Early 2012 Randomness

1. Happy MLK Day! Hope some of you were able to enjoy a day off. I was not that lucky. So, take a nap and watch the DVR some for me, please.

2. The house is coming together. Finally. I feel like M and I have been spinning our wheels getting it painted, things hung up, and things where we want them. It truely is exhausting. Not to mention you throw in a 40 hour work week, about 4 hours of part time work a week, at least 3 hours of boot camp a week, and then sleeping…yeah…time is in high demand these days. Which means we have been running like crazy on the weekends. BUT, I do see a light at the end of the tunnel. Pictures to come at a later date. Promise!

3. Speaking of paint, I’ve had 3 different swatches on my bedroom wall for about 3 weeks now. After much debate, I decided I was looking in the completely wrong color scale and decided to go way more….purple. Here is the color chip from the Home Depot website. It’s called Vintage Mauve. It’s rich and pretty…looks great with my new white furniture. I currently have 2 walls done. Planning to finish up the other two 2 on Tuesday. The parents are coming to visit Saturday. I’m hoping my Dad will hang my new mirror and my curtain rod for me. PLEASE, Dad???

3. I’ve added quite a few pairs of shoes to my collection here recently. I have a love/hate relationship with shoes. I LOVE shoes but  I hate shelling out the dough for them. But when it’s time, it’s time. I really needed a new pair of non-working out tennis shoes. The pair I’ve been wearing were bought on clearance when I as in college. So, yeah. It was time. So, I got these from Zappos.com for only $50 with free shipping! I highly reccommend Zappos, by the way. Great website & company!

I also got these little beauties from Off Broadway for a super good deal. I figured it was time to add some cowgirl boots to the collection. They are not REAL boots but more like fashion boots. I figure if I wear these out, I’ll splurge on the real thing at some point.

Then while browsing through Old Navy Friday after work, I saw these cuties and got them because they were marked down from $37 to $9. And they are fuzzy and warm on the inside. Love them A LOT.

5. The pugs are starting to do this funny bonding thing. You may remember when I first got Penny last summer, Bogart wasn’t too excited about having an annoying little sister. But slowly but surely, she has started to grow on him. She wants to be next him ALL. THE. TIME. It’s so cute. But he isn’t too interested in being near her. At all, really. UNLESS…they are chewing on a bone/toy. Then for some reason, it’s like he doesn’t mind her being next to him all of a sudden. These moments are few and far between but I have actually been able to catch it on film 3 times.

Exibit A:

Exibit B:

Exibit C:

I apologize for the awful quality of the photos but these moments are fleeting and the phone camera is usually all thats available. Love these 2. These little moments give me hope that they will be best of buds some day. One can dream, right?

6. Not to skip around a lot but I forgot to mention this earleir. I’m putting together a white frame collage on one of my walls with some photos and prints. I came accross this print the other day and I LOVE IT. It reminds me of my childhood. I’m sure my Mom will know exactly where it’s from but if you can name it, you get 5 cool points!

So Long 2011 – Hello There 2012!

It ALWAYS amazes me how quickly the year goes by. I think that’s a getting older thing. One that I’m not too crazy about. But when I think back on 2011, I think about so many things. Well, just looking thr0ugh my blog archives, I’m completely shocked how much has happened in the past 365 days.

Since it’s the 5th already and the month is passing us by, I’ll spare ya the photo recap this year and just name off a few important moments for 2011 for me…

Moving at New Years.
Snow storm = 2 snow days off from work.
Lots of decorating & DIY.
Did lots of cooking.
Caught the flu.
Had my wisdom teeth taken out.
Took a trip to Charleston, SC to “run” the Cooper River Bridge yet again.
Attempted to grow things. It didn’t work.
Got a part time job.
Started going to boot camp.
I got in my car accident.
Spent 4 lovely days at the beach.
Got a new car.
Spend a week in Gatlinburg with the family.
Went white water rafting.
Became obsessed with Pinterest.
I adopeted Penny and became a multi-pug owner.
Celebrated my 27th birthday.
Girls trip to Melissa’s beach house!
Became the owner of my very first Kate Spade bag.
Helped Mert raise money for the Avon Walk.
Ryder had his heart surgery and is now thriving with how whole heart (yay!)
My good firend Brooke found out she was pregnant!
Penny had her surgery.
Found out we were going to have to move at New Years AGAIN.
Supported The Mammary Clan as they walked in the
Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.
Made the Pugs wear their Halloween Ccostumes.
Went to a Panthers game with Melissa for her birthday!
Saw the Rockettes the day before Thanksgiving.
Spent time with friends and family for Thanksgiving.
Ryder’s 1 year birthday party!
Made lots of goodies and DIY Christmas projects.
Mert bought her new house!
Packe dup and Moved the day before going to home for Christmas.
Spent time with friends and family for Christmas.

