Family Heirloom

As i've been going through my boxes, my mother has decided to go through hers too. Our garage looks like a bomb went off! Anyways, she came across this quilt top in one of her boxes. It's HUGE! 8 ft. wide by 10 ft. long. and the blocks are tiny, about 3 x 3.





It's a leftover scrap quilt and it's so cool looking and VERY WELL done! Everything is so straight and the back of it has no obvious flaws! Come to find out, my Grandma Aiton made it! I had no clue she quilted! I was very lucky enough that my mother decided to hand it down to me and it's now my job to finish it off. TALK ABOUT PRESSURE!

I Should Go Pro (YA RIGHT!)

People have asked how my flute playing is coming along. Just keep in mind I've never taken lessons and only practice when i'm bored. ; ) I know the tempo seems fast, but I could only record 1 min. of video.

totally pointless blog

I love how it's Wednesday and only feels like Tuesday!

Back in the day, oh, about 8 years ago, I went through a phase of really being into classical/contemporary music. Like Andrea Bocelli, Sarah Brightman, Josh Groban, Il Divo (my fav) etc. Well, Andrea Bocelli's album back then had this duet on it called Nel Cuore Lei. To this day, I thought he was singing with Lionel Richie. His voice is very recognizable and i 've definitly listened to my fare share of Lionel songs. He's my parents fav!!

You know when you don't hear a song for a while, then you do, and you like it again? So that's what i'm going through with this song. So I decided to see if there was a music video for it. I know, i'm a complete dork! Turns out, IT'S TOTALLY NOT LIONEL RICHIE!! But now that i've seen who it is, I REALLY like the song A LOT more! The guy is definitly a silver fox!

His name is Eros Ramazzotti and he's a popular singer in Italy. So go ahead and listen to the song, its on my playlist. And think of Lionel when you hear it and tell me if it sounds like him so I know i'm not crazy! But obviously I am for posting a blog on this ridiculous topic!

My belated Valentine weekend

Boo for the rain today! :(

Jaren brought me dinner at work Friday night. Some delicious hawaiian barbecue i've been dying to try and man they didn't let me down! It was so good!

Woke up Saturday morning, 7AM (UGH!), and started our mile long list of things to do. I have NEVER taken Jaren to 12 stores in 1 day and had him NOT COMPLAIN!! I did have to take him out to eat for 2 meals plus dessert, but it was all worth it! Farmerboys (similar to Dennys but drive thru) for breakfast, Char-o-Chicken (similar to El Pollo Loco) for lunch and Coldstone for an afternoon treat. :) He was a good boy. I did stray from the list when I decided we needed new sheets. I will never forget the first time he was in my bed that had 800 thread count and he almost died! He had no clue the difference in thread counts, it was so cute. So when it came time to buy another set, I bought 1200, and now he's in heaven everytime he jumps in bed. I still have to work on him not using his 15 year old cheetah blanket from his youth that is in complete shambles,!!! And the batting, wait... what batting? LOL! Thankfully nearby I have a Linen-n-Things and a Bed, Bath & Beyond pretty much next door to each other. So we spent about 1 hr. in each store just feeling sheets and I have a new favorite! I STRONGLY RECOMMEND GETTING ORGANIC BAMBOO SHEETS!! They are SOOO much softer than my 1200 thread count!! But wouldn't you guess they didn't come in king size. Only cal-king! So I had to settle with another set. But to make up for my sorrow (hehe) I got a new comforter set! :) We did have this set...

but it's really not pet friendly for the 3rd party that sleeps with us. So I got this set instead...

But check this... this is an 8pc set for only $60!! We got 1 bedskirt, 1 comforter, 2 decorative pillows, 2 standard shams, and 2 euro shams! I know it looks funny in the picture but that's because it's reversible. It's a very sturdy jacquard fabric that i'm hoping will last. And Linen-n-Things had buy 1 pillow, get 1 free sale! So of course we got 6 new pillows :) I love new pillows! As I was walking to check out, there was a quilt set blocking my aisle.

When I picked it up I notice it was markdown to $14.99! So I also bought that for our guestroom/office/piano room. And I'm hoping to have Jaren make one of those white picket fence headboards to go with it.

Since eventually it will be a nursery i'm trying to think ahead of coordinating furniture and colors so it will be easy to transfer over. ;)

And i'm really glad I got a new guestroom stuff because our first guests will be staying 2 nights with us the weekend after we move-in! Jaren's friend from his mission and his wife are coming to California finally! The live in St. George and we've been to their place many times. So i'm ecstatic they're coming to ours this time! She's a teacher and he's a meat cutter and in school. So this is there springbreak vacation. After visiting with us, they're heading to Orange County to do Disneyland, Anaheim Ducks hockey game, and Wicked the theater show. Which i'm EXTREMLY jealous about! There stay with us will include the usual Morro Bay and Solvang experience. Then 2 weeks after that, my parents are coming to stay with us! So I better unpack as soon as I can.

