Merry Christmas

Truthful Tuesday

Painting is the pits!

I'm trying to be amazing and transform these dark, ugly cabinets:

into beautiful antique white cabinets like this:

I have a feeling mine will not look nearly as good but I guess it's worth a shot! 

Snow Day Playdate

Since the weather was a little yucky this morning and the roads were slightly slick (and because I live 60 miles from my office), I didn't go to work today.  Luckily, I have a very understanding supervisor and a very flexible job.  We are actually moving our office and today was an unpacking/organizing day so I'll just be a little behind tomorrow when I get to work. I stayed at home and in my, well actually Keil's, pj's almost all day.  I made potato soup for lunch and got a few things accomplished around the house.  Then, I found out that I was going to get our fabulous nephew for a few hours this afternoon.  He is truly my sunshine!  He is growing into such a funny little boy and he has a crazy obsession with shoes (some say he gets that from me, they are probably right) and while I do laundry, he is usually occupied playing with my shoes...even the red high heels I got married in (shhhh, don't tell the men in his life!).  He loves to try and put them on and sometimes he even gets lucky and can walk in them.  It's so amazing to watch him have so much fun with my shoes.  He talks to them and carries them around and when it's time to put them up, he knows where each one goes.  It's pretty cute!
This afternoon, he stumbled on a new pair.  I actually just got them for my birthday from my parents, RAIN BOOTS!  Check him out:

Of course he has to have helping putting these one because they are as tall as his legs.  But, he thought he was big stuff!  And, Levi thought he was going to go for a walk.

I LOVE being an auntie...it's the best job in the world! 

Birthday Blues

I'm going to start this by saying I know I probably sound really spoiled and selfish but this is my venting outlet for the evening.  Today is my birthday, I am 27.  Most of my girlfriends cringe at the thought of celebrating another birthday and becoming another year older but,  I LOVE birthdays...in that really over the top, annoying kind of way.  My parents always made a really big deal about my birthday (I guess because my birthday is so close to Christmas, they didn't want me to feel cheated out of a real birthday).  And, I guess I just feel like my birthday IS a big deal, no matter how old I get.  Actually, I feel like everyone's birthday is a big deal.  It's the only time people celebrate you and you alone (there is that selfish part!). 
I was super excited this year because Keil and I have so much to be thankful for and we've celebrated so much together in the last 12 months, and because my place of employment allows you to have your birthday off (PAID!).  I started my birthday by sleeping in, 8:30...go me!  Keil works second shift so he doesn't get in bed until between 3:30 and 4am each morning but I thought with it being my birthday he might be okay with being woke up a little early (just for a few minutes to show me some birthday love), I was wrong.  I gave up on getting an affection from him and took the dogs for a walk in the freezing cold (but by almost 9am, it was an amazing 10 degrees).  I came back in and started my coffee and headed downstairs to start some laundry, yes I know laundry on a birthday sounds fabulous, but when I started the machine, nothing happened.  There was no water!  Our water pipes had frozen overnight!  So, I called my Dad (mainly to keep Keil from freaking out and being super grumpy but also because I knew he would know what to do), we spent the next hour or so crawling around under my house and setting up a Rediheater to thaw out the pipes.  Talk about birthday excitement!
When Keil got up, he and my Dad discovered that one of our pipes had actually busted and had to be replaced so they headed to the hardware store to get the parts needed to replace it.  Once they got it all taken care of I was sure I could finally be the center of attention (I know, selfishness) for just a few hours before Keil left for work...wrong again!
We did manage to make it to out for a really late lunch before he left for work, actually I followed him there because right after we ate he had to head to work. 
So here I am, at home, ALONE!  No cake, no birthday card, no gift, no husband...nothing.   I'm just suffering from a case of the birthday blues.  If my girlfriends have birthdays like this, I can see why they don't want to celebrate. 

I think I'll head downstairs and befriend a nice bottle of wine and wrap some Christmas presents. 
 

Christmas Card Excitement!

Here is a sneak peek of our very first Christmas Card...can't wait til they arrive :)

Retro Snowflake Bursts Christmas

Shop Shutterfly for elegant custom Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

I Give Thanks For...

This wonderful man:

And, these two beautiful babies

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tickled Pink

I'm absolutely thrilled because my sister-in-law, Kelsey, found out today that she is having a GIRL!  I guess I'll be spending my lunch hour shopping for lots of hair bows and other little girl goodies :) 

I can't wait to meet Callie Isabella!

