So we bought a new microwave after our last one started throwing sparks and small blue flames. I didn’t want to buy a regular one only to turn around and get an over the stove microwave, so we waited until we got off our butts and looked for just the right one. (read: in our budget) Jon and I headed over to Home Depot where “We can do it, they can help” to take a peek at what kinds of deals they had. Boy howdy did they have a great deal on a stainless steel (to match our other appliances) over the range, space saving pretty little number for are you ready? $180 bucks. It was in the clearance aisle originally priced at $239 and someone brought it back because they were stupid and I guess bought the wrong one? I don’t know and I don’t care. I just know it wasn’t damaged and was perfect. We snatched it up before anyone else could and headed home to figure out when we could put it in.
It sat in the garage for about a week and this last Sunday we had some friends come over and help us install it. (read: Jon and Jason and Skip installed while I was project manager and cleaner-upper gal) It’s gorgeous and I love it and it made both Jon and I talk about redoing the whole kitchen. We are still in the planning phases, but it looks like we can get all new cabinets for about $3,000 and then we have to add the window and a counter top. We are working in phases, so I hope we’ll be all done by this time next year. Yay us!

Here is the new beauty.

If you look close, you’ll see the cabinet we had to buy to replace the one we had as it was too big for the space. The color of the new cabinet will not be the one we go with, but we thought about it.

I want bead-board cabinets from Ikea.

I’m going for the whole farmhouse look.

Yay us again!

You can’t really blame me. I have had a lot on my plate since Jan. 1. But, there is hope! There is always hope. Thank GOD!

Here in list form is the haps going on in our house in the last week or so.

• Son won’t stop drumming. It is driving. us. crazy.
• Family plots regularly how to destroy said drumming and hide drumsticks. (drumsticks have been made out of various materials including sticks, knitting needles, straws with painters tape all over them, and broken toy parts)
• Constantly looking for the cans of nuts and other lidded vessels that have been confiscated to make drums. Think we should get him a dang drum set and just be done with it?
  
• Work is slowing down, but gearing up to get ready for the end of the school year and work on keeping us open for next year. Enrollment is not looking so good right now, so who knows. We need a miracle!
• I’ve been trying to get back into choir, but it seems to be eluding me. I missed Sunday’s service to help at another church and so I’m not really participating as much as I should be.
  
• Jon is done with his conference and I am glad to see him again. Between his travel and heavy work load and my trip to STL, I have missed him.
  
• Lauren is done with her UIL Choir competition, they got all 1’s and medaled! It was a lot of work to get them there and they did great! I am so proud of her for digging in and giving it her all to be a part of the “team”. It takes dedication to learn complicated music and practice for hours and hours every week.
  
• Lauren also participated in a Speech Competition last week and although she didn’t make it past the first qualifying round, she gave it her 100% best. It was a big deal to have 2 of her events make it into the competition, so I am doubly proud of her and she is proud that she tried too! Go Lauren!!
• We went swimming this Saturday. It was fun, but I think I pulled some muscles. I did some “water aerobics” and I think I hurt myself. I also found a new swim top that is super cute. My friend has the same one from Target, so we can’t swim together or we’ll be twinkies. LOL
• American Idol is back in full swing at my house every Wednesday. It always runs so late, but we have a great time visiting and catching up on each other’s weeks. I think a few are irritated that we don’t just sit and watch, that we watch, eat, talk, watch, talk, talk, talk, and then watch! LOL Oh well…we can’t help it. We’re girls!
• Oh! I have discovered a new sin. They are called Oreo Cakesters. Watch out if you know what is good for you. They are innocent at first and then you find you want to eat the whole box. I am going to have a few boxes on hand for AI this week as my contribution. Let the sin begin!

Pretty much our week in a nutshell. I don’t have a whole lot to talk about, well that’s not true. I have a lot to share, but I feel lazy about forming my thoughts into coherent sentences and the spelling! Oy, that’s annoying. :o)

Hope you guys have an awesome week. I get to go to work tomorrow! Yay! And then choir and AI on Wednesday, Men’s group for Jon on Thursday, and then Friday glorious Friday. Saturday brings a luncheon with Debily ( I didn’t forget!) and then Sunday brings Church. Monday brings sleeping in and cleaning  and my Dad’s surgery. Pray for him and a speedy recovery!
And then PAYDAY!! WHOOT! So I wish you all happy Sunny days and all that optimistic crap. 

It’s amazing how good it feels when the world works with you and not against you. Most of you know we purchased a LOT of furniture from IKEA in Sept. of ‘05. Within months, the cushions on the sofa and chair were misshapen and uncomfortable and when I informed IKEA of the situation that Dec.,  they dismissed me and I never heard from them again. Until yesterday!
I got a call from the Sofas Manager and Curtis was very helpful. He said he would replace all of them because of the 10 year warranty and I should bring them down and exchange them. Mind you, I lost the receipt over a year ago, I figured I didn’t need it anymore anyway since they weren’t going to do anything about it. He said I didn’t need the receipt because he wanted me to be happy with my purchases!
I was expecting a fight when I got there today and the ones who didn’t know of the situation balked and complained that Curtis needed to stop telling people things that he wasn’t authorized to do. I kept my mouth shut and said lots of thank yous along the way.  It worked to my advantage not to get too worked up, because I think getting riled would have caused more drama than nessessary and I would have looked like someone trying to take advantage of the situation, which I wasn’t. I just wanted a sofa that worked like they claimed it would; one that would stand up to years of abuse and a 220lb man sitting on it 50,000 times!

I got my wish. I now have all new cushions, both seat and back on the couch and two new cushions on my matching chair. I couldn’t be more thrilled. Best part is, they have been redesigned since I last bought mine. These “new” and “improved” ones have a layer of down/goose feathers and not only look more plump, but are firmer when you sit down. I expect these to last quiet a while and if they don’t, oh I’ll be back….you can guarantee it!!

Our House is SOLD! Sold as in, nolongeroursandwedon’teverhavetopayfororworryaboutthatstinkin’darnhouseagain!

We got out measly 229 dollars back from the closing and will wait a month for the remaining balance of our escrow. I still say it’s better than owing the bank or the buyers money, but it sure stings our little budget not having the extra cash to pay for much needed repairs around our own house.

Tonight is Ladies Night Out, so I’m outta here….. See ya!