Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Father's Day Project

Now that the grandfather's have finally received their snail-mail Father's Day gifts, I can finally post pictures of the works in progress!

Baby Girl was extremely particular as to what color was to go where and she was insistent on having no help whatsoever!










TA - DAH!!!


Monday, June 29, 2009

Baby Girl's Monday


BEST BUDS Baby Girl and U.K. (a.k.a Ukey-Doo)!!


Sunday, June 28, 2009

Uh Oh. The first casualty of moving

So far so good. We've moved most of the house, less the furniture and I am cleaning out the rest of the kitchen. I've had my first casualty of packing....a wine glass. First off, Baby Girl was no where near, thank goodness and second, it was a cheap Crate & Barrel glass, not one of my finer glasses.

The other casualty - a $0.79 box of spaghetti. I actually considering saving that one. I have clearly lost my mind in the course of this whole house move situation!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

One Lovely Blog Award


Thank you Flip Flops & Pearls for my One Lovely Blog Award!

The Rules:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award and his/her link.

2. Pass the award to 15 other bloggers that you have newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

In no particular order..... here they are!

Vineyard Vogue
Madras and Pearls
The Working Mom Experience
Another Online Mom
Confessions of a Semi-Slacker Mom
Cute Clips & More
Missy In Pink
The Company She Keeps
The Monogrammed Nest
The Pink Clutch
Seersucker Scrapper
Preppy Mama
Pink Cupcake
Pink Cashmere Cardigan
Black Labs and Lilly

GREAT NEWS!!!

WE ARE CLOSING!!!!! The buyers FINALLY got their loan commitment and we're closing Monday and moving Tuesday! Yippeeee!!! We've started taking apart our furniture today (because it's easy and why pay movers to take their sweet time to do it for us?) So, we'll be busy the rest of the weekend, so have a great one!

By the way - I can't wait to start decorating, just wait until you see my laundry room. Since it's MY space, I'm decorating in all pink and green! I can't wait to show you my plans!

Friday, June 26, 2009

SHOPAROONEE - Vineyard Vines!!

Okay, that got my mother-in-law's attention. We made up the word shopraroonee a while back when we found really expensive stuff, "bad, bad, bad on sale" as we say. We started calling them shoparoonees.

For example, I bought $200.00 worth of exterior topiary pines with pots for Christmas decor and two wooden chairs that were $100.00 each from Michael's on clearance for $40.00 total. Yep, $40.00!!! That's what we call a shoparoonee!

Well, I'm on my daily outings and it's lunch. Not having a great day if you can tell from previous posts and I'm really not hungry, so I think, what will cheer me up? First I stop and get me something to drink. Have you ever had this in lemon or orange? Very yummy!




I pass JoAnn's fabrics....no, we're supposed to be moving and I don't need anything else right now, besides I need to finish the last of baby girl's tutu. I pass by Michael's....no, I kind of like JoAnn's better. I get ready to pass up Marshall's. I have never been to one, but someone told me a few weeks ago it had great stuff. Then, I remembered a blog post from Seersucker Scrapper about finding great Lilly Pulitzer kids stuff there. Hmmmm.....that'll cheer me up! (sorry hubby, this blog addiction of mine is not going to cure the shopping). I HATE shopping, but finding Lilly on sale: that I LOVE! So that's where I stop.

I hit the kids section. Nothing. I hit the home decor section with no intent to buy. I hit the bath section hoping to find a wooden cutout of the word "bath." Nothing. I hit up the cards/stationary section. BINGO!!!! I found this Lilly Pulitzer hardback notebook and these great green and pink note cards, which I really did need some more notecards.


I have no intention whatsoever to buy clothes. Really, zero. However, as I'm walking out, I pass the women's shirt section and there on the end, a distinct pattern calls to me in it's seashells, starfish, anchors and crabs in pink, blue, yellow and salmon. I walk over and find this Vineyard Vines halter for $20.00! SCORE....in a size 2....Hmmmmph.


I grab it anyways, a few shirts away are two more Vineyard Vines....one blue halter, one light pink tube top! $20.00 each! SHOPAROONEE....both in size 2s.....Hmmmmph. Whatever, I'll try on anyways. The blue and tube top didn't fit, which was fine, the blue one didn't look great on me anyways. But the print one did and it fit. YAY! Sorry hubby, can't pass up a Vineyard Vines and I FIT INTO A SIZE 2! Shocking.





I am in a much better mood now and I think I'll be hitting up Marshall's more often!

