Home

Guess who is home? Guess who has power?

ME!!!

And, I'm an aunt!

Noah Langston Hughes arrived in the world last night (1/30) at 11:58pm. His mama was a champion and deserves a medal.

He was 8 pounds 6 ounces and TWENTY-THREE inches long!

He had little umbilical cord issue. It was wrapped around his neck rather tightly and he got to spend last night and all day today in a private room in the NICU. Hopefully, he will have all IV's removed from him by tomorrow and will get to start enjoying a normal stay in the hospital.

He is perfect and seriously cute. And has some extremely proud parents.

I took pics of the ice storm and some of Noah. I hope to post those tomorrow, after I have recovered from my exhaustion.

spoke too soon...

Coming to you from Little Rock, AR.

You might remember that I posted that our house had power.

I was mistaken.

Well, actually we had power but it was short-lived. I never even got to experience the power. Sigh.

When we got home, we pushed the button to open the garage door and NOTHING!

We went in the house, put the girls down for a nap, and repacked.

Matthew's sister, Julia, is IN THE HOSPITAL right now giving birth to MY nephew. Cause you know, it's about me right now.

They live in LR and are not currently using their house, what with being in the hospital and all.

So, here we are, sitting in their POWERED house.

Good night. And good luck Julia.

What we are dealing with

A vehicle drives under a tree that is weighed down by ice on Old Wire Road as a
result of wintry weather on Wednesday Jan. 28, 2009, in Fayetteville, Ark.(AP
Photo/Beth Hall)

***Updated: Matthew just called and we have power again! After a quick dip in the pool, we are headed home!***

A hotel update

Both girls just went down for a nap. It's amazing to me how quickly Elyn fell asleep. Our activity level today has been pretty low.

She did swim for over an hour though. That probably did her in.

Nora on the other hand...well, let's just say she's already been up twice.

AND she had a potty accident today! What? She has not had one of those in over a month.

This hotel is throwing her off her game.

Thankfully, when Matthew went home to see if power had been restored (it had not), he picked up some extra undies.

I don't think I mentioned this yesterday. When Matthew called to make our reservation, the boy taking our information asked him why we were needing a room. Matthew said it was because our power was out.

Because of our predicament we got our room for 50% off of the regular price!!!!

Another reason to LOVE Embassy Suites.

(When Hurricane Katrina came roaring through a few years ago many people without power took shelter in hotels. Matthew's dad lives in south Mississippi and told us last night that the hotels charged 200% ABOVE the regular rates. Ridiculous!)

Rogers has already canceled schools again for Thursday. I hear that many of the schools are without power too.

We're hoping to be home tomorrow!

Until then, we will continue our adventure.

My birthday will go down in the history books

I got my birthday wish and I got it in a BIG way! Because of an ice storm, Matthew got to miss a day of school and stay home with us.

However,

I am writing this from my hotel room.

That's right, my hotel room.

Are you thinking that my husband got a babysitter for the girls tonight so that he and I could celebrate my birthday with a romantic night away?

Not quite.

According to the weather guys, this ice storm that has hit Northwest Arkansas is the most severe ice storm in over 50 years.

Yea! January 27th is now historical day for weather. Which means it will be mentioned A LOT.

I know I will never forget it.

We woke up this morning, warm and cozy in our bed. We got both girls from their beds and snuggled with them for a few minutes. Matthew and Nora went and made french toast for breakfast and we had a great meal. While we were eating, we kept looking at how beautiful the yard was, covered in ice. It was a miracle!

After the dishes had been cleaned up, Matthew, Nora, and Elyn started making my birthday cake. Yummy!

Literally, 10 minutes after the cakes came out of the oven, the power went out.

And it didn't come back on.

Matthew fired up the fire place (which is gas, which hardly puts out any heat, which is mostly decorative) and we got the flashlights and candles ready to put into use.

About an hour later, we decided that the power was probably going to be out a LONG time.

Matthew told me to go ahead and call a hotel to make a reservation. I called a nearby hotel and couldn't get through. Matthew asked who I had called, I told him, and he told me to call a "GOOD" hotel.

Hey, I'm just trying to save a few bucks.

So, he called Embassy Suites and got us a room. And I am SO GLAD that he called the "good" hotel!

We he called at 11:30, the hotel was about 30% full. When we got here at 2pm, the hotel was 80% full. I just went out of our room and there are people STILL checking in.

I saw a statistic earlier that there was about 50,000 without power tonight. Whew!

