Sunday, May 29, 2011

Taking a break~

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!  School is finally out for summer, couldn't have come soon enough!! 


We will be heading out tomorrow for some much needed R&R.  Our youngest is off to Beach Camp with the youth of our church.  Living Dangerously (that's the theme).  And, they are TOTALLY UNPLUGGED for the week (no electronics-no cell phones, no ipods, no ipads, no facebook).  She is sooo excited to just be and have fun!!  And, she and a few others have put together a MEAN beach volleyball team.

Hubby and I are off to tour Savannah for a few days.  I've lived in Atlanta for 30+ years and have yet to visit!!  Will have plenty of pictures to share upon our return.

Have a great week everyone!! (and hopefully Blogger will have fixed the commenting problem by the time I return)

Friday, May 27, 2011

Gone to the Dog~

The carpet has been installed, the walls-ceiling-and trim painted, my expedite bookcase assembled, my new printer stand in place...and yes, I am STILL waiting on my Jett Desk to arrive!!!

So in the meantime, a certain "someone" has decided to turn my NEW office into Romper Room!!!

Let's drag them all out!

Mr. Giraffe!

Bunny!

Ellie-font!!!

Well, half of Miss Piggy!!

Bottle Bear!

Guilty as charged!  And, yes GG...that IS my favorite red ball in the backround!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Summer Meals~

During the warm summer months, we love to create simple meals that don't require heating up our large oven.  We tend to use our Breville Smart Oven (a must have), or grill out. Homemade pizzas have become our favorite "lighter" meal.  We enjoy creating new concoctions!

Last night's pizza featured a thin crust, organic pizza sauce, pepperoni and soppresetta (natural, no nitrites/nitrates), a mixture of sauteed veggies (tomatoes, jalapenos, habanero pepper, a little onion and garlic), some fresh basil and oregano (out of our garden), and some organic mozzarella cheese.  Serve with a side salad, and you have the perfect summer meal. Yum!

Fresh salad with baby romaine.

All those yummy veggies!


And cheese, browned to perfection!
Oh, and this is also going on at our house...
The countdown is ON!!!


Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Granny's Chair-Before and After

First, I need to say that Blogger is giving ME fits personally.  It will NOT let me comment on certain blogs!!  It asks me to chose a profile, so I do, then log in, and it lists me as anonymous and will not post!  This is what was happening when their system crashed a few weeks ago.  So, if I normally comment on your posts but have not in the past day or so this is the reason!!

You might remember when I shared our new entryway reveal, that I promised my Granny's chair would find another home.  Well, it has.  In our Master Bedroom, that we are currently working on (almost done).  Hubby and I  (yes, he actually picked this fabric!) went to JoAnn's one weekend and came home with 3 yards of this fabric.  I then took my Granny's chair to my favorite upholsterer, Mrs. Song, and she did her magic once again.  She does beautiful work, is very reasonable, and gets things done sooo quickly.  Remember, I am one of those instant gratification kinda gals!!

To refresh your memory, here is the before...


The chair was covered in a more formal chocolate and blue fabric.

And now, in it's new home...

New fabric, and a ruffle! 

A bit of nailhead  trim...

Close up of the ruffled skirt.

Sorry the pics are a bit dark, the sun is going down on that side of the house, but I couldn't wait to share. I love the more casual look!  It is perfect in it's new spot nestled next to our all ivory bed!!  I hope to be able to reveal the entire room in the next day or so.  Just need to tweak a few accessories.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary~

"How does your garden grow?"

I can't believe how much our herb and vegetable plants have grown in such a short time!  This is what the new garden looked like just a month ago.

And, now it looks like this...

Even Kylee was amazed!



Our hydrangeas are in full bloom now too!


And, it won't be long until we are picking these...

There is nothing better in summertime than fresh blueberries picked right off the bush!

But for now, we are enjoying cooking dinner on the grill.

Fresh corn on the cob and pork chops with pineapple and cilantro salsa! Yum!!

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!!


Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Guest Posting~

Hi everyone!



