What happened to the swing set?

Well, it’s been quite some time sense I last graced my “Confused” blog with a new post, so why not go for one now?!?!

Some of you may or may not know (depending on your daily facebooking habits) that Andrew and I recently bought a home! It is the most exciting and overwhelming event that has taken place in my life and even after only being there a week…I am in love!! Below is a picture of the new love of my life….our home!

I have been looking for houses, well, all the time, but Andrew and I finally decided that it was the right time to start the process on October 26th (this date is important…remember it). I saw a house that looked too good to be true, based on the price, and sure enough it was a piece of $&*^ (and that is an understatement). So on the 26th we met with a realtor and set up some parameters of what we liked, how much we wanted to spend, etc.
Based on the information and stories some of our friends had told us about buying a house we were a little concerned that buying a house was going to create more stress than joy in our lives. So we took a deep breath and just told each other that we were going to start looking and hope that we could find something around the January timeframe.

Once we got an email from our realtor with the listings that met our criteria, we started to look at the houses and made a list of those that we wanted to see. Andrew and I really loved this one house that seemed to be pretty perfect for us….based on the pictures. You really can’t tell what a house looks like from the pictures, but we figured we would give it a shot and go look at it on the following Monday (November 1st). I went to the bank on Friday (October 29th) to get us Pre-Approved so we could have a nice cash offer (FYI cash offers pull a lot of weight if you are in the market).

I noticed that there was an open house for the home we loved so I convinced Andrew just to go and check it out with me so we could see it again, in more detail, with our realtor on Monday. Honestly, we just wanted to get a feel for the house, nothing more.

Well, we walked in, looked at each other and I uttered the words, “Do we really even need to see anything else?” We feel in love! It was exactly what we wanted and had so much potential. Move in ready with great neutral paint. Vaulted ceilings in the living and bed room and all in all, just perfect!

I called our realtor and told her we liked it and would want to draw up an offer on Monday when we met with her. She told us to meet her there at 4 pm that same night, we did, and we bought the house on October 31st. Yes, that is a about 4.5 days of looking, and we bought a house!! When you know, you just know!

Closing was pretty smooth outside of our idiot loan officer who just didn’t seem to know an apple from an orange. I felt like I was signing over my first born child part of the time with everything they need to get a mortgage approved.

When our closing date arrived we were both beyond excited. Everything there went smooth as well. Here is where our story gets a little…….interesting. The previous owners had a swing set in the backyard that we were going to get rid of in the spring. They asked us about it and said they have some people who are interested in it. We gave them Andrew’s number and told them to call or text us about the person interested and we can set up something for them to come and get. Let me repeat…..we told them to CALL or TEXT us.

We started moving things in gradually throughout the week with the big “haul” being on Saturday. I was making a run over there on Thursday evening and this is what I saw in my backyard.

Yes, it looks as if it is being...I don't know....taken apart!!

I immediately begin to panic and text Andrew to see if he knew what was going on. In the back of my mind part of me know that it had to be the previous owners, but here I am in this new house, alone, and my swing set looks to be falling apart.

Andrew and I are both rather pissed off and I am thinking of ways to hide the main components of the swing set (slide, swings, wall) to prevent the people who vandalized by property from having fun on their play set when three men walk into my back yard…..my FENCED IN back yard. Yes, they just walked in.

I reached for the closest thing I could find, a Phillips head screwdriver and ran outside to my back deck. “EXCUSE MEEEEEEEE (with a head bob), CAN I HELP YOU?!?!?” As a side note, apparently strange men in my back yard raises my adrenaline because it wasn’t until I calmed down that I realized a screw driver probably wouldn’t have protected me for too long.

All three men look up at me like they just saw a ghost as one of them reaches for their phone and proclaims, “Ahh, oh, ummmm I am calling Brad (previous owner) right now, he said no one was here.” I simply reply, “Well we are here.”

They finish taking the swing set out, which was not my issue, but we have yet to hear from the previous own letting us know that he told someone to break and enter into OUR house….it’s OUR HOUSE now buddy!!!!!!!!!

Other than that, everything is glorious and I am happy to report that my Puerto Rican attitude finally paid off by scaring the crap out of three men who pranced into my back yard.

