That House on The Corner

Long Awaited: The Kitchen Reno!

2012-01-23T17:46:00.000-08:00

So, if you know me, you know I LOVE to spend time in the kitchen... not only to bake cookies or cook dinner, but more often than not, I'm in there to eat. So, it's no wonder why this project topped the charts for my "Most Wanted Renovations"-- yes, even higher than our master bath that has carpet and a doggie-door sized hole in the door...

But ladies (and gentlemen), you have to understand my reasoning. You see, the kitchen is my home, my gathering place for friends, and, despite how gross the bathroom is, let's face it, people don't hang out in there! So, on New Year's Eve we started demolishing our icky kitchen that I've put up with for over two and a half years!

This will not be missed:

We began by tearing up the counters-- which actually began when I dropped the blender out of the cabinet one night and shattered a whopping SIX tiles! But, as it would turn out, we had more trouble tearing them out when we actually got started... All in all, it took about seven hours to tear out the tile and remove the concrete to make way for our new IKEA counter tops.

In my head I envisioned a creamy white cabinet, a walnut stained counter, dark floors, recessed lighting, and white subway tile backsplash. But, I soon realized cream cabinets that matched our other painted cabinets (in the living room and entryway) would clash with subway tiles, so the search for a new blacksplash was on!

image via Pinterest via Simply Seleta

image via Pinterest via BHG.com

I played with the idea of adding some fun mosaics, or even making my own mosaics from glass beads, but when we started tearing off the existing backsplash it became clear we would be replacing A LOT of drywall if we went with tile. So, I started looking through Pinterest.com (click here to see my boards!) for ideas and it suddenly clicked that EVERY kitchen I loved had a beadboard backsplash. Off to Lowe's we went!

Plus, as an added bonus, beadboard is very affordable, easily installed, and I could paint it in any color.

Brandon installed the beadboard and I was in charge of putty. I also was the lucky one that got to sand ALL the cabinets and doors ("Yay, I get to sand cabinets!"--said no one ever...).

Meanwhile, Brandon cut and fit our IKEA Numerar counters that his mom had delivered for us from down south. Without having to pay shipping, our counter-tops came to $450 and were gorgeous! Which is awesome if you ask me. He also installed our new stainless-steel sink.

I stained them in Miniwax "English Walnut" after some light sanding (I'll post more details later).

Anyway... here is the most recent photo! I ABSOLUTELY love it. Now I just cant wait to tear down that light, paint the walls, add trim, and get rid of those SUPER ICKY cherry-wood floors!

In case you wanted a flash-back-- ew.

I guess I should stop here to apologize and explain this post is a SUPER-fast summary of our work over the last 21 days without many photos because, to be honest, I've only snapped photos here and there on my iPhone rather than taking genuine, "professional quality" photos to share. There will eventually be more to come, but I'm just trying to stay up to date on the blog :-)

So, here are a couple other random tidbits...

Behind one of the cabinets I found this note left for the previous owner's hubby AKA "Bumble Bee"... if only we didn't know that he used to grow marijuana in this house and that he beat the same wife that wrote this note... bastard (pardon my French).


Moe really likes to help too... so much in fact that we think he's attracted to loud noises!


Oh yeah, and we got another cat... Meet Lily-- once again, I'll explain later ;-)

The last sixteen days.

2012-01-16T09:20:00.000-08:00

So, part of my plan for this year is to start writing on this blog more... and, as you can see, things are moving slow. But, the truth is, out here in the real world things are moving fast!

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This year has started off with a couple of bumps, but I'm trying to take it in stride.

Sadly, at seventeen years old, we had to finally say goodbye to our little poodle, Ginger.

My parents made the decision after over ten years of wonderful times with her. She was my mom's "baby" and went to work with her every day. We first met Ginger outside of a craft show when I was in seventh grade. The SPCA had all the adoptable dogs out on display and she waited until we walked up to put her nose through and it was all over. We adopted Ginger with the plan to give her to my great grandmother to keep her company, but we wanted to get her spayed and cleaned up first, so we took her home. She was already and adult, estimated around three or four years, but after going to the vet, we found out she was closer to six or seven years. We soon became attached and realized she wouldn't be going to Grandma's, she was our dog.

Not long after we rescued Ginger my grandma had a severe stroke that left her in assisted living. We constantly brought Ginger to the home to visit where all the elderly women would fuss over her and tell us stories of their pets. They especially loved how Ginger would "dance" (quite exquisitely) for treats. Ginger was friendly to everyone and even tolerated being dragged around by her ears by my nephew and experienced life with two lab puppies and my little Izzy tormenting her as well. There was no doubt that Ginger was a saint.

A few years back a tumor appeared on her gums. The vet gave us a guess of about two months before we would have to make a decision. But, thankfully, we were blessed with three more years together. However, dogs can't last forever, which was reinforced with the loss of Indy in April. With the family so devastated from losing Indy so young, my mom told Ginger she had better hold on.

In September, a visit to the vet for a cough showed a large tumor on Ginger's lung. The vet explained this would lead to her demise. She explained that even if the tumor was operable, at Ginger's age it would not help. Our only option was to keep her comfortable. We were given pain medication and Ginger's ability to be spoiled went way up. The week of Christmas it became clear that it was time to make a decision. Her body was giving out before her spirit, but with the holidays it just became too much. My parents waited, hoping she might pass on her own over the holiday while the vets were closed, but she didn't. It was especially hard on my dad who still struggles with the "what ifs" from losing Indy. But, with Ginger, there were no "what ifs". There was no "getting better". She was around seventeen, the oldest dog the vets sees, and she lived an incredible, happy life.

On January third they finally made the decision to take her in. They said their goodbyes and buried her beneath the oak tree at their home alongside all the other amazing dogs we have owned. Losing a pet is never easy, but we have been thankful that this goodbye was more easily accepted than with Indy. We couldn't have possibly asked for more time with her and we were so blessed to have had all these amazing years and wonderful memories with our little girl. Ginger, you will be missed.

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A few other things have been a little "off" lately too. My dad's health issues seem to be causing him more and more difficulty and appear to relate to Rheumatoid Arthritis, but we are not entirely sure yet. At fifty, he seems to young to be having the amount of pain and discomfort he is experiencing.

Also, within the first week of January I got a flat tire and cracked a tooth! This isn't a good way to start this year. However, I don't want you thinking this post is all bad. Despite these "bummers" that keep popping up, I feel alright. I'm trying to just take everything in stride and it is going pretty well. Not one of these "bad things" has been within my control and I have had to accept that.

While on one hand things were getting rough, the other hand was having fun. This week my work started back up and next week I start my third semester in the master's program and I start seeing families! <--- EEEK!

And, since this is a home blog and not just some diary (which I treat it as anyway)...

We started our kitchen renovation!

On New Year's Eve we started to demolish our kitchen and now we have taken it so much farther! You just wait... these cabinets are no longer stained with that icky-sticky cherry finish and there is already a beautiful back-splash and counter-top installed!

I promise I will post details soon, but in the meantime, a 52 pound Saint Bernard puppy needs to go get his last round of shots at the vet!

Just had to share...

2012-01-05T19:35:00.000-08:00

Welcome 2012

2011-12-30T13:13:00.000-08:00

Wow, hands down 2011 has been one of the most stressful years of my entire existence. Like really... how can something go by so fast yet drag on at the same exact time?!

This year had some rough patches--

I was CRAZY busy--- like forget your name, on more than one occasion, kind of busy.
Both of my parents have had some pretty unusual health issues resulting in emergency room visits and surgeries-- stressful to say the least.
We had to say goodbye to my dad's baby, our six year old Labrador, Indy, after she came down with Valley Fever. She was the best bad-dog we ever had and despite our best efforts we couldn't save her. The whole family was devastated. If you need a good cry, the whole story is here.
I experienced major burnout, and maybe even a little depression mixed in here and there from all the pressure and stress of planning a wedding, working sometimes 70 hours in a week between work and school, and taking on more than I should while dealing with all the other drama going on.
We said goodbye to our favorite roomie, Garrett as he left for graduate school down south-- but opened our door to a new roomie for a 3-month long stay.
We had to deal with splits, divorce, and moves in the family.
I'm still surprised our seventeen-year old poodle mix is still hanging on after being put on doggie-hospice back in September after finding a tumor on her lungs.
I realized my goal for having less stress was completely thrown out the window haha.
I didn't meet some of my 2011 resolutions (click here to see them)-- like eating healthier, working out more, and getting organized-- all thanks to having my plate a wee-bit too full...
Basically, I think Brandon said it best when he said, "We had enough drama this year for a mid-afternoon soap opera".

But, overall, I'd like to think the year was filled with a lot of really amazing things as well and that the good truly does outweigh the bad--

I really did accomplish a VERY good amount of resolutions from 2011, like reading more (it may only be 2-3 books a year, but I read them, and I enjoyed it!
I managed to put away some rainy-day fund money, but this year I really want to start saving more.
We finished our downstairs bathroom renovation.
Brandon left his old job for a new one that he really, really is happy with.
I became a substitute teacher-- while being a waitress-- and being in a master's program...
Our friends Blake and Victoria had a gorgeous backyard wedding.
My favorite cousin announced she and her hubby got married in dumb and dumber shirts in May after deciding an elopement was way better than planning a wedding just to please the family! --it was epic!
I hosted a bridal shower for my (now) sister-in-law, Erica.
Josh and Erica were married at Brandon's parent's home (and I was the photographer!)
We celebrated owning our home for two years!
I found a REAL diamond ring buried in our backyard!
I saw Luke Bryan and Tim Mcgraw in concert-- country girls should always shake it for Luke.
We took four separate sets of engagement photos to create a 4-season themed guest book.
My childhood friend, Allene, got married.
I started getting more comfortable asking for time off from work as a waitress so I could enjoy weekends.
I don't really know where the summer went--- but I think I enjoyed it.
I accepted a full-time long term substitute teaching position that allowed me to quit serving (thank GOD!) and has given me such an amazing opportunity to really test the waters of what it is like to teach-- and has me thinking I'll stick with counseling...
I discovered Pinterest.com -- and yes, it's been life-changing-- I've found a way to be even less productive!
Brandon and I had more weekends together to go camping and enjoy our time together.
I started, and finished, my first year in the M.S. Counseling program for Marriage and Family Therapy-- only a year and a half to go!
Our friends Lacey and Ricky had a wedding ceremony after he returned home from being stationed in Japan during the earthquake.
I spent a morning with my close friends and family to celebrate my bridal shower

23. I had a kick-ass bachelorette party in Vegas where my mom had one of my close friends flown in from South Carolina by surprise and I was "violated" by an Elvis impersonator during a photo opportunity (not joking!). I really should start sharing more on this blog...

24. I was married to the man I have loved since I was fifteen (or younger if you count the years I denied having a crush on him). The wedding couldn't have been more perfect!

25. We brought home our dream-dog, Moe! He's now 13 weeks old and 41 pounds of Saint Bernard cuteness. Seriously, he's better than we ever imagined!

26. We drove down to Carmel for our honeymoon and realized we did not take a SINGLE picture... but maybe that's a good thing-- if ya' know what I mean...
27. Our friend's Daniel and Allie bought their first home!
28. Josh and Erica announced they are pregnant! (Due June 2012!)
29.Two weeks later my favorite cousin announced she was pregnant too! (Due August 2012!)
30.We found out our wedding will be featured on DIY Bride!
31.We survived Christmas and I'm currently enjoying the hell out of having three weeks off work and four weeks out of school before the new year starts up!
32.And, oh yeah, we start our kitchen renovation TONIGHT!

All in all, I think this year was full of so many BIG changes. With every change there is stress, whether good, or bad, it is felt. We both hope this next year goes a little more smoothly, and hell, we even hope it is a little boring, but I guess that is the joy of life. We don't know what is going to happen. We know somewhere in there we can find balance, or even imbalance as we hope for more good than bad, but we just have to take life one day at a time. People with depression often dwell in the past, those with anxiety worry of the future, and those that are happy stay in the present focusing on what they have at the moment. I want to be happier this year-- more focused on where I stand at the moment-- enjoying my twenty-third year in life.

But of course, I love thinking about what is to come. Thinking about what I look forward to... This next year will bring babies, and my Saint Bernard will grow to be over 150lbs, and I will say goodbye to my sixth graders whom I have become quite fond of, and we will have a brand new kitchen to enjoy! Good things are coming, I just know it.

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In 2012 I have some simple resolutions:

To spend more time with my husband being a supportive and happy wife (the kind you actually want to spend time with-- rather than the hair-falling-out mess I've been).
Do more projects-- yes, these can be stressful, but I LOVE the creative outlet it gives me.
Get rid of stuff-- clutter=stress.
Put less energy into work (I think I've been giving too much) and putting more energy into school-- the classes I am taking mean more to my future than a "temporary" job even though I really enjoy it.
Start obedience training/socialization with Moe so that one day he can be a therapy dog.
Walk all three dogs more and spend time with my man at the same time.
Be more accepting of the changes we experience in life.
Be thankful more for what I have. We are so blessed.
As always, exercise more, eat healthier, and do more things that are just for me-- and yes, reading lame love-stories and bubble baths totally count!
Make an effort to do my hair and makeup-- sometimes as stress takes over I don't get dressed up-- I'm only twenty-three once... I should be enjoying the hell out of it while it lasts.
As Kenny says, "Unplug, unwind, and step out in the sunshine"... "live a little, love a lot".

So, how's the new year looking for you? Planning on having it go better than 2011? Or was this year an awesome one for you?

Our Wedding

2011-12-28T19:23:00.000-08:00

On October 8th, 2011 Brandon and I finally had our wedding day! We started dating when I was fifteen and he was sixteen and through the years we saw this day coming, but having it come to life was more than words can describe. Now, after recently celebrating our eighth year together, we are thankful to have a relationship based on a strong friendship that started way back in seventh grade.

We wrote our own vows and made each other both laugh and tear up. Originally Brandon did not want to write our own vows because he is so shy, but with so much going on, I felt like that would make everything slow down for a minute and let us really reflect on why we are in love in the first place. I wrote my vows the night before, and he wrote his the morning of, but they both were so short, sweet, and so us. After nearly eight years together, it is amazing how one little paragraph can still get to you so much...

My nephew, Conner, AKA Con-man, was our ring bearer and was escorted in his car down the aisle by Brandon's little sister, Alize. I imagined him freaking out going down the aisle (even though that TOTALLY isn't his style), but that little guy did just the opposite. He was a total ham, giggling and laughing as he drove his car past 180 people. Then, throughout the wedding he pushed his car and walked around being a total silly goof-ball... we just loved it!

The wedding was PERFECT. Like, I'm serious. I really don't think things could have been better-- unless we could have slowed the whole thing way down of course. The week of the wedding had been warming up after rain and cold the week before, and the day of we were blessed with the most perfect weather around 75 degrees with sunshine and clouds. Everything arrived on time (including family) despite the drive and Brandon and I had decided the easiest way to get everything arranged was to work together in the morning-- so yeah, we saw each other before our first look-- but having that time together in the morning really helped keep the nerves way down.

The day before we had picked up all the flowers and arranged the centerpieces at home. I was really excited to do this considering my sick obsession with flowers. Like, kid in a candy-store status. I even made my own cake topper in my great-great grandmother's teacup!

To help streamline everything my parents brought their toy hauler to our home and we loaded every last piece of wedding decor into it. It felt really good getting all that stuff out of our spare bedroom (oh yeah--side note-- roomie moved out in September which really freed up some space for wedding decor storage!). I was a little scared the next morning that we would open the trailer and find the flowers smashed or wilted or something (especially after having SEVERAL wedding-gone-wrong dreams), but when we arrived that morning they were perfect!

I hate to sound like I'm tooting my own horn, but I bust my ass on this wedding and it paid off. I worked on details for months and really started getting my ass in gear when I had two weeks off before the wedding thanks to my school's year-round schedule! I really don't think I could have planned it any better than it turned out. We had a ton of help setting up from family and friends, and let me tell you, that made a world of difference. The day just went so smoothly, I wasn't stressed, there were no bride-zilla incidents, and only happy tears.


