I like my water soft. Real soft.

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When we bought our house, we had it inspected and all was grand.

You see, we have a well (FREE WATER!) and a septic (in great condition, since it was just put in in 1996 when the place was built.

But when we were over there, cleaning and whatnot, Tony ran the water. It was orange. It was so orange and so gross that I didn’t even think to take a picture. I was just kind of freaking out.

Who wants to bathe/cook/clean with ORANGE water!?

Not me and not us.

So, we called the company of our current water heater- RainSoft. They came out to service it (we’d got a postcard in the mail- generic “it’s time…”) and it was $109. Yikes. He told us that it was broken and we’d need to get the softener AND the iron filter either refurbished or replaced- $1400 and $5000, respectively.

Here are those horrible units. Nasty. And broken.

UGGGHHHH.

Pretty close to the last thing we needed.

So, we talked about it and Tony did some research. We liked the sound and feel of this one company based in Indianapolis. Aqua Systems.

I called them and asked some questions and they asked if we would bring some water which was NOT running through the old softener- like out of the outdoor spigots. This was so they could test our water for things like iron- a MAJOR component to hard water and that orange color. Gross. I wonder if your skin could turn orange… at the very least, it smelled off.

We met at their office after work and they tested our water- it was three parts per million (ppm) which is bad. Raaaal bad. 3ppm gets you an Aqua Systems man raising his brows.

They said we really needed the iron filter along with the softener. Insert image of money flying out of your pockets right now. Crap.

But great news! They do rentals!

We ended up choosing the SmartChoice Gen II water softener and the iron filter. Total to purchase would be about $2500. But to rent, it’s just $65/month! What a relief, because we sure didn’t have $2500 and wouldn’t for a while- we had just bought the new house and were deciding what to do with the other- AKA- paying two mortgages. Painful. Don’t recommend it.

The way the rental system works is you commit to rent for a year and at the end of the time period, you have the option to buy. The first six months of payments count toward your purchase and the second six months payments count- but only 50%. So, when a year hits, we’ll have about $590 toward the purchase. Pretty nice, if you ask me!

Here they are! Chillin in the garage filtering our water!

See the little white sticker with the American flag on it? They’re made in America, which makes me love them even more. <3

The black box you see in the bottom is the salt container- it holds about three and a half bags of salt, which they filled to the brim for me. So nice of them!

These are the displays. They show how many days left you have on the cycle and current flow. And other handy things like Aqua Systems’ phone number- just in case you are having an issue.

Here’s Tony and our nice installer going over the system and getting us all trained on how to work it and what to do. The install went smoothly and they even shipped off the busted RainSoft units. Our installer was super informative and very courteous. I couldn’t have asked for more.

It’s five (yikes!) months later and we couldn’t be happier! Our water is clear and our pipes have any gunk worked out of them that was in there. We also bought some crazy cleaner for the jaccuzi to get all of that cleaned up. Lots of orange came out of the jets! Sick!

If you need a water softener, talk to Aqua Systems. They have great products, great service, are made in America (which is awesome and unfortunately rare) good prices and really work to help you get the system you need. Check them out here!

This review contains all of my own thoughts and I was not paid to write it. I wanted to because I love to brag on products that work for me and my family. I did receive a few coupons for free salt, which I haven’t even used yet! Our system doesn’t eat salt like some can, which is great. Regardless of free salt, I’d still speak my own mind and I have here. 


Eight Hours at an Auction

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We want need a lot of things for the new house. Our current old house is just 1300 square feet and the new one is 2800. We’re excited to have more room, since we were at max capacity at the old place and both of our parents have a bunch of our things at their houses or in storage. We need the room!

But, we have a need for some more furniture and for things like lights. So, when we kept rattling off things that we needed or wanted in general and put numbers to them, it was pretty nauseating. We just bought this house and are working to get something done with the old one- so seeing any more sizable numbers makes me queasy! How can we do and have it all?

Buy it at an auction! We went to one last August for a house, because the house was an estate and it was awesome. Not estate like someone died, estate like small mansion on 9 acres with a barn and a pool. And two concrete lions that were appropriate for the scale of the home. It was fun and they had some personal property there as well, which made it worth our time since we got $300 speakers for $40. Win!

Soon after we determined that checking out auctions would be a fiscally responsible option, we scoured the Indy Star classifieds. We found this awesome one:
DR. LEEDY COLLECTED ANYTHING & EVERYTHING!

DOC LOVED HIGH-END “STATEMENT PIECES”.

ANTIQUES, SMALLS, COLLECTIBLES AND VERY HIGH-END NEW FURNITURE.

