Don't you wish your rug was hot like mine

There is light at the end of our remodel tunnel! Unfortunately, *I* am the one who has to get us almost all of the rest of the way. The worker guys are pretty much done, and now I have to put everything back together, re-hang pics, dig through boxes, etc. Hmmm, sounds like moving.

Thankfully, most of the basement is put back together, and it looks great! A lot of people have a hard time picturing what cork floors look like (I think they expect to see push-pin sticking out all over. hee), so I'm posting a couple pics of it. First, the close-up:



It feels like wood but has this ever so slight cushioning effect. Yummy! And you can see it in the next photo too. But first, I must share the story. A friend of my family owns a local well-known interior design business, which is where we went for our flooring. Then came the delays in shipping because of this, that, and the other, all the fault of wood suppliers. So our friend calls me to apologize (even tho we weren't mad or anything) and says she wants us to come and pick out an area rug from their design showroom--she wants us to have it for free so we won't have bad memories when we look at our floors! Wow, it's scary how happy that made me! I go to the show room, start going through these AMAZING 100% Wool plush area rugs that start at $1000, and I find the rug of my dreams. And now it sits in my basement family room! Did I mention FREE?


It's hard to tell in the photo, but it's got all these different textures and pile heights.

And it works--I have absolutely no bad memories when I look at this rug. In fact, I tingle from head to foot. Come by some time, take your shoes off, and walk on it. You might not get tingles (afterall, it's not YOU who got it for FREE), but your feet will be happy.

Thanks to a warm front...

Before Christmas 2008 totally retreats into the annals of time, let us bask in the twinkling lights of Salt Lake City's Temple Square. This is a local Christmas tradition that we have missed for the past four or so years, mostly because it involves five things I hate: cold, crowds, cold, impossible parking, and COLD. Thankfully, we've had a veritable heat wave since Christmas, and it's been hugging 40 degrees most every day. That eliminates...let's see...THREE...of the five things I hate; therefore, we ventured off to the big city of lights on Monday night.

It was beautiful, and such a great experience to take the new camera for a spin. Granted, I still have no idea how to use it, but I felt pretty cool walking around with it hanging around my neck. (I told Hubby that unless I sit down and learn how to use it soon, it's pretty much just a necklace...and a purse, cuz the camera bag is way cool.)

So don't expect much, but here's a few shots of the night:





And one in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, which blows me away every time I go in there:

Picture Perfect Christmas

Look at what greeted me Christmas morning!!!:



It's a Nikon D60, and I was so NOT expecting this baby! I seriously cried. I don't remember ever doing that over a gift (over spilt milk, sure, but not over a gift!). Hubby totally surprised me there.

I've taken a batch of pictures, and OH. MY. GOSH., do they look good. I don't know how I survived with my old camera. And even though I know it is totally the camera's doing, my self-esteem has raised a little anyway. I can take awesome pictures!

A normal human being would've taken SCADS of photos by now, but, alas, not me. I got hit with a stomach flu the 26th that put me in the ER, and then in bed for 2 days. I seriously slept 21 of 24 hours yesterday. I'm pretty sure I was dreaming about using my new camera, but there's not much to show for it.

But here's one I took even as the forces of evil germs were gathering within me, plotting to separate me from my new camera.



And here's one of our Christmas tree, which got put up on December 21st--I kid you not. It will be staying with us until the end of February.

Today Betty brings you two of her current passions rolled into one: Christmas and Twilight spoofs. Enjoy!

Why NOT to store dead bodies in your freezer

So we're on about day 237 of having our appliances in the middle of our kitchen. Basically, I just avoid the whole scene, because my hair stands straight up on end when I walk into the room. So, imagine my surprise when I am forced to go in there for some reason, and I see a pool of leaking liquid coming out of my freezer.

(notice that I did go so far as to throw a few napkins on the goo before running screaming down the street)


Evidently, the fridge had died sometime the day before. DIED. Everything perishable ruined. Naturally, I'd just been shopping the day before. I think I mourn the thin mint ice cream the most. I had a beautiful future planned for the two of us. Sigh.

We have had that fridge for 11.5 years and were planning on replacing it soon. Not THIS soon, of course, but soon enough that it doesn't really make sense to toss money at it for repairs. (And I know a shopping opportunity when I see one!) So we hustled off to replace it. Did you know that most places do not have refrigerators in stock on the premises? Something about not enough space, blah, blah, blah. Whatever. We need a fridge NOW, people. Our children need to put COLD milk on their cereal. And Momma has thin mint ice cream on her mind. Sigh.

The soonest we could get the fridge we wanted was early next week. So we sucked it up and agreed to wait. Not 24 hours after ordering it, the factory calls to say that it's on backorder and it'll be another week. DID I NOT MENTION THAT WE NEED COLD--NOW??? Oh my.

So, here's my lesson for you: If you ever plan on replacing your fridge, do it NOW, before your current one dies. You'll thank me later.

Groovy, Man

Here's me finally remembering to post about this little project I L-O-V-E. I saw it done in my favorite catalog/website CB2 (www.CB2.com), so I bought the frame from them and went to town in PhotoShop (back when I had it. which I do again now, thanks to my recent 29th birthday).



That will have a prominent spot in the new family room. It makes me feel so cool. I just may take up wearing white vinyl go-go boots.

2 noteworthy phenomena:

First of all, it is December 2nd, and it's 58 degrees. And it's been like that for WEEKS, with no end in sight. How much do I love global warming?

Second of all, this is what my house looks like:





(The first one who says that's what my house always looks like gets kicked off the island. Even tho you're right.)

We are replacing the floors in our basement and on most of our main floor. In preparation for that glorious event, Hubby and Shnookie1 have ripped up the old ones. Unfortunately, the installation has been delayed more than a week. Soooo, we are living in crazy-making chaos while we wait, wait, wait.

Stay tuned for pics of the new floors! Hooray!!