if I'm being honest...

Soooo I lied. Said I was going to post Wedding Wednesday yesterday and, obviously, I did not.

I was going to write it on Tuesday night, but I went over to my best friend's house and helped her mom with the formatting to address her wedding invitations. We actually had a lot of fun doing that and I didn't get home until 9:30. Then I wanted to spend time with Andre'...so I did. And like I said Monday - it was kinda nice being away from the computer. I spend 8-5 glued to my screens, so when 5:01 rolls around...I want off. And I am sure as hell not going to wake up early to blog. Sorry, but I like my sleep. And when you work from home, one of the perks is having an alarm that goes off at 7:50am.

But then, as nice as it is to be away from it all - I miss it. I started this to have a creative outlet. And I can tell when I'm away - I'm more stressed out in those days. Because I need that outlet. I'm an extremely creative person, so when I don't let that out at least once during the day, I think I just freak out and get more stressed. Whether it be blogging, sewing, crafting or building furniture...I need to let it out in some form each day.

_____________________________________________

Now that I've got that off my chest, let's move on. Truthfully, I probably would have time to blog if I didn't spend hours upon HOURS on Pinterest every day. I think I doubled my pins this week alone - and all in the Home Décor category.

Maybe I am biting off a big chunk and maybe these things will never get done...but I keep telling myself: "Kaitlyn, if you make these things, you can blog about them. So make them so you can blog every day of the week." Riveting, I know.

Anyways, today I'm sharing the things I want to make/do. Tomorrow I am going to the hardware store to buy a circular saw. Let's hope I remember my skills from the mission trips I went on! Though maybe I wouldn't mind if I chopped off my left arm on accident. That thing kept me up ALL night. I probably got two hours of sleep. COOL.

The now media room will be my office until it will be the nursery (many many moons from now), so I need to make sure that the built-ins I do work for both. Enter this built in bookshelf I will be creating.

Original pin:

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My plans for this are to put it along the back wall in the office. The end one will be on the other side, though. It will be along 3/4 of the wall, and then I'll have an accent chair with a small table to make it a reading "nook." Please tell me there are other people out there who automatically think of Boy Meets World when talking about a nook? Just me? These are actually from Ikea and it's just one tower, so I'd buy three and have those facing out with the fourth to the side and a chalk "wall" on it. This is probably the one I will start with as it only requires me to fasten it to the wall. I may add some crown molding around it to gussy it up, though.

 

Original pin:

 

via

 

I'm not sure how I'm going to do this because we have plantation shutters on every window in the house, but ideally I would LOVE to do this on the two windows in the kitchen. Just the "cottage chic" look I am going for. But with fake flowers, because who wants to replace flowers every three days? Not I.

 

Original pin:

 

via

 

This one you have to put on your imagination caps. It's just my inspiration. I'm going to take a 2x4 and secure it to the wall at chest level, and then put hooks along it. Then I'll take bead board and line it down the wall until it hits a storage bench that I'll be making myself. And then above the 2x4, I'm going to find an old window and hang it there to use as a wipe-off reminder station thingy. And then if there's room, I'll do small bookshelf tower things on either side. BAM - custom mudroom. But in white, not black. This will go on the wall next to the door to the garage on the first floor. I haven't talked much about the layout of the house, but it's three stories: first has the garage and then you walk into an entryway where the stairs are, a linen closet, and then a hallway leading to two bedrooms and a Jack & Jill bath. Second is living room, dining, kitchen and a half bath. Third is laundry, master bed/bath, media/office/nursery room.

 

Original pin:

 

via

 

This one also requires your thinking caps. Got them on? Ok, good. I need a desk that is large enough to fit my double-screened work computer, our iMac and my sewing machine. They just don't make that - or ones I like, that is. The bookcases above are the 4x4 ones from Ikea that you put baskets in the cubby holes. I like that, but I also need one to hold the tower for my work computer, so I'll be making those myself so one has two cubby holes and then one opening without the middle board. (Added plus - I'll use real wood and not particle board!) So it will be two of those, one on each end facing out. Then I'll be buying 2x8s and securing them together to make the top. I plan on making 3 holes along the middle portion so all the cords can go in there. And then I'm going to stain it a deep wood color to match the "stage" in the Mediaroom/office. Voila! Custom desk for cheap. And much prettier and more functional that anything I could find online.