Our suite is HEAVEN. It will be very difficult for me to ever stay in a normal hotel room again. Having separate rooms, with kids, is the way to go. Right now the girls are asleep in the "living room" and Matthew and I are watching Biggest Loser.

Heaven!

Anyway, "Ice Storm 2009" is still in full force and school has been canceled again for tomorrow.

It looks like the majority of our Wednesday will be spent swimming in the pool with 200 other kids.

Fun times. (The only thing I can even think about when I am in the pool holding onto Elyn are the amount of nasty germs that are in the tepid water).

It's not looking promising that our power will be restored soon. I have already booked the room for another night.

Happy Birthday to me!!!!!!!!

Some funny things that Nora has said/done since we have arrived:
"Mommy, is that the show and tell we are going to stay at?" show and tell=hotel
"Let's go ride in the alligator!" alligator=elevator
Tells Matthew and I, while we are in our room, that she has to go potty. We had taken her to the bathroom earlier, while we were having dinner at the restaurant downstairs. She goes over to the door in our room and starts to open it. Matthew says, "Hey, stop, where are you going?" "To the potty." Duh! Apparently she thought the only bathroom in the whole place was 5 floors below us.

That is what we have been up to today. It's been eventful and memorable! A great day!

Oh, and we brought the birthday cake with us. Strawberry!

Birthday wish granted!

Weather - School Closings:
"Prairie Grove Christian
Church: Upward practices cancelled
Premier Dermatology and Skin Renewal
Center: Closed Tuesday
Providence Academy: Closed Tuesday
Rogers Schools: Closed Tuesday
Salem
Lutheran Church - S'dale: Closed Tuesday
Siloam Springs Schools: Closed
Tuesday
Social Security Administration-Fay.: Closed Monday"

Color me happy

Yesterday was a big day for me!

I am no longer Nannie.

The white hair has been covered up and I'm feeling more in my decade now.

I also had my hair trimmed and some layers cut into it.

I really think it was just what I needed to confidently walk into Tuesday (the BIG day).

Speaking of Tuesday, the weather channel is calling for freezing rain. Fingers crossed! It would be the best birthday present ever if Matthew got to stay at home.

Well, actually the best birthday present ever would be a twice a month housekeeper, but I think I might have to wait until my 33rd year for that. Or my 63rd year.

Maybe I'll post a picture of my new do. Maybe.

Just when I could shop with my eyes closed...

Wal-Mart goes and moves everything around.

And I mean EVERYTHING!

I went to the store tonight (by MYSELF, such a luxury...any other mommies feel like it is a mini-vacay to go up and down the aisles with no one talking to you?).

Our 4-year-old Wal-Mart is in the middle of a major makeover. I really think WM is wasting some major money on our store.

I have no idea where things are now. Oh, sure, things are still in the same vacinity, but not in their original home.

The part that bothers me the most? The baby area. It's all messed up. Ughhh!

AND did y'all know that Wal-Mart charges different prices for the same item at different stores? I didn't and am shocked! I'm sure this is old news (frequently, I am out of the loop). It irks me that just because I live near the "wealthy" WM store in our area, they are going to charge me 2 cents extra for my bread.

I'm not wealthy. And I'm sure not driving 10 minutes out of my way to save 2 cents on bread when I would spend that 2 cents on gas.

Sigh.

It's a hard life I live. So hard.

You know you want one too

Well, didn't Miss Traci do an AMAZING job on the new look. Absolutely incredible!

And I LOVE the two sidebars. I'm pretty sure it's an original design by her, but I don't want get all big headed thinking she created this JUST FOR ME. (But I think she did) (I am seriously special)

So, are you jealous? I know, you are. Don't worry, go find her here and beg her to create you a new look.

Actually, she's really nice and won't require any begging from you. At all.

Thank you Traci! I loved working with you...it won't be the last time, I can guarantee you that.

A present for you!

A few months ago I posted that I had won a blog contest. A new blog makeover!

Traci has been hard at work creating some wonderfulness for me. I think she is days away from the unveiling. (Her client keeps adding/changing things and it's probably holding her up...high maintenance client.)

One of the things that I requested of Traci was to fix my blogs ability to update on other blogs.

She delivered!!!!!

So....if you have my blog on your "favorites" and it has not been automatically updating, check out your sidebar now!

Thank you Traci! You are awesome and I can't wait for everyone to see how fabulous my new blog is too!

Historical

A new president was sworn into office today. President Barack Obama is the 44th President of The United States of America.

Whether you voted for him or not really doesn't matter now. He is our country's leader.

I will pray for him and his family as they work to make our country better. As his family transitions to the White House, so our country transitions with them.

Anybody else have this "problem"

And there is lots more in our attic! Fourteen to be precise.
Each season it is exhausting to me to go through closets/drawers, pack up clothes that are either too small or out of season, go through tubs that might have current size/season in them, wash and put back in closet/drawer. Can I get an Amen?

Thanks to the GENEROSITY of other families we have been on the receiving end of many, many hand-me-downs. Without these families, I don't know how our budget would have stretched enough to clothe both of our children.

You would think that by looking at those tubs we were set for the next 2-3 years.

You would think that.

But that is not the case. Sadly.

Our girls were born 19 months apart from each other. Yes, it's crazy that they are close in age. We're crazy.

But, them being crazy close in age is not the worst part of them being 19 months apart.

What is the worst part?

Nora's clothing does not work, seasonally, for Elyn.

Elyn is in 18 month clothing right now. I went to the tub that says "18-24 months" on the outside of it. Guess what?

The vast majority of the clothing is SUMMER clothing.

It's January.

THANKFULLY, because families at church love us enough to give us their super cute hand-me-downs, we have some WINTER 18-24 month clothing, so I don't have to go buy the girl an entire new wardrobe.



I just thought all those tubs sitting in our living room tonight looked funny. So I got a pic and decided to share our burden/blessing with the rest of you.

Maybe our next child (who has not yet been conceived...stop rushing me!) will be a boy and we will have the largest garage sale ever.



But then we'd have to buy boy clothes. It's a vicious circle!

MLK day=a very full drs office!

Two nights ago Elyn did not sleep. She lay in her bed whining. Obviously she didn't feel well.

Matthew and Elyn stayed home from church yesterday. Poor kid, very clingy and whiny all day yesterday.

Last night, with my best friend "Motrin" coming to my aide, she slept like a champ.

This morning, basically her entire face was coated in a film of snot. Ahhh, nothing like a little snot baby to start the day off right.

I took her to the "almost exceeding the fire code law because there were so many people in the waiting room" doctor this morning and HALLELUJAH...

he sent me home with a prescription for an ear infection!!!!

Bad news: I forgot to pick it up on my way home and I am not leaving my house again. I'm hoping her daddy doesn't mind making a detour on the way home.

Look what I can do!

I got a photo editing program back in the summer. I haven't had much time to play around with it.

Tonight, I decided to see what it could do.

Look what I figured out tonight!
Rookie stuff, I know. But, I'm pretty excited!

Prayers needed for some babies!

Rachel posted on her blog that there are some families in need of prayer.

Baby Brayden was born January 14 and has been having some problems with his lungs. He is in ACH right now and needing prayers.

Baby Harper was born today and was flown to ACH pretty much immediately following her birth. I think she is having heart problems and according to Kelly, her mama, things don't look good. Please pray for her family!

I know that many of you will be lifting these sweet babies and their families up to our heavenly Father.

Sisters?

The other day we were trying to remember when Nora was Elyn's age...which seems like an eternity ago.

A few facts:
*when Nora was Elyn's age (15 1/2 months old), I was 5 1/2 months pregnant. What?!?!?!
*Nora was wearing 12 month clothing. Elyn is in 18-24 month clothing.
*Nora would sit and watch an episode of Barney, from start to finish. Elyn is interested for about 5 minutes.

We also remember Nora seeming a lot older than Elyn, even though they were both 15 months. Is that because we didn't have anyone to compare Nora to? Is it because she received our undivided attention? Is it because she is our oldest and we expected things early?

Whatever the reason, I tell myself that Elyn is just like Nora was. But that's a lie. They are totally different!

So, just for fun, I pulled out a picture of Nora when she was Elyn's age and found one I had taken a few weeks ago of Elyn. Matthew and I looked at them, side by side, on our computer screen.

We don't think they look anything alike. What do you think?

I am Loretta (only my family will know who that is)

For those of you who have been around a while, you might remember that when I turned 30 I had a hard time wrapping my mind around entering a new decade.

I quickly figured out that being in ones 30's is not that bad. I'm older, I'm wiser.

Right? That's what they say so I'll go with it.

Last year when I turned 31, I was surprisingly calm. I went about my 31st birthday as if it were just another day. Well, another day with cake involved and some presents given to me.

Two weeks from yesterday I turn 32.

Thirty-two.

That seems quite old to me.

When I was 8 years old, I remember being at my grandparent's house practicing my multiplication tables (the 4's). For some reason, I was having a very hard time remembering what 4x8 was. My mom, who had just had a birthday, asked me, "How old am I?"

"Well, you're 32."

"That's right. And you're 8. So, when you see 4x8, maybe you can just remember that you are 8 and I am 32."

And I did. And I still do. When I see 4x8 (or 8x4), I always remember that conversation and think of the year my mom was 32.

What I also remember is how OLD she was!!!!! (sorry mom!) When I wrote "32" as my answer on my times table test, I remember thinking that I might as well write 102, because 32 and 102 basically were the same thing. Both were OLD!!!!

Guess what, I'm about to be 102.

I have seen subtle changes in my body this year. And by subtle, I mean reality has hit me in the face like an 18-wheeler going down the road at 90 mph and hitting a cement wall. That kind of subtle.

1. Losing weight is nearly impossible. I just completed a HALF-MARATHON and during my training...my 6 months of training...I lost approximately 2 pounds. It was nice knowing you metabolism, wish you would have stuck around a little bit longer.

2. What the history/physics books don't tell us is that Sir Isaac Newton had some help with the theory of gravitation. His WIFE probably got him thinking about such things. One day, she was in the bathroom, looking in her vanity, complaining about her body. "I just don't understand it Ike. It seems like with each passing year different parts of my body seem to sag a little bit more. Do you see my eyes? See how they are drooping right here? I swear that last week they were in a different spot. And don't even get me started on my boobs and butt! I tell you Ike, it's like a strange force has taken over my body. I sure wish there was a name for it." And that is how Sir Isaac Newton became famous.

3. I've mentioned before that my memory is shot. Gone. Probably never coming back. I blame kids AND age. Sigh. It's a miracle I remember what 4x8 is.

4. And finally, today, I stumbled upon the straw that is about to break this old camel's back. I was getting all gussied up (brushing my teeth and putting on clean clothes) to go eat lunch with Matthew. Lucky guy, that Matthew, I go all out for him. As I was pulling my hair back into a ponytail, I noticed a highlight that I hadn't seen before.

[Flashback: Last June, I completely quit coloring my hair. I put a dark wash on it and then went cold turkey. I was tired of the maintenance of keeping up with my roots and was also trying to save some money. Never in my life had I been brunette but I gave it a shot. And I liked it. It was easier and it was natural.]

I got closer to the mirror to investigate this new highlight. As I am inching closer to my reflection I am thinking, "Do I actually have some blonde coming in? Lucky me!" (Oh, sweet naive Dallas.)

Upon much closer inspection I saw a WHITE hair. Surrounded by other white hairs. I nearly, and I'm not kidding, passed out. First thought?

I AM OLD!

I might as well start looking into nursing homes that will allow an almost 32-year-old woman to live there. Because I have WHITE hair. Not gray. WHITE.

I think, if it had been gray, I wouldn't have overreacted. Gray is like the step before white.

White hair is my 92-year-old Nannie. And she had bad hips. And lived in a nursing home. And did not like small children. Or adults.

So, if you are looking for something to get me for my birthday, it seems like a cane or walker would be appropriate. Because I am one step away from breaking my hip and having to have a replacement surgery.

Guess who is getting her hair cut and colored on the 24th? Yep. Nannie.

My blogs will be without pictures for a while.

I took my camera to the camera store Friday because the flash was having difficulty popping up.

The nice camera man looked it over and told me that there appeared to be a "sticky substance" around the flash.

Hmmmm...wonder how that happened?

No prob. How long will it take to get sticky substance off of my camera?

SEVEN to EIGHT weeks!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you kidding me?

Have fun at the camera spa, Rebel. I'll miss you while you're gone.

Read the fine print

Two months after Elyn was born, I was discussing with my mom what I wanted for Christmas.

(I don't know if it works this way in your house, but my mom doesn't play favorites when it comes to Christmas gifts. If I get a pair of socks that cost $2.50, then Marty might get a tube of lotion that cost $2.50...it's always been equal.)

Christmas of 2007 was a VERY good Christmas for me, thanks to Marty. My mom had gotten her a "surprise" gift that pushed my limit a tad bit higher that it had been in the past. I thought and thought about what I needed, wanting to get the most for my money.

A gym membership. (And a new camera, but this story is focused on the gym membership.)

It was a perfect gift as far as I was concerned. It was the opportunity for me to get started on the "get-the-body-back-to-the-way-it-was" goal AND I was going to be able to drop my two children off, who both happened to be under the age of two, for FREE. Perfect.

There was only one drawback to this new membership. The closest gym to our house was about 20 minutes away.

As a nursing mother I had to time Elyn's feedings so that as soon as she was done eating I could throw both girls in the car and head out to the gym.

Because once we got there:
I had to get their coats off; give instructions to the workers; give Nora 200 kisses and convince her that I would be returning soon; debate between actually working out and sitting on the comfy couches and reading a magazine/taking a nap; decide to work out; head to the bathroom and pee (because I don't want to be on the treadmill for 5 minutes and realize I have to pee); suck-in in front of the mirrors in the bathroom for a few minutes and almost convince myself that I don't really need to work out; head to the treadmill anyway; look frantically for an empty treadmill and nearly cuss when the only empty one is beside the Kate Moss look-alike; decide that sucking-in is not going to work for the 45 minutes I am on the treadmill because I am about to pass out; compare myself to just about every woman that walks past me; financially try to figure out how many bags of plasma I would need to sell before I had enough saved up for plastic surgery; decide I should have asked for plastic surgery for Christmas; cheer when the 45-minutes is up; head back to the bathroom to pee again; suck-in in front of the mirror again and wonder if the 45 minutes did anything at all; go pick up the girls and realize that Nora did not miss me at all because she has been playing with electric cars and watching Dora; rush to the car and throw girls back in; make it home just as Elyn is starting to announce her hunger.

That was our routine starting last January.

But, I didn't care too much because a new gym was being built FIVE minutes from my house. A bigger and better gym! And my membership allowed my to attend it without paying any extra.

It was a little annoying because they kept pushing back the opening date of the new gym. At first it was supposed to open June 1, then it was August 1, then it was October 1, and finally it was promised to open on December 1.

Did I give up going to the gym that was 20 minutes away? Oh no. I kept going, 2-3 times a week. Each time I went, I knew I was one day closer to the new gym opening and one day closer to a 5 minute drive.

If you remember the gas prices last summer, you might recall that they were a little on the high side. In fact, they were so high that Matthew asked me to make my trips to the gym really worth it. He didn't mean I should workout so hard that I come home 2 sizes smaller (but wouldn't that have been nice). He meant that if I go to the gym then I should get all of my errands out of the way on that side of town so I was not "wasting" gas.

December 1st arrived with great anticipation. So, so excited!

But we didn't make it to the gym until the 3rd.

I made a huge deal about going to the NEW gym on the morning of the 3rd. Nora kept asking me what kind of toys the new gym had and if she was going to get to watch Dora (grrrr). I kept explaining to her that this was a NEW gym and we would find out everything when we got there.

But, weren't we EXCITED about going to the NEW gym!!!!!!!!!

I bundled both girls up, put a snack and juice in their bag, made sure a newly potty-trained Nora went to the potty and headed out on our glorious five minute drive.

We walk into the gym and it is FABULOUS! Almost worth the wait. I think I even heard Nora say, "Wow!". Fabulous!

I scan my tag and hear the familiar computerized "enjoy your workout".

While holding Elyn on my hip and holding Nora's hand, I turn to the muscled man working behind the counter.

"Excuse me, where is childcare?" I ask while doing a visual scan trying to locate it.

"Right down the hall, to the left".

"Thanks!"

I take the girls down the hall, to the left. On our way, we pass a smoothie bar, a racquetball court, a TV room, and a food court. I was very impressed with how the builder had utilized all available space.

I see a sign that says, "Kids Gym". Well, here we are.

I walk up to a VERY quiet and dark room. "Hello?"

A barely-out-of-highschool girl walks up to me. "Um, hi, we don't open until 10:30".

"What? I don't understand."

She explains by saying, "Oh, and your kids have to be 3 years old or older."

I am still completely confused. I say, "Where is childcare?"

Then she said four words that nearly had me dropping Elyn on the floor.

"We don't have childcare."

WHAT????????!!!!!!!!!???????? "But, the sign outside says 'free childcare'."

She smacks her gum and shrugs her shoulders and says, "Well, we don't have it".

I head back to the front, this time not quite as impressed with the food court, TV room, racquetball court, and smoothie bar. I ask Mr. Muscle about childcare and he informs me that a nearby daycare is allowing "gym kids" to stay there for AN HOUR every Monday-Friday.

Huh?

In this HUGE, ENORMOUS building the gym planner could not have set aside a few square feet for ON-SITE childcare?

Even after the explanation, driving to the daycare to check it out, meeting with the director and grilling her, leaving my children in the hands of strangers (but not before giving 3-4 phone numbers to call should something happen), hitting the start button on my watch to time my hour (because I have to pay if I am late), driving back to the gym, sprinting from the parking lot to the gym, locating the treadmills, and beginning my workout...even after all of that, I was still confused.

Off-site childcare? It didn't make any sense to me.

I was back at the daycare 45 minutes later to pick up my girls. When I dropped them off they were the only two there. When I picked them up, they were still the only two. As I was putting their coats on them, I heard one of the teachers yelling at her class. As I was turning to leave, I saw a sign that was posted for parents telling the cases of RSV and pneumonia that had been diagnosed that week.

At our old gym, the ladies in childcare NEVER raised their voices, knew who my girls were, got down on the floor and played with them.

At our old gym, there was always at least a dozen kids for Nora and Elyn to play with.

At our old gym, childcare was ON-SITE!!!!

Now, I am not criticizing the daycare. If I was a pre-school teacher, trapped in a room of 3-year-olds from 7am to 5pm, chances are pretty good that I would raise my voice 1 or 100 times a day.

I realize that even at our old gym, there are kids there that might have just gotten over RSV/flu/cold or carrying the starting of the virus. But they don't post it so I don't know about it. I like to be in the dark sometimes.

Matthew came home last week and told me that one of his co-workers had overheard why they didn't put an on-site childcare facility at the new gym. They were afraid that all the moms would go to the new gym and the old gyms would start losing members.

I should call management and let them know that I am staying with my old gym. Feeling comfortable about dropping off my kids is worth the extra 15 minutes of driving.

Good thing gas prices have dropped.

Slowing down?

(why does Blogger mess up my spacing ALL THE TIME? Ughhhh!)

I wish things were about to slow down for us...but that is just not the case.

We had a delightful Christmas break but spent a lot of time working around our house. It was tiring.

We have completely rearranged our living room (possible pics to follow, my camera is not cooperating with me right now), rearranged our bedroom, moved out a toddler bed and moved in a twin-sized bed into Nora's room and had to rearrange everything in there too (no diapers, no paci, adult bed in her room...sniff, I might as well start packing her bags for overnight church camp, she's all grown up), moved a few things in Nora's room into Elyn's room so this weekend means we will be moving her furniture around also.

Parts of our house look like we have just moved in and other parts are completely put back together. At this point in the process I am tired of finding new homes for lamps/picture frames/knick knacks/etc. I'm tempted to throw it all away.

But I won't because I am practical.

I should be finding nooks to place my knick knacks but I'm sitting on the couch, listening to my husband cheer for Florida and blogging. A girl needs a break!

My mom was here this week. She came Monday and left today. She was a huge help in decorating. She also was the photographer since my camera is not speaking to me right now.

We start our college classes again next week. Matthew teaches for Harding on Monday nights and is taking a class from University of Arkansas on Tuesday/Thursday nights. I am teaching for Harding on Tuesday/Thursday nights. Thankfully, we will only need a babysitter for about and hour and a half during that time.

Life is about to pick up speed. My "baby" turns 3 next month, which I find impossible. Slow down time, you go too fast.

Ridiculous

My phone has been hanging on by a thread for the past few months. It has been thrown multiple times by my little destructor (Elyn) and has been dropped a few times by yours truly.

Today, I was talking on it and when I hung up, the face piece almost fell off.

It was then I knew that my phone was never going to last until I was eligible for a free one. In 2010.

I only get free phones. I have NEVER spent a dollar (other than to buy a car charger) on a phone. I don't see why I should. I don't need anything fancy. Just something to talk on and send a text with.

I asked Matthew to stop by the AT&T store so I could run in and see what they had in stock.

The cheapest phone that was available was $150.00.

And it is a VERY basic phone.

Do you know how many new pair of shoes I could buy with $150.00? Do you know how many GROCERIES I can by with that much money?

I did not get the phone.

But, seriously, my phone WILL NOT make it until 2010. It already has portions of it held together by scotch-tape thanks to the AT&T guy coming to my rescue the last time Elyn threw it.

My sweet husband offered to switch phones with me.

Mine is pink.

I told him no, but thanks.

I got home, looked online at the AT&T store to see if they had any deals. Nope. None.

Ridiculous!

So, I went to Ebay.

YEA EBAY!

I ordered a new phone (well, new to me, old to the person selling it) and it should be arriving on my doorstep in the next few days.

I didn't have to take out a loan, I get several accessories with it, and I think it's probably better than my current phone.

I just hope the scotch-tape holds for the next few days!