Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Moving, Applying for Graduation, Etc.

Chad and I finally moved into a place this past weekend. It is a basement apartment, although it is more above ground than below. An older couple owns the house; they are really nice and we got a pretty good deal... AND I have the internet! No more riding my bike to the library. :) Everything is finally unpacked and we only have two things left to do: 1) get rid of all the empty boxes in the corner (that will have to wait until the garbage man comes as the trash is already stuffed), and 2) hang up all of our pictures. Several people have asked for pictures of the place, but I'm going to wait to take some until the boxes are gone and the pictures are up... patience, patience.

I also applied for August graduation today! I'm just a little excited! All I have left to do is my student teaching and then I will be 100% completely done with college. Heck yes!

While applying for graduation it was brought to my attention that I am one class short of a minor in Psychology Teaching. Currently I will graduate with a major in Elementary Education and a second major in Psychology, but with only one more class I could also have a minor in Psychology Teaching. Hmm. Here is my dilemma...student teaching is so busy that I would wait to take the class during Spring term which happens to end at the very end of June (like a week or so before the baby is due). If the baby came early I could have some problems finishing the class, but maybe the professor would be willing to work with me. Also, an Elementary Educator license only goes up through 8th grade, but most students don't even start taking psychology classes until 9th or 10th grade. That being said, would it even be useful to have the Psychology Teaching minor? On the other hand, there might come a time where I would use it. You just never know. I should mention that out east many elementary schools actually teach psychology. While I'm not out east right now, there's no saying I won't ever be there. If Chad and I ever found ourselves living out there I might wish I had a minor in Psychology Teaching.

AHH!!! I'm not sure what I should do. Any suggestions?

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Goodbye Weechee

This morning I drove Weechee to the Humane Society since we are moving in two days and can't keep her. She cried all the way there and I cried all the way home... :'(

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

"Is it raining?"

This is the first thought that popped into my head when I woke up around 11:30pm Sunday night. I thought it was a bit odd for it to be raining, but went back to bed. I woke up again about ten minutes later and found myself thinking, "It could be raining, but in the house?! Yeah right." I knew something was up and so I got out of bed to investigate. No sooner than I jumped out of bed did I step in a puddle of water and had water hit my head. That's right, it was raining in my in-law's basement!

A little concerned that there would be water running from the ceiling in the basement I went upstairs and found that the main level was completely soaked and leaking from the ceiling as well. I woke up Chad who then went and woke up his dad. Everyone in the house spent the next 1 1/2-2 hours sucking up water with a wet vac, mopping, and emptying cupboards so they could air out.

Why was it raining in the house? That's right, part of the upstairs toilet broke and gushed so much water that it leaked from the top floor to the main floor to the basement. Everything is now dry, but there is some pretty yummy water damage...

Jesseca's Wedding

Saturday was my sister's wedding. It was a really cold day (taking pictures outside was a blast!), but at least it didn't start snowing until after the reception was over. It was really fun to be able to attend the wedding ceremony in the Timpanogos Temple and to see all of my immediate and extended family that I haven't seen in forever. Jesseca was beautiful and seemed to be really happy. Here are some pictures that I took... Enjoy!






Friday, December 12, 2008

Hallelujah!

Thank goodness! We finally found a place to live and signed the lease on it Wednesday! No more being homeless! We actually won't be moving in until just after Christmas (I think the exact date we are moving in is the 26th and 27th - Friday/Saturday?) because another couple is still living there. I'm just glad we found a place we like and will be in it soon. The apartment is in an older couple's home - they finished off the garage and added a little onto the side and back. It has the two bedrooms we will need once the baby comes and this time we will have the internet! Heck yes! It is in way north Provo, like almost to Provo Canyon. The neighborhood is nice and I think it will be fun to live in an area with less students than right in the middle of Provo. We really like the place and hopefully will enjoy it!

The only bad thing is that the homeowners don't want us to have a cat despite how good she is (the wife is ok with it, but the husband hates cats...). Now we are looking for a good home/family for her to go live with. Sad day. I'm trying not to think about it and I know that when we actually have to give Weechee to someone else I'm going to be bawling my eyes out.

Anyway, yay for happiness and yay for things finally falling into place!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Sweet Moves

Who knew Chad and I had such sweet dance moves?!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Saturday, December 6, 2008

The Nightmare Continues...

Just when I thought the craziness was over, it started up again. The last thing I remember saying about our apartment situation/hunt was that we moved out of our old place in the three days given to us, put our belongings into storage, moved in with Chad's parents, and have continued to look for a new place to live. There's more... a lot more.