Today I can be found over at Michaela Noelle participating in her She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not series.  Michaela is just the sweetest.  I would be proud to call her my own.  Be sure to head on over to check out what I am loving and what I am not.

Hope everyone has had a great first half of the week!!

Monday, May 16, 2011

Versatile Blogger Award

I was so honored to receive the Versatile Blogger Award from Jennifer at dishes and socks.  Jennifer is a new and upcoming coming blogger with a heart of gold!  Thank you Jennifer!!
In order to receive this award, I now have to state 7 random things about myself, and pass it on to 15 new bloggers.  So, here goes...
1) I am very much the perfectionist!  To a fault...if you set something down and can't find it a minute later, ask me...I'll know where it is!!!
2) I tend to be an instant gratification kinda gal...if I see it, like it, I want it right then and there! (I hate back orders!!!)
3) I grew up with 3 brothers, hence why I love my two girls!!!
4) I need my nasal spray EVERY day to survive (especially during pollen season), yes I know, TMI!!!
5) While I love caffeine, it doesn't love me!
6) Turning 40+ stinks!
7) I am a momma bear...do NOT mess with my girls!!!

Okay, so on to new blogs...I am not sure I can come up with 15 NEW ones, but I will list my tried and true, and new!

New...
alamode
clover lane
ducks in a row
even the sparrow  (this is the mother of a child my youngest coached this season, such an inspiration!)
Gracious Southern Living

Tried and true...
Honey We're Home
A Thoughtful Place
Ten June
Hi Sugarplum
Michaela Noelle
Decor Chick
Maillardville Manor
Serenity Now

Thanks Jennifer for the award...Kara, A Little Bit of Lovely, you're it!!




Tuesday, May 10, 2011

I have died and gone to heaven~

I loved hearing how everyone spent their Mother's Day weekend, and I am so glad everyone had a beautiful day!  My weekend was spent being spoiled beyond belief.  Hubby took me shopping to add some much needed new summer pieces to my wardrobe, the girls gave me the sweetest gifts-my oldest a basket FULL of Giada goodies from Target, YUM! and the youngest-the new Jodi Picoult book "Sing You Home" complete with music cd and the most beautiful necklace from Brighton (she is my jewelry girl, I get more compliments on the pieces she has given me).  We spent the morning on Sunday at church, and then they all treated me to a great seafood dinner at the Atlanta Fish Market.

We hubby spent the day yesterday pressure washing the porch, and today I started bringing out all the cushions and decor for the season (we pack most up for winter because the pollen in early spring is so awful).

That's when I noticed it...that SMELL...

No, not THAT kind of smell, but rather this one...





The jasmine that grows up our porch railings in FULL BLOOM, heaven!!  I could sit on the porch for hours and soak in that smell.

The painters are here once again today (we've moved on to the Master Bedroom and Bath).  Hope to reveal my new office downstairs, and the rest of the upstairs (you can see our youngest's room reveal here) soon. 

We have had sooo many projects going at once.  I'm glad we are getting things done now however, since both of our girls will be graduating next year (one in December, one in May) and there will be lots of parties to be held.

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Friday, May 6, 2011

Peonies~

I love this time of year!  I love the renewal of the earth, and the bursts of color that come with it.  Our peonies are in full bloom, and are just beautiful.

Really...no need for more words.  Enjoy!





Thursday, May 5, 2011

An unexpected leak, and some summer projects~

The past couple of weeks have been a blur.  The last weekend of our spring break, my sweet hubby had gone downstairs to let our big dogs out.  He walked down to water pouring through the floor joists above.  Not good!  We shut off all water to the house (thank goodness I had just taken my shower for the day, he wasn't so fortunate, nor was our youngest).  Hmmm...have no idea where it started, other than it is in the wall of our Master Shower two stories up. 

