BAR-B-Q SEASON

The list of things we want to do around the house is getting long and just when I remove an item, another one sneaks it's way onto it.  Granted it's not as long as a YoungHouseLove list, but let's face it anything over 5 items stresses me out.  And just so you know, the task isn't removed from my list until it is 100% finished, complete, done! 

Here is our current list (or so i think)
1) Redo master bedroom
2) Redo master bathroom
3) Redo H's bedroom
4) Redo dining room
5) Refinish back deck
6) Address the forest that is taking over the backyard
7) Finish a table that Matt is building
8) Refinish a chiminae (sp?)
9) Place new bricks around the stairs of the back deck

That doesn't sound so bad, right?  But the thought of doing these tasks puts me into full heart attack mode.  Probably because I don't feel like we have the time and because I'm simultaneously planning a wedding. 

Saturday morning I woke up at 11:00 (gasp) however, let me just add that due to weather issues in Texas I didn't get home from a conference until Saturday morning at 5:00 AM.  I deserved a little sleeping in time! 
Anyhoooooo - I woke up to find that all of our deck furniture had been removed - which I deduced to mean that task #5 was on my weekend agenda. 

Here are some pictures throughout the process.

Lots of railings.  Lots and lots of railings!

Lower deck finished.

Add some furniture...

and some accessories

Notice the lantern on the right

Looks awesome!

My fun find for this deck are the lanterns I got from Lowes for $5.00 each.  I bought four of them and since they are made of glass, Matt screwed them onto the railing.  I was hoping to find some LED candles but so far nadda.  Regular candles will have to do.  You can see the candles in the picture above (sorta). 

If you are looking for us in the evenings, come on around the house to the back porch.  We love it on our porch and we plan on utilizing it as much as possible this summer.  My hope for this Saturday is to complete task #9 before we have visitors.  Maybe with enough time, I can tackle some of #6 while Matt works on #8. 

 Memorial Day is this weekend, so I'm planning not 1 but 2 bar-b-q's to show off our hard work.  Enjoy your holiday weekend and the start of summer!!! 

You Rock!

Engaged At Last!!!

Who knew that when I put together a Ragnar Relay team in August 2010 that I would discover the man of my dreams?  As captain of the Black Toes team, I was tasked with putting together a fun, energetic team to run the 190 miles from Miami to Key West Florida.  Instantly I knew of a group of friends to ask, but not enough to cover the 12 man team.  So, my original invite was extended to friends of friends and we ended up with 10 amazing runners, that I now consider great friends.
 
Fast forward to January 2011, my last days as a single woman.

Picture it! Sicily! 1926. Ok negative on Sicily and 1926 but for the next 30+ hours starting in Miami, Matt would position himself next to me at every possible moment: in the car, walking outside of the vans, in pictures, etc.  Bless his heart he even met up with me during my first leg and ran to the exchange with me. 

Upon arrival in Key West, Matt and I were inseparable and spent every minute together.  Matt says he knew he was going to marry me when we spent a luxurious day sitting on a bench watching the boats come and go.  That moment and so many others have been magical. 

Matt and I have had a whirlwind romance of only 4 months, and I know that sounds ri-donculous; however, who can put a time limit on true love? 

Matt proposed to me last night and I of course never hesitated.  He is my everything and I couldn't possibly dream of anyone I would rather spend the rest of my life with.  I love you Matt!!! 

Question: For better or for worse?
Answer: for better please....

GREENISH - BROWN

MASTER BEDROOM RENOVATIONS

Painting, is an quick and easy way to take a drab room and make it POP.  The master bedroom in our home was in need of some pizazz, so off to the color aisle of Lowe's we went.  We found an amazing pattern which required 3 different colors of paint.  This did not scare me or discourage me at all because I love the whole new feel of a room after a good paint job.  Maybe I should have been concerned considering how very large the room is and possibly I shouldn't have started priming on the same day I ran a half marathon.  Just saying...



Pre-Remodel | Nice and clean before the demolition starts.

 Master Bedroom (from doorway) 

    Right & back wall

 Exercise Area (in nook off of master bedroom) 

Master Bedroom (looking at door)

                                                                                                           

Preparation/Priming | Warning this area is under construction!

Master Bedroom (from doorway)                         

Right & back wall

Exercise Area                                                                          

Is Matt working hard, or hardly working???

Master Bedroom

 

In Progress |

Master Bedroom

Right & back wall 

Exercise Area     















Boom Done!

There you have it, our beautiful new master bedroom, complete with bedding and snow board.  Evenutally we are going to add curtains and a new rug that will match.  Stay tuned for an interesting idea behind the headboard...  

I love love love this room.  It's so comfortable and welcoming I just might never leave.                                 

WARM & COZY BLANKET

So with the Christmas holiday fast approaching, I am once again in a creative mood.  I'm not really sure why, but I always feel the need to make a gift vs. buying one.  And once I start making the gifts, I convince myself that everyone and their mothers also need this gift.  Before you know it, I am one of Santa's lil helpers trying to get all the gifts done in time for Christmas Eve when Santa & Rudolph will take their annual trip around the world in one night. 


