Quitting Time

I apologize for the lack of pictures of my house. I'll get them uploaded tomorrow! Today, I need to vent some frustration about something completing unrelated to my house. Rather, it involves a big project and technology.

Recently, I completed a project where I transferred old cassette tapes of my grandma over into CD's so we can have them to listen to forever. The project had a few bumps along the way, but I adjusted and got it all done with cheap technology from Amazon and a small learning curve on using sound-editing software. Not bad? I thought so. I also thought it would be easy to take my family's old video tapes (8mm or Hi8) and change them into DVD's.

Boy, was I ever wrong.

Fail #1: Dad sent the video camera, but the cord was missing and it had no battery.

Fail #2: I ordered what I thought was the right adapter for it. It turned out to only charge batteries and the adapter didn't fit the video camera.

Fail #3: Lots of searching at thrift stores and online was met with no success for finding the actual adapter to the camera.

Fail # 4: Dad found the camera case with an adapter in it. The adapter was the correct voltage but still didn't fit.

Fail #5: Two brand-new batteries that were in the case failed to work either. (That charger I accidentally got did charge them, but the battery part of the camera doesn't work at all. So, new batteries or not, it doesn't matter.)

Fail #6: The software that came with my video capture device refused to work, even after uninstalling and reinstalling, plus other troubleshooting. I downloaded a newer version and got it to work with my VCR, but it only has a 15-day trial.

Fail #7: I got one of my VHS tapes onto my computer and burned two different DVD's, but neither had sound.

Fail #8: I tried transferring the video file to two other programs. Neither was compatible, so I couldn't try burning another DVD.

Fail #9: Radio Shack couldn't help us find something to fit the video camera.

To quote Napoleon Dynamite, "It's a piece of crap; it doesn't work!"

I am usually pretty persistent, but I think I'm going to quit right here. Can anyone blame me? I feel like I've tried everything in the book (and more) to get this process to work, but it just doesn't.

Solution: Get someone else to do it for me and pay $10 per DVD. Will it be worth it? Yes. It's frustrating to have to admit defeat, but my family's videos will still be preserved. That's what really matters. I can't wait to watch them. I've been wanting to, but life happens. Lesson learned: technology from the 90's is not really compatible with today's. If you can't get it to work, you probably aren't alone!

Exercising My Right to Be Grouchy

Please let me do it, people.

The waiting is killing me! I'm not patient anyway, but 4 extensions to our closing date? Really?

I'm living in limbo right now with a half-packed house. I feel like my hard work yesterday is somewhat wasted since I don't get to move this week.

Our rent contract ends at the end of this month, and I have a fear of being homeless.

We're supposed to close this Friday. Is it really going to happen this time? What if we just get another extension? And another after that?

I know it will happen. I'm not trying to dwell on the negative, but I keep having anxiety dreams about signing lots of papers, and then the realtor disappears and doesn't bring me the rest of the papers I need, so I don't get the house.

How many more things can go wrong?

I have no control over any of this, really. I feel like I'm 39 weeks pregnant and people keep wanting pictures of my new baby, but it hasn't arrived yet! I don't like to be disappointing to my friends and family. I want more than anything to post some pictures of our new home.

I guess we'll all have to wait just a little bit longer.

On a positive note, I gave myself a haircut today, and it turned out nice. I chopped off 7 inches. I think I will survive the heat for the rest of summer. :)

Pictures from Vacation (Since I Forgot)

Kenny meeting baby Kate, my birthday buddy

airplane museum

just because it's funny, and I didn't think it was legal to swear in Utah

aracade games for our anniversary

dinner for our anniversary

me in Idaho Falls

Kenny styling on the 4th of July

right after we got home, new duds in a package from Grandma

Vacation Part 3: Reunion

I decided to take some time alone on the morning of the 4th, so I skipped out on most of the parade. I was glad I did. It gave me a chance to feel like a normal person again.

We packed up our stuff and headed to Albion, ID, for the annual Head reunion. We got there fairly late but got to see everyone and eat dinner.

I didn't do much on Friday except hang out, because I had a terrible night of sleep. That's just life when I share a room with my kids. I took a nap and tried to regain some energy, but I didn't feel too well all day. James went to a basketball tournament after dinner, so I put the kids to bed and was kind of bored. Oh well.

