WE HAVE MOVED

Check out our new space at http://www.twentyfeet.us/  :)

The Husband and I have decided to change things up a bit for the next year, see how we like the new space...how you like it...  Honestly the part that made the decision for me was when he told me he wanted to be involved, wanted to be a part of this space too and Squarespace gives us that option.

Remember to update your bookmarks with the new site...  http://www.twentyfeet.us/  Thanks for reading!

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How am I...

...supposed to read my book with a cat sitting on it? Huh, Mason?




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Utterly Exhausted

I am spent.  done.  finished.  exhausted. 

Jay's car is officially totaled - crazy and unexpected!  It's weird to think we won't ride to Kathy and Dennis' in it again.  It won't take another road trip to Cinncinnati with us.  It's leather seats hot in the summer heat and frigid cold in the winter.  The sunroof open to the breeze.  Hunter curled up in the backseat completely content to have a seat to curl up in.  It was a sporty car that zipped around corners...a silver streak (hahaha!)  It's in the salvage yard in Fredericksburg right now where Melissa and I will go visit one more time to gain our last of the personal items left behind, not thinking it was going to be a total loss when the tow truck came.  The remainder of the loan is paid and eventually (two weeks or so) we should get our loss check.  The snazzy VW Jetta rental has to be returned on Tuesday, so essentially we have to buy a car this weekend - talk about pressure!  

What about Betty, some of you might ask?  Well, she can make the drive - Jay took her last Friday - but she's loud and not the best on gas mileage.  Plus, we found out this past weekend that she needs a new altenator if she will hit the open road on a daily basis.  

So we will see where we stand after Saturday's road trip from dealership to dealership window shopping for cars and hopefully test driving one or two...

Right this minute, people are banging around in our garage...  A while back at the Home and Garden Show, we signed up for dirt cheap installation on SafeRacks and just because life tests you at times - some more than others - our appointment fell into this week and the evening hours.  Our appt was at 5pm and they called just before 4:30 saying they were around the corner (!) while I was stuck on 66 in some lovely traffic courtesy of the sleet storm (!!) so it'd be another 30 mins before I could get there and 'yes, you will have to wait because no one is home.'  Home I arrive and there are two gentleman (more strength to move stuff out of the way as needed) waiting on me.  He is asking where I want them and I tell him some thoughts with the original 8x4 racks (two of them) we ordered.  I call Jay to make sure we are on the same page and I don't have the energy to explain or answer his questions so I had the phone over to the Rack Guy.  They decide one 8x4 and one 6x4 is legit to cover the entire back wall.  Yep, sounds great (why hadn't I thought of that?).  As they bang and drill, me and the Zoo are all sitting in the office not making a sound, just listening while I type.  

Here's to hoping the remainder of the week pans out easily and quickly...

Comfort and Warmth

Chase the Cat cozy, warm and fast asleep on my lap... He's the most lovable (out of them all) and enjoys a good vege!





And now there are two... Parker the Cat has joined us.



Getting a bit warm under here Ladies and Gentleman! :)


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Happy Spring

Brought some flowers from the outside today...









...to the inside to enjoy!

Relaxing Saturday

So there's A LOT going on right now...a relaxing Saturday is a welcomed change of pace. We woke up around 8am and have been lounging in bed all morning jamming out to the old classic songs using my Rdio app. Peter Frampton Is cranking while I type this :) The husband has been throwing back his coffee and just brought me a bowl of Cinnamon Cheerios for breakfast (had a coupon, not bad but Honey Nut is still the best!).

What's so crazy right now? Well Thursday night when The Husband came home, he pulled in the driveway and his car broke - literally! His driver side wheel and axle came apart with the tire falling off and jamming into his fender and door.



It's pretty wild to think about. I am so incredibly thankful he made it home safely and it didn't break while going 60mph on the highway! So we called and its possibly covered under insurance - great news! But it could easily be deemed totaled so that means we'd need a new car - ugh! Luckily he was able to drive Betty yesterday and will be given a rental car to use. So the tow truck is coming to pick up the Honda today... It's a waiting game now.


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Betty

She is his pride and joy.  She is LOUD and beautiful.  She is now legal in Virginia.  Being 36 years old, she needs some work, so just like everything else it's slowly but surely getting done. 

Without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to Betty :)  Isn't she a beauty?

 

To celebrate and welcome her to Virginia, I got the Husband a surprise (sshh! keep it a secret...).  Betty looks gorgeous in blue and Go Blue! just happens to be one of the Husband's teams so...

