Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Wednesday Ramblings

- Last week I paid off a small loan. Felt good to get that payment out of the way in time of purchasing our house.
- Yesterday Mike and I closed on the house.
- I had the day off yesterday so I spent the morning having "April time" in the new house. There is just so much to do in so little time. Took me all morning to get all the paint specks off the floor. Good thing it comes off easy.
- When we arrived Monday night we were surprised to see that someone was disrespectful enough to drive through our yard and the neighbors. I was livid, especially to see that they literally drove right next to the house and almost hit one of our trees. Hopefully it was just some stupid kids and it won't happen again.
- We went ahead and exchanged our rug for the other one. So happy with our final choice plus we saved $50!

Here is a sneak peek of our living room and kitchen. The only two rooms that are some what finished.

Living Room, ignore the lamp turned over on the shelf. I just now realized it was still there. lol This is my favorite room in the house.

Kitchen - a little messy!

Friday morning with our first attempt to head to the house from my mom and dads at 7:30 a.m.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Christmas Presents

I must have been a very good girl this year! Here is some of my prize possessions I received this year for Christmas:
- With the help of my mom, Calvin Klein Euphora perfume from my brother, Todd. I've been wanting to try something different and so far I really like the smell of this perfume.
- Not one, not two, but three pairs of yoga pants! I got two crop pants from my mom and one from Mike's aunt who had my name in the secret Santa gift exchange.
- Four gold/yellow glasses with a pitcher from my mom and dad.
- Olay Wrinkle kit from my parents. I think mom was tired of me complaining about my little wrinkles. LOL
- Lotion/Bath set from my brother Chad with a picture frame from Bath & Body.
- Miss Me jeans from Mike. Super comfy!
- TWO Winter Candy Apple Lotions from Bath & Body from Mike's Aunt. This is my favorite and it only comes out once a year so I try to stock up. I've been in three different Bath & Body stores this past month and they were all sold out. So glad Mike's aunt was able to find some.

Quick, Cheap Fix

On my to-do list was to change out the knobs on my cabinets and the face covers for the outlets/light switches. I HATE gold and it is throughout the whole house. I know money wise I can't afford to change everything out and especially not right now. So a quick fix, thanks to my mommy was hammered paint. Looks completely different. I'm sure over time it may rub off, but I can always respray it.

Christmas Weekend Recap

Thursday night I got everything together, crammed as much as I could in my car and headed to our house for the first time. Got there to find out my garage door opener needs a new battery, at least that's an easy fix. I think Mike thought I was crazy for bringing so much stuff along, but later realized that everything I brought we would need at some point and time during the weekend. After we unpacked my car and put everything away we headed back to my parent's house.

Friday we woke up early to head back to the house. Both Mike and I didn't think the weather was going to start that early or at least not get that bad until later in the day. By 7:30 a.m. we had 4 inches of snow and it was still coming down. I usually have pretty good luck driving my car in the snowy weather with it being front wheel drive. Well about a mile from the house we got STUCK on a hill. I was in tears, I just knew my car was not going to come out alive. :) Thankfully no one was coming and we were able to back down the hill and head back to the house. We waited until my parents was leaving so we could hitch a ride with them over to the house. Got almost to Vienna and realized the more we drove towards our house the less snow there was. Dad and Mike started painting the living room while mom and I cleaned the kitchen thoroughly. That evening we went to my grandma and grandpa Feeler's Christmas. We had a very small crowd this year, but we are all very blessed to celebrate another year with my grandparents with many more to come. My little cousin Elizabeth wanted to do a play for Christmas, she's had it planned for two months. Wasn't too sure everyone could stop visiting long enough to have it. To my surprise everyone watched, listen and with most, participated. Afterward we headed back to my parent's house for our immediate family Christmas. I made scrapbooks for both my brothers, they enjoy looking through it reminiscing. Mike and I headed back to our house since we had a long day ahead of us.

