Our 'Ol Virginia Home

We bought our very first home in Virginia back in 2004. It was near the height of the real estate market there in suburban Virginia. It was so stressful buying your first home, let alone competing against at least 10 other people for the same house. We got the house and did basically no upgrades except for painting the kitchen.

Hollie...I don't know if you remember what it looked like before a NIGHTMARE!

Anyway, we heard from our old agent Joe who said our house was back on the market - in foreclosure :-( We sold it for $315,000 and the market has tanked so bad that it is for sale now for $145,000! I can't believe that we made $60,000 on our 11 month investment on that house and today it is worth nothing! I don't know why I'm sad about it. Maybe I'm upset about the color they used to paint the master bedroom.

http://matrix.mris.com/Matrix/Public/Email.aspx?ID=27195293782

The Washer & Dryer

Greg also bought me a new washer and dryer. Apparently our "laundry fairy" keeps complaining about the Montgomery Ward Washer & Dryer that the previous owners had left. I had to wash the clothes 2 or 3 times to get them cleaned and the dryer...forget about it. It would be more efficient to use a hair dryer.

These are AWESOME! We have a very narrow laundry room, so I couldn't get a front loader. These 2 are just as efficient as the front loaders. You have to buy special laundry detergent for them! I went out to Albertson's and spent $18 on detergent, where I usually spend about $10. I'll be going to the commissary from now on for that. If you use regular detergent, you will have so many suds and the soap won't wash out becuase you use only 20 gallons or so of water, whereas your standard washer uses 40. This washer will do a king size blanket or queen comforter!!! That was my main thing. I had to be able to wash my own comforters. You know how it is with dogs. They seem to mess up the bedding 1 hour after you get it back from the cleaners.

Yeah! I love my new appliances!!

Our latest addition...

Today we introduce our newest member... a new fridge! The one that came with the house was soooo old....1999 was the last time the water filter was changed in the ice maker! I think it was sucking so much electricity. Whenever the fan or whatever was running that thing shut down, it sounded like a giant diesel truck shutting off. It shook everything in the house!

I went to Sears hoping to find the one we had in Tennessee, but this one is better! The salesman Mr. Tucker was the best! The fridge was delivered today by some amazing guys. They brought in the fridge through the front door with the fridge in these straps that they had around their shoulders. It wouldn't quite fit through the front door, so they opened up the doors of the fridge while they brought it in. Amazing.

Wow! I feel so lucky! My husband is the best :-)

What's in Your Soda?

So there I was…at the Shell Station on 2319 4th Ave E, Olympia. I've never been to this shop, but decided to stop on in. I had a hankerin’ for a fountain diet coke. It really does taste better than in a can or bottle. I can also put in a lot of ice which I do enjoy.

I’ve heard the talk about how unsanitary the ice machines are in these places, but my love of ice overcomes the fear. So I grab a cup, fill it with ice, and then decide on the spur of the moment to get Sierra Mist. I pull the little lever to release the liquid and I notice it’s slower than a normal fountain and then there is no bubbly-ness. Again, not too odd. Then it happened….

Two ants came out of the spigot. Guess they needed the sugar more than me. After being completely grossed out, and a few dry heaves later, I returned the ants and the drink to the cashier thinking this is the kind of guy who would have ants for pets. He didn’t seem surprised but asked if I wanted a different kind of drink. I said “are you kidding me?” and walked out.

I then went to my usual “I need a fountain drink with ice” gas station located on Plum & State and oh so yummy. No bugs. Nice clean environment. The only thing that catches my eye are signs everywhere that say you cannot use food stamps to buy wine, beef jerky, soda, or lottery tickets.

Should I call the health department or something? Or is this something that falls within the "acceptable" parameters for an establishment with food? Probably the latter, but I'll google and find out.

Welcome Home from work, Mommy!

The boys left me a present this afternoon when I came home from work...thank goodness they are going to Doggy Daycare tomorrow! Yes, I know it could be worse. They only get into the trash when one of us forgets to empty it out after a "tasty" (i.e. meat and/or fish) meal.

No book report on The Shack

Okay, I cannot finish up The Shack. I'm trying, but it's not looking so good. I can't believe I can't finish it. It's not because I don't "believe" it or whatever. It is just slowing down too much. I think I need to stick to my "no brainer" reading.

Go Vols!

Finally I can watch the Vols play on TV. They are gonna smoke the Florida Gators!

reMarriage Magazine

Please take a moment to check out my dear friend Paula's web-site. She started a magazine called reMarriage. It's a glossy, full color, beautiful magazine geared towards blended families and the struggles and triumphs that come with re-marriage.

Greg and I were featured in this month's issue!

http://www.remarriagemag.com/community/

Please consider subscribing or giving a gift subscription to a family you know who is considering remarriage or has already taken the plunge again!