We called our plumber, and fortunately he was able to get out to us within the hour.  Then the search for the leak begins.  We knew it was the pipes somewhere in the wall that runs between our kitchen and dining room on the 1st floor and our master bathroom and closet on the 2nd.  My fear...our shower was leaking for the 400th time (you see we have had the shower pan leak twice, the drain once, and the knee wall once).  And, each time required a huge mess and a lot of dust!!  I wanted to cry.

At first our plumber thought he'd have to go through the back of my kitchen cabinets (so those got emptied all over the counter).  Thank goodness I'd organized them a few weeks before, so it wasn't too bad clearing them out.  But, then he and hubby decided it would be wiser to go through the closet wall just behind the shower and work from there (my cabinets were spared).  However, that required a nice hole in the drywall...that got bigger and bigger.  Ended up about 18" X 36".  Oh, forgot to mention...all of MY clothes had to come out of that side of the closet first!

Good news, leak found...bad soder joint in the shower valves.  Bad news...they had to be replaced (and I had a hole in my closet wall).  Now, the decisions had to be made.  Fix valves as they are and keep old fixtures , or update valve to new codes and replace fixtures.  We decided to replace up to new codes and get a new single handle shower fixture (ours were the old double handle style).  And, the snowball begins to roll.

Replacing the fixtures meant that six tiles in shower had to be removed and then replaced after the new valves were installed (two trips for the tile guy).  Oh, but wait...now the pretty new shower fixture doesn't match the tub and sink fixtures!  9 tiles come off the front of the tub for it to be replaced and the sinks get new fixtures too. 

This whole time 3 of us are sharing one bathroom upstairs!  We do have an extra downstairs, but it wasn't worth the trip!! LOL

The whole process took about a week and a half.  Plumber in to find leak, then tile guy in to remove tiles, plumber back to install new valves and fixtures (shower and tub, hubby later did sinks), tile guy back to install tiles (and hubby to install plate and handle and sink fixtures).  Then I got the pleasure of replacing the drywall in our closet.  I had done drywall before, but had forgotten how much dust is involved.

We are in the home stretch now.  Fixtures are in, drywall done and painted...just need to install access panel (yes, we got smart this time and are installing an access door in our closet behind the valves).  The painters are coming to paint our Master Bedroom and Bath next week, so I hope to reveal the new and improved then.

In the meantime, I was home waiting on workers so I had a little time to be creative.  Finally, some pictures you say?!!!

I created this sign for our back porch using a board I already had.  I spray painted the board white, then roughed up the edges a bit.  I used an alphabet stencil I had on hand and my handy paint markers to create the words, and then added the flowers using another stencil.  Once dry, I lightly sanded the whole thing to distress it a bit.  It picks up the colors in our back porch decor, which hopefully now that the pollen has subsided will be brought out this weekend!





Then I decided to create a new wreath for our front door.  I didn't want to spend any money doing so, and since I was kinda stuck at home with the workers I really didn't have time to go get supplies even if I'd wanted to.  So, our new beachy wreath was born.  I took two old grapevine wreaths and attached them together (one is a bit smaller than the other).  This makes the wreath appear fuller.  I used zip ties to do so (you'll never see them).  Then I went to my stash of seashells and started randomly glueing them onto the wreath.  Added some jute rope and a burlap bow, and had myself a new summer wreath.



Oh, and did I mention...we are having new carpet installed in my new office and the library today?  Yes, the snowball gets bigger!  All the contents of those two rooms now resides in my dining room!

Thanks for hanging in there with me.  I hope to have some great room reveals next week!!  But, for now I am off to build a snowman!

***THIS JUST IN...WHILE THEY HAVE THE CARPET FOR OUR FRONT STAIRS, THEY SEEM TO HAVE LOST THE CARPET FOR OUR FRONT ROOMS!  AND, THEY ARE JUST TELLING ME 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO WHEN THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO START???

An unexpected leak, and some summer projects~

The past couple of weeks have been a blur.  The last weekend of our spring break, my sweet hubby had gone downstairs to let our big dogs out.  He walked down to water pouring through the floor joists above.  Not good!  We shut off all water to the house (thank goodness I had just taken my shower for the day, he wasn't so fortunate, nor was our youngest).  Hmmm...have no idea where it started, other than it is in the wall of our Master Shower two stories up. 

