Friday Confessional....sssshhhhh!!

 

I confess...

I only own ONE pair of flippies...seriously. ONE. PAIR. I live in FLORIDA people! 

What is WRONG with this picture?! 

I have Kohl's cash and there are a cute pair on sale AND I have a 20% off coupon...guess where lunch will be for THIS girl?!

I confess...

I want to go try on wedding dresses - again...

Don't look at me like that! It is SO fun wearing those dresses!

Who wants to go with me?!

I confess...

I am loving some sunshine! I can't believe I got to lay out at the beach in MARCH!

I am trying to talk The Husband into going to the lake tomorrow morning.

We'll see!

I confess...

My birthday is in a couple short weeks and I am SO excited about it! 

I am mailing invitations tomorrow - should have been earlier BUUUUUTTT that didn't happen!

I asked my mom to make this cake:

She could do it - ya know! But I don't know that it is NECESSARY...

I confess...

I LOVE 2 Broke Girls and REALLY want to make a bracelet similar to the one Caroline Channing wears.

I think it is the noise it makes that REALLY draws me to it haha!

I confess...

I am INSANELY in love with my awesome Husband! He is so incredible =) 

What are your confessions? 
HAPPY WEEKEND Y'ALL!!

DIY Master Closet Makeover

One of the projects we got into this weekend was a master closet makeover!

I LOVE that we ACTUALLY have a master closet – like a REAL one. Seriously – I wish I had a picture of the two tiniest master bedroom closets EVER. I honestly don’t know how we stored all our clothes…oh wait, yes I do. They. Were. SMOOOSHED!!!

So we were ECSTATIC beyond belief when we found that most every house we checked out had a WALK-IN CLOSET!!! Wha – Whaaatt?! Seriously – you will never know the true extent of my excitement!

SO anywho – we ended up at our awesome house and knew we would probably want to put in more shelving in the closet. The Husband and I have a lot of clothes…I think he has more than me! shsshhhhh!!

We spent a TON of mullah getting the rest of the house together so we knew this project, although fairly inexpensive, would have to wait. Well kids – the wait was FINALLY over this past weekend! We went out and bought some more wiring racks…actually we only needed one because of the way the closet was ORIGINALLY set up by the builder.

 

Reason I needed a shoe rack: the shelf in the above picture was stacked with shoe boxes at LEAST four boxes high. It looked cluttered and honestly I forgot which shoes I had so I just went to the easy ones I was use to wearing. What a WASTE! Especially when I have so many!! 

 

Don't worry - after the Spackle dried, we painted over the spots to match. =) 

  

In addition to making the closet more user friendly, The Husband wanted to make a shoe rack/shelf thing. Since we were at Lowe’s we decided to go ahead and buy the materials for it; we were ‘overhauling’ the closet anyway! 

We bought some pressed wood/MDF to build the shoe rack. It is inexpensive and easy to mess with AND since I was going to be painting it - we didn't need any sort of fancy wood grain for staining. I painted the shelves green because I have a great green light idea for the closet...but I haven't gotten to it yet

 

If you decide to attempt this project - I HIGHLY recommend getting some inexpensive trim to add to the back of each shelf so you can catch the heel on it and the shoes won't slide off! 

Tonight - I am hoping to find a before picture of the closet so you can see how unorganized it seemed. I am so happy with our new closet organization and now our clothes aren't smooshed and won't wrinkle against one another =) I also LOVE that I can see all my shoes!! Seriously, I found a pair in its box that I thought I had gotten ridden - NOPE! They are still in my possession! SO excited - I am pretty sure I squealed when I found them again! And can you believe The Husband rolled his eyes at me when I told him I need a pair of closed toe gray shoes?! The nerve ;)

Since taking this picture, we have added a bar across the top, over the shoe shelf to hang my boots. I don't have all the details on how I will hang my boots - or what type of mechanism we'll use but I'm still excited =) 

Stay-cations Are The Best

Hey Y'all!!! I'm back!! I had to step back from everything -- well mostly everything and just take some time to be with The Husband. Work has been so stinkin' stressful and then we have been just SOOOO busy that we have hardly had time for just the two of us. In addition to relaxing together, The Husband and I also worked on some home projects.  We did a little of everything and I will share those projects tomorrow; I will share one tomorrow and then one on Monday or Tuesday. =)

After nearly two years, we finally felt compelled to go back to the beach. I know you are probably thinking we are crazy for living so close but never going but the truth is The Husband doesn't like the sticky/salty feeling and doesn't enjoy just hanging out in the sun so we haven't been in about two years. It just isn't his thing. I love reading in the sun and lounging but I know he would be bored to pieces!