So, if you are feeling a lil bit creative and you want a quick and easy project to complete here it is.  A warm & cozy blanket.  This thing is so great that if you have a dog, they will never get off of it.  You might want to invest in a little extra material just for them. 


Go to your favorite fabric store and pick out 2 fleece materials that you like.  Usually people tend to do one pattern and one solid color.  For this blanket I am making for my dad, I chose a golf pattern and a solid green to represent grass.  Creative I know! 
I like my blankets extra long so I buy 3 yards of each fabric.

In addition, you will need a straight edge, a fabric cutter, and a cutting mat.  Scissors will work too, but your fingers may fall off in the process. 

You will need a lot of floor space to make this blanket, so pull back all of your furniture, turn on some holiday tunes (I recommend Barbara Streisand's Jingle Bells) and grab some eggnog to set the festive mood.  Get your favorite doggy (Coal) to help you  lay out the solid color fleece with the side you want left exposed "good side" touching the carpet.  The "bad" side will be hidden when the blanket is finished. 

Next, you will need to lay down the pattern fabric right on top of the solid, only this time you want the "good" side facing up.  This allows both "bad" sides to be touching each other.  Coal approves of these cozy blankets because he just won't get off of them.  I told you they are dog friendly.

Once you have the two fleece pieces flat you will need to cut the edges off.  This is for two reasons: 1) it helps create a straight edge and 2) the two pieces of material will be aligned all the way around.  So, place your cutting mat below the materials and using your straight edge cut a border all the way around.  It helps to try and use the pattern's repeats to line up the cuts. 

With the excess material cut off, and your 2 fleece materials aligned, you can now cut off the corners.  The fleece material has a stretchy side and a non-stretchy side.  On the stretchy side, cut 3".  On the non-stretchy side, cut 4".  The mat shown in this picture is helpful because each square is 1". 

Almost done!  Next, cut 1" strips towards the center of the blanket.  Again on the stretchy side 3" long and on the non-stretchy side 4".  Go ALL the way around!

I recommend cutting all of these strips before you begin to tie the blanket.  That way you don't have any puckering.  When the 1" strips are all cut, start tying the two pieces together - double knot.  Try and tie it so that the solid color goes to the top and the pattern goes to the bottom. 

You are DONE!  Good job fellow elves.  Wrap it up with a pretty ribbon and wish your loved ones a Merry Christmas!  Now, go enjoy the rest of that eggnog and toast yourself for a job well done.



Jakob

Hello world and let me add, hello MM!  I have not forgotten about blogging, for example I am blogging as we speak.  So on with the bloggin already....

I recently started a picture for our friends KG and DG, who so graciously hosted us at their beach house for the half marathon.  KG wanted a picture drawn of her adorable grandson for a Christmas present, so please keep this a secret!  :)

We start with the darkest areas and eventually get to the lightest.  Envision if you will!  For the darkest areas, I usually just draw some shapes or letters, since you really can't read them.  As the picture gets lighter, I add in words that have a meaning in Jakob's life. 

Starting to add in some shadows, which means we are now using words.  For Jakob's picture this includes his name, birthday, family members and even the puppies. 

Getting serious now.  Don't mistake that shadow for a mustache, patience grasshopper until  you see the finished product. 

Jakob is that you?

You can now start to see what I have seen all along.

So this is the last picture I will post for Jacob, it's a surprise afterall!  And Jakob is done, finished, complete.  We will wrap him up nicely in a frame and bow and say Merry Christmas to you JD (Jackob's Dad).  Enjoy! 

What I'm Listening To Now

Currently I can't stop listening  to and loving the latest album from Baltimore quartet, Fools & Horses.  Recently released (fyi, that party rocked) this self titled album is more mellow than their last album; however, some truly great music and lyrics. 

Check them out at www.foolsandhorses.net

F&H has been voted Best Band of Baltimore by the readers of the Baltimore City Paper for three straight years, and named Best Modern Rock Band, and Fan Favorite by the Washington Area Music Association (SHUT UP). 

This album has 11 amazing songs and tho I won't go into all of them here... these are a few of my fav's.
3 Chords - the guys started singing this song a while back and I was dying for a copy.  It was well worth the wait because it catches you from the beginning and when I hear those drums kick in, I can't help but turn the volume up all the way.  Much love to Tim! 
The Cloud Factory - this is just a really fun song, cute lyrics and completely catchy. 
Happens To Me Every Time - LOVE love LOVE this song.  Tell me Matt's voice doesn't just kick ass?  At the end there is some overlapping of the lyrics and you just get caught up in everything. 

Now if you want to experience a little more rock n roll, may I just suggest you check out their album   I Am The Ghost

Whenever I see them (which is often) I request my very favorite song: Calling You Out because who doesn't love these lyrics:
This must be a sign
I stalled trying to phone your line
Forgetting a number I never memorized

and

Too bad cause it can't it won't
My pride it don't wanna take it
When the best you looked at all this year was naked

Finally, we have the most popular and well known song from F&H Selfish and if you don't know the words to this song then learn them fast.  I even got my brother loving it and probably wishing he could see these boys live.  Not only does their music rock but they are amazing at covers.  How bout Sex on Fire.  Be-still my heart. Is there nothing these boys can't do?

I love you all: Tim, Matt, Kent, Steve.  See you soon!