In other news....

We are not closing today. We don't know when we will close. We hope to get more information today so we can make our decisions. The bankers for the people buying our house can't seem to get their acts together, which is very frustrating. Anyways, I know some of you have been following this, so there's a little update. The good thing is we know we will close, but when, and will we still have a house to go to at that point.

So, we are living in "vacation mode." Our house is completely empty except for furniture as we've already moved all the boxes to the new house. We've been eating off paper plates and bowls for 10 days and the house is a dirty mess. We are so ready for this to be all over!

Ms. Molly Lou, I know you understand, I think we have an "Interesting One" as well....tell me it will happen!!

I will leave you with a picture of baby girl's straight hair and new pink and green summer PJ's. She wanted to wear them last night so she insisted on an early bath. And, she's playing with my Victoria's Secret Pink body mist. She loves the smell of it.
It's impossible for us not to smile when she's around, she is just full of energy and happiness. She keeps us positive and motivated! Someone once told me: once you are married to the love of your life and have kids, you feel you could never imagine loving anything any more than you love them. Multiply that by a million and that is how much God loves you. Now that is truly something to think about! And, on that note, I hope you have a great day and I am determinded to have one too!

Celebrity Deaths

First off, what a week. Farrah Faucet's struggle with cancer was tough to watch. I don't keep up with celebrity news and we rarely watch Entertainment Tonight or those shows, but I do remember hearing about her struggles with cancer and I watched a portion of her story when she was interviewed. She did have such a will to survive and it's sad that the media just squandered her last days. I did tell my hubby a few days ago that when she married her long time boyfriend, I thought the end was near. I guess I was right.


Then yesterday, I turned on the news. I rarely turn on the news because I don't want Hollon watching anything political. It usually shows scenes of war and she's too young for those images. I keep up with my news on the internet. But, yesterday, I was on the road all day and didn't know anything of the days events, so I did turn on the news. The first thing mentioned was that Michael Jackson was dead. I immediately called hubby and turned it to Fox News. It was such a shock. I haven't followed him in years. I never watched the sitations surrounding the contreversies and I wasn't thrilled with his behaviour as of late. However, he was such a big part of my life as a kid. I loved him. My dad brought home the Thriller album for me from one of his army boot camp sessions as a gift and I was in love with the album and Michael. I can still picture it, Michael in his white suit without a shirt and the white tiger. Okay, so I remembered it wrong. What I remember is my idolize version of the great MichaeI Jackson. Over the years, I quit keeping up because I hated to see what was happening to him. I just ignored him. I am however quite sad. I usually don't become upset over celebrity deaths, but this is probably the first celebrity death that I've become upset over, mostly because he was one of the first celebrities I ever payed attention to as a kid.


Lastly, good ole' Ed. I think everyone can still hear "Hear's Johhhhhnnny" in their heads in his exact voice. It's interesting, I'm in my early thirties, so really I'm too young to have really watched Johnny Carson however, I can still hear in perfect Ed McMahon's voice perfectly.


Such a tough week in the celebrity world.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

House Update

The closings on both our house and the new house were supposed to take place today, but have been pushed to Friday. That's the 2nd time we've had to move the closings and it looks like it may possibly move again, but we're hoping not. All of our boxes and non-furniture stuff is sitting in the garage of the new house.

We were really hoping to move Saturday and that's when I have the movers scheduled. It shouldn't take long to move since we've already done the small things and it's just furniture mostly. Keep your fingers crossed and pray that we close Friday! We, the buyers and the sellers of our house are all very ready for this to be over. Silly bankers!

Last night, daddy and Lallie made cookies, the frozen kind you buy from the kid across the street selling for a football team fundraiser, they are really yummy. They better be for $15.00 a box!!!! Yes, Lallie is wearing a boy's shirt. Apparently, I forgot to take extra clothes to school, so she's wearing her friend's shirt. She was awfully cute in it with her pink shorts.


I can't believe Lallie will be two on July 30th! My mom reminded me of it earlier when we were chatting on Facebook about what to get her. I have no idea! I don't think we're going to have a party this year. I don't have time to plan anything, but we will have parties when the grandparents come down for their visits in July and August. I'm thinking I'll decorate in, I don't know, PINK and GREEN!!! Gee, who would have guessed!