A group of our friends were going and the guys were going to surf fish and surprisingly The Husband was looking forward to the trip. It was a BEAUTIFUL day, with a nice breeze and tons of sunshine! oh and word to the wise -- MAKE SURE TO PUT SUNSCREEN ON YOUR FEET. Seriously our feet were SCORCHED!!

It was so wonderful! I read my nook -- Catching Fire

The Husband caught some sharks. 

It was a great day! I think The Husband would even be willing to take another trip to the beach!

Oh and we ended it with a slurpee for the ride home. This girl LOVES a Slurpee!! YUM!!

Monday afternoon, we went shooting/fishing/hunting. Yes - we did all those things but thankfully only went to one location; an orange grove that a friend of The Husband's has access to.
He fished and I got bored so I grabbed a beer and hung out with Aeron while The Husband walked the ponds.

 

Car-bar anyone?! OK this is a lot little staged -- don't worry Mom!! =) 

We shot some plastic bottles while we waited for the sun to start setting so we could go get us some hogs!

I took a shot and missed. I was so sad! Seriously, it is the first thing I have shot at to take down and missed. I am sure some of y'all are not into harvesting/hunting but it is fun being outside and looking for food. I felt so Hunger Games without the fighting for your life scenario. I will tell you one thing - this girl would NOT have survived. Once we were dropped off in the orange grove, I felt VERY lost and disoriented. I know I would have just curled into a little ball and cried in HG. I definitely wouldn't have been out there alone - yes I'm a fraidy-cat even when I'm armed!

All in all, we had two full days of being outside. It was so amazing. We wanted to go out on the boat but after the beach on Sunday and getting a wee bit too much sun, we decided staying in pants or indoors was our best option.

Tuesday we did some grocery shopping and laundry. Other than that, we watched Unstoppable; awesome movie!  We also caught up on our recorded shows - like 100% caught up. We are NEVER caught up. I was actually a little disappointed because I don't like commercials and I like having a variety lol.

It was so nice to reconnect as a couple and as friends. Time together is so important for us - especially when we can be silly or creative or serious or whatever together. Sometimes it has to be all about US.

Happy Halfway through the Week!!!

Feeling Weird on Friday

Happy Friday!!!!!!!
so I have hit a wall =/ a little bit all the way around.
It sucks.

I feel happy - I have good vibes going but I am also feeling like I'm in a rut. It is REALLY ridiculous. Maybe I'm feeling burnt out. Seriously - in the past four months, i think I have taken a FULL lunch break at work MAYBE 10 times! I need some me time!!! Maybe I'm just tired of doing something all. the. time. or maybe it is that I'm tired of doing all the things everyone else wants to do. I want to do things that I want to do.

Thankfully - The Husband and I have a FOUR DAY weekend together! We have talked a lot about what we will do...we have A LOT on our list. Some involves relaxing; other ideas are a couple house projects we want to do; and other ideas involve movies or outside events =) I'm really looking forward to this weekend and just taking time for ourselves.

I'm hoping when I get back to the grind on Wednesday, I will be back in full force and feeling a bit less burnt out. I'm not feeling stress - I'm passed stress; I was so overwhelmed earlier this week that I've completely cleared that feeling and almost feel indifferent about things; that is NEVER good. Just sayin' =)

If the weather stays nice, I'm wanting some time on the lake, maybe a picnic, we are also considering going tubing on Monday or Tuesday - when most everyone is at work =) AND of course - I am trying to talk The Husband into going to see Hunger Games Monday or Tuesday during the day. We'll see. I'll have a recap of anything we do AND I can't wait to share some of our projects: a couple we have wanted to do for weeks, another is sort of something I came up with in the last week or two =)

Btw - I was looking through my recent pins, and I am TOTALLY obsessed with cupcakes!