Sprinkle in some trips to Durham and that was my 2011.

Lots planned for 2012. Hope it’s a great year.

 

Dejavu and My New Room

Well, it’s the last two weeks of the year and I feel like I’m at that exact place of panic I was a year ago. Packing. Working. Going out of town for Christmas. Packing. Working. Moving. Packing. Cleaning. It’s like a bad version of Ground Hog Day. Actually, that movie can’t get much worse.

So while I’m busy being all “Bah-Hum-Bug”, I do have big plans for my new room. Here’s what I have so far…

To make a long story short, the furniture I had was borrowed from a friend for many years. Now that I am out of college and can afford some new pieces, I have decided to return them to her and get my own things after the move. Which means, living out of some boxes and bags for a few weeks. Small price to pay for not having to move furniture twice, right? So, no biggy.

So, with the the new furniture, I have all kinds of ideas for my room including my bed, drapes, and some wall art along with picking a paint color (coming in a later post).

This dresser from IKEA has been calling my name for some time now. I’m planning to answer the call with my Christmas money in hand the first week of 2012!And then I think I might get this little guy which can double as basket storage and a TV stand.

As for my bed, I love the frame I have. But, I think I might go with a softer look and to match my new furniture and do a little DIY padded headboard slip cover project made from a drop cloth that will look a little like this when I’m done. I won’t be using that DIY necessarily because I do want to keep my headboard in good condition underneath incase I ever feel like switching it up.

In my new room, I will also have a larger window which I plan to get some sun-blocking curtains for. I found this idea on Pinterest and I am smitten. To reflect the drop cloth headboard, I think I might paint some white stripes on 2 drop cloths and create curtians for either side of my window…

I’ve been eyeing this new duvet from Target for a while now.

That’s all I have for now. I’ll keep you guys updated.

And if I get too busy to blog later this week, I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New years!!

The Annual Pug Christmas Card

Today I’m linking up with Walk With Me By Faith and her
Christmas Card Carousel.

After an afternoon of chasing the dogs around, taking probably 100 shots with only about 7 worth looking at, I finally began the search for a Christmas card on Shutterfly. After much debate I went with the following card.
I decided simple and traditional was best.

   

BUT…if I had it to do over again, I would have sent this one out…

I’ll give you ONE guess as to who’s the naughty one…

Merry Christmas from The Pugs & I

Lack of Spirit

I know, what a Grinch-like title, right? But it’s true. I’ve been having trouble getting into the yule tide spirit this year. I’ve listened to Christmas music non stop, baked goodies for friends and family, and I even did a little shopping. But without a Christmas tree, it just doesn’t seem complete. As silly as it sounds, that little piece of the season makes a big difference to me…apparently.

With the impending move we (Mert and I) will be making this month, going all out and dragging my 2 huge boxes of Christmas decore out seemed like a pointless effort. We are currently waiting to hear when the official closing date is going to be on the house she is buying and we are hoping that it will be sooner rather than later. But who knows. It occurred to me today that maybe putting the tree up will cause the closing date to come quicker! It’s a theory I have.

What do you guys think? Tree or no tree?

But as I’m catching up on all my blogs this morning, I’m reminded just how good I have it as I read about my friends over seas who were lucky to find a “christmas tree” like potted plant for them to put some ribbon on it decorate. So, I guess my sad little pitty part I’ve been having for myself is really quite in vain. Christmas isn’t about the decorations or the “feeling” we get during the month of December. It’s about Him. And to me, that’s the key to getting in the spirit.

So, time to refocus and get out of my funk. Thanks for the reality check, blogosphere.

Gobble Gobble

Just wanted to drop by to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

Whether you are heading out of town to see family, or sticking close by. Whether you are goign to be celebrating with a bird or with a bird substitute. Whether you are watching the parade or watching the back of your eye lids. Whether you are spending it in America or in foreign lands. 
I wish everyone a happy and thankful holiday.

