Home Improvement?

So.

We've been having some home improvement issues around our house as of late.

This Saturday, I did something dumb and opened our dishwasher without cancelling it mid-cycle.

Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

It would not reset and I had to call Sears. Luckily (!!!) we bought the warranty on it and a repair is covered. They tell me they can send someone Wednesday (today). Fine. Dishwashing by hand commences.

Sunday morning, after I've gotten ready for church, Charlie comes upstairs and tells me he doesn't think the fridge feels very cold. And now that he mentions it, I had noticed that the freezer, while doing a fine job keeping meat frozen, had let all the bread thaw. (No idea why). We determine that if the fridge isn't already dead, it's gasping it's last breath. Placing all things cold outside on the deck commences. Except for food in "flimsy" containers- that goes in the garage so the squirrels don't get it.

No church for us- we scour the internet for fridge reviews, decide on one that looks good and head to Home Depot to see it in person. We leave feeling amazed at how quick and easy they make it for you shell out lots of money. And they can deliver it on Wednesday.

Woot! Wednesday = best kitchen day ever!

I should note that we had been thinking about replacing our fridge anyway so this was not a huge deal. I actually smiled when Charlie told me he thought it was dead. Our fridge is constantly packed because I love to cook so we normally have lots of leftovers as well as every ingrediant you could ask for crammed in there. So I had been dreaming of a larger fridge for a little while. We had seen a great deal on a fridge around Black Friday this past year and we hemmed and hawed over it and finally decided we shouldn't spend the money on such a large purchase we didn't really need, particularlly so close to Christmas. I'm kind of kicking myself now b/c although we found a decent deal on Sunday, it wasn't as good as the Black Friday deal. Oh well.

On Monday night, we come home from dinner at our friend's house, Charlie goes to the bathroom and flushes the toilet. Wait for it....and....the handle breaks off. What?!?!

Charlie assures me it's a $5 fix but I'm still a bit incredulous. Everyone pray that the stove keeps working ok? Because that's the last appliance left in our kitchen that we haven't had to replace yet. (Though it's as old as all the others, which were the originals in the house, making it approximatly 16 years old).

Today was Wednesday. Things did not go as planned.

Rick from Sears appliance repair calls and says he'll be there at 9:30. Lovely!

Home Depot delivery calls and tells me they'll be early- how 'bout 9? Lovely!

Home Depot men arrive and survey the situation. Sad news. Fridge cannot fit through our front door without the storm door coming off the hinges. I am not aware of how to remove said door from it's hinges and they are not allowed to attempt it.

The back deck entrance is considered. Oh. More bad news. Too slippery (from the sleeting rain) for the guys to carry a heavy fridge up it safely. Totally understand. I wouldn't feel like getting crushed by a fridge today either.

So, they must come back after we take the door off the hinges. So disappointed. Mildly annoyed that we will still be fishing through coolers and grocery bags in our garage (all is down there now due to the sleet and snow) trying to find our cold items whilst praying it hasn't gotten a tad too warm to spoil whatever dairy product we wish to consume.

Ah well. They can deliver the fridge on Friday, provided Charlie removes the door before then.

Then, Rick, our (extremely nice and helpful) dishwasher repairman shows up. And guess what?! The dishwasher is apparently not broken anymore and turns on perfectly when I try and show Rick how it doesn't work. Dishwasher = Traitor!

Rick assures me that it's fine and proceeds to make sure it truely does work and isn't just putting on a show for company. It does. I ponder how many gallons of water and time I have wasted washing dishes by hand the past few days as I assure Rick that I will most definitely give him an awesome rating when they phone survey me about his visit.

So, at least the dishwasher is working!

But please don't ask to pee in our powder room or have a glass of milk.

~KC

A great loss

As many of you know, Charlie's Dad, Carson, passed away on December 19th. Though he had been having some health issues and had undergone a few surgeries recently, his passing was very sudden. That Sunday was a bit of a blur and it's still hard for me to believe that he's not here. The memorial service was that Wednesday and though it was hard saying goodbye, it was also an uplifting expierence. Hearing from so many people who knew him as a man of quiet faith was wonderful and comforting. Charlie and I are thankful that Carson knew Jesus as his Savior and we are comforted by knowing he is with the Lord.

I didn't stand up and say anything during the service because I wasn't sure I could hold it together and I couldn't decide what I wanted to say. The first time I met Carson was one of Charlie's softball games when we were dating and at first he intimidated me. He was a quiet man but would let you know how he felt about certain things. However, over the years I grew to love him and was glad to be able to spend even more time with him during the last few months.


Carson was in the hospital during Charlie's 2 week trip to Norway this September and though my sister-in-law and her family were up one weekend, I was the only family member within a hundred miles during the majority of those 2 weeks. I visited Carson in the hospital and helped him get back to his apartment after the stay. We had some great conversations during those two weeks and I was blessed to be able to get to know him all on my own. Now that he's passed, I'm so glad I got to have those times with him.

