I really just have no luck with cars

I seriously just need someone to invent a car that is Jessica-proof. It seems that every car I touch seems to end up worse off then when we started. The Saturn Saga was seemingly resolved – until the AC went out a few months ago.

Crap.

You really need AC if you’re driving a car with black leather interior in St. Louis. Seriously.

So Husband and I have been carpooling in the other car while we saved up the $900 it’s going to take to fix the Saturn.

In all the craziness of the last few weeks, I’ve also been dealing with a new car. Dad’s Saturn Ion that he bought a few years ago is now here, allowing Husband and I to carpool to work in a car with far fewer miles and a working AC. Mom didn’t need a third card (she had hers and my brother had his) and decided that my dad would have wanted me to have it.

Believe me, there were many tears when we discussed the idea and it hasn’t been easy driving his car. When Mom handed me the actual title, I literally BURST into tears. It just seemed awfully real at that point.

So after that long introduction, I took the new car to the dealership [not really a Saturn dealer anymore, because Saturn doesn’t exist, but this one still deals with Saturn] to get an oil change – about 1,000 miles overdue.

The technician takes my car back and then comes out a few minutes later with this look on his face. You know the one. The one that says you’re going to owe a ton of money.

It turns out that the tires on the car [which honestly may be the original tires on the car] had “dry rot” and were unsafe to drive. The tech even said he was glad I got to the shop safely and didn’t have an accident they were so bad. The rubber was pulling apart from itself and had a gap in it on the front tire.

YIKES.

Obviously, I had Husband come pick me up and they had to replace tires. I pick it up tomorrow afternoon.

And to make matters worse? I came home to THIS in the mail…

SERIOUSLY.

I’m a klutz. Do they have a program for that?

flickr: fuyo_yanagi

Seriously, I didn’t use to be like this.

I was a cheerleader in high school. I was somewhat coordinated and even on the beat!

But I’ve had my issues with staying upright and not dropping things. But tonight was special.

Tonight, Husband and I had dinner with our friends, D and B. D used to work with Husband at the interior design retail store Before Law School. We hadn’t seen them in almost a year, so dinner together was definitely in order!

D was giving us a tour of their new house that they’re in the process of fixing up and making their own. We were complimenting and ooh-ing and ahh-ing appropriately, of course. They have come a long way!

Coming down the steep staircase of an old 1930s house, I kept telling myself.. don’t fall down… right foot then left foot… don’t fall down for the love of God!

Yeah, well, my body doesn’t always listen to my brain.

I ended up bumping into the wall – of course, there’s a bunch of photographs hanging on the wall that I happened to lean into. Of course, one comes crashing down on the stairwell and the glass smashes into a million pieces.

I was mortified.

I haven’t seen these people in so long and they have invited me into their home and giving me a tour and I have to break things.

SERIOUSLY.

Do they have a program for people like me? I need to get over this klutziness. 

Wordless Wednesday

A night out at the theatre under the stars...

Groupon is my favorite thing, like, ever!

Have you heard of Groupon?

We’ve had it here for a few months now and I’ve bought at least three of the gift certificates.

Every day, the site offers a city-specific deal – for restaurants, exhibits or spas among a bunch of other things. On Friday afternoon, Husband and I wanted to celebrate another week successfully completed and try out a local restaurant in Grand Center, Kota Wood Fire Grill. It’s across the street from the Fox Theatre.

I have been CRAVING their Thin Mint milk shake all.day.long. And it SO did not disappoint! After all, it has Bailey’s in it. :)

We had the calamari as an appetizer…

And I had the crunch salad for my entree. So yummy with a citrus vinaigrette and actual caramel popped corn on top of the salad.

LOVE. IT.

Do you see the final total? $0.00!!! I love Groupon. :)

But then my Thin Mint fell off my drink before I got to eat it. :(

But still - A free date with husband on a Friday evening? Wonderful!

*I was not compensated in any way by Groupon. I just like the service! It saves me money. :)*

My Bathtub Needs Help!

So I need some help. Or at least, my bathtub does. Here it is:

 

Do you see the problem?

 

There is this big stain right where water hits the bathtub from the shower. I’m wondering if it’s a drainage problem. When I got on my hands on knees to clean it the other day, the water pooled in that area, even when I turned the faucet off.

In any case, I put about a ton [that’s an exact measurement ;)] of Scrubbing Bubbles on the stain and let it steep for a bit. Then I scrubbed and scrubbed some more. It wasn’t coming off, so I added more of the foamy stuff and scrubbed again.

