1) my husband is the world's BEST back cracker on the planet. no joke.
2) sophie is changing every single day. she is growing and learning, and everythings just going so fast. i wish i could slow things down a bit.
3) everything is NOT as is might originally seem. im learning that.
4) this winter weather has got me feeling kinda drab. im just ready for spring.
5) yesterday i had the time to just sit and PLAY with my two favorites and it made my week! ive gotten so used to running them here and there, having to get homework done, snacks fed, this that and the other. but to get to sit and talk with them... to be silly with them... to have fun... to play. it seriously was a good, good time and i needed that.
6) bristol's been waking up every night puking on my carpet and im oVer it. it seriously has GOT to stop!
7) mike doucette is doing so much better these days! his spirit and his will to fight have returned and i couldn't possibly be more thrilled about that! keep praying.
8) i miss having friends.
9) anderson cooper went on this rant last night about an ohio congressman dennis kucinich, and how he apparently is suing an office building cafeteria on capitol hill for $150,000. so i guess THREE years ago this db bought a sandwich/wrap that SAID it had some pitted olives inside and the reality was that there was an unpitted olive he bit in to. oh. my. gosh. that's ALL i can say. can you believe that this piece of work was actually in the running for the 2008 democratic presidential nomination? i am blown away by this whole thing. i loved anderson's rant- i think you all should look it up, and enjoy a good chuckle also. i hope this congressman looses the case, and realizes he is absolutely ridiculous for even considering a lawsuit like this. he should be ashamed of himself.
10) i tried my hand at baking bread this past weekend, and thought for sure id wanna post a pic with the recipe on my blog to share.... wrong. it turned out terribly. it was a lot of work, took a lot of time, and made a gigantic mess... and then it turned out dense and hard and hideous. i was not a happy camper.
11) this past month hasn't really been a good one it seems- every week eric's come home with some new, upsetting information about his company... i think that's coming to an end though, and i am hopeful that february will be a fresh start. we'll just pretend that's when 2011 begins, k?
12) i commissioned john cannon (that artist i was telling you about who painted rhinehart) to do a fun piece for my dining room. it might sound random, but i wanted a scene of penguins- similar in style to rhinee- whimsical and fun. we'll see how that turns out. i am hoping, hoping, hoping he didn't try to paint it and make it all "real" looking and legit. i really only wanted fun... we'll see.
13) ted williams "the man with the golden voice" officially checked himself out of rehab this week. i am sad about it, and wonder what will happen next. i will continue to be hopeful.
14) i appreciate so much how driven my eric is. he is determined to succeed. he will not accept less than he deserves... and he deserves a lot because he is one of a kind. he has SO much to offer and is SO determined, i love that.
15) lately ive felt the sting of a cold, wintery january with nothing going on. last weekend eric and i were bored out of our minds! it was serious. i need something to happen. i need something to go on that is NOT drama-filled and annoying. i need something good. i keep thinking i should cherish the moments where we are bored and can fill our time with whatever WE wanna do. i know one day when we have kids, that just won't be the case... but to be honest, id trade my low-key, boring, i-call-the-shots-and-do-whatever-i-want life for the life of a busy mommy ANY day. id trade my perfectly neat, and tidy, and quiet house for a noisy, messy one today if it meant i could have a little person to spend our time with. just sayin.
16) i think it's crazy that oprah has a sister she never knew about! i like oprah- she keeps it real.
17) daisies are my favorite flower. im really looking forward to when daisies come around again.
18) i watched the state of the union address this week and i don't care what ANY of you say... i like o-biz.
19) im turning 29 in less than 2 months. not sure about how to feel about this.
20) lately my crackberry battery has been ridiculous and dies every single day by 4pm. sometimes it's noon. this irritates me.
21) i think it's an absolute atrocity that a grocery store in arkansas felt it necessary to censor the US weekly magazine featuring elton john, his husband and their new baby boy. seriously people- get over yourselves.
22) i wish my family and i lived closer... i think that would be fun.
23) it's supposed to be low 50's this weekend, and i am therefore planning to take my beloved boxer bristol to the dog park for some exercise. i feel bad that this cold weather has prevented that lately. i hope it's fun.
24) ive only been able to watch one episode of american idol this season, but can i just say.... i loved jennifer lopez on there! first of all, she's gorgeous. second of all, she's sweet. and third of all, her laugh just makes me wanna laugh. she's sorta contagious i think.
25) im quite hungry now, so i will now go find something to eat.