Charlie and I really want to thank everyone who brought us meals, sent us cards and emails, prayed with and for us and came to the service. We are so blessed to be surrounding by fantastic friends and family.

We will always love and miss you Dad: lover of the Beatles, reader of Scripture, life long Yankees fan, owner of many coffee pots, loyal father.

~KC

30. It's kind of a big deal.

Charlie turned 30 on November 3rd and I took it upon myself to make a big deal out of it. His gift is a trip to go see the Yankees during Spring Training in Florida this spring. We went out to dinner and celebrated with the special homemade "strawberry long cake" I make for him each year.

I also surprised him with a party on November 14th. Which I was sure he had some clue was going to happen.

Nope.

It was awesome. He was totally surprised, had no idea I was planning something. Sometimes it's nice to have an obvious husband. ;)

The party was baseball themed and we all chowed down on ball park food such as hot dogs, nachos and buffalo chicken dip.

I also made a video with pictures throughout Charlie's 30 years, which I've uploaded below. Wasn't he just the cutest little boy ever? I think so.



So my darling hubs is now 30 and likes to brag that he "robbed the cradle". 2 and half more years and I'll leave my 20s as well. But I'm not wishing for that to come fast.

~KC

A mishap

Last night we had a slight mishap. It kind of exemplifies the way life has been going these days- not as expected.

We were heading home from small group, trying to make it to Target before it closed so I could pick up the new Sugarland CD (woohoo!). To truly appreciate what happened next, we need to flash back to the night before when we were on our way over to a friend's house for dinner.

Katie (driving): Oh, the car's basically on E. You'll have to get gas on your way to work tomorrow.

Charlie: Ugh. I can just get it on my way home.

Katie: (sideways look issued to Charlie which translates as "why do you put things off?!")

Charlie: (sees look. ignores.) Or! We can get it at the 7-11 on the way to small group tomorrow- it's always cheaper there! (Slight smirk as he knows he has Katie now)

Katie: Gah. Fine.

Charlie: I know how to appeal to you.

Flash forward to Tuesday night as we are (surprise!) running late to small group and have to forgo getting gas until afterwards.

So. Driving to Target from our friend's house where small group is held. This drive is less than two miles. As we crest the hill to Target, the car sputters. I (Katie) am driving again and exclaim, "the car is out of gas, the car is out of gas!". Luckily, I have the presence of mind to pull into the approaching left turn lane as it leads to the aforementioned "cheap" 7-11. We stall out in the turn lane, directly at the point where a car that had gas would have stopped to wait to turn.

Dirty looks are thrown.

We sit for a second both somewhat amazed that a 27 and soon to be 30 year old could let a car run out of gas. Charlie gets out and pushes the car across the intersection as I yell "faster!" just to give him some extra motivation. He pushes the car till it is coasting down the small hill into the gas station. Which is great. Except that the power steering and power brakes are not working, hence I am stomping on the brakes and turning the wheel with all my might to get it into a spot next to a pump. Which was luckily available and I didn't have to maneuver around anyone. That would have been awkward to have to stop, get out and explain to another driver that no, I could not back up as I have no gas.

When I get out to pump the gas, I can't help but burst out laughing. It was so ridiculous. Charlie heard me laughing as he was walking down the hill and started laughing as well. The other people at the pumps probably thought I was off my meds as I cackled away. At least Charlie joined me eventually so that gave more credibility to my insane laughs.

After we filled the car up with gas, Charlie thanked me for laughing and not blowing a gasket that we ran out of gas. Not sure why he would think I would do that- I'm always so calm and collected.

So, this story illustrates that things have been "popping up" in our life lately that are not totally expected. We replaced our dishwasher (yeah!) but in the process, had water leak into our basement. As soon as we signed the receipt on the dishwasher, our ailing computer went critical and has all but waved the white flag of surrender on life. So, a new computer purchase is in our future. We're looking forward to having a computer that runs on a new-fangled processor instead of hamsters so that hopefully things like posting pictures and writing blogs will be significantly less time consuming.

Hope this made you laugh as much as it made us. Here's to the unexpected (both good and not so good)!

~KC

Sister Hazel in Annapolis

At the end of June we went to another concert- Sister Hazel was playing in Annapolis. First we went and ate crabs on the water and then we headed over to Ram's Head Live for the show.

Which was awesome.

Sister Hazel is Shelley's favorite band and she had made me a CD of their music the week before we went so I'd know more than their two big hits (all for you, change your mind). However, it was such a good show that you didn't even need to know their music to enjoy it. They were hilarious and the venue was very small so we felt part of the show. You'll see from the pictures we were really close to the stage!

I love Annapolis, it's so cute and charming and reminds me of the sailing vacations I'd take with a childhood friend on the Bay. It was a lovely day!

Mmmm.. hush puppies. Complete with honey butter.

Hello crabs!


The view from the restaurant

The view from my seat at the table- Charlie and Jarrod

Have mallet. Will eat.

Shells and I by some pretty flowers

Annapolis at sunset

Sister Hazel!

Hazaah! Three for three!

~KC