I'm coming home, to the place where I belong...

Today is the day! I officially get to leave Ridgecrest, and start my trek back to God's Country. I am so excited :)

The Silver Bullet got a bath on Wednesday and a good vacuuming on the inside. I have checked my fluids and the air in my tires in preparation for our cross-country road trip. I have plans to detail it when I get back to Arkansas, but I figured I'd give Aspen and Koda a chance to drool and shed all over it one more time before I put forth all that effort...

A few of my coworkers were super nice and took me out to dinner last night to say goodbye :)

I have everything packed, and most of it loaded in the car. The only thing I have left to do is to clean my bathroom (bedroom has already been cleaned!) so that my roommate doesn't have to deal with my mess when I leave, load the last few things in the car (like my computer, toiletry bags, a bag of groceries, etc...things I didn't want to get too hot by being in the heat all day), pack up my ice chest, load up the 4-legged children, and stop for some ice, fuel and bottled water on my way out of town. Hallelujah!

Only one part about leaving California make it kinda bittersweet. I have really enjoyed getting to spend so much time with my grandpa while I've been out here. He lives near Palm Springs, which is about 3 hours from Ridgecrest, and I spent most weekends driving down to visit him. I went and visted him one last time this past weekend, and when I left, he told me to be careful, drive safe, keep in touch...all that stuff that grandpas say...and then he said, "I'll see you in eight months! I've already got it figured up!" He's right. In about 8 more months, I will be back in Ridgecrest for Internship: The Sequel (hopefully...if my extension doesn't get granted, I have to graduate in May and move back out here completely in 8 more months...). He dang near made me tear up when he said that...but thankfully I was able to make it to the car before that happened. I have a pretty darn cool Grandpa, and I am really going to miss those weekends with him. I know he has enjoyed me coming down to visit too, which made it that much harder to leave. I'm glad that it will only be 8 more months before I get to hang out with him again.

I am leaving work early today, and heading to Flagstaff for the night. Then I will get up tomorrow morning and drive to Amarillo to stop for the night. Then I am Claremore bound Saturday morning! I am really looking forward to getting my life back. I'm going to start it off with going to meet my best friend from college's brand new baby boy and watching my little niece play soccer on Saturday. Depending on what time I get into Claremore and how long Brooke's game lasts, I may try to make it to Fayetteville Saturday night in time for the Hogs game against Troy. Otherwise, I may just stay the night in Claremore and spend some extra time with the fam. Sunday is my soccer team's first game of the season, so I'm going to try to make it back for that...hopefully I won't be completely worthless after being in the car for 3 days straight! Then Monday it is back to work to continue working on my PhD! Tuesday is when my phone meeting is scheduled with my scholarship office to see about getting my award extended so I can stay in Fayetteville for an extra year. Wish me luck :)

I have a lot of work to do for my research at school. I also have a house that is in need of a good cleaning, and I'm going to clean both vehicles inside and out...those things will probably be my priority for the first solid week I'm back. I just want to feel like I am at home again :) One of my roommates is moving out soon, and I have another one moving in shortly after I return, so I'm sure I'll be helping with that as well :) Really, I just have a big long list of things I'm going to do when I get back to God's Country. I can't wait to get started :)

Two Week Countdown

In some ways, I can't believe that 10 weeks of being in Ridgecrest have already passed...in others, I can't. believe. I'm. STILL. here.

As if being apart from the love of my life is not enough, I've also been separated from my family and friends. I'm not normally one to shy away from meeting new people and enjoying my new surroundings, but to be honest, I have had a hard time here.

I have had a short fuse...both with things that make me angry or make me sad. I get really frustrated really easily, and I cry at the stupidest things. There have been times that I have kinda just felt...I don't know...stuck. Like I don't know what I should be doing and like I can't wait to finally turn the page and start a new chapter. I hate that, because I really want to be the type of person that lives to the fullest no matter what their circumstance is.

