oh boy

yesterday when chris stayed home from work because he was sick i should've known it was only a matter of time until i got sick. ricola is currently our best friend. since we're both home (although chris is working from home) we got to have a second tech guy come out from at&t to figure out what is wrong with our internet. waste. of. time. we could've told you everything he told us and now there isn't anybody that can fix our problem unless we can magically get past the second level of tech support and get to the third level. every single night since last monday chris has been on the phone trying to get this problem solved and we're both really sick of it. i just want to be able to watch netflix without it rebuffering the entire time. come on people.

Hopeful

This past week Chris has been on the phone with 7 different tech support people because of a problem we're having with Netflix. When we stream movies/tv shows (mostly tv shows) it goes really really freakishly slow and it's been bugging the crud out of us. After four phone calls to different Netflix reps someone suggested calling Sony (we watch most of our netflix through our PS3) and they had no idea what was going on. Finally we called AT&T, which is our internet provider. After a few minutes Chris finally got to talk to a competent person who helped us figure out two possible causes for our problems. This afternoon a service tech is coming to check if it is one of the problems (the one we don't think it is, but need to have it checked just in case). Then on Monday the guy we talked to last night can start working on the other possibility. We're excited and hopeful that maybe we'll be able to watch something without getting really frustrated. If anyone ever has problems with Netflix streaming don't bother calling Netflix, they don't know anything and won't let you talk to anyone in higher level of tech support (we tried three times). 

Life

My computer is on the fritz which is why I don't blog much anymore... it has some serious issues with overheating. It doesn't charge when it is plugged in, and it's stuck at 7% battery life, so it needs to be plugged in the whole time if I want to use it. Needless to say, we will be looking at laptops in the next several weeks. The computer I currently have has been Chris's computer for a few years already.

Recently I found The Cosby Show on Netflix Streaming. I've almost washed the entire first season. Man I love The Cosby Show, it is so funny!

We had Stake Conference this past weekend. I've found that the adult session of stake conference is a lot different in regular stakes than in single student stakes in Provo. The Stake Seminary Supervisor spoke for a good chunk of time telling us about a test that was given to all of the students and how shocked they were with some of the results. The Sunday session was fantastic- it was a regional conference for Texas, Oklahoma (i think) and New Mexico being broadcast from Salt Lake. Elder Jensen from the 70 spoke, as did Ann M. Dibb, Elder Ballard, and President Monson. It was so great! We knew it was coming from SLC but we didn't know who was speaking until we got there! Sister Dibb talked about virtue. Elder Ballard talked about keeping the gospel simple. President Monson talked about service. It was a great conference!

HUGE pet peeve

i like to think that i am fairly laid back and easy going. tonight we were at the adult session of stake conference and they kept announcing that we would be singing such and such a hymn on page such and such. i would like the record to show that one we get past hymn number 2, the hymn number and the page number are not the same. i am very tempted to number the pages and when a hymn number is announced as a page number sing whatever song is on that page rather than the hymn that is supposed to be sung. every week at church (at least the sundays that a particular member of our bishopric conducts) i cringe as they announce that we will sing the song on page number 277 (for example). lets learn friends. hymn number and page number are not the same thing. does anybody else get bothered by this?

Another Change

I had hoped to "take advantage of the free vacuums at the car wash down the street, but upon trying to accomplish this I found out that you can't just drive up and use the vacuums. Instead my new goal is to complete an entire Sudoku book.

Games

Besides Racko, Phase 10 Twist and Toss Up, what are some of your favorite games that can be played with just 2 people? Chris and I love playing games instead of watching tv all night but we've not got a very good selection. We're considering picking up Yahtzee or Skipbo next time we're at Walmart... Suggestions anyone?

Goal 92

Today Chris came up with a better idea than my previous 92 goal "Combine my iTunes with Chris’s so I can have my music on my phone". Chris just helped me get everything set up so that I can just sync my phone with my computer, thus putting my music and only my music on my phone! Now I can work out to music I actually know and love rather than random stuff that was put out before I was born!

Cookies

Last week I tried a new cookie recipe- Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies. I was pretty excited to try them, I had heard that it was a pretty awesome recipe. I KNEW they were winners though when Chris chose cookies over muddy buddies the other day. We had some friends over and so I made muddy buddies for our dinner & a movie double date. Chris ate some muddy buddies then (probably because he didn't want to pull out the cookies and have to share them) but hasn't touched them since.

I need to make cookies for a Relief Society Activity this week and he asked me to make another batch even though our first batch isn't completely gone yet. I am so excited to make them again! And this time the two of us won't eat 4 dozen cookies.

After Last Week....