I'm just trying to come to the realization that she's already two years old! It has flown by so fast. There have been lots of downs and many, many more ups. Lallie is so fiesty, bossy and funny. She doesn't let anything get in her way, including big boys...she just rolls right over them and pushes them off. This tiny little 20 pound two-year old doesn't take any back talking! The other day, she led both Husband and I around the house and then turned us and positioned us where she thought we should be and then pointed and said "stay!" Hmmmm....who's supposed to be giving the orders around here?

I took a picture of her this morning, and I was trying to ger her to say "cheese." Instead, she just pointed and me and chanted "no, no, no, no, no" very softly, not yelling, just like she was having a conversation with me and was mildly disagreeing. I wonder if she gets that from Stuart or I and yep, she's bossy all right. But at times, it's so cute! Other times, not so much.


Monday, June 22, 2009

Wow! So much went on this weekend at our house. Stuart was in the gararge re-organizing and packing his stuff. It was 96 degrees out with a heat index of much higher, so Stuart shut the garage door and pulled out the plywood piece with a whole cut out of it for a window A/C unit. He put that over the side garage door and it stayed nice and cool. Stuart thought of this idea back in 2004 when we had the two hurricanes that hit us dead on within three weeks. We were without electric for 2 weeks for one of them and with a generator and this idea, we stayed nice and cool in our bedroom!

On top of packing, I managed to complete many, many craft projects. I made two tutu's for Hollon (one pink, one red) and Hollon absolutely hated them (see previous post). Oh well, she'll love them soon enough! She did enjoy dressing up mommy in thetutu, her new fluffy pink shoes and pink bow!

I also made five iron on onesies. I made her a 4th of July onesie, but had 4 others, so I just got cute little iron-on sayings "Mommy Needs A Nap," "I bite, I bite" (which she is doing right now quite severly, we figured it to be fair warning!). The others say "Daddy Did My Hair" and "The Dog Did It." I added little rhinestone paw prints, bows and other decor to each and they turned out really cute, well, until Hollon decided to smear yogurt all over her new onesie and the couch (oh well, at least she said "yogurt please." I was very happy about that). The red tutu is supposed to go with the 4th of July outfit, but it doesn't look like she's going to tolerate that.




Lastly, Hollon and I finished the Father's Day gifts for daddy, grandaddy and geezer. I can't post pictures of them however, because two gifts are in the mail to the grandads so they haven't seen them yet.

Here's what we wore to church on Sunday. The halter dress came from an adorable little store called the Oystercatcher in Apalachicola, Florida. They carried Lilly, Vineyard Vines among other great clothing.



After church, Stuart loaded 65-70 boxes plus other strangely shaped loose items (antique school chairs, my rolling craft carts, pillows etc.) over to the new house. We would have never chosen to do this on a very hot Father's Day however, we had no choice. Our closing has been moved from the 16th, to the 23rd and now to the 26th. And, we're still not sure that is going to happen. So we moved what we could and are leaving the furniture for the movers. Thankfully, the people buying our house (which is where the hassle is coming from - not them, their mortgage broker), are allowing us to stay in this house for a few extra days since we've been unable to plan at all!

In other news, we are forging on with our potty training! Hollon is now telling me immediately upon "something" happening and running to the potty. Of course, she hasn't made it happen in the potty yet, but she's made the connection! She's also waiting until first thing in the morning to do "something" in her diaper rather than going in the middle of the night. So, we're slowly but surely getting there! I can see a house without diapers in the not so far off future! YAY!!!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Pink Tutu Incident

The events of our household today? Packing and what we're deeming the "Pink Tutu Incident."

I made a pink tutu for Hollon, it's adorable and it's huge and Hollon is deathly afraid of it.




Daddy tried to make her feel better about the pink tutu....but it didn't work.




I tried the pink tutu on Hollon again later in the evening, and received the same reaction. Stuart was on the phone with our friend, Stan, who was laughing and said it sounds like we need to bury the tutu in the backyard!

Friday, June 19, 2009

Favorite Things Friday

I was talking to a fellow blogger not too long ago and she suggested I do a "favorite things Friday." So, here it goes:

I have to start off with something fluffy and so adorably cute, you just want to hug it. That's right, my dog U.K. (named after the University of Kentucky Wildcats!)
UK

We have a love/hate relationship. Some days I love him so much that I'll allow him on the couch to snuggle with me. Other days (like last night), I don't want him anywhere near me. However, no matter what my feelings, he is always happy and there for me.

Next we have my bags.

