Before and After!

Our house has been in the middle of this project for the last few months! We ripped up the baseboards, had new ones installed, had doors replaced and walls painted. Needless to say, I am so happy everything is finished and I love the results! The photo above shows the ripped up baseboards. We lived with this look for a good month or so (yuck!)

Our home featured doors right next to each other that didn't match. This drove us nuts!

The color in our living area was a bright peachy/pinky white and it didn't contribute anything to the warm colors in the decor.

All of our furniture was covered with plastic for a few days.

And...drumroll...here are the AFTER pictures. Here is our nice, new warm neutral wall color.

Here is a photo of our new solid-wood (matching) doors :)

And finally, here are the new gorgeous baseboards. They make the room and hallway look so polished!

I couldn't be happier with the new look and while this wasn't the most exciting way to spend money to update our home, I know it made a huge impact! Everything feels very homey and warm :)

Something Borrowed

I am so stinkin' excited to see this movie! Emily Giffen is such a terrific author and the book will make the perfect, juicy chick flick. When I saw the first trailer, I couldn't have agreed more with the actresses they cast to play Darcy and Rachel. I'm in the middle of Something Blue right now and hope it will come out as the sequel sometime soon. If you haven't done so already, I recommend picking up the book and reading it before seeing the movie. It's such a quick, easy read. I'm ready to kick back with a yummy glass of Chardonnay and see Something Borrowed in theaters :)

"Busy"

Last week I was casually browsing through Borders when I overheard (or snooped) in on a conversation nearby. Two adults were seeing each other for the first time in what seemed like a long time. One said to the other, "how have you been?" The response was "busy, you?" in which the other replied "busy too." This is such a common exchange nowadays that I'm not quite sure why I stopped to think about it. And then I figured out why! This is a very sad reality to me. The use of the word 'busy' has replaced 'good' or 'well.' It seems that busy has become the new norm to fit in with today's fast paced society. If we are not busy or overcommitted every single day, we feel less of a sense of accomplishment or worth it seems. This is not how I want to fill my days! And yet, I feel that if I'm not busy, I don't have enough going on in my life to talk about.

The conversation I overheard just sparked some thoughts and I'm glad that (unlike usual) I stopped to think about it for a few minutes. When I run into people I know, I want to be sure to actually gather how they are doing not just what they are doing. I also want to be sure that I'm not simply fulfilled by having a full planner. Instead, I'd rather plan days to do nothing at all or be with the people who mean the most to me, since time spent this way is always fulfilling. I'm very glad I overheard the conversation and hope to really pay attention to the way I spend my days, with intention and purpose so that when someone asks, I can genuinely say I am doing well and that I am happy :).

Happy Easter!

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Happy Easter friends! I hope this was a great weekend for everyone. I really enjoyed spending lots of time relaxing with family.

While it's always fun to get caught up in the Easter festivities and the holiday weekend, the sermon at church this weekend really brought it back home for me. Unlike years past, I am making a promise to myself to carry the Easter celebration on with me throughout the rest of the year. The Easter story is so real and relevant in today's world and I feel like it's easy to lessen its importance by placing it in the history books.

The lesson from the Easter story was on distance, whether it's distance in our relationships with friends, family or with our Savior. This was not only physical distance, but emotional distance. Easter and Jesus's selfless act on the cross was God's best attempt to eliminate the distance we sometimes feel with Him. When I forget about the crucifixion, the pain and how real it was, it's easy for me to keep God at a manageable distance. Keeping God at bay means that I can just go on with my every day life pursuing my plans and that I don't have to change or be personally challenged in anyway.

The discussion focused on Jesus's friends who doubted the resurrection. They believed something so strongly (though it was obviously wrong) that they acted. It's so easy to trust feelings and human instinct that sometimes I ignore the plain truth. If my God ever feels distant, it is simply because of what I believe about Him. God is always there, by my side just as He rose and walked side by side with His friends. This is an image I will cling to. Though sometimes I can't see or feel Him, this doesn't change the truth that I know He is there. And that, I believe, is the truth of the Easter story. God is the same today and forever, and I am so blessed by His presence and the work He did on the cross so that I may live freely that abundant life He has planned for me.

I am going to do my best to get out of my own way and allow myself to experience this amazing truth! He is risen, indeed!

Home Sweet Home

This weekend marked 1 year of being in our sweet home! It's hard to believe the time has gone by so quickly. The photo above was taken the day we closed. I almost laugh now looking at this because I realize just how clueless we were. Wow!

There is just so much to learn when owning a home, especially an older one. We have discovered character we didn't know was there before along with plenty of problems, but it has been such an adventure. To date, we have changed the landscaping, painted almost all of the interior rooms, added crown moulding, baseboards and new doors. It wasn't always fun and glamorous, but the results so far have been so rewarding.

We have shared dinners and drinks with friends and families and I'm sure the walls can already tell great stories. Here's to another wonderful year in our little home! What a joy it's been so far :)

A Sweet Visit!

Last weekend was just wonderful! One of my best friends from Chicago paid me a visit :) Jen and I met at our last job and instantly became close friends. When the news came that she was planning a visit, I was stoked. Jen and I started the weekend at High Fashion Fabric, to pick out fabric for my sweet little chair. (remember it here?) From there we hit a few shops, strolled through Town Square and ate dinner at one our favorite sushi spots.

Here we are at Japaneiros.

Jen also makes incredible sweet treats. As a surprise, she remade for Tyler and I the groom's cake she made for the big day. Banana cake with nutella icing--unreal!

We woke up early on Saturday and headed to Montrose to meet up with friends and hit the stores. We ate breakfast at Empire Cafe (always a favorite) and then shopped to our heart's content!

The one minor mishap from the weekend was almost being towed! Jen and I had been in a store for exactly 5 minutes when I just had this gut feeling to look over at my car. Sure enough, it was hooked up to a tow truck, he was taking a photo and was about to drive off with my car. We sprinted across Westheimer and told him we would move it right away. He told me I could pay half the tow fee or he would take it (what a jerk!), so we paid the fee and spent a few hours cursing the lowly guy. To top off her visit, Jen and I got Chinese take out and watched Eclipse. We were in heaven.

There is nothing quite like a girls' weekend and this was one was so special! I'm so thankful Jen was able to visit, and that we were able to laugh and chat our way through the weekend :)

Fabulous Cocktail!

I'm pretty sure there is no better way to end the weekend than with a refreshing, spring cocktail! This is a crisp, refreshing drink perfect for enjoying the sunshine. I highly recommend trying it:

Kew Garden Cocktail
makes one drink

2 ounces Banks 5‐Island Rum
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water)
1/2 ounce St. Germain Elderflower Liquer (this is delicious)
8 mint leaves, plus 1 sprig for garnish
3 cucumber slices, plus 1 for garnish
club soda

Add 8 mint leaves, 3 cucumber slices and the simple syrup to a mixing glass and muddle. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the club soda) and ice. Shake and strain into a Collins glass filled with ice. Top with club soda. Garnish with a mint sprig and a cucumber wheel.

Sip and enjoy :)