Friday, March 30, 2012

MONEY HONEY

So, I know everyone is talking about it and some of you are probably sick of hearing about it, but tonight's Mega Millions Jackpot is getting out of control. Which means that instead of avoiding this frenzy like a plague, Andrew and I jumped right in.



Last night on our way home from dinner, I made Andrew stop at a gas station so I could get my tickets. I was originally only going to get one, but then just felt like filling in some more bubbles and ended up with two. Andrew bought three tickets, but did it the boring way and let the machine pick them (I will retract this statement if he wins).



So with our tickets, comes the talk of what we would do with the money. Beyond the typical things (debt, vacation, etc..) Here are some other things we might do with the money:
- We would start a brewery
- Buy a condo in Europe
- Get a dog
- First editions of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings (Andrew)

I think in the end, I think I would be happy if I won $5. Good enough for me!

What would you buy with your winnings?

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

WEEKEND RECAP: MARCH 23-25

Flater Originals! Jeff, Jody, Mike, Jim, & Mary Lou
So, this weekend Andrew and I got off work early and headed to Galesberg to celebrate Mary Lou's 80th birthday. It was great to see everyone and to catch up. It's always a good time when the Flaters gather. We also got the privileged of meeting Mallory and Cody's new baby boy, Max, on our way back to Nebraska.

Chris and Jenny - Mike and Jeff - Tully

Highlights:
- Puppies! Two golden retrievers and one yellow lab. I already miss them...
- All of Jody's songs/raps
- Hearing Debra say squirrels with her English accent
- The family video that Jeff put together
- Riding on the Pontoon Saloon
- Getting to hold Mallory and Cody's son, Max, before he even left the hospital. Congrats guys!
- Crazy beautiful weather all weekend

Watching Auggie do a water retrieve - Jim on the Pontoon Saloon - Andrew, Ryan, and Jim 

Lowlights:
- Leaving so soon. I wish we had one more day...
- I didn't pack enough clothes. That might be the last time I ever say that.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

THE HUNT IS ALMOST OVER


I had it all planned out. I wrote the blog post and everything. I thought for sure this would take much, much longer, but I think we have found the one. The process has been tiring and time consuming, but I think it's worth it in the end.


We put an offer on a house last night! Yesterday, I was able to take an extra long lunch and with the help of our realtor, we were able to cram 13 houses in two hours. It's a new record!


The house has just about everything that we were looking for. Three bedrooms, one and a half baths, basement, great backyard, wood floors, two stories and a fantastic location.


There are some minor things that need updates and maybe a few major ones (mostly just the very old furnace). But I think that we are getting a great deal if they accept our offer. Now the only thing we can do is hurry up and wait... Keep your fingers crossed!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

TORT LUST



Gary is currently lusting for Greta and it's getting a little out of control! He is running around, ramming Greta, and just being a pest. I'm ready to put Gary in time out.

None of this seems to bother Andrew, but I feel so bad for Greta. Can't a girl just get a little shut eye?!?

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

WICK IT

Check, check, check it out! I'm consolidating. Because Andrew and I plan on moving out of our apartment in a few months (more on that later), I wanted to get a jump start on getting rid of some crap stuff. First up, candles.

I didn't realize how bad Andrew's obsession had gotten. They were everywhere! I actually think I even missed some that I am bound to find in a few months. But I forged ahead with what I had, and this is the result. From this....

To this... (ok, so there were a couple more that were in the cooling stage when this pic was taken)


Mission accomplished. What some quick instructions on how to cut down your candle collection from freaking ginormous to just a few? Follow my picture guide and don't burn yourself. Safety first, my friends.


Heat candles in a pan with boiling water.


Once melted, use tongs to gently remove wick.


Place a new wick and wick holder into a clean glass container.
Pour melted candle into the container.

This is what happens when you are impatient.

Wait for the melted wax to completely harden and cool before adding an additional layer. This will prevent mixing of the layers.
Done!

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

LONELY NIGHTS

Since Andrew has been working nights, my evenings tend to get a little lonely. But I find ways to keep busy. Thankful he only has a few more nights of this, and I started counting down a long time ago. It's been hard on both of us, but I think it will be worth it in the end. For now, I leave you with my life from 6:30 - 10:00 PM most weeknights. Au revoir!


Tuesday, March 6, 2012

WEEKEND RECAP: MARCH 2 - 4


Highlights:
- Surprise trip to Des Moines to see friends
- Going to the Bucs hockey game
- Spotting Iowa Girl Eats at the Bucs game
- House hunting on Saturday
- Babysitting on Saturday night (including the cutest little girl from Ireland, her accent is awesome!)
- Spending time with Pops
- Seeing my family
- Crafts!

Lowlights:
- Forgetting my purse in Des Moines
- Not seeing Andrew for a majority of the weekend (So ready for his overnight shift to be over...)