30 Before 30 Update

1. Finish all drywalling in the basement.
2. Recover a chair.
3. Complete our Master Bedroom. (Paint, Furniture & Decor)
4. Sew a dress for myself.
5. Make Sushi from scratch. Thanks to Husby tonight…read more below.
6. Get pregnant.
7. Pay down Credit Cards. (I am sure you see what I did...changed "pay-off" to "pay down." It was a lofty goal at best, but we did put over $3000 towards Credit pay down since the list creation date...so I am marking this off. Deal with it, it's MY list! :) haha!)
8. Print out photobooks of my favorite photos. Forget favorite photos, I am working on a photo book of the basement progress. So it totally counts!
9. Have a Family Photo taken. Husby and I...and us with the Pups. Again, thanks to Husby…we are taking photos tomorrow. So I am going to mark this one off!!
10. Grow vegetables.
11. Learn how to use my DSLR in manual mode.
12. Start journaling.
13. Lose 20+ pounds. *still on WW...losing slowly but surely. I highly doubt I am losing another 9 pounds before May 20th…but I am proud at many of the changes I have made and the 11 pounds lost so far!
14. Make new curtains for my kitchen. *getting ready to purchase fabric.
15. Successfully launch my Photography business...aePhotography.
16. Grow out my hair.
17. Bake my own bread. Got the plan…now let’s do it already!
18. Surprise Husby at least once a month with something fun. August, September, October, November, December, January, February, March Planning April now...
19. Create our "Family Story" wall. *May make the shelves in the next couple weeks.
20. Organize and add shelving to our Master Bedroom Closet. *I really wish I had known we were going to finish our basement as fast as we did…I wouldn’t have added this to my list haha!
21. Hit 35,000 visitors on our Blog.
22. Successfully keep an Orchid for more than 30 days.
23. Have a successful Yard Sale.
24. Paint a picture. *Painting soon
25. Slow dance with Husby.
26. Go to a show on Broadway.
27. Hold a puppy.
28. Make a necklace.
29. Grow Peonies.
30. Get Husby to dress up for Halloween.

So, let me tell you about how this evening went. So Husby tells me not to plan anything this evening and then he surprises me with some of my favorite girlies and all the stuff to make homemade Sushi! WHICH is one of the items on the list above. OH YEAH!!! Here are some great pictures from the evening.

It was a blast, and I am so grateful to Husby for planning it!!! If this is the kind of 30 Before 30 fun plans that are headed my way, I am really excited for the next month!!!

Wish me luck, I have a lot to do!!

A little vinyl action…

What’s this? She’s blogging?! Oh yes, that’s right friends I am back. At least for now. I did get halfway through my first vinyl project before I realized it would be the perfect thing to blog about. So, pardon my jump into the middle of this Day O’ Vinyl Projects. : )

So first thing, I created a vinyl expression for Husby. He wanted the front door to say “Win the Day.” He had been wanting the perfect saying or quote to go over our front door, to serve as a reminder and encouragement before each of our days. He searched and searched and finally came across the perfect saying. Read more about it here: Win the Day. Of course it would have some relation to sports as well; but I could let that slide.

Here are a few photos of Husby putting the expression on the wall. It was his first time and he did a great job!

                    

I can’t figure out why I look like I write like a 6 year old on my bamboo pad. stink.

Anywho. I think it looks lovely…the vinyl expression that is!! More photos to come!!!

It's over.

I am sitting in our newly renovated, painted, carpeted and vinyl wood floored basement.

It's done.

All the work....all Husby's work...finished.

It looks amazing.

You can blame the basement for me not being around much; but now that it's done and as soon as I get the go ahead from Husby. There will be pictures-a-plenty.

I'm in love with it. It's perfectly us.

Stay tuned...I promise it will be worth it!

...'tis random.

Just some random thoughts.

I am sitting at my desk, waiting for Murder Mystery practice.

I am terribly excited for this years performance.

I am already incredibly proud of how well the students are doing with their lines.

I want a double white chocolate pretzel and peanut butter cookie.

I am glad that this year is an "I Love Lucy" spoof...I loved that show.

Today was a gorgeous day.

I've driven much of my time the past three days with the window rolled down.

I want to swim.

I don't want to wear a swimsuit.

Not sure how I am gonna arrange the above.

I kinda like my desk set up at work.

Although, I do wish that I had a wall right by my desk, well closer than one is right now.

Oh here comes Husby, he's kinda cute...scratch that...he's really cute.

I bought donuts for my co-workers today, I felt like a good "fat" samaritan.

It's practice time.

I can't be late.

I yell at the students for that.

Bye.

I know. Don't say anything.

I have been one heck of a bloggin' slacker. I have a few good reasons.

shut up, I mean it.
 