Check out the website and I know you'll be impressed!

Double the Purses...Double the Fun

I love driving into the driveway and seeing packages on the front porch waiting for me. Greg doesn't as he usually knows his bank account is slowly dwindling.

I had 2 packages waiting...one from my sister and one from katespade.com. I knew what was in the kate spade box, so I set that one aside and opened up Hollie's package. It is a fabric starbucks bag! A reusable starbucks bag! I was telling the boys that it is so awesome! I love it! Everyone is going to be so jealous!!! Thanks, Hollie!!! I love it. I'm going to attach my Starbucks Charm from the American Village Starbucks to it. Everyone will be doubly jealous!!

On to my kate spade handbag. It is soooooo nice. I absolutely love it! It's my anniversary present from Greg. It's nice and big. It came just in time. I'm tired of my red/white checkered kate spade bag. Time to put it into hibernation until next spring/summer.

Fence Explanation

I guess I should comment about what is going on with the gate / fence. As you can tell from the pictures, one side had totally fallen over and the posts had rusted off. So it was all propped up with cinder blocks and bricks.

So we hired a friend to come install an Eivind (my dad) Style Gate. I had Greg W. do the other side of the house, too, and put a gate up there. We will save some more money and then re-do the right side of the house with a wood fence. So for now, it's a chain link on the right side and the gate is kind of a facade right now. If we didn't do both sides, it would look kind of weird.

It makes the house look so good. I can't stop talking about it!

Members of the fence crew: Mom & Dad Ford, Greg W., Earl across the street who loaned us several tools, Coby - Crew Chief, Tucker - Apprentice, Rebecca - Drink Fetcher, Greg F. - check writer.

Fence

Such a sweet couple

My brother and his fiance came to visit and go over some stuff for their wedding. We had a very nice visit. I love this pic I took because Tucker would never leave the "photo" area, so I had to go ahead and crop him out...on second thought...I'm going to leave him in the shot.

The Shack

Okay, I'm reading this book. I read what Nyla had written about it, so of course when I saw it at Target, I decided to give it a read. I'm enjoying the read so far, but it's peculiar. I don't really know what to make of it. My mother in law is going to read it after me. Everyone I've spoken to has heard about the book, but no one has read it through.

Chili - Meat

My boss made some awesome chili today...for some reason I thought this note looked hilarious on the crock pot. Meat...just plain 'ol meat. Chili with meat. He is an awesome cook...he specializes in super spicy/hint of sweet chili. Yummy...

I've been in a goofy humor stage. I'm annoying myself. What do you do when you annoy yourself?

TGIF

I will never forget

http://www.rebeccaford.com/tradecenterfountain.htm

Here is some commentary on my thoughts on one of our trips to NYC...

Memories of Okinawa

I have a friend who has been known to push my buttons and we disagree on just about every facet of life, but we found common ground after I shared my Okinawan experience. It brings tears to my eyes for some reason. I hope you enjoy it...
************

Rebecca you should know Okinawa is my second home. Once there visit Camp Kinser and then find the only three towers on the roadside facing the sea, a short distance from the gate.
Then, find the center tower and go to the 5th floor room 503. You will be standing outside our old home.

We weep for it.

Fortunate you are to visit and I hope you have had a wonderful trip.
Pay my respects to the hermit crabs on the shore and the tiny octopi in the shallows near the old grounded frieghter, which we have walked out to, but I understand you cannot any longer.

There are ghosts on that island, many of them, and other spirits too.

On the night we left, we vowed that when we die, resting under the sands of Okinawa would be the best place of all. We would watch the sun rise and set, and whisper to people, spirits, and hermit crabs until we had no more eyes or lips.


Okinawa is the best kept secret on the world maybe.

Lucky Rebecca.

Schwab, Hansen, Butler, Gonsalvez, even the Air Force's Kadena are all nice too but the magic lies on Kinser because of some ruins your family may or may not know about. At least, we assume that's why the ghosts are so thick in the winds there, and in the sans and shallow waters.

My anniversary flowers

How beautiful are these?

Happy Anniversary, Gleeby!

Our 2nd Wedding - September 9, 2008

To my dear husband and best friend...I love you with all my heart. You are my soulmate and best friend. I couldn't have asked for a better life...I look forward everyday to being with you and growing old together.

Sept 9, 2003 we were remarried in Clarkville, TN. These are the pictures from our ceremony presided over by Judge Joe Creek.

We were married February 14, 1998 and divorced in 2000. After much soul searching on the part of both of us...we found each other again and rekindled a spark of love that had never gone out. It burns brighter and brighter every day.

You can read more of our story in reMarriage magazine (www.remarriagemagazine). It's a magazine started by a dear friend of ours that is aimed at remarried couples and some of the struggles that come up with blended families, ex-inlaws, etc. Please check it out.

