oh, goodness me.

This is the phrase my sister started during our last visit in SLC. It was quite fitting seeing how our 24-hr. visit was pretty action packed. It didn't take long for Benjamin to pick up on saying it too, which is still pretty funny to hear. Lately I've found myself saying it more and more, especially after this series of chaotic/annoying/absurd little melodramas happening during the the past month...


Our custom upholstered headboard arrived. The box (along with my dream to finally have bedroom furniture) was dented. Not only did UPS just leave the 6' long object on our doorstep without even knocking or calling, but the damaged part of the box didn't match up with the damaged part of the headboard. What kind of damage you ask? Oh, about at 3" scratch at the top so far down that part of the frame was showing through. As my husband described "It looks like someone dragged it through the warehouse." Nice. The Linen Sand fabric that we chose was also unevenly stretched around the curvature of the piece, noticeable since linen is a natural fiber with lines in it. We've had such good luck making large purchases online in the past....nursery room glider, Thing-a-ma-jigger stroller, you name it from Amazon, but this definitely wasn't one of them. SO, I called Home Decorators Collection and explained the damage, which they very courteously offered to take care of by sending someone out to pick it up in the next few days. I was still disappointed with the quality but thankful that at least we weren't out anything since they would fully refund us and come by for it. Well, days upon days went by and nobody contacted me about scheduling the pick-up. SO, I called them. They apologized and said the vendor: SKYLINE never got back to them so they (Home Decorators) would be covering it. All I needed to do was wait for them to mail me a pre-paid packaging label....Well, you guessed it, days and days and days went by and still nothing in the mail. SO, I called AGAIN and spoke to someone who said that's because a new headboard was being made for us. WOAH WOAH WOAH. Now things were changing but nobody could tell me why or how. I told them we didn't want to re-order and that we wanted our money credited back immediately. After 3 supervisors (I used to work customer service, so I know the drill), I got them to do that. Relief. UNTIL a few days later I see a random charge on our credit card for $35 from them. I called them AGAIN and asked what's up, only to be reassured that it wouldn't actually post, they just were running my card before they sent out the return label. Oh, it went through. At this point I was so regretful of the entire purchase that Bart and I were about to swear off online shopping ever again. Thankfully, we have since received our money back (except for $65 which they said they say hasn't gone back yet because that was the amount saved from the promotion....what? Trust me, I'm still working on that.), the pre-paid packaging label did arrive, and Bart re-packaged and dropped off the 6' headboard (imagine that sticking out of a Subaru wagon), at UPS so that we can forget the whole thing ever happened.....EXCEPT for this blog post which is my due diligence as a consumer to BEWARE others of the lackadaisical customer service of Home Decorators Collection.


Hello Toddlerhood x 2! Our youngest will be turning one this week (I have yet to get sad over either growing older....I know that could change though!) seeing how we also have a 2 1/2 yr. old, one would think we'd know the signs of beginning independence, but Grant's have totally caught us by surprise! It's exciting though to see him changing, as well as notice new personality traits come through. My days are now started with "Where to Mom?" (from Benjamin) and Grant figuring out how to maneuver himself around every-kind-of-barrier-we-can-think-of in front the staircase as well as pop out all of our floor vents, all of the time....why oh why didn't a brand new construction home do a better job installing these is beyond me.


Next up, our computer needed updating so my husband ordered a part for it on NewEgg.com, which we've frequently shopped with in the past. SURPRISE to us when he realized that the part ordered was NOT the part we received. Instead we have a totally cheap-o off brand part sealed in the brand name we orderd's package. This story is still in the works of getting resolved, but as of now they (as well as 3 supervisors) made it very clear that they have no problem ripping off their customers and will be doing nothing to make this right with us. We made sure to tell them that they should be aware of someone messing with their inventory as well as that on average, one dissatisfied customer tells at least 20 other people. Probably more in this case since my husband is in the computer business! Hopefully this blog post helps spread the word on their dishonest business and terrible customer service. :O Good news is that we always use our credit card for online purchases and ours allows 120 days for us to refute a purchase.


Last bit. My husband and I are quickly developing a love/hate relationship with parks. Have you ever noticed how many potential accidents could happen at these supposed child-safe havens? ENDLESS! Even with one of us per child, we still couldn't come to the rescue fast enough last weekend, resulting in an extremely kind stranger reacting in the nick of time to prevent our 2 1/2 year old from getting hit by a spinning saucer/merry-go-round. The event happened faster then I could blink, but all I remember thinking is, "Quick grab Benjamin!" so off I ran, until suddenly I saw a flash of black clothing slide down onto the ground to stop the moving object from hitting our son. He was like Batman (who coincidentally my son just got a library book about and a Batmobile Matchbox car) flying in to save the day. "Our hero." we said. We made sure to tell this man repeatedly how thankful we were and how we hoped he wasn't hurt. He seriously thought nothing of sliding down on the hard ground (like a baseball player stealing home) to protect our son.


So, there you have it. Lots of little things that make you go...oh, goodness me. But, in the big perspective (which I often frequent), we're all safe. We're all healthy. And we're all in desperate need for this JAZZ team to make those Playoffs!!!!!!!!!!