Wednesday

Dignity100

I wish I was @Swazzle in Aruba!!  Maybe we should all go and crash her vacation!

It's cold, today's high is 14F and we got some lake effect snow. At least in 3 weeks I'll be in Florida!!! 

Not much is up.  I'm trying to find board games for 'game night' that I think we might try again.  I've got my eye on a few games, probably Pandemic will be the next one I buy.  We've already got Ticket to Ride and never played it with BIL and his GF.  Any other recommendations for 4 people who are not adult enough to handle Monopoly ?

[Deleted User]

@Dignity100 What about card games or dominos lol? I played dominoes with a friend last year and it was so much fun!

It is COOLLLLDDD this morning. I wish we had snow though, that would be awesome but weather is predicting no snow for us.

Last night I made tomato basil soup and it was perfect for the cold night we had. It warmed us right up. I want it NOW! 

Also at CrossFit I got the best ladies time for our WOD and I basically wanted to die after the WOD. I've been so short of breath lately but I'm glad that I was able to get a good time.

Tonight we are watching Parenthood and having left overs after CrossFit. We are doing Dead Lifts, Box Jumps, and Push presses so a good combo of legs and arms.

cu97tiger

Definitely get Cards Against Humanity. If that's too XXX, then get Apples to Apples. I also love Taboo and Scattergories (though my SFIL and I always get into it during Scattergories).

It was 18 degrees when I drove to work today. My toes are still numb and I've been in the building for 30 minutes. It's not TOO bad, though. I remember it being 3° last winter (thanks @swazzle or @goldenpenguin on the tip for making the degree sign) and I'll take 18° over that!

labro

@Dignity100 We love Ticket to Ride!! But there's a lot of ways to totally screw players over...soooo not so sure if your BIL is going to love it or not if someone blocks his train. We also enjoy Settlers of Catan, Dominion, Carcassonne, and a game called Munchkins. Munchkins looks and sounds kind of odd...but it was actually really fun!

 @southernpeach89 You are amazing!!!!

It's January which means jalapeño bagels and jalapeño cream cheese at my favorite bagel shop! I drove my mom to work today because her car is still in the shop so we stopped for coffee and bagels. My tummy is so happy right now!

Otherwise there isn't much going on here. H and I are going to sleep in our own house tonight. The rainwater should be fully drained away and we should be safe to use limited water (short showers and dishes) until we get the drain field replaced. H is going downtown today to get the permit for the work. Before we go home we'll have dinner with my parents and get all of our stuff packed up from the past few days.

KeptInStitches

@dignity100, dittoing PP - Cards against Humanity and Munchkin are a lot of fun. We got Ticket to Ride for Christmas but haven't had a chance to play it yet.

Ugh, it's cold. -13ish right now, wind chill -30ish. They're talking about another ground blizzard tomorrow. Thank goodness the medium-term forecast calls for a "warm" up - probably won't reach freezing but it will be much more friendly than it is now.

I have a meeting this morning to hash out what I can and cannot do with proposal budgets, so that should be informative. Other than that, as far as I'm aware ... I got nothing. Maybe another Dissertation Day?

OH WAIT! I've got a stack of WR errands to handle ... add entree descriptions to the website, get guest lists out to parents to confirm addresses, start teasing out how many rooms we need in a block, and start working out how we're going to handle out of stock items on the registries. I'm pouty. Our cookware set is out of stock and doesn't look like it's coming back, and I wanted ceramic cookware and that was the most reasonably priced set. And our Corelle dishes are out of stock, which is really bad because it was a lot of work for FI and I to pick them (seriously, he's so darn picky).

speakeasy14

@dignity100 We have game night all the time, last night was Battleship and Uno; neither of those games ended well.  But games that usually do not cause everyone to fight are Cards against humanity, Taboo, Heads Up (it's Ellen's game that you can get on an app or they now have a board game of it), Charades, Pictionary, Scrabble, and Clue.  Anything else and someone always ends up flipping the board

@southernpeach89 that soup sounds really good! 

@cu97tiger same temperature here, and I agree the temperatures this winter are way better than last!

So it snowed here yesterday, but it was only a dusting.  No big deal, except they didn't plow anything, just threw cinders down.  So today my road was a sheet of ice.  I really do not understand how a state where it always snows does not know how to treat the roads.  Once I made it out of my development the main roads were better.  Hopefully enough people complain so it is cleared when I leave work. 

Ollie08

Hey Hey! It's Wednesday! I slept SO much better last night, I hope that means great things for the rest of the day. I wish I was in @Swazzle's suitcase on my way to Aruba though. I need a real vacation desperately. Today I'm going with my mom in the afternoon to her dress fitting. I feel like crap because I really don't want to go, I'm not a fan of the guy she's marrying, but I feel guilty because I'm her daughter, so I'm going anyway. I hope I can muster enough happiness for her.

