Apartment Decision

Can anyone tell that we sometimes have problems making big decisions? That's why we're still making this apartment decision after months of looking.

To refresh your memory, we like the apartment we are in now but it has some downsides that we have decided are deal breakers. The 1st is the laundry situation. It costs basically an arm and a leg for each machine, and our loads ALWAYS have to be dried twice, sometimes 3 times. That's a real pain. We do like how the laundry room is just down the hall though. The real deal breaker though is the temperature. This apartment is very cold. It was kind of nice in the summer. It kept our electric bill low because we didn't have to use our air conditioner very much. But it became a real issue in the winter. I HATE cold, and that was the story of our entire winter. The heaters in here were not very effective, and not on any kind of thermostat, so we couldn't really leave them on when we were sleeping or not home. Additionally, they cost a ton of $. So we basically were paying a whole bunch and never really getting warm. We tried other things. We used our oven to heat us sometimes. We even bought a space heater. But the whole experience was pretty negative and we just don't want to go through it again. So we have decided to move.

Originally our lease here ended at the end of February, but we didn't find any place that we wanted to move to, so we extended 3 months in the hope of finding something better. I don't know the exact number but I know that we have looked at somewhere very near 40 apartments, and we have finally made up our minds. Good thing because we're sick of looking. We even started looking outside our ward at the end there because we couldn't find anything in our price range that was exactly what we wanted in our target area.

Ultimately, we have decided to move into the high rise that we were originally interested in back in February when we were looking. After seeing so many units, we have decided that it's a good bang for our buck in the area, and it pretty much has everything we want.

One of the biggest concerns that I had about that building is that the unit we liked faced southwest, and we will be paying for our own electricity, so it could be really expensive to cool in the summer, especially considering that it is almost 800 square feet. Well we went and looked at some units again with them today and we got to see a style of unit that we didn't see last time, and it's the one. It has a foyer with a coat closet; a nice, updated looking kitchen with a dishwasher, tons of cabinets, drawers! (we don't have a single one of those in the kitchen now), and even pantry-like cupboards for food; a very excellent sized-living room with wall sconces original to the building; AMAZING closet space; a really good sized bedroom; and the bathroom is not in the bedroom, which I like; laundry on site with multiple machines which hopefully function better than the ones here; and all utilities are included except electric-- that includes radiator heat!! This unit faces north, so it won't get the summer sun beating on it, and it will be much cheaper to cool. It is only on the 3rd floor so it doesn't have sweeping views, but the view is over the green space outside and is very pretty, so no complaints. While it is not quite as big as the southwest facing unit, it is still a respectable 750 square feet, and we are just thrilled. We are going to make our deposit on the place tomorrow. We will move in at the end of May. Oh my, I am so happy to be done apartment hunting!

Day trip

Friday was my day off work before my weekend on. Zack and I took a little trip down to DC to see my mom. My grandma has been serving a mission in the Washington DC temple for the past while, and now it's time for her to go back home to Utah. My mom came out the help her pack up and drive her stuff back across the country. Our trip was just a quick day trip so we didn't get to see mom and grandma for very long, but it was still very nice. I haven't seem my mom since BJ's wedding back in August. We mostly just sat around and chatted and played games. Wish I could see my family more. But it won't be long until the next dose-- my brother Matthew is coming to visit us next week.

Deal of the Day

Can you tell it's my day off? That's why the flurry of posts.

I went to Target today and got this:

Total cost for sandwich bags, fruit snacks (mmmmm), Monopoly, and Toy Story 1 and 2 on Blue Ray/DVD combo pack: $22.43

Oh yeah! The Disney movie deals are just rolling in this week. I guess by the time we finally have kids, we'll have quite the arsenal to keep them occupied. Toy Story 2 also came with a free movie ticket to see Toy Story 3 when it comes out this summer. Woo hoo! I love good deals.

Another milestone

Today I used this:

It was the very last pink envelope left over from our wedding invitations. 2 and a half+ years later and they are finally gone.

200

Dang. I missed the milestone again. That last post was my 200th post.

