My week...and KEELEY!

It was a bit of a crazy week. I promised myself that since it was my last week of the two classes, I was going to get all my work done early.

Yeah, that didn't happen. I had to work last Saturday (hate working Saturdays, luckily it's only once every quarter) and when I came home I had a headache that just got worse. I was able to do some homework Sunday, thinking I could finish it up Monday, and that was fine because it wasn't due until Wednesday.

Monday Steve and Ellen came into town unexpectedly and wanted to hang out - which was so much fun, but threw me off my schedule. Because Tuesday I had plans to go to a Stampin' Up class with my mom and Kristi - again, so much fun, but that left me Wednesday to write two essays and four other mini-essays (discussion questions).

My BFF Keeley was in town this week, so we made plans for Wednesday - so Wednesday morning I cranked it out. I don't think I've ever written two essays and the other mini-essays that quickly in my life.

Let me just take a little moment to let out a sigh of relief - those two classes are OVER and DONE and I just have one class left, and then I have my MBA.

And one class after I just doubled up is going to be cake.

I took some pictures when Keeley came over; that girl is so stinkin cute. See for yourself.
The famous Italian sodas (thanks for introducing them to us, Katelyn and Brian!) I told Joseph he looked weird and we needed to take another picture.

In the second picture he looks like he wants to kill me.

The third picture was acceptable.

Air popped popcorn baby!

She is now back in CA and I miss that girl. We keep up through email.

This weekend I did a little homework (and by little I mean little, it's FABULOUS) and then Joseph reminded me that we needed to go to Office Max. He's had his eye on this desk, and it was on sale maybe a year ago. We had just made some big purchases, so we decided we would save up and keep on eye on the ads to see when it went on sale again. Good things come to those who wait!

Here is the old desk. Rather cluttered.

The old desk cleared off; a picture for Craigslist.

The desk in pieces. It took FOREVER to put together. There were only about 39 different pieces. And I'm pretty sure I hit some sort of record for injuries. I'm clumsy on a normal day, but with this project I managed to scrape up my leg (we're talking blood here), drop a screwdriver on my foot, and pinch my finger in a tight spot.

Joseph's new desk. See the side I can sit on?

This is the side of the desk I can sit on, and just turn around and access my scrapbooking/cardmaking stuff. It's going to be sooo nice to not have to sit on the floor!

California Vacation

I love the beach. The beach is my happy place where I go when I am stressed or feeling anxious and need to calm down. I just close my eyes, and picture the sand between my toes, the sun on my face, and the sound of waves crashing....

Well, my nephew Austin knows I love the beach. I'm pretty sure Joseph and I have made at least eight trips out there (not even counting Belize, which has BEAUTIFUL beaches) since we've been together (our first trip to the California beach was before we were even engaged). But I digress - back to Austin. Last year he asked when I was going to the beach and informed me that he would like to go. It's only a six hour drive, so we loaded him and my mom into Joseph's car and made a long weekend of it.

This year my sister Breezy asked when we were going. We needed two cars this time, to take Breezy, my other sister Kristi, my two nephews (Austin and Matt), my mom, and of course, Joseph and Deidre.

Encinitas Beach

Kristi cracked up when she saw this picture. She said it looks like Joseph is pooping in the sand.

Breezy and Deidre

She's always ready for her close-up

Seriously, get this girl an agent.

He's so handsome.

Breezy was chasing Joseph. I don't remember why, but he provoked her somehow.

Madre

This is such a cute picture.

Kristi and her boy Matt.

My family cracks me up

Boogey boards! I caught some niiiiiice waves.

Here is where Joseph, my mom, and I are coming back from our walk. I stepped on a bee and it stung me. It is making my foot hurt just thinking about it.

Here they are at a very nice park near our hotel.

Overall, it was a very nice vacation. We did a little shopping in addition to our other activities, and I'm pretty sure everyone got nice and sunburned.

One of these days I am going to figure out how to come back from the beach without a sunburn.

On the drive to California, Joseph was following the GPS, which must have been set on the "treacherous" setting, because we went up this incredibly windy mountain road. Joseph was OK with it, and Breezy was in the car with us. Come to find out that Kristi was a bit nervous on the road and it made the boys nervous. Austin told everyone to be quiet because he was saying a prayer. Then after Kristi had been on the road for a bit, he made the observation that he thought she was getting the hang of it.

