final-distance.org Sparkles, sparkles, and oh, did I mention the sparkles?

Living escapades!

Well, we aren't 100% settled into our new place, but we're at least at a point where we can functionally live! Classes have started back up, but between moving, being sick and all around crap, I've missed a few classes already. This displeases me soooo much, especially after last semester. But I have been keeping up with all the homework, so hopefully I'm not too far behind. My teachers have been pretty nice about it all, too. I hate missing classes.

In the long run, the apartment we originally were going to get... well, let's just say there were massive issues with it. It was very far from "move-in ready". See, I've lived at this property before. I had no issues at all, which is why I chose to live here again. So when they couldn't show me the exact apartment I was moving into (because the person was still living there) I was okay with it. They showed me a similar unit, and that unit was the same standard as my old unit was a few years ago. Signing my lease, sight unseen, was not an issue. Everything was perfect... until we started moving into it. My mom and I did our usual "pre-move-in inspection", which is pretty much just documenting all the the things wrong so that they can't come back on us after we move out for silly little things... and everything started to crumble away. What we were left with was a dirty, broken, down and outright disgusting apartment. I took pictures; mom wrote it all down. We cornered the management, had them look at everything, and they agreed that it was not the standard for moving someone in. The regional manager happened to be visiting, too, and she asked me what they could do to make it better. I told them that I wanted a different unit in a different building. That's it. I didn't care if I got anything else out of it, but I did not want to live in that unit, or that building. They called later that day and offered us a different 2 bedroom unit - with the floor plan that I had in my old unit (which is what we wanted to begin with), in the same building as the office (which is the best building of the five, understandably, lol). This unit also contained a brand new dishwasher and refrigerator, as well as a brand new stove. When Matt and I looked at it, the stove hadn't even been delivered from Sears yet. The unit was the standard I had known previously, and we took it. So now we're here. It's not perfect, but it's perfect for us, and the perks just keep rolling in. In lieu of having a coveted "ground floor unit", which we had to give up, we got all new appliances, a reduced rent price (sure, it's only $10 a month cheaper, but that's an extra $10 for us), a move-in concession which pretty much means the rest of January is free, and we only owe $76 for February rent, but within the year, we'll be completely renovated: new cabinets, flooring, carpet, etc... and we are getting a washer and dryer! :D So yeah. I'll take all of that AND cleanliness over a ground floor unit ANY DAY. It's taking a bit of getting used to with Tucker, but we're getting there. :)

I've also decided that when things get better financially (they aren't horrible right now, but they aren't the greatest, either) I am going to start baking cookies! Maybe I'll start a cookie baking business or something! I just want to bake! And take pictures! Like I said on Facebook - I'm going to be a cookie baking, picture taking, game playing super awesome person when I grow up. Or now, given that growing up isn't an option for me!" LOL

Also got my 4th 85 on WoW. Woot woot. (Not like many care about that... just felt like throwing it in there! :P)

Just keep swimming

I'm not dead! I promise! We are almost completely packed and we get our keys at 2:30 tomorrow! Internet dude hooks us up on Saturday, and then it's unpacking time! School starts next week, too. Luckily, I'm only 2 days a week this semester! :]

More soon! <3

Busy, busy!

Wow. Alright, so the last few days have been a roller coaster of fun times! A few days ago, Matt and I found out that there was a ground level 2 bedroom opening up at our first apartment choice. Seeing as ground levels are very hard to come by, and when they do open up, they go extremely fast, I knew we had to figure it out, or else we'd either be stuck with a 2nd/3rd level, or nothing at all. I asked them if they could hold it until the end of January, which is when we planned to move. The leasing agent told me that they could only hold it until the 15th, so I kind of freaked out a little. I wasn't too sure what was going to happen, but I really, really didn't want to miss out on the opportunity. Lo and behold, someone comes from the shadows and takes care of everything. Well, 2 someones, actually.