@dignity100 - I'll third (or 5th by now probably) the CAH, or Apples to Apples for a "cleaner" version. And Taboo, I LOVE Taboo, especially with the right group of people.

@Southernpeach89, @cu97tiger, @LaPeanut1018, @KeptInStitches - Sorry you ladies are so cold! It's "cold" here today too, but nowhere near as cold as you guys are! Stay warm.

justbeingme93

@Dignity100 Ditto on the Aruba thing. It is close to -26 with wind chill by me. BRRRR.

@cu97tiger

I am definitely with you on the cards against humanity and apples to apples. Those are favorites in my house. 

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SO and I were in the  hot tub last night (a.k.a. the most amazing place on earth when it is this cold), and he said he wanted to look at rings! I am excited. I know a proposal will not be coming any time soon, but it is nice to know he is thinking about it. 

I only have a day and half left of work! My family and I are going on a long weekend trip.

minskat30

Yeah Wednesday!  I was exhausted yesterday from lack of sleep but worked out before leaving work thinking that would tire me only to come home to a note on my door that the snow had to be shoveled (only on the ground for 8 hours) or we would get a fine.  So I spent two hours shoveling.  Ugh, my back hurts because I shovel wrong but H was late last night ad couldn't help...he felt terrible I had to do it by myself.  I slept like a LOG last night though so I'm nice and refreshed now.

@Southernpeach89 @cu97tiger @Keptinstitches and @LaPeanut1018 - I know how you ladies feel it is -30 windchill here. 

@LaPeanut1018 - Yeah for sleeping in your home again!

@SouthernPeach89 - Why so out of breath lately?

@Dignity100 - Tell me how Pandemic is if you get it.  We have it and have never played it because it is just H and I (none of our friends play board game).

@KeptInStitches - Good luck with the WR errands!

[Deleted User]

@minskat30 -I'm not sure, I think it's the cold weather. My chest has been feeling super tight lately and I don't think it's anything to worry about really because it's not that uncomfortable but I think working out in the cold weather is the cause. Usually over the summer I feel a lot looser in my warm ups and now I'm still rigid even after warming up.

eilis1228

@Dignity100 If you're looking for some quicker games, Tsuro is a ton of fun and really easy to learn. If you like to cooperative feel of Pandemic, Forbidden Island or Forbidden Desert would be fun too. I agree with others who have recommended CAH and Munchkin too. Bang is also a lot of fun and pretty easy to learn.If you like deck building games, Dominion or Penny Arcade is great. 

@LaPeanut1018 I'm so glad you can go home tonight!

@KeptinStitches Aw, sorry to hear about all of the out of stock stuff on your registry. What a pain in the butt! Maybe the Corelle dishes are only temporarily out of stock? 

@speakeasy14 Drive safely tonight! Icy roads are pretty scary!

@Ollie08 I hope your afternoon with your mom is much more fun than you expect!

@justbeingme93 YAY! What sort of ring are you thinking about? We'd love to see pics of some inspiration rings

@minskat30 Wow, talk about an intense day. I hope today is more relaxing!

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Not too much to report for me. It's cold for Tejas, and I wish it would snow or something. 

My boss told us yesterday that she's going to try to get the CEO to allow my department to work from home one day per week. We'll find out this afternoon if we'll be able to... crossing my fingers that I'll be able to work from home every Wednesday!

minskat30

Be careful @SouthernPeach89 - I know I struggle to work out in the cold.  I hate working out inside but winter here just calls for it, unfortunately.  This winter sort of sucks and reminds me why H wants to move somewhere warm. 

GoldenPenguin

@dignity100 - I definitely fifth CAH. I also love Scattergories, Logo Party, any Trivial Pursuit, and Quelf.

It's really cold here. I got some disturbing work news (nothing really bad, just someone coming here that I worked with in my past that I'm not thrilled about). I'm doing lots of hockey work today, which is awesome.   

I miss @swazzle already. 

labro

@eilis1228 I wanted to recommend Bang! too but don't you need at least 5 players?

GoldenPenguin

Thanks, @TwoDimes. I was upset yesterday when I found out the one guy was leaving, and now to find out who the interim replacement is... I'm definitley shaken up.

Have you showed off your save the dates?? I want to seeeeee!!

[Deleted User]

@TwoDimes -@LaPeanut1018 and I will be expecting a save the date from you in the mail soon btw....just saying.

eilis1228

@LaPeanut1018 You can play with 4-7 I think. We played the Walking Dead version over the weekend with only 4, and it worked out all right. I think the larger the group, the more fun it is, but we still had a good time with only 4. It made it easier to figure out who everyone was though.