This summer has definitely been a battle for me. The only way I can even think to describe it, is just feeling like my life has been put on hold. I have never in my life been REALLY homesick. But I absolutely cannot wait to go home. I'm ready to sleep in my own bed. Catch up with friends. Go get a chocolate mix with Reese's from Braum's. Go watch my 8-year-old nephew play football and my 4-year-old niece play soccer. Get to start making progress toward my PhD research again. Wear a sweatshirt and watch the leaves change colors. Cheer on the Hogs live in Razorback Stadium. Help my sister with her house remodeling. Go meet my college best friend's brand new baby boy. Mow my yard (that one might be weird, but when you live for 12 weeks in a place that has no grass, you'd probably feel the same way...).

I just want to go home to God's Country. I got to go home to Oklahoma this past weekend and spend some time with my family, and it was so nice to be back to that part of the country. Two more weeks and, Lord willing, I'll be there. And I think God was being nice to me by giving me two 4-day weeks for my last two weeks...with Labor Day yesterday, today was the start of Week 11 of my internship, and for my last week next week, a flex Friday...plus a nice little break this weekend to go visit my Grandpa in Palm Springs one last time before I head home...Hallelujah...It's really not even two weeks. In exactly 1 week and 2 days, me and the pit bulls (they really are such troopers) will be headed for Flagstaff for the first leg of our 1500 mile trip home. I absolutely cannot wait.

Sorry today was kinda...blah. I have some exciting things to post about in the near future, I just wasn't in the mood tonight. Things like my camping trip on the beach, Sweet Home Oklahoma - Part 2 and some more Groupon finds. I'll get there, I promise.

Week 11 - I can do this.

My New Motto

I have found myself saying this a lot lately, so I've decided that it might as well be my new motto:

"You win some, you lose some."

Especially when on the hunt for frugal wedding planning ideas. I suppose you can't get everything for as cheap as you want it. But don't worry, I still plan on trying.

I always hate it when I miss out on a perfectly good deal. I didn't miss out entirely, but it was definitely a deal disappointment.

Let me explain.

So I found these linen-blend khaki pants from Old Navy a couple weeks ago when I was on the hunt for what I want my ringbearer/7-almost-8-year-old nephew to wear in our wedding in May. I know, I may be a little ridiculous buying things in August for a wedding next May for a kid who is probably going to grow 4 inches by then (okay..4 may be a slight exaggeration. But you never know with kids and their growth spurts), but don't worry I planned ahead and got him a size bigger than he wears currently. Now let's just hope he doesn't suddenly change his mind and decide to be a midget...

Anyways...my sister was kind enough to look at the Old Navy back home last weekend during the tax free weekend (that I missed out on because California is a jerk...), but to no avail. Apparently the stores don't carry them. Bummer.

But, good news! I get this email in my inbox ridiculously early yesterday morning that says, "One day only! 25% off online orders with this promotion code!" So you can imagine my excitement. That would amount to almost $5 off since the pants were about $20. Sidenote: It amazes me that by the time he is fully dressed, I'm going to end up spending more on my ring bearers clothes than my bridesmaids dresses. But hey, you win some, you lose some.

So I get online yesterday at work, find the pants, add them to my cart, type in the promo code...and voila! 25% off! BUT then they slap the $7 shipping charge on there. Lame. So I realize you can get free shipping for orders over $50. So I justify the extra expense by deciding that I would rather spend an extra $35 to buy actual items rather than $7 on a box and some postage. Due to the fact that I am approximately half a person smaller than I was a year and a half ago, I could use some new shorts anyways!

So I start trying to browse on Old Navy's website to find some clothes for me. And unfortunately, my internet at work is not only painfully slow, it is very tempermental. It was not being cooperative to say the least yesterday. So I think...Oh well, I'll order it when I get home. I even put it on my grocery shopping/to-do list so I wouldn't forget.

Well...I didn't forget. But I left work, went to the commissary only to find them closed (I didn't realize they are closed on Mondays), so then I had to go to Wal-Mart instead. As I've mentioned before, we have a baby Wal-Mart here in Ridgecrest, so definitely not equipped with all the necessities. Example: no produce section. Fail. So I got everything on my list that I could at Wal-Mart, then made my way to Stater Bros to get some fruit and veggies for the week. If I had not let mother hubbard's cupboards get so bare, trust me, I would've waited til today to go to the commissary. It AMAZES me how expensive regular grocery stores are. It actually kinda makes me sick. But I had absolutely no food to make for dinner last night, or breakfast and lunch today, so I kinda had to get it done. I'm still deciding if missing 3 meals might have just been worth it based on the extra expense of shopping at the regular grocery store instead of the commissary...