Now, not to say everything was as perfect as a movie... some things were a little laughable-- like Brandon getting his hair cut by our friend/stylist outside of the bridal suite because he forgot to get it cut that week and was looking a little shaggy! But seriously, in the book of wedding-gone-wrong stories, I'll take that any day!

Our photographer, Rochelle Mort, is such an amazing and sweet woman. you can check out her blog here, and more photos from our wedding here. But seriously, she is probably one of the sweetest, most artistic women I know. We did a four part engagement shoot that took us through the four seasons leading up to the wedding, so we had a chance to really feel comfortable with her-- and that's a big deal for my once camera shy husband-- I think he's mastered modeling now... doesn't he look handsome?

As for the girls, choosing bridesmaids dresses was a bitch. Pardon my French... but really, matching dresses to a "goldish cream" is a real pain! We settled on four dresses, ALL under $50. My maid of honor, and very best friend, Allison, wore a striped Anthropologie dress that had some vintage lace detail and pulled in all the colors of the other girls dresses. We started with this and just matched the dresses to the colors in her's. The best thing about her dress... it was originally $168, then marked down to $80, then when I went to get a price adjustment down to $80 I was surprised to hear is was marked down to $50. Um, SCORE! The other three dresses are from Marshall's and Forever 21, each costing less than $30. I told the girls they could accessorize however they wished and that we should all wear cowboy boots-- you know, because I'm a tomboy at heart.

As I mentioned before, we arranged all the centerpieces ourselves, but my mom convinced me to let the florist do our bouquets to save the hassle the day of. And, of course, I have to hand it to my mom, because O.M.G. (yes, spell it out!) they were to die for. Originally he did not know if he could get Dusty Miller for the foliage, so I was SO excited to see it the day of. We went with cream and pink roses (because peonies were DAMN expensive), white hydrangeas, blue delphinium, and they were wrapped in burlap with some vintage button details. My bouquet had more white and no blue to distinguish it and it was wrapped in a dusty pink vintage lace that was also used of our champagne flutes. I seriously could not get over how much I loved them-- and they did not even wilt until a week after the wedding!

The florist's wife even told my mom when she picked them up that they were her favorite arrangement of all time :-)

Family photos don't get more real than this! I just loved how my nephew decided to pull my dad's ear for it... love him...

I cannot say it enough how wonderful our day was. We drank, we danced, we laughed a lot, we experienced only minor family drama (which was surprising considering leading up the wedding we had some big concerns), and the day was everything we hoped for and more.

P.S. Stay tuned for more photos-- I'm just a little short on time these days!

Let me catch you up to speed...

2011-11-18T17:14:00.001-08:00

So, long time, no see, eh?!

I told you I am a busy girl, but wow. I had no idea where this year would take me. The position I began as a substitute teacher at an elementary school turned into an offer to start a long-term sub for 6th grade. This job was expected to last six weeks until they hired on someone new. However, six weeks turned into ten, ten, into twelve, and here I am with the same kiddos from July 25th as I do full time teacher work as a substitute teacher. With a little switcheroo of my permit, the position can now be mine until the end of the year if the school needs me! It's been a blast with these kids, yes, even during days that I want to tear my hair out and scream...

But the point is, life is good.

I started this job July 22nd, THREE days before school started and I was balancing working full time as a first year teacher (with practically ZERO training), waitressing 3-4 nights a week, working on my Master's in Counseling (3 nights a week), and planning a big, totally DIY, wedding. How I made it through with hair still on my head, I'm not sure...

But, things have settled down. As I mentioned in my last post (it was AGES ago!), I quit waitressing, and WOW what a freedom! I finally have weekends and nights when I'm not in class, and we do things like go camping all-the-time! I love it. I work roughly 45-50 hours a week on teaching, but I feel like I have way more freedom than when I worked part-time serving. I don't come home crying or stressed out anymore, and I can say I am really happier. School (my master's program) keeps me plenty busy, but now that the wedding is over, everything feels more manageable.

Speaking of the wedding...

We are officially MARRIED!

I promise to post pictures ASAP and I am so excited that we will be on the DIY Bride blog on 12-16-2011! Kudos to our amazing photographer, Rochelle Mort! We love you!

The wedding was PERFECT. I mean, besides me drinking a little too much that evening haha, absolutely nothing went wrong. The weather was wonderful, people were getting along (for the most part), everyone was there, and most of all, I was able to finally marry the man I have loved for so long!

I promise to share a lot more photos in another post, but in the meantime, it just feels so good to be done with it! Married life doesn't feel too different, although we have some very big news about a new addition to our family...

That's right...

We are getting Moe! Wait, did you think I was pregnant? Um, no. Wait five years and we'll talk then!

But really, we have been talking to a breeder for months from Woodcrest Saints and tomorrow we bring home our seven week old little boy! We have been planning on this day for nearly the eight years we have been together and now we get to really bring him home. He's such a cutie and we cannot wait to make some memories with him!

I hope to have the time to keep this updated more often!

Hey there.

2011-08-26T20:38:00.000-07:00

Did I mention Sunday is my last day at the restaurant?

Awesome.

Thought I'd throw in that tidbit and poke my head in here for a minute.

School has been so crazy. Working hard is an understatement. Plus, started my second semester in the master's program this week. 70 hours booked clean through just for work, not counting homework! So, I'll keep this short and sweet and let you laugh at my exhaustion.

Case in point:

Today, after a VERY long and rowdy day with my sixth grade classroom, I had to call a few parents about poor classroom behavior... well, clearly I was too tired.

I had a brand new student today who just moved back from out of state... well, my class was OVERLY excited to see him and was too rowdy. So, following policy, I had to call his parents. I got the voicemail and that's when it happened... I left the voicemail saying my name was Carol. My mom's name. Um, yeah... Feeling like an idiot starting now. I scrambled, but it was a voicemail, what could I say besides "oops!" ? I mean, wow. So, embarassed. Then, to make matters worse I go to call my mom to tell her and I hear a strange voice-- yep, I hit redial and this time the mom answered. Double my embarrassment!

But wait, it gets better.

I called the next parent and went to say, "This is a call for 'so and so's' mom" and instead I said, "This is 'so and so's mom"... yeah, apparently I have a child in sixth grade. I started laughing on that voicemail because at least I know that parent well enough that she will understand....

Here's to hoping the other mom doesn't think I am a total crazy person and/or alcoholic. Geeze.

Going to sleep now! Hope you enjoyed laughing at me!

Big News.

2011-08-12T23:17:00.000-07:00

So, it's only been what, like a whole month since I have posted on the ol' blog? And what, another few months since it was something truly worthwhile?

Truth is, I'm starting to see some light at the end of my tunnel...

You see, this summer I was busy, but only working one job as I figured out my plan for this next semester. Then, out of the blue, I got an offer. A school that I had subbed at last spring called me on July 22nd to see if I could take on a long-term sub position for the new sixth grade class.

GULP.

To make matters worse, this wasn't just any fill-in position it turns out. It turned out that the original teacher resigned a mere three days before the first day back to school. I had to decide quick if I wanted it because if it wasn't me, it would be someone else. I had an hour to decide. I weighed my options, and I figured my permit gives me thirty consecutive days in a classroom, which meant six weeks and a potential to make an extra $3,000-$3,500. So, the next morning I put on my big girl panties, hopped in the truck, and took the offer. I had staff meetings that whole Friday and had to have everything ready by Monday. I was ABSOLUTELY shocked to see my classroom. It was bare, bare, BARE, bones.

But, somehow, in one weekend we managed to decorate the room, clean things up, make my lesson plan to start the week, make a quick emergency quick to the doctors, and still go to the mountains for a second trip. When I write it all down I start to wonder what the hell we were thinking, but we got it done!

On July 25th I met my new class of fifteen challenging, but fun sixth graders. Despite my insecurities, the school has really taken me in. The superintendent has been so supportive, the other teachers are so friendly, and they are very appreciative for my work while being equally understanding when I struggle. I've been working roughly 10-14 hours on school stuff each day, followed by 2-3 nights still serving at the restaurant, and oh yeah, planning a wedding. I'm a little swamped to say the least, but I was thinking, "Ok, it's only six weeks"...

Then it happened. The superintendent told me he really thinks I should reconsider my degree and that I should consider getting a degree in teaching... I must not be doing too bad after all! Then, he asked what my plans are later this year. He knew of my wedding and asked if I could continue subbing through September and possibly all the way to December.

I was scared, but so excited. Despite working long hours, bringing home school work, and not sleeping much, I took the offer. As I looked into the future I realized subbing five days a week, masters classes three nights, and serving three others would be total madness. Something had to give.

So, here it is, the big news:
I put my two weeks in at the restaurant!

Sigh.

This means (imagine me with a huge grin) that I will be getting my weekends back. Forget the fact I will still have a 55 hour work week with subbing and night classes for my master's, I'm going to actually have weekends. Like, seriously, it's hard for me to even comprehend. I can go camping. I can go to the desert again. I can have lazy Saturdays with my boy. It's such a load off my shoulders to finally meet this huge goal in my life.

I'm very happy and oh, so excited.

Mountain Music

2011-07-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, we snuck off to the mountains for a night the weekend of the 4th of July. It's sad, but we hadn't been camping in almost a year! You see, we love camping. Before I worked weekends, we were always in the desert riding dirt bikes, camping in the mountains, camping at the beach, going to the snow, etc. But now, time is short. It's hard for me to take weekends off work and so we don't get around as much. In fact, my quad has been sitting in our garage for over a year and a half-- makes me sad.

As a last minute schedule switcheroo, I ditched my Sunday shift to take off with my boy for a night. We decided to head up to Star Lakes, which meant we'd have a nice 4x4 ride followed by a hike before we could stop at the lake for some fishing.

I loaded up my ipod with plenty of new country music. Dean Brody and Justin Moore were playing strong, and we headed out around 7:30am. We got to the mountains and started following the trails on the map, folding in our mirrors and holding back branches to get through. But soon our trails got worse and worse. Who would have thought we'd hit so much snow in July?!

Additionally, we kept finding our trails blocked by fallen trees-- which of course meant we'd be breaking out the chainsaw-- which we soon discovered had a dull chain.

(good thing we are total studs though)

We never made it to Star Lake, or Iron Lake, or any of the other 10 places on the map Brandon said we should try to get to... In total, we spent around 8 hours 4x4ing up and down trails, splashing through the mud, cutting down trees, and plowing through snow. It may sound boring, and trust me, some parts were, but we really enjoy the time spent together just cruising around. We finally called it quits around five o' clock and decided to set up camp. We found a nice clearing with a creek nearby and only had two cars pass by. We were pretty much alone out there with our truck radio playing country music while drinking wine and making smore's with Reese's by the fire. Life. Is. Good.

The next morning, Brandon was determined to fish. We pulled over by a river and climbed down to it. I had just laid out my blanket to do a little sunbathing and reading when another family stopped and came down right where we were. I couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. Like, really people? There's this big long river, lots of places to stop, like no one out here, and you decided to come down and see what we are up to? Really?! So, we decided to move a long, park the truck, walk up the road, climb down the cliff-face to the river, walk across a fallen tree, cross the river, and then finally find some peace and quiet. Bran headed up-stream a little and I laid out my blanket to enjoy some quiet time with my magazines-- because everyone who goes camping reads Better Homes and Gardens right?

All in all, Brandon caught his fish, I got to sunbathe in private, and we headed home to watch the fireworks for the fourth. It was a wonderful little getaway.

(yeah, Brandon likes Sushi)

Recent Developments

2011-07-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks, looks like I've been slacking a bit in the blog department. Again.

I'd like to say it's all this wedding planning, project completing, vacation taking, degree achieving, and time with the boy and our babies that is keeping me away from here, but sadly, no. Instead, it's a small case of burnout.

We've had plenty going on that has kept us busy in the last few weeks, but very little has been around the house despite my constant nagging to start the kitchen. Instead, we snuck off for a little mountain trip with just the two of us where Brandon even caught a fish, we spent a day at the river, we got addicted to watching the seasons of "Son's of Anarchy", and I've been helping out my parents by working for them while their receptionist was on vacation in between my work at the restaurant.

And, oh yeah, it sounds like we have a new roomie!

Our last roommate, Garrett, was pretty cool. A quiet, friendly, hard-working, engineering student was just what we needed-- someone who was as boring as us. However, two years later, Garrett was finishing his degree and moving on to bigger and better things. He moved out in early May to start his master's in San Diego. We were sad to see him go, but that's just how it goes.

The last few months felt a little tight without a roomie. But soon we got used to being just the two of us. No more worrying about walking around in my underwear or a towel after a shower. No waiting to take a shower while someone else was in the bathroom downstairs. Hell, we even took over his shelf in the fridge... which reminds me I need to clear that off this week....

The point is, we do just fine making ends meet without a roomie, but things are way easier with one. It frees us up to do more of the things we love-- case-in-point: Projects. Plus, we have not just one, but two spare rooms, so we really don't have a reason to not have one. With Garrett, the search was simple. Our lender, and long-time family friend, set us up with her best friend's son. When we first met I realized I had a class with Garrett, and that he had sat right behind me for a whole semester (yay for small towns!).

Our search this time was not going so well. We didn't even know where to begin. I asked friends, had some show a little interest, but we were also being really picky. We still cringe thinking about when we lived with Brandon's brother and sister in law, and the crap we put up with, and we doubted we'd find another person as easy-going as Garrett, so we just kinda dragged our feet. Brandon joked that we still have a ton of "Good-Roommate-Karma" coming our way from what we put up with years ago, but we were still being very cautious. Additionally, we plan to add a Saint Bernard to the family come this fall, so the new roomie would have to be down with a 180 pound fuzzy drool-bucket. Secretly, well, okay, maybe not secretly, we hoped Brandon's little sister, Emily, would want to move in. She graduates in September and would be the perfect fit. However, she got a job close to home, so we kept looking.

Ok, enough blubbering, the point is, we found someone. Our new roomie should be moving in next weekend! Her name is Erika, and she is going to school up here to be a hairdresser. My hairdresser/family friend asked if we still had a room and explained that her son's girlfriend needed a place by the end of the month, so we decided to meet up and go over stuff.

I had my reservations about having a girl roomie. After all, the biggest issues when we lived with Brandon's brother were between his wife and I. Brandon worried about drama too, but he also agreed that the issues we faced had less to do with us and more to do with their own issues at the time. Plus, Brandon thinks I could really use a friend up here since all my best friends are a few hours away. Erika and I hit it off right away. Surprisingly, she can talk almost as much as me (always a bonus in my book!) and she said she doesn't really cook, which was a relief to me because I do love to cook and bake, so I have some minor territorial issues in the kitchen-- just kidding of course. Well, sort of. And, as an added bonus, she promised she's boring, just like us. And, most importantly, she is a Dexter fan, just like us.

We are really looking forward to seeing how it goes this time around. Erika might be staying short term since she graduates in October, but if she is happy here she said she might stay longer too. If not, October sounds like the perfect time to try to drag over Brandon's little sister haha. We'll just keep on trying 'til we win.

Damn that BHG.

2011-06-28T09:10:00.000-07:00

So, my latest Better Homes and Gardens magazine came with a little "50 Updates under $50" section and it got me thinking... "hmmmmm.... I really want to re-do our wall collage". You see, on the list they had "Painting a corbel" marked as a simple upgrade to make any wall decor stand out. I thought that was pretty cool as-is, but I also realized I did not own a corbel, nor had I remembered ever really seeing one... That is, until the next morning...I woke up early last Saturday, hopped on my bike, and cruised around to the neighborhood yard sales.

--Let me stop right here and say this might become my new Saturday morning tradition--
SO. Stinkin'. Fun.

Anyway, I digress. I walked up to one and I spotted this beauty lying on its side on the grass.

It's amazing what you can find once you start looking for it! So, I picked up the big piece of ceramic beauty and asked, "How much?".
The response: 50 cents!

