Halloween 09

For Halloween this year, Dana and Howard drove up from Kentucky to go to the 49ers/Colts game. They were fortunate enough to find seats in the same section as us, only three rows away. They arrived on Saturday evening just in time for dinner and pumpkin carving. Chris made his mom's delicious sloppy joe recipe. We had a couple more friends stop by to join us. Here are the pumpkins everyone carved. Pretty good!!

On Sunday we got up early and had bagels from Einstein. Dana has been complaining for months about how there are no bagel shops in Paducah. Her mom even froze bagels and mailed them to her! So I spent one day asking tons of questions about her frozen bagel experience so that I could find out her's and Howard's favorite bagels. I can't believe she really thought I was that interested in her bagel experiences!! HAHA!

We got to the parking lot and tailgated for a little bit. We wanted to get over to the stadium so that I could show them my brick and show them around the stadium. Alas, we didn't get there with enough time so we saw the brick and quickly went to our seats. I wanted to make sure I was there for the pageantry!

It was a real nail biter. The Colts were not looking like the Colts. I have to admit that I was kind of nervous and probably avoided looking over in Dana and Howard's area for the majority of the first half. During halftime, Howard informed me that he had taken all my Colts stuff in the guest bedroom and turned it upside down or backwards. This was, of course, after the conversation he and I had about how superstitious we are when it comes to football. Unfortunately, his plan was foiled and the Colts won! Yea me! Sorry to Howard who drove 6 hours to watch his team lose. I hope he had fun anyway.

We drove home, exhausted and hungry. We were ready to eat and just relax while watching more football. I opened the door to the apartment and got attacked by a dog! I was in shock! Where did this dog come from?? Well, apparently, Hank got out of his crate and had been enjoying himself for who knows how long. We looked around surveyed the damage. He had destroyed an aluminum can, but didn't look like he ate of it. A deck of cards was definitely ruined. He pooped on the carpet. And the worst....

Fortunately, it is very easy to get tickets replaced when you're a season ticket holder. I spent the whole night thinking that I didn't latch his crate properly. Until Monday....he did the same thing. Now we know that our Hankdini can open his crate. I have now attached a 3lb padlock to the door. We'll see if he can get that open! I knew I shouldn't have read Marley and Me!!!! Ha ha!

Best Boyfriend Ever!

So this morning I'm sitting at work, just doing my thing when Joe from the warehouse comes over to my desk and hands me a package. I didn't order anything so I was clueless. Then I saw on the box it said from NFL.com. Well, I used to order stuff from there all the time and then forget that I did. So I thought, gee did I order something and completely forget about it? Then I saw below my name was Chris' phone number. I said, oh that's my boyfriend's phone number. I opened it up and inside was a customized Melvin Bullitt Colts jersey. He is my new favorite defensive player as of last year and was hoping to get his jersey for Christmas.

I thought he had got this for me for our anniversary next week, but he told me no, we don't do gifts for our anniversary. This was just because he knew I wanted one really bad. What a sweet guy!! And then on his lunch break he cleaned out the fridge for me and took out the trash so that I can relax tonight and watch my trashy shows. What a great guy!!

Hank

On Saturday, Chris and I officially became dog owners. Woo hoo! We would like to present Hammerin Hank Aaron Smith. Or just Hank. I'm not hung ho on using Chris' last name, but alas, he is the male.

The first day we had him, he was great. We thought he was the most well behaved puppy ever. He had some accidents when it came to going to the bathroom, but he's a puppy! We expected that. Well, as it turns out, he was just being polite on his first day here. Now that he knows this is his home, he's been peeing everywhere, biting things, trying eating the carpet, etc. Ha ha. We're working hard on training him, but he thinks we're playing with him.

I'll update more next week. My camera broke during my last move and I just haven't gotten it repaired. My mom is coming to visit next weekend and is bringing me a camera. I'll be sure to take lots of pictures. He looks really cute wearing his Colts bandana, but you can tell he hates having something around his neck. :-)

PS On Friday it will have been two months since my last cigarette. My mom still doesn't know we quit. We're surprising her on Friday night!