 

 

I have limited power tool skills - but in my head, these things seem SO easy. I know how to use a circular saw, so I should be totally fine...

shake your peanut

 

I guess I took an official but not so official blog break last week. I still read all of your posts for the most part...but it was kind of nice to have a break and actually be OFF the computer after 5 each day. I spent that time wandering around Trader Joe's and HEB each night. I could spend HOURS in a grocery store. Especially nice fancy ones like TJ's and HEB on W. Alabama. Heaven, I tell ya. Come visit me in Houston and I'll show you the ways.

OH PS - I'm also over here today, go take a look at my honeymoon! http://mykindofyellow.blogspot.com/

 

We weren't going to do anything this weekend, but thanks to a bum arm, we headed to my parent's lakehouse late Saturday night for some R&R. It was much needed.

 

 

1. Sushi date on Friday with a Key Lime Basil something drink. Twas good.

2. Every Friday deserves champagne. Almond Champagne from TJs? Even better. Then we went to a family friend's house because another friend from FSU was in town. We shook our peanut all weekend like Mickey told us to. Seriously - who writes these kids shows?!

3. We bought our couch! We are in LOVE with it. The quality is amazing - can't wait to have it in the living room!

4. And then we spent 5 hours at Conn's. NOT an exaggeration. But we walked out with a delivery date on a fancy fridge, so I call it a win. It's really hard to see all the super fancy fridge's and then pick a less fancy one. So of course we went with the newest and fanciest one they had. We HAD to.

5. Sweet tat I saw while at Conn's. It says Conceited. Whyyyyyy would you tattoo that on your body?!

6. Late night lakehouse snack.

7. Late night booze cruise turned drinking on the dock due to the wind. That green light is this super fancy light that attracts all the fish - it's like you have your very own aquarium right there!

8. Rope swing jumps for A. I never actually got IN the water.

9. Late night Bowden + Max snuggles. Bowden was in heaven all weekend.

 

Bowden is such a lake dog. I'm hoping he will be a beach dog, too!

 

I mentioned a bum arm earlier - and unfortunately it's still hurting. We think (because I'm 80) that it's Carpel Tunnel. Whenever we are all moved in, I'll be investing in a higher chair and some wrist support for my keyboard...because laugh all you want, but this shiz is PAINFUL.

 

I'm going to be a better blogger this week and blog every day. Tomorrow we will talk cake cutting! And champagne chugging. Is it a bad thing that somehow all of my posts involve champagne?

 



wedding wednesday

Not going to lie, I sat here for a bit this morning and wondered what to write about for today's edition of wedding wednesday. There's a bit of a lull between arriving at the reception and starting all the fun stuff, you know?

So today I'm giving you my two cents on how to have a fun wedding reception. Take it as you may.

FIRST - be there for all four hours of your reception. This sounds dumb, I know, but hear (see? read?) me out. Originally we were going to be married at 7:30 that night, but with the hour and fifteen minute ceremony + pictures, we would likely only be at the reception for two and a half hours - the country club closed at midnight. This is seriously the only reason we did the afternoon wedding. Wedding at 2 and reception started at 3:30 - we arrived around 3:45 and had a blast until 7:30.

Oh, and then have an after party. And go to it. In your veil. But more on that later.

SECOND - Let people come to you.

I was so glad that they put this little seating area out and that we took advantage of it. We hadn't really had an "us" time yet until this. And you know what? People that wanted to talk to us, did. We could have walked around the whole room for hours, but we didn't. And yet we still talked to everyone at our reception. Whether they talked to us at this time or when we were dancing, we talked to everyone and still had the fun we wanted to have.

 my kindergarten and second grade teacher on the left, my favorite teacher ever and I'm so blessed she was able to come to the wedding

THIRD - Eat the food that you paid a ton of money to have there. Even if it is just a plate full of mac and cheese. Hey, I hadn't eaten that stuff in MONTHS.