I hope he likes it!  I can't wait to show her off around town...

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I have a love/hate relationship...

...with the rain!

We spent all our time, money and energy to fix the front yard last summer...  What happens with the first big storm that hits?  Water in the basement!  FLIPPING WATER!

There's nothing to damage down there now, thanks to our time and effort spent this past fall.  It's not a ton of water, but enough that it's standing water on the concrete floor.  It's enough that I'm going to go use multiple towels to clean it up and then more still to shove in the corner where it's slowly seeping in.  It's enough that I'll check it again before I go to bed to see if more water has tried to join our indoor swimming pool.

I dreaded possible water in the basement while driving home in the hard rain and lightening.  With the rain steady all day and the flood warnings we received, I hoped the basement would be dry when I opened the door.  No such luck.


I have neglected the blog big time, so there's much to write but I'm going to first let Hunter outside to potty, make a grilled cheese sandwich (sorry gym efforts) and then mop up the basement with towels...  Then I'll come back here and start typing what's been happening in our world.


UPDATE (w/ pictures):

This is the second time I am typing this because my computer timed out trying to draw you a explanatory picture of the multiple places where water is slowly seeping in, so you get the less wordy version...

View from top of the stairs of standing water...it goes fully under the stairs too.

Seeping in from the corner, which is below where the driveway, garage and new grass meet -- hello puddle!

Over by the laundry sink at the other end of the basement...pretty sure water is coming from the back corner and follows the crack in the concrete...

...to this spot, unless it's coming from along the wall somewhere...

...and then finally this spot where the insulation has soaked up majority of puddle; think it's coming from the far back corner at top of the picture and following wall then crack to puddle up.

My head hurts...am going to bed.

Joining the A-Team

As we speak I type, I am playing with my new phone :)  Yep, you guessed it...I got myself an iPhone yesterday!  I LOVE IT!!  I've always been an Apple fan, just never had the balls to go there or the dollars really.  Yes, they are money grubbing whores as my Husband says, but you have to admit they are mighty fine whores when it comes to technology. 

I set up my Apple ID and am downloading free apps from the store.  Yes, I will probably spend some dollars on the fun ones, but for right now the free ones are making me cheese from ear to ear. 

I need to look up the 'list' app Joy was telling me about...  You know how cozy me and lists are! :)

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Lost

Oh my gosh...I think I lost 90% of my pictures that were on my old hard drive.  I thought I copied them over to the external hard drive, but there's only six folders there.  I had 50 folders easy.  College.  Summertime. Going out. Weddings.  Everything prior to Jan 2009 essentially was on there and now they are gone.  I'm crying over pictures.  I need a distraction.  I need those pictures back...makes me so upset that I didn't confirm they copied over when I was thinking about it months ago.

Ripped jeans

I'm not going to explain the title of this post, except to say that I joined the gym today!

Here's to getting in shape and feeling fabulous again :)

July 2006 - I actually wore this out to a bar!  Look at those abs and the arms - shows you what year round soccer can do!

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Umm...it's a door

I can cross something off my list :) 

We added a new counter top to the kitchen recently and stuck to our original plan, creating an eat-in nook.  In the making, we had a true workshop in the basement - cutting, sanding and spray painting!

The Husband screwed a 2x4 into the wall to brace the top.  He measured and cut down the door to length, including a notch for the window (fabulous!)  He nailed 2x4s together to make a leg support.  I sanded it down, trying to hide the notches and make the rough surface, not so rough for tiny hands and arms.  We screwed it all together and it was perfect!  (We aren't going to talk about my stubborn miss-hap and how I caused a good chunk of extra work for the Husband.)  We spray painted the top 'Heirloom White' yet ran out of the first can, so had to go to HD to buy more.  Unfortunately you can still see where we ran out after the second can and coat, so eventually I'll roll paint it.  We spray painted the leg a soft green, which isn't as noticeable in needing another coat. 

We've started 'using' it - actually eating lunch there by the window this weekend :)  It was wonderful and will be highly used during the summer months I'm sure!  We need to get chairs that are a slight bit higher than what is there now, the original thought of stools would be too tall for the counter height.  The Husband is going to build a shelf in the opening between the longer cabinets to put my cookbooks, which will add some dimension with color, plus I love books - not picky on what kind.  They are all learning and teaching tools in my mind, so the more the better.

Best part about this counter top.... UMM, IT'S A DOOR!  And it was free - Hahaha!  Yep, it's a leftover closet door from the basement.  We put the door knob hole against the wall, so any appliances that find a home there can still be plugged into the outlet below.  I love it!