I tried to conceal my excitement, but I was just so excited that I nearly squealed. I knew my boring wall of just photos, the one that we jokingly refer to as "The Wall of Caitlin and Brandon", would forever change from this:

To this:

I just kind of started with reckless abandon, moving, rearranging, swapping out fabric mats, and nailing new holes in the wall. I ran to Micheal's Craft Store and found the sign that says "Cherish" for $2.00. Honestly, it could have said "Poop" or something to that caliber on it and I would have still hung it up because the colors were perfect... but let's just agree that "Cherish" is a better saying.

I also grabbed some vase fillers to add some texture to the wall and of course I put a sweet little blue bird on my corbel. I'd love to make a "put a bird on it" joke, but Young House Love already hit that joke yesterday haha. Oh well. Here you go for all my fellow Portlandia fans.

A few mementos tucked into frames help break up the photos. I used movie stubs from our first dates and also fortunes from Chinese food.

Little known fact: We used to always go out for Chinese food on our dates.

Oh yeah, and I moved the sofa. I'm following in my mom's furniture rearranging footsteps!

And, just for good measure, a few more gratuitous shots of the wall.

Ta da! There you have it. Our finished wall. See, I told Brandon we need a new project... otherwise lots of other seemingly-finished things are going to change!

Buried Treasure.

2011-06-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

So, I had something pretty damn awesome happen on Sunday. So awesome in fact, that I'm actually pretty shocked I haven't blogged about it yet...

I found buried treasure in our back yard.
Yeah, I'm serious.

I was out back pulling weeds while Brandon was edging the lawn. Although I really love gardening, I was pissed off at the papyrus plants that keep sprouting despite endless amounts of pulling and round-up for the last two years. So, at that point, I was just grabbing handfuls of sprouts and soil when I looked down and thought, "Hey, that looks like a ring." I reached for it figuring it would end up being just a metal scrap or washer or something, but then I was floored to see it was in fact a ring--especially in decent shape. I jumped up, squealed, and ran inside to try scrubbing it. I probably said "Holy crap" twenty times (sorry if this offends anyone, my filter disappears pretty often with excitement). I grabbed my jewelry cleaner and it cleaned up nearly instantly. The excitement continued to build as I explained to Brandon that a CZ would have been cloudy after spending at least two years in the soil.

So, the next step was to get it checked out.

We ran it down to a jeweler and turns out it is a real stone and inside the ring it is stamped 14k and .32, so I can only assume it is a 1/3 of a karat (at first I thought it was .50-- darn!). Although I think it is gorgeous, the setting is much taller than what I would wear, and besides, I already have an engagement ring I adore... but in the meantime this little beauty makes quite the conversation piece for my right hand.

My guess was that a woman was out back gardening and the ring slipped off in the soil and was lost, but that hasn't stopped other people from coming up with scenarios...

For example:

1.) A pissed off fiance threw it out the window and into the yard
2.) The angry husband beat his wife and then hid her ring
3.) If I keep digging I'll find the hand
4.) There's jewelry hidden all over our yard in effort to hide it from the cops

Yeah, I think these are all pretty unlikely if you ask me... but my cousin made a damn good point... he said, "Well, it must have been there for a REALLY long time considering the last owners were only gardening inside." Haha! Cracked me up...

P.S. If that joke just went a little over your head, click here to see the history of our home and you will understand what he was talking about :-)

So, for now the fate of the ring will fall on the appraisal from our jeweler. We found it two days after our two year anniversary of owning our home, so we like to think it was like a gift from our home to us, but we aren't sure if that means we should keep it or if we should try to get some money out of it and dive head first into another project. I guess time will tell.

---------------

So, in the end, ladies and gentlemen, what did we learn today?

ALWAYS REMOVE YOUR RINGS BEFORE GARDENING...

Now, is it me, or do you feel in the mood for a little gardening?!

Two Years.

2011-06-10T08:11:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't even been out of school for a month, and technically this is my first "real" week off between subbing and wedding stuff with Brandon's family, but seriously, I need to get some paint on my hands fast.

Our first summer in our home was insane. We closed escrow June 10th and got our key in the evening... So, that night we started pulling staples and stripping tape--- for those of you who don't get what I'm talking about, let's take a trip down memory lane to the very first post--- you'll get some handy information about growing pot as well... you know, as a bonus. I had so much fun that summer and I only crawled into a closet and cried once (yes, I really did when I had a HUGE problem with some paint stripper that frustrated me to tears). But, it's a pretty fun summer when you get to tackle all your DIY projects in a bikini...

We stayed busy and had a lot of motivation as we could see things make huge improvements, like when we painted our ENTIRE interior, I'm talking walls, ceilings, trim, closets, etc., in under three days. Yeah, we had our butts in gear! The picture speaks for itself:

Then, school started again, money thinned out, and we would have to take it easy here and there. We also had a new roommate who we wanted to respect so we cooled our jets in a sense to let him realize that these crazy people covered in primer and paint were actually pretty normal... well, sort of normal.

See, we must have not been too weird since he would hang out with us sometimes...

On a side note, Garrett just graduated with his degree in Mechanical Engineering and is off to start his master's in San Diego, so we said goodbye in early May and his room has currently been taken over with wedding stuff... but don't you worry... We are trying to coerce Brandon's little sister into moving in this fall... after all, we need someone who can handle Moe, our soon-to-be-no-longer-imaginary Saint Bernard, that we will be bringing home hopefully by November! Plus it would be fun to have Emily around-- she's clean, quiet, and respectful-- and there's no worries about having another woman in the house when it's your man's sister... you know what I mean.

Ok, back to the post. I'm enjoying this babbling nonsense too much!

Anyway, last summer I graduated college and I was home so much more than I thought I would be. I ran around like a wild woman looking for things to do around the house in an endless battle against boredom since I get bored REALLY easily-- seriously, it's bad... So, I did things like paint the front door, spruce up the spare bedroom (I might try to take it even further this summer), and remodel my closet into a craft room.

------------------------------------------------------

So, here we are on June 10th, 2011. It's been two years and the list of things we have accomplished would take a ridiculous amount of time to write out, but you can catch a glimpse here.

Gotta admit, it feels damn good.

This summer, I still plan on catching up on some of my goals I set for this year, but I have to admit it feels pretty good to just have nothing to do for a bit. It's like I'm finally back to myself, like I want to do things again, I want to have friends over, have some fun, and let my creative side run wild. For a while there, it was just like a big road-block stood in front of everything fun, it was just work, school, laundry and chores... and of course, there is still wedding planning in between, but I went from being WAY ahead of schedule to WAAAAYYYYY behind, but now it's coming along just fine! I'm really looking forward to this fall when we say our vows, head out on a relaxing honeymoon, and then settle into married life.

So, how about you? Does summer bring you a sense of relief and freedom or is it a busy time of year for you?

Josh and Erica's Wedding

2011-06-02T11:05:00.000-07:00

This last week got a little crazy around here...

For starters, it was already scheduled as a busy week for me with a haircut back home Tuesday, cake tasting, four days of subbing combined with an altered schedule of serving at the restaurant, and then, on top of that, we through in wedding set-up and rehearsal for Saturday followed by the whole wedding on Sunday... Whew. Busy!

But then, Brandon thought, "Hey, I can make it EVEN more crazy!".

Case in point: Vomit.

Yeah, on Tuesday I was headed back from meeting with a cake baker and I get the text, "I think the roach coach gave me food poisoning". First, I was sitting there like, "Uh, duh?!", but when I got home Brandon was SOOOOO sick. I'm talking buckets and "Don't touch that pile of clothes" comments. Ew. As the night continued he started to scare me. We were pretty sure we had an emergency room visit in our future if he couldn't start keeping stuff down.

The next morning, I decided to play it safe and call in for subbing to take care of my boy. Little did I know that this "sweet favor" was going to be something I'd regret. He started feeling better around 6pm after throwing up for 28 hours straight. I had gone to Macy's and picked up his clothes for the wedding, stocked up on toilet paper, Gatorade, and Pepto Bismol, and tried to get stuff ready to continue on with our pre-wedding duties.

Don't worry, I'm getting to the good part.

So, 2:00am rolls around and I feel a little weird. I am pretty sure I was in denial still because I convinced myself I was just hungry or had to go to the bathroom, or something... but I asked for a bucket just in case... the second I got it in my hands I started throwing up violently. Apparently, the taco truck wasn't the problem... someone brought home to flu to share with his fiance!

Missed work... The smell of vomit in our home.... A bride getting the call that her groomsman and her photographer are puking their guts up... Yeah, it was an awesome week.

By Friday morning, I tried to suck it up and go substitute teach a sixth grade class. By 11:00am I was exhausted, feeling sick again, and my stomach and body ached--especially after having to break up a fight in class! (Thanks kids! You're awesome!) I couldn't stay any longer. The last thing I wanted was to walk down the hallways and hear "Yeah! That's her! That's the teacher that puked in class!" No. Thank. You.

Thankfully, by Saturday we both felt healthy enough to drive down to help set up. Still weak, and both about ten pounds lighter, we had recovered just in time!

-------------------------------

So, without anymore discussion of how our insides made it out of our bodies... here's the lovely wedding!

Josh and Erica became engaged back in December on their five year wedding anniversary. I had the pleasure of shooting their engagement session and hosting Erica's bridal shower as well. With Josh graduating from the police academy and Erica graduating college, they decided the time was right to say "I Do".

They planned a simple, backyard style, wedding with a picnic theme. Memorial Day weekend sounded like a great plan and we prayed to avoid the heat, but we sure as hell were not ready for rain. That's right. Right after setting up, and right as Erica arrived to get ready it started POURING. No bueno.

By then, I am certain I would have been freaking out. I mean, it was POURING, and windy.... but there she was, pretty calm saying, "It says it should be clear by noon". So, on we went rearranging tables, and continuing on. Somehow, besides being the photographer, I became the florist (Erica and I put together all the flowers including her bouquet), the day-of-planner, and the one people kept calling and asking questions for everything... it got very busy!

The rain finally cleared and by 12:30 we were set to take them up the hill for a private "First Look". Josh had already seen Erica that morning in the midst of the chaos with the rain-- but at least she wasn't dressed. So, we blindfolded him and stuck them both in the car and headed five minutes down the road to a pretty spot.

Josh's face looked so pleased when he first saw her. He kissed her, they hugged, and then he looked at me and said, "Now what?"--- ugh! What a boy!

The rain had provided us with some magnificent clouds and we were so thankful.

And I have to say, brides don't get much prettier than this.

Everyone from Exeter knows that the obligatory orange grove photo is a must. Even Jason, Brandon's brother laughed saying, "I've always wanted to take pictures by the orange trees!" (it's something we always laugh when we see tourists stopping to do).

The ceremony was simple and sweet. I might have gotten a little misty-eyed even behind the camera.

And the food.... mmmm... homemade barbeque tri-tip, chicken, pasta salad, potato salad, beans, green salad, and rolls. Yum!

And what's a wedding without a good ol' fashion cake smashing? Josh went to get a plate to serve the cake while Erica discreetly grabbed a cupcake for his return. Yeah, she nailed him, but he sure got her back!

All in all, despite the rain, despite the flu, the day turned out absolutely perfect. We are so happy for the new couple!

And, I have to admit, as a first time wedding photographer (on a rainy day) I think it turned out pretty darn good! The only thing I missed was a photo of the garter... but, hey, it's a learning process right?!

Simple upgrades

2011-05-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

There are always little, simple, one-day projects that can upgrade your home to make it into exactly what you want it to be. Yes, this kitchen is totally drool-worthy, but if you really break it down, it's super simple. See the upgrade? Yep, those are lamps. A little decor and some creativity go a long way...

image source

There are lots of easy ways to make things more fun.

For example, a simple string of Christmas lights turn into a fun garland with some dyed egg cartons. This is something I just might have to do for our back yard and maybe even for the wedding.

image source

And this is a super easy way to upgrade any dresser with some little sample cans of paint is gradually darker colors. One day projects are the absolute best don't you think?!

image source

Same deal here. Ugly white or black fridge? Hello chalkboard paint! Bring it on in and smear it on! I love it paired with the simple white walls and the green accents to keep it looking sharp instead of messy.

image source

Who says gardening has to be outdoors? Skip the clay pots and collect old tins to go over your sink so that you have the freshest herbs right at your fingertips!

image source

And, of course, the easiest upgrade ever... smile. Life gets rough. Seriously. But smiling and remembering what is really important is what gets us through. Remember to be nice to everyone, smile at a stranger, and even if everything is going wrong, at least you know you are not making it worse for someone else.

Not smiling yet? I bet Conner, my silly little nephew, can change that.

Quite the ham, huh?!

My. New. Addiction,

2011-05-11T08:17:00.000-07:00

Yes, you read that right.

I am an addict. You already knew I was a blogaholic who could spend the whole day looking at lovelies on the blogs, but now, this new beast has brought blogging full circle to provide me with page after page of pure bliss.

The culprit: Pinterest.

Pinterest.com is a virtual clipboard for inspirational and fun images "pinned" off any site and then linked to different boards. Just like other social media, you can comment, tag, and link to one another, as well as follow along with their boards. With each pin it links to the original site, therefore eliminating the "Uh, where did I get this?" issue I face all the time. Seriously... you would think by now I would actually remember to label files, but do I? No.

So, why is it so addictive? Well, first, it is loaded with gorgeous photos. Second, it updates nearly ever 30 seconds with new pins from users. Third, iphone has an app.... yeah, my elbows literally ache today from holding my phone up in bed until WAY too late last night.

To join Pinterest log on to www.pinterest.com and request an invite (P.S. it's totally free). It might take a few days, but you'll be hooked. Or head on over and just browse the site for fun and right click and save pics just like we bloggers always do.

I mean it, aren't these pictures enough proof about how awesome it is?! Ok, here's one more if you aren't sure:

And, just so you know. Pinterest is so stinking awesome, that lots of bloggers, like myself, are promoting their site completely free of incentives. The point you ask? I don't care if they don't have to pay me anything to tell you about it (although it would have been awesome if they had!), but I just want you to check it out and to enjoy it as much as I do!

Here is the link over to my page on Pinterest.com. If you like it, follow, if not, oh well! I clip anything and everything I like, so be it house stuff, wedding inspiration, hot girls to motivate me to workout, or rank comments that made me laugh, they are on there... hopefully there's nothing too offensive!

But seriously, you will love it. So, go! Now. Seriously. I mean it.

Labby-Doris

2011-05-06T09:17:00.000-07:00

Although the wound is still so fresh from losing our wonderful lab, Indy, our family couldn't bear the hurt of coming home to an empty house any longer. It has barely been over two weeks since we lost Indy, and the emotions come and go as they please...

It is bittersweet having a new puppy in the home. Partly, we are so excited and my parents seem to be falling in love, but part of us is still mourning. We miss our girl, but we have to face the reality that we can only keep her in our hearts now.

Last night my mom was texting me pictures of the new puppy and it made it feel so real. It hurt realizing Indy is gone and that we have to open our hearts to this new little girl. She lays were Indy laid, she sits just like she did, she seems almost just as rotten as Indy, and she is smart as can be. I smile when I realize she's a lot like Indy. We know we will never have our special girl again. Indy was truly unique. But, I feel like she passed a little of her spunk into our new pup, and I hope that helps us heal.

So, without further adieu, here she is:

"Doris", as in "Labby-Doris"

She has had a couple different names. The wonderful family we got her from called her Orange-Puppy before changing her name to Bristol (another race, but not as good as the Indy 500) after we picked her out the Friday after losing Indy. But, when my parents brought her home, we struggled with agreeing on names.

(she is in the orange)

I liked "Zeppelin", "Zeppy" for short-- so did just about everyone else... My Dad liked "Cessna", "Shybul", and believe it or not, he wanted to name her "Galinda with a 'guh'" after "Wicked!" the musical! He joked we could call her "Gaga" haha! My mom liked "Bristol", "Daytona", and HATED "Zeppelin".

