Oh, Topeka... my home away from home!

this is going to sound like an advertisement for Hyatt Hotels

I just have to brag for a minute and give the newly remodeled Hyatt Place in Topeka some much deserved free advertising.

Hyatt Place, formerly known as Amerisuites, is our favorite place to stay when we head to Topeka for work. It is a nice hotel with fabulous staff. In fact, we stay here so much we have learned the names of most of them and they ususally recognize us and can call us by name as well.

While Amerisuites was a great place to stay, they are currently renovating the entire hotel into Hyatt Place and it is awesome! when I first arrived Sunday night they did not have the new rooms ready yet. So, much to my disspointment, I had to stay in an old room. But, I asked if I could be switched to a new room once they are finished. They worked hard all day to get at least 2 rooms ready so that Lisa and I can try out the new rooms. THEY ARE BEAUTIFUL! Flat screen tvs, down comforters, large sofa with ottoman and the best part... they are super clean and we are the first people to stay in them! The manager even took us up to our rooms to show us all the new features and make sure we are comfortable. That's what I call service!

So, if you are ever in Topeka, check out the Hyatt Place (Amerisuites) I think you will be satisified with your stay... I am so far!

Good times with my sista!

i had a blast with my sister this weekend

Jared and I headed to good ole Ta Town this weekend for some quality time with our friends. I had the pleasure of spending some time with my little sister Alicia. We met up with Alicia and several of our friends for dinner Friday night and then Alicia and I went back to her house to take care of some very important business... teaching her the Soulja Boy dance! Oh my... we were both a little "dance challenged" especially when Busch Light and White Zinfandel decided to join us. Needless to say, we will not be back up dancers or appear in a music video anytime soon. But we had fun trying... and I think Chris had a good time watching our uncoordinated antics.

Besides our attempt to be kick-ass dancers, we also took a trip back in time and recalled stories from our childhood. I laughed so hard my stomach still hurts. I can't wait until I get to hang out with her again. Hopefully it is soon!

While I was with Alicia today, Jared and the boys trekked out to Great Bend for Pheasant hunting. They had a great time and Jared finally got to get his new shotgun that he has been talking about. He was so excited and so proud of his new hunting equipment. He really enjoys the sport and I think it is good for him to get out with his friends and do something he loves.

In other news, please keep your fingers crossed for Jared on January 30. We are heading to Dr. Quinlan's office to see if he is a candidate for Laser Eye Surgery! His vision has gotten so bad that he can't even wear contacts anymore. While he looks so cute and smart in his little glasses, they are a pain and he is tired of wearing them. So, we hope that the consultation goes well and that he can have the surgery! I'll let you all know what we find out.

I saved $145 by switching to Geico!

not really, but we saved $145 by not hiring a plumber

Thank God for Jared's friend Skip that knows how to fix just about everything. Skip was able to fix our toilet in record time and for the cost of a few beers. Now, that's how I like to do business!

So, that is all taken care of... but wait until I tell you what we are dealing with now.

I have had my first lesson in parenting. We have a 2 year old. Well, a 2 year old cat that acts like a 2 year old human being. She is always in the way, we trip over her all the time. She gets into things, she climbs up on furniture, she whines, she always wants to sleep in bed with us, she tries to get out of the house, and now she a picky eater.

When we got home from Louisiana, we went to the store to pick up a few things. When we were going down the pet isle Jared asked if Jada needed anything. She really didn't, but Jared wanted to get her a few packs of that soft food "Turkey and Gravy" type stuff. I said that it was ok, but last time I got her some she just licked up all the gravy and left the food.

