Just Stroll-ing Along . . .

I am getting excited about our New Year's Eve party ... even though I have no menu planned or anything yet. Oh the good times we will have with the playing of games and the eating of the foods!
So Brian just turned in our cable box (cos we are getting a dish on tuesday) and the girl was like, "where would you like your refund sent to?" and he started telling her our address and she said, "NO WAY! I lived at 1726 Linmore from '94-'99! I loved that house!" Super freaky, huh? So she told him that they were the ones that put up the extra cabinets in the kitchen and put in the new windows upstairs, and "the basement was always dry, so don't worry about that!"
All I have to say is .... BI-ZARRE.

okay so MINDY is sick now ... poor sick people. we are like ... the sickliest family ever.
so last night i loaded up on nyquil tablets, chased them down with a smirnoff wild grape (which is so wonderfully grape-y) and went to bed at 930. slept like a little person. my throat is still scratchy and i have some lovely drainage, but here i am at work, drinking sierra mist out of a 2 litre and eating cold pizza.
i am klassy.
in other news, our house is shaping up. a lot of painting has been done, and although there are boxes sitting everywhere, a lot has been unpacked (due mostly to mindy and my mother) and organized. our new table (thanks to mom and dad) is sitting in our new dining room underneath our new tiffany light (thanks to kelly and craig) and everything is looking so cosy. we've purchased pretty much everything we need to update the bathroom; however we are reconsidering our plans. we originially bought a glass bowl sink, which is just awesome, thinking that brian would build a base for it. those plans aren't working out very well, because besides building the base, we would also need to buy a piece of marble for the top ... kind've expensive. so now we are thinking of taking back the glass bowl, and buying the white ceramic bowl that comes with the black base & black marble top ... which will allow us to use the black vintage-y looking hardware & faucet that we like. so now we also need to rethink our flooring choice. lots of decisions, but we're not rushing this bathroom ... i want it to be lovely and pretty and brian really doesn't have time for it right now anyhow.

yeah so i'm getting sick (not flu sick, sinus-y sick) again... and ... i just got over it like... four days ago. so this is getting old.

happy birthday, nodnarb!


just a reminder :

we will be gathering at our home (1726 linmore) tonight at 7 o'clock for a pizza party in honor of brandon'sbirthday ... come join us!


EDIT:
okay so brandon's puking now ... NO PARTY. i repeat.... there will be NO FESTIVITIES THIS EVENING. so don't come over ... because there will be nothing for you to eat.

so i have returned to work from the house of puke.

rejoice with me.

I'll be out of the office until Tuesday, so ...



Merry Christmas, everyone!

I'm sure all of you have lovely plans to spend Christmas with your loved ones - have a wonderful holiday!

So ... we have a house! And a garage! And a backyard! And a porch!
Tonight we are painting, putting in a new toilet, new floor in the bathroom and most likely a new sink. Tomorrow with the help of Chad & Fred, we are moving all our furniture and big boxes (and our poor Christmas tree, that hasn't been decorated yet)... then more painting and moving in boxes and all. Hopefully we'll be able to get most of it done before going to G&G's for Christmas Eve!

Brandon's comment on my last post reminded me ...


For those of you who are interested, we're having a birthday party for Brandon at our new house (1726 Linmore - call for directions) on December 29th - probably around 7pm. It was originally supposed to be a wine & cheese party ("It's CHEESE, Grommit!"), but since our moving has been put off, it may end up being a "Let's Sit on Moving Boxes and Eat Pizza" party. Either way, I'm sure it'll be fun!

So we didn't close yesterday ... apparently we have to wait until the refrigerator is delivered to the house today, and we can close after that ... so we're scheduled for 4 pm. However, if it hadn't been for the loving generosity of a few family members, we wouldn't be closing at all ... so we are thankful for that.
Our weekend was kind've busy ... Saturday we spent the whole day over at Eric's old house, trying to get it all fixed up. Brian helped with the bathroom, and I helped Mar paint the kitchen ... it's looking so good! I love the color in the kitchen ... it's called "Rhinestone" and it's a very pale grey. Pretty! We were supposed to go to dinner with some Museum friends on Saturday night, but we skipped out, since Brian's been sick and we were both exhausted. We stopped and got some movie popcorn, then just lounged around at home.
Sunday was great ... Elizabeth had her first ballet recital and it was so just so freaking cute. She was the only one in her little class that knew what she was doing! After that we ran home for a bit, and I got ready to go to A & A's church Christmas program ... Brian opted out cos he was so tired, and frankly, I didn't want him blowing snot bubbles next to me in church :o) Jonah and Elizabeth sang in a little choir and it was great ... Jonah just stood up there with a big smile on his face with his hands down the back of his pants! That was like the cutest thing ever. Anyway, it was nice to see some people I hadn't visited with in like ... um a REALLY long time.
Since we didn't close yesterday, we just had dinner and packed and wrapped Christmas presents and filled out a few cards and that's about it. It was very relaxing... which is good, because I have a feeling the next 10 days are going to be nuts.
Tomorrow night we go to Bonnie's new place, with Adele, for dinner. Thursday night we paint the kitchen cupboards and get the bathroom fixed up, Friday we move, Saturday we have Christmas Eve at Gran's and Sunday ... well Sunday is Christmas! The Stroll side is having a thing at 3 ... which is incredibly silly I think. The middle of the afternoon! How about having it at like 6 or 7. Anyway, we're not sure if we're going to that ... we're kind've hoping we can just relax that day and open our gifts and have a nice day all to ourselves.
Okay, time to work.

i got a call from tiffany ...