Andrew and I are going with tradition and not living together until the wedding, but the deal was whoever moved in the house gets Skeeter. I was a little concerned at first, but they seem to be getting along just fine!! In fact, I fear that in a few more months I won’t be able to separate these two!!

Skeeter and Andrew relaxing on the couch while watching Sunday football.

Skeeter relaxing on his plush cat bed while Andrew plays his video game.

Accent Vlog!

Hello all! My friend, Sara, wanted me to do the accent vlog, so here it goes. I also made my fiance, Andrew do one as well! Enjoy!

Nicole's Accent Vlog

The instructions are to say these words:
Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

And answer these questions:
What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?
What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?
What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?
What do you call gym shoes?
What do you say to address a group of people?
What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?
What do you call your grandparents?
What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?
What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?
What is the thing you use to change the TV channel?

Andrew's Accent Vlog

Spanish Heritage

Some of you may be surprised to find out that I have a Hispanic heritage. My mother was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico until the age of 17, when her family moved to Winter Haven, FL. Looks can be deceiving and having a father of Norwegian background, I didn’t get many Hispanic features! One thing that was never in short supply in my house was delicious Puerto Rican Food. Once of my favorite meals (and rather unhealthy I have to admit), is Mofongo (Mo-phon-go).

The ingredients for this dish are very simple; plantains, broth, garlic, olive oil and pork (my mother used the shredded kind). Plantains are often confused with bananas (picture below). You do NOT want to eat a raw plantain. The taste is, let’s just say, unpleasant. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find plantains in the Midwest, so I haven’t been able to indulge in this meal unless I am back home in North Carolina.

Plantain
To cook mofongo, you start by deep frying a plantain that has been peeled (just like a banana) and cut into pieces.

Cut plantains
You want to fry the plantains until they get a rich golden brown color in the center and a little crisp on the outside.

Coloring of well cooked Plantains
Once the plantains are taken out of the oil and placed on a paper towel to absorb the extra oil, you place all the ingredients into a molcajete (mole-chi-yet-ay), which is basically a Spanish version of a mortar and pestle that is made out of stone.

Molcajete
One all the ingredients are mashed to perfection; you mound the mixture onto a plate, salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!

Delicious!
This is a very traditional Puerto Rican recipe and something that brings me back to my Spanish roots. Even after years of study and living with a mother who can speak Spanish, my ability to speak the language is a little shaky. However, being around it all the time, I am very good at understanding what is being said to be, it’s the responding that is difficult!

Whose idea was this anyway?!?!

There are several things that I have seen in my lifetime that makes me ask the question, whose idea was this anyway? For instance, Bull Riding. I want to know what cowboy was sitting around a camp fire one night and “bing,” like a light bulb, he decided to tie a Bull’s balls to one end of the rope, hold the other end of the rope in his hand and see how long he can stay on the Bull’s back. How does that happen? No, I mean really, someone please explain that to me. Then out of nowhere the sport takes off like wild fire and you are considered “brave” for doing it. Now I won’t talk bad about the cowboys that partake in this sport, but there has to be a little bit of crazy in their brain….well, maybe more than a little bit.

With that said I, too, am a victim of a crazy idea that has taken off like wild fire. I have a new addiction that I love and hate at the same time. It’s the best thing in the world, and yet, somehow, it’s the worst thing in the world. I have no idea who thought this would be a good idea, but man oh man, do I love it! What is this strange event that I partake in, you ask? Well, it’s Hot Yoga.

For those of you who have not experienced Hot Yoga, it is essentially Yoga done in a room that is heated, typically to a temperature between 106 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit with about 95% humidity. It’s freaking Hot! I know what you skeptics are thinking, how bad can it be… its just yoga? Ummm, no! This is by far, one of the most difficult workouts I have ever done. Not only are you forced to hold positions that your body just wants to fight, but you are quite literally dripping sweat. I move into my down dog (let me give a minute for those of you whose mind is now in the gutter) and all of the sudden my vision is blurred from the salty sweat that has run from my chin into my eye socket. As I move through to my warrior II there is a steady stream of sweat dripping from my elbow.

