First Guest

December 6, 2010

Our favorite Terry was on his way back to KC and stopped to break bread...er, French toast...with us (along with turkey bacon, spiced peaches, and grapes). Although I had "cooked" tea in our new home, this was the first meal I cooked, and I must say that it was pretty yummy!

Those two are so silly. But if it lets me get a photo, I'm all for it!

Thank you for indulging my sentimentality, Terry...and for that sweet pie. Oh, that pie...I could feed it grapes...it's THAT good. :)

Making it a "Home Sweet Home"

the first thing I "cooked" in the house--hot tea in the morning :)

December 5, 2010

Sunday dawned bright and COLD. *brrr* Evidently the bottom floor, where our bedroom is, does not heat as well as the top floor. Geez, who decided heat should rise? That's just silly.

After lots of furniture assemblage and unpacking, we had our first meal at our kitchen table (KFC) and bid farewell to the Pharr's. Then we headed out to the other Pharr's to pick up the rest of our belongings...and then onto the grocery store.

We settled on the Walmart down the street from us. It was an exhausting shopping trip: I'm telling you moving is the best workout ever because all you do is pack and move boxes and walk up and down stairs and run to the store for things you need and never eat because there isn't time or you don't think of it.

Zach did procure a pineapple, which symbolizes hospitality and blesses one's home. :)
[I picked out a good one! It's tasty. :]

Home Sweet Home

December 4, 2010

Saturday morning we got up E-A-R-L-Y to head to Bentonville. It's usually a three-hour-and-45-minute drive going through Y-City, but, with our huge moving truck, we had to take the Interstate. It was a lovely, uneventful drive and really didn't seem like it was as long as it was.

My poor mama woke up with the stomach bug that has been going around, so she didn't get to go with us. :( At least she is feeling better now. :)

After some stops and lunch at the Cracker Barrel in Alma (Emily's country!), we made it safe and sound...and began the process of unloading. Thank God for dollies.

With Uncle Chuck's help, we finished ahead of schedule--even getting the kitchen set up!--and got to go eat at Ruby Tuesday. *MMM salad bar*

This is our home! I am in love with it. :)

dining room

HALF of the kitchen

looking in from the balcony

looking outside on the balcony

view of the front door

the stairs (We moved the mantel to go over the fireplace.)

the future office

my vanity :)

our bedroom

Zach's Lego room :)

the other bathroom downstairs

Budget Moving

December 3, 2010

We woke up in Hot Springs Friday morning and began the process of organizing all of our belongings to be transported by this Budget truck. It was HUGE, so we were certain we would have room left over.

Then we started loading in all the furniture and got a little worried. Next boxes came, and it was a flood of cardboard with no room to move. Finally we shoved in the odds and ends here and there so it was crammed...in the rental truck, Don (Zach's Honda), Beverly's CR-V, and the Buick I'm now driving. (Speaking of that car, it has no name, so maybe that's why it's misbehaving?)

This is what you call a caravan.

BUT there was room left over. *whew* It was nice to be able to rest that night and not have to worry about driving and/or unloading that day. It wasn't the smoothest day, but it was a lot smoother than some I've had when it comes to moving (and I've had A LOT). We definitely get better at packing and loading each time, but, Lord, please let us stay here for at least two years!

A special thanks to Bobby and Beverly, Momo, Josh, Kevin and Bree, and Jeannie and Chuck for making our move go smoothly! We are so thankful for you guys. :)

Mr. Burger

[photo courtesy http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Ffarm1.static.flickr.com%2F164%2F376152316_dff8cd3dee.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fflickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fltb%2F376152316%2F&usg=__KjMJhfCy2Gzvi8SO1U4xgJQBlxQ%3D&h=333&w=500&sz=84&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=lmCzMS3OGMQRWM%3A&tbnh=128&tbnw=192&prev=%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dmr%2Bburger%2Bfayetteville%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DX%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D556%26tbs%3Disch%3A1%26prmd%3Div&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=271&vpy=198&dur=2954&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=146&ty=117&ei=iAP_TKH1LYW_nAfBqNSnBw&oei=iAP_TKH1LYW_nAfBqNSnBw&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=12&ved=1t%3A429%2Cr%3A1%2Cs%3A0]

December 2, 2010

Stopping here on our way to HS has quickly become a tradition. It really does taste like the fair, which is bad for the waistline (and the heart).

Town Hall

December 1, 2010

Wow! I can't believe it's December and that we are moving this weekend! I'm so excited!

Today I had to go to City Hall (see picture) and set up our electricity/water/sewage/recycling. I'm really excited that Bentonville recycles, even if I'm living in the capitol of Walmartland. (Oh, the irony. I wonder if I would be run out of town if the town council read the paper I wrote in comp on the evils of Walmart...) But the little Walton 5 & 10 did look cute on the square. Maybe I will be shopping at Walmart more often...