Indy was named after the Indianapolis 500 and so we liked the idea of race names, but because we were not choosing a name quickly, it was apparent we were almost in the situation of having a dog named, "Puppy"... We always called Indy our favorite Labby-Dor. We called her "Labby" a lot, and I can't help but smile (and get a little teary) saying it. We also always said "Indy-dog" and it was heart breaking having my two year old nephew, Conner, ask "Where is Indy-dog?" each time he came over. Without knowing how to explain death to a two year old, my mom had the burden of telling him, "Indy is all gone".

Originally, I thought we would save "Labby" as something special with our Indy, but I came home to see that this puppy was not going to let that happen. My mom and dad called her "Labby" too. She reminds us so much of our special girl.

My mom decided we needed something to distinguish. So she went with "Doris", "Labby-Doris". We will call her "Dori", "D-dog" and probably some of the other nicknames that they pick up along the way, such Indy's most common nicknames, "No!", "Bad Dog!", "Psycho dog!", and "Filthy Mess!".

She's already chewing on everything and getting into SO much trouble! She is a wonderful distraction from the hurt.

My mom sent this to me in a text saying, "Here we go again!"... she is pretty rotten it seems! Even with lots of supervision (my mom even takes her to work with her) she is still getting into trouble. My mom said she wanted to name her "Ninja" because she is so stealth when she is naughty... she just quietly sneaks over and does her thing!

Don't you just love the knocked over lamp?!

Erica's Bridal Shower: The Finished Project

2011-05-02T11:38:00.000-07:00

So, as I mentioned in this post, I signed on to host a bridal shower for my soon-to-be sister-in-law, Erica.

We gathered at Brandon's parent's house where Brandon's mom, Alison, and his sisters Emily and Alize, helped set up the shower. We stayed with the red, yellow, orange, and white color scheme that will be used in the wedding and had a casual picnic feel.

Alison and the girls made an awesome lunch of cranberry chicken croissants, homemade spinach quiche, pasta salad, green salad, cabbage salad, and strawberry shortcake!

We played a few great games as well.

First up was a little sentimental. I passed out advice cards for the ladies to pass along their best marriage advice to Erica and the first three she read won prizes.

Next, we played toss the bouquet. This was a bridal version of hot-potato where we passed (and sometimes threw) a tissue paper bouquet while music played. Each time the music stopped, whoever had the bouquet was out.

After that, we played some bridal mad libs. I went around the table asking each person for whatever word we were looking for (noun, verb, etc.) and then I handed the finished sheet to Erica... turns out her vows were pretty funny. She may have had to read the words "I vow to be your scary stripper" haha!

Then, we finished up the games with dress-the-bride. In this game we split off into three teams and had 5 minutes to dress our bride with two rolls of toilet paper. Then, Erica was the judge of who had the best wedding gown.

Afterward, we finished up with gifts and thank you's and everyone went on their way! I even squeezed a workout top in with her lingerie since Erica placed second in her very first half-marathon the day before!

Overall, I think it went pretty darn well and I can't wait to host another!

Indy Dog.

2011-04-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

This week has been one of the hardest weeks of my entire life.

I don't even think I can describe how much our animals mean to our family. I find myself particularly drawn to their silly, unconditional way of loving us and it makes me feel closer to them than I do to many people.

My tears soak the keyboard as I type this.

In late march my parent's six-year-old, amazingly wonderful,naughty-as-hell, gorgeous, silly, smart-as-can-be, black lab, named "Indy", started coughing. Of course, they took her right to the vet who promptly treated her for Kennel Cough. It seemed like the most reasonable explanation since her symptoms began right after a trip to the vet (and because around here it seems like Kennel Cough is going around!), but after two weeks she still was coughing. The next step was a chest X-ray and possibly taking a look into her lungs to check into the possibility that she aspirated some gopher hair or some table scraps, but the chest X-rays pointed our family in a new direction. The X-rays showed her lymph-nodes, which usually are not even visible by x-ray, were swollen to the size of oranges and putting pressure on her lungs. We knew it looked bad.

Our new fear was Valley Fever (click here for more information).

Our other dogs had caught this infection before.Valley Fever is a fungal infection that gets into the lungs from inhaling spores that live in the soil in southern California and Arizona. The infection produces a nasty, hacking cough, and can lead to many other problems, but we were not too worried since our 10 pound poodle had survived just fine after two years of treatment on anti-fungal medication. So, we were convinced our 100 pound, vigorous and insanely healthy, female lab would do just fine.

We started her on Ketoconazole, an anti-fungal, as well as a cough suppressant to help her sleep. Her appetite significantly declined and the vet said that was pretty normal with the illness and as a reaction to the medication, but to monitor her closely. We were diligent about making sure she ate, but within a week she went from eating her normal dry food, to only canned food, to only chicken and bacon, to crumbled hamburger, to virtually nothing. She lost 20lbs in just over a month.

We had her in the vet roughly three times a week running blood work, doing whatever we could, and we were waiting on results that actually showed results of Valley Fever through a titre-test that looks for antibodies in the blood that are fighting off Valley Fever. I had been back and forth a lot and was nervous about her decline in health.

Then on Friday, April 15th, the unthinkable happened. I got a call that Indy had a stroke. My mom described what happened to me over the phone and through the tears I told her that it sounded more like a seizure and following their trip to the Emergency Vet, it was confirmed that she had in fact had a seizure. This wasn't good. The seizure likely showed the infection had moved into her blood stream and spread to her brain. We couldn't get her in over the weekend and we called UC Davis who assured us we were on the right track for treatment. So, with little else we could do, we spent the weekend force feeding her chicken-noodle soup and encouraging her to lick popsicles to try to keep her energy up.

By Monday morning we were very thankful she survived the weekend. I came home on the first day of my spring break to watch her. She seemed a little better and I force fed an entire can of blended dog food/broth, which seemed to help give her more energy. I took her out front and let her sit in the shade on that beautiful, sunny day before her appointment at 3:30pm again at the vet. At 3:30 my dad met me at our vet and Indy seemed to be feeling worse. She was incredibly weak. The vet took one look at her and just had that look-- this is bad.

She said her blood titre showed almost no reaction to the Valley Fever, meaning it could very likely be something else wrong, or that her body simply was not responding to the infection. Her thoughts changed to cancer. She said it was time to see a specialist if we were going to go further and she made our appointment at UC Davis for 2:00pm the next day. Because Indy was declining she asked if we could go sooner. My dad is a pilot and so we rushed home, packed some stuff, loaded our sick dog into the backseat of our Cessna 182 and the three of us took off to UC Davis small animal emergency.

The flight posed a risk for her breathing, so my job was to keep her on oxygen through the flight. It was the longest flight of our lives trying to hurry up there. It rained on us, and the weather was not very safe to fly in, but we hurried along. She was weak enough that she remained calm and we landed around 8:30pm. My friend, Christina, picked us up and drove us to the vet.

Dr. Singer, the veterinarian at UC Davis, took Indy right away to stabilize her in an oxygen chamber and to put her on fluids. She spoke to us for a long while about all the possibilities of what this could be and she was incredibly patient as we told her every detail of the symptoms. She was at the same conclusion: 50% thought it could be cancer, 50% some infection like Valley Fever. She said the vets were all confused because Indy had not shown symptoms for very long, her titre count was very low (if that were accurate she wouldn't be showing such severe symptoms), and her white blood cell count was perfectly normal. We were all so confused.

We had been holding up pretty well with hope that Indy would pull through until the vet asked about a DNR on Indy--what to do if she suddenly could no longer breathe-- and if we would put her on life support. I remember crying, but my Dad agreed to resuscitate her if that happened, but we both did not want to keep her on life support if it we could not save her.

We kissed her goodbye and went to the hotel around 11pm and she stayed in the oxygen chamber overnight. Her breaths were around 96 per minute, which was way above the normal 10-15 breaths of a healthy dog. We said many prayers and did not sleep almost the entire night. The vet called several times in the night to keep us posted, but things were not looking good. Her new x-rays showed her lymph-nodes were even bigger and putting tremendous strain on her trachea. The hope was that in the next day we could get a diagnosis and try to start a new, more aggressive treatment.

At 4:30am the vet called and said that after all night on the highest oxygen they had she was only down to 84 breaths a minute-- meaning she was not getting much oxygen in her and the vet said it was likely she had already sustained some brain damage. She explained she felt they were close to deciding if they would put her on life support-- particularly if we hoped to have her survive the tests they could run the next day. My Dad asked how long she could be on life support and the vet explained it is $2,500 a day and that she could very likely need it for 7-10 days before knowing any results. Even with a proper diagnosis, Dr. Singer warned we still faced an 80% chance she would be too weak to take off life support. We understood, but did not want to believe the difficult truth.

Dr. Singer was preparing for a shift change and encouraged us to come speak with her before 8:00am to decide if we would try to keep her just on oxygen. We hurried out with our bright red eyes from crying all night and we saw Indy. She looked absolutely exhausted, far worse than we had ever seen. My dad stayed and loved on her for a bit while I talked about our options with the vet. It was so hard seeing my Dad cry. He's a big 6'4" guy who does not cry over anything, and he was absolutely sobbing. As was I. We had stayed up crying all night and we both new, deep down, that this was a one way trip. My dad kept wanting to take her home and just keep her eating for a few days hoping the medication would kick in. It was incredibly difficult. The mind plays so many "what ifs" while trying to understand the pain we were experiencing, but the truth is what is so hard to take.

The vet warned us that she likely would have stopped breathing on her own during the flight home and said, "I know you have not likely seen a dog turn blue, but it is incredibly traumatic and would likely put your lives in danger if that happened in the plane." My dad just felt like if we tried a little harder he could still maybe save her or at least let life just take its course.

After many, many tears, we decided to say goodbye that morning. It was one of the hardest things I have had to do. I lost my beloved childhood cat when I was younger in a very similar way, and it felt like it was happening all over again, but now I was seeing my Dad hurt the same way I felt when I lost my cat in high school.

The vet took the three of us into a quiet room with a rainbow on the wall. We spent some time alone with Indy just loving on her and thanking her for the wonderful years we shared. We have so many memories.

The vet returned and explained what would happen as they helped her pass and asked if we have done this before. My Dad was there for his dog, Liki, as well as our 15 year old Golden retriever, Zoie a few years ago, but this was my first time. She explained it does not always go peacefully, and that they can lose control of their bowels, limbs, and sound like they are choking. My dad encouraged me to leave, but I said I wanted to stay. I did not want to leave him alone, nor did I want to leave Indy. We held her close and I kissed her ear while the vet began. It was very short, peaceful, and she looked like she was sleeping. We broke down and the vet let us stay with her for a bit and I rubbed her velvety ears for the last time. My dad felt so guilty like we had given up on her, but I kept reassuring, "We did not give up on her, we did absolutely everything we could, and we helped stop her hurting".

We left Davis and had the vet perform an autopsy to help provide some answers. We hoped that we could know what to do next time or that her results could possibly save another dog in the future. The results came in a few days later with the confirmation of Valley Fever. It was in her lungs, her lymph-nodes, her heart, her kidneys, her liver, her intestines, and likely her brain as well. They are currently testing the strain because some are worse than others, and we will have results in 4-5 weeks.

We asked what to do with future dogs and the vet encouraged us to do yearly titre tests (we decided we will do them every 4-6 months) and that we would not hesitate to be overly cautious and take the dog in for X-rays for every little cough. Although Valley Fever is incredibly common in southern California and Arizona, the vet explained that Indy was one of the worst cases she has ever seen, especially considering how bad she was despite the short amount of time. Dr. Singer explained most dogs show symptoms 2-4 months before coming to UC Davis and Indy was really only "bad" for two weeks. She explained again, that we did everything right, and everything we could, and that most likely, because Indy was so healthy, this had been brewing inside her without external symptoms because she was so strong.

But, it is still so hard to wrap our heads around.

------------------------------------------------------------
Our vets have been so wonderful through this whole experience. They both sent cards to our family as well as a ceramic paw print cast from Indy. Our whole family has taken this loss so hard. She was an amazing dog, and my mom said it best through her tears saying, "She was the worst dog we ever had!" -- it's sad, but true. We always said we needed a book, "Marley Ain't Got Nothin' On Me" for all the naughty things she did. We loved her so, so, so much and we will never have another dog as special as Indy.

The vet, as well as several friends, encouraged us to open our hearts to another dog. We told my Dad it was his decision. This loss has been the hardest on him. Indy was like the last of his children at home now that his three children have grown up and left home. Additionally, their home has never been without a big dog and it feels so awkwardly empty and quiet with only my mom's 15 year old poodle.

They decided to look into a puppy, not as a replacement, but as a way to help us heal. We found a nice family a few hours south who are absolutely wonderful. They had only one more female, black lab pup available and we went and saw her on Friday. It is so bittersweet. We all agreed we don't want a puppy, but we need one. She is not ready until next Sunday, so it gives us a little more time to grieve and to bring Indy's ashes home to place under our oak tree with our other dogs at home. We will, and do, miss Indy so incredibly much, but we hope that she passed along some of her spunk and silliness to this next puppy so that our hearts can begin to heal.

-------------------

As hard as it is to write of this story, I have to share one incredible experience I gained from this loss.

--------------------
On the flight up I had the most moving experience of my entire life. Indy, who had been lying down most of the flight, stood up suddenly in the plane and looked out the window. My Dad looked back and said, "Look at that double rainbow!"

Outside the window of our plane Indy looked off at, by far, the brightest set of double rainbows I had ever seen. They were incredible. By the time we got our phones turned back on for a photo they had faded so much, but we still captured a glimpse of that special moment. I got choked up right then because I felt like I just knew right then, how this would end, and that Indy would be okay after death. I did not grow up with a religious upbringing, but at that very moment, I felt something so strong, something I had lost after losing my cat.

I felt like I would be seeing them again.

For those who have not read the Rainbow Bridge Poem, it reads:

"Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

                   All the     animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who     were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them     in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content,     except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who     had to be left behind.      

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.... "

Author unknown...

I had read this before, but upon seeing that Rainbow I felt it. When we said goodbye I asked Indy to wait for us, and I am comforted knowing she will. It feels silly and real at the same time, but deep down, I believe life is what you make it, and death is too. If people want to make their life a living hell, they can, and if not, they have the power to change it for the better as well. I feel that death is the same. For now I will enjoy my little heaven on earth with our other pets that give us so much love, but I look forward to the day I can see all my friends, family, and the pets we have lost again. I just pray that right now Indy is up there chasing squirrels, digging gophers, knocking over our Golden Retrievers, and chasing my cat just like she used to do.

We love you "Labby-dor".

Erica's Bridal Shower

2011-04-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

As you know, a few weeks back I snapped some engagement photos for Brandon's little brother's upcoming wedding this May that you can see here. Well, as the date rapidly approaches it donned on us that a bridal shower was in order. Typically, this job falls on the bridesmaids, but when there are miles between the bride and her maids (and gas prices over $4 a gallon!) things get tough.

So, of course, the little planner in me jumped at the idea of helping plan the shower for Erica! Naturally, with all the hustle and stress of everything else in my life right now, my stomach dropped at first thinking, "Caitlin, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?!" but to be perfectly honest, this doesn't feel stressful at all! In fact, it is a welcomed change from worrying about my own stuff that is going on!

So, what are we planning?!

Well, their wedding has a summery, picnic feel, so we decided to tie the shower into the theme with some bright reds, oranges, yellows. Think watermelons and lemonade. Add in some mason jars, poppies, angel food cake, and strawberries, and there it is. Winner winner, chicken dinner!

Of course, good ol' Style Me Pretty has their awesome build-a-board thingy so I was able to whip this up in no time at all... and if you ask me it's pretty spot on for our simple, sunny shower for the porch at the future in-laws home!

So, how about you? Planning any fun, spring or summer parties?

Switching it up: Anthro Monogram Mugs

2011-04-05T10:06:00.000-07:00

So, I had been adoring these Anthropologie Monogram Mugs for quite a while now and I finally gave in and bought some! After all, walking into that store is like taking a hit of crack, people can't help it, they just have to come back for more~

image via Google

I love how so many couples are incorporating them into their weddings and decor so I thought, "Hey, let's jump on that wagon!"

image via Snippet and Ink

image via Style Me Pretty

I absolutely adore them! Plus, My new last name will start with and "L", so they serve a double purpose for use after the wedding as well!

