Thursday, December 6, 2007

Mary Elizabeth has a new friend!

For those of you that have followed my blog, you'll remember Jonathan and I had an amazing trip to Disney with our dear friends Kim and Chris in March for Kim's 30th Birthday. They brought home the best souvenir and he was born yesterday at 2:45pm.

Jackson Hall Thomas
7 lbs, 20 inches


Does Kim not look amazing? Way to go hot momma! She also had the best labor EVER!

How sweet is McKinley as a big sister?



I had to include this picture! This is Harper, Chris' sister's little girl and I just think she is so adorable!


Tuesday, December 4, 2007

A New Pic of M.E.

Sorry I have been bad about posting new pics of Miss Mary Elizabeth. Hopefully it was worth the wait!

Isaac and Luke are 6

Last Wednesday on 11/28 at 9:41 pm Isaac turned 6 and at 9:51 pm Luke turned 6. On Friday, we had a little party at school. I can't believe my boys are 6!!

This is Isaac with his cupcake cake (notice how he is already quite the ladies man at school!)


This is Luke with his cupcake cake



Happy Birthday Boys...you have brought such joy to my life! I love you!

Sofa Express and More

Well,well,well....

Memo: Sofa Express and More to begin closing stores

Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, 12/3/2007 1:28:00 PM

Store managers receive letter today

GROVEPORT, Ohio. — Sofa Express and More is telling its employees that it will begin closing stores Tuesday, according to a store manager who asked not to be identified.

The Top 100 company sent a letter to store managers today saying it knows the past few weeks have been stressful and asked that “you hold on for one more day.”

Attached was a notification letter to employees stating that “despite attempts to secure our financial future, Sofa Express has determined that it must close your facility due to its financial situation, resulting in the termination of your employment.”

The letter said that closings would begin Dec. 4, but that the date employees would lose their jobs hasn’t been determined.

The manager who confirmed the information believed that similar letters went to all Sofa Express and More managers. At this store, employment already has been cut by more than half, the manager said.

Sofa Express is owned by Klaussner, which has referred question to Sofa Express President and CEO Woolard Harris. Harris has not returned calls seeking comment.

The manager said the letters today have been the only substantial communication stores have received from Sofa Express corporate since Nov. 8, when they were told they could no longer do custom orders.

The company currently has 44 stores, primarily in Ohio, Tennessee, Florida and the Carolinas.

Monday, December 3, 2007

Merry Christmas!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1148514647

BAD customer service....what's your story?

Yeah, I just need to vent. That's the REAL reason for this post, but I am also hoping that someone can trump this story so it will make me feel a wee bit better about my situation. So, have you ever had customer service SO BAD that you really wonder where the candid camera is hiding out? We all get the rude person that throws your fast food at you through the window, but this is a whole new ballgame. I'm talking, SPEECHLESS, bad customer service? Well, I want to hear all about it. AND I'm going to tell you about my situation simply because I want none of you (whether I know you or not) to EVER have to endure the madness I have had to endure since August 31, 2007 with this company.

SOFA EXPRESS AND MORE

Yes, Genevieve from Trading Spaces, you are really cute on those commercials, and I'll give you credit, I love 99% of everything you have in your cute little salesroom. I even love the cute little lady that waited on us and was oh so helpful in helping us pick out our $5,000 in furniture that we paid CASH for. That's where the niceness stops. On August 31, 2007, I ordered the last of my $5,000 of furniture that I paid cash for (I'm not bitter) which was a $1,400 dining room table with TWO leaves and 6 chairs. At that point, I had not gotten my first order of furniture in otherwise this order would have never taken place. But, alas, it did.

A few weeks later I get a phone call while I am at the consignment sale asking me why I am not home since the delivery men are in my driveway with my dining room table, 2 leaves and 6 chairs. Why was I not there? Well, b/c you never called to tell me anyone was coming. Sorry, I forgot to check my crystal ball last night before going to bed. I had to get my mother-in-law to hurry to the house to let them in with the furniture. When I got home that night, I noticed that I only had 1 leaf (or is that leave?) and two of the chairs had scratches on them. So I called my cute little sales lady and told her and she said, "no problem, doll, I'll take care of it" and she did. They politely called me a couple of weeks later to tell me that they couldn't just bring me a new leaf/leave b/c the leaves are custom made to match each table so they would have to bring me a new table with 2 leaves. Ok, fine. So they are supposed to come between 12-4. At 7pm they show up (in the middle of a dinner party we are having) where the not so nice delivery man tells me that "that table never came with no two leaves" and turn arounds and leaves. I won't bore you with more details, but needless to say, 2 1/2 weeks ago was their 5th time to my house to replace the table in which they didn't even come but tried to say they did.

I finally called and told them just to come get the table, I wanted my money back. The manager, Zach at Bowling Green, since Rivergate doesn't have one tells me that they will get a check right out to me since they keep messing up. I had to ask him, "what about the table?" and he said, "oh someone will call to come get that." Then, I get the call the other day that they will be here to pick THEIR table up on December 7? Do I have a check? NO.

So, now...I am in a dilemma...do I let them have a table and wait weeks to get a refund check from corporate meanwhile spending the holidays with no dining room table? Do I keep the table and be ticked that I paid $1400 for something that is damaged and they still haven't made right?

MY POINT: NEVER BUY ANYTHING FROM SOFA EXPRESS AND MORE!!! Can't wait to hear your stories!

Sunday, December 2, 2007

A Good Cause (and a chance for a fun vacation too!)

This couple is adopting through the same agency we used and they are trying to raise the last remaining bit to bring their baby home. I thought I would post it here to help them out. Who couldn't use a good three night stay in Gatlinburg?!?!

From Jennifer Jones:
We are adopting a baby!!! WIN A 3 NIGHT STAY IN GATLINBURG, TN!! Purchase a $5 ticket for your chance to win a 3 night stay in a 1 bedroom cabin in Gatlinburg, TN for March 7,8 & 9, 2008. My husband and I manage a cabin rental company here in Gatlinburg and one of our cabin owners donated these three nights to us to help us with our adoption fund. See cabin here: http://www.americascabins.com/twilight/twilight.html

To purchase tickets or keep up with their progress, check out their website at www.JonesAdoption.net