Saturday I went shopping with Melodie to get lunch for everyone. I definitely took a nap - for 2 hours! while everyone was out swimming or in the hot tub. After dinner there were karaoke and a talent show. I played a couple of games of Mafia with the cousins. I'm not good at it because I can't lie very well, but I suppose that's a good trait to have.

Sunday we packed up and went to part of Sacrament meeting in Albion. Then, we drove home! It was a wonderful feeling to get back to Vernal.

I spent yesterday working much too hard for having a cold, but it was necessary to do laundry and buy food, because our fridge was completely bare. I went to bed totally wiped out but still didn't sleep great since I feel like I can't breathe too well. However, I am on the mend and taking it easy today. We found out the we will probably close next week on our house. I can't wait! We had to do some more paperwork yesterday (since we were supposed to close then) but I think it's a blessing in disguise since I have no motivation to pack anything. I'm okay with that, because I know it can be done in 2-3 days if necessary. This will be our 5th move in 4 years, and I sure hope it's the last for a while. I would love to live in one place for more than a year since that hasn't happened yet.

Vacation Part 2: Anniversary

Though our anniversary was technically on the 3rd, we started celebrating on the 1st by going to see Star Trek in the Rexburg theater. We liked it a lot. We played some arcade games afterward, and I won at all of them. That never happens in board games at home, so it made me feel pretty good.

We went out for a romantic dinner at Olive Garden, then on a walk around the river in Idaho Falls. After dessert, we spent our first night ever away from the kids at a cheap hotel. It was great to get a good night's sleep in air conditioning turned up all the way. We ate a yummy breakfast at Denny's in the morning and then continued the quest at a couple of thrift stores for some shirts for me. Still no luck, but it was fun to look around all the same. We got home in time for lunch (though we weren't hungry). I missed the boys, and it appears that Kenny really missed me. He cried when I walked in the door and wouldn't let me out of his sight until he went down for his nap. I guess he's still Mama's boy. :)

We were going to take the boys to the zoo, but it was closed, so we went to dinner instead. We then visited my Aunt Pat. It was really great to see her and my cousins.

The boys went fishing on Wednesday, which made a delicious dinner of fish and grits. I prepped the turtle popcorn (a snack for the reunion) and made a trip to Winco with Melodie. James and I went on a double date with Sam and Jesse to Millhollow and the Spori to see artwork. By the way, I'm an aunt! Sam and Jesse's little girl Charlotte is so cute, and Joseph is already claiming that she is HIS cousin, so no one else gets to share her. He's a funny boy, and I think he will be very protective of his little sister. Kenny just tried to hit her (not in a mean way) and said, "Baby! Baby!" He's still a  baby himself, so I don't blame him.

Being away from the boys for a day made me realize that I'm still exhausted all the time. Summertime is not my favorite while being pregnant, so I'll be glad for some cool weather again!

Vacation Part 1: Rexburg

We've been home now for two days from our epic trip, and all I can say is that I'm relieved! 10 days is a long time to be gone from home, and I tend to stress out a lot during travel. I doubt that will ever change, because I don't sleep well, eat well, or get to stick to any kind of routine. I'm also around a lot of people constantly, which really drains the life out of me. I'm an introvert; can you tell? I thrive on being alone for a few hours a day. Due to the length of this trip, I have returned home with a cold.

It was a pretty good trip as trips go. We left on Friday, the 28th, around 7 a.m. and stopped in Pleasant Grove, UT, to visit one of my dearest friends. The visit was much too short, as they always are, but I got to meet Cindy's sweet baby, Kate, who was born on my birthday!

We stopped for lunch and took the boys to the Hill AFB museum. They loved it. I was pretty tired by then because of it being so darn hot, so I sat and took a rest while the boys looked around. We got to Rexburg in time for dinner and then went out for ice cream with James's parents.

Saturday I lazed around (after an awful night of sleep) while James went paintballing. Since it was so miserably hot, I went on a quest for maternity shirts that don't require a second layer but still look good on me. No luck whatsoever.

Sunday we had family over for brunch because Jacob gave his farewell talk in church. He's doing a service mission in the temple, among other things. Family came over for dinner as well, and it was great to see my brother, Christian.

I have some pictures that I'll have to add later. We left the camera in Rexburg! Boo.