I'm a Slacker...

or just really busy. Can't really decide which one.

I know I haven't posted in a while. I'm going to fix that...I promise.

Life has been busy and about to get busier...yikes!

Stay tuned for more. I have a "creative" need that is just a huge part of me...it flares up sometimes. Right now, it's laying low. I'm thinking it won't be long until it flares up.

Please be patient with me!

Chasity :)

Don't Mess With Me...

So...Seeing that I'm NOT happy about having to buy a new washing machine after 2.5 years AND having to spend my Saturday morning doing something I shouldn't have to be doing at 2.5 years, you'd think a slimy, wormy sales guy would notice the skowl on my face and NOT try to approach me...you'd think...

So I went to HH Gregg (which is where we bought the first one, so I was determined to get them to give me a discount for selling me a lame washing machine) and of course, this slimy sales guy comes leisurely walking over to me. Poor guy. Stupid guy (didn't he see the skowl??!!). I was honest though. I told him up front...now is your chance to walk away from me because I am not happy about being here and I won't be playing nice today. He stayed. Bad move.

After warning him and getting his General Manager out to the floor, I got a BRAND NEW model marked originally $1,100, on sale for $887, down to $667. Not bad if I do say so myself. That's not including the 25% I'm getting from Whirpool (I admit, I lied to the sales guy and told him I was only getting 10%...ha ha)!

It doesn't match my dryer and I still hate that I had to spend that money, but I feel like I worked them over for a great deal...meet my new washing machine (that includes a 3 year warranty)!

After paying for the darn thing, the sales dude looked at me and said "Enjoy your new washing machine." I promptly looked at him and said: "1) Does anyone ever REALLY enjoy buying a new washing machine? 2) I would enjoy a beach vacation a lot more, but since I had to buy this, I guess I get to 'enjoy' doing laundry instead....yeah. right." JERK!

I'd like to say I'm blessed because I was able to buy the new one and didn't have to rely on a laundry mat like a lot of people do, but I've decided to be a little spoiled today. And whine. And complain.
Chasity

PS...still upset that they don't match! I know, stupid...BUT!

Are You Serious...

This is what I said to the washing machine repair man when he told me about the things below -- a huge hole in the tub, a crack ALL the way down the side and a water pressure gage not working...GREAT! $900 dollars to repair. I can buy a new one for that!

Only 2.5 years old and I have to buy a new washing machine. NOT HAPPY. NOT. HAPPY. My old yucky top-loading, never serviced washing machine was 10 years old.

Ugh. Great. Now I get to haggle with Whirlpool and HH Gregg. Great. Just Great.

AND, to top it off. We found out today that the trip we thought we were getting for Brent's award isn't happening. Double Great!

What a crappy day. Officially.

Not so blessed today,
Chasity

PS...my phone call to Whirlpool is not going to be a nice one!

Welcome February...

4.5 inches...that was what I measured on the back deck. I'm sure we got more as the day went on, but that's my official measurement.

It's amazing how 4.5 inches can cause such chaos and confusion!

The pictures below document the snow storm:

Our poor fish...there's something so wrong about this picture!

This is what 4.5 inches looks like.

Bama isn't sure what to think!

Our mountain...covered in snow!

The treehouse...covered!

Our house!

My poor car parked all alone at the neighbor's house! I slid into our driveway and parked in the middle, so Brent had to park at the neighbor's house. The next day, Brent tried to move it and decided we weren't going to be able to move it, so he put it in park and put the parking break on...it slid into the middle of the street all by itself...scary. very scary!

The neighborhood...no one was getting out. Trust me. We watched as many people tried to get out. Just wasn't happening!

The mailbox...this is for your Mom!

Pre Wipe-Out...

Post Wipe-Out!

SSSNNNOOOWWW FFFIIIGGGHHHTTT!

Palmer eating snow!

Our snowman. Making a snowman is harder than it looks!

Palmer helping...I think!?

It was a crazy week. And on top of all of this, the washing machine broke. Yep, broke and wouldn't you know that I had a million piles of laundry to do. I ended up borrowing our neighbor's all-wheel drive car so that we could get out of the neighborhood and go to the laundrymat (haven't been to one of those in a VERY long time). What a rough weekend!

The snow is beautiful, but we're over it. OVER IT!

Beautifully Blessed and Truly Thankful to be able to enjoy all of this with my family. We won't soon forget it,
Chasity

PS...called the washing machine repair man...fingers crossed! But not a good feeling!

Dedication to...

work...that's what I'm going to call this!

With one little boy out of school for a snow day (due to an "expected" snow storm), one little boy who's school is closing early (but not sure at what time due to the "expected" snow storm) and a husband that is out of town, it would have been sooooo easy for me to call out for a snow day. But, I didn't. I sucked it up and went to work with one with me and the other going to be with me at some point...ugh!

For the first time EVER, my office closed early (Thank You Lord!)! It took us an hour to get home (thanks to the snow and roads), but we made it home safely. After a 3 hour nap (yep, we must have been tired), we woke up to this:

The Snow Storm like no other. Nashville hasn't seen snow like this since the early 1990s.

And wouldn't you know it, Brent was trying to get hom during all of this. It was so bad, that it there were no cabs for him to take home. He had to drive my car from the airport in all of this! It was terrible. He was literally driving 20 mph all the way home. But, he made it. And when he walked up to the door, this is what greeted him:

Whew...we're all home together. Finally. Now, bring on the snow sledding!

Beautifully Blessed and Truly Thankful that Brent is home and we are all back together again,
Chasity

PS...have I mentioned my washing machine broke?? Great!!!!

HE WON...

Brent WON. He actually won his award!!!! ROOKIE OF THE YEAR!!!!

YAY! So proud. So proud. So proud. Beyond proud. So thankful, grateful. So proud.

Of course, he kept me on pins and needles for most of the day.

When he got to the hotel, in his welcome packet, he had an invitation to an "Awards Reception." Of course, he didn't know this meant that he had won the award, he just thought everyone was invited. But, he won! Woot! Woot!

This is awesome on sooooo many levels. 1) He deserves it. 2) He deserves it. 3) We get a trip. 4) This is great for his resume and for when he asks for a transfer back to Florida. 5) But mostly, he deserves it. Recognition. Something it seems he never gets.

So unbelievably proud!

Beautifully Blessed and Truly Thankful for Brent...my very own "Rookie of the Year"!
Chasity

PS...He did a VERY BIG happy dance and proceeded to tell the boys they WOULD NOT be going with us to California...we love them, but...

Fingers Crossed...

for Brent.

This is the week that he finds out if he won "Rookie of the Year."

This is an award that is only given out to 8 reps (count them...8) out of more than 5,000. Last year, we found out about this goal and for the past year, we (and yes, I mean we) have worked hard to be up for this award. We started by making it VERY KNOWN that Brent wanted this award and was going to work very hard for it!

For the past year, everytime Brent has been around his boss, he's brought it up, mentioned it, talked about in some way shape or form.

Brent deserves it. He's been the top Sales person in his region for 3 out of 3 quarters. He's had great ideas and has to work with a not-so-nice partner.

Not to mention the best part, an all-expense paid trip for two to California for a week. Oh yeah, we deserve it!

Wishing, Hoping, Thinking and Praying he gets this award!

Beautifully Blessed and Truly Thankful to have a husband that works so hard to provide for his family,
Chasity

PS...If he gets it, we are calling the trip our 10 year honeymoon!