Plan B Happy

monday

2010-11-15T17:52:00.000-08:00

thinking of switching things up a bit....

there is nothing wrong with that! I like to write, but I can't commit to writing about just one thing. I'm craving freedom!

or direction. whatevs.

time to think about getting back on the bike!

wordz

Wha?

2010-09-02T13:11:00.000-07:00

I JUST NOW found the STATS button on this blog (yea, i know) and naturally, the numbers are respectably low - I haven't much mind blowing stuff to say - Do you see this? 3 views from Russia?! COOL!

Russia 3
Canada 2
China 1
Germany 1
Denmark 1
United Kingdom 1

*giggling at my desk and everyone is staring*

Oh goodness!

crock pot, pot crock & college pays off

2010-09-02T12:57:00.000-07:00

My chicken cordon bleu a la Crock Pot didn't pan out EXACTLY as I planned, but It still turned out very tasty as a "stoup" with some buttered bread on the side.

The crock was a marvelous stroke of planning, as after I paid our bills, I was in no mood to either cook OR spend money!

Tonight I had planned salmon burgers, but they may get bumped (its in the plan!) for an impromptu dinner with mi madre.

Unrelated, I was tickled pink today when I was tagged to pen a press release at work. Why? Well, I'm just so pleased I actually got to do something that I *GASP* LEARNED IN COLLEGE! Pulitzer Prize winning press release? Hardly. But i just can't help reading it over and over to myself and smiling :)

Also, is it odd that I am mostly so excited for this weekend - not for the 3-days-longyness of it, rather for the fact I will finally select the perfect shade of pale celery green in which to paint my home office walls.

domesticality suits me, thank god. i made that word up, sorry dictionary, you snooze you loose.

cook to love

2010-09-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

Day 2 went fantastically well! The recipe was Delicious and it easily made enough for 3 more meals, so I froze half to replace the standard "heat-a-bag" dinner's I cook when I have a case of the Mondays.

Speaking of, There are usually one or two nights when i come home a little deflated and feel the urge to eat out or just stuff my face with goldfish and cheese slices in lieu of a real meal. But this plan seems to be helping to curve that urge to slack. I found myself excited to cook all day, and was really enjoying just breezing around my kitchen while spencer was at band practice, sipping red wine and talking to my dog.

When I had finished, I had a real sense of accomplishment. I felt darn proud to have so effortlessly whipped up a healthy meal for me and my betrothed. Not to mention I still found time to prepare the crock pot dinner that has been brewing for us while at work today. Crock Pot meals are seriously the best. I can relax a little when I get home, address the stack of bills growing on my desk top and still have a home cooked and fuss-free dinner for my little family!

So, make yourself some turkey & artichoke stuffed shells and bask in the glow of your happy tummy!

Cooking/Saving Challenge Day 1

2010-08-31T11:08:00.000-07:00

Hmmm, this project could sure use a snappier name...I'll work on that.

I noticed some minimal saving at the grocery store yesterday. Nothing to write home about - maybe $30 or so. It did seem I had less items then usual...it is yet to be decided if this is a good thing. get yourself one of these:

Not only is this list incredibly darling-it has become a neccesary tool in my shopping procedures. I buy them by the box.

As planned I made some easy grilled sausage, super sautted onions and banana peppers and a new rosemary potato recipe I found on Cook, Eat, Share (which is sort of my new obsession)Everything turned out swell, but I was leftover with a new roadbump in my little experiment.

Leftovers. See how I did that? I already had a leftover casserole from saturday and some meatloaf my dad had brought over. Now, I have a caboodle's worth of sauteed veggies, and am anticipating a hefty run over of stuffed shells tonight. I mean, spencer is an impressive machine when it comes to eating. His plates are stacked tall, REAL TALL. My dad has always said he loves to watch my husband eat in utter disbelief and amazement. But he won't bring anything he needs to reheat to work with him the next day. Is that crazy or what? He says he doesn't like to use the work microwave. ??? no given reason, he just doesn't. So his loss is my (weight) gain.

Don't get me wrong, I would much prefer to make my co-workers jealous over a nuked do-over meal then a marie calanders steamer any day. i just don't know if I can keep up! I'm hoping this doesn't effect my bottom line - whatever it may be.

I better start inviting people over for dinner. what are your feelings on leftovers? Delicious Redux or Tired tastebuds?

Cut a littlle off the top

2010-08-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

Oh boy, I wish I was a savvy coupon shopper! I save them, even cut them out sometimes but ultimetly ALWAYS forget to bring them along with me...

I just read a blog post where this woman spends on average $40 a week on groceries for her and her husband. GAH! I do my best, but that puts me to absolute shame! Is she serving canned soup and grilled cheese sammies (which actually sounds positively delish right now)?!

Spencer and I were invited over for dinner last week and I noticed a "dinner list" on Anika's fridge. She had every meal planned out. Can I do that? I am so ruled by my minute-to-minute emotions, I'm unsure if I can stick to a plan, but by golly I'm gonna give it a shot. And even if no one reads this bloggie blog, posting decrees such as this out in public often solidify my determination to complete the assignment. So here goes:

Monday: grilled sausage & corn. creamy red bliss potatoes
Tuesday: Turkey & artichoke stuff'd shells & salads
Wednesday: Slow cooker chicken cordon bleu & zucchini pie (yes, again)
Thursday: salmon burgers & garden cous cous
Friday: asian lettuce wraps & corn chowda

Will I save money? If we are invited over somewhere, we'll bump a meal to the weekend, I suppose.

On a succesful note - I did manage to pick up about 80% of my produce from the truck guy I just found. Farmers markets are swell - if you can take off a thursday afternoon just to go shopping...

wish me luck! any grocery saving tips out there?

cook, eat, repeat

2010-08-11T06:31:00.000-07:00

I'm eventually posting a recipe today. Spencer mocked my dreams of a zucchini pie - and then literally ate his words as he gobbled bite after bite. I'll preface this by stating: I am NOT a cook. but i love cooking. and praise.

I didn't grow up "surrounded by great cooks". My cooks were good, but lacked that passion and joy for cooking that warrants "greatness". So I grew up making mac n' cheese, microwaved butter balls and pb & j sammies. When I first moved into my own apartment i was poor and busy spending what money I did have on drinking and dancing. So my go-to-recipes included jim beam and ginger ales and cheese steak subs to-go (oh metabolism, i miss you so much!)

The time came when Spencer and I moved in together and the domestic bug started biting. We also lived with his sister, who was a very good cook. Rachael Ray was my first real teacher. Her recipes weren't complicated and didn't require foreign techniques or ingredients. And she "eyeballed" it, which is the 2nd reason I don't measure things while cooking. (the first being - why dirty up something else to clean?) As i grew as a home cook, my appreciation for delicious food developed as well. Now, I'll eat anything and I find a simple joy in whipping up something awesome for my friends and family.

This recipe is a combination of 3 recipes I found here, there and everywhere.

savory summer squash pie

1 frozen pie crust (or make your own if you are insane and haven't ever seen an episode of "semi homemade")
2-3 good sized zucchini
1 cup(ish) ricotta cheese
1 cup(ish) shredded cheese (I used mozz, but i imagine a combo of cheeses would be cool - parm, Gruyere - get crazy - just keep it at a cup)
Half of a sweet onion all chopped up (or maybe a shallot? oh! or some scallion?!)
1 egg
some Olive oil
some garlic
parsley

Get your oven ready at 400 F. toss some garlic into that olive oil and let it sit and get all gorgeous. Slice that zucchini, toss some salt on it and let it soak up all that sodiYum while you mix the cheese.

mix the ricotta, egg, onion, most of the cheese and some parsley together. Take the remainder of the shredded cheese and press it into the bottom of the pie crust. YUM.

toss the garlic oil with the zucchini slices.

then layer! ricotta mix first, then zucchini slices, then ricotta, then zucchini. i sprinkled some salt & pepper over each zucchini layer and topped the whole kitten kaboodle with some more cheese. Cover that bad boy with some foil and get to cookin'

30 minutes later take the foil off until it browns.

Now wait for it. Let her sit for a few minutes to set or you'll have a delicious, but messy pie slice on your hands!

i wish i had made 2 so i could have some leftovers for lunch today!

WOW

2010-08-10T06:43:00.001-07:00

My face here pretty much reflects how i felt on my wedding day. wow. like, W-O-W style wow. like, wow-a-palooza.