Last week worked just like I had hoped. I didn't get on Facebook at all, or turn the TV on while Chris was at work. I didn't go back to sleep after he left either. With all that spare time I ended up with I got a ton of my goals done- I drank 72 oz of water each day, I tried a new recipe, did 1001 names of indexing, made our bed daily by 10am, finished our wedding thank you notes (finally), combined all of my calendars into one, wrote Stephanie, put a note in Chris's lunch, and took a bubble bath.  I started brushing & flossing nightly, and had awesome daily scripture study which also was when I started reading The New Testament. I got a ton of my goals done, or made good progress on my "once a month" goals. The week after Christmas we also went to the Outlet Malls in San Marcos and ate at a great bbq restaurant which accomplished 3 whole goals- going to the outlets, eating at good bbq and eating at a restaurant from Man vs. Food. The Salt Lick is a great BBQ place that was featured on M v F. We LOVED it.If I counted right I think that I've got 28 goals done and about 12 in progress.

101 in 1001

 Started: November 9, 2010        

Finish: August 6, 2013

1.       Make a pie, crust and all

2.       Make a cheesecake

3.       Cook dinner 4 times a week for a month

4.       Exercise at the gym 2 times a week for a month

5.       Do yoga 2 times a week for 2 consecutive months

6.       Finish SFL 110

7.       Take ISYS 100

8.       Take ISYS 101

9.       Get a job

10.   Go to the temple once a month (2/33)
nov 2010, dec 2010, jan 2011, feb 2011, mar 2011, apr 2011, may 2011, june 2011, july 2011, aug 2011, sept 2011, oct 2011, nov 2011, dec 2011, jan 2012, feb 2012, mar 2012, apr 2012, may 2012, june 2012, july 2012, aug 2012, sept 2012, oct 2012, nov 2012, dec 2012, jan 2013, feb 2013, mar 2013, apr 2013, may 2013, june 2013, july 2013

11.   Have personal scripture study and prayer daily for a month

12.   Drink 72 oz of water daily for a week

13.   Try at least one new recipe every month (2/33)
nov 2010, dec 2010, jan 2011, feb 2011, mar 2011, apr 2011, may 2011, june 2011, july 2011, aug 2011, sept 2011, oct 2011, nov 2011, dec 2011, jan 2012, feb 2012, mar 2012, apr 2012, may 2012, june 2012, july 2012, aug 2012, sept 2012, oct 2012, nov 2012, dec 2012, jan 2013, feb 2013, mar 2013, apr 2013, may 2013, june 2013, july 2013

14.   Go a month without complaining to the office about maintenance problems…

15.   Work out our budget

16.   Find out my blood type

17.   Go to the outlet malls in San Marcos

18.   When we go to San Marcos, eat at a great BBQ place

19.   Make a list of 101 things that make me happy

20.   See 5 classic movies I’ve never seen

21.   Read 5 classic books I’ve never read

22.   Do 1001 names of Indexing from familysearchindexing.org

23.   Go a week without getting on facebook- on the computer AND my phone

24.   Make bread from scratch

25.   Talk to someone in my family once a week for 2 months

26.   Beat the Swordplay Showdown on Wii Sports Resort

27.   Take a picture at least once a week for 3 months

28.   Floss every night for a month (then it should be a habit)

29.   Put pictures up on our empty walls

30.   Write in my journal once a month for a year

31.   Don’t complain about anything for a week

32.   Finish the thank you notes from our wedding before thanksgiving 2010 (well, 1/5/11)

33.   Get my Texas driver’s license: Nov 2010

34.   Finish writing “our story” about how Chris & I met, dated and got engaged

35.   Scrapbook our wedding (once I actually get our wedding pictures from our photographer)

36.   Make our bed by 10:00 am every day for a week

37.   Combine all of my calendars into one

38.   Make my own cards and send them to people (Dec 2010-to 215)

39.   Have a fully funded emergency fund

40.   Clean the bathroom regularly—my hair is all over the floor

41.   Read Jesus the Christ

42.   Watch 26 movies I've never seen starting with each letter of the Alphabet
Alice in Wonderland (Johnny Depp version) [Nov 2010]
B
Cop and a Half [Nov 2010]
Date Night [Dec 2010]
E
F
G
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One [Nov 2010]
I
J
K
L
M
National Lampoons Christmas Vacation [Nov 2010]
O
Princess and the Frog [Nov 2010]
Q
Rocky [Nov 2010]
Sky High [Jan 2011]
Toy Story 3 [Jan 2011]
U
Valentines Day [Nov 2010]
W
X
Y
Z

43.   Do my visiting teaching every month (2/33)
nov 2010, dec 2010, jan 2011, feb 2011, mar 2011, apr 2011, may 2011, june 2011, july 2011, aug 2011, sept 2011, oct 2011, nov 2011, dec 2011, jan 2012, feb 2012, mar 2012, apr 2012, may 2012, june 2012, july 2012, aug 2012, sept 2012, oct 2012, nov 2012, dec 2012, jan 2013, feb 2013, mar 2013, apr 2013, may 2013, june 2013, july 2013