I HAVE CONDUCTED THOUSANDS OF AUCTIONS, BUT I’VE NEVER SEEN A COLLECTION WITH SO MANY GOOD, UPPER END ITEMS!

WHEN YOU THINK YOU’VE VIEWED IT ALL — DOC SAYS, “LET’S GO TO ANOTHER WAREHOUSE OR STORAGE ANNEX”.

So, clearly we were going to that! On a Friday, we went to their preview to see if there was anything we actually wanted, because going there on Saturday and completely wasting a day was not something I was interested in. Besides, we had painting to do!

There were SO many things that we’d like there! Nothing had starting prices or even item numbers. It was pretty overwhelming. We decided that we’d go and we talked about our budget and came up with $600 or so being a good area to be in. We were looking for a desk, a set of club chairs and a love seat and maybe dining room furniture.

We got there on Saturday first thing, had coffee and were ready to sit. ALL DAY. I, of course, had a notebook of the items I was looking at with what I thought was an acceptable price to pay for each item.

We went to register, got a bid number and took a seat. There were about 50-70 people there and several seemed to be regulars and the auction house staff knew them by name. I also think there were some decorators in the crowd and people who’ve been watching too much American Picker.

They started off with some medium items, did a zillion rugs and ten times as many tiffany style lamps. Too. Many. Lamps. I was literally dying. Who needs that many lamps!? They were going pretty quickly for a while but then they just kept pushing…like “two lamps, your choice…” UGH.There were also about 30 vanity sets. Many of the items were there from an international home show company but the vanities were bought by an auction goer and were now BACK there to be resold. I was really worried about those vanities. It was like we were in a giant bathroom.

So, we were there so long, I had to buy lunch. They know this because they have a CAFETERIA! This is how they trap you. They have everything you need! Snacks, bathroom AND entertainment.

Finally it got to the point that I had to ask if they would pretty please bring out some specific items.

Here’s how it works:

* Get a buyer’s number

* Wait til your item comes up. Listen carefully- auction voice is really weird and not normal

* LISTEN- they will say the item, some remarks about it and start the bidding at a stupid price. No one responds until it gets cheap enough.

* You bid by tilting your number, your head, raising your hand, looking at the auctioneer- there are so many ways- be careful to NOT scratch your head or adjust your hair while bidding is occurring. It could be an expensive ponytail adjustment! Most old men keep their numbers in their shirt pocket and then just bid with their eyes. It’s truly an art form.

* When it’s time to bid, pay attention and make sure the auctioneer sees you. And make sure to NOT bid against yourself. I got so caught up at one point I tried to do that…dummie.

* You win! They take down your number and when you are done buying for the day, you go to the clerk where you got your bid number and tell them you want to cash out. They pull your winning item numbers, calculate the price, add the buyer’s premium and add tax. You pay.

* If you need help to move your stuff, most auction houses have a moving company they partner or contract with and they are on site to move your stuff for you.

*Enjoy your winnings- I hope you didn’t pay too much! :)

Desk- I wanted to spend less than $300 for an executive desk. HA. It went for over $100

Giant Vintage Mirror- Less than $200 is what I was looking for- went for like $600. Decorators…sheesh.

It went on. Two insane women who clearly don’t have to worry about money spent $700 on a crappy game table you could get at an entertainment/outdoor furniture store for like $400 or less. I would love to be able to waste money like that. I think even if I had that kind of slush my common sense wouldn’t allow me to do it.

FINALLY. We got to the stuff we wanted and got!

These sexy pieces of furniture were STOLEN by us for $600, with a 10% buyer’s premium for a total of $660. Retail, they’re over $2000! All soft, buttery mocha leather, RECLINING and gorgeous nail head border. Super comfortable and firm.

Here’s their home now:

Just a little Staley stretch in the sun.

We need to start using them more- we kind of forget that we have a bonus room and we don’t have a DVR (yet Tony, I will get you one-promise!) in there so we can’t watch our taped shows or movies. I think Staley’s contemplating getting on the loveseat so he can be in the sun…he knows better. No puppies on the leather!

You know I love my beagles right? Well, even though it reminds me of this commercial:

There are just some parts of old luxury style that are gorgeous. No, I won’t buy those types of rugs because they’d look ridiculous in my house and then I would have no money for chocolate or yard sales. But REAL wood paneling is lovely, giant doors and mantles make me swoon and a good mansion is nothing to complain about. So, I brought a little of that home with me:

Those are fancy matted prints of English hunters on horesback with HOUNDS! In one, they are actually tackling/killing a fox. So adorable. I got them for $30 each. There was a third one and I STILL regret not bringing it home. :( I hope someone else got him and loves him like I love mine. <3

Now, one lives in the office:

And the other keeps it classy in the powder room.