It wasn't as though i was surprised to see my friends and family there - heck I invited 'em, hand addressed every single envelope in fact during a routine tuesday marathon of Law & Order SVU. When I turned the corner it felt like I had been hit in the face with pure love and joy. a feeling of being in the exactly right place at the exactly right time- which has got to be one of the rarest feelings on the planet. prior to this day, my happy place was imagining a pug puppy in a bow tie and top hat. now its this. this sur/real moment in my life.

So on tough days; at work, in my marriage, with my family, when the dog yanks me down the stairs in the morning - i'm fortunate to have this little memory to escape to. all my nerve endings get tingly just thinking about it.

where is your happy place?

STOP what you are doing

2010-08-06T13:39:00.000-07:00

And read this post from a practical wedding.

choosing metaphor of total correctness

Oh boy. Call your momma

why hello,

2010-08-06T06:06:00.000-07:00

I'm aliiiive!

and frankly kind of surprised Im still allowed to post things on my page. apparently it is permissible to disappear into the real and then return.

and im still reading blogs even though im not posting my own. That is a very surprising gift I received at the tail end of this wedding planning awesome/nonsense. I had never really read any blogs. they were for nerds.

but i knew i was a nerd, so am i really surprised? blog reading has become a part of my routine now. and i am so thankful I get to laugh and cry with complete strangers. people i oddly care about without ever having met or spoken or written to.

John & Sherry (and Clara) might be the coolest people. I am running a few years behind them in regards to marriage, house - gulp- kids. Their blog gives me inspiration to keep going with a smile on my face and tackle on the crazy projects I dream up without fear or dread. everything will turn out fabulous

Nakiya is a funny, upbeat, unpretentious foodie ( yes. possible.). I go to her to day dream about food before (or after) my lunch break and anytime I need to get the DL on a local restaurant. Or when I want to try and win free stuff.

Katie thinks up the most fantastic party ideas and generally lives her life with a bubbly sarcasm i could just gulp down. She loves her family so much and it is so obvious and delightful.

Sarah is so young and excited about the mundane things life has to offer. Her blog is a refreshing reminder that finding the fun is easy, and worth it. and keep dreaming.

and Meg. oh meg - her blog has become my inspirational quote of the day calender. And her musings and reflections and wtf?!'s mean more now after my wedding and in my marriage than they did before. she just gets it...why can't everybody get it?!

And more than that, these lovely ladies have introduced me to a slew of hysterical and meaningful blogs I dabble in from time to time or am just discovering. Oh if there were more hours in a day...

married with kittens

pioneer woman

catalog living

THANK YOU!!

A post-wedding "what's up"

2010-06-09T11:23:00.000-07:00

Ahhh. its over. Months - nay - YEARS of planning has finally come to an end. And our final product was a wedding day so perfect we can hardly believe our luck. To have so much love and support thrown in your direction at one time is blissfully overwhelming - and the perfect kick off to a marriage.

'Cause lemme tell you...I had fun planning and being engaged and all, but being married is waaaay more awesome then anyone lets on. I feel like spencer and I shall this little secret with eachother that makes everything cooler- and more fun.

The picture above is of me at one of my most bridal moments. Spencer is working his way towards the cake table and Im antsy to get to the cuttin' of cake and get back to the cuttin' a rug. But the dress looks fab, doesn't it? and the cake...yum...

So now i get my life back. Actually I am sort of getting a new and improved life. I transition from my current job to my new job this week and with that comes the shiny 9-5 scheduled i dreamt about all through college and this past year. With a settle routine in place I'm hoping to carve time for all the fun projects I've put on hold.

Once i catch up on my sleep....

A life led through magazines

2010-06-08T08:54:00.000-07:00

I am a magazine junkie. Something about those glossy, fluffy throw away booklets conjures up joy and relaxation in my soul. So, naturally every time I visit the grocery store I allow myself a few minutes to browse thru the racks and make the perfect selection. The mags I gravitate to seem to reflect where I am in my life (hour, day, year, whatever) Today I was torn between Real Simple (organizational techniques for every personality!) and Sophisticated Hairstyles (looking for a new wifey/i got a 9-5 now coif). While I eventually caved and got a copy of OK!-there is no shame in that-I returned to a thought I've had many times over. A reflection on my life lived through magazines.

It all started with Highlights. Bright and cheery pictures, light stories in BIG print and a fabulous picture search game in every issue. I was growing and learning and Highlights was my perfect match, I can remember dreaming I would be a Highlights contributor one day. Ah, the simple life...

Next came a brief - but passionate - relationship with Teen Bop. If there were articles in that magazine I surely don't remember. I was all about glossy pull-out posters of Joey MacIntyre. My first crush. I put my Highlights editor-in-chief dreams aside to quietly pursue a relationship with a boy who wore topless top hats.

High School days came and I remember feeling very adult. Very grown up and craving womanly knowledge. I read Glamour and Cosmo by the pool everyday that summer. Also know as: The Tan Summer. My mags were well worn and stained with tanning oil. My best friend and I would read the horror stories aloud to one another and pass the magazines back and forth - vowing to apply the sex tips we had just learned...once we had a sex life. Looking back it was probably the only time a magazine became a social tool, a necessary accessory. Hmm...maybe THAT was the simple life...

After high school, i took myself much more seriously. I decided that Cosmo and other similar mags made women look like silly, boy crazy airheads more concerned with mastering the art of fellatio than become the first female president. I was at a loss..where would I go from here? I played around with newspapers for a while, but their complicated folds and smudgy print took all the fun out of it. An old roommate had a copy of a magazine I had long scoffed for being 98% advertisement. It was love at first read. My new accessory, new obsession. I had found VOGUE.

Now, VOGUE deserves to be in all caps. It's an institution, a planet, and state of mind. I kept every months magazine (and still have them) for 2 years straight because I was convinced they were historical property. And I imagined a great granddaughter of mine one day uncovering them and thanking me through the ages that I'd had enough sense to save them. The articles discusses art, culture and politics in a sophisticated way. Holding a copy was like holding a ticket into a flashy and elite world I longed to live in. While we aren't as close as we use to be...I will always keep a place in my heart for VOGUE magazine.

< enter college life here > this means I was primarily reading textbooks and could only occasionally sneak in a gossip magazine now and again.

When I became engaged- you guessed it - for about a year straight I read every wedding magazine put on the shelf. It was great at first. I was finally allowed to read them now that I was one of the engaged people. the blessed. ha! But after the honeymoon period (with the magazines-not my husband) ended I found I was ready to move on. They really all say the same things over and over. Plus, once I decided to forgo a "traditional" wedding, reading them just made me second guess myself and drove me a little craz(ier)y.

Thankfully we bought a new house around that time so I immersed myself in home design mags. Eh. It was more frustrating than anything. Can't somebody publish a glossy HD mag that doesn't require me to have unlimited funds?!

So now I a married woman. I still love VOGUE and OK! and People and yada yada but today I was looking at A LIFESTYLE magazine for the organization article. So as a part-time magazine anthropologist I'd have to declare - Im a little bit of a grown up. Whats next for me? TIME? Travel? The New Yorker? Fit Pregnancy?

I'll see you in the aisles....

Wedding Preview

2010-03-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

Repeat after me: this isn't a wedding blog. this isn't a wedding blog.

But it IS my blog and I'M getting married. So *sometimes* this will be a wedding blog.

I'm awfully proud of our sort of untraditional, totally US community wedding. So I'm gonna brag a little and tell -you- (all 3) a little bit about it!

I love parties. I love hosting them and getting into the details and hearing my guests tell me how genius I am. So naturally I stressed a bit over what *our perfect wedding* would look like. Plan A-rent a museum, serve surf and turf, unlimited champagne and a guest appearance by Chromeo. Plan B- reality, oh there you are!

Reality=budget for those of you deciding which pair of YSL pumps to don today.

So we thought. ok, I thought. I'm a (over)thinker, and this wedding was no exception. But late one night I had a revelation. GUESS WHAT? it's 2010, ladies and Gentlemen...we can write our OWN RULES! so that's what I did.

We've rented out the boys & girls summer camp where Spencer and I met way back in '96 as junior campers. We're inviting guests to come early and play games (frisbee golf, boccee ball, kickball) or delight in arts & crafts. We'll say our vows about 7ft away from where I agreed to go out with this random boy I hardly new and will be my husband in 56 days. We'll drink margaritas by the trading post while Mr. Alfred Hams it up on the accordian. While we dine, a 50's mowtown cover band we love will serenade us. After we've danced and cut cake and gotten all sweaty, I'll change into my mother's old courthouse wedding dress and we'll make s'mores and have a sing-a-long till we pass out from joyous exhaustion. Everyone will stay at camp. We'll get together for waffles and mimosas in the morning and sneak in a volleyball game or two before we head out.

