Countdown: 1 Day!!

I'm exhausted.
"Wait what? Sarah, have you moved already? Is that why you're so tired?"
No, sadly, it's the day before and I'm so dadgum pooped that I can't even fathom how much more packing needs to be done tonight. Sheesh.

Bedroom stuff? Check.
Bathroom stuff? Almost all the way check.
Kitchen stuff? Mostly check.
Living room stuff? Oh jeez-la-weez, how many rooms are there?

Just kidding. Well, sorta - the living room is looking to be the most empty room so far. I have a sofa and a love seat; my coffee table and end table are on their way, but not here yet; I have a TV but no stand; oh and that's it. Two couches with a tv on the floor. Yee-haw my friends!

Sorry if I sound so crazy right now, I'm a little spent today, and the idea of SPENDING more money to finish the living room makes me feel like burying my money in a mason jar in the backyard. But alas, this is the life of one on their own, and I definitely can't complain to my mom and dad because they'll say "See, I told you this was going to be expensive." Yes, I know it's expensive, but I've done very well on a budget so far! I would love to bore you with a long list of all the things I still have to do and buy, but instead I will leave you with a YouTube video that makes me laugh. (A lady at work showed it to me a month or so ago and Anna posted it the other day, so I've got to show you.)

Bon Qui Qui at King Burger

Watch 3 times and enjoy the laughter... and don't interrupt... rute.

Contest Results!

Well, I have officially gotten SEVEN comments for my first contest! (seven? let's count 'em! ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN, ooh sha boogedy boogedy boogedy ah, and ah, and ah and ah and ah - WHOOOO!) Well, it was really 6 entries... so let's see what people had to say for the question: What is the one kitchen item that you can't live without or think that I shouldn't live without?!?!

Alex: wooden spoons, stirrer spoons, cake display, and fun glasses

Jennifer: potato peeler

Becca: toaster oven

Alexis: kitchen scissors

Kristin: measuring cups/spoons, cookie sheets

Anna: toaster oven, plastic spoons, cutting board, electric can opener

Okay, so to be cool like the Pioneer Woman, I decided to go to random.org and have it generate a number between 1 and 6, so as not to be biased! And since there were 6 entries, I used the random dice. (I could have rolled my own dice, but who has dice just lying around - especially when I'm in a moving frenzy!!)

Okay, well if you can't tell what that is, it's one little dot - little miss Alex Walker is our winner!

Here are some answers from others (mostly work friends) who didn't participate in the contest, but gave great answers:

Louise: KitchenAid mixer (oh wait, Sarah, you don't really cook... okay then-), good, sharpened knives

Rachel T.: KitchenAid mixer (see above comment), measuring cups where the numbers are on the inside (so that you can see them from above and not lean down sideways)

Megan: a thin metal flipper (like a pancake flipper), (she had several, but I can't remember them all...)

Rachel K.: stir fry skillet

Thanks for your comments - I keep forgetting things like kitchen scissors... so this was super helpful! Keep checking back this week for updates on the move!! :)

Getting Ready!

Hiya friends! I'm excited to see several posts about kitchen ideas!! Feel free to still post, or add something if you think of it!

Sunday afternoon I went to my Mamaw's and raided her cabinets for kitchen stuff, and boy did I get lucky!! She had TONS of great stuff to give me: knives, casserole dishes, mixing bowls, a Nesco (?? supposed to be awesome ??), a ladel, two pie pans, a measuring cup, a popcorn bowl and tons more. I feel very overwhelmed, but more ready each day!

Then last night mom and I got some paint to re-do my dresser. I wish I had thought to take a before picture, but at least I remembered to take a "during"! :) It was made by my great-grandfather and has been every color under the sun. It was plain white and has been since I've had it, except for the time I decided to paint multi-colored stripes on the drawers. Good times. (It actually looked cute!) So I got this "melted chocolate frosty" color to match one of the browns in my bedspread and I think it turned out really cute! I also painted 3 shelves and 2 canvases to decorate the living room area. (Don't worry - I WILL be posting before and after pictures and probably asking your advice on what should go where!!)



Okay, I'm a little embarassed to be putting this on here, but again - keepin' it real. This is the disaster area that is my room.



On the left wall was where the dresser was, so while it's outside drying, I had to just take all my clothes out and put them on the floor. Well, first the bed, but then I had to sleep, so then the floor. It's a total wreck right now, but check back for the sad/happy "This isn't my room anymore" picture soon!


COUNTDOWN: 4 DAYS until MOVE IN!!!

My Very First Contest :)

Hello my good friends! I get so stinkin' excited every time I look at my last post! I can't believe that a week from tomorrow I'm going to be on my own (with Dash, of course). It's crazy and exciting and let's not even talk about all the packing I still have to do.