As for me, I’m headed to see the rents today. I’ll be going to see The Rockettes tonight, turkey tomorrow, Muppet Movie at some point, a haircut, some coffee date(s) and lots of R&R. Well as much as you can when taking 2 dogs with you to a house where there are already 2 dogs. Should be good times! Dog Palooza will ensue in t-minus 6 hours.

As for traveling, Miss Penn has graduated from riding in her carrier to being strapped in to a big girl harness…check her out!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

The Great Christmas Card Debacle

Well, it’s mid-November. Time for everyone to start thinking about the big question everyone deals with this time of year…do we send a Christmas card? Or do we skip that whole tradition this year?

With so many Christmas card options these days, it’s hard to skip it. I mean, you can create your own, take professional family photos, spend hours on Shutterfly creating them only to spend a small fortune to order them and get them sent. While it seems like such a hassle, this is one tradition I really love. I love the thought people put into the photo cards and I think it’s a great way to make someone smile. I mean, who doesn’t love getting that first Christmas card in the mail??

This really got me thinking lately of a way to keep all my Christmas cards each year. I mean, with all the thought and time, put into them, doesn’t it seem unfair to toss them after the new year? So I turned to Pinterest (of course) for some neat ways to display and keep them…

Running ribbon across your cabinets and pinning with clothespins via here

A similar approach which I thought was cute via here

An old picture frame turned DIY card holder via here

But my all time favorite is this idea which I am going to be doing myself using silver paint on the pins and red ribbon…

via here

And as for keeping the cards for years to come, I found this nifty idea. Create books and use them for your coffee table or entry way tables. Watch people’s kids, families, and puppies grow each year

 

via here

Such a good idea. Why didn’t I think of that?

As for my Christmas cards, they have been ordered and actually received today in the mail. This year both pugs will be making appearances. I’m dying to show how they turned out but for now, I leave you with this shot of Penny. Let’s just say it wasn’t that tough to pick a shot for the card as there were very few clear ones to choose from…

Let’s hope next year she is a little calmer so I can have my favorite pug photographer help me out with my Christmas cheer

30 Days of Thanks

2 days in a row! I know, I’m shocked too…

So, some of  you may have heard about the “30 Days of Thanks” Project but if not, it’s basically a challenge to genuinly give thanks all 30 days of November. I read about it last year halfway through the month and thought what a cool thing to try and focus on for the month of November. We should be thankful all year long but the 30 days of November is a great time to practice having a thankful heart and to get into the routine of being thankful for things we don’t always think of. I know I’m guilty of being thankful for the normal things but there are so many other blessings I should be focusing on daily.

I know I’m a day late but I wanted to jump on the wagon as quickly as possible! I’ll be doubly thankful today.

Here’s my list of things I’ll be focusing on for the next 30 days. I’m going to make some flip cards for my desk so I can flip each day and be reminded of what I should be focused on for the day. Feel free to make your own list and challenge yourself as well!

Day 1: My Home
Day 2: My Job
Day 3: My Pets
Day 4: My Vehicle
Day 5: My Health
Day 6: My Country
Day 7: My Independence
Day 8: My Talents
Day 9: My Education
Day 10: My Christian Upbringing
Day 11: Lessons learned the hard way
Day 12: Clean water anytime I want/need it
Day 13: The freedom to chose who I worship
Day 14: Beautiful scenery normally taken for granted
Day 15: Change – in people and in situations
Day 16: Unconditional love
Day 17: Opportunities to be lights unto the world
Day 18: Unanswered prayers
Day 19: Blessings in disguise
Day 20: Undeniable evidence of Jesus Christ
Day 21: Missions – those who serve and the ability to serve
Day 22: New Life – all the babies who have been, will be, and are yet to be born!
Day 23: Parents who loved me enough to give me every chance possible
Day 24: A loving family with deep roots who make me who I am
Day 25: Friends who are there through thick and thin
Day 26: My future Mr.
Day 27: My future children
Day 28: The future of our country
Day 29: My salvation in the Lord
Day 30: My future in heaven with Him

Tricks or Treats!!

Hello again! Making my return to the the ole blog today. What a whirlwind month. I feel like I blinked and it was over. Halloween has come and gone and of course i dressed up the pugs. What’s the fun of having dogs if you can’t humilate them once a year with halloween costumes?

Here is Penny as a Bat and Bogart as a Hot Dog. I wish I had gotten a better, non vampire eyes picture but this is as good as it was going to get this year. You have no idea how many treats it took to make this picture happen.