Shortly after I posted my dilemma on my Facebook status, I get a text message from my best friend - "How much do you need?" Thinking she's just curious, I tell her it will be near $2,000 to get us into the apartment. (Pending credit checks that might - but probably won't - make it cheaper) She sends one back informing me that she and her husband received a bit of an inheritance, and that she'd like to help out with half of it. This is insane, of course. I thank her, and am completely flabbergasted that she'd even offer, but I tell her that we wouldn't be able to come up with the other half until the end of the month, and by then, it'd be gone. She fires back with "Well, how about the whole thing then?" Long story short, my best friend and her husband loaned Matt and I the money to get into our apartment. We move in January 4th. :]

So now it's a whirlwind of trying to pack everything and all that. We had a little left over from the loan, so we went to Target and bought stuff for the apartment tonight - dishes, cups, silverware, and pans. We're getting an electric grill for Christmas, and a toaster, too... I think. We still have quite a lot to get (furniture and the like) but just being able to finally move on our own is a wonderful feeling, and we're both more excited than we've ever been. We've been waiting for this for over a year, and it's finally happening.

On a WoW note, raiding is going okay. I spend a lot of time on the bench right now, but it's okay. Saja - I should get your Real ID from you if you're still playing. Then we can talk and stuff. :D I'm still plugging away on my legendary.

I'll try and update when I can, but we'll be sans internet for at least a few days after we move. And then... once it's all set up -- PICTURE TIME! :]

Still sick… ugh.

At least, though, we've figured out that it's just allergies, so hopefully it will be gone before my last final on Tuesday.

I sent emails off to two prospective apartment complexes last night; general inquiry stuff like preferences and pet information. We tried to find a place that would allow both cats and dogs, but unfortunately, most places barely even like dogs there, so if we find one for just dogs, we'll pretty much jump on it. My mom told us that Boots can stay at her place so long as we're still helping out with food and all that. It will suck, but that's what has to happen. We thought about looking for a house, and I'd be all for it... if I actually thought Matt would help out around it without me nagging at him, lol. It's hard enough to get him to help clean up this basement! He does, but I usually have to get a little grumpy over it. Today was nice, though. He helped without me getting grumpy.

I've been pushing my weight loss quite a bit, and it's always a point of contention for me, but I'm going to try something new -- yes, again. There was a study done on 3 groups of women - 1 group went 2 days without any carbs and stuck to 650 calories for each of those two days, then ate whatever they liked (within reason) for the rest of the week. Another group went the 2 days, but had no calorie restriction, and again, ate what they liked for the rest, and then the 3rd group stuck to 1500 calories every day for the whole week. The two groups that did the 2 day, no carb diet plan lost more weight than the 1500 calorie plan, so my diet buddy (my husband's cousin) and I are going to give that a shot. It couldn't hurt! We've both fallen off the bandwagon, so anything to get us back up onto it is a good thing. Once school is done and I'm not feeling like death every day, I can actually pop Dance Central 2 into my xbox and go. I love the game, but I've been so busy and exhausted that I haven't wanted to play it.

I find it kind of hilarious that it's December 10th, and our Christmas tree isn't up yet. To be honest, as much as I love the pretty lights and the sparkles... I'm almost hoping it doesn't go up this year. Sad, huh? :/

Wordless Wednesday

Brilliant.

What a time to decide to jump start my blog! It's okay, though. The way I see it, if I get the chance to blog even once a week, that still allows me that little outlet. I've been super busy the last few days, and haven't really put much thought into what I'm going to put on here. I started raiding again on WoW, but even that is slow going. I'm one of two recruits right now, so I won't see every boss (which is fine), and then I pretty much took this whole week off raiding because it's (DUN DUN DUN) finals week. I managed to get all of my assignments caught up for my alternative photo processes class, and I turned them all in yesterday. Now I have a few projects left for my history of photography class, and that final is next week, and then my semester will be done.

We were planning to go to Canada, but I managed to mess that up because I didn't get my passport fixed with my married name. Oops! So now we're US-bound for the holidays. That's okay, though; it gives us time to look at apartments since we're moving out at the end of January. I can't even begin to explain how excited I am about moving, even if it sounds bad. I have one of those strange relationships with my mother - she is, literally, one of my best friends. We really support each other through the crazy times that life throws our way. It will be weird to move out, but I've done it before, and we both survived. Matt and I only have 2 places we're looking at currently, but we'll have to see what we find.

Did I mention I'm sick again? I'm not sure what brought it about, but I'm narrowing it down to allergies. Hopefully it will go away in the next few days.

Guess who’s back… back again…

Of course I returned to blogging. :P Why wouldn't I? So here is my traditional *Real Post Soon* entry -- just gotta get settled back in and find a decent theme.

Besides, F-D.org is like ... 7 years old. It's my baby, and I miss it. :)