I can't live without my Coach bag. Yes, it's expensive, but both my husband and I know that I will use this bag for the next three to four years (probably the same cost as multiple other bags). They're virtually indestructible. I've had it 8 months now and it still looks new. It carries everything including my work papers and baby girl's neccessities on quick outings (rather than taking a diaper bag).
coach

And then, there's my Vera Bradley Vera tote in Cupcakes Green and matching umbrella. I adore VB and have many of her designs, but this is my current favorite. It has six interior pockets, a zippered exterior pocket and an exterior unzippered pocket with a key holder. I feel so bright and springy carrying this "weekender" as I call it, since I usually ditch the Coach for this on the weekends!
Cupcakes

I wish it would hurry up and rain down here in south Florida so I can wear my J. Crew wellies that I got on sale last year at the J. Crew Outlet in Vero Beach. Pink of course, with little bicycles. Aren't they cute?
wellies

My mother-in-law collects Longaberger Baskets. They are beautiful and I love them. Here is one of the baskets that she got me for Christmas a few years ago. It's a magazine holder and it's just so simple, classic and pretty.
longaberger

Of course, who doesn't love Lilly Pulitzer! There are my new pants...yep, that's right. $15.00 NWT on Ebay! Oh yeah! I love Lilly Pulitzer, I love Ebay and I have no quams with combining both and telling everyone about it!
lilly pants

Next up, my violin. I have played the violin since I was three years old. I was fortunate enough to receive this violin from my parents as a high school graduation gift. It's Flemish made in the year 1776! That's right...the same year as the signing of the Declaration of Independance! I am so humbled by holding this piece of history. I can only imagine who's played it, what it's seen and where it's traveled! Just with me, it's been across the U.S. and Europe! I am so excited that Hollon has been taking a little interest in it as I've been practicing for an upcoming concert. That's me playing it in the picture.
Violin

Last but not certainly not least, my favorite things on this entire earth.... my family. I certainly could not live without hubby and baby girl. They are my world (and of couse, the rest of my family out there reading this - I love you all too!) I can definately live without everything else on my list of favorite things, after all they are just, things. As long as I have my family on earth and my God in heaven, nothing else matters.
family

I'm not contributing...

....to my daughter's shoe fetish! Yeah right, I'll just keep telling myself that.

Yesterday morning, I went to put on a pair of strappy heeled sandals only to find that they are completely stretched out and my toes slid out over the edge of the shoe! Hollon LOVES shoes, and insists on wearing mine. This is because we don't let her have all her shoes at once. Why? Because she makes us put them on her, and then take them off to put on another pair and so on and so forth. It becomes quite tedious and when we stop, she throws a fit that would rival an angry bear! Toddler shoes are just too complicated for her to put on and off by herself (except for her Croc knock-offs from CVS which she refuses to take off....except to wear mommy's shoes). Anyways, her little foot has managed to stretch out my shoes, or put knicks and scraps in some of my other shoes. In an effort to save my personal shoe collection, I trotted off to Toys-R-Us, expecting to find fashionable Kate Spade play shoes for toddlers. Instead, I find these:
ariel shoes

"No, no, no, no, no, no..." I mumbled to myself. I was actually surprised at their selection of play toddler shoes. Seriously, don't they have something much more fashionable for toddlers than a pair of plastic Disney Ariel shoes with plastic beads? Very disappointing. Obviously, I've completely forgotten that these shoes are not for me. Suddenly, I saw these for $4.49!
shoes layout

They screamed Hollon. Pink and fluffy, yet simple and tasteful for my two-year old. Though, if these were adult shoes on sale at our local Macy's....well, I just don't think I'm going to go there (either the story or the store, which is probably not Macy's). BUT, they're prefect for my two-year old! Hmm, maybe I should have re-thought this purchase? Nah, they're too cute! ;-)
shoes on

She LOVES, loves, loves them, and now mommy's shoes will remain perfectly in tact (however, my couch is now suffering as it has pink fluffy stuff covering it - guess I need a new lint roller).
Hollon's Shoes

I feel I need to explan Hollon's outfit. She had just gotten home from school. She had gotten paint all over her other outfit and this is what the school put her in - a mis-matched pink outfit....well, at least it's pink! On another note, can you tell we're moving?

Monday, June 15, 2009

Today is our 7th Anniversary!

Today is our 7th anniversary! It is so amazing to look at what we have accomplished as a couple over the past 7 years. We're truly coming to realization of this as we pack up all of our belongings for our big move. It seems like such a long time to be married however, in reality, seven years is really just short period of time in our lives an look at all we've done! We've moved to Florida from Kentucky, we've establised our careers, bought a house, are in the process of buying a new house and most importantly, we've given birth to our beautiful daughter. We have nothing to do today, but celebrate. Honey, I love you "this much!" Happy Anniversary sweetheart!