Down Dog


Warrior II

For those of you who are still skeptical, let me tell you about the macho man who thought the same thing (and no, I am not referring to Andrew, he did quite well in his first hot yoga experience).

As I was sitting in the hell room, as I will refer to it, I was trying to center myself and adjust to the room to get a better workout. About 10 minute before class a young lad walks in wearing sweat pants, a sweat shirt, and a toboggan (aka stocking cap, hat, etc.). Several of the ladies in the class just looked at him and smirked to themselves because we all knew what was about to happen….homie was about to get schooled by a bunch of ladies.

He had a very cocky attitude and several times made comments to his companion about what a joke this would be and how he couldn’t believe he was there. Ha….. my friend….. Ha!

It didn’t take long for his innocence to be taken by the yoga Gods. Within 10 minutes the hat was off. Five after that, there goes the sweatshirt. His was absolutely drenched by the time we started to crocodile, or chaturanga for the yogis (lower a push up to about 2 inches off the ground and hold), which he was unable to hold for longer than 2 seconds. The ladies of the class kept looking at him as he would fall and sigh because he just couldn’t quite get it. I think he lasted a total of 45 minutes and he left. Yes, he left! Just couldn’t hang in there with the big dogs.

Crocodile/Chaturanga


The best feeling in the world is all of us looking at each other and knowing exactly what the other thought “serves him right for thinking this was easy!” Let this serve as a lesson to all you who think Hot Yoga is for the weak! There is one thing that yoga doesn’t tolerate…..and that is an ego!

Feed the LIZARD!!!!

For all of you blog readers that have met my papa bear aka Terry, you know that the White house is where the party is at. Growing up, there was never a short supply of cook outs, hang outs, parties, and cocktails.

My dad likes to throw parties. In my opinion, this is because he can drink a lot more when all he has to do is go upstairs and go to bed (even that can become a challenge after a good old fashion party at the White house).

For a quick clarification, my last name is White therefore all references to “White” are due to that fact. I made this mistake once in middle school assuming that everyone knew my last name was White and created the “White party” for my Government class. Let’s just say going to a ghetto school…..I got some looks (oh to be innocent and naïve again)! OK, that’s out of the way…moving on…

On a typical weekend growing up, there would be cars lined up all the way down Huntington Run Lane and our neighbors would just walk on over saying, “Well, the Whites are at it again, might as well join them.” My dad makes enough food that even the Royal Wedding wouldn’t be able to finish it. From pulled pork, smoked salmon, beer can chicken, steak, brats…you name it….papa bear is cooking it. But it doesn’t stop at the grilling, nooooo, there is macaroni salad, salsa, dips, desserts, anything and everything you would ever want at a party, we have it.

Recently, Andrew and I went back home for my parents 30th wedding anniversary. They decided to renew their vows and, of course, have a party to celebrate. Being in the construction business, my dad just doesn’t know when to stop adding to our back yard “deck.” It has become a massive piece of art. The picture below doesn’t even show half of the magnitude of this bad boy!!

This has to be some sort of World record...this thing is huge!

For this one such event, my Uncle Phil was in town and when the White brothers get together….there is no telling what the outcome will be.

Upon waking up the morning of the party, Uncle Phil and my dad had something they just HAD to show us. We walked out to the $10,000 “tiki hut” that my dad built around a $500 dollar pool (yes, those numbers are right….cripes) and with much excitement and jubilation, they showed us the “beer chute.”

Here is the "Tiki Hut" in the background....Papa Bear will sit out and smoke his cigar admiring all his work!

Beer Chute is the white pipe on top of the bar on the right.....there is a beer can hanging from it and a Lizard on top.....

Every time someone would finish a beer you would hear yelling from all areas of the party “feed the lizard!!” Feed the lizard they would say, apparently Lizards eat aluminum cans. When a party patron would put a can into the chute it would move its way down the pipe and into the recycle bin.

This is my family, good, bad and ugly….what can I say? Something is never lacking at the White house and that is fun and laughter. Sometimes I wonder why I am just a little bit crazy, but one trip back home brings it all into perspective. How fun can life be if there isn’t a little crazy in there somewhere?

The Whole family after the renewing of the vows!