Mission Accomplished

...and we both survived!  Mr. Carter and I took on a landscaping project, it took us 6 days from start to finish.  Mainly because we work opposite of one another and never really have time to "project" together.  Anyway, when we moved in our house there was ZERO landscaping...absolutely nothing, a blank canvas!  We bought the house in late spring and since other inside things had to be accomplished before we could turn our attention to the outside, we kinda missed the boat on making our yard pretty this summer.  We tried though, we did a mulch bed with day lillies and marigolds around our pool and a small stargazer lilly bed next to the stairs off of our deck.  We attempted the a mulch bed at the front of the house but the yard is majorly sloped and awkward so it was a little bit of a mess.  Here is a picture of our first attempt

Six days, 175 landscaping bricks, 2 bucket loads of mulch and lots of praying later

We are very proud of ourselves!  Now if all of our plants come back in the spring we'll have a beautiful little flower bed.

Guess What I Did??

I bought Christmas ornaments!!! :)  I'm totally the person who despises decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving, the rule is the weekend after Thanksgiving to New Year's Day...no exceptions!  Well, in my house anyway.
So let me explain:  Last year on December 23, I was shopping with my parents at good ole Target and all of their Christmas trees were like 80% off.  (Side note:  Before Mr Carter and I moved, my house had 10ft ceilings and my 6 1/2ft tree looked miniature)  It was like "A Charlie Brown Christmas", I found the perfect 8ft tall tree.  Absolute beauty.  I paid like $40 for a tree that was more than $200 originally...(and remember, it's not how much you spend-it's how much you save!) The problem was that because they only had the display and no box to put it in (and because of the shopping we had already done), it wouldn't fit in my mommas car and because of the massive price reduction, they couldn't even hold it for me if I paid for it.  So, on Christmas Eve morning, I drug Mr Carter to Target (45 minutes away) in hopes that MY tree would still be there.  We were there when the store opened at 7am and so was my tree!  I decided then that in celebration of my new tree, I would be getting new ornaments.  In years past, I've always decorated with using blue and white and snowmen.  So for Christmas 2010, the tree at the Carter household will be displaying red and two shades of green  Tonight, my mom, niece and I made a quick trip to Evansville to Hobby Lobby (who currently has all ornaments 50% off) and Michael's for some Christmas inspiration.  I got some super cute ornaments and some sparkly picks.  I cannot wait to see it all come together...but not until AFTER Thanksgiving!  I'll be sure to post some pics once the tree is up

The Married Life

Oh Gosh, it has been FOREVER!
So much has happened since my last post...we are finally married!  And it feels so amazing.  Mr. Carter and I had an absolutely perfect wedding day.  And, I am totally aware that every bride says that, and it's probably true, but we definitely had "our" perfect day.  We faced some obstacles on the way to the alter but we made it and we're married and that is truly all that matters.  So, in celebration of our wedding day, I thought I'd include a few pics for you

Playing in the woods before the wedding

Probably my favorite picture (via my bestie, Kristen)

We're Married :)

Our First Dance

A sneak peak from our photographer (who is absolutely amazing)

We were blessed in so many ways and cannot say thank you enough to those who made our day so wonderful.  We have AMAZING friends & families, a great (& very pregnant) photographer who ran all over the place and everyone who worked to make sure every single thing was in place.  We know that this was the first of many great days and can't wait to see what our future holds

In the last year

Today, I was doing a little reflecting and I had a "light bulb moment".  So much has happened in the last year and I have learned so many important lessons.  So here they are, the good, the bad and yes, even the ugly!

1.  Not everyone is as you would have them be...and this, you can do nothing about.
2.  Attitude really is everything
3.  People will disappoint you, if you let them.
4.  Sunsets really are more beautiful with the one you love
5.  After all these years, I still get a thrill out of chocolate ice cream and RC Cola (it was my Papaws favorite Friday night treat!)
6.  It is truly amazing how quickly you can love someone you just met (Davin and Aryanna stole my heart as soon as I laid eyes on them)
7.  Work hard, even when no one is watching.  It will pay off in the end
8.  Some people were born to be the center of attention...let them, it means way more to them than it ever could to you.
9.  Love was meant to be unconditional, no matter what.
10. Let it be!