Scavenger Hunt

Wow, I had one of the best weekends ever. We went to our first Colts game so that we could check out the seats. I'm proud to say that we bought the first Miller Lite on the upper level. Go us! I was just excited to find Miller Lite! So we are pleased with the seats, the food stands around us, and the beer selection. However, I hated being at a preseason game. I have ever attended Redskins preseason games b/c I would get the ticket for free and I could careless who won the game. This was very frustrating trying not to care about who won the game while being at the game. I hate seeing my ponies lose! We left at halftime to go home and get a good nights rest.

On Saturday, I participated in a scavenger hunt for the Indiana Geographic Information Council. They are trying to raise money and also teach people how to orienteer. So my company, Cannon IV, sponsored a couple of us to participate. We all wore our brand new Cannon IV t-shirts advertising our website. Although our purpose was to try and generate more business for our company, LBH, we wanted to win the treasure chest!

We were given a packet with 59 questions on it and a map with 59 sites. We had to find each site using the map and a compass. Then we had to answer each question.

So we had about an hour and a half to get all the questions. The organizer said he didn't think it was possible to get all of them in the alloted time. This immediately became our goal. So we ran around downtown. It was so neat. A lot of the questions required inspecting one of the many momuments dowtown. I don't know if you know, but Indianapolis is only second to DC in the number of monuments. Then a lot were looking at old buildings and counting details of some of the architecture. We learned a lot and got tons of exercise.

I don't know if you guys also knew that there was a Gen Con Convention downtown this weekend. This is a convention for all the gamers (ie Dungeon and Dragons). People love to get dressed up and go to this. We passed by this person during our hunt

Ha ha, not sure what they were, but it was hilarious. Well, to make a long story short, we ended up winning the whole thing. Not only did we get the most sites completed (56 out of 59), but we ended up finding the key as well and got to open the treasure chest. It was full of terrible dumpy toys that we just let the kids have. However, we each got a really cool book to take home.

So much fun! Chris and I also went by the state fair on Saturday night to try chocolate covered bacon (yuck) and find Heather a date for my wedding, whenever it is (success!!). Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Almost Non-Smoker

So, I've been waiting forever to tell you guys....that after two weeks, I think I can officially call myself an almost non smoker! I don't want to jinx myself, but I've been doing really good. Chris and I both had set a date and told no one that we were going to be quitting. We did not want the pressure of people reminding us of the date or the idea. We just wanted to lay low and do it. So on July 31st, we hit the liquor store and the local CVS. We each got to drink our favorite drink that night and smoke as many cigarettes as we wanted. Saturday morning, when we woke up, we were no longer smokers.

It was pretty easy for me. In fact, I remember calling my dad about 4 days into wondering if there was something wrong with me. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely times that I want a cigarette real bad, but it seems that I am able to push the idea out of my mind and focus on other things. It has helped that I am super busy at work. The busiest I have ever been and I have a couple huge projects that I have been working on. I'm also back taking some classes this fall which should be interesting. I kind of fell off the wagon a little with the amount of guests we had visiting us and trips that we had ourselves, weddings, moving, etc.

So I know there are a bunch of us that have or are trying to quit smoking and I think it's great. I have already noticed some changes in my breathing and my fingertips. I also have noticed that I want to eat better, I feel like actually exercising, and I'm hanging out with people who don't smoke therefore don't really drink as much either.

PS My first Colts game is tomorrow!!!! I'll blog about that later!

I'm normal

So we are halfway through July and it has been a crazy month. We stayed in Indy for the fourth of July this year. No fireworks due to the downpour of rain. It kind of sucked, but oh well. The worst part was I started getting a terrible migraine and just couldn't shake it. I tried everything except for my migraine pills which are VERY expensive so I didn't have any. Well, on the following Tuesday, I was driving to work just like I do every day when I thought my heart was going to pound right out of my chest. Of course the more I tried to focus on it too see what my heart was doing, the more I thought something was wrong and the more freaked out I go. Then I felt so hot and started sweating really bad. So I rolled down my window. Keep in mind that I'm going 60 mph down the highway. Then I knew I was going to throw up. Call me vain or stubborn, I don't care, but I did not want to pull over on the highway and have everyone see me throwing up on their way to work. So I held it in until I exited and was able to pull over on a sidestreet.

