Moving Day

Today is the day that we move all our stuff to a half a house from our one bedroom apartment.  We are really moving into the house next door so it should be pretty easy.  There has been weeks of stress leading up to this because the half a house has needed a lot of work and my boyfriend and the owner put almost everything off until the last possible second. I don't deal well with that sort of thing so I've been pretty crabby.

I was having a particularly bad day on Thursday and started to pack the kitchen.  It was making me really sad and I was already angry so I went to the half a house next door and started cleaning.  I'm not over there five minutes before I hear this car with no muffler.  I realize that it sounds familiar.  I think I heard it when I was sleeping last night.  I look out the window and the car is parked blocking my car in.  My parking space is where apartment 3 is assigned to park because no ones been in there since March and the guy that used to live there didn't have a car.  The people started unpacking and once they left I moved my car so that they could have the space.

This parking space is right beside my bedroom.  So now a car with no muffler is pulling up to park beside my bedroom wall at all hours of the day and night.  Well I was sad and nostalgic that we were moving.  That seems to have disappeared at the thought of sleeping next to a muffler-less car.  Now I'm ready to move and happy that I only have to spend two nights sleeping beside that motorcycle sounding beast right beside my apartment.  I do feel sorry for whoever is moving into my apartment next because I doubt the lease stated that they had the opportunity to spend the next year sleeping next to a car that you can hear approaching from a mile away.  Good luck new apartment dweller.  Your gonna need it.

What keeps you up at night?

Beth Ann

Boxes, Boxes, Boxes.......

We're moving once again.  I knew this day was coming but there were so many obstacles I thought I might have a few extra days.  Nope! My boyfriend is in a rush to move.  I've received many assurances that all the things that need to be done at the apartment next door will be done in time for us to move in on Saturday.  I find that really hard to believe since nothings gone as planned or as previously stated so why would this?  But I have no other choice but to try and believe him.  Which leaves me with a house fastly filling up with boxes.

I've lost the enthusiasm of moving a while ago since in the last five and a half years I've moved four times and this will be a fifth time.  It seems to be getting a bit excessive.  I'd like to have an address for more than a year.  But I don't know if that'll happen.  I know that after this move we want to buy a house.  But I'm not sure how long it'll take for use to:

a) Find a house that we like.

b) Save up money for a down payment.

c) Can actually afford a house.

It seems so permanent and like a huge leap to buy one.  But I am tired a renting and with my boyfriends kids coming to live with us it really seems like we are headed in our first house direction.

How ready were you when you bought your first house?   Is it possible to be ready to buy a house?

Beth Ann

Linkin Park Zoo; Chicago, IL

Last week was my vacation week.  I spent the entire week in Northern Illinois with my mom, nephew, and stepdad.  One day we spent in Chicago.  It was a marathon day visiting all kinds of touristy spots, shopping, lots of eating, and a visit to the Linkin Park Zoo.  My nephew was so excited to go (he's 10) that he wanted to ride the train in with my stepdad at 6:08 in the morning.  So we did. 

The night before getting our stuff together my mom told him to wear his orange M&M shirt so that she could easily see him.
 
To this he responded "What if its orange shirt day at the zoo?"

My mom just laughed.

Oops! See picture below:

There were a couple of different groups of kids there in specific colored t-shirts and wouldn't you know, orange was one of the colors.

What do you have kids wear to make them stand out in a crowd?

Beth Ann

Coffee Variety

This week I am on vacation.  I chose to visit my mom, step dad, and nephew in Illinois this year.  They're not coffee drinkers but I am so I've brought some instant coffee with me.  I have a full container of the Sav-A-lot brand and a variety pack of samples that I received from Taster's Choice.

I received the link for the samples from All You's sample of the day email linked here.  When I filled out the form for the sample I figure there would just be maybe two little instant coffee packs in there.  I was surprised when it came in.  It's in the size of a thick envelope and contains about 8 samples with each a different flavor that they offer.  So far I've had 100% Colombian, Breakfast Blend, Hazelnut, French Vanilla, and House Blend.  It's made for a nice variety of morning coffee drinks so far on vacation. Definitely a welcome start to the day.  I found the page where you can order the samples here.

What are you drinking first thing in the morning?

Beth Ann