@TwoDimes Which STD design did y'all go with? I remember you posted a few great ones, but I can't remember which design you chose. Your engagement pics are amazing!

justbeingme93

eilis1228

We have both talked about valuing quality over "quantity" when purchasing a ring. I would rather have a ring that has a quality diamond (i.e., cut, color, etc) than something that is large and is lacking in the sparkle department. I think that is the biggest thing we are going to have to battle when looking at rings, but I haven't done a ton of research. So, what do I know? 

I have looked at different styles of rings online, and I think I want a cushion cut diamond with a micropave band (is that the right term?). However, I think I may change my mind when I try rings on IRL. I tend to lean towards cushion cuts, princess cuts, and ovals. Did any of you change your mind about the style of ring you wanted when you went ring shopping? 

Let me know if you ladies have any tips for two clueless ring shoppers. Where should we start our search? What was most important to you when looking at rings? 

Here are some styles that I like:

GoldenPenguin

@TwoDimes - you two are ADORABLE.

@justbeingme - I had a pretty good idea of the ring that I wanted, and I got exactly what I wanted. When FI & I went ring shopping though, I tried on a little bit of everything, just to be sure. 

I obviously ADORE that first ring. LOVE LOVE LOVE. But remember, if you want quality over quantity, you aren't going to get a ring that looks like that - that center diamond is GIGANTIC.

eilis1228

@TwoDimes Love the STD! Great pic of you two! I also love your ring. It's so classic!

@justbeingme93 I changed my mind when trying on rings too. FI and I thought we wanted a solitaire, and we liked princess cuts initially. We went into Kay's one day to try on some different styles, and we both walked out loving three-stone round brilliant rings. I'd recommend going to a local reputable jeweler for the actual purchase instead of a larger chain store like Kay's... I've heard a lot of stories about people having issues with the quality of the rings and having a lot of repair work done. Some people have had great experiences there though, so it really depends. With a local jeweler, you'll usually get a better price and more options, plus they'll guarantee the quality and potentially offer free/cheap repairs on the ring in the future. You could also look online at places like Blue Nile, where they let you pick the center stone yourself. They have a huge database of diamonds to choose from, and I believe they're all ethically sourced. Pricescope is a great place for research about diamonds and the 4 C's. They have an excellent forum.

AlPacina

@minskat30 - I'm guessing you'd be fined by your HOA? 8 hours later is way ridiculous though, geez!

@Dignity100 - We have a couple come over and play games sometimes and our main two are Munchkin and Quelf (a game that develops silly rules you have to follow as you play). We do Cranium from time to time, but the boys are starting to hate losing too much.

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I feel great today! I finally got to go for my run for the first time in a week or so, and I think *knock on wood* that I may have finally beaten this stomach bug!

BF and I started watching True Detective. Did anyone else watch the first season of that show? I already can tell I'm going to love it, but I don't think BF is into it yet. I want to know if it ramps up, because I have a hard time believing that what I've seen in the first two episodes is the reason it has a 9.3/10 on IMDB.

I made cheesy potato soup last night, and then had some for breakfast, and will probably have leftovers for dinner. It's so hard making soup for two people! Why doesn't it ever occur to me to make half batches?

GoldenPenguin

@AlPacina - I loved True Detective. There really isn't a ton of action at any point in the season, but the acting/directing is on POINT. 

Dignity100

@justbeingme - I got the ring I first fell in love with. 
As far as diamond shopping - I know I did a few things to help us not break the bank:
(1) Carat weight - My diamond is .93 instead of a full carat because as soon as it breaks that threshold, it costs more just on weight.
(2) Cut - I wanted an 'excellent' or 'ideal' cut.  A better cut can disguise a lot of thing and make the diamond appear 'whiter' than it actually is - so an excellent cut 'i' diamond might look like an 'h' or 'g' to the naked eye.  It also can hide flaws (clarity) pretty well.  My diamond is an excellent and on top of that it's hearts & arrows.  Because of the cut, I dropped on clarity (mine is an SI1 I believe with flaws that can be seen to the naked eye, they are hidden quite well though).

I was putting a big stink on 'GIA' rating, but my diamond is not rated to be completely honest.  It ended up the diamond I picked out, I liked it best - it has tons of fire and faces up quite nicely.  The shop I bought my diamond from goes to Antwerp herself to pick out the diamonds, the other stores used middlemen; going through a person who picked her own diamond saved me quite a bit (to be fair, the other store was quite expensive, but they were the only 2 retailers in the area to sell the designer I wanted).