Oh yea. and the VIP's stay Friday night too for the rehesal diner. which, by the way, is cowboys and indians themed crab feast.

oh boy oh joy!

well hello sunshine!

2010-03-26T11:37:00.000-07:00

Not that it's very sunny here. but the trees are in bloom and look great against the stormy gray sky...and that's good enough!

I've been MIA. why? I lost some steam which is directly related to my current job-unhappiness. I'm workin' on it though. Also, big house projects have taken a back seat to crunch-time wedding planning. (a blog post about hanging a shelf in the bathroom seems about as uninteresting as it can get)

Spencer and I have been together for over 12 years and engaged for about 20 months. What can I say? we like to marinade. But with our wedding under 2 months away our dreams and inspirations have quickly catapulted into tangible goodies.

and oh boy its been fun checking stuff off the list! I spent about 5 hours with the gang over at "Law and Order SVU" hand addressing envelopes. The local liquor store had their big blow-out so we waited in multiple lines, argued over the importance of vodka-quality and $1000 bucks later strolled out with all our wedding weekend booze.

One of my favorite things has been creating our invitations. I'm non-traditional and DIY all the way. I'm also a huuuuge cheapskate. So I was BEYOND delighted when one of my besties KTScarlett and her graphic designer beau Z. offered to help me craft my invites. I am in love with them. I could stare all day long. I will post as soon as I can. Not only was it a blast working on it all together but they ended up gifting the invites as their wedding gift. enter tears of joy. Our "big day" has really become a community affair and it makes me so joyful. A family friend has offered to belt out German accordion classics during the cocktail hour, My first boss at a small bakery has gifted our wedding day pastries and cake and my almost sister in law plans on pouring stress sweat and tears into decorating it.

There are no words to describe how blessed we are. but I'll try. maybe tomorrow.

Crazy baby Shower

2010-03-02T11:20:00.000-08:00

why crazy? because it's for a fictional baby.

yeah.

It is common knowledge amongst my clan that spencer and I are avid Office fans. We have put staplers in Jello. We have purchased several bobble heads and even won a Dundee.

And as a result, we are quite excited for the Thursday's hour episode in which Jim and Pam Halpert give birth to THE OFFICE BABY.

If you are unaware (and that's ok!) Jim and Pam are the Romeo and Juliet of NBC prime time. Except they live in Scranton and they don't kill themselves. Aren't happy endings swell?

So, to celebrate, I'm indulging in my crazy and throwing a baby shower themed viewing party.

There will be games...
-pin the sperm on the egg
-guess the name
-guess the sex
-guess who says the babies name out loud first

There will be baby themed foods...
-rattle in Jello
-little tuna's (Jim's nickname is Big Tuna)
-sweet buns (in the oven)

and naturally I'll pick up some blue and pink balloons.

I just love being weird....

Dream kitchen: Where art thou?

2010-02-27T10:28:00.000-08:00

*uuuuuhmmmf*

it's Saturday. I'm working. I'd rather be crafting a headboard...

But, work = money = headboard supplies = headboard. so.

yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to come home from work and find P.May and my future in-laws had come over to install our tile-like stratamax in the kitchen to cover these vinyl tiles which drove me crazy because aside from not being my style at all, they were crooked and sloppily laid...

It looks great but...of coarse there's a but...now it makes me really want to spruce up my workable, but outdated kitchen.

Where do I start though? I have big plans for this little kitchen which include knocking down a wall or two, upgrading every appliance and getting new cabinets and counter top. That plan also includes a wait time of about 5 years...

It would be silly to get just new cabinets or just new counter tops now when we're planning a major redesign. So I need to perform a mini makeover. PROBLEM: I am having serious issues with my next step. I don't have a dream kitchen in mind, there are a lot of styles I like...

Before the purchase of this home I had fantasized about a Mediterranean style kitchen, like this:

Rich colors, dark wood, something that screamed: "people eat well here"

But, I also lean towards a more modern look as well, like this one from Young House Love:

I love LOVE the extreme tile work here and the punchy patterned towel that picks up the pace.

Then again, there is something ultra-cool and classic about this mostly-white beauty...

(Not to mention, I adore the french blue accents...)

Or, why not go with the flow and pick a fun, retro look, like this one from Amy's Blog:

Can you say, "sunny side up"?

The final contender is a more unique look. Something rarely seen outside the Internet, but definitely a growing trend:

So cool! These chalkboard painted walls are making a big splash, as far as I can tell, and I'm on board! How fun would it be to have an ever-changing wall!?!

They all look great, but somehow I think a "Modern-Mediterranean all-white retro kitchen with a chalkboard wall" doesn't translate into awesomness.

But that's down the road. Like, the Highway, or one of those long dirt roads that creep you out a little if you just watched "Texas Chainsaw Massacre". I don't have to worry about all that now, here are my current dilemmas:
1.) Paint the counter tops a'la DIY network BUT WHAT COLOR?!
2.) Find a temporary way to cover up that scenic tile back splash. Ideas include, but aren't limited to: Mounting a custom-cut-by-bria chalkboard painted wood board, cover it up with sticky tile or OTHER (help please)
3.) Counter tops...I don't mind the color really for now, but I'm open to repainting although that really doesn't sound fun...

So, if you read and split, lurk occasionally, or whatever...please give me your 2 cents NOW and help me formulate a fabulous PLAN B!

things we all do

2010-02-25T11:52:00.000-08:00

I've noticed a few trends among recent home buyers.

We always apologize. "Oh this is just such a mess" or "excuse the orange wall, we're repainting soon" or even apologizing for lack of furniture. HELLO! why do we do this? The whole planet knows that when you first move in, it takes time to go from zero to awesome...so why so many sorry's?

We agonize over paint. I know I had up to 10 color swatches on our living room, all of varying shades of beige, for nearly a week before deciding. So I sympathized when I saw this at BRAD's house:

The wall is yellow. There are 3 yellow paint swatches pinned to it. It has been this way for 6 months...

We ignore our gut instincts and lament over the perfect shade. Or we (me) impulsively nab a $5 gallon of whoops paint and do this:

Which brings me to another observation. We ALL make mistakes. The above guest room color was one of mine. BRAD's was ripping out his weird bedroom carpet before realizing how crucial it would be come his first vermont winter.

We delight in the details. I can't tell you how happy this light fixture made me...

even though I KNOW nobody else would give it a second look.

Finally. we love. we love hard. I love every squeaky floorboard, every muddy backyard ditch, every crazily wallpapered closet of our little home.

Do you notice any typical home dweller behavior?

Vermont

2010-02-24T15:44:00.000-08:00

Did you know that "Vermont" translates to "Green Mountains" in French...as in "Mont Verts"? I like it even more now...

But I could never live there. no way. Too much cold. and worse, too many people happy about blizzards and freezing temperatures. So while it is an oasis for many (my dear friend is a transformed man, i noticed about a 78% happiness increase) It is not for me in a permanent state.

But it was one hell of a visit. I laughed, I cried, I shivered in 3 layers under a quilt. I ate well. well enough to gleefully pack my SB#2 pounds back on. The maple creamy alone was worth it...

BRAD would kill me if he knew I was posting pictures of his house in an unclean state on the Internet. That won't stop me. What will instead is that I left my camera at home...

So they will come tomorrow. His house is a steeped roof home on 2 acres that began its life as a 3 season cabin. And its cold. There is a big wood burning stove front and center that works pretty well wit the design of the house, but without your own personal Jeeves keeping this stove full and steaming, we woke up most mornings too cold to muster the courage to make a run for it. I'm told it has central heat, but runs on propane, of which they have none. Had I known that I would have happily filled my suitcase to the brim.

2 "big" things happened while in VT.
1.) (this is sort of un-big) I miraculously found the perfect master bath accessories
2.) I made myself do something I really REALLY didn't want to do. And loved myself for it.

I hurled myself face first down a snowy AND STEEP mountain on two skinny planks of wood.

I think the french call it...Le Ski.

For the first 2 hours I hated it. I yelled at Spencer and threw my sticks...I'm sorry, I mean "poles", at him. I sat and pouted. I steamed angrily over lunch that no one was willing to take me far away from this terrible mountain. The last 2 hours is where I proved that "I'm the man". I could sit and wait, or try again. I rationalized that trying again would make the time pass faster and give me more ammunition later when I was accusing Spencer of trying to kill me. So I went to the top and cried my way down. "blubbered" is more accurate. Once safe, I skied my way over to the lift (hate that thing too) and tried again. and again. and again. By the end of the day I was still blubbering, but this time it was while hurtling towards certain death on a BLUE trail. (for non skiers, BLUE is A.K.A- "medium" fear and suffering)

I'm alive. And I'm the man. I hated it for sure, which is why I'm surprised to find myself willing to try again. Maybe this time NOT 3,000 feet up the steepest mountain in Vermont.

