Labels help me maintain my sanity

It's starting to feel pretty Christmasy around here! Most of my decorations are up (we don't have many), the tree is up (I'm still debating about putting ornaments on it. Fuzz is...curious), I have a big chunk of the shopping done, and my mom and I had a major bake-a-thon for Stryker yesterday.

We made those chocolate peppermint cookies Sara talked about, white and milk chocolate sponge candy, peanut butter balls, all those flavored nuts on my sidebar (the Sugar & Spice Pecans were divine!), and peppermint bark.

When all was said and done I mailed out one of the big flat rate boxes and one of the smaller ones. Approximately 12 pounds of cookies, candy, and nuts! Good thing he shares, otherwise he may need to order new uniforms! We had a lot of fun making everything, and conveniently, my mom left just in time for clean up. Thankfully, the repairman came last night and fixed the dishwasher.

If you haven't done it yet, and you mail a lot of care packages or letters, go out and buy some labels. Those downrange addresses are long, and it's so easy to make a mistake. I use the big ones on packages, and the little ones for letters.

As a bonus, when people ask for Stryker's address, I can just give them a label! Since Stryker deployed just before Christmas last year (we just passed our anniversary on Saturday, happy anniversary to us!), we sent a label in each Christmas card we sent out. Worked great, except they changed their address once they got in country, approximately 3 days after I sent out the cards. (Why not??)

We got a lot of snow last night and the neighbor was at it again with the snowblower this morning. It makes me laugh, but apparently it's not that uncommon to have wimpy spoiled dogs (sorry D.A.R., I couldn't resist).

Attack of the Dishwasher (take 2)

Well the dishwasher is at it again. Except instead of leaking in the basement this time, it leaked all over the new flooring in the kitchen. I noticed it before it flooded the whole kitchen, but a significant part in front of the dishwasher was wet. The repairman who was here last time said, "It's a good thing it didn't leak up here because it would ruin the flooring."

Thank God I'm renting. I hope they just replace the dang thing this time. I heart having a dishwasher (that works).

Hallelujah!

The dishwasher is fixed.

Is it pathetic that I am so excited about that?

I'm a little smarter than that...

Got home today from running errands and found a note by the dishwasher. "Will tell [landlord] to call the plumber to fix." Then apparently he thought he needed to add this one to it: "Please don't use until the plumber fixes." Really?

Monday is a perfect day to De-lurk

I know that with all the people who checked out my post yesterday, that Loquita, Sis B, Kristen, and I can't possibly be the only ones. But that's fine, deny deny.

With that, I have only a handful of people that comment occasionally, and many more that read. So don't be shy, introduce yourselves!

I'll start... Hi, my name is Kiki, and I'm addicted to Diet Coke. Your turn...

Ode to the dishwasher

I love my dishwasher, and am realizing I possibly have been taking her for granted.

I would have used far less dishes to make my baked ziti last night had I known that I would be washing them all by hand. Apparently the jerk who hooked it back up after installing the flooring didn't do it correctly because all the water from the dishwasher leaks into the basement.

I of course didn't realize this until the dishwashing cycle was finished and there was an 8 foot puddle of water in the basement. Fabulous.