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Argh! I don't know how it happens, but 2 times now my blogs have published wierd the second half goes before the first half or is missing. I just looked at my last Vegas post and it was out of order. I think there's a blogger consipracy here. ;)

Vegas Baby!

well got back from Vegas on Sunday night and I'm still tired!, but it was an awesome trip Mom and I had a lot of fun. lost a little more money then I would have liked to (I would have preffered winning, oh well can't get everything we want I guess) We saw 3 shows there and 2 were good. We saw Mama Mia the first night and it was awesome if you get a chance to go see it do it! then Friday night we went to see the Price is right live and it kinda sucked I mean it wasn't aweful, but it wasn't great either it was just like the real show pretty much except no Bob Barker and the prizes were kind of weak. in the final show case they brought out a car and all these cool prizes and of course I'm sure everyone was thinking as I was that whoever bid closer (they had 2 contestants) would win all that stuff. um no that's not how it worked the person closest won a DVD player and if they had gotten within $100 then they would have won the car. kinda lame oh well. The last night we Saw the Producers and it was really good to really funny. I can't decide which is better Mama Mia or the Producers I think it was a tie. We also went to see Madame Tousauds Wax museum and to the top of the fake Eifle tower. it was a fun trip, but I was happy to come home the last day because I was pretty much out of money. oh well. I'm gonna go back to Vegas again sometime, but not for a long time 2 years atleast!. Here are some pictures from the trip.

Vegas Baby

Heading out tommorow for Vegas can't wait! I'm gonna win big!! (or so I tell myself) if not ohwell. not a lot has been going on lately I guess that's why I haven't blogged much lately. just working and living life. I got my first bonus at work this week and I'm expecting an even bigger one in June and July Yay!!!! can't wait $$$$ I may be able to get out of debt sooner than expected!!! Here's hoping!!. oh and I did go see All Shook up a Broadway play inspired by Elvis music. It was really good a definate fun show. tommorow night (in Vegas) we're going to go see Mamma Mia. I'm excited. well not much else to mention at the moment so wish me luck in Vegas!!!

Elvis Says Hello

Elvis Says Hello! Not a lot going on lately just working and living life. I've been reading the book the Secret it's all about the Law of attraction and how positive energy attracts positive energy I definately think there is something to that. not 100% it works quite as well as the book claims, but hey worth a shot right! No more dwelling on things that cannot be changed or things that make me mad (well I'm gonna try anyway) well anyways I'm looking forward to my trip to Vegas in 12 days or so we're going to see Mama Mia I think it should be fun before that I'm taking Mom to see "All Shook Up" for mothers day in about a week. oooh oooh and Spiderman 3 opens tommorow can't wait to see it!!

Katelyn's Bday

Just want to say Happy Birthday to Katelyn who turned 1 yesterday I went to her first bday party yesterday.

New York Trip Part 2

well I said I would write more on my New York trip so here I go. we went Wednesday to what ended up being Monday. Tuesday night I went over to Jenny's house so we could go to the airport before the butt crack of dawn and went to the Airport only to discover that oh crap our flight was cancelled!! yikes luckily they were able to get us out on another flight a flight that left at 6:25AM and this was 6:08AM so we had to wait to get through security and then practically formula and tooth paste in her carry on Great luckily it didn't take to long it was me Jenny, Jenny's Mom Linda and Jenny's daughter Katelyn who is one. we got routed through St. Louis MO I'd never been there before I get I really still haven't, but the airport was nice :) I looked for the big Arch thing as we flew in, but didn't see it aw shucks. Finally made it to New York around 1:00PM and then finally to the hotel around 3:00PM (traffic and getting luggage) didn't end up doing that much but walking around the area around the hotel. the next day it was pouring down rain and we were set to go on a bus tour we did it was wet, but we still had fun mostly stayed on the bus, but we did get off at a few stops that night think we just ate dinner and didn't do much else Friday we got back on the bus and the sun was shinning (still kinda cold though) and we hoped on and off the bus quite a bit Times Square, Ground Zero, Rockefellar Center and many more. Saturday we went to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island we also took a 90 minute boat cruise up the hudson it was really relaxing and we learned a lot about the city on there. alas we thought our trip was winding to a close we were going to head to the airport early on Sunday because of the storm (noreaster) nope that didn't happen either our flight was cancelled at 2:00AM a message was left on my cell phone. so I had to call them at 7:30AM when I woke up and got the message. No flights out today they said so I had to book a flight out Monday morning. so I tried to rebook our hotel room for that night only to be told they didn't have any rooms left because of a group coming in. Luckily I was able to find a hotel a few blocks away which actually ended up being cheaper and really close to times square the only problem was we couldn't get in until 3 they did let us put our luggage there though so we walked around times square some more and got completely drenched because it was down pouring like crazy we finally decided we were going to go sit in the hotel Lobby and stare at the front desk agents until the found us a room it only took about 20 minutes and the room was a lot nicer then our other one was kind of wish we could have stayed at that hotel the whole time. We actually didn't get to stay there long we had to get up and go to the airport at 2:00AM!!, but it was nice to atleast get a few hours sleep there. finally made it back safe and sound to my house at 12:00PM I came back with a bunch of souvenirs and a cold and I was exhausted, but it was really fun I'm definately going back to New York again sometime

