Hmmmm.... Too much.

I realize that nobody reads this.... maybe one or two people. I get that. I don't write this so everyone can know what's going on in our lives. But still, I find it relaxing to just type away my day and my problems.

Today, I washed, dried, and folded 4 loads of laundry. How do two people go through so many clothes? Well, I take two showers a day. I do not reuse my towels; I think that is gross. Aaron also takes two showers a day, but he reuses his towel until I wash it... So there are a lot of towels and wash cloths. He has work clothes, and then comes home and changes into either casual clothes or PJ's. Then he takes a shower and changes into other PJ's. I wake up in the morning, do any cleaning/laundry that needs to be done, then I change into an outfit for the day. Then at night, I take a shower and change again. That means we each use six shirts & six shorts or pants every day. I think that's a lot. But I'm a little compulsive about feeling clean. And why is it that folding clothes is actually relaxing, but putting them away is a dreaded task?

I'm still working on the kitchen remodel. It's just taking a long time. Since we bought this house, we ripped up that awful old laminate flooring from the kitchen (after a few people slipped and fell on it...). We put down a really nice, cushy, dirt-hiding, noise reducing, "warm" floating laminate. Actually, it's just held down with an X of tape in the middle of the kitchen and then smaller x's under the appliances. I love it though! I think it's the best type of flooring for a kitchen. We also had those awful old countertops taken out. We got a really nice laminate countertop that looks like stone. We have all new appliances, including a Bosch dishwasher. We have a handcrafted parawood, countertop-height kitchen table from the Wooden Chair. And since June, I've been painting our old, gross cabinets white. They look so much bigger, cleaner, and brighter. I also took down the old, awful vertical blinds from the sliding glass doors. I did it by myself and my, are those things heavy! Why does anyone buy those ugly things anyway? I put up blackoout drapes. Well, it's looking great and I'll be so happy once it's all done! It will look so much fresher, brighter, and more modern. Bye bye 80's!

In the rest of the house, I have painted almost every room (minus the guest room & the stairwell.... that will be an adventure). Our room is so pretty now. And our upstairs bathroom-- that was quite an overhaul. Bathtub: resurfaced. Icky laminate floor: GONE! Nice, ceramic tile now. New toilet. New sink & faucet. New countertop. New lighting. New mirror. New "hanggies" (I don't know what to call them... the toilet paper holder & towel holders). We've ordered new windows for our living room and we're waiting for the install. We got a new heat pump, furnace, and digital, programmable thermostat. We've invested a lot into this house and I really hope we get it back. All these losers in my neighborhood keep neglecting to pay their mortgages and like 7 or 8 houses have gone into foreclosure. I know I sound harsh... and I know that people get down on their luck-- believe me, I know that. But I think it's wrong to hurt your neighbors like that. And our HOA is completely useless. No one cares about this neighborhood except Aaron and me. No one cares that currently the grass is mowed THREE times a month by the HOA president's wife & children and not by the actual company that is paid $6,000 a year to mow. So I'm not paying our HOA fee this month! I'm not going to pay it until they start listening to me and doing what I've told them to do. After all, what good is it being the Vice President when the position is powerless? The lady who was supposed to give me all the neighborhood information and train me stood me up FOUR consecutive times and now just makes excuses every time I ask her to do her friggin job. But enough complaints. I know this won't solve anything, but I feel better :)

Last night, I decided to give Opal a haircut. I used the 2nd longest clipper attachment and buzzed her down. She didn't let me do much other than her back. Now she looks weird. But her fur is really soft!

I've been taking Maddie to the park every night that it isn't rainy. It's good exercise for both of us.

Aaron's twin brother, Ryan, is coming in three days! Exciting! :) And my brother, Joe, is coming next Sunday! For the year! :)

I'm about to start my LAST year of college-- WOOHOO!!!!! It really hasn't entirely sunk in though. I've been at Liberty 5 full years and I'm embarking on my 6th. And I have one 100 level class which means I'll be locked in a room three times a week with immature teenagers who wear too much perfume. Yay... And why do pretty much all freshmen girls drown themselves in VS Love Spell body spray? And seriously, Axe could film a commercial on campus. Gag. That negativity aside, I am really excited for it! I'm excited that five months, I'll get an internship and in nine months, I'll be done with college! Now if I could just get LUPD to cooperate with my parking decal situation...