A simple vignette for our console table, but I love how it looks so vintage, yet has that burst of springtime too. Perfect for this sunny and warm California weather we have been having!
-- forgive the darkness in the photos, this room doesn't get much light as of now--- hoping some new window treatments are in our future!

Hope you are enjoying this sunny day!

Overwhelmed.

2011-03-21T20:04:00.000-07:00

So, I feel like a total slacker-- again. The truth is, these last few months have been tough.

Real tough.

(image via Google)

I've been everything. I've been sleep deprived, over-loaded, spread way too thin, overwhelmed, anxiety filled, a little down, and most of all, exhausted lately.

It feels like these days I am wearing too many hats, and, as a future counselor, I know that it is more than just a feeling. I am literally trying to keep up with too much. So, of course, priorities come first, so I have been staying really busy with work (still serving and now also substitute teaching), and school is really picking up. Let's just say there is not an empty day on my calendar this month...

I swear, in the midst of my impending nervous breakdown (just kidding, let's hope that doesn't happen!) I find myself asking, "How do mom's do it?" On more than one occasion I have had a mini freak out that I am going to be hurrying all through school, stressed and worried, only to graduate and find myself ready to start a family right as I am stepping into my career. I stop. I panic. Then I ask, "How on earth do these women do it?"

For now I ask that you excuse my little breather on here. It has been hard adjusting to being busier than ever before. At this point I just can't wait to have this wedding over with, be done with school, and to return back to the busy, but not nearly as stressful, life we had before. I'm hoping that as summer approaches we will find more time to be a couple, spend more time together, and to simply breathe rather than just coming up for air here and there.

I can't say these last few months have been all bad. I had a visit from my grandparents from Germany. Both of my parents celebrated their 50th birthdays. I finally started working out on a regular schedule again (to battle stress & trouble sleeping) and Brandon and I have squeezed in a little date night here and there despite our hectic, and terribly overlapping, schedules.

This weekend we had a much needed get away to our friend's cabin. It snowed nearly 3 feet in the night, but we didn't care as we enjoyed homemade mac and cheese, wine, and good friends-- well, the boys may have cared a little as they had to dig out the trucks in the morning!

I am lost for words when it comes to describing how badly I needed that time off. It was my first full weekend off in over five months! We had so much fun.

Anyway, let me get to my point. I am sorry if I am only here and there on this old blog. I appreciate each and every follower and I love to post for those of you who check in on a regular basis, but these days it is even more difficult than before. So, once again, thank you for your patience, I'll try my hardest to keep posting!

Inspiration: Clean and Calm

2011-03-10T11:50:00.000-08:00

Hello there readers! I am dropping in with just a quick post right now while I am high as a kite on cough syrup to bring you something to look at beyond the posts that have been sitting here for the last few weeks! I know it's pretty much cheating to just slap on some inspiration and call it a day, but I slept nearly all day and night since Tuesday (only getting up to eat, drink, go to the bathroom, and sometimes to bathe/go to work). Although I am feeling MUCH better today, I am still on the crummy side, so I'm taking the easy way out on the blog before I go try to sit through seven hours of classes today.

So for now, look at these beautiful, serene, peaceful rooms, and imagine them not covered in tissues and surrounded by empty bottles of Tylenol Cold and Flu...

image via Canadian House and Home

image via DecorPad

image via My Home Ideas

image source unknown

Image via DecorPad

Please forgive me. I promise I have more new wedding details and some simple changes around our home to come!

Follower Follow Up: Wedding Talk

2011-02-28T08:36:00.000-08:00

I received a comment the other day that I thought I'd take the moment to address here on the blog. Natalie, from Australia, posed some excellent questions about marriage here in the US and I thought it would be a great time to hit on the "ugly" side of weddings--

Natalie writes:

Hi Caitlin ... Congratulations on your blog ... it is beautiful. By the way, the photos you have taken are gorgeous. I have a couple of questions for you ... you mention that 7 sets of your friends recently got engaged. Is it normal in America to get married so young? I am in Australia and I would guess these days the average age for marriage is closer to 30. Sure there are some that get married earlier (generally from a certain demographic) but I would say it is the exception rather than the norm. What is the divorce rate over there ... I remember hearing recently it was as high as 1 in 2 ... is that right? Natalie
: (image via Once Wed)

Natalie, you had asked about marriages in the US, and you are pretty spot on with your assumptions! ;-)

The divorce rate here is startling at 50% and growing, and it is something that I think people tend to turn a blind eye to. I think far too many people get caught up in the "We're in love, so we are getting married" trap and jump in before checking things out, and personally I look back at how we felt when we were first in love compared to now, and although we are still very much in love, and we would have reached the same conclusion, we both agree we are glad we waited.

Sometimes people get lucky and they are successful with someone they have only known a few months, or someone they marry due to circumstances outside of their control, but I also know nothing in life is certain. We may have known the person for our whole life and still find that things aren't what was expected. People change. We all change. We all make mistakes, but people still think they wont be part of that statistic.

In the US, the average age for first marriages is right around 25, but from my experiences, 23 has always been right around the age when people start pairing off. I am on the younger side at 22, but when you start dating at fifteen, the time passes quickly! Now, seven years later, we feel ready. --although I will admit planning a wedding is more stressful (and not nearly as fun!) than I ever imagined--

(image via The Wedding Chicks)
: Let me stop right here and explain ten things that I never expected:

1.) Not everyone is as caught up in "Your big day" like you are. It kind of sucks.: --but sometimes, it's a good thing too.

I thought that when we first got engaged the world would freeze for a minute and everyone would be thrilled, after all, we were thrilled... but no, I found myself in line at the grocery store with a bottle of champagne, four bridal magazines, and paying with my left hand as I waited with excitement for the cashier to ask if I was getting married. But when she didn't I felt a little sad. Call it immature, call it silly, that's okay, because it was. I realize now, that when you are getting married, you feel like the only one, but you aren't.

And sometimes, it is nice. Some brides have everyone chiming in on what they should or shouldn't do, and it is hard to shut out other people's opinions.

2.) If your bridesmaids are not nearby, you will miss them dearly.

My girls are all far away with the exception of Brandon's little sister. I find myself saying constantly that I wish they were closer. I can't wait to get together to go shopping for bridesmaids dresses and for them to come home for all the parties that lead up to the big day.

3.) Expect stress, it isn't always fun.

I can't even count the number of times I've cried. It is a lot to do, and a lot of it is all on your own.

4.) Expect jealousy, competition, and a ton of drama-- even if you think you wont.

It's sad, but true. I find myself wanting to help others with their plans, but guarding my own. I find myself happy others are engaged, but feeling a little left out. I try to stay neutral and realize that we all get "our" day, but sometimes, to be perfectly honest, it is easier to just feel a little peeved.

5.) Feelings will get hurt even if you try to avoid it.

This is a really touchy topic for me. I have had my feelings really hurt by someone I did not expect, and I can't seem to get up the nerve to address it. I am pretty sure it began with me unintentionally hurting their feelings, and them retaliating. Now, it has spiraled into this, but things will blow over soon enough.

6.) Plans don't go the way you pictured them

Trust me, I have had so many things in mind that have been tweaked, changed, and tossed out the window.

7.) It's DAMN expensive

Yep. Nuff said.

8.) It really gets your creative wheels turning: I have had so many days wasted away looking at inspiration and day dreaming only to accomplish nothing.

9.) You don't end up with all your friends in the bridal party

I originally thought I would have like 10 bridesmaids, but I kept it small with only four. Two best friends, a sister, and a cousin. It doesn't mean I love my friends any less, it just means I wanted to save the headache of wrangling a bridal party of 20+ on our wedding day!

10.) In the end, it's just one more day in the "Big Picture": I tell myself this nearly every day, but so much goes into it that it is hard to not over dramatize it.

(image via 100 Layer Cake)

Okay, now, enough complaining...
Now, back to the follow up on marriages in the US:

I think one of the most important things for people to look into before they marry is the real reason for why they are getting married. The reason should fall on the lines that the person makes you into the person you want to be, they not only complete you, but make you more than you are on your own.

I've seen and heard so many terrible reasons to get married-- but I wont list them all here, but the point is that I think people really need to think it through.

Long before we became engaged, we talked about marriage. Brandon wanted to get married fresh out of high school (which both of our parent's did), but I wanted to finish school. Now, as I am working on my Master's, I am ready to take the next step. We have a home. We have furry children. We know one another's flaws and talents. We know how we fight. And most importantly, we also know that we can just as easily be part of that statistic if we don't make the effort to avoid it.; At this point we look forward into our marriage and see we both want the same things from life. The same things that we might not find with other people. So, we take this leap of faith knowing that there is someone there to hold our hand. Someone to pull us up when we are sinking, and someone who loves us even when life, and love, gets tough.

Thank you,
xoxo,
Caitlin @ That House on the Corner
: (image via Rochelle Mort Photography)

The Day Job: Yes, you read that right.

2011-02-24T08:09:00.000-08:00

That's right, achieving another goal this year is in progress.

I have been serving at restaurants for almost three years now and working in a food-oriented/ customer service type of job for close to six years-- translation: "I haven't had weekends off in a very long time". To some, this is not a big deal, but to me, with a fiance who does have weekends off, this is huge.

Let's just say that yesterday I realized it has been over five months since I have been out of town for a weekend-- which, for a young, outgoing, twenty-two year old, kinda sucks. Additionally, I realized I only have asked for three days off work in five months (and only one of which was on a day I am typically scheduled). The bottom line, I'm not good at making time for life outside of work. Yes, I do have a lot of free time during the days right now, but spending days sitting at home alone, even if I'm doing a project, isn't "life". I want to have the freedom to go camping on a whim, plan ahead for fun weekends, have a Saturday BBQ with friends, go to the river on weekends, and the chance to be home when other people's schedules allow them to be home as well.

So, in case you are wondering, the new job, well, I'm going to be a
substitute teacher!

As I work on my M.S. in Counseling and my Pupil Personnel Services Credentials, subbing seems to be the most relevant and most flexible job between school, wedding planning, and everything else I find to keep me busy. Plus, if I work four days a week I stand to make the same, if not a little more than I am making now-- which is always a plus. This experience also offers me the chance to become familiar with the school system from the educator's perspective, which is crucial if I end up as a school counselor. Plus, I love to talk. I mean, look at this, I'm babbling on about things that have nothing to do with projects, but I'm still going! I always figured that with my M.S. I will eventually teach (hopefully at the college level), and I think this is the first step to finding out if it is something I will truly enjoy.

Let me stop right there and say that in this experience I am far from fearless. I think this cartoon sums it up:

(image via Cartoon Stock.com)

Just kidding. I am hopeful that I will quickly find my groove and feel comfortable with my assignments. My friend Bailee, who got married this year in this post,also just started subbing and her mother, who is also a teacher, explained it well. She said, "It's like riding a horse, just get in there and show them who is boss. And just like horses, they can smell fear, if you go in and act like you know what you are doing you can take charge and start having fun".

And that is exactly what I plan to do!

I know there will be good days, and there will be bad, but in the end it is for the better.

It has taken me a long time to get my feet out the door on this transition. I have talked about this for months, but I kept letting little things, like fear, stand in my way. I've never adjusted well to big changes in life, and I'm sure this transition wont be easy. After all, I have gotten into quite the habit of staying up until midnight or later and then casually waking up after 8:30am. So, it's going to be a big switch going to bed at night and rising early for school.

I'm proud to say that after formally applying on Tuesday, I got my first two calls for assignments on Wednesday, and my very first day will be tomorrow! Eeek!

Let's just hope I'm not begging the teachers to come back!

(image via Google)

Wish me luck!

Josh and Erica: An engagement session.

2011-02-22T08:09:00.000-08:00

So do you remember that little recap of yesteryear I wrote a few months back?
(if you don't just click here)

Do you remember how I said seven sets of friends got engaged?
Do you remember how I said I wanted to start using my camera more?

Well, take a look at what a beautiful Sunday afternoon had in store for this sweet couple:

--But first, let me explain who they are--

Notice a resemblance? Yep, that's Brandon's little brother and his fiance, Erica. Josh and Erica began dating in high school, and on their five year anniversary this last December, Josh took Erica out to one of their favorite little restaurants to propose-- and of course she said yes!

They will be getting married May 29th, right around the time Erica will be graduating college and Joshua will be graduating from the police academy. Although they only have five months to plan their wedding they are very excited to get the ball rolling. They will be holding their wedding at Brandon's parent's home and so the whole family will be getting in on the festivities. Let's just say there have already been four room remodels since the engagement and now Brandon and Joshua's parents are knee deep in a kitchen remodel.

I'm excited to see how everything turns out. There have been weddings before at their home, but this will be the first I have seen. I will be photographing their big day as well. Gulp. Yep, Erica asked if I would be there to shoot on their wedding day, and of course I agreed! After all, who wouldn't want to save some big bucks and have someone closer to you be there on your wedding day?!

Naturally, I am very excited, but this will be the first "full" wedding I'll shoot, so I'm a little nervous as well. I plan to get some serious use out of my camera in the meantime to help sharpen my skills, after all, I'm a newbie.

Ok, enough talking, let's get on with the show!

This shot (above) was Erica's favorite for the day... it just might make it into those Save The Dates!
The shoot lasted right around three hours, which is pretty long, but I think it was well worth it for some of the shots we got. After snapping 711 photos- yes, you read that right- it came down to 190 or so edited images for them to keep. Lucky for them I had yesterday off and spent most of the day plopped on the couch editing images.

I just couldn't resist going for a little vintage look for their picnic. Erica is planning a picnic style wedding and so we incorporated their colors into the shoot.

Don't they just look lovely?

We were also lucky enough to get some gorgeous clouds on Sunday, yet avoid the rain. It was beautiful.
I had a lot of favorites, most of which fill this page. But we want to know, what ones do you like?

(All images are the rights to That House on the Corner and its author, Caitlin. Please do not copy without permission).

Inspiration: Equestrian Weddings

2011-02-15T10:59:00.000-08:00

image via Leslie Barbaro Photography

If you've followed this blog for a while, I'm sure by now you have caught on that I have grown up riding horses and that I plan to do so as long as I can. Currently my two horses are at my parent's home and although they are only an hour a way, I miss them far too much.

As I scroll through the blogs and see weddings with an equestrian theme or brides racing to the altar on horse-back I am in total awe. I know our wedding will have a vintage feel, after all, I love everything vintage, but I can't help but drool a little while I look at these amazing images of gorgeous brides paired with these magnificent animals.

image via Grey Likes Weddings

image source unknown
image source unknown

image via Google

image via The Pretty Blog
image via White+Loft

When I was little I was determined to get married on horseback, or at least have a horse-drawn carriage. But now, after seeing far too many "America's Funniest Home Videos" of weddings-gone-wrong on horse back, that is the LAST thing I want.

Buuuuttt, they are still so lovely when they work out right! I mean, just look at this bride that ran down the hill on her gorgeous bay gelding, now that's an entrance!

images via The Wedding Chicks

Although my boys will be staying home the day of our wedding, I have been inspired to do a trash the dress shoot with my boy Andrew. When I bought my wedding dress the first thing I said was, "Wow, wont this look amazing draped over Andrew's butt?!" My mom knew exactly what I meant and nodded, meanwhile the women in the bridal boutique looked at me like I was crazy. Thankfully, after some explaining, they agreed too.

We are planning with our photographer to do a trash-the-dress shoot maybe the following spring with the horses. I'm hoping to capture some truly beautiful and breathtaking images like these from Aric and Casey Photography.

This Is IT! (The big bathroom reveal!)

2011-02-07T14:13:00.000-08:00

After ten weeks we are now ready to share our "almost" complete bathroom.

First, let's take that little trip down memory lane that everyone loves and see where the bathroom was when we started with this:

It's okay if you need to gag a little, we did too.

And now, for those who love the instant gratification of a lined up "Before/After", here you go!

