Ugly Chandelier part 2

I saw this picture on a blog I frequent- Simple Seleta and I thought to myself... I could do that!

Judy had given me 2 beaded wall sconces when we moved in. I originally had them hanging in the study between the windows, but I took them down a while back because I thought it made the room look to busy. I've had them in storage since then; but when I saw them while I was cleaning over the weekend, so when I saw the above pic I put 2 and 2 together and wound up with this:

(Hit the lights!)

(Please blame the iPhone for the poor quality of the pics)

I'm still tweaking a bit, but I think it's slightly more livable than before.

(I'm pushing for a new sectional in the living room, so I'm trying to keep the other stuff on my 'wish list' quiet for a while, lol)

Thanksgiving 2010

Should be a interesting one...

We have reservations from the 'Crystal Room' at the Willard in DC

I'm pretty excited about it... The menu has things like: king crab legs, pumpkin ravioli, herb encrusted lamb, turkey of course, and etc.

I'm not sure I will be able to make it till Thursday

Bowl Me Over

Micah had the great idea last night after the leadership meeting, he wanted to go bowling (I know, I know, I know what you are thinking but seriously it was his idea).

(Pictures are in no particular order)

My concentrating face

Micah's action shot, this is fall 2 of 3

This is my 'Gutterball' face

(Micah had a mouth full of burger... the experience isn't complete unless you eat crappy bowling alley food)

I'm an awful bowler (I think part of the problem was I couldn't find a ball light enough that fit my long fingers), but it was fun to get out and do something different.

Although we did learn their money making secret.... They don't have you pay till AFTER you are done, for two people to play two games it was $30! Geesh!

Help?

I've been searching for months (basically since we moved in, haha) for a replacement for the chandelier in our dining room.

Yuck, I really don't like the one we have... It was a light cream/stone color when we moved in. I painted it darker which seemed to help, but me still no likey.

I LOVE this one from Oly

I found these comparables, I'm not completely sold on either and Micah isn't sure he likes the 'drum shade' look.

Oy, decorating is interesting in the Huntzinger house...

Has anybody seen any decent looking chandeliers out there???

p.s. Our one year service is in 2 weeks (where they fix all of the nail pops and other problems) which means I can finally paint! My hands are itching with anticipation while my head is spinning with possibilities XD

Elise Cecelia

Is this not the sweetist face you ever did see?

Warning! Long post about nerdy stuff!!

It's been a long while since I've posted! I find it's so much easier to post to facebook because I can do it from my iPhone... But going forward I'm going to try to post here...

Moving on!

So the reason for this post...

Couponing!

I know, I know... It's pretty boring sounding, but let me explain. I HATE grocery shopping, really I do. Something about wandering the aisles, trying to decide between all the different brands/prices etc, blech, I don't like it.

When we were looking for places to buy, I liked this place because it had a 24-hour grocery store across the park (who doesn't like a midnight ice cream run??). Even though it was close I still would put off shopping until we were literally out of food, think of a fridge and pantry full of condiments (and although rice with ranch on it tastes okay, it really doesn't cut it).

I thought to myself, there must be a way- Enter the coupons. I've managed to turn the use of coupons into a game (of sorts) where the more I can save the more I win (and little did I know that Harris Teeter is like the best place for coupons). I get the coupons mostly from the local newspaper and printing from Coupons.com. I joke with Micah that at least my hobby is saving money, haha.

At this point I'm saving 60-70+% on my grocery bills, Cha-ching!

For instance, I'll break down my last shop (technically it was two transactions, but whatever) (the above picture is from the first transaction)

12 cans of Swanson broth

3 boxes of Hot Cocoa

5 cans of Green Giant Green Beans

10 cans of Green Giant Corn

8 boxes of Betty Crocker Brownie Mix

3 tins of McCormik Ground Black Pepper

1 jar of McCormik Pure Vanilla Extract

2 boxes of Bisquick

1 bottle of Sierra Mist

Grand Total= $8.90! let me repeat..... $8.90!!

I do this by combining coupons with the store sales, also this week Harris Teeter is doubling coupons up to $1.98. When they have specials like this I 'stockpile'... My pantry is out of control, but it's all things we regularly eat! During Harris Teeter's 'Super Double' week, you are only allowed to use 20 coupons a day... when means I've been going just about every day (hence the addiction), but it usually takes my under 20 mins. By my calculations, I've rang out over $300 worth of food and spent under $60.

I am diligent about keeping to the store's coupon policy, I don't try to scam them, I just keep my eye out for the 'golden deals'... but it is sooo easy, sometimes I feel like I'm stealing!

(If anybody is interested I'll break it down, as to how I work it :))

Ouchy

It's done! I had 3 wisdom teeth and 1 molar removed! 

Let me start from the beginning...

*My Mom flew in from Seattle on Monday night,my appointment at the Oral Surgeon is 11am Tuesday. I'm not allowed to eat past midnight monday night (not even water)

*Micah wakes my up on his way out the door tuesday morning, he offers me a blessing and is off to work. 

*We make a quick stop off at my dentist to pick up a copy of my x-rays

*We arrive at the Oral Surgeon around 10:45, fill out paperwork, and take our seats

*After some conversing with other patients we learn that the Oral Surgeon had an emergency earlier that morning and they were running over an hour behind... Ugh! By now it's about 11:30 and I am StarvinG!

*We speak with the Office Manager and explain that we are not upset they are running behind but can we please run home to grab a couple things.. (This is key...). She is very nice and thanks us for being so accommodating.

* About 12:30 they take me back into the office for my consultation, they hook me up to the monitors (monitors oxygen, heartbeat, and blood pressure) and they bring me an estimate for the work to be done. As to be expected it is no where close to what I thought it was going to be... So they unhook me and it's back to the office manager.

*My Mom and I talk with her for a bit, I bring in the paperwork I had and what I had 'budgeted' for... she asks me if I'm a Christian, I say yes and she replies 'It seems that the people who have their lives together, all seem to be Christians'...ok...

*She does a manual over ride to change the price of the operation to what I had 'budgeted' for, she said that I seemed like a nice girl and I 'had my life together'; apparently she doesn't meet many people with their in-order. Basically she knocked off over $700.00. I thank her profusely and it's back to the Operating room.

*They re-hook me up to the machines and explain to me how the anesthesia works. The Oral Surgeon puts the IV into my arm and tells me it's going to feel cold.

***I giggle and say 'Ohhh it's chilly' and that's all I remember***

*I wake up in a wheel chair with my face stuffed full of gauze.

This is what my face should look like

Before the operation... trying not to look around

After the operation, apparently I kept asking where my 'prize' was

This is my jowls this morning (two days after surgery)

I'm way more swollen today and my cheeks have started bruising over. The nurse told my Mom they had 'complications' with my lower 2 teeth and had to really wrench on my cheeks; as well as cut far into my gums to reach my jaw bone (the teeth were fully lodged into the bone). 

Long story short... I'm hungry for real food, my mouth tastes gross, and everything about my face hurts.

But Hey, I only have to have these puppies removed once... right?