Check out the evolution of this wall, here.

 

As seen from the dining room

As seen from the office

In the morning light...

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Cooks Ct Projects

The Husband and I are opposites when it comes to many things.  How we get around most of them, I don't know, but we do and I would like to think it makes us each stronger people.  I'm a list person - love, love, love them - but the Husband not so much :)  We currently have a list labeled 'Cooks Ct Projects' that is on our fridge...it's three lists actually stapled together!  Since this list never feels like it's dwindling, it's causing a bit of a overwhelming feeling in the house from us both.  I've decided to recreate it here, in this space, my space within the internet, to help me keep track and cross things off the 'List' as we go.  In no specific order and of course with items added as we go...

• Basement
• Tear down drywall and drop ceiling
• Mitigate mold
• Scrape tile floor
• Grind glue off floor and smooth
• Stain floor
• DryLock/Seal concrete block
• New windows
• New hot water heater
• New AC unit
• Build closet and drywall for HVAC/Utilities
• Build play/craft/guest room and drywall
• Move bathroom to utility sink setup
• French doors in place of garage door

• Attic
• Fix attic fan
• Extend boards for movement

• Garage
• Clean and organize
• New garage door
• Build upper storage over workbench for decorations and other items needed once a year

• Laundry
• Paint
• Move laundry to basement
• Create mudroom space
• Knock down wall to kitchen
• Install sliding glass door to large deck

• Kitchen
• Create countertop with leftover door - DONE Feb2011
• Remove remaining wallpaper and paint
• Fix lazy susan cabinet
• Reface/Paint cabinets
• New appliances
• Reconfigure
• New countertops
• New flooring

• Dining Room
• Move lighting fixture over table or centered in room
• New flooring
• New windows
• Fireplace vent

• Foyer
• Buy and install crown molding and baseboards
• New front and rear entry doors
• New front and rear screen doors

• Living Room
• New flooring
• Paint - DONE Feb2011
• Ceiling fan
• Crown/Baseboards
• Build header between foyer/living room

• Office
• New flooring
• New window
• Build header between living room/office
• Add french doors
• Update to more private door to kitchen

• Hall Bath
• Remove remaining wallpaper
• Mitigate mold (if found)
• Purchase pedestal sink
• Close off true bathroom to vanity sink
• Paint
• New door
• New vanity sink/counter
• Tall storage chest for towels and CVS store
• Possible laundry shoot to basement laundry

• Yellow Room
• Scrape glue off walls
• New door
• Build closet for room into hall bath
• Paint
• New windows

• Guest Room
• Remove wallpaper
• Paint
• New door
• New window
•  Switch closet space with Jay's closet and close off current closet

• Master Bedroom
• Remove wallpaper
• Paint
• New windows
• Increase walk-in closet space for both of us
• Update bathroom

• Whole House
• New roof and gutters
• Better insulation
• Check electrical
• Fully wired internet
• Fully wired Sonos
• Fix driveway
• Fence in backyard
• Build deck off current laundry/kitchen
• Build covered front porch

Same old bowl of soup, just reheated...

It's always the same conversation, about every three months or so, the Husband and I have.  This house easily overwhelms us and is a hard thing to swallow at times.  It's that splinter in your foot that you can't fully get out.  It's the job that you huff and puff about when waking up, wishing you didn't have to go today.  Now don't get me wrong, we love this house but good gracious it needs A LOT of work and there feels like never enough time or money to get it all done.  It's a house that we might have passed on if we had known what to look for when buying it, but we didn't and were thrilled to pieces for it to be ours!  It's our first home together.  It's in the country with a great piece of land.  Lastly, it's has fabulous potential...  Yet just like everything else we need breaks from it and it's 'list'.

I'm going to share our 'Cooks Ct Project' list (because I need them to survive) in another post so I don't have to read this depressing one each time I want to joyously cross something off :)

To leave you all with something wonderfully happy and that makes me smile every time I see his wrinkled face or silly ears, please enjoy...

 Love him to pieces!

PSE9

Photshop.  All the professional photographers have it (or so I think.)  Anyone who is anyone in the photography world deals with photoshop (again, or so I think.)  Well, baby, I got it!  WAHOO!