And now, all the pretty photos of our nearly complete bathroom!

The colors read fairly true to the bathroom itself, although it is a little brighter in person.

We still have some minor things to do in there before it's officially "done", like caulking around the baseboards and the tile, and hanging the door (it was easier to photograph with it off), but pretty much, this is our big bathroom reveal! We have spent countless hours on this project, but we are so pleased with the results!

Next weekend we plan to build a shelf to go between the toilet and the vanity for added storage and a little more privacy for while you are on the toilet.

Stay tuned for when we finally get the courage to determine how BADLY we blew our budget and what the over-all cost was for our biggest renovation thus far!

Click here to see all our bathroom progress!

Is It Springtime Yet?

2011-02-04T23:22:00.000-08:00

image via Inspire to Flower

Someone please tell me it is.

Here in central California, the weather has been in the high sixties and the rain and fog seems to have ceased, even if it is only temporary, and it totally has me craving springtime.

I love that my bulbs have started to sprout and that the sunshine helps liven up my lazy butt. I swear this week I'm going to try to jump back into that workout routine I mentioned in my New Year's Post-- after all, our wedding is only nine months away!

For now I'll leave you with a few more drool-worthy garden images and I PROMISE this week, even though it's not "quite" done, there will be a bathroom reveal. If there isn't, I give you permission to steal all my roses this summer when they are in bloom. Serious.

Enjoy!

image via This is Glamorous

image via My Home Ideas

image source unknown

image via Once Wed

Wedding Inspiration: Bridal Bouquets

2011-02-02T10:56:00.000-08:00

Okay ladies, get ready to drool a little bit with today's post...

That's right, I am still planning a wedding. You'd think between school, work, DIY projects, and whatever else is going on that I have totally dropped the ball on wedding stuff, but no. Instead, every morning I wake up and I drag my drowsy self over to the computer and surf my blog roll and add to my inspiration files.
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Now, as a true flower fanatic, you can imagine I'm pretty stoked about the idea of having a TON of flowers for our wedding. Yes, I can smell them now.

My mom thinks I'm crazy wanting to do my own flowers for the wedding, but I love the idea of having buckets and buckets of gorgeous garden roses, hydrangeas, and dahlias just begging me to pick them up and play with them. It's almost like having a basket full of puppies; you just can't help but want to pick them up and smell that puppy breath.

I guess this obsession explains why I have an ENDLESS supply of inspirational flower arrangements, but enough about me, let's see what I have to share with you today!

Ready. Set. Here we go!

(Above image source unknown)

This beauty has so much I am completely in love with. The peonies. The birch wood. The light touch of feathers. The succulents. Ah.

(Above image via Style Me Pretty)

This dreamy bouquet was made by the bride herself and I can't get over the romantic, yet wild, look of the cascading bouquet. I am convinced my bouquet will have to follow suit.

(Above image via style me pretty)

Although tulips wont be in season for my October wedding, you have to love the beauty of this one. I mean, WOW. Nuff said.

(Above image via Green Wedding Shoes)

And of course, I love me some spring flowers. You have got to love the garden roses combined with snapdragons and wildflowers that give this bouquet the energy that only spring can bring.

(Above image via The Wedding Bee)

The bouquet above has me totally smitten. I love the delicate pink and white of the peonies mixed with ranunculus.

(Above image via Once Wed)

This bouquet has everything I love. Seriously. Dusty miller, peonies, anemones. It is stunning!

(Above image via The Knot)

Peonies again, what can I say? I'm a sucker.

(Above image via Google)

(Above image via Martha Stewart Weddings)

Love the cabbage roses-- likely what I'll go for instead of expensive peonies.

(Above image via Google)

(Above image via Style Me Pretty)

How about these beauties?! Add a little more pink and I just might have to make it mine.

(Above image via Style Me Pretty)

And of course, you can't forget the embellishments! how about this braided wrap. I love it. All of it.

(Above image via Google)

But alas, I still come back to the peonies!

The end of a blog page.

2011-01-28T13:18:00.000-08:00

Scared you didn't I?

Well, I wasn't kidding with that title. Although I am not closing the doors on the blog (despite my dramatic decline in postings!), but I think it's time to bid adieu to our Facebook fan page. I do not have the time to keep up with it, and in turn it sits lifelessly amongst the background on Facebook.

(image via Google)

For a short while it was useful for uploading quick pics that I didn't have time to post on the blog, but soon, I realized, it wasn't easy to keep up with. And, as I have mentioned before, I am a busy girl with school, work, daydreaming (that's the main sucker right there!), and keeping up with projects, so having one less thing to worry about sounds great to me!

I doubt anyone will really miss that page, since it doesn't offer much anyway, but I apologize if you did enjoy it. The updates show I have 17 monthly active users, but I can hardly imagine anyone truly enjoying the page, so my decision is this: to delete the "That House on the Corner" Facebook fan page.

For close friends and family, I will continue posting updates on my personal Facebook. As for everyone else, the blog will still be here every week, hopefully with more posts gaining momentum as I settle into a more fixed schedule.

I know this isn't that big of a deal to most people, but I felt wrong to do away with it without warning. Maybe as things settle down (if they ever do?) I can find the time to start it up again and really let it run wild, but until then, I'll be seeing you folks right here. Right where the good stuff is.

What We're Loving.

2011-01-23T11:45:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd start off this week (yes, I do realize it's Thursday) with a little taste of what we are loving these days.

Let's start off with Brandon, it will explain a little bit about our bathroom progress just by checking out this first image:

Image via Google search

You see, Brandon caught a cold. My cold. Particularly, he caught my cold that built up for a week within myself and turned into two days of feeling rotten and then miraculously disappeared by day three, but it turned a little more severe in him. Brandon is typically one of those freakishly healthy people who never gets sick, and when he does, he's only sick for a day, but this time, it got him good. Blame it on me. Go ahead, it's okay. What can I say, I'm a snuggler when I'm sick and I can't help but spread the love --eh-- germs.

But even despite his cold, Brandon couldn't turn down his love for power tools. He picked up a Ridgid router at Home Depot a few weeks back and couldn't wait to use it-- let's just say our bathroom baseboards saw a lot of this and hopefully the door and mirror will soon too. My goal is for the big reveal to be next week now that we are both over illness and ready to finish... after all, that project started just over two months ago-- so we are both ready to say "It's done"!

Image via Google search

As for things, I'm in love with?

Let's start off with a book I just finished:

Image via Google search

Well, as I mentioned in my New Year's post, I wanted to read more this year. I started with a thrift store find where I picked up The Story of Edgar Sawtelle for only $3.95 for what looked like a brand new hardcover! I started reading and was drawn in right from the get go. I heard it was very similar to Hamlet and I knew it would be sad, but the writing is so beautiful that I just couldn't put it down. I wound up reading almost 400 pages in one day while Brandon was sick and although I'm sure he would have rather had me curled up with him, he could see how much I was enjoying it and how caught up I was in the story. So, he let me be and he'd occasionally walk in and ask what I was bawling about now in the story haha.

The second I finished I felt that pang of sadness that it was over. I enjoyed it immensely and I feel like I could pick it up and begin reading again today and enjoy it just the same. I highly recommend it.

Another love: Blueberries. Mmmmm. They are in season in stores again. Enough said.

Image via Google search

And lastly, I have a little crush on some facial cleanser.

Image via Google search

I have pretty clear skin, but I admit to being a terrible picker. I can't leave anything alone. I mean anything.

So, my only choice is to have nothing to pick at right? (This is where you nod in agreement). Mmmhhmmmm. Yep.

Ok, well, having pretty clear skin with little care isn't much motivation to take really good care of it, but as I get older, I realize the time is now to ready my face for the aging that will come sooner than I'd like. I picked up a little bottle of Pond's Cream Cleanser at Target for less than $7 after quickly researching brands on my phone while standing in the aisle. I have used a lot of face washes and I even have a Clarisonic that I love, but I never have really found a moisturizer that does it for me. So, I thought what the heck, I have a wedding coming up and I want the softest, clearest skin, so it's worth a shot right?

OMG. Pronounced, "O", "M", "G", in the way that makes Brandon roll his eyes at me. This stuff is amazing! Not only did it make my face feel super soft and clean, but it is by far the best makeup remover I have ever used. I have to use a warm wet washcloth to wipe it off because simply wiping it off with a tissue (which it recommends) leaves me feeling a little greasy, but trust me ladies (and men too), it's worth a try!

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Bathroom Update-- ok, I've totally lost count.

2011-01-17T14:08:00.000-08:00

For everyone who has been dropping in hoping to see some more bathroom progress, today is your day!

We aren't quite ready for the big reveal, but our to-do list is dwindling down to things that are very manageable, but ones that require more man-power from Brandon than myself-- AKA, things that take the "scary" power tools.

You see, I may have become pretty skilled with a paint brushes, power drills, and sand paper, but you give me something bigger and I pass it onto my guy. I don't know, but there is just something about a miter saw that makes me want to keep my hands nice and neatly tucked inside my pockets. I figure I am a pretty, well, actually, a very clumsy person, so my fingers are safer if I'm just standing back and letting him do the work.

Although Brandon brings the hard work to the table, he is a lot more limited on time than myself, and especially so lately.

This is the part where I share some great new news!

This last week Brandon got hired on at a new auto shop that he has been wanting to switch to for a while now. They offer better benefits, pay, and an overall better work environment. We are both really excited for the switch and I am especially glad that the new job seems like it will be a lot less stressful and more rewarding. Additionally, it is wonderful that he was able to transition to his new job without a break in employment between that and his old job. In this economy we should be grateful for any paying job, but it is especially great that we have both been able to transition to new jobs without having to spend time unemployed.

I am still serving at a restaurant downtown for now as I enter into the first week of my classes. My shoulder has eased up a bit and things have settled down after the holidays, so I'm taking it easy while I let things fall into place on their own.

Ok, enough with the personal stuff! Let's get back to what I think you are actually here to see- the bathroom!

We tiled the floor in a night and a half and grouted it a few days later. At first I didn't know if I liked the floor, but I was too scared to say I didn't like it after we worked that hard! We started with the idea of doing black accents, but when we decided we didn't want black in the shower we figured we would accent with gray on the floor to match the shower. However, apparently, gray tiles aren't that popular and we couldn't find them anywhere... So, we searched around and we even left our Lowes and checked out the selection at Home Depot (we call it by other crude names, but we'll be nice and not share those on here!).

I found some mosaic tiles on sale for $4.99 a sheet and we brought them home to check the color. They matched PERFECTLY. I was actually a little surprised at how well I color matched from memory even.

We only needed two sheets for the accents, and so the cost of the floor was pretty cheap considering all the white tiles were free -- the truth is, they have been sitting in my parent's shed as left overs from a project for over ten years!--

Forgive me for refusing to post photos from my "good" camera until we are ready for the big reveal, but at least an iPhone is pretty handy for snapping pics while you are working.

Here are a few more photos with a taste of what's to come:

As you can see, we almost have the vanity put back together, but I'll be sharing more details and hopefully we can get the mirror up ASAP. Plus, I might distress it to let the dark wood show through to tie it in with the blinds and add in some hardware from Anthropologie, but I'm not 100% on that one yet...

We will also be sharing some decorating choices, such as my decision to break away from the somewhat plain color scheme by bringing in a bright burst of color with a pretty piece of artwork that I found at Home Goods for only $30.00 (and I'll be sharing more from my trips there as well).

And you can catch a glimpse of our Target shower curtain, our $10 towel rack, and the blinds that I scored an amazing deal on!

--lots more details to come--

So, how about you, any big projects on your home front?

This New Year

2011-01-06T10:30:00.001-08:00

While still caught up in our bathroom remodel, I thought I'd stop to recap 2010 and look forward into what is to come in the new year.

This last year brought so many new things:

Three sets of our good friends got married (Daniel & Allie) (Bailee & JJ) (Justin & Kelsey)
Seven sets of our friends got engaged (I think?)
WE got engaged
I switched jobs and I'm now at my home on weekends (although I still work at my old one from time to time)
I graduated college with a B.A. is Psychology and got into the M.S. Counseling program
I developed tendinitis and had to spend 6 weeks in physical therapy (one more reason I am realizing that I am SO ready to no-longer be a waitress)
We remodeled and replanted our back-yard (but it's a disaster right now with all this central Cali rain!)
We painted our exterior and added shutters
I used a condenser coil off a refrigerator for decor
We DIYed a Pottery Barn inspired chandelier (and posted the full tutorial)
I tried my hands at forcing bulbs-- and now I'm addicted
I thrifted my little heart out and have gotten some serious progress towards designing our DIY vintage wedding
We set a date 10-8-2011
Brandon started smoking pot... just kidding... but he made a smoker out of a terracotta pot and mastered smoking meat!
We booked a venue
We booked our photographer
I bought my wedding gown
We fostered 3 kittens and bottle fed them until they could be placed in homes
We started a HUGE pile of boxes in the attic filled with vintage finds for the wedding
I spent three months with Bronchitis
We had 10,418 hits on our blog in ONE day after being featured on The Lettered Cottage
We were featured on my favorite blog, Young House Love
I updated our spare bedroom and spare closet
Our peach tree produced some amazing fruit
We started renovating our spare bathroom

It has been a busy year for us. As always, there are ups and downs, but all in all, 2010 was a good year. However, 2011 seems more promising.

As I look forward into the new year there will be some huge changes:

1.) We will be getting married 10-8-2011! Lots to do! Lots to plan! YAY!

2.) We will be hopefully expanding our furry family by adding a Saint Bernard to the mix. We always said we would get one after we get married, and, after seven years, we are so ready... now, we just need an endless supply of dog food and a bigger fence!

3.) I am so ready to get a day job. It's not that I necessarily dislike serving. I love interacting with people, and I wouldn't mind still working occasionally as a waitress, but as far as doing it each weekend up to five nights a week, I'm over it. My body can't take it (tendinitis) and my mind is so tired of it (stress, lack of sleep, procrastination, etc.). I realized that I worked almost EVERY holiday this year including my birthday, and the only holiday that I was able to celebrate without work was Christmas day itself. I'm done. Grown up job (or at least day job) here I come!

4.) We will see many of our friends and family get married. We couldn't possibly be happier

5.) We will finish our first bathroom remodel (hopefully this month!)

6.) We will tackle our kitchen and master bath this year-- time to get out the big guns

7.) We are going to try to spend less, save more, and prepare for rainy days. We realized that we have very little in savings and we would like to start putting more away just in case. Additionally, we are turning our attention to more "grown up" things such as retirement funds and life insurance... gulp.

8.) I am determined to get my weekends back (which is why I will get a day job)

9.) I will be in the master's program for Marriage and Family Therapy and I hope to start an internship between school, work, and renovating. Lord help me.

10.) I will get organized- Our home is pretty clean unless we are in the middle of a big project, but slowly and surely little things start to get messy. I plan on a big spring cleaning overhaul to get rid of what we no longer need, want, or use, and can hopefully restore order to the little hideaways that get so messy.

11.) I would like to read more. I just started The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, and it's so refreshing to have a little time just to myself.

12.) I hope to get back in the gym. Before the tendinitis started in early September, I was doing pretty well. Time to get back on the wagon. Plus, my friend is a new yoga instructor at school-- all the more reason to go!

13.) I want to REALLY start using my camera. No, I don't mean taking pictures on auto like I usually do. I mean reading my manuals, using it the way it is meant to be used, and taking more photos. Perhaps I might even start up a little side business? We'll see.

14.) I want to eat healthier. Granted, I am slim, I don't eat fast food, and I am pretty active, but trust me, that sweet tooth is going to kill me one of these days!

15.) I want to spend more time with my friends and family. After working weekends for three years straight, I really hope to have the time to start actually traveling more this year-- even if it's just to go camping.

So how about you? Any ambitious plans for the next year? Are you making some big changes as well?

Bathroom Inspiration: Grey, white, black, and green.

2010-12-30T07:00:00.000-08:00

After seeing what we've been up to in the bathroom, I thought I'd share a glimpse of the sort of style I've settled on.

