The Proudfeet: February 2009

When bored, organize!

At least that is my motto. And I really don't have to be bored to organize... I do it whenever I come across something that needs organizing.

Last night I was going a bit stir crazy and literally searched for something to clean up. A few weeks ago I ordered some more cards to add to my stock pile and so I thought about making the box a bit more user friendly.

Before I took on this quick and easy project all the cards were just lumped into a box that was accessible but not practical. I didn't separate the 'Happy Birthday' cards from the 'Thank You' cards, so it was never an easy job to pick a card. Well, all that changed last night!

I was lucky enough to get a ton of scrapbook stuff on Freecycle a few months back and I thought about using that to spruce up my card box. The entire project took me less than 30 minutes, cost nothing and it's so much easier to find the perfect card!

White paper with assorted stickers to separate based on situation

Close up of the categories

Not bad for free!

I also fixed up our entry way closet by taking some wicker baskets from upstairs and using them to hold our scarves, gloves and other accessories. I don't know why we have so many pairs of gloves, but now they are all corralled and I love it.

Organizing is my anti-drug :)

A bunch of dummies

Neither the Mr. or I are very 'wise' anymore. His wisdom tooth extraction went well this morning and he is now at home recovering. He was in and out in less than an hour and there were no complications or problems.

Unfortunately my camera battery was dead so I couldn't take a video of him like he wanted, but he was a jokester. The nurse said take it easy and he said he'd go for a jog. She started to do a 'sobriety' test and he said he was fine to drive- the cops wouldn't know. He is quite the funny man when he's under the influence.

Much to his disappointment he asked the same questions over and over again. (He gave me crap for asking about complications like five times. HA!) And apparently he was harassing the nurse to check his heart rate. When he asked how long it took, he was happy to state that he "never keeps his baby waiting". Too bad his surgery took about the same amount of time as mine did. I'd have to say the funniest thing he requested was to take those drugs home. Methinks he's a fan of anesthesia!

I was able to snap a grainy pic with my camera phone...

And as my sister so eloquently put it- he's four teeth closer to being a true West Virginian.

Darn you, IKEA!!

I found the perfect shelves for our bathroom storage at Pottery Barn, but I couldn't justify spending $35 on a two foot shelf. They're gorgeous and I am sure they will last forever... but come on! Not to mention I need more than one, so we're already talking $70 or $100+!

The Holman Ledge

A couple days ago I came across the STRIPA wall shelf at IKEA, and fell in love with it. Then I saw the price tag- $8. For a three foot shelf. So a quarter of the price, and you're getting more shelf? Sign me up!

I couldn't find it on the US website, but it was in their 2009 catalog, so I assumed they had to be carrying it. I knew you could order anything from their catalog for home delivery so I tried that. WRONG. Apparently they're not carrying it anymore, so the only shelves still left to sell are ones already delivered to the stores. And no local IKEA stores had any in stock. CRAP.

I can't find it on Ebay, I can't find it on Craigslist, I can't find it anywhere. I asked my girlfriend in London if there were any over there. Nada. I have now moved on to hoping and praying the Israel IKEA has it. We'll see. And in a last stitch effort, I posted a "wanted" on Craigslist for them... Come ooooon karma!

Here they are... taunting me

The things I do for this house. Sheesh.

On a completely different note, the Mr. goes in for his extraction tomorrow. It's scheduled for early in the morning, so he'll have most of the weekend to recover. And tomorrow will mark two weeks since my extraction, and things are going well. I'm back to solid foods but still have to pass on hard stuff like nuts and carrots. But I think I might have a hole between my sinus and oral cavities (oroantral fistula) now, which could mean surgery. I'll probably ask my doctor tomorrow, so we'll see!

Samsung Eternity review

The Mr. and I are on a family plan for our cell phones, and our contract will be up in the middle of March. We usually re-up our contract because we enjoy getting new phones and we don't plan on switching carriers anytime soon. A few weeks ago we headed to the store to see what sort of phones they had out. We're both pretty sure we want the iPhone, but it's worth a look, right?

When we got in there, the sales people were great- very informative and helpful. Unfortunately the iPhone isn't available to us until our contract is up, but they could offer any other phone in the store at the contract price. After talking to them for a while, they finally suggested we try out the Samsung Eternity since it's a touch screen phone, with music player and internet. We figured "why not?" and agreed to give it a shot. (They offer a 30 day free trial, so it wasn't set in stone if we didn't like it.)