MIA

Gosh, I cannot believe it has been two weeks since I've blogged! It's sad for me to admit that if it doesn't involve work or wedding planning, I'm not interested!  Fall is basically the busiest time of year for my job because kiddos are gong back to school and we are working to reorganize Girl Scout troops and start new ones (in 9 counties, might I add).  I've actually been having a lot of fun with work lately, I started working with a girls group home for at-risk youth.  Most of the girls are there court ordered but honestly, they are my best group of middle/high school girls.  It has been a very rewarding experience!  In addition to that project, I am also working on the Jr Miss Committee in Webster County.  Granted, I did not participate in Jr Miss because the county I graduated high school from did not have one.  It is actually a very cool program for high school seniors and they have the potential to earn a ton of scholarship money.  I decided to join the committee though, because America's Jr Miss Program actually has a partnership with GSUSA (girl scouts) on a program called Be Your Best Self.  It's a self esteem program that teaches these girls about becoming strong, community minded, healthy women.  Tomorrow is the actually program but the girls have been practicing for weeks, they compete in fitness, talent, interview skills and self expression.  I'm so excited to see their final performance!

Well, that was a little about work, now for some wedding :)  I had a fabulous shower about a month ago (see, I told you I was neglecting my blog) and I thought it'd be nice to share some pics with you all.  One of my best friends and bridesmaids, Kali threw me such a wonderful shower at a local B&B.  It was such a beautiful day and it was a great reminder of just how blessed Keil and I are.  We got some great goodies as you can see below. 

I had some great helpers when it came to opening my gifts, Miss Kaydence (one of our flower girls) and Miss Ryleigh.  They only helped break one bow!

This is the cutest market tote (and believe it or not, Keil picked it out.  Well, I wanted one and he picked the color/design)  My Nina and friend/bridesmaid, Tiffany got this for us!  I, of course, had to have it personalized!  I cannot wait to carry it around the local farmers market.

And, how cute is this apron?!  This was a gift from one of my  high school friends, Holly.  I LOVE IT!

I know I shouldn't have favorites but if I could, this would be it!  The gift from our second set of parents and preacher (and his wife).  They have two daughters who both have one of these.  Their daughter, Kristen (one of my besties) got hers last year for Christmas and I fell in love with.  I decided that once we got married, we would definitely be getting one.  Ronnie and Kelley (our preacher & wife) always joke and say that Keil and I are their children but this gift really made us feel like a part of their family.  It actually brought tears to my eyes when I opened it.  And, I know we aren't really supposed to use wedding gifts until we're married but it's on display, I just couldn't help myself.

And, this is a picture of my FMIL, myself and my FSIL.

21 days to go!

46 Days To Go...

Wow, time sure has been flying by!  I cannot believe that we will be married in just over a month, isn't that crazy?!  We've gotten so much done in the last few weeks, now all that's left is the details.  My mom and I actually took a full day, and when I say full, I mean full, and hit the pavement. We visited the state park where the ceremony and reception will be to talk logistics with the event coordinator there.  She is great, by the way.  We got so much done that day, submitted my final seating chart and table placement, ordered food for our reception, and just soaked it all in.  I must admit, I got a little teary eyed standing in the place where we will say our vows!  It's all becoming so real!  After leaving there, we traveled to Evansville and picked out our programs and most of the decorations for the ceremony, the ribbon for our cake and the stuff for our favors (yummy mints, in case you were wondering).  Then, we did a little pleasure shopping (which is a MUST if you  know my mother and I)
Oh, and a little piece of exciting news:  my dress doesn't have to be altered, well, except for the bustle!  You saw my super cute shoes on my last post but last week, I tried on the dress and shoes together and the heel in the shoe brings the dress about 1/4" off the ground...PERFECTION!  I couldn't have planned it better!
I've started having nightmares about things that go wrong on our wedding day, it's driving me crazy!  That is actually why I tried my dress and shoes on.  I had a dream that I had my dress on and was getting ready for the ceremony, I put my shoes on and it made my dress tea length!  I know, I'm crazy!
Then, I had a real life crisis!  I took our invitations to the post office on Saturday morning (yes, I know I'm pushing it) to be mailed and the postmaster said that they wouldn't go through the machine because of the ribbon on them.  It would cost me an extra $.20 per invitation...I was sold!  No problem, right?  WRONG!  She didn't have a $.20 stamp, she had $.02 cent stamps that she really wanted my to buy.  She must have been crazy!  I would have needed 10 of them, plus the $.44 I already had on there...can you imagine 11 stamps on a wedding invitation??  I was completely freaking out!  She then offered me $.05 stamps, I would still need 4 of them on each invite...she was insane!  With tears in my eyes, I picked up my 150 invitations and told her I guessed I'd just have to go to a real post office to get the stamps I needed.  Probably not the most classy thing I've ever done but I had nothing left for her.  My mom, however, saved the day.  She had bought extra $.44 stamps and just added one to each envelope!  She thinks of it all :)

Keep checking back for more wedding follies!