We called our plumber, and fortunately he was able to get out to us within the hour.  Then the search for the leak begins.  We knew it was the pipes somewhere in the wall that runs between our kitchen and dining room on the 1st floor and our master bathroom and closet on the 2nd.  My fear...our shower was leaking for the 400th time (you see we have had the shower pan leak twice, the drain once, and the knee wall once).  And, each time required a huge mess and a lot of dust!!  I wanted to cry.

At first our plumber thought he'd have to go through the back of my kitchen cabinets (so those got emptied all over the counter).  Thank goodness I'd organized them a few weeks before, so it wasn't too bad clearing them out.  But, then he and hubby decided it would be wiser to go through the closet wall just behind the shower and work from there (my cabinets were spared).  However, that required a nice hole in the drywall...that got bigger and bigger.  Ended up about 18" X 36".  Oh, forgot to mention...all of MY clothes had to come out of that side of the closet first!

Good news, leak found...bad soder joint in the shower valves.  Bad news...they had to be replaced (and I had a hole in my closet wall).  Now, the decisions had to be made.  Fix valves as they are and keep old fixtures , or update valve to new codes and replace fixtures.  We decided to replace up to new codes and get a new single handle shower fixture (ours were the old double handle style).  And, the snowball begins to roll.

Replacing the fixtures meant that six tiles in shower had to be removed and then replaced after the new valves were installed (two trips for the tile guy).  Oh, but wait...now the pretty new shower fixture doesn't match the tub and sink fixtures!  9 tiles come off the front of the tub for it to be replaced and the sinks get new fixtures too. 

This whole time 3 of us are sharing one bathroom upstairs!  We do have an extra downstairs, but it wasn't worth the trip!! LOL

The whole process took about a week and a half.  Plumber in to find leak, then tile guy in to remove tiles, plumber back to install new valves and fixtures (shower and tub, hubby later did sinks), tile guy back to install tiles (and hubby to install plate and handle and sink fixtures).  Then I got the pleasure of replacing the drywall in our closet.  I had done drywall before, but had forgotten how much dust is involved.

We are in the home stretch now.  Fixtures are in, drywall done and painted...just need to install access panel (yes, we got smart this time and are installing an access door in our closet behind the valves).  The painters are coming to paint our Master Bedroom and Bath next week, so I hope to reveal the new and improved then.

In the meantime, I was home waiting on workers so I had a little time to be creative.  Finally, some pictures you say?!!!

I created this sign for our back porch using a board I already had.  I spray painted the board white, then roughed up the edges a bit.  I used an alphabet stencil I had on hand and my handy paint markers to create the words, and then added the flowers using another stencil.  Once dry, I lightly sanded the whole thing to distress it a bit.  It picks up the colors in our back porch decor, which hopefully now that the pollen has subsided will be brought out this weekend!





Then I decided to create a new wreath for our front door.  I didn't want to spend any money doing so, and since I was kinda stuck at home with the workers I really didn't have time to go get supplies even if I'd wanted to.  So, our new beachy wreath was born.  I took two old grapevine wreaths and attached them together (one is a bit smaller than the other).  This makes the wreath appear fuller.  I used zip ties to do so (you'll never see them).  Then I went to my stash of seashells and started randomly glueing them onto the wreath.  Added some jute rope and a burlap bow, and had myself a new summer wreath.



Oh, and did I mention...we are having new carpet installed in my new office and the library today?  Yes, the snowball gets bigger!  All the contents of those two rooms now resides in my dining room!

Thanks for hanging in there with me.  I hope to have some great room reveals next week!!  But, for now I am off to build a snowman!

***THIS JUST IN...WHILE THEY HAVE THE CARPET FOR OUR FRONT STAIRS, THEY SEEM TO HAVE LOST THE CARPET FOR OUR FRONT ROOMS!  AND, THEY ARE JUST TELLING ME 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO WHEN THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO START???