Office Space

I am about to make a dangerous statement. Ready?

I really don't get/understand/find funny the movie Office Space.
Thats all.

But today has been a day in our office. Between emailing and cleaning and organizing and all I feel like I've been in offices all day. I woke up at 6 with Chase (I had the day off) and just did some stuff around the house (I don't actually remember what I did this morning... remember how I don't sleep well?). Then around 10 or so I finally made my way to the Social Security office to get my name changed. Pause here for a moment. Name changing is a difficult process. Lots of paperwork and lots of running around with proofs of identity. Anyway.

I got there and there were about a billlion people waiting. Okay more like 50. I'm not exaggerating. I was number X16 and they were only on number X3. I was there for around 25 minutes and they only got to X5. Yep. I had a lunch date with the fabulous Keelia so I left and came back. Right as I pulled up the person who was X17 was coming out of the building. Looks like I made the right decision. This time I walked in and wham in five minutes I was out of there. And I got to have a great lunch with Keelia. We went to Gateway Market and it was really good. It will be in competition with Palmer's for my fav downtown lunch place.  Its too expensive for groceries. Trader Joes and Hyvee over in Jordon Creek are just as good and by far cheaper. Anyway.

After that I went to this TJ Maxx like store called Gordmans. Well their clothes are terrible but they have tons tons tons of great house stuff. I loved it! I got some stuff for our house and a new frame for one of my wedding presents from Chase. Our house is starting to look really good.

Speaking of our house-- tonight we will conquer the office. Our office. We have separate desks and chairs -- something I learned from my parents -- and we face opposite directions. Meaning we don't have to worry about each other space. To each his or her own. Mine of course is super cute and colorfully decorated. Chase's is surrounded by all his important degrees and licenses and still not set up-- he's been working a lot lately! So anyway. We'll finish organizing this room and then we'll only have one room left to go!

Here is the before...

The living room. Which will not be finished anytime soon. We bought a couch and it should be delivered on Friday. We bought it at a place that delivers. And we have in our minds challenged the delivery guys to get the bad boy up the stairs. So hopefully I will have a couch on Friday. If not we'll go to plan B. Which we don't have yet.

Here is the couch we picked.... hopefully next time you see it it will be in a photo of our living room.

 

I'm going to recover the pillows. Those aren't my favorite. 

Well that is all for now. Chaser will be here soon and we're headed to dinner. I'm too lazy to cook tonight -- sooo he's going to take me out!

Good husband.

Oh to sleep, perchance to dream!

I don't really remember the last time I slept through the entire night.
Probably back in high school.

At Liberty I had debate dreams.
At UNCG I sang songs from Evil Dead.
At Home I just wake up for no reason. My dad thinks its because I nap too much.

Here in Des Moneys I just cannot sleep through the night, and now for the first time its impacting someone other than me! Poor Chaser. I wake up and wiggle and squirm and stuff and he of course looses sleep.

I am just tired. My body is tired. My mind is tired. My everything is tired.


I try to take some Unisom every now and then... but then I always feel groggy the morning after. So much that when I took some last night I ended up sleeping about an hour after I woke up.

I cannot imagine what it would be like if I had kids to take care of or a husband that wasn't so understanding. I can't imagine what it would be like if I didn't have a job that I was done with everyday by 3pm.

Oh yeah. My job. I really like the company Caribou. I really like their product and their operations. I'm trying to get my stuff all set up so that I can substitute and make more money in each day.

This is kind of a boring post. I need to stop blogging later in the evening. Tomorrow I'll do better. This will be a post I don't like to on Facebook.

Gift Cards, Diamonds, and Applesauce!

Hello readers... those of you that have stuck with me through this great famine of postings.

I got married. Did ya know that. I have a new last name. I live in a new state. I have to get a new driver's license. Oh and I have this fabulous new ring...

That ring on the right is Chaser's. Yes it has a piece of meteorite embedded into it.
I don't want to over do it with wedding stuff. So here are two more photos.... one silly...

 

Me the Bridezilla! 

And us at our first look...

  

It was a perfect wedding. I can keep adding little by little more photos.

We've moved into our new apartment and it is really great. Its perfect sized, great location, and slowly but surely coming along. Right now I am sitting in our kitchen at our pub table waiting for Chaser to get home. I got off work at Caribou Coffee today at 1030. So I've been home today napping and trying to make myself clean-- unsuccessfully. Well the nap was successful, the cleaning? Not so much! Right now the house smells amazing. I  had some "starting to get mushy" apples so I made applesauce. And Lordy, Lordy, it smells amazing.

I'm making a new recipe for dinner tonight. It has goat cheese, shrimp, tomatoes, arugula, and hearty wheat bread. Should be very good... we'll see. Chase is a trooper he's been trying lots of new stuff. Some he likes more than others-- but hey at least he's trying.

Of our whole apartment the kitchen is the only room totally set and organized. Well minus hanging artwork. We were so blessed with giftcards and money for wedding presents that our kitchen is just perfect. You may have noticed I changed the title of my blog... it mentions our lack of a microwave. Well its kind of a personal challenge. We don't really have a lot of counter space (we store the toaster oven under the sink) so I didn't want to get a microwave. Well so far we've done pretty well... eating fresh food and no microwaved dinners. Now I must admit... We do have an electric water kettle.