Check, Check, Check!

As our wedding is quickly approaching, I've started to scramble a little to get things completed!  Granted, we've been engaged for over a year so many things have been done along the way but with only 60-something days left, it's time to finish things! So, this week (and it's only Tuesday) here is what I've accomplished:

Picked out the tuxes for the men (we had one picked out before but decided last minute to change stores to a local vendor so back to square one)  Anyway, K decided he wanted a brown tux instead of black so it made pick a tux much easier since there is only one chocolate brown tux in the world.  Here is a preview:

The only change for K will be the tie, his will be ivory to match the vest.  The groomsmen and ushers will wear brown vests and ties.  I actually love the tux, it has light lines in it which makes it not so plain-jane!  Since this particular company doesn't make this in a child size we have opted to go with this super cute ensemble

Yes, I know!  I'm putting an 8 year old boy in an ivory tux, what in the world was I thinking? But I know it will be super cute (as long as we can keep him clean)!  His mom doesn't know yet but I'm sure she'll question my choice :)

I've scheduled my first fitting which will be September 5, I'm so excited!  I've had my dress for over a year now, I bought it on June 28, 2009.  And, yes, I still LOVE it!  I've put it on a time or two (well, more like 5) and every time, I get a little more excited.  My BM's have also had their dresses for almost a year now, and lucky me, they are all fitting perfectly, so far! Speaking of my wedding day attire, I got my shoes yesterday and couldn't be more excited to wear them.  I put them on in the store (with sweats on) and felt completely stylish!

This is just the generic online pic, but you get the idea.  Aren't they fabulous?!?!  While I was there I ran across some super cute satin flip-flops that actually match the BM dresses and they are only $10!  I told my BM's that since their dresses are long, I don't really care what shoes they wear.  I want their hearts (and little piggies) to be happy and comfortable.  I had to let them know about the cute little sandals though.  I think all four of them are planning to get them!

And the final check, is the wedding invitation!  They are DONE...addressed, stamped and ready to be mailed.  Big kudos to my mother who spent countless hours perfecting the ribbon accent on them.  She tied 150 of those things and they are PERFECT!  She's one amazing mom. 

This isn't the greatest picture, that bow makes a big shadow on the rest of the invitation. 

Now if I can get her to work on those programs :)

Hope you are all having a fabulous week!  Let's see how much more I can get done before Friday!

We need a drink!

When we moved into our new house the landscape canvas was blank.  The previous owners must not have had a green thumb (or must not have thought they had one like I think I do!)  It was nice to be able to start from nothing but it has also had its disadvantages.  We transplanted a ton of day lilies from our old house, the cute little yellow ones that you see blooming from spring to fall and even some of the bigger orange ones that favor stargazer lilies.  We actually only had 2 yellow ones and about 3 orange ones that we moved.  We split them into 5 yellow and about 10 orange.  We spread the oranges ones out around our pool and in the  yellow in front of our house and at the corners of our deck. 
In the last two months we've added some little things here and there but the all day sun that we get is taking a major toll on EVERYTHING.  Well, that mixed with the lack of rain we've had in the last month.  It's funny that I'm wishing for rain now because the first morning we woke up in this house our utility room had about 3 inches of water standing in it from the amount of rain we'd had and our back yard was somewhat of a swamp! 
I've been trying to make sure everything gets enough water but that's a tough task.  Most of the things I've planted take very little water (after they become established) but the ground is so dry and the heat is so excessive that I've been watering things at least 2 times a day.  My beautiful (well, kinda beautiful and a little dry) flowers are in need of a drink!

The poor lilies are almost wilted and were just watered this morning but the marigolds seem to be doing fine!

The Zinnia's in the front yard don't seem to mind the heat either...they do get some shade in the afternoon though.

