was planning for, end of June. Now its May 24th!!!!! I'm happy and excited and a little scared all at once!!! These next few weeks, months are going to be crazy!!!!!!!!

p.s. I will post pics soooooon :O)

To Dance

Well that's the answer, yes I will be dancing!! There are only 5 or 6 classes left this semester so I will be going to class, but it is not enough time to learn the dances ( 2 ) so I won't do the show. I am totally fine with that. I will more than likely be able to learn them just not well enough to perform. I am excited but also a little drained at the same time. We have soooo much going on right now and I can't believe I added another thing. But for those who know me it is totally normal. I am not satisfied with life unless I am running around doing a million and one things at a time. Plus this will help me get in shape for Mary's wedding. Who knows I might even get my sexy abs back ;O) Well I have to be at the studio in a half hour so got to go.

To Dance Or Not To Dance That Is The Question

Its funny sometimes how things just fall in your lap. Today I was at Lt. Marys school to type some stories that her kids had written for a book they will later on illustrate. Well, today also happens to be the day when a lady comes in and teaches the kids Spanish. So as the kids are learning I am just typing away minding my business. It was the end of the day and after the kids left Mary tells me that she also has a dance studio. "Oh really??" So I talk to her for a bit and mention how Mary and I used to dance. That I hadn't done it for years but I would love to get back into it. Of course the question of what I used to take can up and I told her how I loved ballet, jazz, hip hop and tap. And she is like " would you like to join a hip hop class?" It just so happens that she has a small class of 3 adults and they have been looking for a forth. I almost wet myself!! Do you have any idea how awesome it would be to be in a small adult hip hop class??!! So next Wednesday I am going to go and try it out. The only problem is that I have not danced in YEARS!!! and I have lost alllllll my flexibility. So she has offered that I can go to a Tuesday afternoon ballet class to regain some of my flexibility. Its actually a point class, but they have the best bar stretches. So it would help me get back into shape the fastest. But do I do it??? How much have I really lost?? Do I dare commit to another thing?? Oh and the performance is in May. So I would have 2months to get in shape and learn the dance for the recital. It would be easy to learn given there are only 3 other people and if they are in need like the lady said then I"m sure they will be willing to take the time to teach me. Oh what to do?? What to do??

Can't get it out of my head

Although there are happy, exciting things going on in my life, I just can't get what happened to Sheena out of my head. I was going to try and post some of our house pics since it is all up and today we went to did the electrical walk though which was fun. But it all seems so not important right now. A young woman was killed for no reason. She was a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend. And someone had to take it all away. Last night I was lying in bed thinking why did she leave her apartment and them go back?? You always hear that "when God wants you, he wants you" I think that I am just now realizing that people say that only to try to make you feel better. How could murder be the way that God wants to take you?? I guess if he is in control he can do what ever he wants. But how could he want you to be murdered?? I know, I know "free will". Well then why didn't God protect her. He could have not let her remember that she forgot something, or he could have changed her mind so that she would not turn around and go back. I don't know. I guess the part that makes me all worried is that she was my sisters age. She could have been my sister. But she wasn't she was someone else's. Her and her sister Nina were really close. I can only imagine how Nina feels. To loose a sister. If I ever lost little Mary or Joe for that matter, I don't know what I'd do. Lt. Mary is my best friend. I know we don't see eye to eye on things and that we are very different, but I think we are more alike than we are different. And although I don't talk to Joe much any more, we were buddies growing up and I would do anything to protect either one of them. I would give my life for them. My heart really hurts for her sister, her family, her children. Nothing can make this right, or o.k. All I can do is Pray. Pray for her family and pray that they find whom ever did this. Rest in Peace Sheena. The world is not the same without you.

Please Pray For Her and Her Family

It happened at the River Shores apartment complex on Bristol’s west side. A neighbor called 911 after she saw a preschooler wandering outside the apartment. That child told her the mom was hurt.

When police arrived, they found Sheena Kiska's body inside. Autopsy results conclude her death was a homicide, and the coroner described multiple wounds on her body due to sharp force trauma.

“It’s shocking,” said Branden Bradley. “You never expect something like that to happen around here."

Bradley lives in the River Shore apartment complex where police found Kiska's body.

"It was quiet and laid back,” Bradley said. “A lot of us are all friends, we know each other. It’s like one big family all around through here."

"It was a dramatic blow for the community because it’s a very peaceful neighborhood and it is Neighborhood Watch safe, and I never would have expected this to happen,” said Nicholas Daily, who lives in the complex.

Bristol police have been assisted in their investigation of the case by several agencies, including the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department, the prosecutor's office, and the Indiana State Police. Bristol officers, with the help of state police technicians, went through Kiska's apartment overnight.