Anyways...I digress (you're probably used to that by now...). So I get home, unload all my groceries, start picking ticks off my poor dogs, which by the way, is a difficult task when:

This is what a tick looks like...don't worry, it's a google image find. I did not take a close up picture of a tick on my finger...

This is what Koda looks like. Horrid color resemblance = very difficult finding pesky little creatures! P.S. I know, my dog is weird. I didn't put him in the bathtub...he did that all by himself. I guess he felt dirty...

Then I proceed to making dinner and having my evening Skype date with my other half...

We talk until about 9:15pm, and he is tired so he says he's sorry, but he needs to hang up and go to bed. So I say, "No problem, I actually need to get on the Old Navy website to buy these pants for Jaxon," and share my excitement about my 25% off one day promo code. His exact words, "Are you sure it doesn't expire at midnight Eastern Time?" Which of course, my immediate response is, "Surely not! Most of those things are based on whatever time zone you're in."

I was wrong.

I get on the Old Navy website, do my shopping, find a couple of cute things for me in addition to the pants for my nephew, add them to my cart, type in promo code and proceed to checkout. It only gives me 20% off. 

Have I mentioned that I hate being wrong?

I go back to my email and read the fine print, only to find that the 25% off was good on August 8th until 11:59pm Eastern. You could use the same promo code and get 20% off on August 9th, and 15% off on August 10th. So I still at least got 20% off but still...I missed the extra 5% off by like 30 minutes! So frustrating.

 

Anyways...I'm done complaining. Here are my final purchases :) (looks like I'm going to have to add pictures later...my work computer is not cooperating...again...)

Boys Linen-Blend Khaki Pants - Size 10, with adjustable waist. I really wish they had these in slims, because Jaxon is a skinny minny, but I guess I will just have to settle for the adjustable waistband :) - regularly $19.94 - 20% off ($3.99) = $15.95

Silver Earrings - I could use some new earrings, and these look kinda fun :) Regularly $7.50 - 20% off ($1.50) = $6. I better like these though, because I am stuck with these. No returns on earrings apparently.

Cuffed Khahi Shorts - Gray. They come in navy, gray, khaki, and white colors, and I kinda wanted white shorts, but I ended up going with gray because they only had size 18 in the white...those won't fit. The gray had either a 0, 6, 10, 18 or 20...so I went with the 6. I'm really not sure what I wear in Old Navy sizes, so I'm hoping the 6 fits...if not, at least they helped me qualify for free shipping, AND they can always be returned :)  These were regularly $22.50, but were on sale for $16.50 - 20% off ($3.30) = $13.20

Pleated Charmeuse Shorts - Black. I have been wanting a pair of "dressy" black shorts for a long time, so I really hope they fit well. I also ordered a size 6 in these, so here's to hoping I picked the right size. If not, I can always exchange/return them :) These were a little pricey, but I have been on the hunt for a pair, so I figured it was still a good find with the 20% off. Regularly $26.50 - 20% off ($5.39) = $21.11

So with tax, I ended up with all that for $60.81, with a savings of $14.18, plus the tax would've been on the $14.18. Not bad if I do say so myself :)

Now I still have to find just the right color of a turquoise shirt for my adorable nephew to wear...I think I like this one (minus the tie...not what I'm going for..) but I am still on the hunt. I also haven't entirely decided if I want to just have him wear a white button down shirt instead. I found this one at Old Navy for $10. Quite tempting. And it would probably match my groom and his best man better, because I believe they are wearing white shirts...but I just really love the turquoise! Oh, decisions decisions...

By the way, the Old Navy 20% off sale is going on today until 11:59pm ET, and 15% tomorrow until 11:59 ET. Don't miss out. Just use the promo code ONSCHOOL at checkout. And don't forget...You win some, you lose some :)

Completely random sidenote: All documents are officially off to the scholarship company that has to approve my extension request that, if approved, would result in me getting to live in God's Country for a whole extra year. Cross your fingers, and let's hope this turns out to be in the "you win some" category ;) I will keep you posted!