I can't wait for this guy to open up!  It's a sunflower :)  I'm not sure where it came from in my pot of Gerber daisies though, it just popped up!  I'm glad I waited to see what it was before yanking it out.

This thing actually LOVES the sun!  How pretty is that big ol' bloom?!?

In addition to our flowers being thirsty, our yard sure could use a little shower.  It's almost completely brown and crunchy!  Not a pleasant thing to squish your toes in

A Little Wedding Frustration

So, today Keil and met with our travel agent to discuss our honeymoon.  I was so excited to finally have it all out of the way but she turned the tables on me.  We actually went in to confirm our travel arrangements and make a payment but she started planting seeds of "all-inclusive" packages in Keil's head.  From the start, our plan has been to go to Hawaii (it was actually the first thing we both agreed on without much discussion).  Neither of us have ever been and there is so much to do!  Hawaii doesn't offer any all-inclusive packages so once you get there you still have to spend money.  We had researched and knew what kind of budget we wanted to stay within and, I believe, we were going to do so.  Little Miss Travel Agent (no need to name her) starts asking Keil if he had ever thought of St. Lucia, the Virgin Islands or the Bahamas.  And yes, we had...we ruled them out early!  When we first contacted her she sent me quotes for both St. Lucia and the Virgin Islands, both were almost two times what we wanted to spend so we continued on our journey to Hawaii!  We told her we knew we couldn't afford those even with them being all inclusive and would rather just stick with our original plan.  She then counters with:  "let me just check the Bahamas for you and see what I can come up with"  When she finished she told us that for an totally inclusive trip to the Bahamas we would only spend about $500 more than airfare and hotel will cost in Hawaii.  She even mentioned being able to have access to jet ski's (she must have pegged Keil for a sportster).  He was basically sold...I was NOT!  We decided to leave and discuss it at home then let her know on Monday morning.  Although having all of our food included (as long as we eat at the resort) sounded good, I don't know how much we could eat at the same 3 places for a week and not get burnt out.  Food outside of the resort, not included!  After reading the materials she provided us, jet ski's are available for $125 per person...also, not included.  And, other than shopping and laying on the beach, the Bahamas doesn't really have that much to offer...when compared to Hawaii.  We'd also have to purchase passports (cost not included in our all inclusive trip...can you tell I was not too happy with her enthusiasm about "all inclusive"?)
We did the math and with what we would spend on passports, eating outside of the resorts and doing anything of adventure, we'd be spending close to $1000 more on the Bahamas.  I'm not the type of person who wants to go on vacation just to lay out, I can lay out in my pool in my backyard for FREE.  Keil would get bored too...we are "goers!"
After a little discussion and some research...we're sticking with our original plan!  I'm just so frustrated that she tried to change our minds!
On a brighter note, I met with the florist today about wedding flowers!  I just love flowers!  She is working on a few samples for me.  I'll take some pics and post them when she finishes :)

Funky Friday

I've decided that I'm in a funk! I'm not exactly sure why, things in my life are going pretty well. Wedding plans are coming together more and more every day (just over 4 months to go!), our house is actually starting to look like a home, minus the bathroom that we hate...contractor coming soon :) work is going great and I'm surrounded by amazing people. So what is wrong with me?!?

A little back story: Being a Fitness and Wellness major in college, I was always in the gym. I even made it a point to hop on the elliptical for 2 hours a day twice a week between classes (an hour in the am and an hour in the pm...no way could i do 2 solid hours). Since graduating and moving away from my million dollar student gym at EKU, my motivation, and the convenience has been very little. I've always walked, having dogs, it's a definite must but I've never really been interested in running or anything. So, last year, I decided to give our local Y a shot. I found a couple fitness classes that I really liked and even convinced my friend Kali to go with me. We were doing so well and going 3 times a week...then she went on vacation! Let's face it, working out is always more fun with someone. After her vacation, I went on vacation so missing two consecutive weeks was all the distraction I needed. I would say it has been August since I've been to a Body Pump class, which I really liked. I did test a few spinning classes at the advice of my soon to be sister-in-law (Kelsey) and I enjoyed it for the most part. So, here is my problem. I commute just over an hour to work, the latest class the Y offers is at 5:30 and I do not get to leave work until 5...do you see where I'm going with this?