I was sure tickled pink to be home though. My first trip away from my baby, my moulin blanc. My glorious bed. My central heat. My big, hot shower.

Hmmm, that last sentence sounds more "lusty' than "lovey".

It felt wonderful to accomplish something I was soooo SOOOOOO terrified of. Spencer was proud of me too. And that also makes me feel wonderful.

The moral of this story has 2 parts. First, ALWAYS bring flannel to vermont. Second, put your big girl panties on and hurl down the mountain, whatever your mountain is. I promise...if you survive...you'll be your biggest fan!

snow bound

2010-02-19T12:40:00.000-08:00

Thankfully we experienced only minor damage from the past few snow storms to our lovely home. But the immobility really cramped my decorating spree. And as I vowed to back off Internet shopping for a while, I was left to think only and not act.

And you know what? I thought myself into a pit of over-caring. Snowbound, I searched the web (only looking!) for THE PERFECT bathroom set. I looked at so many, I finally gave up and haven't thought about it since.

It feels great. I was so obsessed with making our home instantly perfect I was missing out on how awesome it already is! The best part of all being that I get to share it with such a wonderful person.

My laptop is virus-free, but that doesn't mean you'll be hearing much from me this weekend. We're off on a mini-road trip to Chittenden, Vermont.

It will be the first time we'll visit the state and the occasion is to visit a dear old friend (and one of my best men). He and his partner just moved to Vermont and purchased their first home- A peaked roof log cabin surrounded by ferns.

When I get back I'll post about what another family is doing to transform their own personal paradise.

And I'll be trying to ski...or more accurately, trying to get out of skiing.

snow + bria = pout

where am i?

2010-02-16T15:06:00.000-08:00

I'll tell you.

I havent had a carb in 8 days
I havent had sugar in 8 days
I have a nasty computer virus which has me driving to a friends house to check email/pay bills
I popped a tire on a screw in the bank parking lot...$300 later I find out much more is wrong with ole Rosie
I hate my job
Im *this close* to booking our Costa Rican Honeymoon
I bought an after party wedding dress that looks just like my Mom's
I'm getting a garbage disposal today
Lily has an ear infection
I leave for Vermont in 4 days
I've lost 5 pounds

I miss my computer. I miss my blogs. I miss aol news.

I love the olympics...even curling makes me cry

I got a High School Musical balloon for valentines day and it was awesome

So thats where I am. The virus has effected my posting, so for all 3 of you reading this....I'm sorry. Hopefully I'll be back in action before you can do a triple sow cow.

or whatever.

20+ inches of snow, and I'm in South Beach

2010-02-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

HA! I wish!!! The correct wording is, "I'm on South Beach", as in: I'm on a diet.

I am 101 days from getting married. I shallowly vowed to myself I would be the hottest version of moi on May 22, 2010. I'm not gi-normous, but I quickly accumulate belly blub, and while I'm generally pretty ok with my size, I have no choice.

You see, I'm an idiot. and a masochist. I dove head first into the South Beach diet around this time last year with great success, shedding nearly 15 pounds in 2 weeks. I felt great, looked good and was ready to try on some wedding dresses! They always say you go in looking for one thing and end up falling for something totally different, and that was true for me. I fell in love with this little number:

(That's soooo not me!!)

We ordered it in my size and waited till October to see her again. I slowly weened myself off the diet and by then I had put the pounds back on. So my dress doesn't fit. shit. The only option is to cut the carbs once again and focus.

It's gonna be a loooong 101 days....

So this is day 2 of SBD#2. I'm optimistic, but it's tough with all this snow on the ground! Being snowed in begs for a constant fueling of hot chocolate, mac'n'cheese and bottles of red wine. The 1st 2 weeks are the toughest but garner the fastest results. No grains of any sort, no booze, no sugar (that includes fruit!)It's easier than you might think, but requires A LOT of thought. Which is a good thing. SBD#1 forced me to really take a look at my eating habits and think about what I was putting into my body instead of just grabbing something fast and tasty. I did a ton of prep work this weekend: having onion chopped and ready to go for quick omelette's, making big batches of tuna salad and baked chicken tenders. I'm setting myself up for success and as a result, our fridge is the fullest it's been since we moved in!! I'm praying it has the same effect as it did last time and I can breath easy....literally....in my gorg. gown.

I would recommend this diet to anyone, even the most diet-phobic. Yesterday I ate pretty well!
-spinach and feta omelet with turkey bacon
-some cottage cheese with TONS of salt and pepper
-a HUUUGE chef salad with bacon, cheese and chicken
-a bunch of pistachios as a snack
-lemon pepper halibut with oven roasted asparagus, broccoli and "surprise! south beach mashed potatoes" (which are mashed cauliflower with butter and milk...so good!)
-some almond mocha ricotta creme for desert

Ok, I had 2 bites of Spencer's ice cream...but it's no sugar added. so sue me!

Actually don't sue me, just wish me luck!

any diet success stories out there to share?

"giveaway" saves the day!

2010-02-03T14:16:00.000-08:00

As mentioned before, I've begun the search for bedroom decor (well, except furniture...we'll save that for when we can afford a matching set like the grown-ups do).

After much online/store searching I decided on this brown/white comforter set...

It's a steal from overstock and falls in that cozy space between sleek modern lines and organic feeling design. I imagined a lighter shade but stuck with chocolate for 2reasons: First, We have a dog, our Lily, and while she hardly sheds, she does love to get wet and muddy and jump anywhere she pleases. (my white micro-suede couch pillows can explain this dillema best) Secondly, because Spencer suggested it. And he doesn't get too too much say, so I thought: what the heck. Chocolate brown it is. (Blue was out, because I didn't want to gamble not matching the wall the bed rests against)

So we'll have this new bed-look which should pick up the white in the curtains nicely, all resting in a 2 hue room of dusty blue and soft beige. hmm...this is starting to sound like the rest of the house. So, inspired by 2 beloved poppy prints I picked up in Florence years ago, I'm going to try and interject some fun red into the design.

First Step: Locate some delicious throw pillows in a modern red floral print.
Failsauce.
I googled my heart out to no avail...what would I, glorious impatient Bria do?!?!

I went Blog-hunting and a new Fav saved the day!!
Sarah, from Dream in Domestic, is a college student writing a blog about all the things budding domestic goddesses "oooo" and "ahhhh" over. From recipe revamps to thrift store do-overs, I love checking in to be inspired and reminded how awesome daydreaming is!

Well, Sarah just happens to be posting her first giveaway for modern pillows from allmodern.com. I'm in! Whether I'm the lucky winner or not, this giveaway has directed me towards my perfect pillow...

The contest ends next Wednesday...I'm not sure if I can hold off until then, but I'll just have to! Go check out her blog NOW! and wish me luck!!!

PARIS: too much of a good thing?

2010-02-02T10:42:00.000-08:00

We've stumbled on a sort of "travel theme" here at "Moulin Blanc". Haha-a working name based on the white windmill crankin' outside, and a nod to our engagement night.

We have some Key West prints scattered in the hallway, some New York themed stuff going on in the bathroom, our favorite, sappy, travel pics hanging in our bedroom...and Paris...ah Paris.

Spencer and I punctuated our 6 week Parisian study abroad experience with a perfect engagement. We feel in love with the city (how could you not?!) and the life altering proposal makes this City of Lights even more endearing to us. So we have a penchant for things that take us back to that happy time in both our lives. Also, when you say you've been or are going to Paris, people take that as a cue to gift buying. You know, like, when you decide to start a small collection of snowmen, and then everybody you know starts sending a snow-community your way for every gift-giving holiday. you know. Nothing wrong with it, just a fact.

So most of our Parisian decor has found its way into our living/dining room. But it has me thinking...is it too much? Does it say: "Oh look at us, aren't we sooo cool? we've been to Paris, can't you tell?!" ??? YOU TELL ME
This baby hangs in the dining room, but you see it from the couches. It's a spot-in-Paris-not-the Eiffel-tower poster, so that's cool. And the blue matches our curtains perfectly, really joining the 2 rooms together.

This sweetie hangs above the TV. The frame is from Michael's and the pictures are different views of the Eiffel Tower taken by Spencer and I during our trip
(6 weeks, 6 shots)

And then some little touches. A pillow gifted from my mom and a leather photo book from little brother Shane that rests under the glass top coffee table...