Well, we bought some and gave her one packet of it that evening. She licked up all the gravy first, then ate all the food later that evening. We thought, "oh, she really liked it, we should get it for her now and again as a treat since regular cat treats make her sick"

Well now the little stinker is not eating her regular food! Usually she eats like a hog and I have to give her food every morning or she whines at me until I do it. Sometimes she needs refills mid-day because she is such a pig (good thing it is diet food). But for at least 4 days now I have not had to refill her food bowl. Jared suggested I give her the other packet of soft food that we bought just so she has something to eat since we are leaving town this weekend. That little shit ate it all in one setting, and then just looked at the hard food in her bowl, looked at me, and walked away. I could have killed her!

(This is an old picture of her after I remodeled the bathroom. She was into EVERYTHING during that project. She even had some blue paint on her nose.)

Bathroom Blues

so, apparently our toilet broke this morning

I'm still not sure what happened, all I know is I got yelled at for asking. :) Jared got up this morning just as I was about to get up and start getting ready. He used the bathroom, flushed the toilet and just when the water should have shut off, it didn't. I could have swore that water was spewing all over the floor. He came back to bed before this noise started. So, we both laid in bed, not saying a word to each other and listened for a little bit to see if it would stop. It was like a "drip, drip, drip, kssshhhhhhh, kssshhhhhh, drip, drip, drip kamooooossshhh" (You like my typed sound effects)

He got up after a few minutes to go see what the deal was. I laid in bed and though, oh crap, this is gonna be a wonderful day! I waited to see if he would holler me in there to help him, or if he would just do it himself. I heard him flushing multiple times, jiggling the handle, cussing to himself and messing with the tank. I remained in bed for a bit, then decided I better check it out.

As I walk in he puts the tank lid back on and then turns the water valve off.
Me: "What's wrong with it"
Jared, in a frustrated tone: "the water won't stop running, so I turned it off"
Me: "Um, I need to pee"
Jared, still in a frustrated tone, "so go, just don't flush"
So, I do my little girl business and go back to bed for a bit.

Once I lay back in bed I ask Jared "So, what are you gonna do". (I realized at the exact time that the last word left my mouth that maybe I shouldn't have asked him that right now)

I WAS RIGHT!
Jared, in an angry tone now, "I will fix it later when I am awake"

Apparently he was alseep the whole time. Could have fooled me! :)

Everybody's Workin' for the Weekend

i wasn't ready to go back to work

As I sit here trying to keep my eyes open (I've got that whole fluttering eye syndrome... I bet I look REAL good right now) I am convinced that I needed another week to recover before coming back to work. Just getting up a 6:30 was a challenge... we never got up that early in Louisiana. But, I keep grinding away at my work and think about the weekend.

We have decided to head to good ole Wichita this weekend. Jared will get in some quality "walk in a field with a gun" time with his buddies (otherwise known as Pheasant hunting). And I will be hanging out with my sister and friends. Alicia is pretty excited that I am coming. Apparently she wants to "show off her house". I can appreciate that... I was the same way when I graduated college, moved into a better place and finally was able to buy (or con mom into giving me) nice furnishings :)

Either way, I always have a great time with my sis, no matter what we are doing. So, when work gets me down.... I am gonna think about chillin' with my sis and maybe that will get me by... and maybe an occassional online shopping adventure :)

Home Sweet Home

it's great to be home

Jared and I made it back to the great state of Kansas on Friday evening after a well-deserved stop in Tunica, MS for some gambling. Looking back on the trip, I am really glad I did it. It wasn't near as bad as I expected, actually several parts of it were quite fun! The 31st definitely WAS the busiest day, just as Jared said it would be. Everyone waited until the last minute to come in to get their fireworks and then they all wanted a DEAL... yeah right! "Hey man you gonna cut me a deal?" "Hey, how much dis is?" "Hey man, what dis do?" "Hey, ya'll got any stems?" Stems is the southern way of asking for punk sticks to light their fireworks. Haha.

Anyway, it was a busy and tiring day, but we made it through! Here is a picture of Jared and I after midnight. Don't we look tired?

The good news... I did get my first-ever New Year's kiss with Jared!!!! It was totally worth it! XOXOXO