Number 1...So, I may or may not have mentioned my new job, but I am finally settling in there. I just started my second week and I am loving it. I am home. My career has truly come full circle. When I graduated High School I got a job at my church working as a Secretary for the Youth Pastor...who happened to be my Father. I loved it, but I had aspirations of becoming a Nurse...needless to say 11 years and many jobs later (none satisfying my desire to go into Nursing, but  that's a different story) I am back at the church. I have wanted to come back to work here for years. My skills are best used here, I love the people, the environment...everything. Thank God for finally answering my prayer. I am at a job that I love, I mean love every aspect. Even the glitches with the server and screaming toddlers. (yes, you can bring your kids to work here) It's just home. So...I don't have as much time on my hands as I had at my previous job, so my blogging will be rescheduled around the rest of my life now. I am sure it would be safe to expect some late night blogging to come.


Number 2...our basement. There's alot of love around here people. It has all come together more perfectly than I could have imagined. From the paint colors to the baseboard, to this beautiful flooring that is coming next Wednesday. It's just perfect.

For the most part it's been Husby and friends working on the basement...with me stepping in on occasion. It's not that I don't want to step it...it's just they were at the manly-man part of the remodel and I only stepped in to do my part being the "Massa-Cauka" (Master Caulker) of the house. I'm such a DIY lovin' chick...you know this when you don't stop in the middle of your job to grab a hair tie to tie your hair back...instead you use painters tape.

That's how I roll.

Sidenote - To my wonderfully talented, patient and manly Husby...your work in the basement has been amazing. Your drive and determination to get the job completed and under/on budget makes me squeal with delight! You are pretty cute...even after all the trips to Lowe's. Such a trooper you are...

 
To our Fathers who have spent time to help teach and work beside Husby on this job...to the many friends, especially Mikey who spent so many hours helping too; we could NOT have done it without you. And yes, we DO plan to thank you in a very special way.

Anywhoodle...there will be pictures in your future. Aren't you just grinning with expectation?! I know I am. :)

Finally...Number 3...there really isn't a third good reason, other than the fact that I just have not THOUGHT about blogging. I do have stuff I want to blog about, and projects that are coming up!! Now, this next part is going to be rather negative of me...and that's not typical. However...I am getting the feeling that I may not complete my 30 before 30. I mean I kinda knew I wouldn't get a few of them or five...but I am thinking that number may be a bit higher. I think I slacked a little too long. Ehhhh. Well...here's to one last push...after all I do still have 59 Days 2 Hours, 22 Minutes and 55 seconds...54 seconds...53....

Oh and here's to more blogging too...

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Interior Barn Doors - I'm drooling now...

I couldn't be any more in love.

Barn Doors...

INSIDE?!

Yes please!!

Look at how gorgeous they are??

I just texted Husby a picture of the one below...saying "how great would a barn door be in the basement as the door for the pantry??"

Poor guy is cranking out work as fast as he can to prepare for our new carpet/flooring being installed in less than a month!

(side note...how cute is the chalkboard note "dog" pointing to the dog bowl in the picture above?)

And sure...we just built the pantry and installed a pocket door. So covering it up wouldn't be too harmful!! Right?!

+++ (and here's my Husby selling point) we can make it totally masculine looking...since that's the vibe we are going for down there (in the front half of the basement at least). I am thinking metal hardware and maybe a whitewashed grey/blue door to match the walls??? ehh? ehh? I love it!!

What are you lovin' right now?

Spring Fever

Flooring - We are madly in love.

Well, we just signed away our first born a hefty chunk of cash mon-ayy on the flooring for our basement. Hardwood laminate and some deliciously soft frieze carpet.

But let's talk about the laminate flooring shall we? Beccause I certainly can't STOP talking about it or looking at it!!!

It's Armstrong's Timber Bay Barnyard Gray. Isn't it spectacular?!

Ugghhhh...I just had to share. Now we have to wait for it :)

Oh...and pay for it too. Ay ay ay!!

Cabinet Door RE-Do–Trash to Pleasure

Remember when I found the free cabinet doors on the side of the road? Well I had plenty of ideas on how to use them but I had never touched them since we loaded them in the attic almost a year ago. Until a friends birthday approached and I saw an idea online that led me back to them.

I didn’t have any cool tables like that lying around, but I did have a few cabinet doors…and an idea of a serving tray from an old cabinet door…

So I set my goal and got started. I remembered back to a school project in middle school where I died paper with tea bags, baked  them and burned edges, etc. to make the paper look aged. Here’s a quick how to for that: You’ll need tea bags, (any will do) a cup of water, a cookie sheet and your paper. For my project I printed out the Hymn sheet music to my Friends favorite Praise and Worship song.

Preheat your oven anywhere from 100-175 degrees.