Auctions rule, but next time I’ll bring some healthy snacks and a butt pillow. And more money.

OK, So I’m Not Dead

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I know. I feel like the worst (blog) mom ever. I promise I don’t do things like this to my dogs!

I’ve neglected my little blog. I’m sorry. I’ve been busy and haven’t even been able to finish some things I’ve started months ago.

So where were we?

We moved from here:

To here:

Bought a bunch of furniture (auctions & outlet stores):

Got some FREE furniture, which I need to finish redoing…:

Made a light fixture:

And lusted after many an ORB fixture at Lowe’s:

Sold some stuff fine items on Craigslist (Total so far= $260)

Had a month long struggle trying to replace a shower kit:

Relived my college days a la flower design (my college job was in a flower shop!):

Tried to/still trying to give away or sell these dang blackberries:

Played with paint in the laundry room:

Made my own paint colors by combining every color I had left…painting 2800 sf of house is expen$ive!

Painted all of the fugly shelves white. They look so clean now!

Made some souffle’s, as if I had the time:

Transplanted my beloved roses. Some of which, I am sure—my favorite one :( are in shock. On the to do list- make them snap out of it!

Lastly, stalked out houses in colors I like, because this baby’s getting painted as soon as we can afford it!

Oh yeah, and I went to work and have been baking a lot of bread thanks to Pinterest. Love that site.

Now that you know what I’ve been doing, can you forgive me? I’ll tell you all about how I did all of the above (and more) as my peace offering.

Now, I gotta go stain a table, get dinner ready for tonight and get to work. I think I have ADD. Maybe just too much coffee.

This is Taking For Freaking Ever!

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Progress is slow. Really slow.

Painting that is. I keep remembering when I painted our current house and I’m like, “Didn’t this go a lot faster?” But then I remember that this house is over twice as big! The worst part is the trim work! It just takes forever and, before my dad set me straight, I was using some crappy brushes I got for free. Now that he gave me a couple of high quality ones I’ve been washing out, it’s going a little faster. :)

As much progress that has been made, however, could not be possible without Tony removing all of the light plates, patching holes and running errands and my parents helping with the paint. I’m so grateful for their help! And for my dad schooling me on brushes and proper spackling techniques. :)

Here’s what we’ve gotten done so far:

Bonus Room

Living Room

Study

Master Bedroom

Recently, the kitchen was finished and it’s a loooot of green. Tony’s borderline freaking out, even though it’s the same exact green we have here at home. There’s just more of it.

Luckily, it’s President’s Day & I have the day off! So, my mother in law is coming over to help me get stuff done and my parents, brother AND grandma came over yesterday to help too! Maybe today’s the day we get this thing finished?!

 

Super Bowl 46!

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In case you missed it, Indianapolis hosted the Super Bowl this year. And it was awesome.

Although the game didn’t turn out how I was hoping, the City and the host committee really pulled off all the stops and the weather couldn’t have been better. It was gorgeous! We made a point to try the food trucks on Monument Circle-which I wish had been there through the whole week. We loved West Coast Tacos, as usual and we tried a new one- Spice Box. I’ll definitely be tracking that one down! Spice Box serves Indian cuisine and I shared a tandoori wrap with Tony. Amazing.

These are the numerals which were on display on Monument Circle. The numerals were lit up with different graphics and the coolest ones were done yesterday for the game-both teams’ logos and such. It’s so neat to see what just light can do!

All of the NFL franchise teams had an IndyCar with their logos and colors on it. We found da Bears’. But it was next to the Packers’. Not cool. After being on the circle, they were scattered all over the city.

We were downtown last weekend for the Indiana Ice game. It was pretty empty, but for $15 each, after fees, it wasn’t too bad. Concessions, were a tad expensive. It’s like an alternate pricing universe in there!

This past Friday we went downtown with some friends to see LMFAO! and to experience Super Bowl Village. This is Pan Am Plaza, where they had ESPN broadcasting from. It was pretty neat. I saw Mike Ditka. From afar. Still counts.

This is what happens when you try to take a picture of yourself. My skills have seriously depleted since college.

After wandering around, we went to Georgia Street and tried to see LMFAO! but we were about a block away. So we watched them from the screen. But it was free, so that was Ok. They kicked off the show with fireworks, which was really pretty. I expected to see several people I knew downtown, but no. I saw NONE. Tony, however, saw like four people he works with.

It was a great night and we had a ton of fun! Last night, we just watched the game from home. I loved Kelly Clarkson & the Indianapolis Children’s Choir anthem and the halftime show. Love Madonna. And my mom does too. <3 And Nikki & LMFAO make my heart beat.  Only thing better would have been throwing Britney in the mix.