1.22.2011
news.
in an effort to be a more responsible and educated member of my community i decided to watch the news last night. i typically never watch the news and because of this- find myself constantly sort of in the dark as to what is going on in the world. i never know what's going on with the weather... i never hear about the important stuff happening. to be perfectly honest- i found out about the arizona shooting days after it had taken place and felt a bit embarrassed for being so behind.
well- last night after dateline wrapped i decided to watch the news. half way through the news segment i was reminded about why i'd decided to avoid the news to begin with. they showcased stories that were nothing short of pathetic- sad- sorta devastating even. i learned about how three guys had been picked up for robbing a house earlier in the day. i learned about how a really nice woman who runs a ministry for battered women found herself battered and beaten by a stranger as she walked to her car from a meeting. her face was bruised and she may never see through her right eye again. i then learned about a hit and run situation that had taken place early yesterday morning... a guy came flying into this woman's car and simply drove off. nice. next i learned about how all of these snow days here are negatively affecting tennessee students and people are concerned that the standardized testing scores will be embarrassingly low this year. i learned about a meth lab here in tennessee that had been discovered and even a huge heroin bust that taken place on franklin road earlier in the day. there was a brief update on the arizona congresswoman's progress- she's been transferred to a hospital in texas... still can't talk... still cant walk.... doctors are saying that her recovery will take longer than anyone originally anticipated. there was the weather forecast last- more snow. more cold. more ice. more snow. more cold. more ice. ugh...
i turned the news off half way through and was quickly reminded that i don't care to watch the news because of one reason and one reason only- it's depressing. really depressing actually. for a person like me- who NEEDS to believe that our world is a good place MOST of the time.... the news is just too much. i don't like to hear about the drugs and the violence and the hate and the absolute LACK of integrity... all of these things that have somehow managed to just take over. i sadly suspect that this is not just true for my community and that the majority of you (regardless of where you live...) hear the same or similar stories each night on your news broadcasts. it's sad. it's disheartening. it's just not for me really... as i layed in bed last night thinking of the news i had watched and about the stories i heard about- i wondered why on earth anyone would be so stupid to bring a kid into this sort of place... if the world is just filled with hateful wrong-doers and meanys... why bother trying to a raise sweet and educated and good kid? then i realized that i was being a bit dramatic and that i will continue in my persuit to bring a baby into this world but will choose to do so as a non-news-watcher. it's just necessary.
that's all.
well- last night after dateline wrapped i decided to watch the news. half way through the news segment i was reminded about why i'd decided to avoid the news to begin with. they showcased stories that were nothing short of pathetic- sad- sorta devastating even. i learned about how three guys had been picked up for robbing a house earlier in the day. i learned about how a really nice woman who runs a ministry for battered women found herself battered and beaten by a stranger as she walked to her car from a meeting. her face was bruised and she may never see through her right eye again. i then learned about a hit and run situation that had taken place early yesterday morning... a guy came flying into this woman's car and simply drove off. nice. next i learned about how all of these snow days here are negatively affecting tennessee students and people are concerned that the standardized testing scores will be embarrassingly low this year. i learned about a meth lab here in tennessee that had been discovered and even a huge heroin bust that taken place on franklin road earlier in the day. there was a brief update on the arizona congresswoman's progress- she's been transferred to a hospital in texas... still can't talk... still cant walk.... doctors are saying that her recovery will take longer than anyone originally anticipated. there was the weather forecast last- more snow. more cold. more ice. more snow. more cold. more ice. ugh...
i turned the news off half way through and was quickly reminded that i don't care to watch the news because of one reason and one reason only- it's depressing. really depressing actually. for a person like me- who NEEDS to believe that our world is a good place MOST of the time.... the news is just too much. i don't like to hear about the drugs and the violence and the hate and the absolute LACK of integrity... all of these things that have somehow managed to just take over. i sadly suspect that this is not just true for my community and that the majority of you (regardless of where you live...) hear the same or similar stories each night on your news broadcasts. it's sad. it's disheartening. it's just not for me really... as i layed in bed last night thinking of the news i had watched and about the stories i heard about- i wondered why on earth anyone would be so stupid to bring a kid into this sort of place... if the world is just filled with hateful wrong-doers and meanys... why bother trying to a raise sweet and educated and good kid? then i realized that i was being a bit dramatic and that i will continue in my persuit to bring a baby into this world but will choose to do so as a non-news-watcher. it's just necessary.
that's all.
