girls just wanna have fun

 

After 7 straight days of working, earning very nice overtime but seeing very little life outside the pharmacy, not to mention – most importantly – abandoning this little digital diary of mine that provides a much needed outlet, this girl was ready for some fun.

I wasn’t sure if it was such a good decision to spend a full day of walking in the hot sun for all the fun when I had reached such a level of exhaustion after a week of minimum sleep. {Please tell me I’m not the only one who develops insomnia when I’m exhausted?!} But by the end of our day in the sun, I knew, it was most definitely a good great decision.

My brother-in-law, hubby and I spent Monday at King’s Island. {Our near and dear theme park in Cincinnati, Ohio.} If you haven’t been, you really should.

And for the first time, we also visited “Boomarang Bay”, the water park attached to King’s Island. It’s actually included in the price of the ticket, and for some reason we never visited, even though we’ve probably been to King’s Island at least a dozen times – we didn’t even know what we were missing out on!

Combine a hot HOT summer in Kentucky with lots of crazy, scary, awesome rides and a huge amount of water… I can only describe the day as perfection. Next summer, I may just live at the water park, it was that good. {Yes, I am 26 years old and no, I am not grown-up yet.}

I only caught a few pictures with my phone in the big park. Sadly, no pictures were taken in the water park. 10 bonus points if you can guess why :)

{Hint: it wasn’t because I detest pictures of me in my swimmies. More along the lines of avoiding the consequences of Nick’s last visit to the park with his uncle this same summer and the terrible fate his iPhone met when it exited the ride before the coaster had come to a full stop. Only this time, add water.}

 

We caught a rainbow on our way into the park. How could it not be a good day?

Giant slushy in 100 degree heat? Yes, please!

 

 

This guy, the one having a hard time choosing which basketball he wanted to trade in for his first choice after winning it with his amazing b-ball skillz – that’s Nick’s brother, Chad.

 

 

We hope he had as great a time as we did – it’s his birthday tomorrow and he deserves only the best!

{I know it’s hard to pick Nick and Chad out in this photo– to help you out, they’re the two wearing sunglasses…}

 

 

Thank goodness for benadryl and a 12 hour night of sleep last night – I’m finally back in fighting shape and ready to take on the challenges of my tough day off ;) Since coming home from all the fun, I pulled a 12 hour at work yesterday and have another 12 hour tomorrow, followed by a much anticipated trip back home to the mountains to celebrate my dad’s retirement! WOO-HOO!!!

Here’s to hoping your week is as happy as mine has been already!

 

we’re still havin’ fun

 

Wedded Bliss – 2 years today!

Still blissful and you’re definitely still the one ;)

“We've been together since way back when
Sometimes I never want to see you again
But I want you to know, after all these years
You're still the one I want whisperin' in my ear “

 

“You're still the one I want to talk to in bed
Still the one that turns my head
We're still having fun, and you're still the one”

“I looked at your face every day
But I never saw it 'til I went away”

 
“When winter came, I just wanted to go
Deep in the desert, I longed for the snow”

 

“You're still the one that makes me laugh
Still the one that's my better half
We're still having fun, and you're still the one”

“You're still the one that makes me strong
Still the one I want to take along
We're still having fun, and you're still the one”

 

“Changing, our love is going gold
Even though we grow old, it grows new”

“You're still the one that I love to touch
Still the one and I can't get enough
We're still having fun, and you're still the one”

 

“You're still the one who can scratch my itch
Still the one and I wouldn't switch
We're still having fun, and you're still the one”

 

“You are still the one that makes me shout
Still the one that I dream about
We're still having fun, and you're still the one...”

 

Song Lyrics, “You’re Still the One”

by Orleans

Photos by the fabulous John Michael of

Images by John Michael

 

So happy to be living my Happily Ever After with the love of my life.

 

Happy Anniversary, Baby!

I love you more than words can tell.

 

♥♥♥♥♥

“With this ring, I give you my heart. I promise from this day forward, you shall not walk alone. May my heart be your shelter and my arms be your home.”

♥♥♥♥♥

 

 

bits and factoids

 

Random thoughts from yours truly. Bits and factoids that I feel the need to mention, but which don’t need a whole post devoted to just them.

 

Random Factoid #1: Our 2 year wedding anniversary is this Monday. We’ve already been having fun nostalgic talks of what was and what is to be. I am SO. EXCITED. FOR. OUR. FUTURE!!=)!=)=0!!

With lots of OT scheduled for me next week, we’ve decided to do some celebrating tonight. Thank goodness it worked out that this is my weekend off. {Post to come on the actual day dedicated to the one I love and the special occasion – can’t wait to go through our wedding photos again and to share a few with you.}

 

Random Factoid #2: I finally bought a sewing machine! The Singer Stylist:

I bought the black-out fabric to line our bedroom curtains with and plan to, one day, actually get something started. The 12 yards of fabric on one huge roll is leaning against the wall in my dining room while the new, never used sewing machine rests on the dining room table, where it has been for 2 weeks now. I hope motivation kicks me in the butt soon, I sure am tired of waking up far too early to the blaring sun in our east facing bedroom windows.

 

Random Factoid #3: Speaking of curtains… I can’t get our lovely drop-cloth curtains hung in the family room because I can’t find curtain rods that are at least 160 inches wide :(

Help!! That widest we can find in stores is 144 inches. We’ve been brainstorming a few options, but I’m not a true fan of any of them at the moment. Have any suggestions out there???? I would love to get these babies hung…

 

Random Factoid #4: I posted this Friday’s Five Featured Followers, today. I know I know – I have never been the type A personality to get things finished correctly and on time. Never will be. I hope we can still be friends.

Anyway, check out these 5 fabulous blogs, you won’t be sorry. Did you even know you can wash your hair with baking soda and cider vinegar?? I can’t wait to try this and hopefully save a few bucks on buying my beloved Big Sexy Hair products.

 

Random Factoid #5:

I’m taking the 7 link Challenge

Linking up to:

My first post

I was utterly clueless as to what to say and it definitely shows. But I got the ball rolling and forever grateful for this decision.

The post I enjoyed writing the most

I had a blast recounting our lovely 2009 together just for this post. Oh, the memories.

A post which had a great discussion

I cannot believe how nice everyone was on my last post about our family room. GEEZE, I wish I could give you all a big hug! I feel so warm and fuzzy inside that you would take the time to say something nice about my attempt at decorating. THANK YOU!

A post on someone else’s blog that I wish I’d written

I have been inspired by 10 different blogs every day since I stumbled upon blogworld 4 years ago. I am humbled by the talented, amazing people I get to “meet” online everyday. But if this little challenge is a “look back” – I gotta give credit to Katy – who’s blog is the very first blog I ever read – EVER. I am so thankful I found her through her sister, Kara on facebook and proceeded to stalk her =)=)=) And THAT’S how I landed on planet blog.

My most helpful post

“Helpful” is used loosely here. But this post did involve pointing out other helpful people who’s helpful posts helped me redesign my blog without spending a dime. DIY, baby!!

A post with a title that I’m proud of

Proud of? Not really… but when scanning through my blog post titles – this one certainly did stand out =)

A post that I wish more people had read

My “aha moment” that’s lead me to enjoy the best summer of my life!

 

 

Enough randomness for today. Off to get this crazy house a bit cleaner and a little less cluttered. I plan to be Goodwill bound with several boxes when all is said and done! Wish me luck ;)

2010 Home Tour - the family room

Last year, with Kelly’s Korner hosting “Show Us Your Home”, I did all kinds of posts on all the un-finished rooms in our house. Then I made a tab at top of the blog labeled “New House Progress” and upon inspection the other day I realized, “ICK! These rooms look awful! That’s not how my house still looks?!”

There is little “progress” depicted there. I need to update y’all ASAP.

 

It would be pitiful if you actually thought our office still looked like this. SCARY even. {I can’t believe I even provided that link for you!} The office isn’t even in that same room anymore, that’s actually  {I believe} a lovely guest bedroom now. But how would you know with such a bad blogger as a friend?

 

I apologize and will now set about making it right, one room of our “2010 House Tour” at a time. {Because I know my house will never actually be finished, just as I will tell you my future plans for this room at the end of the post, surely there will be a 2011 House Tour =) }

 

We spend far too much time in this room for it not to be a relaxing and peaceful place, decorated just how we I like it to look and feel.

Nick doesn’t offer much in the decorating department, except to support me. Though he will stand up against something he truly doesn’t like, such as the pretty multi-colored Ralph Lauren flowered sheets I bought for our bedroom {gorgeous and ON SALE}. Though we do still own them, I like to think it’s a compromise that they get alternated with the other sheet pattern we have for the bed on wash day. He’s more apt to declare the sheets need cleaning and wash them himself if he gets to take the flowered ones off!

I get sidetracked so easily. Back to the family room.

I’ve done a lot of writing on putting together this one room, thus this particular post is full of links galore to other related posts.

 

Like a post dedicated to choosing the paint color, Blue Twilight by Valspar.

And several posts about the painting process itself, which took many long woman hours, between my mother-in-law and myself. {Yes, I love my MIL!} We finally finished and I started talking about decorating my blank canvas and had to run some ideas by my readers to help me decorate the space.

 

Well here it is, our little family room.

{OR our “living room” depending on where you’re from ;)}

Looking in from the front door of our house: entryway table is an antique from Nick’s grandmother, small black African statues from a family friend of Nick’s, and lamps are one of my most prized finds from Goodwill! Lampshades from Wal-Mart.

 

Entering into the kitchen from the family room, I love this verse and thought this was a great place for our daily reminder of what is truly important in this life.

 

We ordered the couch from Haverty’s, the rug is from Overstock. This is a fantastic rug at a great price – I’m gaga over rugs from Overstock. I’ve always lucked into great quality from them and have at least 6 rugs in our house ordered from Overstock.

 

Sadly, several readers have tried to find this rug themselves on their website and haven’t had any luck since. It’s a grab while you can kind of a place.

 

Speaking of, I just realized I didn’t take a photo of the entryway rug, so here’s a quick camera phone picture. {Also from Overstock.}

 

Paintings from Marshall’s. Not ecstatic about them, but they’re good for now. Still on the lookout for some “real” art for this wall.

 

Mirror above mantel from Homegoods.

 

Silver lantern from TJ Maxx.

 

These 2 little lanterns came from a yard sale a couple of weeks ago.

Love me some deals =)

 

 

End table: 5 bucks at an auction. Lamp: free from my momma. Both spray painted and lampshade recovered by me.

 

Coffee table bought at a thrift store and spray painted by yours truly.

 

Love this clock from Hobby Lobby!

 

He always Houdini’s himself into my pictures. He’s a little attention hungry, this one.

 

Keepin’ it real: can you see the socks we always look for under the couch before doing laundry? I have no idea what attention hungry little animal would love to munch on some dirty socks under the couch in hiding…

 

I got the white bowl for a quarter at an auction =) Loving these little flowers planted in it right now!

 

Branch-candle-thingy from TJ Maxx, apothecary jars from Homegoods.

I love changing up the mantel for Holidays – check the “Seasonal Decor” tab up top on the blog for more pictures of it through out the year.

 

Birdcage for another quarter or two at the auction. It use to be black and rusty and gross until I gave it a little lovin.

 

This use to be a living tree untill we killed it… now it’s spray painted remnants rest in my living room with crystals and photos hanging from it – post to come on this one!

 

This is the hallway from the living room back to the bedrooms and office. I just bought this rug and it’s match {you can see starting around the corner} from RugSale.com. Hendrix finds it to be a great resting place for  a busy little guy like himself.

 

and of course, because a room is never really finished, I will soon be adding drop cloth curtains to the family room!

 

 

Don’t give me that same confused look my mom and husband did – go read here to see some other’s beautiful examples. It’s really tres chic, ya know.

 

Thanks for touring! More rooms to come shortly.