Below are some pics from our first wedding! Wow...we look so young :-)

Trader Guiseppe

Greg needed some more of his special chocolate covered raspberry and orange sticks at Trader Joe's. So off we go. He stayed in the truck with the boys and I "ran" inside. If you like Trader Joe's then you know there are few short trips inside. I get a few things, including their extra virgin olive oil - it's from the Trader Guiseppe's area. I come across blood orange soda. It was a must buy. Granted it's not like tasting a real blood orange from the hills of Sicily...where they originated. Several countries are now growing the blood orange, but they don't taste as good as the original, right Hollie?

Drive Thru Etiquette

1. If this is your first time to a restaurant, do not use the drive-thru. This is not the time to "get-to-know" the restaurant or ask questions.

2. Know what you want before it's your turn at the squak box. Again, not the time to sit there and decide what you want.

3. Have your money ready. There are signs at tons of drive-thrus saying please have your money out and ready.

4. No special orders. I can accept the bean burrito with no onions, but nothing unique. We do not have time for that.

5. I polled some co-workers to determine the amount of time it is acceptable to wait at the drive thru after paying and receiving your order. The median time is 30 seconds. That gives you a moment to rifle through your order, put your change in your purse and shift into drive. I'm totally amazed at how long people chat with the employee or put on lipstick or whatever.

6. If you have a Cummins diesel big arse pickup truck or a 79 Volkswagen Dasher with blue smoke piling out of your exhaust pipe, shut off your engine at the window or forego the drive thru all together. Again...common courtesy.

7. If you are at a Starbucks drive thru, your maximum order (especially in the morning) is 2-4 drinks. Once again...common courtesy.

I reserve the right to come back and edit this or whatever. I really think that people have lost all sense of common courtesy and respect for others. I meant this to be a funny post, but I think it's dark and not funny. I probably need to lighten up.

Starbucks Oatmeal

I decided to test out Starbucks new oatmeal. They are trying to introduce healthier breakfast alternatives according to their website. I get my usual drink, although it has morphed into a venti this week as I'm dragging. TGIF. There is absolutely nothing special about this. Nothing whatsoever. It was bland and then the next bite I'd get a hunk of salt or something like that. Yuck. The price is $2.25 for this container of goo. You are better off bringing in your Quaker instant oatmeal or some nice steel-cut oats.

And the kicker is....they give you this spoon meant for a peanut buster parfait. This is a dainty cup of oatmeal. Do they really think the cup is that big? I asked for a different spoon and she said that is what comes with it. Oh, excuse me. I don't want to stray from the "formula."

We grew up on oatmeal and my mom is a fine connoisseur of the oats. I think the best on-the-go oatmeal was at the Library of Congress. It tasted so good...especially after walking a 1/2 mile from the VRE train in 10* weather. Hmmmm...the good 'ol days :-)

Pet Hair Lifter

Okay, people. I buy this sponge - The Gonzo Pet Hair Lifter - at the impulse buying section of the checkout line at Linens & Things. The L&T at the South Hill Mall is going out of business, so they are having some decent deals.

I didn't think it would work. OMG...not only did it pick up hair, but dirt that I didn't know was there!

Coby and Tucker give it 2 dew claws up!

Braywood

This housing development is on our way home from doggy daycare...my family will get it.

To and From

This morning on my way to work, I look up in my rearview and this is what I see...

It's a Stryker and it's hauling arse! It totally freaked me out. I had no idea they could drive so fast. I must say that I'm on Ft. Lewis property and they were obviously on their way to a training exercise or something. The speed limit is 45 mph and they were going at least that. Look out bad guys!

I'm attaching a pic of what a Stryker might look like not bearing down on you at 5:30am.

Then on my way home from work, I see this totally antique motorcycle and sidecar. I would love to have one and put Coby and Tucker in it and ride around.

Lynn Swan

I saw Lynn Swan at the Republican Convention on TV.

Sister meets Salmon

Okay...here is tonight's main course: Sockeye Salmon...not my first choice, but Copper River Salmon is only available for a few weeks and they were sold out of King. I like the King because it's a fattier salmon and of course I love fatty fish! I'm a Norwegian. OMG...I ate about 2 oz and savored every single bite. It was INCREDIBLE! I'm good... the big test is when Greg gets home. He has no problems AT ALL telling me when a meal sucks. So we shall see... Wish me luck!

TMZ Link - Barack has 2 dads!

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid353549946/bctid1770059840

I love "bad" Engrish...

Shrimp on the Barbie

Our lunch today was prepared on the barbie...it was yummy! Garlic red potatoes and freshly frozen shrimp :-) I'm not sure what to do with shrimp. I found out it dries out very fast. I don't know if dipping it in herb butter is enough. I need to do more research. Greg actually made gumbo of sorts...brats from last night with the potatoes and fresh corn. It looked and smelled great!