All images via Decor Pad

Grays, whites, smokey greens, rich dark woods, and a hint of black.
Classy, yet tranquil.

I can't wait to get to the decorating part!

Bathroom Update: It's coming along.

2010-12-29T12:07:00.000-08:00

As our bathroom project starts to show a little light at the end of the tunnel, I thought I'd give you a glimpse into what we are working with.

We updated our vanity with a new double sink and I have started painting the vanity gray, but I'm still deciding if I want to distress it or not. Part of me craves old, gray, distressed pieces like those made by Holly at "In the Fun Lane"... but part of me likes the clean look of just the gray...

I guess you'll have to wait and see!

We have hit quite a few snags along the way and have seriously blown through our $1,200 budget. We have literally lost track of spending (big no-no in the renovation world, but it happens!), but we know we will still finish for under $2,000, which in the bathroom world is DIRT cheap. Especially when you consider the average DIY bathroom remodel costs $9,720 with a 81% return rate... so, we aren't too bad right?!

Here's one of the snags: The Fan.

We purchased a simple $30 fan for the bathroom and Brandon planned on running the wires and installing a double switch by the light. I have no idea how he figures out how to do everything, but he is strangely good at it... However, this time it wasn't going to work. He came down out of the attic and explained he can't run the wires down the same wall as the light switch. Bummer.

So, plan B: We decided to run the switch down a different wall near the toilet where it could be hidden in a shelf.

Seemed simple enough.

We decided that we would try to make the switch more at home by adding a light fixture over the shower with the wires running to the same switch. However, during our trip to Lowes we realized that we were going to end up spending a lot more money, time, and sweat to install two separate fixtures-- and then having it probably end up ugly. So, we took a little stroll down to the all in one fan/light section and picked out one we liked.

This little beauty was $78, but when you factor in the duct work, wiring, switches (we put ours on a timer so it will turn off automatically), it ends up over $100.

We are really happy with the second light, and the fan is SUPER quiet... but the timer ticks very loudly-- something to think about if you are in the same boat.

A few other budget busting areas:

1.) Hidden plumbing costs.
Under the sink alone added a good $100 in plumbing to our budget, even doing it ourselves.

2.) Caulk, mortar, grout, spare tools, tape, etc.
It adds up. Plan for these annoying little expenses!

3.) Doors.
We thought about this ahead of time, but keep forgetting about it and then realizing "Oh wait, we need new doors in here!"

4.) Fixing preexisting problems.
In the photo above with the fan you will notice we scraped paint off the freshly painted walls.. That's because someone before did such a poor job puttying that we have to literally scrape and re-texture the wall to do it right. We also hit a lot of snags with the paint they used for the trim in our home-- it peels off by hand and requires a lot of care to keep it from making a bigger mess while trying to fix it.

But when you stand back and see your first time bathroom remodel and it's coming along pretty well, you can't help but feel satisfied.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-26T11:52:00.000-08:00

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

After what seemed like endless shopping and baking, we were spoiled rotten with a new microwave for over our range, a new sewing machine for me --so I can finally finish my projects-- a Nintendo Wii, several Lowes gift cards (You KNOW we always need those), and lots of other wonderful goodies!We had an hour commute down to our families, went to four houses, and had to drive back in the rain, so it was a VERY long day, but we had a lot of fun too.

(This is us with my side of the family at my brother's house)

(and us with Brandon's family at his parent's home)

And my all-time-favorite little boy had some favorite gifts of his own...

A new tractor.

Trains.

and his favorite of all... an .89 cent can of olives...

Plus, my dad splurged to get my mom the iPad she wanted so badly.
It's needless to say she was excited.

Merry Christmas everyone!

It's That Time Again.

2010-12-20T13:36:00.000-08:00

It's that time again. The time of year when the weather gets chilly, the malls get packed, students get stressed, and waitresses get busy--hence my absence.

We put up our decorations the second week in December, but I had been too busy to get them all up online for everyone. Just know that we appreciate your patience.

Here's a little mini-update from our world to yours of some of the things going on and some of the stuff I have forgotten to share:

1.) I start the master's program in less than 30 days and I'm kinda freaking out because they are all night classes-- something new to me. But I'm really excited at the possibility of that schedule forcing me to get a day-job. I'd love to have my weekends back. Seriously people, appreciate those who work while you have time off-- while we are at it, let's just appreciate everyone, okay? Good.

2.) I finally finished my physical therapy-- I don't know if I mentioned that on here, but I've been in therapy since November for a shoulder injury and finally feel back to normal (and I'll be hitting the gym again soon!)

3.) We've been working like crazy in that bathroom and realizing how quickly budgets get tossed out the window.

4.) We have a lot to share here on the blog (mostly bathroom progress), but that wont be until after Christmas-- We are REALLY trying to have it in working order when Garrett gets back Monday the 27th.

5.) Tis' the year for love. Our friend's Victoria and Blake just got engaged a few months back, and Brandon's little brother and his long-term girlfriend just got engaged on Wednesday. That brings the count to five weddings next year (not counting ours) that I can think of off hand!

6.) This rainy central-cali weather is flooding everyone back home. Brandon's parent's are pretty darn close to having a moat right now!

7.) I cut 9" off my hair--- a few weeks back--- told you I've forgotten to share a lot!

8.) We decided we are just going to win the lottery and quit our jobs so we can play around and do projects all the time... if only :-)

9.) I can't wait for spring cleaning and getting rid of a bunch of stuff. I might try to do the "Throw away 50 things challenge"

10.) Brandon and I could really go for a week of nothing to do but hang out together.

The view of our living room with our standard red, green, and gold tree.

Plus, a stocking for Brandon, Garrett, the kids, and me.

There are WAY more gifts now...

We want to know, are you losing your minds during the holidays? Or did you keep it simple to save your sanity?

It continues.

2010-12-10T11:12:00.001-08:00

So, it continues.

Brandon picked up where we left off by tearing out the old, mildewy, drywall last weekend while I was at work. He was also making a huge drywall-dust mess at the same time... Then, last Saturday, we hung the hardie-backer before we got started on the tiling.

We decided to extend the tile up a little farther than before, but we didn't want to take it as high as the ceiling. After all, this is his first time tiling and we were going into it with caution.

He started laying the tiles and it was progressing pretty well....then I thought something looked a little "off".

This is when we started playing the game "Guess what's wrong"...

Can you find our mistake?

Did you find it?

Yep, there are three "bone" colored tiles in our white tiles... oops! Apparently when we bought our tile a few (about 20 to be exact) "bone" colored tiles made it into our cart. We stared at them side by side and they were hard to tell apart, but on the wall they stuck out like a sore thumb. Fortunately we caught it early enough to easily correct the mistake and then I had the lovely job of examining ALL the tile to make sure it wouldn't happen again.

But of course, I didn't check the soap dish. We bought it for $4.00 at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore along with two shelves and although they were labeled as "white", the soap dish was "bone". Back to Lowes.... frantically this time. We even joked about how much it would suck to be in the same situation at either of our parent's country homes where an "emergency" trip to Lowes would take at least forty-five minutes while we only have a tw0-minute drive down the street or so. And thank goodness because that mortar was drying QUICK!

We got a move back on and started progressing again. Little by little each night he was making his way.

Ready for another round of "Guess what's wrong"?

This one is a little more tricky... it's somewhat personal opinion, but look around the gray accent lines... do you see it?

We tried to align the accent lines as if they were part of the pattern, and by doing so it made the white tiles look as if they went off pattern. We stopped, stared, sulked, and then pulled off the two lines between the gray stripes. I scrubbed the mortar off the tiles as he prepped the wall to reapply the tiles in the opposite pattern. It still looks a little off, and Brandon admitted he probably should have positioned the accents at about a 1/3 distance so the grout lines would work out better, but it was too late to turn back. Thankfully, we will be using light colored gray grout and hopefully that will cover up some of the minor errors.

P.S. The gray tiles were some cheap scores from the ReStore again. Originally we were doing black and white, but then we found these tiles at 10 cents a piece for the lower and $1.00 a piece for the top and I couldn't turn down that deal! We wanted to do black, white, and gray, but when we put it all together we decided that just the gray was better.

Now for some more BIG decisions...

A BIG New Project!

2010-12-02T07:15:00.000-08:00

That's right. We started a big new project!
(Please ignore the sleepy faces-- it was Black Friday!)

On the morning of Black Friday we got up at 4:30am and went to Lowes (every DIYer's dream right?!) and I must say, it was WAY better than Target that cold November morning. We went inside and most everyone was smiling, friendly, and it wasn't busy at all. For $156.00 we picked up a couple Christmas gifts, some dirt cheap poinsettias, two work platforms, and an air tool kit for Brandon's new air compressor.

Brandon had originally planned on going to the desert with his family, but when the weather got down to 19 degrees with 25 mph winds, they called it quits early and came home. That is when Brandon uttered the words he probably will regret the most this year, "So, now what am I going to do all weekend?". With a little over $2,000 cash saved up from my graduation, I knew exactly what we were going to do: THE DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM!

Never again will it look like this!

Fortunately his new air tool kit came with an air chisel that made it really quick and simple to pull up that hideous tile. He was done in about 30 minutes and it was my job to sweep.

Getting out the tub was a whole other story. Although it only took us about two and a half hours to demolish the whole bathroom, removing the tub was by far the most difficult. We cut apart out drywall, pulled, kicked, rocked, and wedged, but it kept catching. Finally, we realized we would have to ruin the tub to get it out (it was really pretty nasty anyway!). He hammered in the side just enough to make a crease and then used the arm from the floor jack as a lever to get it out.

We realized we had some new problems, such as replacing the drywall because it was covered in mildew, but we were still pretty optimistic that by Monday morning we would have a new shower/tub insert back in.

Then we waited until Saturday morning to sneak off to Home Depot to check out three piece tub/shower inserts since Lowes didn't have exactly what we were looking for. Let me stop here and say that we are big fans of blue over orange. I don't mean to bash all Home Depots, but it seems like here in the valley ALL Home Depots are notorious for terrible customer service-- but we were still optimisic.

We wound up spending an hour in Home Depot, getting several wrong answers about are questions surrounding three-piece inserts. We finally called it quits after waiting and waiting for an answer about an offer we saw for money off of a purchase of $500 or more. We just couldn't take it there, so we went back to Lowes.

At Lowes we changed our minds and realized we needed to toss the idea of a insert out the door. I was very excited because I wanted tile all along, but we wanted less maintenance since the shower is only used by our roommate, Garrett.

We wound up spending four hours in Lowes and recieved a ton of help from two different gentlemen; one in tile, one in bath.

We came home with a new double vanity top, a new faucet, new shower hardware, lots of plumbing, lots of tile, hardiebacker, and a new tub. After spending nearly $1,000 buying everything we needed we headed home. We unloaded and started to unwrap everything-- that's when things got complicated.

Our tub was cracked... back to Lowes... then Brandon came home with a second tub, cracked again. What the heck?! It is a very nice tub, but so poorly packaged, it was pathetic. For the third tub he opened the box in store-- cracked again.

Then we found it! The fourth tub was safe and sound! Plus, installation wasn't too complicated!

---and that is when we started having plumbing problems---

Stay tuned for more updates on our bathroom overhaul, but for now, we want to know about your bathroom renovation nightmares-- make us feel a little bit better about ours!

Birthday Week Re-cap

2010-12-01T11:26:00.001-08:00

So, it's been a little quiet here in blog world for the last week or so.

But trust me, it's going to get really fun around here!

It all started with my birthday week.

As a "Turkey Baby", my birthday occasionally falls on Thanksgiving (such as this year) and I always try to extend my birthday to last the entire week. This year, it started off with a shopping trip with my mom on Monday, followed by a "Pre-Thanksgiving dinner" with friends on Wednesday, and then on Thanksgiving day I worked a 8 hour shift of total mayhem (really people? Who goes out on Thanksgiving?!). Thankfully, I was off right about seven o'clock on my birthday and I pulled into the drive right behind my parents and we enjoyed a very simple homemade turkey dinner with just the four of us.

It was Brandon's first time ever making a turkey and he loves using his smoker that he built in this post, so I figured he'd love being in charge of making the most important part of our meal. He started off by thawing out the turkey we so kindly named "Garfunkel" and we pulled out all his guts (we apologized the whole time of course!). Then, he soaked him overnight in our chilly garage in a mixture of hot water, apple cider, salts, and a ton of spices/seasonings. Then, after soaking overnight, he stuffed Garfunkel with apples and then strategically placed some lemons under his skin. This is when "Garfunkel" became "Gertrude".

I have to say, Gertrude was THE BEST tasting turkey I have ever had. So flavorful, so moist, so mmmmmm.... I think I need to get some leftovers...

Stay tuned for what we did on Black Friday and how my birthday week sparked a new project that has been long overdue!

Switching it up: Harvest Table

2010-11-16T10:01:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, I have been pretty behind on keeping up with the blog and didn't share our Halloween decor back in October.

Here is just a peek of what it was:

Part of the decor on our porch incorporated this worn out table runner I picked up for only $3 at a local thrift shop. On the porch it worked for making our dinette set just a little more eerie, but after Halloween I decided to bring it inside and I like the way it worked out for our Thanksgiving table.

As I mentioned in my last post, my birthday falls on Thanksgiving, and it looks like I'll be working that day, so I am thinking about having our own little private Thanksgiving after the day passes. Even if everyone else is sick of sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie, I'd still love to get together with friends and family for "Thanksgiving".

I just love little pumpkins and gourds. I picked these up super cheap the morning after Halloween-- along with some discounted Halloween candy that I totally didn't need! I'm so amazed at how long these last and how $7 can make a table feel so festive.

Happy fall everyone!

Switching it up: Harvest Mantel

2010-11-15T09:45:00.000-08:00

I love rearranging the little details in our home, especially within the season.

I love Christmas, seriously, I do, but honestly, I HATE when fall is overlooked. I mean, Christmas trees on November first?! I saw Christmas decor in Target BEFORE they put away Halloween stuff! Now, I know statistically people tend to have their favorite season correlate with the month they were born, so I understand why I love autumn, particularly November. I am a turkey baby. This year in fact, my birthday will fall on Thanksgiving (but it looks like I'll be working---bummer). So, in honor of my favorite season I put together a fun fall mantel.

I started with two recycled wine bottles with a little dried grain and then I added a little Indian corn for some more color and texture. The clock was a thrift store find for only $7.95 and it even works! I bought it for Brandon's mom, but when I got it home I was just too in love to give it up. The candlesticks were also thrift store finds for only $1.79 each. I've been collecting bronze antique candle sticks like this every time I find them. I had originally started this collection with the plans to paint them, but there's something charming about the aged bronze.

So, there you have it, our fall mantel. I plan on keeping it this way as long as possible, but of course, when December first hits I will be packing it all away and busting out all my fun Christmas goodies!

How about you, are you the person who hangs Christmas lights in November, or are you like me and despise Christmas music in November?

Mom Cave Part Two! Or is it three?

2010-11-06T09:46:00.000-07:00

Anyway, my little mom-cave project is ALMOST done!

I am literally two sewing projects away from the big reveal, but of course, my sewing machine is on the fritz!

But because I can't wait, I'm going to give you a sneak peek!

There it is in all its pink glory!

I painted it with Olympic's "Apricot Cream" and left parts the same Churchill Hotel Lace that they had been before for contrast. Then, with a few thrift store finds and some re-purposed items, I put together my desk (and there will be more to see once I get the skirt on the desk!)

I can't wait to show off the rest once I get my sewing machine back on track!

The Mom Cave

2010-10-25T11:52:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I am not exactly a "real mommy" yet, but I'm pretty sure my furry children would disagree...

Anyway, this post is about a contest going on at the ever so lovely "Censational Girl" where they are offering up a $250 Home Goods gift card to spruce up the lucky winner's "Mom Cave". Check out her full post here.

image via Google

As I mentioned in my last post, we started my little "Mom Cave" project this last weekend.