LAST - Hire a kick-ass band/DJ and dance the night away.

Even if you are the only ones on the dance floor for a while.

today I...

Tuesday, bluesday. Blahsday. Ewwwsday. Why does Tuesday exist?

So what am I doing on this Tuesday? A few things:

...am wishing the prettiest madre in all the land a happy birthday! We are heading to our neighbor's house tonight for a fun dinner & cuppycakies. And I'm chomping at the bits to give her ze birthday present I got her. I'm heading to NYC on June 12 for work, so I bought her a ticket to join me. She'll be visiting her sister & brother while I work. She has these plans already & was going to buy her own ticket tonight - but this way is so much better. She's done so much for us over the years, so this is little in comparison to that. And we get to have a fun breakfast in the city together!

...am fairly certain that I found our couch! Isn't she a beaut? AND, at half the price of the Ballard one I fell in love with, she's a winner. We are going to take advantage of the no interest for 48 months and 15% off this weekend, and if it all works out and we love it in person, she will be delivered on June 26, just a few days after we move in! Perfection, i tell ya. And at Ashley of all places! SO hoping that the quality is what we are expecting.

...am being a total nerd. Two screens for work and then I put the mac on the printer so I could watch Dawson's Creek. I'm the type of person who has to have something going on in the background or else I will let my ADD take over and I won't get anything done. And what better way than Dawson's? It also makes me really miss high school. Which is weird, college was way better than high school.

...am wondering what this is. It SAYS it's a citrus reamer, but I call that suspect. It's kind of like that strange curling wand with three balls on it. Just...strange.

...am devouring a huge bowl of kale chips. Next up, strawberries. Then broccoli. Then cherries. I think I need to start a garden, because the amount of veggies I have been eating is insane lately! But it kind of makes my breath smell odd, maybe I shouldn't eat this around people.

...am wondering if my dad just doesn't know what a filter is. Yesterday we were at Loft buying my mom some things for her birthday and he started talking about how excited he was to have me back (mainly probably because I do all the shopping for my mom for him) and how he was also excited for a granddaughter. I assumed he meant my future niece that my sweet sister-in-law is totally going to have (what? I can wish!), but NOPE. He meant me. This was all in front of the girl checking us out. She probably thought we were INSANE. I know I did. He told me it was about time already - uhh, thanks Dad, haven't even been married a year yet.

...am thinking of a fun Wedding Wednesday post tomorrow. Posted on time! What?!

ironman shenannies

Oh, hello there. I spent this weekend being glam, can't you tell. I can sure style the heck out of a blanket.

Because I didn't share on Friday, here's some pictures that (OMG!) actually prove that I was at the swizzle concert. Thanks, FB!

Anyyyways - (I say that like Ellen does at the end of all her shows. I watch too much Ellen, clearly) this weekend was so much fun. TOO much fun, really.

Friday we got all glammed up only to head out into the heat/smog/smokey outside. (Yes, we did go to the DMB concert, but the smoke was from some agricultural fires in thw Yukatan...aka, they were burning weed.)

You better believe I brought one massive bloody mary to drink on the way to the concert. I TOLD you guys that it's an obsession...

 

And then...oh then. Then Meg and Reese showed up and it was officially the best night ever. You don't know Meg? Well, FIX THAT. Now. Then you will understand our love for each other. (Why yes, this IS the same Meg I had a blate with on Wednesday. Told you we liked each other.)

 

So this haze miiiight have been from the concert. We did not partake, but we saw a TON. Saw, smelled, whatever. We stuck to the beer. Yummies!

 

How many tries does it take to take a good picture together? Too many to count. I personally like the top left the best. Should I frame it for the new house?

 

And then, because we were feeling kind of lazy, we ran the ironman. We finished in 16 minutes - we are basically olympic athletes. But please, don't give us too much praise, we don't like to make others feel bad for taking so long to finish it.