Soak the tea bag and squeeze it over the paper, occasionally rubbing it into the paper. If some of the tea spills out it’s ok, it will add to the look.

I laid each page on a towel, to decrease the opportunity for a huge mess! :)

Some pages I crinkled and allowed the tea to pool in areas to make darker stains.

I allowed them to dry a little, then I put each into the oven for 3-5 minutes until they were just about dry. Then I took a candle and held the pages over the flame to get small burn marks and to burn the edges.

Once I was done, I laid out the pages some I ripped, others full pages onto the cabinet door. I coated the door with modge podge and began to press the pages onto the cabinet door, especially in the dipped area.

Then I coated the top with modge podge (two layers) and let it dry over night.

Once it dried…Oh I had already fallen in love with it. Husby helped me to attach the handles I got 50% off at Hobby Lobby (total of $2.00).

Here’s the best finished picture I have. Sorry I didn’t think to take a better one, but I LOVE the final result!! Good thing is, my friend loved it too!! I plan to make a few more, for other friends as well…trust me, there is no shortage of cabinet doors in our attic!

It was a great little project, not too hard…thoughts? I LOVE it :)

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30 Before 30 Update

It's been nearly a month since I last updated...so let's see how I am doing...

1. Finish all drywalling in the basement.
2. Recover a chair. 
3. Complete our Master Bedroom. (Paint, Furniture & Decor) 
4. Sew a dress for myself.
5. Make Sushi from scratch.
6. Get pregnant.
7. Pay down Credit Cards. (I am sure you see what I did...changed "pay-off" to "pay down." It was a lofty goal at best, but we did put over $3000 towards Credit pay down since the list creation date...so I am marking this off. Deal with it, it's MY list! :) haha!)
8. Print out photobooks of my favorite photos. *adding photos...
9. Have a Family Photo taken. Husby and I...and us with the Pups. 
10. Grow vegetables.
11. Learn how to use my DSLR in manual mode. 
12. Start journaling.
13. Lose 20+ pounds. *still on WW...losing slowly but surely.
14. Make new curtains for my kitchen. *getting ready to purchase fabric.
15. Successfully launch my Photography business...aePhotography.
16. Grow out my hair.
17. Bake my own bread.
18. Surprise Husby at least once a month with something fun. August, September, October, November, December, January, February Planning March now...
19. Create our "Family Story" wall. *Gotta make the shelves
20. Organize and add shelving to our Master Bedroom Closet.
21. Hit 35,000 visitors on our Blog.
22. Successfully keep an Orchid for more than 30 days.
23. Have a successful Yard Sale.
24. Paint a picture. *Painting soon
25. Slow dance with Husby.
26. Go to a show on Broadway.
27. Hold a puppy.
28. Make a necklace.
29. Grow Peonies. Planted!
30. Get Husby to dress up for Halloween.

16 out of 30 completed, and that leaves 14 that I still need to complete. 5 of which I am about to jump on this month. I do realize that I will not COMPLETE this list, however for the first time doing this I am pretty darn excited! And I have 77 days left...I  still may surprise myself!

I am really gonna hit the list now that March is here and the weather is on it's way to gorgeous! Come May, I think I am going to challenge the Husby and I to make monthly lists in the areas of:

Enjoy, Create, Organize, Grow, Save, Home, Cook and Health. (Idea taken from here)

I think it should be fun to challenge ourselves!!

Oscars 2011 - Fashion

I'm gonna mix it up a little this time...

Let's start with a NO...

Cate Blanchett - This is simply horrible...not that she routinely makes great fashion choices anyhow...but what kind of yellow, wart looking beading is that?!

Hillary Swank - Gorgeous. I love it.

Penelope Cruz - Dang...and after having a baby about a month ago too! She looks amazing!

Sharon Stone - What in the ??? Does anyone else think her hair makes her look like a bug? Seriously...it's like she has antennae!!

Anne Hathaway - She looks STUNNING...one of my favorite Anne looks of the night...

Natalie Portman - Gag, she's stunning! If ONLY we could all look like Natalie when we are that pregnant!

Halle Berry - I feel like this a bad art project.

Scarlett Johansson - It's like wearing lingerie, without actually wearing lingerie. Nope. Although, the color is good on her...that's about it.

Reese Witherspoon - #1 BAD Prom hair...#2 could your dress get ANY less exciting?

Mila Kunis - Tattered and torn...like she pulled it from a jumbo shredder. Me no likey.

Hailee Steinfeld - Ahhhh-dorable!! So age appropriate and cute!

Melissa Leo - cough, cough, DOILY, cough, cough!

Gweneth Paltrow -  I guess I can say it looks ALRIGHT...I just really don't like her and it totally impacts my decision.

Nicole Kidman - Boring. Even for Nicole.

So...what were your thoughts? Did you have any favorite fashions from the evening?!