WE'RE CLOSING ON MONDAY!!!!

10 Years Ago, I was:

12, and probably still crying from the year before when my big sister ran off and got married!

Walking Harvey.

Sleeping.

Reading.

Wearing an awful ponytail AND awful bangs.

5 Years Ago, I was:

Just graduating from high school.

Hanging out with the Assembly people.

Thinking about getting a job.

Reading.

1 Year Ago, I was:

Having surgery!

A very very happy newlywed!

Trying to figure out what I want to do with my life.

Reading.

Yesterday, I:

Drove to work through crap weather, then went home 1 hour later.

Packed up stuff & read.

Made cupcakes with buttercream frosting, mashed potatoes, balsamic pork chops and french onion soup.

Took a nap with my hubby.

5 Snacks I enjoy:
Little cakes
Movie popcorn
Spinach/artichoke dip
Ring pops
CHEESE, GROMMIT.

5 Songs I know by heart:

"Butterprint"

"You Raise Me Up"

"Return To Me"

"Where You Lead"

"Dreaming"

5 Things I would do with $100 Million Dollars:

Pay off all bills, loans, etc for us and our parents

Buy 2 Victorian homes next to each other for Mindy and ME

Start an animal fostering home

Adopt lots of babies and/or start an adoption program for people who can't afford it

Send Brian to school at Wyotech and help him start his own body shop!

5 Runaway Places:

Seattle

Italy

The beach!

The Maldives

Alaska

5 Things I will never wear:

Anything spandex.

Any item of clothing with bews sewn on them - I stole that from Bethany

Any item of clothing with any irritated looking cartoon character on it - also stole from Bethany

Anything with the word "stretch" on the label.

Anything associated with the phrase "acid wash."

5 Favorite T.V. Shows:

Gilmore Girls

The Office

Law & Order

CSI

Family Guy

5 Biggest Joys: (In no particular order)

My marriage.

My family.

Our faith & God's goodness to us!

Our home.

Bad news first - looks like we won't be able to close on the house on the 19th. Apparently Brian's ex-wife doesn't have the discharge papers from their bankruptcy (8 years ago) and they are in archives ... which means it'll take $45 and 10 days to get them (their archives are in CHICAGO in a warehouse - how dumb is that!). Our super mortgage gal, Tiffany, over at Savage Mortgage, (we highly recommend them!) has been on the case and she was able to get the docket from the day it was discharged ... HOPEFULLY that will be enough for the lender ... we're supposed to find out sometime this morning. If it's not good enough, then we'll have to pay the $45 and wait 10 more days to close on the house. POOP.
Um I guess this is good news! KD's starting school on January 10th and moving to Grand Rapids! It's good news for her, but not really good news for me ... cos that means I won't see her very often. But we're very happy that she's getting to do what she wants!
Oh and more good news ... Mom's surgery won't be as bad as we originally thought! It will still be painful and will take a while for her to recouperate, but it won't be nearly as bad.
Okay I have a ton of work to do people ... I don't have all day to post on this silly blog!

for those of you who don't work ... count yourselves blessed this morning. what a crappy drive to work! i don't think it's stopped snowing since last night and it's supposed to snow for the rest of the day. i'm all about the snow - just not when i have to get up early and drive in it and slide all over the road.

uh my boss just called and told me to go home! yay!

i just found the puppy i want. his name is beetle :o)

i think we've mostly decided on our paint colors. for the past 2 weeks, we have flipped through every paint sample from sherwin williams (those swatch books are the bomb) and keep going back to the greens and yellows.
we're pretty set on "houseplant" for the fireplace wall & stairway wall, which is a lovely medium shade of green. we are also considering it for the alcove-y wall in the dining room. it will be so nice with the oak flooring ... which is covered up right now with a new tan carpet, but we will taking that out of the dining room.
i think the kitchen will either be "banana cream" (a warm, pale yellow) or "springtime" (pale green) or ... raspberry red! i haven't decided yet. i think the cupboards will be one color and the walls another - but i think it all depends on the vintage-looking fabric i picked out for the curtains. i found this big, gorgeous tablecloth that is lovely with raspberries and greens and is so vintage ... mom is going to see what she can do about making it into curtains for me!
our bedroom will be "sassy green," which is a vintage-y shade of sage. (can you tell i love vintage? 40's & 50's!) i think we're going to get some of that cool sparkle stuff to put in the paint for the ceiling. ooo, pretty.
i cannot decide what color i want in the bathroom! right now i'm set on tiffany blue (which is called "tantalizing teal") for the walls and "marshmallow" for the beadboard. i have a great clear shower curtain which features the silhouette of a lady taking a bath and holding a martini glass and the sink we're going to get is the the glass bowl that sits atop the cabinet/table (which brian is going to build) ... i think it will be great with those colors and will give it a nice "spa" feeling.
anyhoo ... i think we're gonna wait on the other two bedrooms and the basement for the time being. one little project at a time!

still sick.