1st day of Spring

I think the first day of spring isn't technically until Sunday, but today was a great kickoff to spring for us. Rita's, which sells our favorite water ice (known as Italian ice elsewhere, but Rita's is yummier), was giving out free water ice today in honor of the first day of spring, which we took full advantage of. We passed 3 Rita's while we were out and about today and stopped at each one. Mango is the best flavor. I have tried tons of others and still have not found a single flavor that beats it. No, I did not try their new Peeps flavor. We tried the swedish fish one once and were kind of surprised at how much like swedish fish it actually tasted, so I was a little nervous about getting a water ice that tastes like a marshmallow duck covered in sugar.

Not only was the Rita's awesome, but the weather was pretty much to die for. It was mid-70s, sunny, and absolutely gorgeous.

Unfortunately, I had to work this afternoon so our delightful day was cut short. The first part was still good.

In other news, my husband executed an excellent deal today and got us The Princess and The Frog on DVD for about $3. Good job sugar. We haven't seen it yet, so we don't even know if we like it, but it was such a good deal.

Also, we looked at a house today. Not to buy, just to rent. Yes, we've still been working on finding our next place to live. But we're pretty sure we've finally made our decision. More to come on that...

Census

I filled ours out yesterday and we mailed it today. It's official. Dear government, please give my state/city/neighborhood money because I exist. Thanks.

Forgiveness

While I am at work, I get to see lots of tidbits of TV. My residents are watching various shows as I go about my work, and I can't help but see a few seconds here, a few seconds there. Most of it is stuff I would never sit down and watch but oh well. On some talk show the other day (Dr. Phil maybe? or Oprah?) there was a story about a girl who had been raped, identified someone as her rapist, and he went to jail only to be exonerated years and years later by DNA evidence. That's all I really saw. Like I said, I only really catch tidbits, which is fine. I'm not there to watch TV.

But I have been thinking this week a lot about forgiveness. Perhaps it's because of that little tidbit I caught of that show, or maybe I was already thinking about it and that's why that tidbit stood out to me. If someone wrongfully accused me of something and basically took away half my life by sending me to jail for it, could I forgive that person? I don't know. Hopefully I'll never find out. That's an extreme example. But let's face it- we all get into situations where it feels tough to forgive someone.

As a child, I had this friend. She was my best friend really. But we just didn't get along. I don't understand it all and frankly, it happened so long ago that I don't really remember most of it, but I know this much- I had a falling out with that girl and as far as I know, to this day she still thinks ill of me. Am I upset about it? No, not really. It's over. I've long moved on. But I am sure she did things and I did things that messed that friendship up, and that is disappointing to me. I have forgiven her. I hope she has forgiven me.

Not so very long ago, I had this friend. She was one of my best friends really. But we didn't get along. I don't understand it all even though I remember much of it well. I wasn't always the best person in that friendship. I didn't always do everything right. I know that's true. But just weeks before my wedding, for reasons I still don't understand, she decided not to have anything to do with me. She didn't come to my wedding. She didn't really even acknowledge my existence again until quite recently. It hurt. While I know I was imperfect in that friendship and am still imperfect, I couldn't and can't imagine how any scenario we lived through justified her just skipping my wedding and treating me like I had dropped off the planet after we had been such good friends. Am I upset about it? Not so much anymore. There comes a time when you just realize that there's nothing more you can do and you just move on. That happened a long time ago for me. I kept extending the hand of friendship for a while after all that happened, but I realized it was over and that was that. For quite some time, I have been comfortable with the idea that I have just moved on from this. But this week, I kept asking myself if I have forgiven her. And the answer is that I am not really sure. I don't feel angry anymore. I don't really feel hurt anymore. I remember what it felt like at the time, and I feel hurt for myself then, if that makes any sense, but I don't really think I am harboring hurt feelings anymore. But have I forgiven her? I still don't know. One definition I saw for forgiveness is "to cease to feel resentment against". Hmmm. I think I am still going through the process of forgiveness, because although I have definitely moved on with my life, and although I hardly even think about that situation or that friend anymore, when I do, I still feel a twinge of resentment. I still think to myself "what kind of person would actually do that?" And I am ashamed that after all this time, I still haven't forgiven completely.