I was talking to my dad and said "How do real people move?" I mean, I can't even wrap my head around packing my closet sized room w/no closet and some people have a WHOLE HOUSE to pack! Like kitchen stuff and china and big pieces of furniture! I have great respect for anyone who has had to pack up their lives and move - you guys rock.

So here comes the potential contest (and I'd like to have more of these if this one gets a good response). I want to hear from you guys about the one kitchen item that you can't live without or think I shouldn't live without. As I prepare for my big move I'm having to buy a lot of new things - kitchen items being top on the list - and would love your input for things I might not know otherwise!! (Those of you who don't have an account, just post a comment as a guest but be sure to tell me your name!)

I'm going to leave this post up until Monday and if I get at least 5 comments from people, I will give the best answer a $5 Wendy's card (okay, it doesn't have to be Wendy's, I just eat there every day).

OKAY PEOPLE - What is the one kitchen item that you can't live without or think that I shouldn't live without?!?!
Can't wait to read all about it!!

Well, It's Official.

I know that you have been waiting with the greatest anticipation for the big news I'm going to share today! (haha - okay, well at least Jen has.)

I'M MOVING OUT and GETTING AN APARTMENT!!!!!!!!

WHOOO HOOOOO!!!! Okay, so to some, this may seem minor, but let me give you a little history.

I've lived in the same house since I was 4 wks. old (September 13th started the 23rd year we've lived there). I moved out my freshman year to live with my roomies in New Village for 2 years. I had a scholarship to school, so the money was used to pay for all of tuition and most of housing, but one day it just hit me that if I moved back home, they would write me a check every semester with the extra money! WHAT A DEAL! So my junior year, I basically got paid (a good chunk of money) to live at home and go to school.

Well, in May I graduated and in July I got my first "big girl job" at Chattem. I decided that it was time to move out, and seriously that day went straight home to my dad and told him all the reasons I needed to move. All this, and I hadn't started my job yet. Needless to say (well, needless if you know my dad), he said no. An emphatic no. (Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I posted about this traumatizing experience.)

So that was then. A couple weeks ago, the thoughts of moving out starting filling my mind again. I looked around and found an apartment complex that was quite a bit less expensive (try $300+/mo. less!!) and just as nice. I mustered up the courage to say these few words to my dad:
"Hey, uh, dad? Do you think at some point maybe we could talk about the possibility of me maybe moving out into an apartment, maybe? Sometime?"

I'm so smooth. Anyway, he said, "Sure." Oh, really? Well, then okay. "Go ahead and go look at that place and get all the information you can, and we'll talk." (I tried not to squeal.) Okay, dad, thanks.

So Bourke went with me--scratch that-- Mrs. Geyer went with me to check out an apt. at the complex and really liked it, but didn't love the location. It was closer to the front/the road, so there was another one that became available to look at last week that's at the back, waaay away from the road. Mom and I went to look at it Friday, I bought a couch and loveseat Saturday, and I signed the lease today!!! WHOO HOOOO!!!

And I'm taking this guy with me:

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: Coming Soon!!

Well friends, some of you may already know that I've got something exciting in the works right now. No, no, no - it's not the most obvious thought you have. But oh so exciting!! I've been looking forward to this for a while. 3 years actually. Haha.. it's so funny because it could be so many things!! :)

Check back Monday (hopefully) for the full announcement!

They're Grrrrrrrrreat!!

Two words. Gee- and -rate. :) What a fabulous weekend!!
Friday: much needed time with the BF
Saturday: Tennessee game vs. UAB in Knoxville!! soooooo fun and sooooo orange!

Sunday: Sunday school, church, lunch w/J's family, lounging w/mom, dinner with friends, and... (drumroll please) the Shane & Shane/Bethany Dillon concert!!!!!!!!!!!!

So great. So so great. Did I say that the concert was GREAT?! Well, it was... great, that is. I didn't think I knew any of Bethany Dillon's songs (who is married to Shane #1, by the way) but I knew more than I thought (and went home and immediately downloaded like 10 songs). She was awesome and so humble - and oh yeah, I decided I wanted to be her. Not like marry a Shane and actually BE her, but I want her job. I want to go around the country (or the state.. whatever works) and SING FOR A LIVING. I mean, seriously? Can you even call that a job?

Anyway, "the Shanes," as they called themselves, were... what's the word I'm looking for? ...GREAT! (Sorry, I'll stop being like that.) Their music is so powerful and they sound wonderful on the CD but even more so to hear them live. (Shane #2 looks like Larry the Cable Guy... no really. Ask Emily.) So today I have had my Shane & Shane and Bethany songs on shuffle on the old ipod. The only bad part is that I have to keep reminding myself that I'm at work and I'm not allowed to sing!! :)

Bethany

Shane #1 (her hubby)

Shane #2 (aka Larry the Cable Guy #2)

"Oh Holy Night" from their upcoming CHRISTMAS ALBUM!!! WHOO HOOO!

How great? So great. :)