44.   Organize all of our important documents, and then show Chris where they all are

45.   Go to the doctor and get a regular check-up, oh and figure out why all the headaches…

46.   Read the whole New Testament

47.   Straighten my hair 3 times a week for a month

48.   Wear makeup (at least mascara) every day for a month

49.   Write my shortcomings on a piece of paper and tear it up

50.   Find 50 quotes that inspire me and do something creative with them

51.   Learn some basic Spanish

52.   Go to a Spurs game

53.   Put a note in Chris’s lunch once a month (3/33)
nov 2010, dec 2010, jan 2011, feb 2011, mar 2011, apr 2011, may 2011, june 2011, july 2011, aug 2011, sept 2011, oct 2011, nov 2011, dec 2011, jan 2012, feb 2012, mar 2012, apr 2012, may 2012, june 2012, july 2012, aug 2012, sept 2012, oct 2012, nov 2012, dec 2012, jan 2013, feb 2013, mar 2013, apr 2013, may 2013, june 2013, july 2013

54.   Take a bubble bath every month (or more often ) (3/33)
nov 2010, dec 2010, jan 2011, feb 2011, mar 2011, apr 2011, may 2011, june 2011, july 2011, aug 2011, sept 2011, oct 2011, nov 2011, dec 2011, jan 2012, feb 2012, mar 2012, apr 2012, may 2012, june 2012, july 2012, aug 2012, sept 2012, oct 2012, nov 2012, dec 2012, jan 2013, feb 2013, mar 2013, apr 2013, may 2013, june 2013, july 2013

55.   Put a first aid kit in each of our cars

56.   Buy a plant and take care of it

57.   Make treats for random people in the ward

58.   Sit by a different sister in Relief Society every week for a month

59.   Start our own Christmas traditions

60.   Take my makeup off before I go to bed every night for a month

61.   Take treats to the maintenance guys and ladies up at the office at our apartment complex

62.   Write Stephanie once a month while she is still on her mission (3/6)
nov 2010, dec 2010, jan 2011, feb 2011, mar 2011, apr 2011

63.   Learn how to say “I love you” in ten different langugages

64.   Complete our stake’s RS Book of Mormon challenge

65.   Donate some things to goodwill

66.   Take advantage of the free vacuums at the car wash down the street…

67.   Answer the “50 questions that will free your mind”

68.   Blog every day for a month

69.   Watch every season of House

70.   Explore the walking/jogging path around the medical center

71.   Read library books when I get them, rather than renewing them a few times

72.   Learn to tie a tie

73.   Drink more milk so it doesn’t expire

74.   Try a type of food I have never had

75.   Brush my teeth every night for a month

76.   Find a duck pond in San Antonio and go feed the ducks

77.   Put together 72 hour kits

78.   Do a puzzle of 500 pieces or bigger (that means getting one first)

79.   Read the lessons for church before and think of comments

80.   Bake a cherry pie for Chris

81.   (Re)learn the location of all 50 states and their capitals

82.   Find a way to make my hair hold curls for a couple hours

83.   Register to vote in Texas: Nov 2010

84.   Make a playlist of 101 of my favorite songs

85.   Color an entire coloring book

86.   Make homemade ice cream

87.   Make a cheese fondue

88.   Create a cleaning schedule for the apartment

89.   Develop a better skin care routine

90.   Don’t go back to bed after Chris leaves for work for a whole week

91.   Go a week without turning the tv on while Chris is at work

92.   Combine my iTunes with Chris’s so I can have my music on my phone

93.   Explore the River Walk

94.   Eat at a restaurant featured on Diners, Driveins and Dives or Man v. Food

95.   Do 20 pushups without stopping

96.   Do Satin Hands on my feet once a month for a year

97.   Create a gratitude blog and post at least once a week for two months

98.   Do something nice for the mail man

99.   Shave my legs more than once a week for 3 months

100.            Work on making a new list of 101 things to do when these 1001 days are up

101.            Read 15 books from this list: http://www.marcandangel.com/2008/08/11/30-books-everyone-should-read-before-their-30th-birthday/

Productive

I decided that since my main goal for 2011 was to plow through my 101 in 1001 list I was going to start the year out with a bang. I chose this week to do 4 goals that are "do this for a week". Those goals are not getting on Facebook, don't go back to bed when Chris leaves for work, don't turn on the TV while Chris is at work, and to make my bed by 10am. 

I figured that if I wasn't going to be watching TV, checking Facebook, or going back to sleep I would have a lot more time in which I could be productive and get other of my goals done. I picked 5 "one-time" goals to try to plow through this week, and three of my "do this once a month" goals that I thought I could do. In January I also am doing one of my "do this twice a week for a month" and 3 "do this every day/night for a month". If I actually am able to pull off all of these goals I will have 12 goals completely done and have done all 6 of my "do this once a month" done for the month. Oh, and I'm also working on reading a book from the list of 30 books that everyone should read by their 30th birthday. 

I won't be surprised if I don't get all 12 goals done, especially all of the ones that I picked to work on this week, but I will make some good progress, and that is what I want. I don't want to put off working on my list until the very end, especially since a lot of my goals are things that I put as goals because I want them to turn into habits.

I also changed one of my goals from my list... I couldn't find my gratitude journal so I started a gratitude blog gratefulkrumpermonster.blogspot.com and hope to post a simple thought each day of something that i am grateful for. It will be at least once a week (which was the initial goal) but right now I'm shooting for a daily post.