Superpowers Anyone?

Have you ever wished you had a superpower? Sometimes I wish I had one! I'd wish for different ones according to the day. Today, I wish I had some sort of magical ability to reach through my cell phone and bitch slap the moron on the other end of the phone that works at Comcast! (Please excuse my langauge, my patience has been tried to say the least!)

Now keep in mind that I have always paid my bill in full and early every month for internet & cable. When I moved into my new apartment (a glorified 5 minutes down the road from my old one mind you) I was told I would be charge a $49.99 reconnect/transfer fee plus my normal rate for cable & internet. Fast foward this week to me recieving my statement that says I owe them almost 5x my normal monthly fee! EXCUSE ME?? I called them and explained to them in a polite manner that they overcharged me and that I need a manger to amend my bill to the correct amount. Almost an hour later, the "manager" is nowhere to be contacted and the heifer on the other end was anything but helpful and said it could take over a week for them to pull my paperwork! Hilarious since I had my copy of it in front of me and all of their documents are supposedly "computerizied"! Ugg!! Lets just say I got that bitch's nice lady's name and extension number and I fully plan to contact their cooproate office about this. If it's not resolved, I will be taking my business elsewhere! Comcast should seriously be ashamed about how they treat their customers. I have never had a problem before now, but I certainly never expected to be treated soo rudly. I could ALMOST understand had I been rude over the phone, missed a payment, or never paid ontime, however, I was polite despite restraing myself from calling the mornon on the other end every explicitive I could think of and instead, being kind, I also pointed out that I paid in full and early every month, and I have never missed a bill.

If that's the way Comcast treats their customers, I'm of a firm mindset that they can kiss my rear and I'll take business elsewhere! Nothing makes me want to shank a bitch more than  brightens up my day like being put on hold forever, talking to a rude staff member, and then still not having ANYTHING resolved and being told it may take over a week just to hear back from a manager! We'll see how long it takes to talk to a manger when I call the bozos at their corporate office and let them know about this! =)

Sorry about my rant. I'm sure ALL of you have experienced something similar at some point though and understand my frustration. It's days like this one where I really wish my "superpower" included the ability to reach through a cell phone and  smack some sense into someone!

Thankful Thursday!

Life can get crazy sometimes. That's when it's a good idea to set aside a little time and dwell on what we're thankful for in life, instead of worrying over the negatives! Here's my list of some of the things that I'm thankful for today (in no particular order):

1. I'm thankful that there's food in my pantry and that I have the luxury of figuring out what I'm about to cook for dinner tonight...some people aren't that blessed, I try not to take it forgranted.

2. I'm thankful that I live in a much safer neighborhood now! It's amazing feeling like I don't have to carry a gun with me anymore when I walk my puppy at night!! (I'm also thankful that my new neighbors are sweet so far!) It's only been a little under two weeks since I moved in and I adore my new apartment.

3. I'm thankful that my puppy is doing soo well with his training! I can't wait for him to become a certified therapy dog and brighten other people's days us as much as he brightens up mine!

4. I'm thankful that for the most part, my new place is almost unpacked! (I'll try to take pictures soon)

5. I'm thankful that I had dinner with my dad last night...If you would have told me that I would be seeing him several times a week now,over a year ago I would have told you that you were smoking crack!  It's amazing how much he's changed and has tried to be there for me now. Such a blessing. I'm soo glad I choose to forgive him and let him back in my life :) It may have taken him over 24 years, but it's definitely better late than never!

6. I'm thankful for the delicious new Private Selection "Tropical Coconut Gelato" that Kroger is selling- ZOOMG it's good!!

7. I'm thankful for my new Costco membership my sister Kimmy talked me into getting. It paid for itself in my first trip there! I definitely love the savings.

8. I'm thankful that my car (even though it needs work) gets me from point A to point B!

9. I'm thankful that I got to see my cousins from Oklahoma this week for the first time since February!

10. I'm thankful that Jack always remembers to tell me I'm beautiful...even if I look like a mess and feel like one, he never neglects to tell me how much he loves me and that I'm pretty. He is soo good to me! :)

Wordless Wednesday!

(I can't believe Ranger is almost 6 months old! He's such a sweet puppy!)

My Favorite Picks: Household Helpers!

Below are a few of my top household picks! Each of these items has helped to make my life much easier! I'd definitely recommend them all!