I did reserve our uhaul today. :) Jaren's boss was going to allow him to use the company truck and trailer. But between that and my dad's truck and his trailer, I still think we have more stuff than that! So we've opted for an actually moving truck.

Jaren made it safely back to Bakersfield Sunday night. Yesterday my mom and I were both off. She had a gift certificate from last May that she hand't used yet. But that's because the store was far away! So we finally made the trek and got her some cute new work outfits. She got a little emotional realizing it was probably the last time for a while we would get a girls day out. They only make it to Bakersfield about twice a year, if that! She was really scared about Jaren and I moving in because there were many years when her and I DID NOT get along, AT ALL! She was afraid we would still butt heads. But throughout the year of living together we've become so much closer and grew a lot in our friendship. This move is going to be very hard! :(

Also I saw my first ever real life prostitute at Starbucks! It was so nasty! But my vanilla bean frappucino was delish!

XOXO Happy Valentine's Day XOXO

I was awoken this morning by a picture message and mooshy love words on my cell phone of this :) So I can't wait until he gets home so I can eat them!

So I called him to say thank you and the doorbell rang and it was these...


He had been saving his "allowance" for a few weeks to surprise me! Look how cool the vase is! There's 6 stargazer lillies (my fav) that are about to bloom and be huge along with 4 red roses. awww... i <3 him!

This week rundown...

It's almost Valentine's Day. *sighs* Again another year i'm spending alone without my hubby. Last year at this time he was in Phoenix at truck driving school. He did make up for it though by letting me by myself the Tiffanys mesh ring. ;)

This year I asked for a 2nd guitar for guitar hero or a glass display case for our wedding cake topper. He asked for a NASCAR rag quilt!! Hmm... I think I can deliver. But his favorite driver doesn't make a licensed fabric. So instead I bought bandanas and i'm using those in some of the squares. Don't worry he won't find out beforehand. He has no clue we even have a blog! He will be coming home this weekend to help pack. And he's making me sweet and sour pork. yummmmm.... my fav. And I also love his chimichangas!

Bugsy's 2nd birthday is on Saturday. I can't believe I have a snotty teenager now, LOL. I swear he acts like one!

THEN

NOW

Not much has changed with him!

Also we have finally agreed on a place to live in :) Remember the lady that told me "no need to get smart." Yup, thats where we're living! New address cards will be sent out sometime within the next few months, lol. That's how slow i'm going lately! It's a new 4plex, 2 bed 2 bath, washer/dryer and a 2 car attached garage. And it's the only one with an automatic door opener! :) I'm gonna love that! I'm still gonna be an 08er too. It's a smaller unit, but having a garage is going to make all the difference!

And that's all folks!

so much for packing this weekend! i got NONE of my "real" chores/errands accomplished, hehe.

wheels still turning...

I was up until 2am making this...

I really don't like making quilts like this! I find this much more challenging than my rag quilts. Todays agenda will be a baby rag quilt, baby onsie, matching booties a washcloth bunny. More pictures to follow sometime this week.

I go through spurts like this where I want to make EVERYTHING and can't stop thinking of new stuff! Major insomnia!! Then I'll go through a dry spell for about 1 week until I come back to my senses. I also have to start making Jaren's Valentine's gift this week! He's gonna LOVE IT!

Alone on a Saturday

So what do you do? You sew! Here's my newest project. Baby booties! I was so excited to finish the first one and couldn't wait to post a picture before I start with the other one. They're SSSEEEWWWW (pun intended) easy!!! Took me about 30 min. And there's so many different variations I could use! I saw someone who used a sheep skin lining and they looked like little baby uggs! Now if only Bugsy would stay still so I could try them on!

More sewing projects to follow... I'm SUPER bored today!

TGIF!!!

I need to buy stamps. Which ones should I get?




Here's an update from the place I was interested in earlier this week... The realtor told us she would call us by the end of the day to let us know if we got it or not. Did she call? Of course not! Wednesday I sent emails and left messages and still no response! Finally Thursday I send her another email saying, "is this normal procedure for your company to collect $40 and not be able to return a phone call or email?" Keep in mind, on Tuesday, she was responding to my emails within 5 min. of me emailing her. Well she finally responds to my email and says, " im waiting to here back from the owner, no need to get smart." :O I WAS SHOCKED! so I sent her another one back saying, "a simple email like this 2 days ago when you told my husband you would contact us would have saved a lot of time and stress." So I was pretty positive they weren't going to offer us the place since I "got attitude." But sure enough later that evening she told me they had approved our application and under these terms.... THEY WANTED $4000 DOWN! WHAT?!?!?! She originally told me $1800 and our first month free! It's AMAZING what people will change when they find out you have a dog! If my dog was really a terror, would he still be living with us at my parents house? OF COURSE NOT! So I let her know we won't be able to accept that offer, thanks for her little time she provided me. But then, she sends me a "2nd offer." OK, since when did renting a place turn into "lets make a deal?" Anyways, her 2nd offer still wasn't acceptable. So I decided to send back a "counteroffer." LOL. So now I'm just waiting to hear back. We'll see!

