long overdue post....
gosh I'm so lazy about this journal lately. i love reading everyone else's updates, but clearly I'm not pulling my weight. I've been so worn out between my hand and all the insurance issues with that, and trying to get money sorted out for our bills while not working, then the holidays hit and I was totally overwhelmed.
I was sick through hanukah, so we didn't light candles this year, though we did have a nice meal the last night of latke and pork chops (I know, i'm such a good jew, right?). Taryn managed to open all her presents from me before hanukah even started, but she was really pleased with them - a Heath Ledger Joker Tee, the Magic Johnson/Larry Bird book, and several video games she got early (including our much loved Beatles rock band set).
I'm still working partial days, but did find out I can probably get a bit more money in compensation since the time restriction is hand related.
We spent xmas eve and xmas day with the two halves of Taryn's family. the Eve we spent in Solsberry with her Dad's side of the family. We hung out with her 2 cousins and her dad and grandpa and watched sportscenter while we waited on their usual pizza dinner. We ate, hung out and unwrapped presents. Her mom generously bought us a new toaster and gave us each $$. I'm not thrilled about the toaster as I'm entirely sure that I'm responsible for messing up the dials on the one that Ces bought us last year (in my defense, clicky dials are a dumb concept which I'm sure the toaster industry used to make us buy more toasters). She got us the warrantee from best buy too, to supposedly they'll keep replacing it for up to 2 years. I plan to keep using the pop up and let T manage the new one. Now I just have to find space for it in our kitchen since we have a breadmaker and a rotisserie we didn't have last year.
Xmas day we spent in Indy with her mom's side of the family. We got hang with T's Aunts and Uncles who are a hoot and a half. Taryn got some more cash and jewelry (her ring collection seems to expand yearly) and once again her family surprised me by giving me gifts as well. We ate turkey dinner and drove home.
My parents got a Wii fit so i went over there last night and had a blast playing with them for a few hours. I'm not too keen on the balance board as it seems to want me to keep all my weight on my toes in order to be "balanced" but overall it was lots of fun. Watching my parents flap like chickens for 3 minutes each is probably the most entertaining thing I've seen all year.
This morning i got up and went to the mall to pick up my presents (T didn't have any cash till yesterday). I got this bike:
I'm not too keen on the color (though I know Kehlee is jealous!) but I love the styling and the size/shape is perfect for me. I couldn't really test ride it since Target keeps the tires deflated to "prevent stealing". Not much of a deterrent if you ask me. I sat on it and wheeled around a bit and found it really comfy. The other choices were less comfortable when tested so I took it despite the pink. It was the floor model and a bit damaged - a bent fender, the seat leather is coming loose in one spot (I think a staple got pulled, so it's easy to fix), and the rubber on the end of the left grip is punctured and coming loose. They took 10% off for me because of it, but refused to assemble another one or sell me the unassembled one to assemble myself because it's against their policy. I'm going to try to tune it up myself, but I might end up taking it somewhere. I looks like I might be able to get some replacement parts from Schwinn to replace the damages ones from the store for little or no cost, so that's good too.
I also got a bike lock, front and rear lights (since it's so dark now and I plan to ride it to/from work), a tire pump and a spare tube, just in case. I still need a helmet and I'm really digging the skateboard styles, but they didn't have one I liked in the store so I'll have to order it. I refuse to have a pink helmet to match my pink bike. blech!
Lots of folks in the store though they were smart and kept telling me, "it's a bit cold for that, don't you think" as I wheeled it up front. but I guess that I what i get for going to the store at 7am on the day after xmas. Also - the only bike rack they had was $100, so I had to figure out how to get it in my car. Thank god my back seats fold down, but it still took me 30 min of lifting and contortion to get inside.
I also picked up Saboteur for xbox for taryn with the last of her xmas cash, and snagged another pair of $15 jeans at old navy before I came home and pooped out. I'm doing laundry today and i have some shirts to screen, but I'm still sore from the Wii so it's gonna be low key today.
