Awards!

Thank you to the Lost in White Chiffon blog, I have been nominated as a Kreativ Blogger! I'm so honored, and her blog is completely adorable. :) Thank you, Jes!

The rules are: name 7 things about yourself that people may not know be it fun, interesting, or even embarrassing and then nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.

Here are my 7 facts...
1) I am completely and utterly afraid of squirrels. I hate them!
2) I am newly obsessed with ranch dressing and black beans (not together of course)
3) I'm reading the entire New Testament over the next 30 days. I've already made it through 2 of the 28 books!
4) I'm OBSESSED with Project Runway. Makes me wish I could sew.
5) My guilty pleasures are chocolate, blogging, and HGTV.
6) I only listen to podcasts in Spanish :)
7) I willingly let my dog lick my feet.

My 7 nominees are:

• The Loring Blog
  
• Where Beauty Remains
  
• All Things Hold Together
  
• Life After Marriage
  
• Love.Family.Marriage
  
• Lance And Kristen
• Diamonds to Diamond
  

Home face-lift, part 1

After Christmas, it seemed just about time to give our apartment a mini-face lift. We hadn't really bought anything "new" for the place since we moved to North Carolina three years ago (aside from a mattress, which isn't much fun, a washer and dryer, which aren't much fun either, one painting for the living room and two plants). So, with a few new pieces of furniture and some trips to Wal-Mart (I know, Lord save my soul) room-by-room we were able to make our home more beautiful and cozy. And the best part, we spent under $75 for the ENTIRE PLACE! I bet you are wondering how we did it....

This is long overdue, but the bathroom was spruced up first! We have such a beautiful garden tub, and before, it wasn't enjoyed much.

BEFORE:


This trip was done entirely at Bed Bath and Beyond using gift cards and awesome 20% off coupons!

AFTER:

HOW WE MADE IT WORK:

1) The art set the tone for everything. They are watercolor prints from our honeymoon cruise. They depict the three ports we visited in Alaska-- Skagway, Ketchikan, and Juneau. They are beautiful and so meaningful to us....and better yet, free!!!!
Cost for prints: $0
Cost for frames: $0 (Bed Bath and Beyond gift card)

2) We love K&C above the tub! I "bought" them thinking I could use them for our wedding somewhere, but there wasn't a need. Perfect for the bathroom!
Cost: $0 (This is a funny story---I was at Wal-Mart buying a bunch of wedding stuff last May, and I had these in my cart. The lady forgot to ring them up and just put them in the bag. Ay! So they were free...I should feel guilty, yet I hang them above our tub with pride. Kathleen is convinced this happens to me all the time.)

3) Candles, orchid, and plant all from BB&B using our gift cards and coupons...
Cost: $0

More to come!

Happy Friday :)

I'm so looking forward to the long weekend! Having MLK day off and a Friday workday will make this next week go by faster--which is a blessing. I have a dentist appointment on Friday, which I only made because I was having a toothache. (I'm the worst patient ever!) It's been a year and counting since I've had my last cleaning...so I'm sure I'll leave with sore teeth (but hopefully no cavity with a hefty bill!)

It was beautiful outside today...about 60, so that was refreshing. Charlie walked the dog for me tonight because I had a long week, and afterward we curled up on the couch to watch our new favorite show, "House Hunters International." This episode featured a couple from NY moving to metropolitan France to a 300 square-foot apartment. And no I did not type that wrong! They ended up buying a fix-er upper and turning it into a chic oasis...at which point the bought fresh white roses from a street vendor and placed them in a vase on their table overlooking a window, open to the streets of France. I was seething... ;)

Cheers to a long weekend!

Six months

Can you believe it? Six months of marriage! Go us!

Tonight was an "us" night. The weather is FINALLY taking a turn for the better so Charlie and I walked the dog, came home, and I made a Pork Tenderloin with a carrot/chick pea/lemon-dill medley and a side of white wine. And of course chocolate for dessert. :) Yum, yum! We had intentions to break out the china, but forgot in the rush of hunger.

I'm so thankful for my husband. He makes me better in every way a person can. He said over dinner that I was his "soulmate" so I think that mean's he thinks I'm pretty okay, too ;) We decided that we would watch our wedding ceremony again as a celebration--so we still remember to have a sense of wonder and a sense of humor.

Off to spend some quality time with my husband. :)

The weekend in exactly four pictures.