You scored as Captain Wentworth. Captain Wentworth from Persuasion is summed up in one word: noble. He\'s a gentleman, brave, and independent, but he is also willing to set pride aside to try again for the heart of the woman he loves. Captain Wentworth 87% Edward Ferrars 53% Mr. Darcy 40% Willoughby 20% Which Jane Austen Hero are You? (For Guys) created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Elizabeth Bennet. As one of Austen's most beloved characters, Elizabeth Bennet represents what most women would like to become: strong, independent, and loyal. Of course, she has her faults including a stubborn will of iron and a clinging to first impressions. Overall, Lizzie is bright and lovable...something to admire and aspire to. Elizabeth Bennet 84% Marianne Dashwood 84% Elinor Dashwood 78% Emma Woodhouse 75% Jane Bennet 59% Lady Catherine 44% Charlotte Lucas 41% Which Jane Austen Character are You? (For Females) Long Quiz!!! created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Fanny Price. You're Fanny Price from Mansfield Park! You are quiet and feel alone most of the time, and you don't usually speak out. Because of your quiet, sweet nature, you are sometimes used as a most unfortunate scapegoat. Fanny Price 90% Marianne Dashwood 90% Elinor Dashwood 75% Elizabeth Bennet 70% Catherine Morland 65% Anne Elliot 60% Emma Woodhouse 55% Which Jane Austen heroine are you? created with QuizFarm.com

I took two different "Which Jane Austen Character Are You?" quizzes and the first one came back as Marianne Dashwood ...
the second quiz I took I tied between Elizabeth Bennet, Fanny Price and Marianne Dashwood.

quizfarm

525,600 minutes,
525,000 moments so dear.
525,600 minutes -
how do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee.
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.
In 525,600 minutes - how do you measure a year in the life?



lol.

i am getting SICK.


AGAIN.

i just wanted to post quickly on how much i love pride & predjudice. brian is so wonderful to me and put the a&e version of it into our basket at target the other day, since he knew i'd been wanting it so badly (especially after the new version came out). i spent part of yesterday and today watching it and i just love it so much. i'm sure it has mostly to do with colin firth (as my aunt will attest to), although of course i love the story ... anyway ... it makes me want to see the new version again.
when it goes to the cheap theatre i shall have to see it at least once a week!

Like I've said before, I'm not sure why I glance at the Baylyblog ... but I do on rare occasions, and with every new post, my concern grows for the authors and also for their readers. The post I'm commenting on here now is one that is bothersome to me ... "The Fine Art of Dumpster Diving." Right off the bat it sounded harmless, but as I continued reading, one thing jumped out at me - the author of this post is promoting theft. I myself may have found an old piece of furniture sitting along side the road and found it charming enough to pick up - but that is why people place things at their curb instead of junking it - thus the "FREE STUFF" signage. When stores throw things into the dumpsters behind their buildings, they are throwing it away ... outdated food, books, furniture, whatever it may be. Just because it is in a dumpster does not make it a free-for-all. I don't think we should be teaching our children that it is okay to go scrounging around in other people's belongings to take what we want. I would be first in line if a store was giving something away, but to toss your kids into a dumpster to pick through moldy fruits and past-the-expiration-date-yogurt simply because you don't want to pay for it, in my opinion, is wrong. Even if you have permission from a store manager to pick through their trash doesn't make it right - the items don't belong to the store manager. Nor do they belong to you. I see thievery here, and maybe I'm wrong ... but this is my blog and my opinion.

Mariska!

Joan Didion wins National Book Award

1 - give 30 day notice to Fox Creek!
5 - Memorial service for Helen
6 - Cinderella Man released
8 - Sulphur Springs holiday cocktail party @ Belmont Country Club
8 - Kim's birthday
9 - Fred's birthday
13 - Gilmore Girls season 5 released (yes, Brian's buying it for me even though I've seen it all!)
13 - Holiday lunch with Shawn @ Jed's
17 - Dinner w/ Museum gang @ Texas Roadhouse
19 - Close on house?
19 - Start moving!
22 - M&B home?
24 - Christmas Eve @ Gram & Papa's
25 - Christmas in our 1st house!
27 - Katie & Jonathan's 7th anniversary
27 - Discussion thread @ Mindy's on Too Late the Phalarope
29 - Brandon gets really old (34)
31 - New Year's party at our new house!

So I'm reading some Oscar Wilde - The Importance of Being Earnest & An Ideal Husband (two of my favorite plays) - and I thought I'd look up some biography things on him. Apparently his sister, Isola Emily Francesca, died from fever when she was 10 ... her death impacted him so much that for the rest of his life, he carried a lock of her hair sealed in an envelope. It's kind've sweet, but mostly freaks me out. Anyway, he died from meningitis (caused by a recurrant ear infection) on November 30, 1900.
WEIRD that I decided yesterday to start re-reading his stuff ... on the anniversary of his death.