Laundry and Dishes

2019 Renovations and Other Homeowner Things: Part 1 [Feat. Mike]

Posted on January 19, 2019 by Laundry and Dishes

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People of the wife’s blog,

I have some juicy updates on the house and renovations.

When we purchased our house in October, we knew a renovation had been started and not finished. However, we were not given the full story.

I asked around and the story behind it is that the homeowner passed away and the house sat vacant for a few months. Then the homeowner’s grand-daughter needed a place to stay so she started renting the house from her dad and two aunts. Later they decided to renovate the house to sell later. About a year before we looked at the house, the grand-daughter decided to move west and nobody thought anything of it. Until January when a pipe burst in the living room, so they repaired the damage and decided they just wanted out of the house. One sister wanted out so bad she made the other two siblings buy her out.

That is the story of why we have new flooring downstairs.

Now on our end.

Man do I not make enough money. With the house, credit card and Jeep payments I’m carrying around a lot of debt. But I was a good boy and built excellent credit in college by having the good fortune of paid internships and a strong cattle market. So I have decent interest rates and doable payments. Again, I was a good boy and landed a sweet job in a high-demand field in the sweet state of Montana – albeit at the lower end of the salary my friends have gotten, but that is neither here nor there. So after tax, health care, and pension my income is enough for bills, food, gas, Sunday breakfast and work snacks.

My hope was that my tax refund would cover my credit card debt with the leftover money going toward renovating the house, but life doesn’t always go the way you want. My grandparent’s house had a medium sized fire and while nobody was hurt the roof is pretty bad, so a good chunk of any tax money I get back will probably go to help them out. So for now it looks like any major renovations or hobby projects will have to wait. Unless of course I get a lot of overtime this year.

Anyway, this concludes my 2019 Home Renovations Report.

Mike

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How to… Be a Great Bridesmaid

Posted on January 17, 2019January 18, 2019 by Laundry and Dishes

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Hello Everyone and welcome to another post!

I had the honor of being part of my childhood best friend’s wedding in November of last year and it was exhausting! I had been the flower-girl in a family friend’s wedding when I was like 5, so obviously I was a little unaware as to how much work I would be doing as a bridesmaid. I’m honestly not sure why I was so shocked at the workload though because I just got married in 2017 and I remember relying on my own bridesmaids a ton.

Anyway I thought I would share a little insight into what is expected of a good bridesmaid, because let me tell you… There are good bridesmaids and there are not so good bridesmaids – and if you ever have the opportunity to be in a wedding that is not your own, you are going to want to do a good job so you aren’t remembered as that one bridesmaid in your favorite cousin’s wedding who didn’t do anything.

Leading up to the big day…

The bride will have a huge To Do and by the time the wedding is two weeks out, she will be exhausted and a complete mess because the wedding is approaching and nothing is done.

Remember the weeks leading up to the wedding are all about doing what you can to make sure the bride and groom are relaxed and unaware of everything that is going wrong.

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Pre-Wedding Bridesmaid Advice

Iron the table clothes – all of them. Even if it means waking up at 5am and going to bed at midnight every day for two weeks.
Don’t tell the bride when something goes wrong unless it actually is an emergency – so-and-so’s great-uncle who isn’t related to either the bride or groom isn’t actually that important to the wedding unless he is officiating or something, so don’t even worry about him.
Designate someone to get coffee every morning – if you didn’t drink coffee before, you do now and you need it because you have a lot to get done.
Make sure the bride gets something to eat – of course she has worried about fitting into her dress for the past 6 weeks, but she still needs to snack on something so she doesn’t faint on her big day. The wedding is her dream, and a hangery bride is not a happy bride.
ALWAYS check with the bride before making important decisions – you are there to make sure the wedding she has been planning on Pinterest for the last 8 months actually looks like the wedding she has been planning on Pinterest for the last 8 months.
Be prepared for The Meltdown – all women say they aren’t going to that bride who cries over tea-lights at the rehearsal dinner, but anyone who has gotten married has done something similar and as a bridesmaid you need to armed with tissues and words of affirmation to sooth the bride to be during her “unexpected” breakdown.
Set up what you can before the Big Day – some venues won’t let you come in until the day of, but if you can set up the night before do it because wedding days for bridesmaids and groomsmen are always complete chaos.

