WE GOT MARRIED!

I have been absent from the blog forever now due to my recent wedding! We got married May 1st in Virginia Beach and I spend the 2-3 months prior planning and writing thank you cards! So I will shower you with pictures since those are always more fun!

The wedding was a hit, our band played for four hours, 30 minutes longer than planned! Full on 80's and classic rock and a packed dance floor! Nothing went wrong and I loved every minute!

Ceremony site was in Bubba's grandparents backyard. They had been working on the lawn for months, and I do think it turned out lovely!

Need to add some more group shots later!

Maylen did an awesome job as flower girl! She had also been planning for months!

Lovely rehearsal diner pic of the boys! Best Man and my husband!

Following Mere's Lead

A blog I enjoy to follow, which is written by one of my greatest friends from college, had a fun game up today, so I decided to play along. It's great having friends with blogs that live far away. It's not perfect for catching up, but it's something!

I am playing "Mere's" game. I was reflecting on my life tonight- where I am, where I'd like to be, where I hope I will be in 5, 10 years, etc. So, I decided to play a game with my faint, few blog readers. I will list a time and then use some words/phrases to describe it, however many come to mind at the time. Let's play!

What I think of the Past
-- I think of my immaturity, and how I have grown since. Of the mistakes I have made, but how I regret nothing.
-- I think of Virginia Tech, some of the best days of my life were spent there!
-- dance and HighTechs... I wish I was still dancing

What I'm experiencing in the Present
-- wedding plans... wedding plans...
-- the joy of getting married to my best friend in the whole world
-- a new name
-- a wonderful future to dream about
-- going to the gym, dieting.... neither very fun

What I'm anticipating/hopeful for in the Future
-- Health, that's all I ever want in a new year for friends and family
-- kids before I am 30
-- continued success in our jobs, enough to live the life we enjoy
-- trips, and traveling to different countries and throughout the US to see friends and family

Won't you play with me?
(i.e. do a similar post on your blog so I can read your little life reflections!)

Massive Mudroom Makeover

YAAY!!!! The blue walls are gone, the checkered tiles are in the trash, and the mud, the dirt is gone!!!

Let's just start with our little helper, who had to be blocked out of the room and was not happy!!! Oh and the clutter... isn't that nice...

So, to make this post more fun, lets start with the best before and after shots!!! Even though it's not technically the complete shot. The grout is still wet as we speak....


(Sorry for the overexposed shot!)
Now, for the detailed in between shots!! As you can see we went from a deep blue to a grey purple color. We used the same "London Coach" paint that we used in the kitchen, and painted the other two walls white!! The two white walls were painted on brick so that took three coats all by themselves!! We started the painting on Friday night and finished Saturday morning. The purple only took two coats and we didn't need primer.

A few good shots of the black and white checkered stick on tiles. We pulled those up pretty quickly with our hands and a lil pick tool.

After we ripped up the old floor we started prepping for the new tile. We borrowed a friends saw for cutting the tile, and of course we had a few moments of trying to make it work. And a little bickering to make it fun!Close up of the clean white brick and the gross old cement floor! We ripped up the floor all the way into the laundry room! Yay for no more gross dirty floor!How gross is this floor... ugh!!!

And then came the lying of the tile, measure twice and cut once. This was a bit of a trouble spot since we weren't exactly sure where to start, at the door, a lil after the base board. Yes, we left the base boards on but that was because the floor was uneven and some of the baseboards didn't even touch the floor. But back to laying tile, we wanted to start in the center of the door and a little bit away from the door as to leave room for grout. We actually did that way all around the room. So some of the grout is thick by the walls.... oh well!

Once we had the first three rows measured and cut we laid thin set and used the spacers and tiled away. Well actually we made it about half way down the room and had to quit Saturday evening. And then on Sunday Bubs finished the room without me. After 24 hours of thin set drying we started grouting. The grouting wasn't too bad, even though I was the one with the sponge and he was the one actually doing the man labor. We had a process, he started grouting and i came in behind him with the wet sponge to collect the excess grout. I had to keep reminding him that I had midget arms and could not reach as far as him!! Bubs cute butt, grouting his way out of the room.