It’s not really budging. Any ideas?

RIP Canon Digital Elph SD600 :(

At the wedding last weekend, I accidentally dropped my beloved camera. It bounced a few times and made an awful sound. I knew it was doomed.

Looks like it landed on the lens which keeps giving the camera an error every time I turn it on.

Good thing Husband got a new camera for Christmas! But this just means I have to start saving even more quickly for a DSLR that I have my heart set on.

In honor of my camera, let’s take a trip down memory lane, shall we?

I bought the camera on Black Friday the first Thanksgiving weekend after Husband and I got engaged. We were in Georgia for the holiday and a cousin’s wedding…

It got me through my engagement…

Wedding showers…

Bachelorette party..

Wedding…

Honeymoon…

Many Christmases together with his family and mine…

Five trips to Walt Disney World…

(2006)

(2007)

(June 2009) 

(New Year’s, 2009-2010)

(May 2010)

A cruise with my family…

 

Barrister Ball…

And a bunch of weddings, especially the one last weekend where it bit the dust…

And so many more fun moments.

I’ll miss you, my dear Digital Elph! :(

I got to take home a centerpiece!

I forgot to show you some of the pictures of the centerpieces from the rehearsal dinner last weekend. I asked the mother of the groom what she wanted us to do with them at the end of the night, and she said she didn’t know.

I said perhaps we should send them home with people… :)

I’m glad I got one!

These are the same types of flowers that would be in the bridesmaids’ bouquets the next day. So pretty!

Out on the town with friends

With a hard cider from the tap..

Yummy Shephard's Pie...

And a bathtub dessert...

[If you can't read the fine print, for just $1500, you too can have an entire bathtub filled with your favorite ice creams and toppings. You supply the bathtub. I think a challenge has been issued.]

And only 244 days until St. Patrick's Day...

It was a lovely night out with friends.

I love pubs. :)

That fine line of bidding for a hotel room…

Let me just say that Priceline is kind of awesome. Because we’re staying here on Saturday night…!

Source

We’re going to Kansas City this weekend to see the KC Wizards play Manchester United. Husband is a huge soccer fan and a friend of his got us tickets.

But I didn’t want to spend Saturday night at my grandma’s. To be honest, it’s because of the smoke. My step-grandfather smokes – and not just outside and lets it waft in. Nope, he lights up every few hours sitting at the kitchen table.

When I went few weekends ago, I had to wash every.single.thing that I took in to the house. And then febreeze the suitcase. Ick.

So yeah, we’re going to a hotel. But those things are expensive! I remember someone saying that Priceline has a feature where you can name your own price for a pretty sweet hotel.

I picked the area we wanted to stay in and put in a bid for $35 for a 3 star. Surprisingly, it was rejected! The three star hotels in Priceline usually go for over $100. But it was worth a shot, right?

I expanded the area I was ok with and upped the bid by five bucks. And you know what? It was accepted! We’re staying at a Ramada – which, by the way, are really nice!

I called the hotel after it was confirmed and just double-checked that they had us down for a king-size bed. With taxes, it was just over $50 – a perfect way to spend a night away from the craziness of work and law school.

So Priceline is helping me get our mini vacation across the state for not a huge price tag! Yippee!

*I received no compensation for this review. I just think the website is pretty awesome and saves me money.*

I achieved the impossible dream…

I did it. The one I thought I never could do.

I went an entire seven days without this…

flickr – vmiramontes

Can you believe it?

89. Go for one week without buying anything from or of Starbucks. DONE.

I can’t believe it either.

Now where are my keys? I need a latte…

The last lingering box from the move has been dealt with…sort of.

Does it count if the boxes were just stuffed in the storage room?

Well, it’s my life, my house, and my blog – and I say YES! :) We are officially moved in.

Yes, I know we “moved in” in October. But it’s been one doozy of a school year.

And then Husband ended 1L and started his MBA. And then we had this craziness. And well, you know…

So here is our townhouse, before and after.

Dining Room (standing by the front door):

Before

   

After

   

Kitchen:

Before

After

Craft Room:

Before

After

 

Stairs to second floor:

Before

After

Guest Bedroom:

Before

After

Upstairs Bathroom:

Before

Master Bedroom:

Before

After

“Man Cave”:

Before

After

Husband doesn’t like his picture taken. Obviously.

This is the house mostly cleaned up for the houseguests we had this weekend for a friend’s wedding. We had the groom, best man, brother of the groom plus me and Husband in the house on Friday night. It was interesting to say the least, but I got them in the car and out the door to the church on time!