So. In writing this I've answered my own question. You can never have enough of a good thing. Especially when it makes you happy. I look at this stuff and get transported back to that night...so blissfully and wildly in love, full of hope and promises. It reminds me to bring that feeling to our everyday life. Hmphf. Home decor for happiness. Now that's a good excuse to go shopping...

could it be? D-O-N-E ?!?!

2010-02-02T09:53:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, not the whole house! certainly not! We still have loads of empty space and some iffy paint choices to review...

But I had set out to decorate in stages, i.e.-take on one room at a time as not to overwhelm my brain or pocketbook. So #1 for me (for US, whatever...) was making our main living space-the living and dining room-look DONE. For the most part...I suspect I'll be adding little odds and ends as time passes.

So for now I'm pronouncing these rooms....blissfully done-ish...
Our Living room...BEFORE

and AFTER...

Our dining room BEFORE

and AFTER

Full shot BEFORE

You know what's next...

Ahhh...
We decided to hang the giant mirror we scored at scratch n dent above the couch after much discussion. I had scoured art.com for *the perfect* piece of giant artwork to no avail. I considered making my own art. I was iffy about the mirror because it would be reflecting our gigantor TV...ew. But then I realized it would also reflect our gigantor 96" window. And we already had it. I'm still on the fence about the brick wall decor. I grabbed the 2 N. Wyatt framed prints at Ross for an awesome $17 a pop (saw them on art.com for over $100 bucks each!!) I like them there, but I'm on the hunt for a tall, wide (but skinny!) table with a drawer to go under and then I'll probably hang 'em a little higher...we shall see.

So, long story done, I'm on to the next room(s). 1) finish the main bathroom and then work on the master bed/bath combo. After that...who knows? But I've got at least 3-5 business days (until my comfy new discounted comforter comes in) to sit and relax in my cozy living room!

from "dinner" to "dinner party"

2010-01-30T10:27:00.000-08:00

Well, our casual little soiree went quite well, I must say. The chicken roasting went succesful, and as usual, I've learned from my mistake and it will be perfect next time! The skin wasn't as crispy as I would of liked...you see, I took the instructions: "Brush lightly with butter" to the extreme. I rationalized that rubbing and stuffing the bird with an ENTIRE stick of real better would surely yield fantastic and delicious results. While true, it left me with soggy skin. It was easy and only half as gross as I thought.

So, I wanted to just share a few of my favorite finishing touches that are guaranteed to make you look way cooler than you are (i mean, you're probably pretty awesome already, just sayin') and to take "having friends over to eat" to "hosting a dinner party" with little stress and cash.

1) You gotta set the mood! Light a few candles for instant thoughtfulness. Don't forget music! even the most interesting parties can feel flat without a little background noise. My go-to is Ms. Peggy Lee
2) Pick up some flowers when you're buying your groceries. I few blooms planted around the compound brighten up the place and make any hostess look tres chic. Even a $2 bunch of spunky-colored carnations can make a subtle, but lovely impact.
3) While your at the g-store, swing by the drink aisle and nab a bottle or two of sparkling or still water. Yesterday I picked up 2 bottles of San Pellegrino for $3. It's bubbly, fun and can double as a cheap and useful centerpiece for the table.
4) The cherry on top for me is to include a cute and personal touch that no one ever expects anymore. I'm talking about the lost tradition of placecards. Spencer's grandmother, Helen, always had placecards at her table for her guests-no matter how big or small the guest list (coincidentally she could never remember my name, so mine always said "Reba"). I just grab some pretty paper from my craft closet, snip a square and fold it over to make a tent. Voila! That works just perfect but you could also grab smooth stones from your yard, big seashells from your last vacation, or invest in an ultra-cool serious set like these or these ( or cheat and grab some ceramic tile from your closest home store!) Not only do they look great but they eliminate that awkward, "where do I sit?" moment.

Combine the above with tasty grub, some red wine (or Hawaiian punch) and good family and friends.

And I'm serious. go make some placecards!

It's the little things...

2010-01-29T12:44:00.000-08:00

Moving into your first, roommate-free, place allows you to be more open with your silly decorating ideas. Besides hosting amazing parties and eventually having our home featured in national magazines, I have a slew of little things I was excited to try out...

*disclaimer* nothing ground breaking here! just 2 "projects' I was looking forward to for some odd reason or another!

See? I always wanted to dump some dried green peas into a glass jar for an instant and inexpensive centerpiece. No rockets being sent off to space here, dear. The glass was picked up from the thrift store for $2, and I used 3 $1 a pop bags of peas. 1 old candle and a weird wooden lei later...presto, dream satisfied.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL FOLKS!

I altered an idea found over at YHL and shadowboxed a few of my favorite pressed pennies from my many adventures. It still hasn't found a place on the wall yet...but I'm excited to show it off!

That's it for today! We're hosting a little *dinner party* tonight and I'll be attempting to roast my first chicken. I love cooking, but I have an unnatural fear of handling raw poultry. YUCK.

I might just make pizza.

Curtain Shuffle

2010-01-27T10:39:00.000-08:00

I was anxious to get some curtains up in our main living space almost as soon as we moved in. It would give the appearance of being finished and "grown-up",I rationalized, even if it wasn't!

We inherited all the window trimmings from our homes previous owners. Here is a shot of our waaay BEFORE living room view...

Although we knew the hand-made, pull-cord curtains wouldn't make the cut, Spencer wanted to salvage the existing curtain rod if possible. I picked up these long, white satin panels at Super Linens for $12 a pop. It was too simple. The rod was also too big and made pulling the curtains open and shut with ease an impossibility. Plus, I couldn't help think that the tie back look was more "country living" than the "modern comfort" look I was hoping for...

So I moved those pearly whites into the master bedroom and hung 'em high and wide to make our corner windows look more...awesome.

So back to the drawing board. Erna had given me the heads up that Wal-mart had a nice and affordable curtain selection. After about 45minutes of going back and forth on my opinion, I settled on 2 french blue satin floor panels from Better Homes and Gardens and 4 beige textured sheer panels. I also nabbed up-not one, BUT TWO new curtain rods for the LR. One no-fuss, no-see for the sheer panels and another decorative rod for the Lined blue curtains. TK came over to help us install, and while relived to get them off the back off the couch...I was less than impressed.

The beige just seemed dirty, or washed out. I packed 'em up and trucked it back to WM the next day (gotta love a no questions return policy!) I bought the same sheers in a pure white. Third times a charm, because this combo certainly charmed me enough to pronounce this project DONE!

We have a few more things to hang in the Living/Dining space (and thanks to TK, another turn of touch up painting-more on that later) before I'm ready to turn my focus on to the master bedroom and bathroom...

Scratch me, dent me, just please don't pay full price

2010-01-25T11:05:00.000-08:00

If you are paying full retail price for something you are either
1.) Rich enough you just don't care (mafia)
2.) Lazy
3.) Unaware of the big, beautiful world of discounted goods in the world!

I pretty much never pay full price for anything. I scour thrift stores and flea markets. I walk straight back to the sale aisles in every store and I am not too good for some good ole, darn the little guy Wal-mart speed shopping.

The day we moved in we knew we were missing some things. Some we wanted ASAP (like a dining room table), others could wait(like guest bedroom furniture). After hours of back n forth moving we headed over to Gardiner's Furniture to look for some must-halves. Now, Gardiner's is in no way a discount store. They have high end furniture and accessories with an occasional "Buy 7 things at once and we'll throw in a magazine rack" sale now and then.

We walked in. Said hello politely in our paint covered rags and headed straight to the basement. Past the cushy sectionals and the clearance aisle. We didn't even look around us until we were in the chilly warehouse by the loading dock. Scratch and dent.

It's where furniture comes to die. Something beautiful and expensive got hurt on the way in. Or wobbles a little, or their matching nightstand brother got sent to Laos by accident. It is a GREAT place to scour deals. I'm not saying it's smart to spend ANY amount of money on something that is busted...but if you can live with a little scratch...you can make out like a bandit. Plus, it takes the pressure off YOU being the first to tarnish it's beautiful and pricy exterior.

Our first and most exciting (for me) find was this coffee table. I was looking for a rectangular table with a glass top and shelf. I had found one at Ikea I liked but they had stopped making. Their new substitute was wrought iron, which I thought would be too cold feeling and outdoorsy. I laid eyes on this baby and immediately slapped it with a red "MINE" tag. Originally $650...marked down to $250...some haggle action with the manager and we paid....wait for it...$100!!! (what was wrong with it? it's matching side table was badly damaged. this baby was perfect!)