I guess that's it, I'll try and post more regularly from now on....
I was sick through hanukah, so we didn't light candles this year, though we did have a nice meal the last night of latke and pork chops (I know, i'm such a good jew, right?). Taryn managed to open all her presents from me before hanukah even started, but she was really pleased with them - a Heath Ledger Joker Tee, the Magic Johnson/Larry Bird book, and several video games she got early (including our much loved Beatles rock band set).
I'm still working partial days, but did find out I can probably get a bit more money in compensation since the time restriction is hand related.
We spent xmas eve and xmas day with the two halves of Taryn's family. the Eve we spent in Solsberry with her Dad's side of the family. We hung out with her 2 cousins and her dad and grandpa and watched sportscenter while we waited on their usual pizza dinner. We ate, hung out and unwrapped presents. Her mom generously bought us a new toaster and gave us each $$. I'm not thrilled about the toaster as I'm entirely sure that I'm responsible for messing up the dials on the one that Ces bought us last year (in my defense, clicky dials are a dumb concept which I'm sure the toaster industry used to make us buy more toasters). She got us the warrantee from best buy too, to supposedly they'll keep replacing it for up to 2 years. I plan to keep using the pop up and let T manage the new one. Now I just have to find space for it in our kitchen since we have a breadmaker and a rotisserie we didn't have last year.
Xmas day we spent in Indy with her mom's side of the family. We got hang with T's Aunts and Uncles who are a hoot and a half. Taryn got some more cash and jewelry (her ring collection seems to expand yearly) and once again her family surprised me by giving me gifts as well. We ate turkey dinner and drove home.
My parents got a Wii fit so i went over there last night and had a blast playing with them for a few hours. I'm not too keen on the balance board as it seems to want me to keep all my weight on my toes in order to be "balanced" but overall it was lots of fun. Watching my parents flap like chickens for 3 minutes each is probably the most entertaining thing I've seen all year.
This morning i got up and went to the mall to pick up my presents (T didn't have any cash till yesterday). I got this bike:
I'm not too keen on the color (though I know Kehlee is jealous!) but I love the styling and the size/shape is perfect for me. I couldn't really test ride it since Target keeps the tires deflated to "prevent stealing". Not much of a deterrent if you ask me. I sat on it and wheeled around a bit and found it really comfy. The other choices were less comfortable when tested so I took it despite the pink. It was the floor model and a bit damaged - a bent fender, the seat leather is coming loose in one spot (I think a staple got pulled, so it's easy to fix), and the rubber on the end of the left grip is punctured and coming loose. They took 10% off for me because of it, but refused to assemble another one or sell me the unassembled one to assemble myself because it's against their policy. I'm going to try to tune it up myself, but I might end up taking it somewhere. I looks like I might be able to get some replacement parts from Schwinn to replace the damages ones from the store for little or no cost, so that's good too.
I also got a bike lock, front and rear lights (since it's so dark now and I plan to ride it to/from work), a tire pump and a spare tube, just in case. I still need a helmet and I'm really digging the skateboard styles, but they didn't have one I liked in the store so I'll have to order it. I refuse to have a pink helmet to match my pink bike. blech!
Lots of folks in the store though they were smart and kept telling me, "it's a bit cold for that, don't you think" as I wheeled it up front. but I guess that I what i get for going to the store at 7am on the day after xmas. Also - the only bike rack they had was $100, so I had to figure out how to get it in my car. Thank god my back seats fold down, but it still took me 30 min of lifting and contortion to get inside.
I also picked up Saboteur for xbox for taryn with the last of her xmas cash, and snagged another pair of $15 jeans at old navy before I came home and pooped out. I'm doing laundry today and i have some shirts to screen, but I'm still sore from the Wii so it's gonna be low key today.
I guess that's it, I'll try and post more regularly from now on....