Saturday we woke up early. Mike headed to his mom and dads house to get clothes and to take his shower there since none of his stuff was at our new house. While he went with his uncle to church, I stayed at the house getting everything ready for mom and dad. By the way, I had no such luck in convincing them to stay home on Christmas. Parents just don't listen very well! ;) Mike came back from Church so we headed to his mom and dad's to eat dinner. Came back home and helped my mom and dad with the painting before we had to leave again. My brother Todd showed up to help as well. That evening Mike's family had their Christmas at his aunt's house. To our surprise Dad was still there at the house painting when we got back. Bless his heart, he was trying his best to finish the living room and the wet paint was blending in with the primer. You couldn't tell the white spots until the paint was almost dry. He finally finished it at 10pm! Mike's sister Lisa, her boyfriend Joseph and cousin Matthew all came over to see the house and to play pitch the rest of the night.

Sunday Mike and I woke up early to get everything cleaned up and touched up more paint before mom and dad arrived. Are you starting to see a pattern? I'm very lucky my family is bound and determined to help us with the house. We had to leave for yet another Christmas while mom and dad stayed there to paint. Mike's immediate family had their Christmas that morning. Came back to the house to paint yet again. We had a lot of visitors on Sunday. Mike's friend Jason came over to see the house and to visit for awhile. Later in the day Mike's mom, aunts, uncles, and his grandma all came over to see it as well. His grandma and aunts were doing a lot of reminiscing of how they remember the house. Once we put a contract on the house we found out it used to be his grandmas brother's house - I believe I have that connection right. Back in the 1960's, the St. Elizabeth high school's Building Trade class built the house for him. We are currently the fifth owners. To most of you reading this that may alarm you knowing it's been through five owners. We know all of the previous owners and just like us this house was a good starter home before they built their dream house. Didn't know you were going to get some history today reading my blog, did you? Okay back to the weekend. I was surprised to see Todd showed up again to help. I was glad he did, he helped dad finished up our kitchen. Mike worked on touching up paint and then tackled the bathroom with priming it. I don't believe I've mentioned yet in this post how much we are painting. Well we knew the walls for sure needed primed. After starting with that, we noticed the trimmed was yellowed and so was the ceiling. So we have been priming the walls, ceilings and trim plus painting. Quite the job! About 7 p.m. we all headed home. We've all put in some long hours this weekend. Mike and I are very grateful and couldn't thank them enough for their generous help.

Hope everyone had a blessed Christmas!
Pictures of the house to come later this week.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Early Christmas Present

Just when I thought our luck was running out to see our house before the end of the year I get a call.

Last night on my way home from the dentist, Mike calls to tell me the best news... we got the keys! Thank the Lord, I was beginning to think there was no hope at all for this week. Prayers were answered!

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family willing to help me out. Since we celebrate my immediate family Christmas on Christmas Eve after my grandparents' Christmas, mom and dad was willing to paint on Christmas Day for us. I'm trying my best to talk them out of it, it's Christmas for heaven's sake so they need to relax and enjoy the holiday. Plus Mike and I will be gone all throughout the day celebrating his families' Christmases. Just wouldn't be right having them work on Christmas especially when we can't be there to help. It was a nice thought on their part.

We're still waiting to close on the house, but at least we can go in and start on the painting to make our house OURS. A very nice early Christmas present to Mike and I.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Wednesday Ramblings

I know this is a day early, but I had a few minutes at work and decided to go ahead and take advantage of it by blogging. I'm sure the next few days are going to be very hectic here at work - more than they already are.

Well as a few of my readers already know, Mike and I were unable to close on the house Friday. We were very disappointed. I just knew we would for sure have it by Christmas, boy did I think wrong! We're still waiting on the title process to be finished. Once that is all done we can CLOSE!!! Our poor house is all alone for the holidays! :)

I will try to post my weekend recaps again soon, I promise! Between dealing with the house and work, it has left me very little time to blog on Mondays. Plus this past weekend I was sick the whole entire time so you didn't miss much on my weekend life. I did, however, have to cancel on going to my friend's house for our girls' Christmas party. I was so bummed, but at least we were able to reschedule in January since a few others had to miss it as well.

We celebrated our Elrod Christmas last Sunday. It was a typical Elrod family Christmas, minus the presence of my grandparents. Grandma Dodie and grandpa Andy would be very proud to see my dad and uncle still coming together for Christmas, with of course the help of my mom!