Ever-so-recently, I had this friend. Mostly we just associated because of our church callings. I thought things were fine. But when we were released, she took me aside and said some very hurtful things to me about our time and service together at church. I cried my eyes out and left church early. For a couple days, I fumed and didn't want to have anything to do with anyone from church. I wasn't blaming God. Heck, I wasn't even blaming anyone else at church. I just needed a few days to let the situation diffuse. Diffuse it did, and I went back to church the next week, and I kept going back, and now I have a new calling, and everything is pretty okay. That woman is in a different ward now, so I don't even have to see her every Sunday. Have I forgiven? Nope. Unfortunately I have not. Again, I know I am partly to blame for the conflict. But I cannot understand why she handled it the way she did and I am still stung each week by her words. I think about what she said before I speak up in my church meetings. I think about what she said and did when I associate with other people at church. I feel a kind of suspicion at times, like lots of people are thinking these terrible things about me and they are just waiting to explode one day in a terrible fury like they did with this woman. Look, I know in my mind that I am being irrational. I can step back and objectively look at the situation and see that. But I can't keep myself objective about it all the time. Emotions creep back in and hurt and anger and resentment still linger there.

I don't write all of this to show that I am an awesome person who has been wronged and you should all give me pity. Oh no no no. I don't write this so you'll all think that each of these people I had these experiences with are awful monsters. Definitely not. I'm just spitting out some thoughts, and putting myself out there as an imperfect person in various stages of forgiveness. I like to think that with time, prayer, and love, I can completely forgive the women in the 2nd and especially the 3rd situation as I have the one in the 1st situation I mentioned. I only wish this were something that I could be better at. I wish I could forgive faster and more fully. I know I have offended others in my life and wish to be forgiven for what I did. I guess if that is my expectation, I should learn to dish out the forgiveness more generously.

Sick

I was sick yesterday. I am not really sure why but my tummy hurt and I just stayed in bed all day. I felt kinda sad about it since it looked like a gorgeous day outside, but I didn't even feel good enough to sit up. Thank goodness it was my day off work.

Anyway, I am feeling a lot better now, and I like the feeling of a new day, starting fresh, getting some things done. So I guess that's the up side of being sick is that it reminds me of how grateful I am for my health.

Free Stuff

You all know by now that I am into bargain hunting. Well, I know some of you aren't. That's okay. But you can still get free stuff now and again. Let me tell you an easy way that doesn't involve getting the newspaper, clipping coupons, perusing bargain blogs, and making elaborate plans prior to shopping.

Say hello to the "Try Me Free" tag.

Sometimes they are actually tags. Other times they are what bargain hunters call "peelies" attached to the bottle or box. I went to a few drug stores today and I think I saw at least 4 or 5 just looking around a little bit. That means you could walk into your local CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, or whatever you have, and get something for free without really even trying. I usually see these on hair care products (right now, check out Vitamin Shampoo, Renpure Organics shampoo, Bioluxe conditioner only at CVS, Organix, Naked Naturals). I find them elsewhere occasionally too though. Right now, Physician's Formula has them out there on their bamboo compacts, makeup removers, and a certain kind of mascara.

A few notes about Try Me Free tags:

-They are pretty much always mail in rebates. That means you're going to have to pay the cost of the product out of pocket, follow the instructions on the peelie (usually not complicated at all), and wait a couple of weeks to get your money back. You will also have to pay the tax and the price of the stamp. I don't know about you, but I think all that is well worth it to try a new product that I would probably never buy otherwise because of the cost. You will most likely need the original cash register receipt to get the refund. Translation: do not buy more than 1 "try me free" product in 1 transaction because they don't take photocopies of receipts. Or, ask the checker if you can get more than 1 copy of the receipt before you check out.

-Always, always, always read the tag before you buy the product. Even if that means opening up the peelie (you don't have to take it off the bottle to open it even). Sometimes they are already expired (I found one today that was). You don't want to buy the bottle and then find out later that you're not getting it free after all.

-It's generally considered good etiquette not to take the tags or peelies off bottles unless you buy them, but I do sometimes anyway. Why? At drugstores, the "try me free" products often go on buy one get one free (BOGO) sales. So I take the tag, wait for the BOGO sale, and then get 2 for the price of 1 (and then I get my money back for the 1 that I paid for). That way you can get the shampoo and conditioner for free. I take the tag when I see it because other jerks like me take the tags too, and there might not be any left by the time a BOGO sale comes around. Or the BOGO sale might be at another store.

So, there you have it. It's free. It's easy. And it's a great way to try out new products and little cost to you. Enjoy.