At first it was a great phone- good volume during calls, great battery life and all the gadgets you could want- but after about a week I started having problems. A lot of problems. My screen kept freezing when I was trying to access items, the screen wouldn't respond to touches, I couldn't check missed calls and more. I had to pop my battery out no less than five times in a ten days. Not acceptable.

In addition to the constant freezing, there were other aspects of the phone that just didn't impress me. One- I wasn't a big fan of the internet setup. I am used to my iPod touch and how you access and surf the web, and this was completely different (and not intuitive in my mind). Two- the music player is MP3 instead of MP4, so I would have to convert all my music in order to listen to them. Which brings me to three- you have to buy extra memory to hold the songs. The iPhone comes with 8GB or 16GB of storage... much better.

There were other smaller things that I could get used to- weird menu setup, no visible notification of a missed call, small ring tone capacity- but when it all added up I was not impressed. I am happier with my two year old Nokia flip phone than I was with that one.

Oh well, I tried!

And so it begins...

After much debating, I have decided to really challenge myself for Lent this year. Last year I gave up buying anything that wasn't 100% necessary, and while it was really hard, it was a fun challenge for me. And we all know I love a challenge. BUT! Another great challenge would be adding to the 9ish pounds I've already lost, and giving up fast food would really help that cause.

So... I've decided to give up BOTH! Doing that will allow me to help out my bank account and health at the same time (and indirectly the Mr.'s health, because he won't be eating fast food either), so that makes me feel really good. It'll be tough since it's so easy to just swing by McDonald's when we're too tired to cook... but now we'll have to think twice!

I do have a few exceptions, though. (And while normally I hate exceptions for things like this, I don't feel too bad about them.)

1. Since I'll be giving up all unnecessary spending, this sorta kinda maybe includes fast food and other eating out anyway. If we make sure to go grocery shopping every 7-10 days, we should have plenty to eat in the house. But since one of my coworkers and best friends is planning on popping out a kid soon, I want to reserve one lunch out before she goes on 3+ months of maternity leave. But that should be less than $10 and decently healthy (I'm thinking Potbelly's).

2. I will be buying three $8 shelves from IKEA to put up in our bathroom. My plan was to buy them before Lent started, but sickness and other plans got in the way. But after those, no more! (For what it's worth, this will be coming out of what little tax refund allowance I have left.)

3. I expect to buy a couple souvenirs in Israel, but I don't anticipate them costing a fortune. We've been planning this trip for almost a year and I don't intend on limiting what memories I can bring home!

So there you have it- my incredibly difficult challenge for the next 46 days. Hopefully this year will be a bit different than last year in that I won't go on a spending spree April 12th. :)

Our soldier has landed

Last week I got word that my oldest brother would be coming home from Iraq soon. He'd been there for over a year- away from his wife, son, and the rest of his family. And even though he wasn't necessarily deep in the thick of things, that type of environment will really wear down on someone. Even someone as loving and friendly as Dave.

I posted back in September when he came back for a short R&R, but it's nowhere near as exciting as him returning for good. Yesterday I received a call from him, letting me know he was back home in Georgia. It was so good to hear his voice, even if it did sound exhausted and overworked. I know I couldn't be happier to have him home... safe and sound.

Welcome back, soldier. We missed you.

Recap of yesterday

Hello? Am I still welcome here? I planned on posting yesterday, but extreme busyness got the better of me. And not even the 'good' busy.

First of all, the Mr. is sick and I am 95% sure it's the flu (fever of 100 and rising, aches and pains, headache, chills etc.). So I am doing all that I can to make him feel better and make sure I don't get sick. I keep reading reports on how bad Virginia has the flu right now, so I am scared to think about what it could mean for him/me/us.

We picked Macintosh and Aspen up from the behaviorist and got a decent review. She's not sure Aspen will ever be a 'dog park candidate', but if we stay on top of her and correct in a positive and level headed way, we should be able to improve her in house growling/barking. She also gave us a British Slip Lead that works wonders with correcting her on a walk. A rope 3/8" thick will whip her into shape like it's nothing! I ended up purchasing two of them in the 1/2" thickness, since it will be easier on the hands and still get the desired response. So hopefully her walking manners will improve.

I amazingly got around to filling all the screw holes and gauges in the wood with wood filler, sanding them and painting on all the supports, so that is done. When we went to put up the shelf last night, we realized that the brackets we bought were made by an idiot.