The Bus we took

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Back from outerspace!

back from New york City and what a crazy weekend it was. It was raining half the time, but we got a lot of sites in we took a bus tour a hop on hop off tour so we were able to go to Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero and all kinds of places I'm really tired now and may be coming down with a slight cold, but other than that it was a fun trip. We got stuck there an extra day and had to switch hotels we mved from one best western to another. our flight got cancelled because of a noreaster storm (big storm) well I'm pretty tired now, but I'll write more about my trip later. meanwhile here are a few pictures.

Happy Easter!

Taxes are done!!

finished my taxes today!! Yay!! Not yay taxes ,but Yay they are done I thought I was going to have to pay a ton because I was on unemployment and opted not to pay taxes well turns out I would have had a big refund from my 2 jobs so luckily that balanced out the unemployment income so now I'm actually getting like $100 back from federal (I'll take it atleast I don't have to pay) well I do have to pay $4.00 to the state, but I think I can handle that. In other news finally got the money from my totalled car and I'm using the money to pay off credit cards since the interest on those is higher than the interest on the new car loan so it all balances out. feels good to be paying off credit card debt ahhh I can breathe a slight sigh of relief. I see an end to the debt nightmare (not real soon, but I see it coming). Anywho besides all this super exciting financial information not a ton is going on I got a new Camera a Sony Cybershot it's super cool and will come in handy on my Trip to New York in a week and a half.

New Car

Finally got my new car I have yet to get my check for my old car, but hopefully it comes soon. in the mean time I'm now a new owner of a 2006 Hyundai Sonata yay! It has a sun roof yay!!!

Isn't it pretty!

Surprise Surprise!!

We pulled it off we succeeded in surprising Mom for her 60th Birthday. hehe her brother and sister and brother-in-law flew in from out of town as well as My sister and her husband. She was totally surprised. after several weeks of planning and scheming we pulled it off yay! Paula and her friend Tameesha did a really nice dinner. Overall it was a really fun night.

Right when she walked in

when she spotted everyone

Car Shopping

Car shopping is tricky I'm not sure what Kind of car I want everyone I talk to has a different opinion as to what's a good car. Get a Hyundai, get a Kia, get a Honda. well sure, but what kind I'm not sure what kind of car I want basically just one that has good gas mileage, power locks and windows etc.. etc.. well I guess it will be a long weekend of car shopping! it's not a fun as it should be kind of a pain in the butt.

Also want to Mention Today would have been Grandma Mert's 89th Birthday. Happy Birthday Grandma!

Happy Birthday Mom

Happy Birthday Mom!!! Love Ya

Finally

Finally sometime last night between 11:30PM and 4AM they finally plowed us out of the driveway and we were able to leave finally today.

BEFORE

AFTER

It felt good to finally escape the house for awhile we went to see the new movie Wild Hogs

Not Exactly an Oscar winner, but it was Cute. Pretty Funny a fun little escapist movie to go to on a lazy afternoon.

Snow Day!

Crazy Crazy Minnesota Weather!!!

What a day what a day first the accident and now this. Snow snow and more snow this is record breaking snow and it's not done yet it's just gonna keep coming and coming all night. I dont think I'll be going to work tommorow. the place might even be closed theres no way I'm getting out of the driveway as long as it looks like this.

Crazy Day I hope I don't get hassled for staying home tommorow or today I didn't really want to use my PTO today didn't really have a choice the icy weather had another plan. This is just craziness.