Here’s a close up of Miss Penny in her bat wings I made ala Martha Stewart!

Some black felt, black thread, some black elastic, and 6 hours later and I had a Bat Pug! She was cute for the .5 seconds she didn’t spin in circles trying to get it off. Maybe she will tollerate it longer next year.

Other than Halloween, some other exciting stuff has happened the past few weeks. For one, The Mammary Clan finished their 39.3 mile walk for Breast Cancer! Here they are at mile 15 where we mewt them at the cheering station…

You like my Dollar Tree poster? I made it at the last second. Oh, and pay no attention to my halo…it tends to pop up in pictures from time to time. So embarassing.

Here they are at the very end on Sunday crossing the finish line! Yay!

Sore and tired but they crossed together! So happy for them!

Last weekend I got to go to a Panther’s game. It was super fun! Here’s the lone pic I took.

I’ll be heading to the Panthers vs. Titans game in a few weeks with Melissa and I can’t wait!! It’s going ot be TONS-O-FUN!

Hmm…what else can I update you on? Oh, Penny’s surgery went well. Here’s her pic post surgery while she was all doped up…

The next day, it was like nothing even happened. She was back to her old self again. Trying to keep a puppy from being “active” for 7 days is impossible. She was leaping off the couch and running around like crazy the very next day. I gave up.

Oh, also, we found out that we have to move…again. I know. You guys are probably sick of hearing me tell you about how I move practically every year. Well, this time it is not our fault! The owner of our lovely little townhouse is wanting to move back into his house in January. Therefore, we have 2 months to figure something out. We are looking into options right now and should have a plan here soon. Yay us. So, keep us in your prayers that something pans out!

So glad to be back blogging again! Missed you guys!

Big Blessings in Little Packages

Look! I’m blogging!! I know, please try to pick your jaws up off the floor. I apologize for the very long hiadus. It’s been a crazy month. Lots of traveling and working. Which is really no excuse for neglecting this little blog but it’s the truth. Scout’s honor. But I had an extra hour today so I figured, what the heck, why don’t I update you guys on what’s been going on.

Well, first off, thank you so much to those of you who dontated to Meredith’s Avon Walk. With your help and a few fundraisers, she has raised her $1800 goal and is headed for that 39 mile walk in 2 weeks! So, thanks so much for your support!!

In other news, Jason & Charity who are currently living in Slovakia doing mission work, just welcomed a bouncing baby girl into the world on Oct. 24th! Elise Noelle Palmer made her debut and we are all so excited that she is here! I was able to send over a few goodies with the aunt and uncle (thanks Marianne & Nathan!) when they went to visit recently. I can’t wait to watch her grow in pictures and through their blog. Hope you don’t mind but I swiped this adorable pick from your blog, Palmer Ponderings. She is such a cutie! What a sweet family! Congrats, Palmers!!

In other news, my dear friend Erin’s little boy Ryder is now the proud owner of a patched heart! He had his heart surgery on Oct. 3 to fix a hole he had in his heart which he was born with. I was able to be at the hospital with the family and some other firends to support Erin and Tate as they waited for their little one to come out of surgery. In about 3 hours, he was in and out of surgery with a fully functioning heart. We are so thankful and excited that Ryder is well on his way to being a totally normal little boy. Here’s some pictures Erin had made of this handsome little guy. Is he not a stud??

In other news, while I was home for little man’s surgery, I was able to squeeze in some coffee with the lovely Brooke. While we were sipping our coffee, she decided to let me in on a little secret…she’s expecting!! I was so excited for her and her husband, Kevin!! Only catch was, I couldn’t tell anyone for a whole week. But she announced it via facebook and the blog last night so I figured I was in the clear. I also swiped this one form their little blog. So excited for you, Brookie and Kev!! You guys are going to be AWESOME parents! Can’t wait to meet Baby Blalock!!

And since we are on the subject of babies, my little miss Penny is 6 months old today! I can’t believe she’s already that big. Seems like yesterday she was this tiny 3 lb. puppy. To “celebrate”, she is having her girly surgery on Friday. Yikes! She has no idea it’s coming. Poor thing. Let’s hope it helps settle her down some! Homegirl is CRA-ZY. Raging horemones. Does it to ya every time.

I’m loving all these big blessings in little packages lately!

And let’s hope I can continue this blogging thing more regularly!