1. The Bissell Little Green: I'm clumsy and I have pets...enough said! This little carpet cleaner works like charm and keeps my carpet looking great!

2. Dyson DC17 Animal - I have owned mine for several years now and I have to say that it is worth its weight in gold!! I was a little sceptical at first. When I first got it, I took the dyson challenge- I vaccumed my home with my old vaccume cleaner and then vaccumed what I thought was a clean carpet with the new dyson. WOW! It's amazing how much crap the dyson picked up after I used my old vaccume cleaner! I wound up with 3 canisters full of the dirt,grime, and debris my old vaccume left behind. My dyson has been my favorite cleaning item ever since then! It has still continuted to work just as well as it did the day I got it several years ago. They're a little pricy (I recieved mine as a gift), but to anyone looking to buy a new vaccume cleaner, I'd highly recommend this guy- it's worth every penny! Mine gets a lot of use too! I try to vaccume daily since I have pets. It keeps my home looking great; you would never know I have dogs and cats when you look at the floors in my home!

3. Febreeze NOTICEables: I LOVE LOVE LOVE these! They are the only air freshners in my opinion that work all month long! I also love that the scents alternate so that my nose does not get "immune" to a certain scent. I never have to wonder if my airfreshner is working or not in my home! I also love that there are soo many yummy fragrances to choose from! Unlike other airfreshners that simply "add" more odors,etc to your home, these actually help eliminate bad odors and keep the air in your place smelling great!

4. Bleach Toilet Tabs- I think it's safe to say that none of us "enjoy" cleaning our toilets. I've found that the bleach toilet tabs keep my toilets sparkling clean and significantly increase the time I have in between cleanings! I personally haven't noticed a different from one brand to the next: Clorox, Tidy-bowl, The Works, the off brands...they all work about the same in my opinion. The best part is, they're all pretty inexpensive!

5. Lysol Dual Action Disinfecting Wipes- I LOVE these! They work amazingly well on all of my countertops and other surfaces in my home! I especially love the "scrubby" side of the wipe for stuck on stains and grime!

6. Mr. Clean Magic Eraser - I LOVE these! They are fantastic at cleaning everything from scuff marks on your walls, the tile in your shower, to the glass window on your toaster oven! These little things truly are magical!

7. Swiffer 360 Dusters! They're a breeze to use and they are amazing at trapping dust, pet hair, and grime!

8. Febreeze Fabric Refresher- Not only does this make your home smell delicious, it also comes in scents that match the Febreeze Noticables if you use those as well in your home! There are several different scents that I adore, so I love always having a variety! I also love that they neutralize odors and freshen the air.

9. Baking Soda & Lemon Juice- It's simple, it's cheap, it's easy, and it doesn't induce an asthma attack like some other tub/tile cleaners do! I can not stand shower/tile cleaners. Can't stand them! They stink to the high heavens and they always seem to cause an asthma attack for me (normally I don't have issues with that unless I'm around someone who smokes). A few years ago I tried using some natural alternatives that worked just as efficiently. That's when I discovered baking soda & lemon juice work fantastically together! You mix them together to form a bit of a paste then scrub your shower/whatever you need cleaned with it for a few minutes and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes, then rinse! Sparkling clean and no harsh chemicals necessary! If you don't have time to mix it yourself, you can normally find a lemon/water after shower spray at most stores (even Dollar Tree sells it) that smells like clean lemon and keeps your shower looking nice. I use it after every shower/bath.

(Some people use white distilled vinegar for that as well, but I can't stand the smell - I do however use a small pinch of it in the rinse aid of my dishwasher when I'm out of Jet Dry!) If you don't have eithor lemons or baking soda, you can take a dryer sheet (the kind you'd use to do laundry with) and wet it with water then scrub your shower knobs/etc with it- it works soo well! Try it!

-You can also sprinkle a little baking soda on your carpet before you vaccume to help lift odors and it works well in litter pans too for those of you who own cats.

-lemons are great freshner- I love to put lemon (and other citrus peels) down my garbage disposal after I use my juicer...then I run water and turn the disposal on for a few seconds and it makes my kitchen smell amazing!

10. Swiffer Sweeper Wet Mopping Cloths- I love these things! I use them on the tile in my apartment and they work quite well! (I also like to use the dry cloths as well). If you have a Costco membership, their storebrand "kirkland" cloths work just as well!