 

  

click on the pictures for the recipe =)

What are you getting into this weekend?
Did you see Hunger Games? -- send me to your review =)

Social Media

Hey Y'all!! Happy almost Friday! Thank goodness!! I know I have said this a lot lately, but I am SO looking forward to the weekend! The thing is that it has been INSANE at work these last couple months. Seriously - my stress level is THROUGH the roof!

Yesterday got so bad that I FOR REAL almost left at like 11:30 because I was so overwhelmed - all before lunch! eeesh!!! I can't wait to get our new system up and running and the setup complete.

So I have FINALLY joined several social media platforms as Life After the Aisle. If nothing else, it will be a new way for friends and family to keep up with things AND it will allow me to improve the relationships I've already made with some of you through the blogging world. That way - you get a little more personal peek into the life of moi!

I'm so proud - I think I have actually gotten the hang of this Twitter thing! =) 

I found the tutorial to link up social media with special buttons here at Livin' on Sweet Tea. She directed her readers where to find the social media buttons AND directed us to another tutorial on creating the live buttons =) SO excited!!!

NOW the only thing left to do to catch up with all the technology is get an iPhone. That is going to have to wait another year until I can switch phone carriers.

DIY: Card Keeper

I am a memory/keep-sake hoarder.  I can't help it. I think it is because I am .... well, was....an avid scrapbook-er. I am determined to get caught up and keep up over the next couple months.  So I keep ticket stubs and take endless pictures and anything I think would add to a memory in my scrapbook. Seriously - I even kept a couple colorful streamers that were thrown into the audience when I saw Wicked!

NATURALLY, I have kept all our wedding cards that we received two years ago. They have just been in an old Hallmark bag, being all neglected and stuff because I wasn't sure if I should do anything with them; and if so, what?! Yesterday, thanks to good ol' Pinterest, I found a link to a card mini-album! Such a great idea!!

 

Now I don't know that I would do this for cards other than the ones we received at the wedding...maybe for our anniversary cards through the years? I don't know. What I DO know is the senders of the anniversary cards have already differed from year one to year two.

 

As I was making my card album, I read through the cards. My favorites were the ones with the personal messages. I love extra love that is personally thought of and hand-written. It was so fun remembering being in that hotel room, after the reception ended, with The Husband and pouring through the cards and remembering the night.

 

Did you keep all your wedding cards?
If yes, did you do anything with them??

The One Where I Had Nothing to Say ... or Miscellany Monday

Hey Y'all! Another weekend has come and gone. It is probably the first weekend in a LONG time that I came to work and didn't have something uber exciting to discuss. I am linking up today with Lowercase Letters for

one.
Friday night, I settled on the couch to start reading The Hunger Games.  My parents and my sister have read it and my very sweet friend, Christina, had read it. PLUS a lot of y'all out there and everyone I have talked to have really enjoyed the book/series.  I thought I would only get a little reading in because it was already 9:30 when I started reading.  Well, several hours and a couple cat naps later, I finished the book!! I was up so so late to read it but it was well worth it. I wanted to immediately jump into reading the next book but I knew I needed some sleep.

two.
I watched a trailer for The Hunger Games....I am really loving the cast. I told my mom that I kept thinking for President Snow as Donald Sutherland....that was when I found out that was who was cast for THAT role. How weird and awesome am I?!

three.
I didn't really celebrate St. Patrick's Day. I don't recall EVER having celebrated it. A few girls, my mom, and I went to a local Mexican restaurant for dinner and I had a green margarita...does that count?!

four.
I am very much looking forward to this coming weekend. I know. I know. It is ONLY just Monday. I can't help it. The Husband and I have taken off next Monday and Tuesday to have a little stay-cation in celebration of our recent wedding anniversary!


five.
There are several projects I am trying to convince The Husband to tackle with me. One has already been achieved and we will do it on Friday. We have a HUGE wall in our living room with the sliding glass door on it....