Let me back up... I posted a few days ago about sanding the shelf down so we can paint it white to match the rest of the shelves in our closet. This is what the shelf looked like before:

Simple, with a nice edge

Obviously the color is the only thing that changed. Instead of doing a floating shelf, we decided to purchase a pair of brackets for $10 from Lowe's. They were simple looking, but decorative enough that it didn't look cheap. Similar to these:

Well, whoever designed the brackets didn't think it all the way through and installation is downright impossible. I won't go into details, but there is no feasible way to connect it to the wall and shelf without ruining the brackets a little. The Mr. came up with an idea on how to fix it as he was trying to fall asleep last night, so we're hoping to try that out today. If that works, then I'll post the final product. If it doesn't, we're returning that shelf for a non-moron-designed option.

In other news, Lent begins this week and I haven't decided what I will be giving up/taking up. Last year I gave up all non-essential spending, and that was a big boost to our bank account. Other ideas floating around in my head are fast food, chocolate, and working out (obviously more of that). I guess I still have a couple days to decide...

Phase three: complete

(In case you forgot, I am referring to our closet makeover.) Today the Mr. and I had some free time and we decided to put in the cubbyhole for my shoes and purses. We stopped by Lowe's for some supplies (and to make a couple returns), headed over to cut the wood, and got to work! It was hard doing it without puppy support, but we pulled through.

Ta da!!

An entire wall of shelves! Yay!

The Mr.'s sock/underwear bins

My bins (I like mine better. hehe)

The new cubbyhole!

A shoe and purse haven

Swoon

As we put in the other upright support it dawned on us that we don't need the ugly rod support anymore, so out it came! Now we have a hole there and I am not sure what to do with it... but it could prove useful.

The odd hole- any ideas for it?

We also bought a shelf to put above the hamper to hold our jewelry boxes and some other odds and ends. It's all sanded and ready to paint, so I plan on tackling that tomorrow.

Here is where it'll go- right above the hamper

So there you have it!

I am hoping phase four (painting and installing the wall shelf) is finished tomorrow. If it is, expect pictures! And maybe I'll feel ambitious and go for the final phase- painting all the supports and shelves that need it. We'll see :)

Puppyless parents

Well... they're gone. Macintosh and Aspen have been dropped off for the weekend. It's so weird being here without them. No panting. No water slurping. No barking. Complete and total silence. (Well, except for me tapping away on my keyboard and an occasional giggle from the Mr. as he watches Japanese cartoons on his computer.)

They were excited to be there, but I am sure some of Aspen's joy will turn to shock when she realizes what is in store for her. Hopefully we are able to learn something from this experience. Even if she can't be cured of her 'tude, we'll at least know what to do. Step one, right? :)

I tried to document the journey of their first time away from any family. Enjoy!

Exploration time! I can be the captain!

I like exploring ::slurp::

Watching as the world passes by

Wait... I don't know this road. You're not going to leave me, are you?

Mmm, fast food

Yay! You're not leaving me. I am happy again!

"I'm gonna have fun, aren't I?"

Once we turned off I-66, it was a whole new world

I want the house at the top of the hill...

The final destination (as seen through our dirty windshield)

They did just fine when we left. I really hope they have a good time and get some energy out! But looking at the size of the yard, I don't think there is any reason for us to worry about that...

We don't have to worry about this aaaaall weekend :)

Exploring other blogs

I've been exploring more and more blogs recently, and my Google Reader is getting packed. Some are written by people I know, others I just came across because I love their sense of humor or eye for design. So in case you're wondering what those new links on the right are, check them out. The writer of Bower Power amazes me with her before and after transformations. Makes mine look piddly :)

Other than catching up on year old magazines and searching for new blogs, I've just been reading up on Israel attractions. It's only ONE MONTH until we fly over the big pond, and I am getting more and more excited by the day. As my mom said, "There is no way to see all of Israel in a week. I know. I've tried."... But you can bet your tuckus we're going to do the best we can!

My top five (in no particular order) are:

1. Jerusalem

2. Masada

3. Baha'i Gardens

4. Dead Sea

5. Sea of Galilee and Akko (they tied)

Yes, I cheated. It was hard enough coming up with only five favorites! The guide book looks like a bunch of post it notes ganged up on it and beat it up... Just the way I like it!

My taste buds are rejoicing

Yup, they're singing "Hallelujah".

For the past five days, I have been surviving on a "diet" of chocolate pudding and milkshakes. My jaw could barely open to accommodate something the size of a spoon, so that really limits what you can eat. After eating maybe 500 calories in five days, I was really starting to feel terrible. I had no energy, my vision was kind of blurry, and I didn't feel like I had complete control over my body. Odd feeling to have, let me tell you.