Today I accidentally found myself listening to the Glen Beck Radio Talk show... yikers. Chase and I for some reason are fascinated by Herman Cain and the fact that he's running for president. He's just really entertaining-- not sure that is a good quality for a president.  But then I soon realized who it was ranting through my radio and I switched back to the CD of our wedding playlist that I keep in my car. Another random fact -- Hyvee has really good tomatoes and I really love Trader Joes' um... everything. Okay enough randomness.

Lots of good stuff is happening. Job is good. Church is good. Life is good. Being married is the bestest thing ever. Really. I love it. We're super tired all the time from working so much but we just turn giggly and have fun together anyway. I know mushy mushy mushy. Thanksgiving is heading our way and this will be my first one with out my parents. Kinda rough.

To be really honest, that is the only thing I don't like about Des Moines-- that my parents don't live here too. Oh and that they have 70 degree weather right now :)

For all of you that celebrated with us in person or in thoughts and prayers  we cannot simply find the right words to thank you. We still get a little teary-eyed when we talk about it. We are so blessed.

More tomorrow. If your lucky! Hahah or maybe I'll go another month or so!

I'd like to wish congrats to all of the miracle babies (all babies are miracles!) that have been born in the last month. I have some killer "other people's babies" fever. Meaning I like playing with your baby but not interested in having my own! Hahah.

Wedding Haiku

Chase Arrives Today.
Way too busy for blogging.
Weddings are Intense.

One stomach virus away from my goal weight...

I am sick.
It is 2:16 am and I'm awake because I can't sleep anymore.
I was in the middle of babysitting the sweetest of babies when it hit me.
Luckily his mom was home for the moment, and she told me to go home.
I am thankful she did.

I will spare you the details.
But if I was trying to loose some weight for the wedding this nasty bug would have helped me succeed.

Let me just say. Popsicles are amazing.   They are the only thing I can eat.
Sometimes.

18 Days till McCool-dom

Well I went and did it. I finally allowed myself to start purchasing furniture for our new apartment.

I know.
You're really excited.
I've been talking about it forever-- and now I've finally done something concrete!

Chase asked me to pick out and buy a kitchen table and chairs and figure out what bed I wanted. So being the impatient woman I am I immediately started perusing websites for good deals.

We have a little kitchen and no formal dining area so I thought a pub/counter height table would be the best for us. Just a two seat-er. Don't worry-- when we have dinner parties we have other options. You'll have to be invited to see how creative of a decorator the latest Mrs. McCool can be.

Target was the winner - here are some photos:

They should show up at Chase's Parents' house soon. He gets to try to put them together!

Speaking of being the latest Mrs. McCool -- there is yet another Mrs. McCool-to-be! Chase's brother proposed to his gloriously lovely girlfriend and they have set the date for next June. We're very happy. Chase and I really like her and I'm excited to get to spend more time with her.

I had my first bridal shower this Sunday. Hosted by two of my mom's best friends -- it was beyond wonderful. I am so thankful for each and every woman that came. Each of them has played such important roles in my life. From my kindergarten teacher, to my middle school venting-listener, to my grandmother to long time family friends. Lots of really great memories and people. And they all gave so generously. I about started to cry... but... I made it through. Just so very happy. Some photos were taken and I'll upload them to wedding photo album online at some point... If Mrs. B. will send them to me :) Hint hint.

I mentioned in my last blog post that I was getting a bunch of new makeup samples and fun things from Stephanie who works at a department store as a makeup retailer. She's got great taste and I love the things she sent me to try. I'm NOT a big make-up-wear-er I just don't care enough -- especially when I'm not going anywhere or doing anything. But she gave me such fun stuff to play with and I'm enjoying trying new things. Especially since you know... I have occasions on the horizon.

She sent me some things I already knew I would love, but she also sent me some Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate. Holy cow. It might be totally mental -- it probably is seeing that I've only used it twice-- but its super great for my skin. So great that I'm tempted to shell out the cash for a full sized bottle.

Emily arrives this weekend and we're going to run up to GSO for a night to have a night of cooking and crazy movie watching with our friend Mike. If you're in town and free on Saturday let us know. We'll see what we can make happen. 

Thats all for now. I've been working on those pinwheels for days and finally finished. Only 213525262 things left on my wedding to-do list :) I'll start again bright and early tomorrow. Who am I kidding? I love every minute of it.

Still no update on the thesis.  Waiting.....

A Wedding in Photographs

well.. two photographs.

I have been working like crazy for two days straight on these pinwheels...

 

and buying make up under the influence of my makeup expert Stephanie...

Camera photos are just the bestest. Hahah. 

I should receive two boxes in the mail today... one from Stephanie full of more makeup! (Photo to come) And one from the artist that made Chase's wedding band (no photo to come-- not yet!)

Off to my daily trip to Micheal's at nine o'clock for purple paper , a flower girl basket, and some other do-dads.Then going to sit with a family friends grandma while they have a night out -- which means do more crafts at someone else's house instead of mine! :) Gotta love those coupons from the website.