1.19.2011
daily reads..
so normally i find myself totally and completely captivated by reading books by jodi picoult, or even mary higgins clark. books that are suspenseful- the kind you just can't stop yourself from thinking about when you can't be reading... ive noticed a slight change in some of my reading choices as this new year has begun. not sure where the change came from, but i figured id share...
first- decision points by george dub. :)
im typically pretty frank about the fact that i haven't ever actually taken up with the "republicans" or the "democrats" and im being honest when i say i vote based on the issues at hand. so i don't want anyone to think there's some sort of political agenda here- just a book i can't wait to dive in to. i think the main reason i am so fascinated with the opportunity to read this book is because ive always really liked george dub. (ive referred to him like this for years...). also because i think as an american i don't always understand the laws in place, and the parameters set that our leaders are required to work within. im sure we all are guilty of looking from the outside and making snap decisions about what we think is taking place... as if we actually know the ins and outs, and the details of the situation. wrong. i saw an interview with george dub on oprah last month and i was blown away by some of the things he explained... things that the media took and ran with, and painted a picture that was less than ideal for him as a leader. what's more though, i found myself in awe of his authenticity. he was so authentic, so real, so honest- about the good and the bad, that i found myself wanting more of that.
next up?? martha stewart cupcakes..
and yes- i AM actually reading through this as if it were a novel. i don't want to just be a baker of delicious delights, i want to understand what goes into what to create what. does that make sense? i want to know that one day i might be able to create my very own recipes of delicious goodness, and to do that i think i need to first read through a book (or two, or three, or four) or recipes. i just want to understand the key players in baking- what are the basic ingredients used to create a cupcake/cake/cookie? and how must those key players be treated in order to get the reaction id like? and what elements can i take liberties with, and experiment with to create my very own slice of delicious goodness? SO- yes, i am reading this book, one page at a time and my mouth is watering every step of the way. note: if i want to own a successful bakery one day, i think its key that i have this baking thing down, right?? yes, right.
last.. gringo nightmare, eric volz.
okay so im not sure if any of you ever heard of this story, but it is about an american (eric volz) who was framed for murder while living in nigaragua. this story is not for the faint of heart, as it is true... a real life nightmare. without giving too much away (cause im already very involved and dont wanna spoil anything) as a young adult eric became obsessed with bridging the gap between the american and latin american cultures. mostly because he himself was part "white" and part "latin american." after college, he found himself living and working in nicaragua as a co-owner of a magazine 'el puente' (which translates to, 'the bridge'). somehow this beautiful woman ended up murdered, and somehow, eric found himself taken as a suspect and then convicted of a murder he did not commit. when you buy this book, you are given access to online sites to view photos from the actual nightmare. as eric is describing the circumstances and what he saw, he notes 'exhibit 1' and you go online and can actually see for yourself what he saw- and what he is describing at that point in the story. as far as i know eric volz's return to america was nothing short of a miracle, and i believe he is still a wanted man there in nicaragua... i haven't finished yet so im not totally sure. BUT- i highly recommend you give it a try.
alright, well that's all ive got to share for now. ive struggled so far this week with some sort of flu and it's been terrible. i am happy to report that im feeling better now though... thank goodness!
i hope each of you fun friends find yourselves enjoying this wednesday! be blessed and as always- be thankful.
first- decision points by george dub. :)
im typically pretty frank about the fact that i haven't ever actually taken up with the "republicans" or the "democrats" and im being honest when i say i vote based on the issues at hand. so i don't want anyone to think there's some sort of political agenda here- just a book i can't wait to dive in to. i think the main reason i am so fascinated with the opportunity to read this book is because ive always really liked george dub. (ive referred to him like this for years...). also because i think as an american i don't always understand the laws in place, and the parameters set that our leaders are required to work within. im sure we all are guilty of looking from the outside and making snap decisions about what we think is taking place... as if we actually know the ins and outs, and the details of the situation. wrong. i saw an interview with george dub on oprah last month and i was blown away by some of the things he explained... things that the media took and ran with, and painted a picture that was less than ideal for him as a leader. what's more though, i found myself in awe of his authenticity. he was so authentic, so real, so honest- about the good and the bad, that i found myself wanting more of that.
next up?? martha stewart cupcakes..
and yes- i AM actually reading through this as if it were a novel. i don't want to just be a baker of delicious delights, i want to understand what goes into what to create what. does that make sense? i want to know that one day i might be able to create my very own recipes of delicious goodness, and to do that i think i need to first read through a book (or two, or three, or four) or recipes. i just want to understand the key players in baking- what are the basic ingredients used to create a cupcake/cake/cookie? and how must those key players be treated in order to get the reaction id like? and what elements can i take liberties with, and experiment with to create my very own slice of delicious goodness? SO- yes, i am reading this book, one page at a time and my mouth is watering every step of the way. note: if i want to own a successful bakery one day, i think its key that i have this baking thing down, right?? yes, right.
last.. gringo nightmare, eric volz.
