Ball..

So..last night we went to the ball. It was a tad stuffy and the food wasn't that great..We also left early. lol. But here is a picture if you are interested.

I forgot the camera when we were out the door and so our babysitter took this when we got back. She had a hard time figuring out my camera, so this is what ya get! Oh..but look at my sexy husband in his snazzy new officer dress blues!

In other news...Benjamin has a new found love for drawing. I need to get some crayons in stock...I want those little ones for fat fingered toddlers that he wouldn't be able to eat...

Oh, and he learned how to make a monkey noise today! I took a video on my phone, but I don't know how to watch it on the computer!

Rick and Ashley's Next Top Visitor...

I went to high school with a girl named Cassie. So far in life, she's managed to cross our path a few times.

She stopped through Germany on her way to Africa and now she's coming here from Alaska to look at a car she wants to buy. So we get to see her again! It's always fun to catch up with her and here about her adventures. Too bad this Army ball is taking up half (more than half) of my evening.

Anyway...our next contender is Rick's sister. She also visited us in Germany and then again in Arizona. Will she make it to WA? Inquiring minds want to know.

Rick's parents are at the top of the list as well, with one visit to our first time in Arizona and a visit to Germany, one visit to Georgia.

And finally, In the lead with a surprising FOUR visits....My own mother who first visited us in Arizona, then she overcame her fear of a 7 hour flight and boarded a plane to Germany, drove herself and my sisters to Georgia and also made it to Arizona for Ben's first birthday.

There's only a few months left in the year...will Robin remain in the lead? Time will tell.

Thank you all so much for taking the time to come visit us. It's hard not to have anyone familiar around and we really appreciate seeing your lovely faces. :-D

Knock, Knock...

Who's there at 10pm on a Wednesday night?!



A KIRBY customer service rep! Oh man, this keeps getting better and better. He said, they were in the neighborhood and although it was late his boss wanted him to stop by and try to fix this situation. I told him that the customer service I've received thus far has been terrible..He apologized and he's bringing my money some time today.



Kirby crisis averted. Thank Goodness.


In other news....

I tried on my trusty black dress from the OCS graduation ball in Ga...it doesn't fit. How shocking. Ok it's actually not shocking at all. I looked good back then....with my bare minerals make up..that is now gone.

I have a dress that I wore to a wedding in February and the bride picked it out because her sister was 8 months pregnant. So it's a preggo friendly dress. It's black, long, halter. Has a diamond thing right under the boobs. It was a tight squeeze but I think it will work. It's also hemmed so I can wear flats. Always a plus.

Of course...if I can't find a babysitter that I am comfortable with by Friday night, I won't be going anyway.

Richard is still sick..but the longer his same symptoms last and the less they are cured by Tylenol multi symptom...I am thinking he has allergies. He should be seeing the doctor sometime soon. Ben and I, on the other hand, are just sick. Benjamin has this sad little cough at night. Still no fever or anything, so I am thankful for that.

Anyway. That's all, I need to shower and clean and do laundry and make myself feel more than worthless for the day....I haven't left the house all week!!!!

Fun Things to Do...

http://www.squidoo.com/squidoo-charity-giveaway

Every vote donates 2$ to a charity of your choice (from a list). You can only vote once though!

www.letssaythanks.com

You can go here, pick a card, pick a message, and xerox will send it to a soldier overseas. It's free and soldiers love to get mail!

Knock, Knock...

Who's there?

Another KIRBY Salesman! That's right folks...we got another knock last night from a Kirby girl. I am sad that she wasn't the one who knocked when Rick was gone, she would have been easier to say "No" to.

Anyway, we told her that Kirby was in our home last week and then we told her about what happened. She said she would have her manager come back because she was under the impression that office I purchased my kirby from had CLOSED! That would be my luck.

In other news...I am pretty sure I mentioned that my first time opening the microwave resulted in the handle breaking clean off.

The maintenence guy came today to fix that. He took the microwave apart, installed the new handle, and then told me that the microwave was actually broken. The timer didn't work. Probably why I broke the handle...slamming it so hard.

Um..actually sir, the handle broke off the very first time I opened it and the time counted down just fine yesterday.

He still didn't believe me...but instead took out some thing that measures some other thing and told me he would need to take the microwave apart a second time. He said there was no way it could have been working because the switches weren't catching.