BUT there was also a cute little Harp's off the square, and it reminded me of a Schnuck's I saw in Chicago, so we shan't count our chickens before they're hatched.

Also...I need to make a red and gold bow for a tree topper like the ones on city hall!

-*An Anniversary*-

November 30, 2010

Today is the first anniversary of when I began my daily photo album on facebook--the album that led me here. I can't believe I am a year and two photo albums later. I'm so glad I have maintained this way of blogging, even if I do sometimes post photos a few days late, because it is such fun to look back and see how you lived over the year.

It is also a challenge to find just one photo to represent an event; I say "event" because sometimes I post more than one photo a day. That's usually because I tend to do more than one thing a day. (Not always. ;) And sometimes I have to post two pictures to show both sides. Then there are other days when I'm not really sure what I'm going to post because I didn't really do anything interesting or I didn't take a photo or I can't find a photo. But I do post something. So I don't think I will have a problem continuing this.

And on to the second...!

Queen Helene's Mint Julep Masque

November 29, 2010

This is what Zach calls my copper face.
I've been using this facial mask regularly (about once a week) for three or four years. I'm not really sure where I got it, except I got it from my mama's house.
(Yes, I'm on the same tube. There isn't an expiration date on it.)
It's pretty much amazing.
I love it.
Even if it makes me crazy-looking. :)

Newfy Golf

November 28, 2010

I won Newfy Golf!
Woo! I'm getting pretty good at winning games. Part of this win had to do with the fact Zach passed his luck onto me. Thank you, baby!

Now to find some people to play cards with...

Good-bye to Hobie...for now

November 27, 2010

When I went to pack up my toiletry bag in the bathroom, Hobie was seated on the towels on top of our laundry basket cart--one of his favorite places. He likes to lie there when we are using the area and listen to The Smiths on the iPod dock. But this time he nervously eyed me as I placed lotion, toothpaste, facial wash into the bag, and he sat up as slid my toothbrush into it's plastic traveling canister. He was upset. We were leaving him again, and he was upset, rightfully so.

I took him to Zach and explained the dire situation. He immediately retrieved not one, but two treats. (Yes, we bribe our kitty with food.). Instead of letting him eat it out of his hand or on the floor, Zach placed it on this chair.

Now Hobie is REALLY smart. But he would not get up on that chair. Instead he paced around and around it, mewing his annoyance. Then he would place his front legs atop it and reach on his tippy toes to retrieve it. Of course his licking of the treats only pushed them farther out of reach, so he had to go from side to side until he finally got one in his mouth.

Zach took pity on him and his momentary display of stupidity or stubbornness or laziness--Hobie can play us WELL--and put the other treat on the floor. AND then he wouldn't take it until we moved the chair!

Beverly insists Hobie must have gotten squashed in one of those fold-up chairs before and remembers it--that's why he wouldn't get up there.

After the treats, Hobie followed us downstairs and up to the glass door we walked out of, leaving him behind again, and clawlessly pawed at us.

I miss my ritty rat so much. And he misses us, too. :(

What we did on Black Friday

November 26, 2010

Happy Black Friday!

We did not indulge in the commercial hoopla of Christmas...instead we partook in birthday celebration!

Jake is always excited when his mama gets presents...even if it's a week late! :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!

November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
*gobble gobble*

(Zach bought this for me; we used it as the centerpiece today. Erin named it Gus the Gobble Turkey. :)

Premium Saltines

[photo courtesy http://www.candypros.com/images/img_0855.jpg]

November 21, 2010
November 22, 2010
November 23, 2010

Because of a nasty stomach bug, I have been living off of these, applesauce, mashed potatoes, water, and one Sprite and one banana the past few days. NO me gusta.

I am so sick of these crackers. But these are the BEST saltines, the only kind I buy. And I know you will think I'm crazy, but they taste better in NWA. I think they have a different distributor up there. They taste how they used to taste...and how they still taste when they are packaged individually. I know. Crazy.

Quilt Shopping

[photo courtesy http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/bedandbath/coverletsquilts/quilts/PRD~c18944/Home+Classics+Anna+Floral+Quilt+Coordinates.jsp#]

November 21, 2010
Today Kohl's was having a one-day doorbester sale, so, even though I was feeling like pooh, we headed back into Fayetteville because I have been on the hunt for a quilt for AGES.

They had this one on for 50-60% off, so, after searching through the entire store and my complaining about everyone's lack of red quilts, we snatched one of these up.

We actually got it in the spring green color. However, the more I thought about it, I decided it was too spring for me. (Our decor is more olive and hunter and forest, not spring.) So Zach is exchanging it for the ivory one tomorrow. That way we can have red sheets or chocolate sheets or gold sheets or black sheets or olive/hunter/forest sheets to dress up our bed's ivory quilt and pillow shams.