The Big Day…

ITS HERE YOU GUYS… Welcome to chaos.

The bride will think that her day is going to go off without a hitch and she is right. Her wedding will be perfect, but it will also have her bridesmaids running around like maniacs trying to make sure the yellow flowers that were delivered are switched out for the pink ones that the bride ordered. It is your job as a good bridesmaid to not let her see anything that goes wrong at the last minute.

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Wedding Day Bridesmaid Advice

Come prepared – you steamed your dress yesterday, you have your Wedding Emergency Kit full of safety pins and double-sided tape, and you have your makeup for last minute touch-ups. You don’t have anything left to do except make sure the perfect wedding happens in 4 hours…
Do all the grunt work so the bride can get her hair and makeup done in peaceful bliss – this is huge. You should already know how she wants the tables set up. DO NOT run into the bridal suit to ask the future Mrs. questions that will only stress her out, create solutions not chaos.
Plan in enough time for you to get ready – of course you will be frantic and running around like crazy. That is not an excuse to walk down the aisle looking like a maniac. You should plan on having everything done with enough time left over so you can put on some antiperspirant deodorant, curl your hair, and throw on some full coverage foundation to hide the bags under your eyes from all the wedding prep.
Smile big – you made it! All you have to do now is walk down the aisle with the correct groomsmen, make it through the lawn pictures in towering heels, get through the cliché toasts, take everything down, and do a million other things. Which reminds me…
Take a change of clothes – nobody wants to be taking down an entire venue in heels, Spanks, and a ball gown.

Post-Wedding Bridesmaid Advice

Return your rentals on time – be responsible. If the future bride rented chairs, bow ties, or dresses and it is your job to return them, make sure you take them back on time so the bride and groom don’t have to pay late fees right after they just dropped $10,000 on their dream wedding.
Make sure all the decorations the bride brought with her make their way back to her and don’t accidentally get misplaced in venue’s storage closet – even if the newlyweds are already on their honeymoon, the wedding is not over until the bride gets all her stuff back.

Did I miss anything? If I did, comment what advice do you have for any future bridesmaids.

Also if you guys want to read more about my wedding you are more then welcome to check out my post: The Wedding

Thanks For Joining me Today!

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Awards, Blog

The Sunshine Blogger Award

Posted on January 10, 2019January 9, 2019 by Laundry and Dishes

Hello Everyone and welcome to another post!

First I would like to thank the three bloggers who thought I was worthy of this amazing award!

Lana whose blog is Welcome To Our Campfire is just an amazing person and has such a wonderful blog.

Laura is so sweet and is always such an honest writer has a great blog called All The Shoes I Wear.

And Glen from justabitfurther is always writing something fresh and unique.

These are all fantastic blogs and if you haven’t had the chance to check them out yet, you definitely should.

Next I would like to apologize to Lana who nominated me for this award last year. I just looked in my drafts and it seems like I had good intentions, but I only wrote half a post, never finished it, and never published it. According to the date in my drafts that was around the time I was going through all my baby stuff last year so I kind of fell off the face of the Earth because I really needed to process some grief and a lot of feelings.

So if you all don’t mind, I will try to hit three birds with one post and answer all the questions from the three bloggers who nominated me in one post.

Here are the rules if you are nominated…

Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog
Answer the questions the blogger has asked you
Nominate 5-11 new bloggers and write them 5-11 new questions
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post

Here are the questions I was asked by Lana:

Twizzlers or Red Vines?
Is it ok to choose both? I have two very separate moods and if I’m in a Twizzler mood, Red Vines just won’t do and vice versa.
Favorite super hero?
Thor, but only because Chris Hemsworth is so darn handsome.
If you could live inside a book or game which one would it be and why?
Bridge to Terabithia. I know this is a sad book, but I chose it because it is one of the first books I ever lost myself in and felt like I was part of the book.
If you could travel in time, would you go to the future or the past and why?
I would go to the past to the Roaring 20s just so I could drink bootleg liquor and dance in flapper dresses for 10 years. Then I would come back just before the stock market crashed and it became the Great Depression.
Who is your favorite comedian?
Robbin Williams. He can always put me in a better mood and was so good in everything he did.
You are a huge success as a song writer… What type of music do you write songs for?
Is Johnny Cash featuring Doc Watson a genera of music? If so, I pick that one.
If you were in the 2020 summer olympics, what event would you medal in?
I would love to say all of them, but to be honest I would probably just be featured in the Bloopers. I can swim pretty terribly so that would probably be my best chance to win a medal.
If you could only drink one type of beverage for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Water. I pretty much only drink water now. The only time I drink juice or tea is when I’m sick, and if I don’t drink soda.
What is your favorite board game?
SORRY! It is pretty fast passed and if you are petty, this is the game for you!
If you were going to stumble onto a wild animal, what animal would you be most afraid of encountering?
A mountain lion because they are silent and sneaky. How would I even know if I accidentally found one?
What is your favorite post you have written and why?
Dirty Laundry because this is the first post where I actually felt like I had done a good job. I felt like I finally started to find my voice as a blogger and this was the first post I thought someone besides myself would want to read.

Here are the questions I was asked by Laura…

What are your hopes, plans and goals for your blog for this coming year?
I feel like I sort of already answered this is my post 2019 Goals #NewYearNewMe, but I will answer it again. I hope my content and pictures are better, I plan on writing a new post every week, and my goal is to reach 500 followers so I can think about using my blog as a supplemental income so I can stay home when I have children.
Describe a pivotal or epiphanic moment in your life.
I would have to say the biggest pivotal moment is when I moved to New Mexico to nanny for my sister when I was 16. If I finished high school in Alaska, I would have gone to College in Alaska; and I never would have met Mike, gotten married, or moved to Montana. I probably would have gotten married, but I definitely would not be living the life I am today.
Describe one thing that makes you happy or smile and why?
Is it even possible to just pick one thing? Our kitten and puppy always make me happy and can always put me in a better mood.
If you could live inside a book or movie, which would it be and why?
Since I already answered this one, I don’t think I’m going to again.
Provide the link to one of your blog posts that you would like to share with us.
Character Building Experiences. This is the first post I ever wrote, and it is the beginning of my husband’s and my journey. This will always be one of the most special posts I have ever written.

Here are the questions I was asked from Glen…

Why did you start your blog?
I tell everyone the reason I started my blog was so my family would be able to know what Mike and I are up to in Montana. But the real reason I started this blog is because I was having trouble adjusting to the expectations of married life and I didn’t have any friends or family close by that I could talk to about it. So I wrote about it and it really helped me sort everything out.
Tell me about one of your favorite blog posts.
Recipe Review: Broccoli Beef. This is one of my favorites because the pictures turned out really well, it was one of my most favorite things to cook, and it was a blast to write.
If you could interview one person for your blog, who would that be and why that person?
Definitely my husband because I write about him all the time and even though I have talked to him about my blog, I would really love to know what he actually thinks about it.
Savoury or sweet? Give an example of the perfect snack.
Definitely a savoury homemade quesadilla, and here is how you can make your own: Spread sour cream or plain greek yogurt on one side and guacamole on the other. Then fill that guy up with cheese and whatever meat you have lying around the house. For example, leftover ham, chicken or shredded beef. Then you just toast it in a pan until the cheese is melted, and you have the perfect snack!
What is the best DIY you ever did?
I’m famously not good at any sort of DIY, but I can knit a hat and they always turn out ok.
Is there anything you’d like to do but you have never done?
I would love to go to New York and see my family’s name in the book on Elis Island, I would love to go to Disney Land/Disney World, and I would love to go to Hawaii.
Do you have a post that you hesitated hitting publish on?
I have two posts that I went back and forth about publishing. Character Building Experiences because it was my first post ever and I was so nervous to start a blog, and Pregnancy & Miscarriage. Mike didn’t really want me to post it so I wasn’t going to, but I knew I had to because nobody would talk about it, at the same time I didn’t want to publish it because then everyone would know about it.
Which features do you like most in yourself?
I am 100% loyal. I am 100% forgiving. I have a strong faith. And I think I’m pretty.
What is your go-to weeknight dinner?
Spaghetti. It’s so easy and it’s almost impossible to make it taste bad so it’s the perfect thing for me to make!
Dogs or cats? And why?
Both! But if I’m being honest, I tend to prefer cats just because its easier to change a litter box then to go around the whole yard picking up the leftovers from your puppy’s bathroom breaks.
What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned from blogging?
I learned to not measure my growth and success based on comparing myself with other bloggers. It honestly doesn’t matter how many likes, comments or followers you have as long as you are proud of your work.