Tonight, Keil and I went to dinner at Tumbleweed and then ventured around our little mall (mostly to wait out the rain) and I ran into Hibbetts. I a shoe freak...self proclaimed! You'd say it too if you saw my closet! For some reason I'm convinced that if I had cool new workout shoes, I'd workout. I think I'd really like to start running...crazy, I know. But, I know I will need good running shoes or I'll just be miserable. I found a pair of the new Reebok Run Tones, a new version of the Easy Tone, that were super comfortable. They aren't too cute but like the salesman said, you don't buy running shoes for style (obviously he's never seen my shoe collection either).

Now, I know you're wondering if I bought the shoes...NO (that's right, I said no). I did, however, make a deal with myself that if I workout everyday for 2 weeks, no excuses, I can get the new shoes. I mean really, there is no reason to buy new workout shoes in hopes that they will motivate me to workout. I figure, my reward for working out will be the shoes :) I know that not only will I get to sport some new shoes but I'll feel better and look better, which is the ultimate goal. I know that becoming more active again will make a huge difference in me...I've just got to get there! Keil thinks I'm crazy but I think he's willing to go along with it. Wish me luck...I really want those shoes

Happy 1st Birthday!

Davin has officially made it one whole year! In honor of his birthday I decided to show off some pics of his first year.

My Love(s)

On Saturday, we took Davin to have his 1st birthday pictures made. Gosh, can you believe it's already been year since that amazing little boy entered this world and stole my heart? I sure can't! While we were there, we had the photographer take a few shots of Aryanna too...she wasn't too happy about having her picture taken (she'll get over that). As Davin's birthday gets closer, I can't help but think about all of the extreme ups and downs that have taken place over the last year...boy, has it been a wild ride! Everyone says that when you become a mother for the first time, you experience "real love", I believe it has happened already for me! That little boy is the absolute light of my life. He is such an important part of my life and always will be, I just hope he knows how much he is loved by so many people. As you know, we were recently blessed with the birth of my niece. Less than one year after Davin's arrival, we had another special delivery, Aryanna! I cannot wait to get to know her and all of the little things that make her special...she has a tough act to follow but I'm sure she'll bring just as much joy and happiness to all of us as Davin does. Anyway, here are a few shots from their session on Saturday!The Birthday Boy!Goodnite y'all :)

Aryanna Lashay Marie

Yesterday morning at 11:09am the world became a little more beautiful! My niece FINALLY arrived. She weighed in at 7lbs 5oz and was 20.5 inches long, she has a very little bit of blonde hair and her eyes are blue! When my nephew, Davin, was born I was a bit of a chicken and didn't watch the birth, I waited in the waiting room down the hall once the pushing part started. But for some reason yesterday I was completely intrigued and wanted to watch the whole thing. Start to finish, I was there (and my eyes were open the whole time). My mom laughs because when the doctor and nurses would tell Shynika to push, I would push too! I guess I thought I was helping! Her delivery was grueling, Aryanna was "sunny side up" meaning her face was up instead of down and it made her entry into our lives a little more difficult. She also had some issues earlier in the morning, she had a bowel movement inside the uterus, which can be pretty serious. But, the nurses were prepared and as soon as she was out they were suctioning her lungs and airways to remove all of the meconium. They were very successful and she didn't even have to spend anytime in the NICU.

She is absolutely perfect and we couldn't be more excited that she is finally here! Mom and baby are both doing great and are expected to get to go home on Wednesday. Big Brother, Davin, just wants to give her kisses!

Q: Where Have I Been?

A: Drowning in this move!

