Oh Man of My Life...

So, I know that about once a year I write a post about how much I love my husband and how great he is and wonderful and thoughtful and sweet, et cetera, et cetera (I really like spelling that out, et cetera) and while this is all very much true, today I must complain (a little bit). You see, ever since the day we were married and Jon had to get used to wearing his chain (aka: his wedding ring) he has developed a rather annoying and unfortunate habit of taking of his ring and flipping it between his fingers. He holds it upright between his thumb and index finger, and then snaps it down flat so it makes this horribly obnoxious little "snap" sound. He did it so much in the beginning that I've developed a tick whenever something snaps in my ear. What is this tick you ask? My eye will twitch and the hell-beast inside of me comes out for a split second. It's quite frightening, let me assure you.

Aside from my own disdain for this habit, it is also a terrible one to have with a wedding ring. You see, there have been countless (yes, COUNTLESS) times when Jon has been flipping his ring subconciously and has dropped it. Because it's a circle, it always rolls away into some unknown abyss and it can take anywhere from minutes to days to find it again. Some examples of places he's dropped it are in the car, in the grocery store, at school, at work (and if anyone here has ever been in a call center and seen those floors, you'll know that even if you find it you suffer a fate possibly worse than death by having to crawl on the ground looking for it!), at friends/families houses, and (my personal favorite) in the middle of a frozen lake sitting over a small hole in the ice. Now he's gotten lucky each time and has been able to find it. Like I said, sometimes it's taken a few days (like when it was dropped under the drivers seat and ended up under the fabric of the floor), but we've always been able to find it. For 5 years.

Until now.

Midwestern University orientation, June 2, 2011.

His second day of school.

A mere 2 1/2 weeks after our 5 year anniversary, and a mere 2 1/2 months after I had his ring engraved with my heartfelt message of love. (It said, "Catch of a Lifetime" - get it? Because he likes to fish? Yeah, it was cheesy but cute)

Jon was sitting in his orientation, paying very close attention to what was being said, and not so close of attention to his left hand absent mindedly flipping his ring, when the ring fell. And rolled. Several rows away.

Now because it was during his orientation, he couldn't just start clammoring over people to get his ring back, so he thought he would wait until after. Well, after that part of orientation, he couldn't find it. He has checked the lost and found several times, but no one has turned it in. (Sigh)

So, for his birthday, instead of a fun remote controlled toy of some sort, or instead of a fishing trip, or instead of round of golf, or a night on the town, do you know what he will be getting?

Not a new ring, that's for sure! I'm not paying for another ring for him to lose!

Okay, maybe someday, but not this year. :)

Or maybe if he gets a new ring then I get a new ring as well? Like a wedding band to go with the engagement ring??? Hmmm, so many possibilities here...

I think for now I'm just going to get a Sharpie and draw a ring on his finger (while he's sleeping!) what do you think?

 Exaggerated Anger

My Sharpie-Bound Husband

Well, until next time fellow cyber stalkers!

If Bob Vila and Martha Stewart Had a Love Child, it Would Have NOTHING on Me!

Yep, you heard me. I am the fix-it, extreme handywoman, domestic goddess supreme. Okay, maybe not all of those, but I'm freaking proud of myself - you hear me? Proud! I've been working my butt off on this house, and since Jon is in school or studying all the time I've had to do almost all of it by myself! And then considering that I haven't done a lot of this stuff before, that's saying something. Anyway, this is the big unveiling of my house after all the work has been completed! Okay, in truth I'm starting this post with the work not quite finished, but I figured that by the time I get around to uploading all of my pictures and such then I will be finished with everything, so it works out. :) Okay, enough chatter, on to....the unveiling!!!

(Note: Rather than posting a lot of the same pictures that I've already put up, to see my post with all of the "before" pictures go here. Also, these pictures are a bit random, so sorry.)

Entryway / Living Room / Dining Room

Remember that horrible Winnie the Pooh themed room? (sigh) It's so much better now. :) (Don't mind the pillows on the floor - they are there in case Sophie rolls off the bed...which she's done at least twice now...yeah)

Okay so this is a before picture, but this picture was just too cute so I put it up anyway. :) So this is "Before" (also the day we moved in!)

My Fireplace. For the record, when someone puts EXTREME texture on a fireplace using plaster (not mud like a normal texture) it is VERY difficult to work with. So please, if you are ever considering this, please don't do it. It looks much better now, but up close looks a little like a melting Hershey's chocolate bar...Mmmm...

Oh, and eventually (crossing fingers) we're going to try and get a flat screen to put up above the fireplace since it is already wired for TV there as well as surround sound.



Okay so another before picture just to show the sheer wonderfulness that occurs with new countertops.

See what I mean? Wonderful! Oh, and just so you know that back wall is now painted the tan we have everywhere else and the little bit of half wall that pokes up above the counters is red now. And we found one of the cupboards that the previous owners took down (bad idea, there's already no space!) and we moved the one you see there on the top left over to the other side of that window and put the one we found in the garage where that existing one is now. Does that make sense? Hmmm, maybe I'll just take a picture and post it...

There we go! Now you can see it! :)

Now these are "In-Between" pictures, but I wanted to show you the tile that I put in! Yes, you heard me, I did this, and it was not as hard as I thought it would be! (Yes, that is me cutting tile, all by myself, because I'm awesome like that.) 

I had about a 15 min crash course on tiling from Jon and a few tips from our countertop guy (who was originally going to do our floor tile until we realized that we wouldn't have the money for it) who was really nice and let us use his saw for free! Next time I lay tile it will look a little better now that I've had some practice, but for my first time I think it turned out pretty freaking good! :)

This is the other side of the kitchen - I love how he did the backsplash with the granite tiles! That and even though it's a little older, I love the flat top stovetop that they have! So nice for cooking. The only think I don't like is that the oven itself sits right on the ground (no drawer under it or anything) so when I'm cooking stuff and open the door I can actually lay it on the ground, so that's annoying, but it's fine for me. :)

These three pictures are all of the master bedroom (previously it was just a room with particle board for a floor.) Much nicer now, and just the right size in my opinion. :)

This is the view going from the family room (the one with the fireplace) into the living room. I was so excited to FINALLY hang some of my stuff up! I've missed my pictures and signs...

Entryway

This is the spot between the living room and dining room. And in case you're wondering, Sophie likes to sort our junk mail for us, and that is why it is all over the floor. She got mad and put it right back there when I tried to clean it up, so I had to wait until she was in bed...

View going from living room to family room (that wall on the right has since been painted red)

Anyway, this is my new home. And I like it. A lot. :) Now all we need is some couches and we're set!