Most likely from something he did when he was installing the handle. Because I swear to you, the timer worked fine.

*annoying*

Benjamin and I are still sick, Rick is re-sick. He woke up this morning with a pounding pressure headache. I have a slight headache, and Ben has some pressure too, I'm guessing anyway by the way he keeps rubbing his head and eyes. He has a some congestion and a cough. I only really cough at night. It's miserable though.

And..the real kicker of the week. Richard was informed yesterday that we now have to go to the brigade ball on Friday night. Neither of us want to go..and since it's late notice (other people have had their paperwork/seating arrangements for weeks now) The LT in charge of seating said he may have to get out another table just for us. Does this mean we'll be sitting alone? I don't know...hopefully I can fit myself into my trusty black dress...It's a babydoll type dress, so hopefully the pregnant belly won't look ridiculous. Probably should try it on before Friday..in case I do need to get something different. Hopefully we're all feeling better by then, and HOPEFULLY I can find someone to babysit Ben.

This is from the other day...hair doesn't look red in this picture..

Wii Drive...

Happy Birthday Liz!

Have a WONDERFUL Day!

We miss you and wish we could be there to party with you!

You don't have to read this...

Well...in case any of you were wondering, despite mailing my cancellation notice, calling 4 times and leaving three messages, calling Kirby corporate, and calling the finance company to inform them that the transaction has been canceled and I will not be making any payments...NO ONE has contacted me at all. SHOCKING!

Kirby corporate told me they legally have 10 business days from the time the cancellation notice was received to return any money or trade in and then 20 days from that time to pick the vacuum up from my house. So I guess I'll continue to wait.

I am STUPID though. I mailed my cancellation regular mail, with no confirmation or anything. So, so, so dumb. What was I thinking? I'm just praying this all gets straightened out soon, it's driving me crazy. This is turning out to be a much bigger headache than I ever imagined.

Advice of the Day:
IF A KIRBY SALESMAN COMES TO YOUR DOOR, DO NOT EVEN LET THEM INTO THE HOUSE!

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Anyway...Benjamin caught Rick's cold. He started sounding congested last night and this morning his nose is running and he has a cough. No fever though and he is still acting like himself. So at least that's good.

The search for a second vehicle continues. We want something reliable and cheap that gets decent gas mileage...who doesn't?

I have many things I'd like to be doing though. I want to attend the women's bible study at our church on Wednesday mornings and a bunch of the mom's from church get together on Tuesday's to hang out and let the kids play. So...we'll see.

In other news...Richard seems to be very excited about having a baby girl. He's got his own set of names picked out..but all of you will just have to wait and find out...2 months, 28 days to my due date! I can't believe it.

Two nights ago we decided it was time for Benjamin to get out of our Bed. We went through this once before when we lived in AZ, but with all the moving and hotel stays he just kind of ended up back in bed with us. It's not terrible, but I definitely didn't want a kid between us for much longer. He went from a laundry basket bed, to a porta crib, to mommy's bed, to a pack n play (which he did not do well with at all), back to our bed. He's never really slept in the big crib. The first night, I put him in the bed with just a blanket and bones. He cried for 25 minutes but then woke up about every other hour.
The next night I put another blanket, a pillow (he always sleeps on a pillow in our bed), bones, his favorite blanket, and a polar bear that I just got him (which he loves). He cried for 15 minutes, then slept through the night.

Last night he fell asleep on Rick. I saw him falling asleep, so I went over to take him to bed, but he opened his eyes and hugged Richard's neck for dear life. I couldn't take him..but after he was asleep we put him in bed and he slept just fine.

Anyway...after church yesterday we hung around for quite a bit afterwards talking to people. Benjamin was so friendly, he kept walking around to everyone and trying to get them to either take Bones or pick him up. Then, the janitor guy brought out one of those push sweepers to pick up crumbs and Ben, who loves any kind of thing with a handle i.e. brooms, swiffers, traded Bones for this sweeper. He was actually doing a pretty good job at cleaning though.

The rest of the day Benjamin was extremely clingy. To Rick, not to me. He has been a serious Daddy's boy for the past month or so. Any time Rick walked out of the room or out of the house Benjamin totally freaked out. I don't know if he is too little or not, but could it be because he was afraid Rick would leave?

Alright well...I'd better get to cleaning...it's amazing how fast a house can be turned upside down.