After all that, I felt fine for the rest of the day. That night my chest still felt really tight and sore. All week things just didn't seem right. I don't know if it was in my mind or if something was really wrong. But it just kept getting worse. I couldn't sleep at night and it was just affecting me pretty badly. So I finally went to the doctor on Monday this week. (I hate the doctor and try to avoid going at all costs!) They did an EKG and took some blood from me. Everything came back normal. Then the doctor and I sat down and talked about my life. Although they can't pinpoint the cause of my heart palpitations (fancy word!) she thinks that it is probably due to the amount of stimulants I am taking. When I drink, I drink red bull/vodka. I smoke everyday and when I can't afford my migraine medicine, I take tons of Excedrin Migraine which is pretty much pure caffeine.

So we've decided to change some things up and see if that works before hooking me up to a heart monitor for a couple weeks. No more red bull period. At all. Sad day for me. I don't even drink it b/c I want the caffeine. I really just like the taste of it with vodka! I can't take Excedrin Migraine anymore. I need to make sure I have my migraine medicine. And.....I have to quit smoking. Boo. Chris and I actually talked about this last weekend when going over our budget. So we have picked a date, which of course, I'm not telling anyone. We're going to quit. I'm kind of sad. I really really really love smoking. I know it's bad for you and a waste of money, but you know what? It's been my best friend for years. Always there for me when I'm happy, sad, angry, stressed, excited, and of course, drunk. What do non-smokers do when they are stressed? So yeah, we're taking the plunge. More later on that.

Chris' parents are coming in town tomorrow morning and I'm so stoked. They haven't been here in 5 years so you can imagine how excited Chris is. I took off work on Friday and we're going to stay in and play games, drink beers, and eat good food the whole weekend. It should be a lot of fun. I'll let you know how it goes!

Colts Season Tickets!!!

After 2 1/2 years of being on the Colts Season Ticket Waiting List, I have finally arrived! I received an e-mail about a month ago saying that I was probably going to get tickets this year, but it wasn't definite. So I put in my bid for what sections I would like to sit in and let fate take it's course. This Monday I received a letter from Peyton (aka the Colts) telling me that I did indeed get them. I am now the proud owner of two seats, upper level, 40 yard line, row 14.

I'm so stoked it's not even funny. I have already planned all the games out and where we are going to tailgate. After spending so many years (and a lot of money!) on driving out to Indy for a game here and there, this has just blown my mind. I don't even think it has completely hit me that I am going to go to 10 games this year. Plus have an opportunity to buy playoff tickets at face value. This is amazing. It took awhile getting adjusted to Indiana and getting to the point where I feel like I'm settled here. I am so grateful to not only have this opportunity, but to be able to do it. This year has so far been the best year and things just seem to be falling in place. :-)

Public Storage

So I have to rant because I am royally ticked off today. I have had a unit with Public Storage since November 2007. I have faithfully paid my bill on the first of every single month. Not a single payment missed or even a day late. I haven't even been INSIDE the unit since I started renting. Partially due to the fact that I lost keys within weeks of renting the unit and partially b/c Chris doesn't want me bringing in a bunch of junk. Whatever.

One of Chris' co-workers was looking for two twin beds which I happen to have just sitting in my storage unit. I told him he could have them. So I go to Public Storage on Monday April 6th. I tell them I need the lock cut off and a new one put on. I explain to her that the following day I have someone meeting me at 5pm there to get stuff out. Will this be a problem? No no no she says, the lock will be cut off today and I will call you to confirm that it has been. Does she call me? No. I call her the next day. It took me three hours to get a hold of someone there. She goes, oh the guy hasn't come out yet to cut off the lock...I'll call him to remind him. She then calls me back at 4:30pm to tell me that the lock will not be cut off that day. I'm really ticked at this point, but it is what it is so I ask her if she can guaruntee that it will be cut off on Wednesday. She says yes and this time I will make an effort to contact this guy to make sure he cuts off the lock. WTF???????????????????????????? I told you on Monday that I needed it cut off by the next day and you are telling me now that you didn't even make an effort????

As it turns out the co-worker couldn't come any other time that week so we decided to postpone. I get a phone call on Friday, April 10th from this chick telling me that they have just cut off my lock and I am free to enter the unit when I want. I was really pissed at this point. It took 5 days to have a stupid lock cut off. Ridiculous. I was going to complain, but I lost interest and got busy with other things.