Chin Down....Lean this way...Now, put your arm around him....

For anyone who has read my blog, it’s no surprise that I will be getting married (in less than 11 months)! To say that I am excited is quite the understatement. I essentially have the entire wedding planned already…..yay for having a Type A personality! Call it whatever you will, anal retentive…I’ll buy that…obsessive compulsive..sure, why not! Regardless, I am having the time of my life planning our wedding and fortunately have an amazing fiancé who simply smiles and nods when I ask him if he likes something.

That, however, took some training.

After visiting my DREAM reception venue I was ready to book and Andrew asks me, “Shouldn’t we look at other places?” EXCUSE ME?? What? I don’t understand, what do you mean other places? There are no other places! Shortly after that “mini” episode he quickly recanted and agreed that it was the best place out there and the perfect choice for us! Good boy, you get a treat now ;)

I received some great advice, from my boss as odd as it may be, about wedding planning. He said “Nicole, you are only as stressed as you want to be. Don’t waste your time worrying, just enjoy it.” Thank you boss!! I have done just that! I think stressing over a wedding mostly comes in the form of caring about everyone but the two most important people, the bride and the groom. I don’t apologize for my next statement, but I really just don’t care about anyone else. There I said it! I don’t care about anyone other than myself and Andrew! We are having the wedding of OUR dreams, no one else’s :) . That said, we are both pretty fortunate to have great parents that believe that very thing, this is about us, not them. So I really couldn’t ask for a better beginning to what will be a wonderful future.

Andrew and I had a great experience with our photographer at Giraffe Photography. The day we were taking out engagement pictures started off with a crazy Midwest spring storm…figures. My hair does not, I repeat…DOES NOT do well in a wet atmosphere. It begins to frizz and curl and before you know it, I have my own personal atmosphere around my head…annoying. Regardless, I was going to cancel and then, as if Jesus himself were looking down on me, the clouds parted and “out came the sun and dried up all the rain."

I raced home to prepare for the pictures! I broke out the liquid eyeliner (yes ladies, I mean business) and began the process of becoming beautiful. As a side note, I love being a girl. It is the most amazing feeling to look in the mirror and borderline scare yourself with a reflection and then BOOM 20 minutes later a Goddess is looking back at you….oh make up…my one true love…besides Andrew that is! Ok, make up done. Now on to my hair!

I have discovered the wonders of the curling wand. It’s a little tricky to get used to, but oh. My. Gosh it is amazing. I recommend it to anyone and everyone because it just gives the most natural looking perfectly placed curls every!

Once my hair was done, it was onto my outfit selection. Naturally, I went with a dark jean that looks great on pretty much everyone! Then for the top…what to do? I want to look cute and modern, but I don’t want to look back at these pictures in 20 years and be like “Cripes, Nicole! What were you thinking?” I went with a basic green (because I love green and look awesome in it! Yes I am that vain) button up shirt and a pale yellow cami underneath. There was however, a secret weapon involved that I will share with everyone loud and clear…SPANX! OK, I am by no means “large”, at least I don’t think I am, but I will admit that my mid section could use some…let’s say “toning.” Well ladies, Spanx will do the trick. I wanted to make sure that I didn’t have a miscellaneous roll hanging out in any picture, so Spanx to the rescue!

I was done in only 75 short minutes. Andrew got ready in 5…..

We headed down to a beautiful area to take pictures and had an interesting 20 minutes of photo taking. I always watched America’s Next Top Model and thought to myself “please, I can do that.” Ummmm, NO! It was extremely awkward and fast paced. “Move your chin to the side.. no the other side. Put your arm around him…don’t squint…look at Andrew….don’t look at Andrew….. turn this way… put your foot under there.” Geeez the whole “look natural but I am posing you” thing was a lot to grasp. Sure enough however, 20 minutes came and went and we left thinking “well those are going to look weird.” While Andrew and I clearly looked amazing that day (just stroking my ego a little) we weren’t quite sure how all the pictures were going to turn out.

Two weeks later, we went to view our pictures. WOW!! A-Freaking-MAZING!! This guy knows what he is going! I pretty much loved every single picture and could not have asked for a better photographer. Everyone who has seen the pictures loves them and I just love everything about them!! I have attached a few for everyone to take a look!