What a Beautiful Morning

SO I start out my day like normal I got up early because of the inpending snow fall I debated over whether or not I should go to work or not since the roads would most likely be bad., but I'm a good little worker so I decided to go to work and what happens as I'm crossing over the bridge on 55 into Minneapolis I hit a patch of ice and did a 360 spin and hit the wall twice and my car looks something like this now

Of course not exactly like that since that's not my car, but not far off luckily I didn't hit any other cars and I didn't get hurt so I guess that's all that matters, but man Car accidents suck!! Dad came to my rescue and called the tow truck and everything I called in to work since I obviously couldn't drive there I took a sick day. the weather here sucks today we are expecting up to 18inches of snow suck suck this is the worst snow storm we've had in years we'll see how it is tommorow morning I might call in then to . oh well I needed a new car anyway, but now I have to deal with all this crap ugh oh well.

What's new?

Well not a lot is new just working and right now I'm watching the Amazing Race which by the way started a half hour late! silly thing cause of some golf thing that was on early oh well not a lot going on as I said I'm going to New york in April for a 5 days which should be fun I'm looking forward to it. Some other small projects in the work business and otherwise. I'm trying really hard to get out of debt and finally feel like I'm making some progress I think I'm going to look into some kind of debt consolidation loan which will hopefully save me a lot in interest hopefully I get approved. I'm trying to get out of debt so I can buy a town house Im hoping at the end of the year maybe a bit unrealistic, but I'm hopeful. I went to look at some townhouses this weekend not because I'm anywhere near ready at the moment, but more because It's just kind of fun to look and pretend and Imagine the possibilities.. I think the rest of this year is going to be good I just feel it. well I'm gonna go watch more amazing race. tah tah for now.

back to basics

well not really back to basics, but life is settling down back to "Normal" or whatever that means came back from Ohio on Tuesday from a crazy/sad week in Ohio We got the Sad call on 1/24 that Grandpa had slipped into a coma and was fading fast that was around 3:45AM central time. after we got the call I just kind of laid in bed for a while until my alarm clock went off at 5:00AM and went and took a shower pretty much knowing I wouldn't be going to work that day, but just going through the motions I guess ultimately it was no decision to decide to go with Mom and Dad to Ohio I called into work for Wednesday and Thursday having already had Friday off. luckily they gave me 5 bereavement days which is sweet except I wish they had been for a different reason. anyway We started packing and getting ready to leave I had to run out to Walmart to get fish food (vacation fish food) and Dad brought Elvis (the cat) to the Vet to be boarded. While I was gone Mom got the call from Jack that Grandpa had passed Grandpa left this world at around 7:30AM Central time. with this very heavy and sad news we headed out to Ohio to attend the Funeral and attend to things. I drove up until Chicago and Dad drove the rest of the way 13 hours later we were in Ohio and exhausted especially Mom who had only come home for a few days and had just arrived home Monday from Ohio and was supposed to go back Thursday with Me. The days of the trip are kind of a blur Thursday we went to the funeral home and saw Grandpa I wasn't sure I wanted to see him like that, but i went behind the curtain and glanced at him and immediately left the room I couldn't do it I didn't want to see him like that. Thursday night Ruth and Jason Arrived in town and I guess stayed at a horrible hotel in down town Columbus the rest of the time they stayed at the Comfort Suites with everyone else. I can't even really remember what happened Friday more running around and then Friday Night Matt and Paula Flew in. Saturday Shopping for something to wear to the funeral. and Sunday was the viewing.

a lot of people attended which was nice to see a lot of people and companies that people worked for sent flowers.

and Sunday night we had a get together with many relatives and a few of Grandpa's Friends at the hotel.

Grandpa was Catholic so Monday there was a Mass at his Church which I guess a lot of people for a Monday Morning attended and there was nice lunch afterwards that the church prepared after the lunch everyone started heading back to thier homes all over the country. We left the next morning at about 6:00AM Eastern Time 4 of those lovely plants and all along with a bunch of other crap the car was stuffed (not to mention 2 little doggies). So anyway not to rant on to much more here it was a crazy week going back to work on Wednesday was ok I was so tired though and still kind of am. I'm so glad that, that week is over with Sad to say good bye to Grandpa, but glad things can settle down now hopefully for a long time. so Goodbye Grandpa I'll miss you and Love you forever. and Goodbye to Ohio I don't think I'll be back there any time soon after 25 plus years of regular visits.

John K Quatman 4-23-1920 - 1-24-07

Rest in Peace Grandpa!

2007 is Here

Well it's 2007 now and the year isn't starting off to hot it looks like Grandpa does not have very much time left at all so the whole family will probably be heading there sometime in the next week or so. Other than this sad news I guess not a lot else is going on just working and trying to figure out how to get myself out of debt. I'll have a more lengthy post next time didn't feel much like posting to much today.