okay so im not sure if any of you ever heard of this story, but it is about an american (eric volz) who was framed for murder while living in nigaragua. this story is not for the faint of heart, as it is true... a real life nightmare. without giving too much away (cause im already very involved and dont wanna spoil anything) as a young adult eric became obsessed with bridging the gap between the american and latin american cultures. mostly because he himself was part "white" and part "latin american." after college, he found himself living and working in nicaragua as a co-owner of a magazine 'el puente' (which translates to, 'the bridge'). somehow this beautiful woman ended up murdered, and somehow, eric found himself taken as a suspect and then convicted of a murder he did not commit. when you buy this book, you are given access to online sites to view photos from the actual nightmare. as eric is describing the circumstances and what he saw, he notes 'exhibit 1' and you go online and can actually see for yourself what he saw- and what he is describing at that point in the story. as far as i know eric volz's return to america was nothing short of a miracle, and i believe he is still a wanted man there in nicaragua... i haven't finished yet so im not totally sure. BUT- i highly recommend you give it a try.
alright, well that's all ive got to share for now. ive struggled so far this week with some sort of flu and it's been terrible. i am happy to report that im feeling better now though... thank goodness!
i hope each of you fun friends find yourselves enjoying this wednesday! be blessed and as always- be thankful.
1.16.2011
finally.... house pictures!
so eric and i moved into a fab little area called lenox village back in june and i am JUST NOW getting around to posting some pics. this could be due to the fact that for the first 3-4 months the entire place was a serious mess filled with boxes.... or maybe im just lazy? who knows. i get busy living my happy little life and forget about things like this that i want to do.
anyway- lenox village is this really fun little community. modeled after mayberry- the walking community on the andy griffith show- the "LV" (as eric and i like to call it) was built about 7 -8 years ago. at least that's when construction started... there is still construction going on here and there. we love this area first of all because it is just so cute! i love pulling into the village and knowing im home... to say thats its asthetically pleasing is an understatment. there are fabulous little porch swings on random corners and during the summer its hard to find one thats not being visited by a fellow LV resident. theres a super cute little park right up the road and the landscapers do an amazing job of keeping it beautiful. its a great mix of single family homes and townhomes- mixed with little growing families and business proffesionals. we also love it because there are all kinds of fun little places to walk to- bookstores and a frozen yogurt shop and a gormet cupcake spot... restaurants and an art studio... we even have a market! in the summer time everyone is out enjoying the weather walking their pups. we love the farmers market that comes every saturday!
so.... without further ado.... here is our little spot of the village...
the inside is a work in progress... while we've made a ton of progress there is still SO much i want to do. the main reason i wanted to share some house pics was because #1: many of you have been asking for them and #2: because we've managed to find ways to create our own little piece of paradise. literally. i love to go to great stores like west elm and get ideas. nine times outta ten though i cant afford half of the stuff they offer so.... we do it ourselves! and i must say- it's not just fullfilling but i typically end up loving ours way more than the original! sooo- let's get started!
our townhome has 3 levels- you enter on the bottom level which i wont bother showing you because there is absolutely NOTHING down there yet. BUT- this is the main level- our family room modeled by yours truly- bristol anne adams. :) we got a GREAT deal on the sofa which worked to our benefit because i had had my eye on it for several months before we actually purchased it. a few things i wanna draw your attention too- first is the artwork. i literally spent months stressing over what in the world to do with this huge wall. with these 9 foot walls i have been stumped as to what to do. ive done the whole collage thing (with pictures and random artifacts) several times and i wanted something new. finally eric and i came up with the idea of getting an old rustic door and painting a tree of life on it. while at the time we thought it was a promising idea- we had no idea just how much we'd end up loving it in the end. we lucked out with this distressed wooden barn door big time! i think we paid $60 for it which is an A+ deal! then we took metallic silver paint and worked together to create the tree... eric is the expert "hanger of hard things" and used some pretty great- industrial looking hardware to get that job done. its the perfect size- not too big and not too small. i totally think that those of you who are struggeling with that same problem with wall space should consider this type of thing! larger "art work" can get pretty pricey and pricey is just NOT our thing... it was easy and something we were able to enjoy doing together. its the centerpiece of the room and we love it!
next... i took a couple up close pics of things we've done to add character to the room...
okay so this is the stump end table eric made for me. i saw one at west elm and LOVED the idea of bringing nature inside... except theirs was MUCH smaller and $200 and he said "NO" so that didn't pan out. while we were up in new york this summer he and my dad were in ca-hoots and decided it could be easily done by hand. so the morning we were heading out i found my dad out in the middle of his horse pasture chain sawing the above stump down! it was pretty tricky getting into the vehicle (200+lbs no doubt) and off we went! it took eric about a month (working on it 1 -2 hours each evening) to do. boy am i glad he talked me outta that pathedic little west elm one! this one is bigger and better and cost ZERO dollars. plus- can you sentimental value? being that it came straight from my mom and dad's land makes it special. the fact that eric worked tirelessly to get it "just right" means the world to me. so it's solid cherry wood and will undoubtedly last us forever... and i love that...