Wait.....What?!?!

Hello, blog readers!! It’s been a while since I have graced you with a post, so I figured I would fill you in on one BIG update!!

So, Andrew and I have been dating for two years now and let’s just say I was ready to make a certain commitment that involves a ring. It was a topic of conversation that quite often ended up with me upset because he wasn’t ready and made it pretty clear that he wasn’t going to be ready for some time.

One such conversation happened Monday February 7, 2011.

It started off as a normal day chatting on our work communicator with no major topics being brought up. For some reason or another, the “proposal” conversation reared its ugly head…..again! The convo began pretty casual but soon turned into an emotional disturbance for me. In asking my typical questions to pick his brain about what he was thinking, I was getting answers that were really throwing me for a loop. “So, Andrew, people are asking me when we are getting engaged and are telling me it’s going to happen soon….thoughts?” Andrew’s response “Who is saying that, cripes, I don’t even know when I am going to be ready to do that, we have only been dating two years, Nicole.” Wrong answer, my friend……wrong answer. “What do you mean we have only been dating two year, how long do you think we have to date before we get engaged?” I asked….enthusiastically. “I don’t know, I am just not ready for that right now.” As usual, the conversation fizzled with me accepting the fact that we were probably going to be middle aged before he was “ready.”

The topic didn’t come much the rest of the week and into the next, but our planned trip to Galena, IL (where we, for the most part, met and began dating) was fast approaching and I became more and more excited for the romantic weekend that I planned for our two year anniversary. Yes…..that I planned! I pride myself in knowing Andrew very well, and this was just too cliché for him. Although everyone I knew was telling me it would happen that weekend, I knew better. I convinced myself that there was no way he would propose, so much so, that I didn’t wear my waterproof mascara, which I had been wearing (despite its inability to lengthen and volumize my lashes) for the last two months “just in case” I had a reason to cry out of pure joy.

Shortly after we arrived in Galena, we were off to dinner at a delicious and reasonably priced Italian restaurant, Vinny Vennuchi’s (strongly recommended)! They had one of my favorite wines, Lambrusco, so naturally I had to get a glass!! After dinner we walked to a cute bar in downtown Galena. It was so nice outside, slightly chilly, but not too cold. I clutched onto Andrew’s arm and he awkwardly began to hold it out. “What are you doing?” I asked. “Oh, nothing thought you wanted to grab my arm.” I just kind of laughed and said “Well I can clutch onto your arm without you holding it out!” He kind of laughed it off and opened the door of the bar for me.

A few drinks later, Andrew was ready to go, so we paid our tab and were on our way. By this point in the night I has consumed three alcoholic beverages, so to say I was chatty was an understatement. I was just talking about whatever my little heart desired and only taking breaks to get more breath to continue my talking! Andrew was pretty quiet, but that’s not unusual when I drink because like I said…. I like to talk!

When Andrew finally got a word in a started talking, I piped down and kept walking, giving him a chance to participate in the conversation. To be honest, I can’t remember much of what he said, but I know that it was sweet and romantic. As the words began to sink into my brain and I figured out what might be happening, I stopped DEAD in my tracks turned around and pretty sure I said “What?!?!”

This is the bridge we were on!!

As I turned around, he was getting down on his knee and pulling out the most beautiful ring I have ever seen from his front jacket pocket (explaining the awkward arm holding).

Doesn't even do it justice!!!

My eyes got tears in their eyes instantly and I managed to push out an “Of course” when he asked me to marry him. A few seconds passed and as we hugged on the bridge over the Galena River my next question shocked him. “Is my mascara running?” “Is that what you are really worried about right now, Nicole?” He replied. I then explained to him my wearing of waterproof mascara so I could remain “beautiful” when this happened and how I just knew it wasn’t going to happen this weekend. He then explained to me how he blatantly lied to throw me off his scent and told me he purchased the ring a month ago!!

The next day we celebrated our engagement the best way we knew how…..eating a Flav’s Fried Chicken in Clinton, IA. Only in Iowa can you get an old, deadbeat rapper’s chicken that was surprisingly delicious!