My Nominees Are…

All of these bloggers are amazing and their blogs are wonderful so if you haven’t already, feel free to check them out.

In The Midst

Another Picture On The Wall

No Love For Fatties

Us And Noah

The Eclectic Contrarian

Questions For My nominees…

What made you start your blog?
What is your favorite post that you have written?
Do you write for yourself or for your readers?
What is your favorite book to read?
Do you prefer movies/tv or books/reading?

Thanks For Joining me Today!

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Adventure, Lifestyle

New Puppy: Welcome to the Fam Cooper!

Posted on January 3, 2019January 7, 2019 by Laundry and Dishes

Hello Everyone!

Welcome to another post!

This one will be short, sweet and to the point.

We just added a new member to our little family!

Mike has been wanting a puppy or a dog since we got married last December, so for our 1st anniversary/Christmas/New Year’s Eve gift we got a puppy!

Let me tell you though, a puppy is so different from a kitten. So far house-training has been a little bit of a challenge, but one day (hopefully soon 😆) we will have a puppy that doesn’t potty the floor and chew on my furniture.

Anyway, I just wanted to include you all on our latest adventure and introduce you all to Cooper!

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See More Related Posts:

New Kitten
New Kitten: Name Reveal
Tips and Tricks: Letterbox Training

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Blog, Goals, Lifestyle

2019 Goals #NewYearNewMe

Posted on December 27, 2018December 26, 2018 by Laundry and Dishes

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Hello Everyone!

I know I’m probably going to sound like everyone else in this post, but I want to go into 2019 with a goal oriented mindset.

I don’t know if I believe in the concept of New Year resolutions because it seems like when I make one, I spend the first two weeks of January being my best self and the rest of the year being my regular, pre-resolution self.

So this year I decided to just go into the new year with a positive mindset and a few goals.

I actually started this list before my first wedding anniversary because I wanted to be my best self so I could be the best wife to Mike. So some of these things will just be carryover goals from my post October Goals that I already have been working on.

Personal Goals

Run a 5K. I gained a lot of weight this year from living in a town without a gym, from being pregnant, from extreme sadness after I lost the baby and was eating my feelings, and of course from the holidays. So I made a goal in October to do 3 home workouts a week and go to the gym twice a week to run. So far I have been doing ok with this one.

Practice mindful eating more. I want to be more healthy in general so eating more fruits and vegetables has definitely been a goal of mine since October. I also really want to only eat when I actually am hungry instead of when I’m bored or procrastinating chores.

Get a job. I job-hunted on and off throughout 2018 but I moved 3 times, was pregnant, had a miscarriage, went to Tennessee, and went to Alaska so I hardly had any time to focus on the job hunt. To be honest I don’t actually need to work because my husband makes enough that I can stay home if I wanted. I actually did want to stay home in the beginning because I wanted to have kids right away. Anyway its been a year, I don’t have kids, I’m bored, and I can work so I might as well so that we can have a little extra money for savings.

Financial Goals

Save $40 each month. I chose $40 in October because its only $20 a paycheck. The reason I’m saving is because we spent all our savings on medical bills from my pregnancy and on buying a house. So if we were to have an emergency, we probably wouldn’t have enough money to get through it.

Blog Goals

500 followers. I have never had a goal for growing my blog before. When I started writing, it was mostly as a mental health outlet, and to share with my family what Mike and I were doing in Montana. I have always considered my blogging experience a success since day one because I thought if one person followed me and liked any of my posts, I was all set. I’m actually very happy with my little blog, but I do eventually want to be a stay at home mom so I may as well work on growing my blog now so that maybe one day I can have a supplemental income from my writing. I want to invest in my blog by having better content, making better videos, taking more pictures, and actually posting things on social media because I still plan on only posting a new blog once a week.

So thanks for joining me today! And thanks so much to everyone who has liked, commented, or followed me this year, it honestly makes my days so much brighter!

2019 – Here I come!

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