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Thanks for all the game recommendations!!!  I ordered CAH and I put Munchkin in my wishlist.  I will see if my local target has Pandemic (they say they do).  I love playing games, but it can be hard to find others to play, so I'm hoping 'game night' sticks with BIL and his GF.  I have a whole bunch of games we've never played that I need to go through (I know I have Zooloretto and Apples to Apples).

minskat30

@AlPacina - Actually, no.  That's the ironic part....we own our home outright but we live in a very, um, picky neighborhood with city officials who have nothing better to do all day.  You have to get permits to do virtually anything to your home (build a fence, cut a tree, swap out a dishwasher (with the same plumbing in place), insulate your basement, etc.).  Its a pain in the butt but it is the nicest neighborhood in the city so that is the tradeoff.  We have an inspector coming today in fact...I'm waiting for the five million things he finds "wrong" with the way our plumber roughed in the basement plumbing for our bathroom downstairs.

justbeingme93

@TwoDimes

I love your diamond, and I think you are right. I need to go into the shopping/researching experience with an open mind. 

@GoldenPenguin

I definitely realize I am not going to get a big honker like the rings in my pictures. Haha. However, I do like the styles of the rings. That first ring is probably one of my favorite styles. It is a little bit different but has a timeless feel. 

eilis1228

I think you are absolutely correct about purchasing the ring from a smaller, local retailer. There is a great jeweler in our town that we have both talked about purchasing the ring from. However, I would rather try on rings for the first time at a different location. I'm from a small town, so people definitely take note when a couple goes into the jeweler together. It's silly but quite true. Thank you for the website recommendation. We will check that out tonight!

@Dignity100

Your insight is very helpful! I have heard before about going just below the carat weight to save on price. I will have to mention that to my SO. Also, your recommendations about the cut was what I need more information on. The cut and color is very important to me. I would rather have a smaller diamond that looks nice than a big ol' diamond that lacks in the sparkle department. haha

KeptInStitches

Oh wait! Another great game is Fluxx. Look for the Monty Python version - it's hilarious. @dignity100

AlPacina

@minskat30 -

Fuck ALL that noise.

GoldenPenguin

@justbeingme - I totally agree with you on that style, it's gorgeous. (I'm only a little biased.)

AuroraRose41

@Dignity100 I would definitely recommend Quelf or Cards Against Humanity. FI and I and our friends love Munchkin, but you can screw people over and that might not be the best game to play with your BIL. We have people in our group of friends that we refuse to play that game with because they act like your BIL during it. Just my .02.

@justbeingme93 yay for ring shopping! FI and I went for quality over quantity too. Initially I wanted a round solitare, then thought about adding a cushion halo to the round diamond, and then switched back to a round solitare with pave side stones. We looked online for a good diamond, but just didn't like what we saw. We found a local jeweler who buys his own diamonds, and he made us so comfortable with the whole process. I ended up getting a 0.82 SI1 I color but it is a GIA Triple Excellent (Excellent Cut, Symmetry, and Polish). It sparkles like crazy!

Also, if you do look at any diamonds, type the specs from the lab certification into this tool [CLICKY]. It will give you a better idea of how much fire and light return it will give off, as not every excellent diamond sparkles the same way. It's like if you are in a class, and to get an "A" you need a 75 or higher. The student who got a 75 didn't do as well as the one that got a 100, but they both got the same grade, if that makes sense.

I will come back and post later and talk to everyone when I have some more time .

speakeasy14

@minskat30 ugh our house is in a township like that too! I had to make sure there wasn't a need for a moving permit since everything else requires a permit.  

@goldenpenguin *HUGS* hopefully that person is only there for the short-term so you don't have to be uncomfortable at work for long; or that your contact is extremely limited.

@justbeingme if you want quality over quantity definitely go to a shop and have a jeweler show you different cuts and styles.  Photos can never really show all the aspects of the stone. 

@dignity100 you'll love CAH, just know when you play it, it is a judgement free zone.  Completely hilarious, but not for the innocent. 

justbeingme93

@AuroraRose41

Thank you so much for all of that information. It was all very helpful. 

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I thought researching and trying on rings was going to be fun, but I have quickly learned that it is quite the balancing act. At the end of the day, I will not be making all of the final decisions - thank goodness. SO said he wants to make the final call on the ring and surprise me with it, but he wants to start the process together to take some of the guessing out of it. 

I just dove into the scary depths of the internet researching. Oh my goodness. So. Many. Decisions. This is the general guide I have figured out:

Color: Our best shot is probably between G-J

Cut: I would like to look at excellent or ideal. 

Carat: Just under 1 carat (i.e. .90-.99)

Clarity: Anywhere from F-VS, but I am willing to budge on this aspect. 

Diamond Styles: Oval, Princess Cut, and Cushion Cut

Band Style: Thin, Micropave 

Any thoughts, ladies?

Obviously, everything I listed is just my initial thoughts from what I have found today. However, at the end of the day, all of these little aspects about the ring doesn't really matter. What does matter is that I found a really amazing guy who loves me.