After Chad moved everything out the apartment complex manager called Chad and said that he needed to go back and re-clean some things. She said that she left a list of the things that needed fixed and that if Chad did that everything would be good. So Chad drove all the way from South Jordan to Provo just to clean for 20 minutes - I think a little spot on the counter that was actually paint from the remodel and NOT toothpaste and which I might add would not come off is a bit anal, especially since it was really dirty when we moved in (no one had cleaned it after the remodel), but whatever. Having cleaned everything we thought all would be good and we would get our deposit back soon. A few days later we received a call saying that before they would give us the deposit they needed to have carpet cleaners come in and use black lights on the carpet to make sure that our cat had not peed on it; understandable that you don't want kitty pee on the carpet, but Weechee won't go anywhere but her box... go ahead and waste your money if you want. :) Surprise, surprise... they didn't find anything. Ha! Since nothing was wrong with the apartment they said that we could come pick up the deposit (minus the $50 that they keep from everyone) around December 9th-ish.

We were planning on doing that until we got another call last night. This time we were told there were a few more little things that needed to be cleaned (um, I thought we already did all that for them) and that either we could do it or they would take out the cleaning fee from out deposit. The cleaning fee is probably something ridiculously steep and there is probably only a little spot on something random. Insane. Chad and I are somewhat mad about this because the apartment was a mess when we moved in, it is 100 times cleaner now then it was before, and they are bugging us over a spot. Wow.

Then there was this morning. Chad got another phone call saying that the apartment complex manager expected us to pay rent through the 18th of December. Excuse me, what?! We moved out on the 24th of November and should have been given part of our November rent back, but didn't ask for it. And now they want us to pay part of December's rent when we aren't even living there?! What kind if insane world are they living in?! Their reasoning behind this is that they don't have renters moving in until December 19 and so they want us to pay the rent until then. I'm sorry, you are the ones responsible for us leaving so soon. You are the ones that kicked us out. Is it my fault you couldn't get it rented until December 19? I don't think so.

Clearly Chad and I are not going to pay them for December rent when we aren't even living there! However, my fear is that since we don't have the deposit back they will keep that because we refuse to pay December rent. Seriously, can this situation get any more retarded?

I honestly think these people are just trying to see how much work and money they can get out of us. Maybe they think that because we left without a fight they can push us around and get extra money out of us. Well they are in for a surprise. I'm not going to let someone walk all over me, I'm not paying for December's rent, and I will get my deposit back. If they want to see the wrath of Amber, I'll let it loose. I'll take them to small claims court if I have to. It might cost me more money then I'll get, but it is the principle of the matter.

I am frustrated, angry, and just fed up with the situation. Am I overreacting? I think I'm acting the way any normal person would...

Friday, December 5, 2008

Big News!

Well, actually only one of these things is big news and the others are just, well, little news.

1) Chad and I are having a baby! Holy bananas! We are so excited! The baby is due on July 5th which Chad is very excited about since his birthday is the 6th. I know it's kinda early to tell everyone (I'm only 9 1/2 weeks), but I was so excited I couldn't wait any longer. :) This is the big news by the way.

2) We are still looking for a place to live. We have found a few hopefuls, but they don't allow cats and I really don't want to get rid of Weechee. However, I am starting to come to terms with the fact that I might just have to. Sad day. So, if you know of anywhere that allows pets and that is currently renting... please let me know!

3) I met a very grumpy man that was mean to me while driving back to Utah from Colorado after Thanksgiving. We stopped in Laramie because I really had to go to the bathroom (I know, it hadn't even been two hours, but give me a break). I went into the gas station and right inside the door - like you could have ran into him - was a really old man. He asked what I needed and I said that I would like to use the restroom. He then proceeded to tell me that unless I was buying gas I could not use the bathroom. What?! Are you kidding me?! I was thinking, "I'm pregnant and I'm about to pee my pants." He was very adamant and would not let me go to the bathroom. We ended up going across the street and used another gas station's bathroom, which by the way did not make me buy gas. Isn't that just insane? I mean seriously.

My sister and co-worker later suggested two things that I should have done when the man told me that I couldn't use the bathroom... 1) Pee my pants on his floor. (Thank you Jesseca.) Which by the way would have been very disgusting, but would have taught him a lesson. 2) Hand him a quarter and then buy 25 cents worth of gas and then go use his bathroom. I wish I would have thought of this at the time. Oh well.