“I've been tending not to lock my doors but I am rethinking that situation, as of yesterday,” Daily said.

Bristol police say they have been to this apartment complex before. However, the town marshal told WSBT News this is the first time officers have been to Kiska's apartment.


** Sheena was a friend, more little Mary's than mine,but I knew her well and I would consider us friends. She was one of the sweetest girls I have ever met, polite and soft spoken. This happening is just very shocking, please pray for her children and family, and that they find whom ever did this to her, she did not deserve this. This angers me and makes me sad all at the same time. She had dreams, she was going to get married this year, she had 2 wonderful, beautiful children. She was a wonderful, caring, giving person. She will be missed by all who ever knew her. **

I have to start somewhere

This is our house, so far.... actually these are just pics to start off with the house is much farther along now. I went out there again today and the roof is on, not the shingles but the wood is down and they were starting to put the vapor barrier down, and the shingles go on top of that. Its amazing all this work has been down in just two weeks!!

A pile of wood, actually its the roof trusses

the basement walls

this is looking at the front of the house

the guys is standing on the garage wall

basement walls

looking at the side of the house, you can also see the lookout part

a far away view looking at the other side

the back of the house

the lookout part

side few again

front of the house again

this also shows the forms they use to form the walls

Ryan's garage

the garage and front of the house

I have sooooo many more pics and I will post them later, I had to start somewhere. We are soooo excited!! It took a while longer to start then we thought it would but at least now it is well on its way. :O)

Exciting Times

So first of all this weekend my dad and I went out to the home site to measure some things. I some how got this crazy notion in my head that they poured the wrong basement for our house. Last week when I went out there I was in my work clothes and the place is SUPER muddy so I didn't get that close, plus the guys were working and I didn't want to intrude. But from where I was standing and walking it didn't look like the right basement, so Saturday I asked my dad if he would go out there with me and measure just to be sure. I know I am a girl and I can worry a bit about things I shouldn't and at this stage of the house who could tell by just looking anyways. So Saturday after we did bridesmaid dress shopping (*story later* ), my dad and I drove out there.

Now this is the thought in my head....its freezing cold outside so all the mud that I had encountered on Tuesday will all be dry and hard if not frozen , yea not so much. We get out there and the first thing that I realized as I stepped onto the lot of mud, is that mud really doesn't freeze. So starts the adventure. So my Awesome dad and I begin carefully walking towards the house, trying hard not to sink in to the mud, we finally reach where the garage and do some measuring, then we begin our "hike" to the back of the house to see the actual basement. This was the fun part. We were climbing over big mounds of dirt ( mud ) and trying to maneuver around big muddles and mud, I felt like we were little kids, it was so much fun. But at one point I almost lost a shoe, I stepped in a really muddy spot, the kind of mud that is more like quick sand than mud, it was like it just can alive and started to devour my shoe, lucky I didn't panic too much :O) and was able to pull my leg and shoe out. But it was a close one. From then on Dad led the way.

So we climb down to the back of the house and climb over the wall, and WE STOOD IN MY BASEMENT!!!! Soooo exciting!!! We measured all the wall and stuff and sure enough its the right house. Some how I think my dad new all along that it was right but I think he wanted an adventure too. We always have the bestest times together!!! So after we decided that the basement was ok ;O) We made our way back out of the basement and back to the street. I think my dads childhood days came back to him a bit because on the way out he knew right where to step and we didn't get stuck once.

After we measured the "house" he helped me figure out our property lines. He is soooo smart and good at stuff like that. They don't have the lines marked so by my dad using his awesome math skills I think we found them, or at least we are really close. So yeah, yeah, yeah!!

And my mom called me today and said that she drove by it and that they are pulling up the basement floor joists ( I think thats what you call them?? ) So tomorrow I am going out there again to take some more pics. I could just burst at the seams!!!!

In other news...... Saturday we also pick out bridesmaid dresses for Lt. Marys wedding. They are sooooooo pretty!! They will go sooooo well with her dress. God, I am sooooo happy for them. She is going to be the most beautiful bride and he will be the most hansomest groom. Their colors are pink and blue. Their theme is doves and her flowers are daisy's. Things are moving right along. Its crazy to think that in just a few months she is going to be married!!! HEHEHEHEH!!

Other than that Ryan and I are doing awesomely!! He's still working for "The City" and is loving it. He comes home in a great mood, we have fun, laugh, giggle, play with the meowfaces, eat dinner and snuggle up on the couch and fall asleep together. That is till I wake him up and we move to the "bee bed". Yes, that is his new thing, everything is "bees" with him. Bee Bye times, and sleepy bees, and Tinky bees and Bootsie Bee, and bee butt cheeks, the list goes on and on. I swear sometime he has he laughing so hard I almost pee my pants. I Love him soooooo much. We are soooooo happy and this is such an exciting time for us, I can't imagine sharing this time in my life with anyone else. God, I am soooo lucky to be married to such a wonderful, loving, caring, big hearted, goofy man. I am soooo blessed.