Lucky for me I have a caring husband and coworker who all but forced me to indulge in a smoothie from Smoothie King. (And just FYI: I have no idea what they put in their smoothies, but they are SO good.) I decided on the Angel Food smoothie, since it had loads of vitamin C and protein and I imagined I was running low on both of those. It was... to die for. It took me a few hours, but I was able to finish the entire smoothie, and I finally started feeling rejuvenated.

A few hours later my work threw a chili cook off to see who in our office makes the best chili. Not only did ten people bring in their (delicious smelling) home cooked chili, but Hard Times Cafe had a station with their chili, too. I wasn't able to taste test all of them, but I did manage to finish off a tiny portion of HT's Cincinnati Chili. So what if I had to make sure the spoonfuls held a ridiculously small amount- I ate it!

I go in for my followup appointment in an hour, so I am keeping my fingers crossed that things look good and I can start eating real people food again. Then it's just up to my jaw to let me!

Bring on the veggies!

The Mr. and I were lucky enough to snag a spot in a local CSA over the weekend, and I am so excited. We only signed up for a mini share (made for singles) because we want to get used to incorporating new things while wasting as little as possible. I think this share should be the perfect size for our first year. We were also able to add on an egg and flower share, which will cut down on our weekly grocery costs.

I can't wait for our first bushel! :) Doesn't it look delish?

Nothing to do= boring post

Whodda thunk it? When you can't really do anything, there isn't much to write about.

I am a bit hesitant to go back out "into the world" tomorrow since it's still hard for me to talk, and brushing my teeth isn't 100% effective, but I do think it will be good for me to stay occupied. Daytime TV just isn't doing it for me and there is only so much internet to read.

Since I have nothing else to say, I'll leave you with a funny picture.

At least one of us can enjoy popcorn :)

Recovering... slowly but surely

You never realize just how much you use your mouth, your teeth, or your face until you get your wisdom teeth pulled. It hurts to smile, it's uncomfortable to cough, and no matter how awesome endless pudding and ice cream sounds- it's not that great. Not to mention every other commercial on TV is about food and I am really salivating (literally) for something solid.

But I am still on the road to recovery, so I am thankful for that. I am also thankful for my loving hubby who has taken such great care of me. He has provided me with all the milkshakes I could handle :)

Hopefully at my follow up appointment on Wednesday things will still look good!

On another note, the Mr. has the 'builder bug'. He has been walking around the house saying "what else can I do?", and "where else could I put in shelving?". It's so adorable. Unfortunately we don't have a lot of free wall space, but there are a few places where he could work his magic. I would love to put some shelving above our soaking tub, so I think we may start planning that project. Of course we won't start on that until we finish the closet, though!

Can you feel the love?

I can! :)

I am apparently morphing into the type of person who likes to decorate for the seasons. I don't have much in the way of Valentine's day decor, but I was able to find some steals at Target and use some things I already had at home.

Same candlesticks and tray from Christmas- just new filler

Not sickeningly cutsie, so I love it

My grocery store flowers (from TWO weeks ago) and "love" letters

Hugs and kisses all around

I wish I had bought a few more of these for elsewhere in the house

Now come the goodies! Usually the Mr. and I aren't big into Valentine's Day, but I figured he would be taking care of me today, so why not thank him a little. Besides, in all the years we've been dating, we've only spend a couple V-days together! My original idea was make a play off the traditional "give chocolate for Valentine's day", which was perfect for him.

His favorite snack, that is darn near impossible to find!

But then I was doing some bored internet searching and came across another idea. The price was right (final price was way less than half the value of the items), so I thought I'd take a stab at it. I am glad I did... I have been hoping to do something like this for years and now was my chance.

Baseballs signed by John Smoltz, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine

All three of these guys pitched for the Atlanta Braves in the 1990s, and were known as the Big Three. If you know the Mr., you know he is a huge Braves fan, so this was the perfect gift for him. His biggest problem now? Trying to figure out where to put the baseballs. On one hand we have the logical choice- the sports room- but he wants to see them a bit more often than that. I guess we'll see in a few days where they end up!

Now onto my treats! I love them all :)

An adorably sweet note that made my heart melt

With equally heart melting lilies

I love me some lilies!

Hello sunshine :)

I also received a Coach valet keychain (YAY!)

And a home decorating book from my Amazon wish list

I sure hope so :)

I just started flipping through it, and there are so many gorgeous rooms!

Hope you're all having a great day!