Ultimate 80's Weekend: Pat Benatar, REO Speedwagon, Scorpions, RockSugar, Ratt.....ahhhh yeah!!!

I have a confession to make- I am slightly addicted to 80's music. Ok, I'm VERY addicted to it! But hey, I was born in the 80's so it's all good! Monday after I got out of the hospital (had some tests done on my heart) Jack suprised me with tickets to see one of my favorite artists- Pat Benatar! This past weekend was insane...but fun! Friday I worked on packing up my apartment then that night, Jack took me to Live at the Garden to see REO Speedwagon & Pat Benatar. It was soo much fun! He brought a picnic dinner (and a flower) for me and we had an awesome date night at the concert!

I have to say, Pat Benatar is still SOOO awesome! I was really happy that she sang some of my favorite songs too AND that a lot of her set was done acoustic- it was good!! Some of my favorites that she sang were :Heartbreaker (she closed with that one), We Belong, & Shadows of the Night. REO Speedwagon opened up for her and they were pretty good too!

 My absolutely favorite parts of the Pat Benatar show though was when her and her husband, Spyder sang a song called, " I don't wanna be your friend" - it was incredable! (I fully intend to learn this one on guitar soon!) Her husband was amazing on guitar and she had the most amazingly raw and perfect voice for that kind of song! Before the song they explained that it was based on a dream that she had about her husband cheating on her (he didn't really though)...she was apparently soo pissed off about her dream that she was inspired to write this song!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kt7val5r4wU

 Pat Benatar singing "Heartbreaker" in this one! (we were all the way in the back, so the picture isn't the best)

Pretty flower Jack gave me before the Live at the Garden show:) (It fit in perfectly with the picnic theme!)

Saturday was MOVING DAY! It was insane but great. It was my first time using a moving company as I can't do a lot right now since my heart is in a little bit of rough shape (having surgery Aug. 16). I used Cooper Moving and I have to say that they were wonderful! They had everything done in a few short hours, nothing was broken, and I think I had the two most kind, hard-working guys ever. I was soo happy that I called their manager after the move and gave them an awesome review! So to any of my friends that are looking to move in the future- definitely use them! They're do nation-wide moves. I will post pictures of the new diggs soon!

Sunday- WOW Sunday was AHHHH-MAZING! Jack took me to see my favorite band on the face of the earth (second only to Green Day ;)) We went to see the Scorpions!!!!! On Friday afternoon I heard an announcement over the radio that they would be playing at Mud Island on Sunday night. I immediately freaked out and kenw I HAD to go!! My amazingly wonderful boyfriend definitely gets some brownie points for getting me tickets to that show! ;) It was AWESOME! Rock Sugar opened (they're an incredable 80's cover band), RATT played next and totally got the party started, then the Scorpions came on and totally made it one of the most awesome concerts I've ever been to! The next day I didn't have much of a voice left since I pretty much screamed the entire show! It was such a good concert; All three bands were soo fun! It ment the world to me to get to go too because it was the Farewell tour for the Scorpions here (They're from Germany). So realistically, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see one of my favorite bands. What really made the night special though was having Jack by my side to enjoy the concert too!

Here are a few pictures from the Scorpions concert! They didn't sing my absolute favorite song, "Send Me an Angel", but they did sing a TON of my other favorites--- "Rock You Like a Hurricane", "Still Loving You", "Wind of Change"- they were incredable on that one! "The Zoo", "Big City Nights" ,"Tease Me Please Me"...ahhh and the list goes on! They were soo good!

These two guys were hard-core haha. They kept the party going even between bands! I believe this was between set-ups for Ratt & the Scorpions here. I have no doubt that they had an amazing hangover the next day ;)

Me & Jack at the Scorpions show! Sooo excited!!!

Pictures of what's to come!

Here's a little glimpse of what's to come with the new apartment! These are pictures of the model they showed me, but it's supposed to be identical to the unit I'm moving into this weekend! I go tomorrow to sign the lease and let them take pictuers of my puppy (one of their requirements I suppose), then I move in on Saturday! I can't wait! :) I'll definitely take some good pictures once I get everything unpacked & decorated. I have a feeling that Ranger will like it there too- they have a private entrance to the Shelby Farms dog park-ya!

I LOVE the master bedroom closet...it's hard to tell in the picture, but it goes a long way back- you could definitely live in it!