Next up was a dining room table. Our DR is a little small (about 10x9) so we needed something that could shrink and expand to accommodate our guest list.

This 2 tone chestnut/black wood oval piece fit the bill. It had a scratch on the surface (which Gardiner's buffed out for us) and a small piece of wood was missing from UNDER the table. Without chairs it was marked down from $875 to $300. We found SIX!!! well matching chairs (their matching table had gone missing during shipment) and negotiated a group sales price of $300. FREE STUFF!

Finally we needed a place to rest our little heads. We had a bed, but it was tight with the 2 or us and lumpy so we were looking for a reason to upgrade. We spotted a returned King mattress for $300. 2 box springs, one frame and some negotiating landed us the whole kitten caboodle for $300. And Damn. King sized beds are flippin' awesome. Just ask Lily. She hardly ever gets kicked out now.

So, get out there and hunt. Gardiner's gets new scratch n dent deliveries every Wednesday...I know we'll be back!

*nice long post for you Ms. LuAnn!

hello

2010-01-25T10:53:00.000-08:00

Am I back? I don't know and you don't care! It was hard to keep updating. First, we only just got internet access this past Saturday and secondly...nothing seems done! Everything is in a state of half-doneness.

See? Those blinds have been like that for a week! I'm too nervous to drill into the window frames by myself and Spencer...well, Spencer could care less if they're hung or lean or break out into a jazz dance solo.

Last week our friend TK came over to do a little this'n'that and and told us the last 15% took the longest to finish. I rolled my eyes, "maybe for you TK, but the finishing touches are what I love most!"

Well he's right. We have to shake ourselves out of this sweet new, house love long enough to get some work done!

It took 3 trips to 2 different wal-marts and a drive-by Lowes visit to finally decide on this curtain combo:

So. Things take time. Hang with me and give me some motivation!

In and Away

2010-01-15T10:44:00.000-08:00

Well, there goes my vow to post everyday.

oh well. I'm allowed. I've been busy.

We are all moved in and almost entirely unpacked (one of the few joys of having very little to start with!)

And it doesn't just look like a house anymore...it looks like OUR house. The main domain of Bria & Spencer (& Lily)It oozes awesomeness without even trying.

Naturally, I have no pictures to post. But I will. As soon as we get internet at our cozy adobe!

Into the closet

2010-01-11T13:45:00.000-08:00

I mentioned this before, but our house came equipped with crazy closets. Pretty much every closet is lined with a different INSANE wallpaper. No muted colors, no subtle strips. Just wild, awesome, dated decadence.

I thought I would share them today, as I'm feeling a little less than inspired and stressed that we plan to officially move this Wednesday. Even though I don't think we're ready. Walls still need painting, the bathroom is a mess and we haven't packed anything but books and nicknack's.

here's the tour...

The patriotic eagle that protects our spare bedroom...

Pretty blue flowers that grow in the office...

That 70's Show in the master...

Wild Western Store Front in the coat closet...

Yippe-ay-kayee!

Erna suggested we wallpaper over them with something neutral, but I think it's sort of a nice "SURPRISE! remember me? I'm an old house!" hello every time you reach to grab a coat or glue gun. We asked Mrs. O'Kramer about it during our settlement and she informed us her husband had painted the closets so terribly she wallpapered over all of it. How exactly do you mess up painting a closet...the world will never know...

Parties, as in, I want to plan some

2010-01-10T10:49:00.001-08:00

I am at work. A little bored because NO ONE comes in when a Ravens game is on. I never even know when they are playing until I see people in purple pajamas at the grocery store. I suck I know, but I'm an O's gal all the way.

So here is a list of fun parties I want to have at my house ASAP:
-small gathering of nbc-groupies for the new Office on 1/21. Spencer says its not worth it as the show isn't as funny anymore. I disagree. I laughed the whole way through "Murder" all 3 times I watched it. We can serve jello, small tuna salad sandwiches and Oscar's pate

-Mad Men open house. I'm not letting go of this one. Our house has/had such retro charm (and I love a theme party)so I want to see some skinny ties and serve some deviled eggs to anyone and everyone that wants to come see the new hiz.

-game night. I got "guesstures" and the new moon board game for christmas. Lets pop some popcorn and get silly!

-"slumber party" I have a cousin-in-law who is extremely pregnant and sells sex toys. I just think it would be really funny to see her talk about vibrators.

That's it. Nothing news breaking. Just sitting here thinking about nothing/everything/anything.

Do you like to host or attend parties?

Haven't we met before?

2010-01-10T10:21:00.000-08:00

I love being cheap. It's one of my most favorite things to do, and I'm really good at it.

Having said that, it should be of no surprise that yesterday, while shopping at HD for Glidden's Celery Sticks green, I was overjoyed when I saw a gallon of green on the "opps" shelf ($5!) I studied it for a long time. It wasn't the exact shade I was searching for, but hey, it was close enough to save me 25 bones!

Something was familiar about it.

It is the EXACT shade of green as the tiles we just stupidly removed from the bathroom. exactly. like, I painted the toilet on a small corner and when it dried I couldn't find where I had painted. that exact.

Since I was alone, and can't make a good desicion about hardly anything, I naturally called my mom for help. She drove over. I made her get in the car and sweat through traffic just to tell me what I already knew. I heart her.

So, I slapped the paint up on the small bedrooms walls (well, I cut-in and did one wall. It's hard to paint a room solo!) and decided to "go in a different direction" for the 3rd bedroom/bathroom. Spencer and I stopped by after our movie date and he didn't hate it like I thought. He was cool. I was relieved. I'm hoping he continues in his coolness and paints the rest himself while I'm at work tomorrow...

Tomorrow He also meets with the contractor to discuss our homes major repairs. This will have a big say in when we can officially trek our goods over and finally stay the night/forever. This wednesday would be the best...fingers crossed!

Spencer's Suggestion

2010-01-08T16:42:00.000-08:00

The other day Spencer, covered in dust, looked at me and told me he had a post suggestion:

"If you have ugly old bathroom tile, just try to live with it."

And I agree. Our bathroom came full of greenish fixtures-some are easy fixes. New toilet: check. A shower curtain that hangs past the tub: instantly hidden. Slap some stratamax on the floor: goodbye jolly green giant style checkers. But the tile? Well we had reserved ourselves to just live with it...

But we got cocky. Maybe it was because the swing doors had come off so easily, or because the wallpaper had so wonderfully flaked away. Erna said it would be no problem at all (why we listened to her, I have no idea...she's never removed 50 year-old tile!) So we watched a few online tutorial, asked the experts at Lowes and armed ourselves with a grout saw and hammer.

The tile came off easily enough...the problem is SO DID THE DRYWALL.

So I repeat on behalf of my beau:

If you have old weird tile. Live with it. As long as you can.

So Hard to do the Right Thing

2010-01-06T10:13:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: MY LOGICAL LAZINESS HAS BEEN COMPROMISED

It was settled. We would paint the entire top floor of our new split-level and leave the downstairs unfinished. The logical was: "We'll wait to paint until we know what to do with it" The lazy was: "I don't want to paint the whole house yet!" But now I know we must...because it's the right thing to do. why?

Floors.

Last night I went over flooring options with Erna, my soon-to-be sister-in-law and current carpet diva. The plan is to install stratamax over the current icky kitchen vinyl:

and over the color-confused main bath:

Now, I knew when we first saw our house, before it was our house, that the downstairs flooring would need to be redone in order for it to ever become our home. The floor was a shoddy combo of commercial grade, stained office carpet and ancient blue-green vinyl sticky tile (which I'm not against...but these where ugly and everywhere...see

So now I have a new logical, which I'm not happy about: Paint the whole darn thing. Because I know for a FACT how awful I am at keeping paint off the floor. I'm good at painting, but I do it with an air of perpetual poutyness. I hate second coats. I hate taping and cutting in and all that boring stuff. Poor me right? (there's sarcasm there-I'm infinitely blessed to have a home to call my own that I love so dearly. But I can still bitch about it) So it's settled. The whole downstairs gets it, pre-carpet install. But it doesn't stop there.

For about 100 bucks more we can rip out the matching commercial grade berber that currently resides in the soon-to-be guest bedroom. Ok, lets do it, it's yucky for sure! But that means that room must now be painted first (it's current hue is primer-over-teal). Ok. But what about the last room. The Lilac Room:

Her walls are purple, her carpet is emerald and her curtains are stuffed with tissue paper...

She would be a pretty pastel purple pimple on our otherwise smooth and beachy color palate. So she'll get it sooner than expected too.