Giddy like a little school girl

Hehehehehehehehe, guess what?? Our basement has been poured and they are getting ready to add the floor for the house!! Then the walls, and the roof and tons of other stuff!!! I'm soooo excited I could just burst!!! I took pics today and will post them later. I'm in too much of a crazy mood to sit here while pics load. I can't believe we are on our way to having a house!!! And to top it off today is beautiful!!! The sun is shinning and the birdies are singing!!! Can today get any better!!!

So Happy For Them

My sister Mary has decided to get married this year. Well I guess they had decided to get married August 2nd 2008, then the wedding was postponed till June 2009, I think. But over the weekend she and Erik talk about and decided that they didn't want to wait till next year, that June 09 just didn't feel right, that they love each other, always have and always will and that they want to get married this year. I am sooo happy for them. They are really starting to work as a married couple they made the decision they wanted, that was the best for them and they are the most happy with. Choices that a couple makes are solely that of the man and woman and this is the decision they made, its want that want and I couldn't be happier for them.

I have known Erik for 5 yrs now and I have known Mary all my life, and to see them now after being together 5yrs and seeing how much they have grown, seeing how they care for each other, how they are best friends, seeing how much they love each other, all I can put in to words is I am sooooo happy for them. I love them both, wish them only the best, and I know they will have the most beautiful wedding, he will be the most hansom groom and she will be the most beautiful bride EVER!!! Congrats to the both of them, and now its time to PLAN THE WEDDING!!!!!

P.S. sitting here thinking about the two of them I remember the first time I met Erik, he was soooo shy, hardly talked and when he did he was sooooo quite and now well lets just say he fits in the family perfectly and he is no longer shy and quite, but loud and he definitely can hold his own. 5yrs ago when I met him he seemed like boy and now he is my sisters man. HEHEHEHEH soooo happy and giddy for them.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

O.k so I am not exactly mad but I am definitely not jumping for joy. Because of the cold weather they still have not dug our basement yet. I got an e-mail from Tony, our construction manager, telling me that the ground is still to frozen, and that they have tried a few times now but the digging machine just can't break through the ground. Grrrrrr, its just very frustrating. Now that we know we are going to have a house we are getting a little impatient. I've been out there a few times and you can tell that they have started to dig, but it looks like they just can't get past the top couple of layers of ground. With it being so cold the frost penetrated much deeper into the ground then they thought. I guess the most frustrating part is that this just pushes everything back. As it is at first the house was going to be done late May, then they told us early June, then mid June, if this stupid weather keeps up the house won't be don't till July!! On one hand I feel like I shouldn't be upset, I mean at least we will have a house, a house that is built for us, and not many people have that, and I feel very blessed and I am grateful to be able to have this house, but on the other hand we have wanted a house for 2yrs now, our apartment is sooooo full we can't put one more thing in here, I hate my kitchen, I can't wait to start packing, and this is the next step in our lives and I feel like it is just being put on hold again. I'm good at being patient, I really am, but right now I am feeling frustrated which makes me feel like I am being ungrateful. So its time to take a deep breath and go back to being patient. I am very grateful for having an Awesome husband, the greatest little meow faces ever, the apartment I live in and the house we will have. And someday we will have it, even if it takes a little longer than planned. Looking on the bright side we are able to save more money this way. ** I feel better now :O) **

The Bestest Days Ever Miss Mary

These past few days my sister Mary and I got to go on a trip together. We had soooooo much fun!! She had a teachers conference in Hastings, MI, so I took a few days off of work and went with her. The drive wasn't bad , a couple hours and we had fun talking to the lady in the GSP. The hotel she picked was in Shelbyville, and it was AWESOME!!! We went swimming every day in the heated pool, and played a game with the beach ball. She is sooooooo a kindergarten teacher, she kept trying to come up with new games we could play. She cracks me up!!! We got to eat out, actually we only ate out once the other days we got food and brought it back to the room to eat. I taught her how to knit. OMG!!! She picked it up wwwwaaaaaayyyyy faster than I did. I was very impressed!! We got to hang out and talk and just had a real fun time. It was also cool cuz Mary went to these conferences every day and she would come back and tell me all this stuff about children and how their brains work and stuff its sooooooo interesting. I'm soooooooooo proud of her, I could never be able to do learn all the stuff that she knows. Her brain is just sooo packed full of knowledge, I don't know where she stores it all, maybe in her big toe :O) She is such a cutie. I'm so proud of her. But now the trip is over and we are back in the real world. :O( Maybe some day we can take a trip together again. I love my little Mary :O)