The guest bathroom

Another one of the guest bathroom with the curved shower curtain rod (love those!) Now all I need is a curtain for that bathroom!

Master bathroom- Hello Garden Tub- I can't wait to introduce you to my LUSH products!

One of the bathroom vanities and my niece Taylor being goofy

Master bathroom vanity I think

A few shots of the bedrooms (they're about the same size). Not the best quality pictures, I'll try to get some better ones! 

My complex I'll be moving into (the second floor unit is mine)

A picture I took from the 3rd floor model apartment that overlooks the apartment complex I'll be moving into on the other side

guest bathroom again

LOVE the kitchen!

the pantry

Here are a few pictures from the apartment complex's website:

Outside of some of the complex

pool

gym

Amazing grill area!! I'm excited about this spot!

Floorplan Layout (I believe this one is mine)

I still need to get good pictues of the bedrooms, laundry area, living room & dining area, but I'll do that soon!

Nervous

How many times have you let your nerves get the best of you? We all have our moments where we panic and overthink things. We worry about the "what if''s" in life and forget to actually breathe and enjoy the little things that really matter. I've definitely been guitly of this lately. My nerves seem to have gotten the best of me this week. In the past, I've always destressed by doing Yoga & running, but since I'm unable to do much of anything for quite a while now because of my heart, my favorite destressing tools are out of the picture- leaving me feeling frazzled at times. The chaos that goes along with planning a move, delaying school when I was soo close to graduation, and an upcomming open heart surgery seems a little overwhelming at times. I'm normally pretty laid-back and easy going. I can typically roll with the punches and not let the little upsets in life get the best of me.  So for me to be a nervous-wreck is out of the ordinary. This week I've been a basket case to say the least! After thinking things over tonight though, I'm going to make it my goal to just try and take a step back at this point and remind myself to breathe. I guess sometimes things our out of our hands (my heart surgery for example- I need it, I know I need it, yet I'm still nervous about it) I think it's during those nervewracking times that God smacks us upside the head and reminds us to be still and pray. I had one of those moments tonight.

I had a pretty decient day today- packed up some of my apartment this morning (with the help of my mom and aunt), then Jack and I went to my sister Kimmy's house for a 4th of July cook out (which wound up being a "cook in" when my brother-in-law's grill wouldn't cooperate!) It was fun. We all had a good time, but towards the end of the night, I started daydreaming and thinking about the "what if's" that could come along with my upcomming surgery. By the time my sweet boyfriend dropped me off at my apartment tonight, he knew something was up, so he asked me what was wrong. (Did I mention that Jack can read me like a book?). When I told him all of the things that were running through my head, all he did was give me a huge hug and let me know that everything would be ok. Sometimes you just need to hear from another person that you loved that one simple statement, "Everything is going to be alright". I don't know why, but it definitely helped calm me down. The next thing he said ment even more to me - he asked me if I'd prayed about it and if I prayed for my nerves to subside. I told him I'd been praying about the move/surgery/etc, but that I didn't even think to pray for my nerves. I guess sometimes we just need other people to point things out for us and to lead when we're having a moment of weakness. I am soo greatful that Jack is not only a wonderful boyfriend to me, but that he is also starting to become a strong spiritual leader in our relationship together. That means soo much to me.

I think the moral of my blog post tonight is that sometimes it's ok to admit when you're nervous, even over little things. Then, try to "let it go" and pray about it. I already feel better and more calm. So, if you have something bothering you and making you nervous- pray about it! Sounds simple, but it really does help...

Puppy Class Graduate!

Yesterday, my Ranger graduated from his puppy classes with his best friend Bentley. :) I'm soo proud of my sweet little guy! He's doing wonderful with his training and has the best personality. He will be starting Intermediate classes soon, so wish him luck ! (The plan is for him to become a therapy dog once he passes all of his training courses & his canine good citizen tests).

Ranger with his puppy diploma

Ranger with his trainer, Allan. (Allan even brought a cap for them to wear haha!)

Ranger disliked the cap!

Ranger & Bentley in their command "down stay"

Ranger went to my sister Kimmy's house after his class and had a blast playing with her two Chinese Cresteds, Toby & Mac

 

Ranger giving Toby a kiss...awww!

Ranger after his first trip to the groomer on Friday. He's 5 months old and weighs 33lbs.