Hope everyone has a safe and joyous holiday!
Merry Christmas!!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Wednesday Ramblings


- I'm still slacking in the blogging world. Hopefully by next week I can blog more often and catch up on all the blogs I follow.

- I had a very nice four day weekend. Sunday evening Mom and I left for St. Louis and came back home last night. I was so disappointed to not find anything to buy! Guess that's a good thing considering I should save save save for the house.

- As of right now we are still planning to close on Friday as long as the title is done in time. I cannot remember the last time I was able to take a Friday off from work. Plus my work week would only be two days this week! :) So we're crossing our fingers it's not postponed until the beginning of next week!

- I'm looking forward to Friday evening spending it with my besties from high school. We're going to one of the girls' new house. I'm excited to see it all finished since the last time I was there, they were just putting the finishing touches on everything before they moved in. Plus to see everyone and get CAUGHT up on their lives.

Hope you've all had a nice week despite the frigid weather we've been having.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Wednesday Rambling

The closing day on our house is finally in the home stretch! We're crossing our fingers to close next Friday, the 17th. The current homeowners are expecting the arrival of their baby any day now. I'm hoping he/she arrives on time so our date isn't pushed back even more. She is due this Sunday so we shall see...

I've got a 1/3 of my things packed and plan to finish the majority this weekend. Mike thinks I'm crazy that I already have my car crammed full with stuff. He's probably right, but it's items that will stay in plastic bins, can stand to be out in the cold and will go directly to the basement to store once we move in.

So for Mike and I it looks like we will be spending all of our holiday weekends painting and possibly moving everything in.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Hotdogs & Noodles

Our supper recipe with the boys consisted of hot dogs & noodles - Spongebob Squarepants style! Blake and my cousin, Elizabeth helped me put the uncooked noodles into the cut up pieces of hot dogs. We tried to create Squidwards, I think they thought I was crazy but they had fun making them. I didn't get a picture of the Squidwards cooked.

Squidwards

Blake and Elizabeth (Little Bits as he calls her) making squidwards.

Blake putting the noodles in the hotdogs.

Nathan enjoying his hot dog. He wasn't so thrilled with my mom's take on a bib, it was an old apron she had.

Friday Fun

It's been a long time since we watched the Allen boys and was well overdue! Both Blake and Nathan are growing up so fast.

Here is a video of Nathan with his gibber gabber. Thanks to my dad he now speaks another language. lol Who needs English?

I tried my hardest to get a couple of pictures of the boys together by the Christmas tree. Little brother thought it was fun to sway back and forth hitting his big brother.


I wasn't sure how to rotate a video on my computer. Sorry a head of time if you get a crook in your neck! ;)

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Fold Over Pants

About a month ago I purchase a black pair like shown in the picture from JCPenney. I think this has to be the best clothing purchase I've made in a long time. I love these pants and wear it about every night/weekend/etc.! So much in fact that I've put them on every Christmas list possible. :)

Wednesday Ramblings

- For sure this time, we are getting closer and closer to our house. The current homeowners are finishing up last minute details on their new house, so hopefully we will be able to sign papers in two weeks. The downside is Christmas is right around the corner and we may have to move that week or weekend! :(

- I've posted earlier about switching coffee tables. Well a couple of weeks ago Mom and I stopped in the furniture store so I could show her our furniture we ordered. The coffee table seemed to be too big and showed scratches really easy. I was very disappointed. We've been looking and there just isn't much out there right now for tables. At least we can do without until we find something we love.

- I'm leaning more towards the lighter rug. After doing some thinking I realized it would go more with my antique hutch that has to go in the living room. And thanks to a friend for email me great reviews of her rug who has the same one! I may end up dragging Mike into Lowe's so he can see the two and make the decision for me.

- Work has been so hectic, but the overtime has been very nice on my paychecks! :)

- I've gotten all my Christmas shopping done except for my secret Santa gift for Mike's family Christmas.

- One thing I won't miss when I move is the wood stove and filling it up 3 times a day. I think dad is enjoying it while he can!