I did like the blue one, along with every other blue quilt we found. Any other time I would have loved the blue...even six months ago I would have LOVED the blue...but it's not gonna work this time around. Nuh-uh.

Lights of the Ozarks

November 20, 2010

Last night we attended the lighting of the Fayetteville Town Square for the Christmas season.

One of the Duggar's was emcee or special guest or something. I guess it was Jim Bob because he's the only one we saw...and he wasn't with the rest of his family. Someone later that night mentioned that his daughters recently performed at a music recital, but he wasn't in attendance.

It was pretty funny.
Zach: So, have you seen any of the Duggar's around here yet?
Me: *whispering although I'm pretty sure I'm being overheard* There. is. one. right. behind. you.
*We look at Jim Bob, and he smiles, but I don't know if it's at us, or if he always smiles. The Kool-Aid, ya know.*


Colored lights can look a little busy at times. But I LOVE this tree with the red bells. I took some more pictures of the parade and the lights (see below), but I don't know if it was my camera, the fact that the lights were captured in motion (either they were moving or I was), or a combination of the two, but this was the best shot. I'm glad it turned out, but, Lord, I NEED a new camera sometime soon. :)

I guess the Christmas season has officially begun in NWA? :)

The beginning of what we saw of the parade

Chik-fil-A Christmas Cows

It's all about the Hogs, even at Christmas!

a snowman

wonderful picture of Zach, terrible picture of me: my hair hadn't been washed and was wind-blown, and I have a pixie look here because my hair was pulled in a ponytail. Ick.

Gingerbread House, or, according to my husband, a chicken coop stuffed with small children

I thought this was Snoopy--that's why I took the picture--but it doesn't look it?

Last time I checked, there aren't Hogs in the Baby Jesus story, and they don't work at the North Pole either.

Save a horse, ride a Hog.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

November 20, 2010

We went to see HP7 FINALLY!
Oh, it was definitely the best one so far!!
I could go on and on about the scenes I liked, the ones that made me happy, when I cried, how dark it was, etc.
But all I will say is that I stand by my belief that this book series spends a great deal of time on racial issues--granted, they are presented through the guise of the wizarding world and its races--and thus on an individual's rights and what is right and wrong regarding how each one is treated.

Obviously there are many more themes in this series that could be treated equally, but this is the one that I am most interested in and the one that, in my opinion, transfers well to day-to-day life for everyone. Some individual or group is always grappling for power and claiming superiority over the rest.

This picture was taken after we saw it. We took some at home before we left (see below), but I wanted to get a shot of me wearing glasses, too. Much more Potter-esque. I didn't bother with a lightning bolt scar since I have bangs. Don't we look happy in our Gryffindor scarves??

R.I.P. Dobby the Free Elf

[Some] Christmas Shopping

November 19, 2010

Today we signed our lease! 19 really is our lucky day. :)

I also bought some Christmas presents today, including one I have been looking for for weeks and finally found in the most random place. ;)

This is our tree with all the presents last year. I can't wait to put it up in our new apartment!! (And maybe next year we can get a grown-up tree...)

"Owl" [Our] Cottage

November 18, 2010

We got an apartment! We signed the lease today (Nov. 19th) after viewing it yesterday. Praise the Lord!!!
I am so glad they went with the other applicants on the original one we wanted because this one suits our personalities much better. :)
It is just darling. It is a duplex, but it doesn't feel like one: it has a lot of character, is surrounded by quiet woods, and up kept well.

[Photo from Larry Kelly and Associates]

You drive down a hill into the parking lot and cross the wooden walkway in the picture to enter the top floor. The front door opens into a spacious living room with a fireplace and French doors that open onto a little balcony overlooking the woods and ravine. There is a large kitchen with ALL appliances (We don't have to buy a fridge!) and a nice dining area with a window that also look out. On this floor is a utility room/pantry and a half bath.

[Photo from Larry Kelly and Associates]

[Photo from Larry Kelly and Associates]

Then you go down the stairs, which are wonderful in themselves. There is a large window in the stairwell, the one you can see in the picture, and beneath is is a mantel for pictures and knick-knacks. At the bottom of the stairs on the left is the smallest bedroom that we will also be using as an office/study like the current tenants. Next to that is a full bath and another bedroom. Then on the the right is the master bedroom with French doors opening onto a deck. There is also a master bath with a built-in vanity and linen closet in its entrance. It's pretty much perfect.



I think it should be called Owl Cottage. (There are decoy owls on the chimney and side of the house--very whimsical and Hogwartsean, eh?)

I have NEVER been THIS excited to move before! After the week of Thanksgiving, I'll be counting down the days. :)