 

 



Reese decided it was nappy time. Which meant that it was time to go home. All in all, it was one of my favorite nights ever. We had a backup plan in case Andre' and Reese didn't get a long (he had friends there and so did A), but whatdoyaknow, Meg and I left to say hello to the fabuloso Whitney, and when we got back A and Reese were talking up a storm! This may or may not have been our plan all long...Meg, we are evil geniuses.

Because that was just a tad too much fun, we seriously did NOTHING on Saturday. Unless you count laying out by the pool and drinking (guessssss which drink?) bloody's as something, then I guess we did something. I cooked lasagna cups and then A proceeded to pass out at 7:30 while I read. He never woke up until the morning. So much for giving it the ol' college try!

Sunday I went to a Houston Blogger meetup at the delicious Barnaby's Cafe. None of us took any pictures - I know, i can't believe it either - but it was a blast and a half. Except our waiter - he was rude and pretty terrible all around. But the company was good and I'm looking forward to attending more!

A is out of town through Wednesday - oddly enough, he's training for work in Lafayette - and then we are going to stay at my sister's house with their dog while they are off being jerks. And by that I mean they are going to Mexico or Bahamas or Grand Cayman or something, I always forget. SOMEWHERE tropical and somewhere WITHOUT me.

And obvisouly, since no furniture shopping happened on Saturday, I'll be doing some of that this week.

she's like, so deep

In case you missed it yesterday, I got all my money back from the asshole landlord. I'm still celebrating if you can't tell.

I also said yesterday that I would be back today with a college story. I lied. What had happened was...

I went to the t.swizzle concert last night. Annnnnd it was amazing. All you Taylor haters can just leave now, because you'll likely be annoyed. But not really, because the people watching/listening was amazing and I'll get into that later.

We started the concert like any normal 25 year old would - with drinks. I'm the complete weirdo who has an absolute obsession with bloody mary's right now, so that's what I got. It was delicious. (We were in the club level so the bar was amaaaazing.)

Y'all - she puts on such an amazing show. Every single song is performed like a movie. So theatrical! They put in SO much thought on each and every one. The only odd parts were when she would just start talking. She's awkward, we all know that. But there wasn't that much talking, so it was all good in my book. 

And so many outfit changes! As in more than Carrie Underwood - and that's A LOT. But I loved them all. And speaking of Carrie - I thought I wanted her legs, but now I know that I want Taylor's. I should also add in that I want to grow a foot, too. She probably doesn't even work out - if I was running and dancing around a stage for 2 hours each night, I know I wouldn't need to!

Annnnd of course, the people watching. I don't know what was better - that or the people listening. Or eaves dropping, whatever you want to call it. I made a list. 

Things overheard at a Taylor Swift concert:

1. Who is this song about? The girls behind us asked this about every single song. It makes me laugh because every single song is about someone. "Joe!" "NO, this one is about Jake!" "Ugh, you are so dumb, it's about John!" (FYI Tay, stay away from the J's.)
2. She is like, so deep. Again, the girls behind us. They couldn't believe that she could sit down and write a song. But this was said about one of her little talking sessions and I had to keep from laughing out loud.
3. Wait! We didn't take a picture of our tickets! Do you think someone is going to not believe you were there?
4. OMG! It's her mom!! Before the show started, Tay's mom walked through the floor to her spot in the back. The teenyboppers went INSANE. They ran over each other (literally) to take a picture with her mother. Her mom is really nice, though, and did take pictures with people along the way. But still...it's her mom.
5. MOM! The t-shirts are sold out! This little girl's life was pretty much over. How will she survive without a $40 shirt that will fall apart the first time it's washed?!
6. I need another beer. Every dad/boyfriend/husband/fiance in the arena. 

All in all, I had a blast. I would go again - and probably will go to her next tour. She puts on a great show and you can tell that she really cares about what she's doing. 

Weekend plans: Dave Matthews band tonight! And then we will be spending all day Saturday looking at appliances and furniture. Oh the joys of growing up. 

