Weekend Happenings

When you purchase a home you know going in that there will always be something to maintain or fix.  

Well when you buy a "fixer upper" there is always something to do or maintain...times 1,000!  

So since the inside is 75% done we have shifted our focus outdoors.  

The house behind us has a double stacked chain link fence covered, and I mean covered with ivy and strange vines from top to bottom.  This is what it looked liked last summer.  It is nice because it does offer a  lot of privacy and a secret garden kind of feel....but it does look over grown and it is a mosquito haven!

 

So naturally I put my sweet husband to work!

While there is still a ton of vine left it looks better and hopefully come spring we will not have a million mosquitos in our back yard.

Now...this makes me cringe when I think about it.  Looking at it is even worse!  Our back yard will grow grass but right now it is a full on mud pit.  It may not look that bad in this picture but when it rains...it is horrible!  But Rich is working on getting that fixed ;)

But on to something positive.  I purchased a sample of Sherwin Williams Dovetail for the exterior of the house.  I picked it because It's Great To Be Home picked it for their 5th flip and I really liked it.  If you have not been to their blog you need to visit.  All they do is flip houses!

When I started painting this I had a hard time stopping because all I want is for that peach brick to vanish!  It does look a little blue in the picture below but in real life its not.

Come October (I am giving myself plenty of time) I hope I am showing you pictures of a outdoor soiree I have thrown with a painted house and a fully landscaped yard in the back ground!

I also worked on decorating one of the guest rooms this weekend...like the yard it is a "hot mess".

I did make some progress that I will show you tomorrow!

Along with all our projects this weekend we are also trying to eat healthier....but who isn't it is Febuary 2013 lol.  

This is what we had for brunch on Saturday.

I made the egg muffins from a recipe on Pintrest.  They were really good and super easy!

We also celebrated my Mom's Birthday...with no pictures,,,opps!  Love you Mom! 

2012 Happenings

Before January is over here is a recap of 2012! 

JANUARY

Our reno at Twin Brook went from this....

 

To a place we call home.

 

FEBRUARY

We loaded up the Uhaul and moved to Twin Brook. 

MARCH

Enjoyed a french themed book clubs with B.A.B.S

 

APRIL

Mom and I participated in a Spring Gathering.

MAY

Rich graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga! So proud of him!

JUNE
Our kitchen arrived in a thousand boxes and Rich assembled the whole thing!  I stood by saying things like, "are you sure that goes like that" and "I don't think that is right..."  Everything turned out perfect and Rich is such a trooper!

JULY

My amigos came to install our counter tops.

Before

After

AUGUST

450 mile yard sale!  Can't wait to go again this year.

SEPTEMBER

We took a trip from Chattanooga to Chickamauga on the Tennessee Valley Railroad.

OCTOBER

We got Grizz!

NOVEMBER

Celebrated Annie and Nick's wedding.

DECEMBER

Enjoyed the tour of homes in Chickamauga, GA.

 

We also celebrated the engagement of Doug and Elizabeth Ann!  I can't wait for the June wedding in Fairhope! 

2012 was wonderful!  Rich and I are so blessed and can't wait to see what 2013 has in store!

 

Guilty Pleasure

One of my guilty pleasures is the dollar bin at Micheal's!  They really do have the cutest stuff for just a $1.  If you need party favors or a little something extra to add to a gift this is a great place to find it!

 

 I purchased these note cards in orange and blue.

 

These would be cute at Easter at each place setting filled with jelly beans.

I would tie one of these on a gift.

Everyone can use extra ribbons.

I have been obsessed with notebooks since I was like 3. What did I buy every time I went to the Hello Kitty store...a notebook.  So of course I grab a couple of these.  They are the perfect size to carry in your purse.

I also bought a sparkly C to go in my new closet.

Closet Progress

We turned what used to be the "pink side" of the master bathroom into a closet for me.

The closet before... as a bathroom.

 

 

This is what it has looked like for the past 11 months.  It was pretty useless aside from the dresser.

We took a quick trip to IKEA with the intention of just getting two Billy bookcases. Once we got there I was overwhelmed by all the options of storage they have.  I ended up with the PAX frames which go all the way to the ceiling and are two inches deeper the the Billy bookcase would have been.  I also got the inserts that fit inside.

 

Here is the closet after...

 I placed a PAX frame with an insert on each side of the existing dresser.  For nowI left the dresser as is but would like to paint it a more neutral color when I run out of things to do.

I am so glad I got the inserts!  They are perfect for shoes, purses, and jewelry.

 

 

On the back side of each wall I have two hanging shelves for clothes.  I am sad to say that I still take up the other closet in our master bedroom but at least that is better then having clothes scattered in four closets through out the house...

So glad to finally be utilizing this space!

Checking In

 I am alive I promise!  We have just been busy busy busy!  New posts soon.

Happy Monday!

Charleston

We took a quick trip to Charleston with the family over Christmas break.

The boys enjoyed touring the USS Yorktown while the girls shopped.

We made a stop at Charles Towne Landing, the birth place of South Carolina.  Although it was freezing cold the day we visited, we all enjoyed walking along the trails and learning about the first settlers.

700 year old live oak.

The park has a small zoo that houses animals native to the area.  This buffalo was huge!

One day we had lunch at Poe's Taveran on Sullivan Island.  The tavern is named after Edgar Allen Poe who  lived on Sullivan's island for 13 months while in the army. 

Best burger!  They grind fresh beef every morning for their burgers.

I would definitely recommend stopping by Sullivan's Island ( about 10 min from downtown Charleston) to eat at Poe's Tavern.  The atmosphere is unique, the food is great, and there is plenty of outdoor seating which is always a plus.

We spent alot of time downtown shopping and wondering the steets looking at all the wonderful old homes.

Loved the Savannah Bee Company.

Of course we had to stop in Anthropologie since the closets one we have is in ATL.  Their props and displays are always so cute.  I love these cakes and cupcakes made of carboard.  This would be a great for little girls who like playing "tea party."

We started off our last day in Charleston with a carriage ride.  This is not a cheap activity but so worth it.

The carriage tour is about a hour long and takes you through the historic district.

On our last day we continued to explore downtown.

Christopher taking it easy

We also toured the Calhoun house.  This tour was terrible.  The house is filled (every table is full of 50 vases, the walls are fill of animal heads and paintings, and there is furniture in every nook and cranny) with goddy  ornate antiques.  Our tour guide spoke more about the antiques that are not even original to the house more then he did about the actual history of the home.  Save your money and enjoy the gardens outside.  They are the only thing worth seeing.  Here are a couple pictures of the homes gardens.

Our last meal was at Magnolias on East Bay Street.  It was delish!

If you have not been to Charleston you should go!