Bah Humbug! I'm off to conjure up some volunteers...

Here we are!

2010-01-05T10:26:00.001-08:00

Here is my little family in our new home (don't mind the slightly exhausted looks on our faces-we're slightly exhausted) Me, Spence-didily-ence and sweet Lily. We borrowed some "furniture" from the ivy room to sit and admire our freshly painted digs.

Over the past weekend of endless cutting-in and double coats, I realized- we're a good team. Which is great news. Since we're getting married and all. When I wanted to tape, Spencer was up for some rolling. When his hand cramped, he passed the trim brush to me and I happily accepted. We even took turns using the cordless drill. Sure, there were times where we disagreed and my voice crept slowly to a pitch only dogs can hear, but at the end of it we truly compromised. Well, I'm still lobbying for a pretty framed mirror to sub as a bathroom vanity in lieu of the standard medicine cabinet (really, who needs cabinets in all three of their bathrooms?!) but besides that. compromise. teamwork. respect. These are the lessons we are learning in building not only a home, but a future together as husband and wife.

On one of my few and favorite blogs I read this today: "Choose a color and soul that you want to have linger for years, and then LIVE there" She was talking about wedding planning, but I'm adopting it as a house mantra. Cliff notes: Surround myself with what I really want in life. Soak in it occasionally. Let your heart live in your home and vice verse.

So instead of fretting over a color theme that makes the kitchen connect with the guest room, I'll focus more on filling our house and our lives with what I really want: love. compromise. teamwork. respect.

and sweet Lily...

Bria LeeAnn: Accidental Anthropologist

2010-01-04T11:16:00.000-08:00

That's right. I'm dissecting the history of a culture that lived in the exact general area of my new home for the past half decade. And its been fun. And confusing.

Right off the bat we got a glimpse into the personality of our Home's previous owners. "Ralph and Dawn O'Kramer" (that's a code name!) She: Loves flowers, whether or not they match anything...

Flowers were found on each and every curtain pattern (save one, which instead had faux blue blooms pinned to them) And I know for a fact there was a floral border in the dining room they removed to sell the house (thank you, Dawn). Oddly enough they did not like the physical time needed to keep real blooms, as every single one of their flower beds are filled with pebbles.

He: was very handy in his spare time. His garage sports a well-organized work cabinet. There are also 2 built in cabinets (one in the family room, one on the sun porch) That look eerily alike and hand-made. Lastly, He boasted TWO, count 'em TWO, sheds. One for tools and another equipped with shoddy electricity that doubled as a workroom. (That's TK showing off some cabinets with me our first night in. We're there to party.)

She: was hardworking. This is evident by the complete and total lack of a dishwasher. 50 years and ZERO one-button cleaning capability. She is a stronger woman than I. There are also probably a combined total of 12 clotheslines in and out of the house. I, on the other hand use the dryer for everything, even when it says I shouldn't.

He: was a state-farm insurance agent. Thanks to the boxes of office supplies left behind embossed with his name.

They: May have been color blind. Seriously. When we purchased the house, the sellers agent told us she had wisely advised them to do some "Designed-to-sell" quick fixes before listing (hence the floral border gone south). So when we first walked through we were hit with a lot of WHITE, bright, stark, probably-primer white. Upon closer inspection it was revealed that this was masking a strange blue-green-teal paint that covered the walls. All of the walls. Bedroom, kitchen, dining, living, guest room, porch...even the avocado bathroom. That color, combined with the mix'n'match wood finishes, brick, and left behind curtains tells me that was either their "signature family hue" or they just really couldn't see how crazy it all looked together. But hey, thanks for the primer coat at least...but you coulda taped and protected that lovely wood floor a little better!

And lastly, They obviously loved their home. They took amazing care of it - even if they skipped a few steps in remodeling here and there. The house has an easy going and loving feel to it. A happy family lived there, surrounded by teal-blue-green, and I'm happy to get my chance to share the love.

XOXO 'till next time, I'm uncovering new discoveries EVERY DAY!

House Tour 2

2010-01-04T10:47:00.000-08:00

Finally a few more pics! It seems silly to post these now because I feel it looks so different already! But we will get to those changes later, first we must review the Home in its initial splendor...(please forgive the dates...I'll have to remove those since they are both ugly and incorrect)

Here is a good view from the corner of the living room into the dining and kitchen areas. You can spot that hip avocado oven, (I had thought it olive green, but my Mom corrected me) the love-it-or-hate-it-not-sure-yet fake brick wall and the stately and dark ceiling fan hanging in the dining "cubby"

We have since painted all of the walls and trim in these rooms.

Here are the swing doors we just didn't know what to do with. They now rest peacefully in our garage, along with that lamp pinned to the wall. Turns out it was a real safety hazard!

Now, take a peak at our color-themed bathrooms. One is avocado green, the other is naturally pink. A bathroom like ole greenie here really makes you wonder..."what were they thinking in 1964?" Could they possibly have thought this could be timeless? Really?

Ahh! Even though we accomplished a lot this weekend (with a little help from our friends...) There is still much to do before we move our things in. And it just keeps piling up. Now Spencer and I are seriously considering to attempt removing said avocado tiles from the bathroom. We had thought we would live with it for a while...but we have the urge to purge and we're on a roll!

watch out for my expose on closeted wallpaper and our pretty in beige after pics once all the trim is painted!

who needs rules anyway!?

2010-01-03T09:20:00.000-08:00

Well, I this is my first 2010 post and I have to say, its not too exciting. It's difficult to work full-time, party on NYE, buy and paint a house and still find time to write about it...especially when no one's really listening at the moment ;)

Plus my technological handicap is starting to show. I admit it. I am maybe the worlds only college grad who has problems uploading photos from her camera. Forgive me?

With the help of my Mom and our wonderful friend KT, Spencer and I accomplished A LOT yesterday. It went pretty well, except for a dead hammer and a sadly patched hallway hole (we're working on it!) Here is what we managed to get done in just one day...

-We painted! Coats went up on the bedroom, the living and dining rooms, the hallway and the kitchen.
-We removed the *gorgeous golden bath doors* and cleaned up the mess
-Spencer's Dad removed some random hall light fixture and we patched up the hole it left (ruining our new paint job in the process)
-We removed the fancy wooden coral swing doors that separated the hall from the rest of the house (this is where we lost our hammer head)

Removing the light and the doors from the hallway really updated the look of the space almost instantly! We had been on the fence about removing the doors just yet (they are tacky, but so funny!) Without them, the hall feels open and extra-large.

We had a tough time picking paint. One half of our brains said "go for it! get crazy and splash up some wild color on the wall!" while the other half reminded us to keep cool and neutral-and let the things we bring into the space make it interesting. Although it felt boring to repeat 2 sort of blah colors on most of the walls we were going for a cohesive look. We picked Valspar's "Swoosh" for the living room, hallway and half of our bedroom. "Whirlwind" went up in the kitchen, dining room and eventually the foyer (tall walls yikes!). We reused the old blue we had left from our current bedroom to paint 2 accent walls in our new bedroom. Score! It cost us ZERO dollars and we already know we like it!

I'll get into these projects more when I can post pictures.Valspar brand paint was a little pricey, but great because it includes a primer in the paint and cuts down on coats...plus we scored 2 gallons at the "oops!" paint price of $6! "Swoosh" is a sort of coffee and cream color (can't you tell that from the name?) and "Whirlwind" is a lovely warm lacy white. What a difference the right white makes! I forget the name of our room blue, but It's made by Behr and it reminds me of a stormy ocean blue...

We have loads to do today. Spencer, Erna and PattyMayo our on the case today while I'm at work. I left them a nice long list of projects to complete so they would stay on track. I'll return to help them after, when we'll discuss flooring options and paint for the bathroom and other bedrooms. I said I would wait to paint the spares until a later date, but that lavender just isn't working with our new low key color scheme...so who knows!

Mini House Tour!

2009-12-30T17:12:00.000-08:00

We have survived...and celebrated with big smiles on our faces all night! A peak into our dining room. Believe it or not, that brick you see is fake!

Here is a view of our lovely, green 1960's kitchen. I think I'll have to devote a whole post to exploring all her surprises!

Just down the hall is our main bathroom. Oh my, isn't it lovely!

Not to be upstaged by our downstairs bathroom. Doesn't that tile look like leopard print for just a minute? Ha, we have a lot of work on our hands and I can't wait to get started!!

I took a few pictures yesterday, but honestly I was just too in awe to focus. We are headed back tomorrow, and I'll take Part 2 of the house tour. I have a lot more I could say, but honestly...I'm tired! (no thanks to the viticus last night...)