We closed on the house last Tuesday, 8 days ago, and in that short amount of time I seem to have misplaced my life. Luckily, I have a super considerate supervisor and she allowed me to have 2 days off last week to work on house stuff. So, Tuesday and Wednesday I worked much harder than I would have if I had spent the day in the office. Tuesday I painted the kitchen, clean the dishwasher, refrigerator, oven and all of the kitchen cabinets (which I plan to paint soon). On Wednesday, our mothers came to the rescue! Instead of being there by myself for 12 hours I was blessed with the company of Keil's mom and mine. We worked nonstop and actually got a big chunk of stuff accomplished: painted the living room, stairways and hallway upstairs, primed our master bedroom (because Keil wanted to paint it red) and did a ton of cleaning. That evening, Keil and our dad's moved furniture in...that is where it got a little crazy!
In the beginning of this whole house buying process, we decided that we would work on the house and get the majority of the stuff accomplished before moving in a single thing! The original timeline went something like this: closing date, April 30, cleaning and painting until all rooms are ready for move-in (tentatively May 15) and THEN move-in, unpack and live happily ever after! Well, at least it was a good plan! Here is the way it has actually gone: closing date April 27, painting of 2 rooms and living room/dining room furniture moved in along with millions of boxes on April 28...continuous work and moving and unpacking to date! Me losing my mind April 30...I know we will make it but sometimes the craziness is more than I can handle. I just want to know where all of my stuff is and that it is accessible at all times. Is that too much to ask?
We actually spent our first night there on Friday (April 30)...on our mattress in the living room floor. Being a split level house, the stairway going down to our bedroom is not tall enough for our box spring to fit so we've had to special order a queen size, double box spring. They estimate delivery early next week. So for now, our mattress in on the floor in our bedroom (I could only take the mattress being in the living room for 2 days).
The puppies are adjusting well. Toby and Jenna were a little skeptical of the stairs for a day or so, they would just stand there and look at us like we were crazy! Levi never had that problem...he's been full blast since day 1. He even made a new friend, we call him Charlee. He's the cutest little dog and has been camped out on our deck since Saturday...maybe we'll keep him because he and Levi are like 2 peas in a pod!
Little by little it is starting to look like a home and I couldn't be more glad! We took the cover off of the pool on Sunday and have been cleaning leaves and whirly birds out of it ever since. Maybe we'll actually get to open it soon...that'll definitely help my sadness about the chaos! Last night I hung curtains in our bedroom and living room but I refuse to hang them elsewhere until those rooms are painted (only 4 more rooms to go!)
Tonight's task: Paint Master Bath and hopefully I can coax Keil into helping so it will not take as long!
Anyway...here is the new casa (well, the outside anway) More pics to come, I promise!

A FULL PLATE...

This week has been crazy, just absolutely crazy! I feel like every time I turn around someone has added 9 different things to my "to-do" lists.

Yes, I'm a list person: I have a list at work on my desk, one in my planner, and one at home. I seem to be neglecting all of them this week because there are very few check marks next to items on the list. Work is picking back up, all at once! And I'm totally not ready for the events that are upcoming. This week, I'm starting a new program, planning a Girl Scout Camp Clean up Day on Sunday, putting together an awards ceremony, working with Relay for Life and have a mega fundraiser tomorrow night Desserts First on top of my regular things! WHEW! On the bright side, there will be some pretty tasty desserts on display tomorrow night at our fundraiser. We invite local chefs to create a one of a kind dessert using a Girl Scout cookie of their choice as the main ingredient, they put them on display and individuals and businesses purchase tickets to come and see what talented chefs we have in our area. We also have a silent auction and this year some of the items are amazing (2 plane tickets from Southwest Airlines, UK Football tickets, a weekend getaway in the mountains). Here are a few pics from last years event:Don't they look good? I can't wait to see what's in store for us tomorrow night!

On top of all the things going on at work, we're planning a baby sprinkle for my nephew's mom. My niece will be here before we know it! The sprinkle is on April 25th, hopefully, Aryanna will stay in her momma's belly until at least after 4pm on that day! Her actual due dates is May 13 but we don't think we're gonna make it that far. I'm so excited for both the sprinkle and the arrival...but gosh, it's been a lot of work!

Wedding stuff has been put off and put off...because quiet frankly, I had other, more pressing things to get to! Now, we are less than 6 months away and I feel like there is so much left to do. I MUST meet with a florist, asap! But, I cannot seem to find the time...say a little prayer to help me find the time and get that taken care of. In addition to that, we have to select music and finalize about a bazillion other details!

Oh, and did I mention that we're moving?!?

I'm so thankful that we've found a house that we both agree on (which was like finding a needle in a haystack!) and we could actually afford it but, I'll just add it to my list of stuff to do! I've been trying to pack some of the things that we don't regularly use but evening finding the time to do that is hard and then finding a place to store all of these packed up boxes is a whole other story! My computer room looks like box cityWe are supposed to close on the 20th, and hopefully, we will. We'll get immediate possession, so that's a plus and we can start painting. We're hoping (and planning) to paint before moving things in...maybe it's just wishful thinking though!

Just pray for my sanity and that all of this craziness slows down and we can get a handle on things soon!