 

Here is the dilemma -- I currently have the two canvases hanging, as shown. I feel like there is a GIANT space (there is) above the sliders and I can't figure out how to fill it. SO I decided last week that I want to add texture or paint to the wall.  We are going to achieve this with gloss paint...I'll let you know how that goes =) I'm super excited about it!

six.
I also want to re-do our master closet. It is decently sized - however, the space is not utilized well

seven.
We are going to frost a glass door to the back yard. I can't figure out how to decorate the door so instead I am going to cut out some vinyl with my cricut and frost the glass. We are also going to do this to the side windows next to the front door and add a peep hole to the door. so excited =)


eight.
this is our forecast for the week

DETAILS

TodayMar 19

Tue20

Wed21

Thu22

Fri23

Mostly Sunny	Partly Cloudy	Partly Cloudy	Partly Cloudy	Partly Cloudy
83°FHigh	85°High	82°High	82°High	82°High
63°Low	65°Low	64°Low	63°Low	62°Low
Chance of Rain: 0%	Chance of Rain: 20%	Chance of Rain: 0%	Chance of Rain: 0%	Chance of Rain: 20%

Details

Details

Details

Details

Next 5 Days

Dear Florida - it is still March. I am not ready to sweat all day every day. Could you please take the temperatures down a notch?!  The ONLY happy thing is all the sunshine...but we are getting into the rainy season so the sun will be less available =/
We had a VERY mild winter here so I am positive the summer is going to be VERY HOT! blech!

I think that is all for me - sorry I don't have more exciting things going on haha! Happy Monday!
Don't forget to link up =)

Crickets and Other Random Things

Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday. I feel like this week has been so so long. I have been busy at work, which is all well and good but sometimes the days are just too long. It doesn't help that we have a cricket thing going on outside our house.  I don't think we are infested, by any means, but there are SO many out there. And holy moly - they are SO loud!!! It is to the point that I haven't been able to sleep much the past three nights. I woke up feeling incredibly grouchy...that's never good. I am trying really really hard to be completely pleasant to people but the dumber people act, the harder it is. These crickets are getting so out of hand - last night I went cricket hunting with Ruger at like 2:30 AM!!! SO annoying especially because I didn't find the darn thing! The Husband's task for the day is to figure out a way to get rid of the crickets.

When I don't sleep well, I do my very best to feel cute/good about myself.  I spend a little extra time on my hair/makeup and pick out a cute outfit.
On Pinterest yesterday, I found this hair tutorial for the "Zooey Deschanel Look". I LOVE her - I think she is so cute!! So I tried out the hair style last night and wore it today:

 

I didn't curl my hair because it isn't quite long enough but I successfully did the pouf! WOO! Go me! For the tutorial, click on the picture on the right with the step numbers.

I bought my very first pair of wedges yesterday. Yes - very first pair EVER from Kohls!

I am in love!! These are so comfortable and adorable to boot! LOVE LOVE LOVE!  I am also in the market for cute but affordable pair of flippies (flip-flops). I have several pairs of flats and lots of heels...I need some flippies. Seriously - that is going to be my next purchase. Can you believe this Florida girl does not own a pair of flippies?! I had some when we moved to the new house but they ended up being doused in paint...so i have none =/

I also bought some new sunnies because mine fell off the table and shattered when they hit the ground =/ I shouldn't be SO sad because I had them for quite sometime but they were my favorite. THESE are fabulous:

Dana Buchman sunglasses

also a Kohl's purchase...I love that store!

Alright - I have to get back to work....but in the meantime, this is totally how I felt today:

 

I'm Loving Pinterest

Hey Y'all!!! Thank you so so much for the sweet comments on yesterday's post.  We had such an amazing time last night!

 

I'm linking up twice today:
 

I love pinterest. I have gotten some great ideas for projects and recipes from that site. Here are some of my favorite pins of the past week:

via

  

 

 

via

 

 I'm Lovin'

-our anniversary date last night 

-marble slab ice cream (that was dessert last night)

 

-this post by Aly at Analyze This about watermarking your photos

-it is half way through the week

-I have a girls date Saturday and a Pampered Chef party to go to

-my amazing family and friends

-starting over with an old friend 

-how sweet the blogging community is: my swap partner Aubrey sent me an anniversary card! SUCH a DOLL!!!! I felt so many warm fuzzies yesterday =) 

-my very dear, sweet friend Christy also sent us an anniversary card. We are so blessed to have amazing people in our lives

-my planned trip to Kohl's at lunch to get some new sunnies

-my amazing husband

 

are you on Pinterest?
What are you lovin'?!


Don't forget to link up with The Vintage Apple and This Kind of Love