Here's some pictures from our wedding day and our Carribean honeymoon cruise. Have a great day everyone! We will!





Stuart's Aunt Susan was our officiant.
Our wedding took place in the gardens of the Hunt Morgan house in Lexington, Kentucky and it was a beautiful day. We hardly needed any flower decorations and the gardens were in full bloom. It was a beautiful day.



Friday, June 12, 2009

They look like crocs...but they are not.

What child wants to wear tennis shoes and socks all day in the heat of summer. Certainly not Hollon. She won't keep them on at school and school requires closed toe sandals. She has them but they are just for weekend, church and other outings as she would completely destroy them at school (they're white).

So, I looked high and low for kids Crocs. Sure, they're available, just not in pink for the next few months (per the three shops I visited). Of course, how dare I buy purple or green! Completely bummed, I put her in her pretty white Stride Rite sandals today with hopes they come home unscathed.

But alas, hope was just around the corner. I went to CVS and for $7.99 (a quarter of the cost of Crocs), I found these.





They look like Crocs, they feel like Crocs and they will serve the same purpose, so why not? Hey, she'll just destroy them anyways, so I think this is a great deal!

Flag Day, Hollon and Cookbook GIVEAWAY

Oh my, lots to talk about today.

First of all, did you know Sunday, June 14th is Flag Day? I didn't know either until my local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter called me up and said the Flag Day luncheon will be my first meeting to satisfy my membership requirements, other than my lineage. Thankfully, my mom has been a member for years and has already done all the lineage work for me.


It's really humbling to know that I am a direct descendant of those who fought for the very rights we have today in our country. Though we all have our differences of opinion, at least we have the right to openly discuss them. I will look forward to the day when Hollon can join and respect her lineage as well. It's very important to Stuart and I that she knows the lineage from both sides of her family and the fact that so many members of our family have served, not only in the Revolution, but in Korea, Vietnam, the World Wars.




So, my first DAR luncheon. It's a salad luncheon and how appropriate that I get to post my recipe for my favorite salad because it is in fact, one of my favorites and goes right along with this great COOKBOOK giveaway over at Vineyard Vogue.


I have very few recipes that I love to cook, and do over and over again. But interestingly, I like to read the cookbooks and I collect recipes from all my magazines, relatives, friends etc., but hardly ever cook them. I just collect them and put them in my book and read through them everyonce in a while. I have no idea why I don't cook, too busy being a full-time working mom. Maybe one day. I am however, known as a go-to-gal around my office for recipes though because I have them all scanned and stored on my computer and alphabatized by primary meat/veggie/fruit (yeah, I'm an organzing FIEND).


But I digress....here is a fabulous crunchy, cold, fresh summer salad (well cole slaw) that goes great with any BBQ or other summer dinner. I got it from my friend, Rachel and it has become one of our favorites for potlucks, BBQ's or just at home.


Asian Cole Slaw


2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 package of Asian Ramen noodles (oriental flavoring I think - the blue package)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Green onions - about one bunch sliced up - to your liking
Bag of pre-mixed cole slaw


Toast almonds and seeds.


Wisk together oil, vinegar, sugar, Ramen noodle season packet. Let the dressing stand in fridge for a few hours.


Break up the Ramen noodles into smaller pieces. Mix everything.

If you're taking to a potluck and won't be eating for a few hours.

Mix the almonds, seasame seeds (when cool) and noodles into one small ziploc.

Place dressing in another and mix when you get where you're going....so the noodles don't get soggy.


Yummmm!


Okay, last but not least. Hollon, she is growing right before my eyes, way too fast and it makes me tear. Last night, I told her to pick out her two books for her nighttime story. She chose Brown Bear, Brown Bear. At school, they've been reading this book and while reading, they have matching cards that the kids are to match to the pictures in the book. So, she's been reading it a lot lately. Well, last night, I sat down to read it to her and SHE started to READ it to ME! She'd say "red bird," "purple cat," "teacher." I quickly screamed for Stu to come in and listen to her read to me. I'm not ready for her to grow up yet. I've been so frustrated with her not talking lately, but now that she is, I don't want her to. I want her to stay little forever. At the same time, I am so proud of her and happy that she is finally starting to use her words.
For the grandparents who read the blog every single day. Here's a beautiful finger painting she did yesterday at school. Her Great Uncle David would be so proud!