next...
this is a lamp we made out of a tree branch we found out back. lol. in the move one of our great lamps got busted and it bummed me out big time. i kept thinking we could fix it so i insisted we hang onto it just in case. then eric came up with this awesome idea to use the existing lamp parts (hardware and shade) and make our own lamp. keeping with the concept of bringing the outdoors in- he ventured off into the hills and came back with this bueat. we worked together to drill one hole straight through the middle of this thing- that was a sight!!! i hafta say though- i really think it turned out great! and also- ZERO dollars! growing up my mom always wanted all the lights on and said 'i am a child of the light!' she hated having dim- gloomy looking rooms. this particular habit was definitely inheritated and i LOVE having the additional light to warm our home in the evenings.
next up??? shelving!
so this one time we were browsing through west elm and i noticed this pallet shelving on their walls. not available to purchase but used to display some of their merchandise... i looked at it long and hard before calling eric over and proclaming "i want this!" he was down. he took a good look and seemed to think we'd have no problem making one of our very own. he got a couple of pallets from work (apparently they have millions and said "sure!") and went to work. we picked out two pieces of wood from home depot- one is 8 inches deep and one is 12 inches deep. we also picked up the hardware- he thought it would be quite industrial to have it hanging from pullies. i believe we spent $48 and off we went. in a matter of 90 minutes eric emerged from the garage lugging this huge piece and the rest is history. boy did i get lucky with a handy man husband right?? yes right! anyway- i have had the very best time placing all of the my favorite things on this shelving unit. there's just something about pictures of my loved ones placed about my house that makes my house feel like a home. im thinking its because i dont get to see them much. so ive got a pic of my family from craig and tara's wedding... a pic of my daddy walking me down the aisle at mine. a pic of my mom and dad of course (love) and a couple of my cute kiddos. this shelving unit was a GREAT addition to our space because it allows us to have our books and fun little decorative artifacts displaced and to have our loved ones with us all the time.
the kitchen.....
speaks for itself- kinda rocks my face off... love the stainless. love the island. love the pot rack! it's very spacious and easy to use while cooking/baking. i also love it cause it's big enough for my eric and i to cook together without stepping on top of one another... what could be better than that? here's the view from the alternate side- looking into the family room area....
take note of my awesome new cast iron skillet hanging from the pot rack on the left. whoot.
the dining room....
first of all- isn't she just so precious?? and secondly- yes ladies and gents THIS is the table eric and my daddy built. our dining room is kinda large- larger than necessary really. when we moved in our little one was NOT cutting it and i began to look for table sets. well it wasn't long before i realized that those things are PRICEY! sooooooo- my dad and eric built this one! eric designed the entire thing and my dad did lots of the building since we were here and they were there. also with wood straight from their land- quite sentimental! when we arrived i believe the table top was almost ready to put together and so they worked on that and to build the base. i was given the dreaded job of sanding and staining- (UGH) before it was complete! we are still in the market for some great chairs- i need 6. pricey. hmmm. i would love to find some aluminum ones or stainless... but obviously that's gonna be tons of money and we cant build those so we'll see. in the meantime we are just using my old antique ones and that works fine. :)
not much to say about the half bath downstairs- but here ya go....
"rhinehart" who you met yesterday is on the wall opposite the toilet and i believe i was able to capture a better picture of him....
the last thing i figured id share is a pic of my new bedding eric got me from christmas.... i love it! the master doesnt have much but we love it so here ya go!
and THIS is where the magic happens people. LOL- totally kidding. anyway- i love the duvet cover and charcoal sheet set... he did good right??
while we've come quite a long way on decor and getting set up i can assure you that there's plenty left to do! maybe another time ill post pics of the two upstairs bathrooms and guest room and office/craft space for that downstairs level... we'll see! i hope you've enjoyed my little home and i hope you'll feel inspired to get started on some do-it-yourself projects too!
before closing ill leave you with this final piece of goodness....
be blessed friends and as always- be thankful!
anyway- lenox village is this really fun little community. modeled after mayberry- the walking community on the andy griffith show- the "LV" (as eric and i like to call it) was built about 7 -8 years ago. at least that's when construction started... there is still construction going on here and there. we love this area first of all because it is just so cute! i love pulling into the village and knowing im home... to say thats its asthetically pleasing is an understatment. there are fabulous little porch swings on random corners and during the summer its hard to find one thats not being visited by a fellow LV resident. theres a super cute little park right up the road and the landscapers do an amazing job of keeping it beautiful. its a great mix of single family homes and townhomes- mixed with little growing families and business proffesionals. we also love it because there are all kinds of fun little places to walk to- bookstores and a frozen yogurt shop and a gormet cupcake spot... restaurants and an art studio... we even have a market! in the summer time everyone is out enjoying the weather walking their pups. we love the farmers market that comes every saturday!
so.... without further ado.... here is our little spot of the village...
the inside is a work in progress... while we've made a ton of progress there is still SO much i want to do. the main reason i wanted to share some house pics was because #1: many of you have been asking for them and #2: because we've managed to find ways to create our own little piece of paradise. literally. i love to go to great stores like west elm and get ideas. nine times outta ten though i cant afford half of the stuff they offer so.... we do it ourselves! and i must say- it's not just fullfilling but i typically end up loving ours way more than the original! sooo- let's get started!
our townhome has 3 levels- you enter on the bottom level which i wont bother showing you because there is absolutely NOTHING down there yet. BUT- this is the main level- our family room modeled by yours truly- bristol anne adams. :) we got a GREAT deal on the sofa which worked to our benefit because i had had my eye on it for several months before we actually purchased it. a few things i wanna draw your attention too- first is the artwork. i literally spent months stressing over what in the world to do with this huge wall. with these 9 foot walls i have been stumped as to what to do. ive done the whole collage thing (with pictures and random artifacts) several times and i wanted something new. finally eric and i came up with the idea of getting an old rustic door and painting a tree of life on it. while at the time we thought it was a promising idea- we had no idea just how much we'd end up loving it in the end. we lucked out with this distressed wooden barn door big time! i think we paid $60 for it which is an A+ deal! then we took metallic silver paint and worked together to create the tree... eric is the expert "hanger of hard things" and used some pretty great- industrial looking hardware to get that job done. its the perfect size- not too big and not too small. i totally think that those of you who are struggeling with that same problem with wall space should consider this type of thing! larger "art work" can get pretty pricey and pricey is just NOT our thing... it was easy and something we were able to enjoy doing together. its the centerpiece of the room and we love it!
next... i took a couple up close pics of things we've done to add character to the room...
okay so this is the stump end table eric made for me. i saw one at west elm and LOVED the idea of bringing nature inside... except theirs was MUCH smaller and $200 and he said "NO" so that didn't pan out. while we were up in new york this summer he and my dad were in ca-hoots and decided it could be easily done by hand. so the morning we were heading out i found my dad out in the middle of his horse pasture chain sawing the above stump down! it was pretty tricky getting into the vehicle (200+lbs no doubt) and off we went! it took eric about a month (working on it 1 -2 hours each evening) to do. boy am i glad he talked me outta that pathedic little west elm one! this one is bigger and better and cost ZERO dollars. plus- can you sentimental value? being that it came straight from my mom and dad's land makes it special. the fact that eric worked tirelessly to get it "just right" means the world to me. so it's solid cherry wood and will undoubtedly last us forever... and i love that...
next...
this is a lamp we made out of a tree branch we found out back. lol. in the move one of our great lamps got busted and it bummed me out big time. i kept thinking we could fix it so i insisted we hang onto it just in case. then eric came up with this awesome idea to use the existing lamp parts (hardware and shade) and make our own lamp. keeping with the concept of bringing the outdoors in- he ventured off into the hills and came back with this bueat. we worked together to drill one hole straight through the middle of this thing- that was a sight!!! i hafta say though- i really think it turned out great! and also- ZERO dollars! growing up my mom always wanted all the lights on and said 'i am a child of the light!' she hated having dim- gloomy looking rooms. this particular habit was definitely inheritated and i LOVE having the additional light to warm our home in the evenings.
next up??? shelving!
so this one time we were browsing through west elm and i noticed this pallet shelving on their walls. not available to purchase but used to display some of their merchandise... i looked at it long and hard before calling eric over and proclaming "i want this!" he was down. he took a good look and seemed to think we'd have no problem making one of our very own. he got a couple of pallets from work (apparently they have millions and said "sure!") and went to work. we picked out two pieces of wood from home depot- one is 8 inches deep and one is 12 inches deep. we also picked up the hardware- he thought it would be quite industrial to have it hanging from pullies. i believe we spent $48 and off we went. in a matter of 90 minutes eric emerged from the garage lugging this huge piece and the rest is history. boy did i get lucky with a handy man husband right?? yes right! anyway- i have had the very best time placing all of the my favorite things on this shelving unit. there's just something about pictures of my loved ones placed about my house that makes my house feel like a home. im thinking its because i dont get to see them much. so ive got a pic of my family from craig and tara's wedding... a pic of my daddy walking me down the aisle at mine. a pic of my mom and dad of course (love) and a couple of my cute kiddos. this shelving unit was a GREAT addition to our space because it allows us to have our books and fun little decorative artifacts displaced and to have our loved ones with us all the time.
the kitchen.....
speaks for itself- kinda rocks my face off... love the stainless. love the island. love the pot rack! it's very spacious and easy to use while cooking/baking. i also love it cause it's big enough for my eric and i to cook together without stepping on top of one another... what could be better than that? here's the view from the alternate side- looking into the family room area....
take note of my awesome new cast iron skillet hanging from the pot rack on the left. whoot.
the dining room....
first of all- isn't she just so precious?? and secondly- yes ladies and gents THIS is the table eric and my daddy built. our dining room is kinda large- larger than necessary really. when we moved in our little one was NOT cutting it and i began to look for table sets. well it wasn't long before i realized that those things are PRICEY! sooooooo- my dad and eric built this one! eric designed the entire thing and my dad did lots of the building since we were here and they were there. also with wood straight from their land- quite sentimental! when we arrived i believe the table top was almost ready to put together and so they worked on that and to build the base. i was given the dreaded job of sanding and staining- (UGH) before it was complete! we are still in the market for some great chairs- i need 6. pricey. hmmm. i would love to find some aluminum ones or stainless... but obviously that's gonna be tons of money and we cant build those so we'll see. in the meantime we are just using my old antique ones and that works fine. :)
not much to say about the half bath downstairs- but here ya go....
"rhinehart" who you met yesterday is on the wall opposite the toilet and i believe i was able to capture a better picture of him....
the last thing i figured id share is a pic of my new bedding eric got me from christmas.... i love it! the master doesnt have much but we love it so here ya go!
and THIS is where the magic happens people. LOL- totally kidding. anyway- i love the duvet cover and charcoal sheet set... he did good right??
while we've come quite a long way on decor and getting set up i can assure you that there's plenty left to do! maybe another time ill post pics of the two upstairs bathrooms and guest room and office/craft space for that downstairs level... we'll see! i hope you've enjoyed my little home and i hope you'll feel inspired to get started on some do-it-yourself projects too!
before closing ill leave you with this final piece of goodness....
be blessed friends and as always- be thankful!
1.15.2011
follow up on ted williams and a few other things...
well- it kinda seems like ive been dooped. what i thought was a truly magical story seems to have turned into a nightmare... a fraud even... mr. ted williams hasn't been sober for 2 years (or maybe all of this excitement/pressure have caused him to return to the bottle?). i am not ashamed to admit that im a bit devastated. i think i just love to believe in happy endings... that good things CAN and DO happen. ted seems to be struggling now just as he has in the past. his most recent drunken stoops have resulted in abusive and hateful behavior toward his family. i feel bad for them. i have a new understanding for what it must be like to be his mom/daughter/sister/friend.
i cant help but ask myself what it is in me that causes me to trust so willingly? to look at a situation like this and choose to ignore the risks. to look at a situation like this through a childs eyes with nothing but hope and optimism. whatever it is has caused me great hurts in my life... but that's not the only thing that has resulted from this tendency either. i think my ability to look for the positive in situations has allowed me to experience great joy in life. willing to give people 2nd and sometimes 3rd and 4th chances has been more of an asset than it has a pain. so while this ted williams situation has been a reminder that i may sometimes be too hopeful or generous with the faith i put in people... i wouldnt change it for anything. i also would like to say that though i have indeed been dooped and was totally and completely mislead by this man- i do not believe his story is over. ted is in a rehab facility and right now i am choosing to hold onto that childlike hope that allows me to believe in happy endings for all. i wish he and his family the very best and will continue to keep them in my prayers. oh and ps- sorry bout my little rant yesterday julia. :)
aNyWay..... on to more positive and enjoyable things..... eric and i spent a great deal of time at the factory in franklin today. for those of you who are not from nashville and have no idea what im referring to- the factory in franklin is a mall but not the kind you find just anywhere. it's space is filled with artwork done by local artists and little boutiques. we started by enjoying hot dogs at this awesome little spot inside the mall (i cant remember it's name) and they were nothing short of FAB. i typically am not too terribly adventurous when it comes to food but today i decided to try out a chicago style dog. complete with mustard and tomatoes and a pickle spear and onions... mmmmm. it was delish! sometimes it pays to step outside of your box i guess. from there we loved visiting all of the adorable pups at the happy tales humane society. i am happy to report we made it outta there with just puppy kisses and no puppy in toe. (in the past this has not always been the case.... see below)
wasnt she just the cutest???
after happy tales we ventured over to see some of the amazing artwork available to buy. there were several paintings i would have bought in a red hot minute if my budget were endless- seriously. BUT i can tell you that i DID get lucky enough to make out with one awesome picture that i honestly just love. some of you may think it's a bit random and the truth is- it IS. but maybe thats why i love it? it's quite whimsical and super duper fun. at first glance i thought 'how cute would that be in a little guys nursery?' and then i kept looking and looking and looking and thought 'why not?' the great thing about being an adult and having my very own home is that i am the one who gets to call the shots. i loved it... so i bought it- and couldnt be happier. the artist is a man who couldnt possibly be sweeter- john cannon. he told me how and why he got inspired to paint the fun rhino and apparently it was brad paisley's wife who actually came up with the idea. she was decorating jasper's nursery and wanted something original and fun. a bit funky and colorful. sooooooo- without further ado- here is my new painting. meet 'rhinehart the rhino'. he just makes my heart feel happy. :)
so i know the light/color is not great quality but that's just cause i kinda have a bum camera... BUT don't you just think "rhinee" is so damn cute?? i do! he is currently lighting up my downstairs half bath and i must say-hes making it much friendlier than it was before. and who knows... maybe someday we'll have a little man who might enjoy "rhinee" to watch over him as he sleeps. (one can only hope!) anyway- john cannon does quite a bit of artwork- varying dramatically in styles so i recommend you check his site to have a look around. i myself am more into his whimsical art. i would love to go back for his fat little bird pic too! go take a look and let me know what you think! http://www.johncannonart.com/
well- i guess i might close for now. i am happy to report that the sun has chosen to make an appearance today in nashville- i needed that! i also was in dire need of a weekend and time to spend with my super fabulous hub. he is my world. be blessed friends and as always- be thankful.
i cant help but ask myself what it is in me that causes me to trust so willingly? to look at a situation like this and choose to ignore the risks. to look at a situation like this through a childs eyes with nothing but hope and optimism. whatever it is has caused me great hurts in my life... but that's not the only thing that has resulted from this tendency either. i think my ability to look for the positive in situations has allowed me to experience great joy in life. willing to give people 2nd and sometimes 3rd and 4th chances has been more of an asset than it has a pain. so while this ted williams situation has been a reminder that i may sometimes be too hopeful or generous with the faith i put in people... i wouldnt change it for anything. i also would like to say that though i have indeed been dooped and was totally and completely mislead by this man- i do not believe his story is over. ted is in a rehab facility and right now i am choosing to hold onto that childlike hope that allows me to believe in happy endings for all. i wish he and his family the very best and will continue to keep them in my prayers. oh and ps- sorry bout my little rant yesterday julia. :)
aNyWay..... on to more positive and enjoyable things..... eric and i spent a great deal of time at the factory in franklin today. for those of you who are not from nashville and have no idea what im referring to- the factory in franklin is a mall but not the kind you find just anywhere. it's space is filled with artwork done by local artists and little boutiques. we started by enjoying hot dogs at this awesome little spot inside the mall (i cant remember it's name) and they were nothing short of FAB. i typically am not too terribly adventurous when it comes to food but today i decided to try out a chicago style dog. complete with mustard and tomatoes and a pickle spear and onions... mmmmm. it was delish! sometimes it pays to step outside of your box i guess. from there we loved visiting all of the adorable pups at the happy tales humane society. i am happy to report we made it outta there with just puppy kisses and no puppy in toe. (in the past this has not always been the case.... see below)
after happy tales we ventured over to see some of the amazing artwork available to buy. there were several paintings i would have bought in a red hot minute if my budget were endless- seriously. BUT i can tell you that i DID get lucky enough to make out with one awesome picture that i honestly just love. some of you may think it's a bit random and the truth is- it IS. but maybe thats why i love it? it's quite whimsical and super duper fun. at first glance i thought 'how cute would that be in a little guys nursery?' and then i kept looking and looking and looking and thought 'why not?' the great thing about being an adult and having my very own home is that i am the one who gets to call the shots. i loved it... so i bought it- and couldnt be happier. the artist is a man who couldnt possibly be sweeter- john cannon. he told me how and why he got inspired to paint the fun rhino and apparently it was brad paisley's wife who actually came up with the idea. she was decorating jasper's nursery and wanted something original and fun. a bit funky and colorful. sooooooo- without further ado- here is my new painting. meet 'rhinehart the rhino'. he just makes my heart feel happy. :)
well- i guess i might close for now. i am happy to report that the sun has chosen to make an appearance today in nashville- i needed that! i also was in dire need of a weekend and time to spend with my super fabulous hub. he is my world. be blessed friends and as always- be thankful.
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