I WIN!

Guess who got her full deposit back from Mr. Asshole of the Year? THIS GIRL DID!

 

 

Apparently the "damage" only totaled $40 dollars - y'all. He sent me photos of the "damage" and it was a scuff mark on the wall from the cot/bed thing. AKA - grab a freaking Mr. Clean eraser and wipe it off. But whatever - I paid via e-check and there was a $40 reimbursement from that so he just used that. I was so ready to fight him on this, too.

 

In other happy news, I'm heading to the T.Swizzle concert tonight with this pretty. I knowwww, I know, Taylor is a bit crazy. But they had an extra ticket and I couldn't pass up such a good people watching opp.

 

 

Then Friday night we are heading to the Dave Matthews concert with the same pretty above and her husband. Annnnd the amazing and beautiful Meg and her BF just so happen to be going, too! That leads me into our perfect and amazing and so much fun blate we had last night.

 

We met up at 6:30 and left the restaurant at 9:30. And we were done eating around 7:30...and only had one drink each. That's how much we like each other. It's a lot in case you were wondering. Somehow we have the most random friends in common and it still blows my mind. Also, my bestie face Alexa and her BF are from the same town and they have so many friends in common, too. MEANT TO BE FRIENDS, duh.

 

And in super-de-DUPER exciting news, my sister-in-law and brother are having a little baby Lindsey! He/she is making his/her appearance in November. They told us over Easter weekend and I have been bursting at the seams to let the news out. I had lunch with her on Tuesday and brought the little nugget a KU jersey. (Tiffany went to KU and my brother went to FSU. So of course my sister went shopping for an FSU jersey that night!) How cute is this little jersey?! I told her that if the baby is a girl, they can just put a bow on it. HAAA I'm hilarious.

 

 

I'll be back tomorrow with a funny college story. I remembered one last night and now I have to tell it. 



wedding wednesday

Back to normal programming! I was going to post about our ridiculously fun reception today, but I decided I needed to do a post about the songs we danced to. Because I like to listen to them :)

 

The wedding party was announced one by one and they walked in to "When the saints go marching in." This is clearly a nod to The New Orleans Saints, and clearly was A's choice. (It wasn't this version, ours had no words, but I can't find that version. So this will have to do.) It was a fun upbeat song for everyone to walk in to and it got the party started. 

A surprised me with our first dance song. There was not a dry eye in the house when this played. In fact, I still have people tell me how much they loved this song. A and I don't really have "our song," but whenever this would come on the radio, we would call each other and turn it up. (cheeseball alert.) 

My dad and I danced to "Daughter." I honestly had NO clue what we would dance to, slow song wise. I originally wanted "Brown Eyed Girl," but it's about a relationship...and not a father/daughter one. One night I was finishing up the invitations while Knocked Up was on. And this song so happened to be the last song of the movie. BOOM - I had my song. Yes, I almost didn't pick it simply because it was on Knocked Up, but it was too perfect not to use. 

A and his mom danced to "A Song for Mama" by Boys II Men. To say he's obsessed with Boys II Men is an understatement. I mean...who isn't? He actually told the DJ this song as we were walking in. The original song was too lovey-dovey for a mother/son dance. So Mama it was. 

And because this part is kind of boring for anyone not in the wedding families, we only danced to one minute of Daughter and Mama. I even kind of wish we cut ours short. It's SUPER awk dancing to a 4 minute song while everyone stares at you. Or maybe that's just me. 

Our last dance song was incredibly random and incredibly me. A surprised me with this one, too. And it was AMAZING. For some reason it's one of my favorite songs. I'll turn up the volume all the way in may car and jam this whenever I'm in a bad mood. It's all coming back to me now...my brother put it on a CD of songs to play at the beginning of swim meets. I think I stole that CD and was obsessed with 80s music...in 5th grade. I was so cool... It was the perfect song to end the perfect day. Except it didn't end, we had an after party, but you have to wait a few weeks for that one.