In our car, we were talking about the Spanish language.
Joseph: I only know como se llama, bonita, mi casa and su casa.
Deidre: Joseph, that's a Shakira song.

Later Breezy and Joseph were teasing each other back and forth, and somehow Breezy was told Joseph that the weird plants on the side of the road were called a "trouble plant."
Joseph: A trouble plant, huh?
Breezy: Yes, that's what it's called.
Joseph: Well I've never heard of that. Let's google it (reaches for the iPhone).
Breezy (quickly): No need to google it! I can tell you everything you need to know about the trouble plant!

Can't wait for next year.

Are you two twins?

My mom promises Joseph a Carrabba's dinner every time he has to fix her computer. When I got home Friday from work, Joseph was working from home so he was already there, and he told me he'd decided to cash in on his Carrabba's dinner so we were going that night.

Love the Chicken Bryan. It's my FAVORITE. I make yummy noises of sweet savor every time.

So we went to dinner with my mom, dad, sisters Kristi, Dano, and Breezy.

The waiter came over to ask what we want to drink, and he pauses and says, "Are you two twins?" gesturing to Breezy and me.

My 17 year old sister Breezy and my 25 year old self.

What do you think?


I told him he was lucky she's a cutie.

Ear Candle Ick Factor

I have problems with my left ear. I once couldn't hear out of it for two weeks. The idiot doctor I went to see told me it was an infection and put me on antibiotics. When those weren't working, she put me on even stronger antibiotics. When those didn't work, I went back in and someone else looked in my ear and told me it was EAR WAX!

I'm not even going to go there. Friggin doctors.

Anyway. I found my own solution. When my ear starts acting like it's going to clog up, I grab an ear candle.

You put the little tube of wax in your ear and light it on fire (with a paper plate to catch any drifting embers, of course).

I'm always curious to see what it sucks out afterward. If you are not eating and don't mind checking out some nastiness, take a look:


I cut open the ear candle and took a look. Because I'm a curious person. That my friends, is the wax that was sucked out of the left ear.

Delicious.

UPDATE:

Alright guys, I did a little research and it turns out ear candles are not thought to be effective. The stuff I thought was ear wax may actually just be crud from the candle burning.

Do your own research if you're going to use a candle. Personally, I am a little more skeptical now than I was before, but the ear candles really do work for me. May be the smoke loosens up the wax so that it can fall out later. I don't know. But I'll tell you what I'm NOT going to do: light myself on fire. Because apparently people have.


UPDATE 10/24/14:

It's been over four years later and I still have problems with my left ear. I guess I should be grateful my right ear appears to be fine, but something is seriously wrong with the left.

Those ear candles are expensive and a hassle, so I bought myself a syringe.

I use it just like the doctor's assistant did when my ear was finally cleared out. I run the water in the tub until it's warm (but not too hot, I don't even want to know what a burned eardrum feels like) fill up the syringe, and clear out my ear. Sometimes it take a good 20 times of re-filling the syringe.

I went swimming this summer and I couldn't hear out of my left ear again. It is really irritating being deaf out of one ear. It bugged me the whole day. I went home and decided I was going to take care of it.

I re-filled that syringe at least 100 times. I'm not even exaggerating. I would count in increments of 20 just to keep myself occupied, then push my little ear flap thing and wiggle my ear and try to loosen things, but I was not making any headway. I finally tilted the syringe so that it was at an angle instead of blasting it straight into my ear.

A bunch of crap fell out of my ear. 

A. Bunch. Of. Crap.

I was actually able to pick up a piece that was rock hard and the size of a pencil eraser.

Disgusting. I guess that's why when I was blasting water straight, nothing was happening - it was just hitting that wall of fossilized crud.

But I can hear again. Until next time I guess.

Joseph's Garden

You saw a picture of the garden box when Joseph made it...maybe....if you follow my blog and happened to see that earlier post....Were you wondering if it was successful?
Here is the raspberry plant that didn't fit in the box. It gave the sweetest fruit, so much better than what you can buy at the supermarket.

And here is the box. Monsterous plants. Joseph has plans for an even bigger box next spring.