Last night, Chris and this co-worker drive all the way downtown to get the beds out of storage. He calls me about 7pm and says the key is not working and they can't get into the unit and they are both PISSED as HELL! So I come to work today and call Public Storage. I ask to speak with the manager who happens to be the dumb a$$ that I've been dealing with. I gave her a piece of my mind. I told her this was ridiculous and an embarrassment to me and her company. She stuttered for a while and said she was going to go check the lock and call me back.

Well, it turns out the district manager cut my lock off and b/c the store manager was not there when it happened, he put a blue plastic covering over the lock that she has to remove before I can get into the unit. Helpful information about THREE WEEKS AGO! She claims that she did not know there was a plastic cover on it. Where the F is the communication in this place? So now I have left a message with the district manager to call me back to see what he can do. She tld me he could probably knock a couple bucks off my rent. Uhhhhh I would like a whole month free, thank you very much. It is absolutely ridiculous that I have invested as much time as I have into getting into a room that has a door that rolls up. It's a simple padlock lock. Nothing fancy. No need for a rocket scientist. So it's not even noon yet and I'm ready for a vodka and something. Thanks for letting me rant, blog people!

April Showers brings April Snow??

Hey everyone!!! So far in April it has rained. Then yesterday, it decided to snow and rain at the same time! Did I mention that it is APRIL??? In honor of Kristen...Dear Crazy! Life in Indiana is getting pretty crazy! I'm amazed at how busy I am yet none of that includes going to bars! In March, my dad drove out to visit Chris and I in our new apartment. He loves having his own room and bathroom. We surprised him with all of his favorite things; Kroger pickles, grape nut flakes, pepsi (in plastic bottles) and bourbon. We all went out to eat at this amazing restaurant called Rick's Boatyard. I definitely recommend it if you like seafood. It was delicious!

Another new thing I did this month was babysit a four month old. Yeah...me.... ha ha. For a couple days we had some gorgeous weather her and my cousin wanted to go Harley riding with her man so I watched her little tyke, Trent for a couple hours. Let me tell you, he is cute as a button, but he cried almost the whole time. I'm sure it was my fault, but I gues I'll wait a little while before having kids.

At the end of March, Chris and I drove all the way to Virginia for Kim and Tony's wedding!!! So much fun! We got to hang out with my parents all Thursday night. On Friday, it was out to Sleezeburg to get ready for the rehearsal dinner. I was exhausted after that. I wish I could say that we went out and partied like rock stars, but I went to bed at like 11pm. Saturday was filled with getting ready, pictures, and champagne. I had a blast the whole time and I hope Kim remembers that day forever. She looked beautiful. It was a little cold and rainy, but nothing could ruin Kim's fun. She was anything but a bridezilla. In fact, I think she made me realize how much of a bridezilla I will be if a certain someone either sh**s or gets off the pot. Ha ha, just kidding! It was great seeing a lot of old friends and getting to spend time with everyone singing Glory Days and dancing our butts off! Now I just need Seth and Susan to set a date so I know when I'm coming home next!

Happy February

Yeah I know I suck... I'm not even going apologize, I will just update. Well, Chris and I moved again. We moved to the westside of Indianapolis. He got a new job out at a property called Deer Crossing. It's pretty nice. It is way more convenient than living downtown. There is a very nice grocery store right across the street, many restaurants, a movie theatre, liquor store, and a great sports bar. The apartment is bigger and it's a two bedroom/two bathroom. Of course, my dad has already claimed the second bedroom and bathroom so if you want to come visit, you will have to ask his permission.

Nothing too exciting going on. Work is about the same. We've been really busy which of course, I am thankful for during this economic slump. School is going alright as well. I haven't had as much time as I want to dedicate to my studies. Oh well. I went to an All Girl's Valentine's Day party last weekend. 11 girls went to go see He's Just Not that Into You (super cute!) and then we went to a house to have fondue and other goodies. Well, when we walked in, the hostess had done an amazing job with decorations and gift bags for everyone. It was like a real party! I'm taking this as a sign that I'm getting old.

Chris is leaving next week for Miami to do some training for his new job. Yeah I feel real sorry for him. Actually, I do. He's going to Miami for the first time and won't be able to experience any of it. Ha ha! Serves him right for not asking to take me. I couldn't go anyway as I'm taking my own little trip next weekend. Alright, well, I better get back to work. I'll post pictures soon!