Here we go...

2009-12-29T09:02:00.000-08:00

Nearly ready to leave for the final walk through...still undecided on the perfect "I'm buying a house today" outfit. Awfully windy though, so I'm sure a sweater will be involved.

My list of things to bring on this first day:
-plastic cups and plates for champagne and pizza
-a camera!
-paper towels, TP and hand soap (so we can live like civilized beings)
-my "list book"...for lists
-my lucky bamboo (thanks BRAD
-a favorite pic of Spencer and I...so the house can get familiar with us while we're still sleeping in our old diggs.
-Mommom's claddagh ring...i wear it for all "big things"

wish me luck bloggaverse!

It's like Christmas Eve for adults...

2009-12-28T17:53:00.001-08:00

eeek! eee-gaaad! holy smokes!

It is the eve of our signing and I truly feel like a kid again...I just know I won't be getting much sleep tonight! It reminds me so much of how I felt as a youngster on Christmas Eve. Too excited to close my eyes, jittery, so very excited for the time to pass and morning to arrive!

Just writing about it has my heart racing. homeowner...me?! Only grown-ups own houses...does that mean...no it couldn't...but still, all the evidence says:

I AM A GROWN UP. (!?!?!?)

Spencer and I will sit down tomorrow at 3pm and start signing. I wonder if the house will feel the change in ownership. I imagine this lovely home sitting, sort of bored and a little sad that no one has been around in quite sometime. She'll be counting the faux bricks on her living room wall for the 100th time when all the sudden...a little twitch. Maybe her ears will burn. Will the air change then? Will she pounce like a little puppy when it spots their owners car pulling in the drive way? Will all the sudden, when the last line is signed at 3:54pm, she feels the rush of love come her way?

I think so. I hope she likes us. Maybe it will be strange at first- after all she's only known one family her whole life. The sight of two twenty-somethings rolling around her hardwoods laughing (because that's exactly the first thing we plan on doing) might startle at first and, but hopefully she has a sense of humor. Hopefully she knows just how much we love her already.

And I hope she likes the face lift we're ready to deliver! Tomorrow I will post a photo tour of our new nest (eeeek! i said that!) And then we can start to have some F-U-N!!!

Here's a little sneaky-peak to get the party started!

The Goods

2009-12-27T09:29:00.000-08:00

Wonderful Christmas! I have an oven mitt ladies and gentlemen, EXHALE...

I was once again amazed by the generosity on support of our families this holiday season. Spencer and I really are so lucky! It was sad my Dad couldn't be there (some major mouth makeover happening) but I got to spend some good time with him the day before, so it didn't feel awful. It still feels so strange to not wake up at my parents house on Christmas Day...I wonder if I will ever get over that!

I'm sure this little home of ours will help with that. Spencer's wheels are already spinning- next Christmas he wants to host our families at our new home. Like, the whole kitten kaboodle. Uncles, Aunts, Mr. Albert and his accordion. You know, the usual.

We are about 2 days away from signing our X's all over the place and walking away with a shiny new set of keys! I got an energy boost from BRAD and DAVID (ha!) my good friends who are 4 months in to Vermont living and are slowly but surely renovating their first home. They warned me that signing might be more emotional than I expect but it is worth the stress (i knew that one!). I'm going to get myself into a zen place of calm and excitement. High emotions usual equal twitchy spaz-outs for me, and I would prefer not to pout all over my new (old) house.

Ommmmmmmm.......

The Rules

2009-12-24T10:17:00.000-08:00

I could easily use today's entry to vent the medium sized stress fracture I experienced last night, but I won't. Because it would be in violation of my new and growing Rules...

#1- I will refrain from venting irrelevant to this blog. No commentary on how celebrities spend their time, no political rants, no family drama. I would like to stay as positive as possible, since I really do have a lot to be thankful for. I can vent DIY house or wedding frustrations for the sake of my sanity, but I must end things on a positive note.

#2- I will try not to pepper "foul language" into my writing. I really do love bad words, and in real life I can continue in my pirate ways. However I will maintain a level of forced professionalism and self-control when sending my thoughts and misadventures in life pout into the world, no matter if they are read or not. There WILL be a time when I use a bad word and then you'll really know I mean it...

#3- I will post once daily...for the most part. No promises that 6 mos. in and I haven't received ONE comment wont have me rethinking my newest hobby, but I will try to stay connected and keep the promise to myself to make this fun and exciting for me. (holidays and honeymoons may be excused)

That's all I have so far but I may add (or subtract-hey this is my pony show) as I go on. I'm hoping and expecting that as time passes, the purpose of this documentary writing assignment will grow and settle into something lovely.

I'm excited to start documenting my slow shift into this new phase of life. The move, the projects, the woes, the wins and eventually The Wedding. But I'm too busy to fret about that now!

It's Christmas!!! Smile, love, forgive or forget-whatever! Just don't get too drunk and remember to leave out some cookies!

3/7

2009-12-23T09:57:00.000-08:00

3 days in of keeping my promise to blog everyday...
7 days away from signing on the dotted line...

I told Spencer I had started a modest blog last night and he was excited. I naturally groaned out my prediction that ZERO people would ever find it, but Spence reminded me that wasn't the point. He headed out for the evening and left me to some guilt-free lady TV time, in which I secretly purchased and watched "Julie & Julia".

So the Universe gave me another nod of encouragement here. I had chosen this flick for a few reasons, none of which included a lick about blogging in any form. First, I like to watch movies without Spencer around that I know he would not want to ever see, second, I think Amy Adams is adorable and lastly...i love French food.

Anywhosit, Julie starts this blog where she cooks through Julia Child's cookbook. Brilliant. Looked like a lot of fun too (save the sweetbreads and aspic). But she starts it as a "something" for herself. She didn't start it to be rich and famous. Or even half less broke and mildly known.

I feel ya Julia. Right now I'm looking for "something". I want to write a little each day because I love writing-good or not. I want a little something to be excited about. A hobby. A place to show off all the hard work I plan to do to my house in the upcoming days. So I'm joining the 70 MILLION BLOGGERS out there and adding my 2 cents.

Cent #1- I can do anything
Cent #2- so can you

So lets do anything together, shall we?

So close...

2009-12-22T15:09:00.000-08:00

Christmas and house.

I've decided to be done buying gifts, whether I am or not. Our settlement date came as a surprise of sorts and I woke up this morning panicked over all sorts of ridiculous things (we don't have an oven mitt! where will we get an affordable area rug?! we have to move in the snow?!) I impulsively braved midday Christmas traffic to drive creepily past the house and sure enough not an inch has been shoveled. I'm hoping Santa brings hot and heavy sunshine this year...

I know Spencer is out buying gifts and I'm sure a few are for me. I have an urge to text him: oven mitt, Tupperware, cans of light blue paint. But that doesn't fly with him. He loves the impractical, playful gifts that Christmastime allows.

And that's not a bad thing.

Honestly there is a good chance our ancient, olive green wall oven won't even work...

Why plan B?

2009-12-21T13:04:00.000-08:00

To most, "plan B" is not ideal. The wise and mysterious Wikipedia says that "plan b" is a popular term used to describe "a reserved, secondary plan, in case a first plan fails". how depressing...

Well, I've been quite pleased with where all my "plan B's" have landed me. In addition to "B" being the third cutest letter of the alphabet, a "secondary, revised" plan is oh-so-much more cherished than the original. Because you had to work on it and for it. And you are much more grateful for those very reasons.

Plan "A"'s are for type A's...which I am certainly not, but I have had some pretty fantastic "plan A's", including:

- Become a "Doctor" of something (Plan B: A few people refer to me as "DR. BRIA" which induces mass giggles and required much less advanced schooling and gross-bloody-things touching)

- Meet, fall in love and marry Prince William (Plan B: I have met, fallen in love with and plan to marry my own "Prince", no paparazzi or hideous British food required)

- Live in a hallowed out Hawaiian volcano (We are days away from buying our first home, Hawaii or Parkville...it's pretty darn exciting)

So plan B for me works just fine. And our new home is a perfect example. It wasn't our 1st choice by a long shot and it comes with a laundry list of fixer-upper projects for which we have no experience or funding for. But we love it's bones and its spirit. I plan on tackling this new adventure with plan B gutso. If "Plan A" is to shell out thousands for a new shiny kitchen, I will plan B-a-size it best I can. This blog will hopefully keep me motivated (and occupied at work-let's face it-FRO-YO is not a huge winter staple)

And if you have found this site, I hope you enjoy the ramblings and the updates...and maybe even delight in the joys of your own Plan B.