As a girl, I love pink (just check out my pink post here!). So, naturally, I'm going with a pink, cream, teal, and taupe, color scheme in there... which strangely mimics our wedding colors... Coincidence? I think not.

image via Inspired by This

I figure that by incorporating our wedding colors I can use some left-over decor in there after we get married next year. Plus, in the meantime my projects will be coordinated with the room! Ha, double whammy.

Although my project is just starting, a $250 Home Goods gift card would be AMAZING for sprucing up this space. Essentially it is a blank palate and would be soooooo much fun to stock up with some fun, punchy lamps from Home Goods, bringing in a fun chair and of course lots of coordinating and colorful accessories that "make" the space!

Thanks so much for Centsational Girl and Home Goods for this opportunity!

A New Project!

2010-10-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

If you remember a while back in this post, I cleaned out the downstairs closet for a "new project"?

Well, it stayed clean for a few weeks........then it slowly gathered more stuff........then it was clean again... and then the whole cycle began again.

Well, good news... right now the project is in full-swing after we got a jump start on it this weekend!

This is our first "real" project in almost two months and I am sooooooo excited. Especially because it is a space just for me!

Here's what we have done so far:

First we looked at a 6ft long piece of pre-fab linoleum counter-top for $65, but Brandon needed a top too for a work-bench in the garage, so we opted for a 4x8 piece of laminated board that Lowe's ever-so-kindly cut in half for us. For only $40 total (yes, $20 each!) we both came home with new laminated counters. Now, the edge is rough, so we also picked up a little trim and with be finishing it off cleanly with that.

For now, it looks like this:

I picked up some curtains for $4.50 at Goodwill, along with a few office accessories, and I can't wait to skirt the desk so that I can hide my scrap-booking boxes below.

This will be the basis for the color scheme... stay tuned for more details in the very next post!

Pretty In Pink

2010-10-21T22:26:00.000-07:00

After a morning spent shopping with a new friend and an afternoon of girl talk on the phone with some close friends, I found myself browsing through some of my inspiration files.... particularly the more feminine ones... so I thought I'd share them with you.

After all,
what girl couldn't use a little pink inspiration from time to time?

image via Better Homes and Gardens

image via This Is Glamorous

image via Selina Lake

image via Anthropologie

image via Sweet as Candy

image via Vintageous

image source unknown

Enjoy!

Serenity Now. A little weekend inspiration.

2010-10-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

As I sit at home enjoying my first real Saturday at home with no work until the evening, I find myself sorting through some pretty pictures in my files. They all look so serene, feminine, yet so perfect that even a man would appreciate the pink and pale palates.

Image via Decor Pad

Image via Peacock Feathers

Image Via Pink Wallpaper

Image via Young House Love

Hope you are having a great weekend. Enjoy!

Someone's Getting Older.

2010-10-14T07:56:00.000-07:00

That's right.
It's someone's birthday today!

Brandon is turning 23 today! Wasn't he adorable tormenting that cat that oddly resembles Skipper?

I bet you are wondering what he got for his birthday... and even if you don't care, you're reading this, so you are going to find out!

Well, first let me say this boy is IMPOSSIBLE to shop for. We had finally come to the conclusion we were going to get new lights for the garage (which currently is lit by ONE light-bulb), but then yesterday at lunch he said I could buy him an edger for his birthday... one that he found on Craigslist... and that he was going to pick it up. Easy score for me right?!

Well, this was the beauty he found online at Sears; for $289 plus shipping. Now, you know where this is going right? We ARE thrifty, remember?

(image via Google)

Now, be honest, do you really think he was going to pay $289? Nope. He got it for $65 and it is nearly BRAND NEW! Score.

Of course that isn't all he's getting. I got him a few other little gifts and we are going out tonight. Then, tomorrow our friends will be hanging out and I might be attempting to make his mom's lasagna--- his favorite!

So, happy birthday again my boy. I love you.

A Very Productive Weekend

2010-10-12T20:29:00.001-07:00

Although we are still lacking in the project department, I have been very busy again.

This weekend was my VERY first weekend home while working at my new job. You see, at my old job, I either stayed at my parent's house for the weekend (Friday-Sunday) or I would commute, but pretty much, for the entire time we have owned our home, I have been gone on weekends. My weeks flew by as Monday-Friday morning were "at home" and Friday night through Sunday were "at work". I loved seeing my horses and family most weekends, but to be honest, I didn't know how badly I wanted to be home.

This last week, I worked more days than usual and made two trips to my parent's and STILL I felt like I had so much time at MY home.

It. Is. Great.

Then on Saturday I confirmed our wedding venue
--- trust me, this has been the hardest part of wedding planning thus far!----

Afterward, my mom and I went antiquing and decided to pop into a little bridal boutique we had been in once before. I had only tried on one dress the other time because it was right at closing, but we thought we should take a second look. I perused the dresses, but I wasn't particularly struck by any one-- pretty typical for miss picky, AKA, me.

Then, while talking, I mentioned a dress I had seen in the window and they asked if I wanted to try it on. I almost said no, but then I saw the 50% off tag and said, "Ok, what the heck".

Low and behold, that is the dress I came home with. The second dress I tried on. Period.

I walked out and my mom started crying and saying, "Yep, that's it, that's the one" and although I loved it, I wasn't 100% sure since it was only the second dress I tried on. My mom on the other hand, was convinced. To her, it was destiny. We happened to walk by, we happened to glance at it, it happened to be the only one, 50% off, in my EXACT size, and it is a Demetrio's gown--the EXACT brand she ALWAYS points to in every bridal magazine.

We bought the dress that afternoon and I cried worrying I was choosing it because she liked it more than me. She agreed that it was a impulse buy, but we decided to sleep on the decision and see how I felt the next day. She also agreed, if I did find a better dress that we could sell this one (she even joked that we can probably get more for it than we paid).

Later that night I looked at photos over and over and realized this is the dress for me. The style is totally different than what I had in mind, but I think it will all come together really well.

Now to hide my big pink bag from Brandon... turns out he didn't know the groom doesn't see the dress beforehand haha! He just thought the "day of" was a surprise!

Welcome to Home Ownership

2010-10-06T12:20:00.000-07:00

Owning a house is fun.

But, there is always a catch.

Like when the pipe was leaking out behind our house from our sink and our home warranty fixed it by punching a hole in our wall, but then refused to repair the hole THEY made.

But this more recent catch was a little more scary. You see, the other night, after taking a shower, Brandon walked downstairs and asked me, "Um, what's all over the floor?".

-----Insert long pause here----

I stopped and thought maybe Jester peed or something, but we were both pretty confused about the water in the entryway. We stood over it for a few more seconds, touched it to see if it was water or something pet-related, then...

We looked up.

Yep, our shower on the second floor was leaking into our entryway.
Can you say, "BUMMER!"?

After momentarily freaking out thinking about how much this could cost to fix and if our insurance would cover it, we stopped and took a breath to evaluate the problem.

When we bought the house there was some mold in the entryway ceiling, which we figured was from a leak, but in the last year we haven't had a problem. So, Brandon crawled into our hot attic and had me running faucets left and right and pouring water here and there until we figured out that the leak was from the shower-head dripping onto the tub spout.

Luckily, we had some caulk on hand and Brandon was able to just wipe some in the areas where water could leak through and our problem is (temporarily) solved. At least for now we are not concerned with making our bathroom any uglier, so an easy fix is just fine with us.

However, it is becoming more and more apparent that we need to get our butts in gear for a big, messy, fun, renovation.

Soon.

Shoot. I forgot our anniversary.

2010-09-29T23:29:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it isn't exactly an anniversary... but I missed our very first blogiversary-- it was yesterday, September 28th, exactly one year ago where this blog all started right here... but did I remember, no.

EPIC FAIL.

Kinda like how we forgot the anniversary of owing our home for one year back in June.

Ugh, I have been such a slacker!
Geeze, someone find my home, drive here, and come slap me.

--Well, actually, please don't, that would totally creep me out. But you get the point.--

Hopefully very soon things will settle down and I can get my butt back in gear to keep on blogging!

For now, I'm in the dog-house in blog world.
Enjoy your day!

Peaches.

2010-09-20T16:50:00.001-07:00

"Movin' to the country gonna eat a lot of peaches
I'm movin' to the country I'm gonna eat me a lot of peaches...."

The Presidents Of The USA - Peaches Video

When we bought our home we had a fruit tree in our back yard, but we weren't exactly sure what type.

(The tree on the far right)

Last year, it did not produce any fruit, but when spring rolled around it was filled with beautiful pink peach blossoms (you might remember from this post). Thank goodness that unlike last year, this year, those blossoms turned into these buds:

And those buds turned into these lovely peaches:

Growing up, my parents always had peach trees, but between birds and squirrels they have never been worthwhile, so to be honest, I had very little hope for our tree.

So, imagine my delight when these finally ripened and I ate our first homegrown peach. Not only were we excited to have our own peaches, but when we took our first samples off the tree I was so excited to bite into its juicy flesh to find that they were WHITE inside!

Our fruit-savvy friend said they are "September Reds" and something about them being "White Ladies", but all we knew is that they were delicious. Like, dead serious, these are the best peaches I have ever eaten. Perfectly ripe, and so juicy that they were nearly impossible to eat unless you were near the sink.

Plus, as an added bonus, they smelled so lovely in our kitchen each day as I picked a few here and there.

I have to stop to say congratulations to whoever picked all the peaches that hung over the fence onto the sidewalk-- you sneaky bugger, you... I bet you loved them... and to be honest, I would have stolen those as well, so congratulations for sharing our bounty with us.

It wasn't long before they started to drop off the tree I stripped it down and peeled and cut all the fruit for freezing for later use. I am so happy with our tree and how much quality fruit was produced with a little care and a lot of water.

It's the simple things in life that make us happy.

Between the Sheets.

2010-09-17T10:05:00.000-07:00

Well, to be honest, this post is not really about what is between the sheets, but more about what is on top. Mainly, people have been emailing asking where I got our bedspread and where they can find it.

I bought our queen-sized quilt and two sham set for $50.00 on Overstock.com about a year ago. Here is the link to the original ad, but you'll notice it is out of stock now. However, you can enter your email and they will notify you when it is back in stock.

I wish I could provide a more specific item number, but because the tag on the quilt was large and showed when the bed was made, I cut it off.

For now I have the number listed on the web-page as:

Item#: 12042154

Hopefully that helps, but if anyone else finds it elsewhere, please drop a comment and help others out who are looking for it! Thanks!

Stand Straight, Stand, errr, Short?

2010-09-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

Our back yard fence has never been a pretty sight-- notice the hole on the far left...

When we first looked at our home a new fence was at the top of our to-do list (of course right behind repairing the holes!), but sadly, it slowly worked its way lower and lower while it continued to deteriorate.

You see, initially, we thought, "No big deal, $500 and we'll have a new fence"... not quite the reality.

In the real world, a new fence will run us closer to $1,500; and while we have enough saved up to splurge and just get it done, we both agreed we'd still prefer to do our kitchen or bathroom first and wait until spring to get a brand new, and even taller, fence.

For now, Brandon made some simple adjustments to the tune of around $20.00 that made SUCH a difference!

He was able to patch the holes, straighten the entire fence-line, and reconnect fallen pieces in one afternoon.

And for now, that's all we need. After all, our dogs are indoors unless we are home or outside with them, and so we aren't too concerned with our fence in relation to our dogs. However, after we get married next fall, we plan on adding a new member to our family who will require a new, very tall and very sturdy fence.

Allow me to introduce you to "Moe":

Well, this isn't really Moe... Moe isn't real. Yet...

This is someone else's Saint Bernard named "Titan" from a blog that I cannot remember, but he is pretty much a dead ringer for how we imagine our imaginary Saint Bernard named "Moe".

Growing up, we both had large dogs, but Brandon clearly won with his family's Old English Mastiff, Chloe, weighing in at over 18olbs as a female! Chloe, despite her oafish behavior and buckets of drool, has both of us wanting a larger than life dog in our home as well. I know Saints come with a lot of responsibility, hair, and of course, drool; however, these large dogs do pretty well in a small yard with regular exercise and access to a nice sofa they can hang out on, so I'm pretty sure we'll be just fine.

Isn't she a beauty?

Of course we have more research to do, but we have had dreams of owning a Saint for about seven years now, only waiting until we get married to add another "baby" to our family. I have researched Saint rescues and have thought about adopting, but I have not made a hard and fast decision because owning a dog that can exceed 200 pounds comes with so much responsibility, and if we go with a responsible breeder we could meet both parents to get a feel for the disposition of our future "Moe" whereas an adopted dog has less predictability. However, my bleeding heart would love to rescue a Saint. Perhaps if Moe is a joy to own our next "baby" can be a rescue.

For now, if anyone has any experience with Saints, I would love some information if you'd like to share!

No, I Haven't Fallen Off the Face of the Earth...

2010-09-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

But, yes, I have yet again taken a break from blogging. I'm sure I could drum up something to write about, but honestly, would it be interesting? Um, probably not.

Currently, I have been:
1.Juggling school
2. Wedding planning (trust me, not the fun parts!)
3. Taking an offer for a new job
4. Leaving my old job
and
5. Catching up on little things here and there

The first part about school we can skip-- it's boring. Basically, I am taking the last few courses I need and in spring I'll start the M.S. in Counseling program and hopefully find out that I made the right decision, but for now, I'm bored out of my mind with school.

The second part, the wedding planning. Sure, it's a TON of fun thinking of all the cute decor and favors, or the idea of shopping for the perfect dress, but for now, I'm stuck with the nitty gritty work.... AKA, guest list duty. I have to figure out how many people we are having to figure out how large of a venue we will need and just how big this party is gonna be!

Originally we planned on a party with nearly 300 people, but currently the list settles around 225 invites (and usually only 70% show up!), so we aren't doing too bad!

Image Source Unknown

I've shopped three venues, the first was a total let-down. The second was a DEAD ringer for what I imagine, but it is pricey, and the third, well, it's location is the only downside-- but Brandon basically vetoed it based on the town it is in...

I can't wait to pin down a venue, figure out the guest list, throw our engagement party, and get onto the fun parts!

Image Source Unknown

As far as the new job goes... Well, I put in my two weeks (which is actually closer to three) last Sunday and I cried my eyes out. I love my job in my hometown, but the commute was killing me. I was out of town every weekend, leaving Brandon here Friday through Sunday all alone. I'm so ready to be able to wake up at my own house on weekends.

My new job is at another restaurant. With school, serving is the most flexible job with the highest earnings I could get--- that is, unless I get a boob-job and start stripping...

Pardon my lack of class....

I will still be a fill in at my old restaurant job. After all, my family and my horses still need me to come home!

As far as "catching up" on projects... Well, I've replanted a few flowers, Brandon fixed our fence. We cleared out our overgrown garden, and we are planning a big yard-sale this weekend. It's just little things, but hopefully soon I can have something interesting to write about!

I hope everyone is enjoying their start of fall and I promise to get back on the wagon ASAP with new projects to share!

Today's Finds: World Market

2010-08-30T19:15:00.001-07:00

Last week I made a trip into town to get some fabric for my mom's chaise in her closet, so I thought I'd drop into World Market right next door.

I didn't come home with anything, but I have a new list of things I love from there. I swear, it is like every time I go in there I feel the need to start from scratch and remodel our entire house! I just love everything.

Plus, with the thought of registering for wedding gifts, I figure a little pre-shopping wouldn't hurt...

First thing I saw as I walked through the doors was this farm-style table that instantly caught my eye. I love the drop leaf sides and the curve in the legs:

Next, I had to stop and check out their new, bigger than ever, hardware collection. Although Anthropologie still holds a special place in my heart for offering the coolest hardware, World Market is at a close second with their new selection:

Then, of course I had to check out this adorable wind chime. I think it offers the perfect amount of whimsy for a back yard!

This chunky braided door mat is offically on my birthday list at only $14.99!
I love the rich texture and interest:

These curtains had me drooling over the color scheme that I could TOTALLY incorporate in our family room... the last thing I could possibly need right now:

And lastly, I loved these two rugs. One so soft and sweet, the other with a very complimentary color scheme for our living room: