birthday wish list

It’s Sunday, and around here, that means a new “Follower of the Week”! Meet Sarah from “These are the Moments”. She’s a sweet new mom with a very adorable little guy. Congrats, girl!

I’ve got two days left working in this little snowed-in town… I am SO ready to go home. 46 hours in 4 days, with most all of my technicians calling in because of the snow equals one tired lady druggist. I even have to get up earlier JUST SO that I can drive 10 miles an hour on the snow and ice in an attempt to get to work ALIVE. Thank GOD everyone has stayed safe so far. I’m dreaming of home and super pumped about all the home improvements I’ll be doing this week when I’m not working.

I have Tuesday through Friday to get these done as part of my personal birthday present to myself. You can’t even fathom just how happy this almost 26 year old will be if this list gets finished!

the wish list:

• work-out and walk the dog every single day this week! 
• make dinner every night from my new weight watcher’s recipe book ;)

• finish making and hanging Valentine’s decor
• spray paint the following:
  • wooden shelf with sweater hooks – white

  

  • lamp base – satin nickel

  

  • candle base and sticks {also pictured above} – satin nickel
  • side table – white 

  

  • bird cage – white

  

  • cut tree branches for vase – white
  • our dead tree{!} – white

• finally make a decision and purchase the fabric for the dining room - also purchase fabric for lamp shades
• recover the following:
  • 2 lamp shades

  

  • 6 dining room chair cushions
• sew the same fabric used for the chair cushions to the bottom of the too short curtains in the dining room {one problem – I don’t sew!}
• hang curtains in the downstairs guest bedroom
• paint and hang mirror in the upstairs guest bedroom

• finish decorating and organizing both guest bedrooms

this will be a BIG to do… just look at that mess!

• take down the ugly border in downstairs guest bedroom, which might take forever
• organize ALL of the closets (!!!)
• paint magnetic paint on downstairs picture wall {which, from the reviews I’ve read, may take 4 coats to make it as strong as I would like it!}

• pick out the perfect shade of red to go on top of the magnetic paint
• go out with Nick to attempt to find a pretty gas fireplace for the basement – do be  placed in the center of the picture wall
• choose/edit/print a bazillion pictures for the picture wall
• order a piece of glass for the dining room table
• go to the DENTIST!
• out for dinner and fun on Friday night with friends!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Also on the wish list, but pretty dang sure none of it will be getting done next week:

• sand and paint the china cabinet {I have many nasty words to describe the china cabinet. It is by no means, it’s fault that I loathe this piece of furniture so much, but it is a daunting task I have ahead of me, one that keeps escaping me since it will definitely be time consuming. It also pains this pea-brain of mine to choose a color of paint for it and to choose the color for the backing inside OR to choose whether to wallpaper the backing – and then to choose the right wallpaper/fabric for that specific scenario… I get tired just thinking about it. One day, when it is all finished, I will once again be friends with the cabinet. But that day, I know, is a long ways off.}
• paint the picture wall red
• plan my bestie’s bachelorette party – she’s getting married March 13th!
• paint Hendrix’ portrait {if this doesn’t turn-out hideous, I have plans to hang it above the fireplace in the basement}
• paint and distress all of the upstairs guest bedroom’s furniture which includes:
• a 2 drawer nightstand
• a large vertical dresser
• a slightly large (and super heavy) entertainment system
• Paint the BIG lamp and recover the shade {can’t do just yet because I cant figure out where to put it – thus, no color selection just yet.}

 

 

Any volunteer helpers out there???????

I’ll give you updates and progress reports through the week, as well as a few finished product photos… after all, I had to post the list in order to make myself actually be accountable for once!

Wish me luck! =)

 

 

goodwill hunting

Over the past year, since we bought our house, I've learned that "Goodwill" on the outside of our local store means "there's a {slim} possiblity there will be goodies inside".

My friends and I have been shopping Goodwill, Salvation Army, and other likewise donation stores for a very long time now... though, up until this year, it was only for either really great decade costumes for our Honor Choir concert in high school OR for the very coolest, old, punk rock-esque t-shirts found only where people dump their very coolest junk.

One man's trash is another man's treasure.

So true.

You may remember my greatest pride and joy ever hunted down in a Goodwill store, my entryway lamps:

I am TOO happy with these little matching finds. I couldn't have found more perfect lighting for this little nook in our home if I had all the lamps in all the lands to choose from.

Since finding these lamps, I've stopped into Goodwill every now and then to see if any other prizes await me.

The pickin's have been slim.

But yesterday, my luck changed.

Not gorgeous, prized lamps kind of luck. But luck, nonetheless.

First up, some very classy, stylish, one-of-a-kind stuffed animals.

Okay, so these probably aren't your cup of tea, but they are Hendrix's:

At 50 cents a piece, you can't beat it for new dog toys.

Take that, overpriced Petsmart!

After a trip through the washer and dryer, Hendrix finally got to grab these little stuffed animals by their heads and swing them around while growling ferociously, just as he always loves to do with his best friends.

What's that you say?

Are we worried about our future babies hanging around our dog?

Why ever would you say that...

His very favorite is the tiny little cat, which I almost didn't get because I didn't think it would be big enough for him to wrestle with as he does his beloved teddy bear - but I was so wrong - he carries Miss Kitty everywhere. {Yes, I named her. Still thinking of names for the monkey and girraffe. Any suggestions?} It's all really quite adorable... already chewed her nose off, as you might notice.

I also got this candle holder for $2.50, looking almost good as new.

I'll jazz it up a little later. But you knew that, right?

Also, these two picture frames, which are such a gorgeous shade of baby poop yellow:

I've already begun spray painting them white.

You can just go ahead and consider most all of these images the "before shots".

How about my new little straw purse for summer:

Thank you!

I'm glad you agree - it is quite adorable and a steal at 3 bucks!

It even zippers closed so my little wallet doesn't flip out like my hubby is always forewarning just might happen if I don't close my danged purse.

I can't even start to list to you the many things I will end-up toting around in this:

Insert pretend phone conversation HERE:

Uh-huh, uh-huh...

OH? What's that? You're in the neighborhood and thought you might just drop by?

WELL okay then! Guess we'll just play a good cheap game of Goodwill foosball:

Yes. It would be warmer if we played the foosball in the basement instead of the garage...

Great idea. We'll be moving it down to the basement just as soon we get a chance to clean it up.

That's all of my Goodwill hunting for now, but I do have a few pieces I never showed you before that were also bought at a steal. My mom attended a small private school in Louisville, from kindergarten until high school graduation, and each year they have a White Elephant auction with donations made to the school.

I snatched all of these up for around $5.

this too:

{included in that $5!}

Also, this side table that resembles a guitar pick for another $5:

{It's getting a facelift next week, just in case you were judging.}

AND these candle holders with a little matching plate too:

{The lamp was passed to me from my mom, I was taking pictures of all of them before their paint job. Can't wait to show you!}

Finally, for just $10, I got this sweet little mirror, which has been collecting lots of dust in the garage - until now.

This is also one of the "before" pictures - seriously, can't wait to show you the finished products!

Happy Goodwill hunting!

a 30th birthday - covered in POOH

WARNING: Picture Overload!

We celebrated my sister’s 30th birthday this past Saturday.

It was a party that would make ANY 30 year old proud, with a Winnie the Pooh theme smothering anything that would stand still.

That’s super cool… right?

My sister, Melissa’s, high school senior portrait, from a million years ago… ha!

My sister with a picture of my mom in her younger days.

They look nothing alike – perhaps she was adopted?

Sister with her Pooh pin that said “Happy ME day!”

Sure, her cake was cute – but do you know how GOOD it was?

Good enough for me to eat 3 pieces in 4 hours.

and 1 more piece on Sunday before we left to head back home.

Oh the shame!

{Thanks for baking it, Samantha!}

Wanna hear something else shameful?

That very special guest that showed up for the cake cutting…

it was none other than Winnie the Pooh herself himself!

I don’t have any photos from when I first walked out and Melissa first saw me – but we BOTH laughed so hard we cried!

LITERALLY, we could not breathe – I thought we would both collapse together in the middle of the dining room floor.

I could just see all of the other guests scrambling to help us as we passed out, attempting CPR and successfully bringing the old woman back to life while Pooh would pass on after the pillow in her his tummy would prevent any chest compressions from getting through.

Thankfully, this scenario did not play out =)

with our momma:

with our poppa:

As you can see below, Christopher Robin was not use to such affection from Pooh.

Thus the confused look when Pooh kissed him for the first time.

Awkward!

Later, Pooh blamed the whole thing on drinking too much honey flavored moonshine. They both agreed to put it behind them and forget about the incident.

Cake slice #1 of 4 for me {plus ice cream}:

I was smothering in the costume – our little cousin Taryn couldn’t wait to try it on!

Of course, the party was scheduled during the UK game, which conveniently allowed an escape for all of the men who attended.

Awwwwwwwwww… isn’t she cute?

Little Melissa was so excited about her Malamute stuffed puppet from her husband.

So excited she had to be told to look closer.

She soon saw something else to be a little more excited about…

How about a carat diamond in each ear?

Sure beats some silly stuffed animal!

 

David knows that diamonds {not a stuffed dog} are girl’s best friend.

Good job, bub!

I just had to take this picture.

Sorry Arkansas. UK’s #1!

Now Pooh needs to go walk the dog and hopefully burn off some of that huge tummy!

OH – and today is Melissa’s actual 30th birthday.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SISTER!!

love,