Here I am, white wine in hand, writing our weekend blog post. :)

Picture 1: Mi pasaporte...
I spend much of Saturday doing some final "Mrs. Snearly" things. I changed each one of my credit cards and online accounts to my new name, and updated everything. I've begun to fill out the passport application form, too, and I'm so thankful I get to change that dang picture. I swear I looked like I had two chins in my old photo! This one is far better. Thank you, Rite Aid!

Picture 2: Avatar...
AVATAR! On Saturday night we went and saw the movie with Katy and Andy. It was phenomenal. I know it hit the box-office with mixed reviews, but we thoroughly enjoyed our 3D experience. The visuals were stunning, and it was a true adventure. I felt like I lived the journey with the characters.

Many complain that the plot is very predictable, and I do agree; however, it needs to be such. The action-packed-love-story-twist-where-good-guys-almost-loose-but-conquer-all is really the backdrop to the extreme-visual world, creative premise, and emotion-stirring soundtrack. We loved it...and I'm so glad there was a happy ending. (Hope that doesn't ruin it for everyone!)

I now want one of my own hawk-birds to fly and hook my flagella hair into (if you haven't see the movie and you are confused, not to worry). Go see it. Worth every penny.

Photo 3: Cooking...
I experimented with some new recipes this weekend, including Huevos Rancheros and from-scratch French Onion Soup. They were delicious. The Huevos Ranchers were actually a vegetarian dish of black beans, salsa, eggs, and seasonings eaten in a tortilla. French Onion Soup needs not be explained, but deserves a picture...

I have a very happy husband on my hands.

Photo 4: Luna...

This is Luna and her best friend Munk. This picture amuses me because she looks so perterved and Munk looks afraid because he is about to be chewed...which might be true. Much of Luna's Sunday consists of sun bathing by the window and sucking on Munk's head. I would love to be a dog.

Happy almost-Monday. YAY!*


*Intended sarcasm

Great blog!

So I'm officially obsessed with this blog: http://www.younghouselove.com/

It's a newly-married couple--the home-designer wife and the communications husband--who completely re-did their home. They travel finding unique home decor, post creative DIYs, and blog about everything home-renovation. Not to mention they have an adorable chihuahua named Burger. After our own hearts!

Check out some of their before and afters of their own home...I'm seriously so impressed.
Click here for more.



This makes me excited to someday look for a home with Charlie and make it ours...I love decorating (I feel like this runs in my family and will be my downfall considering I also love travel). We won't be in the market anytime soon. It wouldn't make sense to buy with so much about the future uncertain, but at the same time it's fun to dream. :)

I love browsing Ikea.com for fun ideas, and dang, that store is awesome. This couple decorated much of their home using Ikea finds...at least that place doesn't break the budget.

We are so glad it's Friday...I can't even explain. Fitting this post we're currently watching back-to-back episodes of Property Virgins and relaxing with Luna(tic).

Happy weekend, world!

2010, baby!

We're home in Charlotte, Christmas decor has been dismantled, and we're back to the grind. When we came home we had mail coming out of our ears, including tons of Christmas cards. Why does break have to fly by so fast?

Well I guess it's New Year;s resolution time! (A mere 5 days late).

Still, there is something so ironic about New Year's resolutions. More than half the time they are lofty, difficult-to-change habits that resolving to change is more apt to make you miserable than happy. Like the "I'm going to eat healthy food this year." Really? You mean you can't have a day (or week) where you eat chocolate and enjoy the Grandma's fatty gravy? And when you fail and gain a few pounds in February you beat yourself up! And then there's the classic, "I'm going to work out more." What? What does that even mean? Sometimes when I'm tired for me a workout is doing the dishes. I'm serious.

The most hilarious part is the commercials on television this time of year. Have you noticed? Infomercial city for the crazy New Years resolution suckers! The infamous, re-invented "belly fat" machine, wallet and closet organizers, and my favorite, the neck-fat shrinker. Hahaha. You HAVE to see this if you haven't.



This is not to say I don't beleive in setting goals for myself or in New Years Resolutions (or in infomercials...because I do love them). But you don't need 3 easy payments of $19.99 to make your life better.

I find it's best to have specific, simple resolutions that are attainable.

My New Years Resolution's are is really, really simple:

1) Turn off the TV before bed and read instead-- helps me learn and makes it easier to fall asleep!
2) Turn out the lights/gadgets when I leave a room--ECO-friendly and saves $$$!
3) Walk Luna to the "far" poop plot on Saturday and Sunday-- A little extra exercise adds up over the course of a year!

Simple. Not too drastic. Easily achievable. Perfect!

Happy New Year!