Have a great weekend everyone!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Piloga

Everyone always asks me about piloga. The first half hour of class is yoga and the second half hour is pilates. Andrea, our teacher, is TOUGH and I hurt all over. Piloga works every single solitary muscle in the entire body. Even my fingers and toes! But oddly, I love it and I feel great after each class. I always feel noodley and relaxed, it's fabulous.

However, usually about 30 minutes into the class itself, I glance at the clock, realize I have 30 more minutes to go and start chanting to myself "this is good for my heart, this is good for my mind, this is good for my body as it's now bathing suit season and you're buying a pool for crying out loud!!! " So, I tighten those abs and glutes and straighten my spine and then I cramp so bad that I tumble to the ground. Okay, so I took a few weeks off and it I'm back to square one. Am I really thinking that I might add another day to my piloga schedule? Yes, I think I will.

Definately, Maybe

Last night, Stuart and I needed a little "pick-me-up" due to some issues we're encountering with the house sale and new home purchase. No worries, everything is fine, it was just one of those situations where you think the world is crashing down and then you wake up in the morning and realize that things aren't nearly as bad as they seem. In fact, everything is just fine.....better than fine.

Anyhow, we needed this pick-me-up, Stuart is sick and Hollon is teething again (eye teeth, three of them, poor baby!), so it was just a rough evening.

Stuart had recorded this movie a few nights ago for us to watch. It's a "chick-flick" but perfect to lighten the mood, help us relax and hit-the-hay in a better mood. It's called Definately, Maybe and it's about a divorced father telling his approximately 10 year old daughter how he met her mother. Click
here for details.

It is so sweet and as soon as the movie was over, I went and hugged my hubby and said, "You're my definately, maybe" to which he replied, "You're my definately". Sappy, I know which is not typical of Stuart and I but last night, it gave us the perfect "pick-me-up."

Save this movie for when you need it, it's sure to give you pleasant dreams!

Have a great day!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

New jobs

Update on my work life: I am no longer just the director of commercial real estate property management (i.e. shopping centers and office buildings), but I am now an interior designer and the president of an HOA (homeowner's association). I mean, what???? I manage finances and capital budgets. I oversee roof replacements, developement, tenant constructions, renovations. I read tenant leases and deal with attorneys in lawsuits. I collect rents and figure reconcililations based on 30 different types of leases throughout 12 properties. Now I get to add to my list that I manage cable television and gate codes (I can't even figure out how to buy a movie on PPV without Stuart's help!). I now write letters to homeowners re-stating clauses in HOA documents like "Homeowner's will pick up their dog's feces timely and immediately upon occurance. Time is of the essence in this matter." Oh my!

I have also become an interior designer. I have been put in charge of the remodeling of the office building lobby and upper floor hallways. We're talking new carpeting, new paint and wallpaper, new plants, new pictures and decor. Okay, this is me we're talking about here. My house has no decor because I do not know how to decorate. If it were me decorating my house, I would perfectly mimic the Pottery Barn catalog, or hire someone to do it for me, which is exactly what I suggested to my client: to hire an interior decorator. He said no. Why would he do that when they charge a premium and I can squeeze it into my normal monthly management fee? Note to self - update management contract to include a 5% of cost fee for interior re-decorating.

Here's a picture of the existing marble which is to remain. Not much to work with, eh? It's blue, tan and kind of a foresty/seaweed green color if you can't see it very well.



Okay.....deep breath.....I am going to embrace these projects, be the problem solver that got me this job in the first place four years ago next month and I will take ownership, requesting help when needed. You'll see, I'll do a "bang-up" job on both of these projects. Now, let's get started! (This is going to be fun, I can tell!) :-)

Here are a couple videos for you to enjoy!

Can you guess the name of this song?

Summers in South Florida can be quite rainy. It had been raining for days at this point and Hollon was bouncing off the walls. It wasn't lightning or thundering, so we decided to go out and play in the rain. We had a blast! We must do this again the next time it rains!

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Our Fabulous Craig's List find!

We found this table on Craig's List and as usual, we were skeptical. However, as soon as we walked into its owner's home, we both knew immediately that this table would be perfect for the breakfast nook in our new home. It's not an antique like we would normally buy or prefer however, it does have that antique sort-of look as it has been refinished at one point in it's life. We just love it!



Bye Bye boat.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Hollon Helping

Hollon is helping mommy in the kitchen today!

Excuse the mess in my kitchen....we're packing, packing, packing!