A Cure For The Litter Box Blues

A week before we moved to our new apt, I bought an automated litter box for the cats. Mike and I are so bad at cleaning the regular box every day that we felt the cats deserved a little justice. They liked their new, clean bathroom and did just fine with it.

When we moved, however, our boy cat seemed partial to the carpet instead of his litter box. What was wrong? He didn't seem stressed, as he was purring all the time! He certainly knew where the litter box was because no matter what room we put it in, he chose the carpet right next to the box! After a brand new tray of litter, cat pheromone diffuser, entire can of Resolve, emergency checkup at the vets, and antibiotics, we were still hopeless. 

It was frustrating to say the least and this cat was burning a hole in our pocket to find the answer! So, as I was moving some things in the attic, I decided to bring down the old litter box and give it a try. I filled it up and put in right beside their new automated box. BINGO! Chase is now perfectly happy to use his old box. Man, wish I knew that before the spending spree. 

New Additions

In the last 3 days we have really been spoiled. Mike got his Madden NFL 09 game for our XBox 360  

Then, he needed a great tv for the Madden to look good on (Plus we decided to get cable). So we bought a Vizio 42" Plasma- with Mike's overtime money, of course.

And last but not least, Jen gets her Tony Romo jersey to cheer on her boys.

The Big Move

Today was a very busy day. We moved from our 1 bedroom apt to our new 3 bedroom apt, and it seemed like everything that could go wrong did. First, the truck we ordered was too small! We were supposed to load up in the morning with one crew of Elders Quorum and unload in the afternoon with another crew. But, when we discovered that not even half of the apt fit into the truck, the early crew had to load and unload.

While the men were first loading the truck, I went to the new apt do to the inspection. When our contact person said, "All I need is the money..." Oh no! I forgot all about the first and last month's rent. So, I had to juggle the money around and go to the bank for the cashier's check then back to the new apt. By then, the men were waiting for the keys to unlock the door to the new apt.

We knew that with our oversized furniture it wouldn't be easy to get it into the apt. But, I never thought that it actually wouldn't get in! The men in the morning tried so hard to get the couch in. So hard, in fact, that on our first day I had to tell my contact person at the rental agency that were were 2 freshly made holes in the wall at the top of the stairwell. So, that's it- the couch would not go in. The wonderful Price Family, however, have traded their couch with ours for the next two years, so that we did not have to sell ours and can take it back when they move. What lifesavers! I never thought I would be so attached to a piece of furniture...

  While I finished cleaning the old apt and taking the rest of the stuff over, Mike played in the championship games for Cornell Intramural Softball, where they won the championship. Go Stormin' Mormons! The Ithacan that Mike is, played the games barefoot (due to an infected toe).

Jen Turns 21

A couple of days before my birthday I thought, "So how does a Mormon celebrate their 21st?" Well, my creative husband knew the answer. Upon getting in the car from school, Mike had surprised with me a 6 pack... of IBC Root beer.

Then we went over to the Watson's for some games and ice cream. We had a great time playing Imaginiff and Ticket to Ride- in which we did surprisingly well even though the Watson's still kicked out butts.

To top it off, we had a softball game where the Sonntags brought yummy cupcakes. What a great day!

Happy Birthday Mike!

Since I would be gone on Mike's birthday, we celebrated a little early. The top of Mike's wish list would be either a PS3, Big Screen TV, or Dodge Challenger. Well, he will have to settle with the Bamboo Tablet (he doesn't know it, but this is to help with his homework too) and an arm full of DVDs. I asked him to show me which one's were on his list. Well, I just decided to get all of them and more :0)

My First Flat Tire

So I went to a scrapbooking retreat in the Poconos with Mike's mom. When I had first arrived, I realized I had just gotten a flat tire. Of course I know nothing about flat tires, so I park in a spot, going uphill. The flat came off just fine, but when we went to put on the new tire, the car would not raise high enough. The owner of the camp deflated the new tire, slid it on, and inflated it again. Whew! We had to use a secondary jack to lift the car even higher. My jack came out completely bent and no longer usable. Thus, I learned that when I have my second flat tire in life, PARK ON FLAT GROUND.

 The retreat was a lot of fun, nonetheless. I had a great time with my mother-in-law (on Mike's birthday :-P)

What have we been up to?

A couple of weeks ago was the Branch Temple Trip to the Palmyra Temple. I love going to the temple. The two weeks prior to that trip had to be the most stressful weeks I have had in a long time. It's so wonderful to go to the temple and be doing something for someone else who cannot do it for themselves. I forget everything that was going on in my life and get to spend a couple of hours in relaxation. I get to go about every other month and I always appreciate my experiences. Just this last time, there was a man, probably in his 40's who had been a member of the church for 26 years. This was the first time he had done baptisms for the dead. When he came out of the font after his last name, he was smiling ear to ear and you could tell he felt good about what he was doing. It was a sweet reminder of just how precious these ordinances are.


Well... I finally got my letter from Ithaca College, and have been accepted for the third time (hehe). So, even though we had our hearts set on moving back home, we have decided to stick around Ithaca for a while and get this degree finished once and for all. Needless to say, we are excited that I will be back again, full time. Now, we have to decide where we are going to live (we want to move closer to campus, to save gas, but not too close).

Mike has been working hard in his schooling too. He is liking this quarter a lot more, because it is only one class, and it is drawing (not writing essay responses). I must say, he's pretty good at it too. He tried to teach me to draw a 3-D staircase, and let's just say I got nowhere. I can appreciate those artists who can actually make something look decent.

I have had a few comments about this blog. My sister tells my mom "that's just like Jennifer... pink and purple." I have also been told I need to incorporate Mike and our cats into it. I guess I can spare a small corner for an Eagles logo (ugh how can I say that???). Updates to come with pictures of the cats. Whew! That was a long one! ~Jen