Jaren went last weekend to look at some townhome on Fairfax for only $700/month!!! He said it was just ok, nothing that fancy at all, you get your $700 worth. So I didn't even think twice about it. But then that guy starts emailing me pretty eager for it to be rented. So I've also been going back and forth with him all week. And it's so hard when he lives in San Francisco, Jarens in one place, and I'm in another. We've spent quite some time faxing to and from Kinkos, that's for sure! And he said he'll have his answer by the the beginning of next week.

The larger apartment complex we were planning on moving into is still our main resort for now. I haven't told them otherwise. So lets see what these 2 people decide to do with us! Moving in 3 weeks, with no home yet, isn't it lovely!

BUSY Monday!

thank heavens monday is over!! i come to you this beautiful tuesday morning eating my honey nut cheerios and drinking my caramel cream hot chocolate and listening to hannah montana. i know what you're thinking! "how can you eat cold cereal w/ hot chocolate!" ;) LOL, anyways.... my dad bought a new computer monitor last night and oh man its huge and wide! wider than the keyboard! you can tell they're going blind at there age!

so yesterday was a very hectic day for me! and this is pathetic what i consider hectic.... i was on the phone with the IRS for about 30 minutes! but 29 1/2 of those minutes was spent on hold. finally hung up with them and crystal called to let me know donte and lawrence were both in the hospital with pneumonia. then i have dad beeping in asking to go clean the waterfall. finally finished with those 2 and i get an email from the cash vault manager asking to call her asap. so i did and had to leave a message for her. then jarens calling in just to chit chat. then i start looking on craigslist and come across a new place im interested in living in. so i started emailing that person and shes responding faster than i can spit questions out. and if we're really interested, she needs $40 by 5pm for the credit check. how was i to do that? i couldnt get a hold of andrea and i wasnt sure if jaren would be off by then. normally mondays are his longest days with at least 5 hours overtime! then my cell phone goes off and its the recruiter offering me the position in the cash vault. then the manager of the cash vault starts calling on the home phone, non stop, wouldnt leave a message, it was weird! then the doorbell rings and bugsy flips out and sprinkles on the newly steam cleaned white carpet. it was the cleaning lady, who of course was following me around with a vacuum! did i mention all of this was before 9am!

*sighs* then i took a nap

happy times are here again!

I checked my email last night and the hiring manager had sent a response to my email saying, "it's yours if you want it, the recruiter will be calling you on monday." so its official, we're finally moving and going to be together! FINALLY!!!!! moving date is scheduled for march 1st. WAHOO!

Lucky Turn of Events

I've decided that my emotional breakdowns are happening because im alone and just way too stressed with trying to manage two households and two marriages. It will be exactly 1 year tomorrow since Jaren started this whole, "I wanna drive truck" nonsense. He shortly realized 1 month into it, that he definitly made a mistake! But somehow we've mustard through it and made it work, sometimes.

So my breakdown on Wednesday consisted of me telling him that no matter what, i'm moving to Bakersfield the end of February with or without a job. I can't take not seeing him everyday and haivng a "normal" relationship. I feel like we've lost so much this past year!

Well we've already done the horrible apartment hunting and applications etc. But we told them we weren't ready to move until April. So now today, I have to call them to push up the date. They always have apartments available, so i'm hoping that won't be an issue for them.

Then starts the icky job searching again. But its tough because most people want someone either NOW or they're ok with 2 weeks. But my current job consists of a commission sort of thing. And if I don't finish that commissions timeframe (30 days) I don't get paid for ANY of it. And it doesn't end until the 25th of February. So most employers aren't willing to wait 1 month for lil ol' me.

So yesterday morning, I ended up emailing the hiring manager for the cash vault again. Updating her on my situation, asking if the other position is still available etc. Haven't heard back yet though. Because by this point, obviously, I'd want to move WITH a job, even w/icky pay, it's better than nothing! But then I'd keep looking once I was finally in Bakersfield. I also told my manager that I was leaving the end of February and I already gave up my 2 weeks vacation. So there's no turning back now!

This morning I did my normal ritual. Let the dog out, make some oatmeal, check the bank accounts, check the email, check the blogs, check the myspace. But then I decided to check the Bank of America career website and sure enough.... A NEW CASH VAULT POSITION WAS POSTED LAST NIGHT! AAAANNNNDDDD IT WAS JUST WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR!!!!! perfect hours, perfect pay, still keep my same benefits and seniority!!!! I'm going on 16 months with the bank, LOL! Mom's going on 16 years! It's like the hiring manager crawled in my brain and knew what I needed and personally put this position there for me to re-apply! LOL! So of course I did, and I also emailed her with my availability and asking to be re-considered, you know, typical schmoozing.

So now the dreaded "waiting for THE phone call" begins. *sighs* And it's Friday, they don't even start until later tonight, and even then, she'll have the recruiter call me at work and offer a position to me. And I probably won't hear anything until next week. So I'm going to have a VERY long weekend ahead of me! Cross your fingers ya'll!