And now three days later the grout is still not completely dry but it's getting there. And the white is coming through! Yay! I was slightly worried that the brown was going to stay there! I also sponged the floor down on Tuesday to get rid of some more excess grout. As you can see it's still there though! Once the floors are completely dry I will mop and then start to put the furniture back!!! And sorry for the overexposed picture!

Air Purifiers

Green plants, they are so pretty and serve a great purpose! They create oxygen and are amazing for your homes inside air, especially in the winter. And since Autumn decided to eat one of our palms in the bedroom, we bought some more.
The two palms have been sitting in the bedroom for over a year now and Autumn decided to eat slash destroy one the other day. Obviously being me I saved the plant and re-potted it. But it has now shrunk in size. We also have had my work plant sitting in the dinning room for the past month for X-mas break watering. Now that, that guy is going back to work we wanted more green for the dining room. Yes, more green!

We found a cool new palm spiky looking guy for $10 bucks so we grabbed him and another palm looking plant on sale for only $2 bucks!! I couldn't resist this guy on sale!! We also bought each of these guys a new brown weaved pot!

This little orchid was also on sale, only $2. I hope I can keep this one alive!!

Being that I am a pack rat, yes everyone mock I was sad to say goodbye to my three live poinsettias. They were trashed due to the fact that X-mas was over and I didn't have the heart to kill them. So in comes Bubba with a half day from work, and they are all gone. But all is good, I have three new plants to take care of!!! Yay!!! Enjoy the green!

Grout... oh how I hate you!!

Unfortunately I can't live without grout, being that I have it three rooms already and we are adding it in one more. When we bought the house the grout was already dirty and with the pup and us the grout got dirtier. So Ebs and I sought out Lowe's ( our favorite weekend hang out) for some acidic grout cleaner! We left with cleaner, sealer and a brush. So check out the before and after pictures!All the supplies I needed shown above, including a solo club and rubber glove. Two buckets one for keeping the grout wet and the other for cleaning up the dirt after use pour on the cleaner. It got dirty! But it was well worth it!Shows the clean and dirty grout...

This one above is a great one of the dirty grout and the newly cleaned grout!

Ahhhhhhhh, all clean! It's amazing how well it worked once it dried and I had re-mopped the floor. And a close up of the pretty white grout!

Home Made Wreath

I took a ton of pictures of the process... but they were deleted. Being that my camera is broken I use bubs, and last night there was some drinking, priceless shots and a full memory. So, I just took one of the finished product! Nella is on the rampage to get out so I had to stand outside with the door shut to get this picture. And its raining, and cold... so your only getting this one pic. And yes I am complaining a lot, ok I'll stop. Soooo, drum roll please... the wreath!

I bought a green wire wreath builder thing, and some cute white glittery accessories. Saved the bottom row of branches from our X-mas tree and created a wreath. There was only one size for the wreath wire so I didn't have to use many branches at all. Nor did I use all of the white accessories, but this means I can make a bigger one next year! Yes! (more complaining, I can't turn this picture right side up!!!)

Wine Bottles... Again

Apparently I drink a lot of wine, but I'm back again with another crafty wine bottle project! I will be doing more wine bottles to add a collection on my mantle but for now here are two I finished! I saw these in West Elm, (my favorite store) and decided I could make them for way less. The collection is by David Stark and specific for the store. These could also be made in colors... add a little dye to the twine. Anyway, can you see the bottles sitting on the right side of the mantle? The X-mas tree is super cute too, I'm sure that one is harder to do, but think about the possibilities for objects!!!So, they were made with some twine in two different colors, wine bottles, scissors, and hot glue. The first one I did by myself and the second I had the man toys help, he spun and I held the twine and glue. It was so simple and I love the outcome! The first guy was easy, and with Bubs design help it was complete within 20 minutes. It was his idea to stop before the neck to give it a different look. It's growing on me!

This guy was a bit trickier since the neck had such a steep slope. We had to stop and start from the top so the twine stayed together. And we had to use a ton more hot glue. And of course I burnt my fingers.. ugh!