Sunday, January 30, 2011

I-20 East = paradise!

Well I had a few projects planned for the weekend until my wonderful fiance surprised me with a weekend get away to Reynolds Plantation in GA, only an hour and fifteen minutes away!


After a LONG day at work on Friday, he e-mailed me on Friday at 4:00 p.m. saying his company had a free weekend certificate that expired on Monday and if anyone wanted to go last minute they could! So we took them up on it!

Beautiful Lake Oconee! Grass isn't green this time of year, but still beautiful!


Outside the Ritz! So pretty!

picture from the pool... the lake is in the background! It was 70 degrees! It's Jan. 30!

Playing a game of golf!

First time EVER playing on a golf course. I had best ball a few times... i know this swing isn' t pretty!

Think we found a new hobby we both enjoy.. GOLFING!

Nothing like golfing on a Top 100 Course!

putt-putt golf anyone?


We had a great weekend! Maybe next weekend we will do somethings around the house :)
We did get a wonderful new sofa for the third bedroom from a friend... stay tuned to see how that is coming along!

Monday, January 17, 2011

All you need is love, love!

My first day of freedom I hit up the craft stores to get the materials for a lot of projects I came up with over the 2011 ice storm! 

Now that I own a house I am so excited about decorating for each holiday. For some reason I am super excited Valentine's Day! I bought some cute Valentine's Day kitchen towels last year and wanted to add to my decorations for the upcoming holiday. So... i attempted a wreath.



I just wrapped the ribbon around the wreath and used a glue gun to put the extras on it!

Nothing fancy, but adds an extra touch of love to the house :)

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Ice, Ice baby...

Alright... just got word that tomorrow will be snow day number 5. Before you read anymore, please know that I am not complaining about 5 extra "vacation" days... but if I would have realized that it would be 5 days before I could leave my house I would have prepared a little more.


I started the week (Sunday night) behind on laundry and needing to clean the house. So when I got word of a snow day on Monday I was super excited that I had a chance to catch up on my life (and not on a weekend day where I could be watching basketball, running fun errands or going to the dog park).


Well I tell you, I got caught up. And after 5 days I am back to a full laundry basket and probably need to sweep the floor again and do dishes again. 


I attempted to venture out today... but the sheet of ice at the end of my driveway was too much..


I know..it doesn't look like much... but its all ice :(

that's right.. my car is stuck on the other side of the road... i can't it back up that little incline and onto my drive way.

So... while I have been sitting at home the past 5 days I have come up with the following projects I would like to complete this year:
  • curtains for the kitchen window and door
  • Valentine's day wreath/decorations
  • wall collage of family portraits/wedding pictures (most likely for my family room)
  • renovate guest bathroom- new mirror and paint book shelf
  • paint 3 coat of spiced plum in the office/yoga room
  • replace light fixtures in extra bedrooms and hallway
  • paint shutters and front door
  • re-landscape front yard (back yard in 2012)
Those are only a few--- but that should keep me busy :) I thought days off were supposed to be productive and not make longer to-do lists :(

I know one guy who is ready for me to go back to work..... i think he likes sleeping all day and not having to follow me around the house :) he is not amused :(


Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Spice up your life

This is day 2 of being iced/snowed in at my house. so I tackled my kitchen cabinets this morning.


This project was not my first priority, because I have a ton of craft projects I want to do (make a valentine's day wreath, homemade curtains, frame family wedding pictures for my guest room) but I don't have any supplies to make any of items on my wish list- next time I will hit up JoAnnes and Hobby Lobby before I get snowed in :)


So in an effort not to get cabin fever I turned to organizing my kitchen cabinets. 


Before...it doesn't look like I have ANY room for anything in here!



I had a ton of crystal light boxes and one empty counter container

This is cabinet 2; but I forgot to take a picture of the cabinet full. I had already taken out 1/2 the things..
So after some re-organizing, combining a few things (I had 2 half full packages of egg noodles that fit easily into one bag), this is what the cabinets look like now!


Say goodbye to all those boxes I had..



full.. but organized...

I don't have a spice rack yet.. but I made sure I put my least used spices in the back of the cabinet and the more popular ones in the front (can you tell I love Publix and Pampered Chef?) :)

I have a ton of room for more food now!
Well it is not exactly spring cleaning... but my kitchen is MUCH more organized.... it feels great!!! 


Now- let me see when I can actually drive to the store to fill up these cabinets! By the look of the roads it doesn't look like it is going to be soon...


Sunday, January 9, 2011

pocket book friendly

Even though I was fighting a TERRIBLE cold the day after Christmas, I struggled through it and went to Crate and Barrel with my parents on Sunday morning. I was extremely surprised at how busy this place was in KC! We got there at 9:45 (they opened at 9:30) and the parking lot was packed and the check-out lines were LONG!


So... my with my kleenex in hand I searched the store for some good deals. I picked up some amazing holiday finds, which I will preview next year (i already packed them for the season), but I also picked up some great pillow covers! These thing retail for $26-$32 EACH... I basically stole them for $11... that is $11 TOTAL (they were $2-$3 each!). The green and blue are perfect for my family/living room combo I have going on in the room! The only dilemma I have is the how it looks with my Costco carpet. The colors in the pillow pop a little more than the rug, but I like the boldness of the pillow covers. However, they go great with the green accent wall in the living room area!


What are your thoughts? Look for a new rug or do they go together okay?




Diamonds are a girl's best friend

When I went through sorority recruitment I didn't realize the impact it would have on my entire life! I found my best friends in college- and even found sisters across the country who have become my amazing friends as well! These friends hosted an amazing Pampered Chef bridal shower for me when I went back home to Kansas over the holidays! To all my ADPi sisters.. I love you!

(oh, this is my first attempt at using my new camera... i have a lot to learn :) )

Whitney making crabbies.. my favorite appetizer!

Ang icing the cupcakes!

Love the purple theme :) They surprised me with pictures of Eric and me.. we are just being goofy in this one on the plane to KC in October. 

My lovely Bridesmaids/best friends/adpi sisters/hostess. A girl couldn't ask for better friends!

Oh, Ang! This girl and I were CONNECTED at the hip in college!!


beautiful table.. amazing food

cupcakes with diamonds on top. trying to be "journalistic" with my pics...

my gift from the girls. can't wait to entertain at my house!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Refreshed.

For the past 11 days I have been home. My childhood home in the great state of Kansas. 


It was been wonderful to be with family and friends! It is great to catch up with friends about all the great things happening in their lives and mine. I am truly blessed with having 2 homes.... a great place in the midwest that I am so proud to call home and explain to people that Kansas is not just the land of wheat and home to cow farms as well as Atlanta where I found the love of my life and wonderful friends that I am continuing to get to know each day. 

I hope all of you have had a wonderful holiday season and feel refreshed like I do. I am looking forward to 2011 and sharing more about my life with you on this blog (and because of the encouragement of my KC friends, I will blogging more and sharing more than just my house adventures with you). 

God bless-
Lauren