It is my birthday present from the Husband...  I've talked about wanting it, so I can jazz up some pictures like the best of 'em - bloggers that is.  Now for the reality of it, I don't know a damn thing about it.  Never used it, no idea how it works or what all the little gadgets are.  Not a one.  But I will learn and it will be glorious!  Joy and I are going to conquer Photoshop like we are back in college again.  Well maybe not the same way since now we have responsibilities, unlike in college. :)

So, here goes Test #1 (haven't even read the booklet or tutorials, am just winging it)...

From the 30th... figure I can have some fun with this action shot!

Just opening the picture in PSE, it wants you to put a name to a face and will recognize/organize by person if you want - very cool!

Accented Edges

Just trying to save this picture to upload it, I need to learn about 'version sets'.  I want to create a flame coming off the candles and maybe get rid of the picture in the background, so that isn't a focus.  I tried to create the flame but kept getting some error message because I need to do something else first, but I have no idea how to do any of it...

Tutorials here I come...there is ALOT to learn! 

5 1/2 hours!

I made it home safe and sound...FINALLY!!  It took five and a half hours to get home today/tonight from work.  I know there are others still on the road, I hope they are safe.

It was pretty slow moving from the beginning and I don't think I went faster than 25 mph the entire drive.  And I might have had to pee on the road, so am glad I had a large cup with me - 'nuff said!  The snow is coming down so quickly, the roads don't look like they have even been plowed...none of them!  We easily have 6-7 inches here at the house with a few fallen tree limbs and one lucky Betty the Nova :)  Unfortunately the Husband is going to hole up at work tonight - love him and would love to wake up beside him, but there is no way his Honda will make it home.  Thought I'd share some pics... Be safe everyone! 

As I type this, the electricity has faltered three times, but hasn't gone out yet....need to go find some candles! 

And as I told the Husband today, it wouldn't be my birthday without snow :)

Pine Trees in backyard

Heard a limb break back in the woods...

Shade Tree in backyard

Happy dog :)

Japanese Maple

Crepe Myrtle

Tall Bush - well it was...

Front yard tree...honestly, not sure what type it is...

VERY LUCKY BETTY :)

The Big 3-0 Birthday Week

The birthday week has been a mixture of fabulous and horrible all at the same time. Saturday technically isn't included in this week, but that's where we will start...

While shopping in HD for interior doors, I received some sad news from a dear friend.  She is doing well and is strong; I need to send her a card.  That evening I had a fabulous time hanging with Heather and Jacqui to celebrate Heather peacing out (so sad, but more on that later).  The evening started off with sushi from Wegmans (love it! Only the cooked stuff though) - YUM!  Jacqui found a great wine bar - Church Street Cellars - in Vienna and her ex was a gem to be our DD.  It's fabulous and I have to remember to take Kathy for her birthday -- she would enjoy it a lot!  From there, we caught a ride with a gem of an ex to the Fairfax Town Center to a restaurant/bar called Ozzie's.  Great atmosphere where we proceeded to enjoy more drink - Peach Bellini is where it's at! - and meet drunk Jacqui...she was great!  We called a cab to head home, but they took too long so called Heather's (little) bro to scoop us up and as we are waiting for the bro, up pulls the cabbie so we start walking...horrible drunk us!  We hit the pjs, Jacqui falls asleep, Heather and I bust into the late night munchies of chips and salsa, proceeding to have a way-too-long discussion on making salsa from scratch :)  We snuggled into Jacqui's bed close to 4am and were done.  The next morning, we chatted about the evening's events and how I'm a bed hog (the Husband got his best night's sleep EVER while I was gone).

I got home to the Husband's surprise...  He hung the bedroom interior door...  It was on the frame, but there was a two inch gap at the top and flush on the bottom!  We did some examining and determined that the current fugly doors are pre-hung lovelies.  We had to hammer and chisel new hinge groves in the frame and the door itself to make the gap be on the bottom and keep the door knob aligned.  My hungover head did NOT enjoy this one bit!!  After the banging in the house was done (still in my head though!), the door still does not fit the frame, so we tried once more.  Unfortunately it still won't shut, meaning our house is not level or square!  You can see the frame is completely not squared to the floor when you try and shut the door.  It is hung, but won't shut which is fine for our bedroom now (but will need to remedied before guests or little ones come along).  Our next option is to shave down our new door or call in for back-ups and buy more expensive pre-hung doors! 

Fugly pre-hung doors

No more doors

Gap at top of our door...ignore the non-painted walls

The day ended with much needed grocery shopping in town.  Neither of us wanted to go with the sour mood the door had put us in, but the pantry and fridge was desolate.  The trip was fairly uneventful with a quick list (not in order but we survived that well) and aimless walking with the headache still around.  There was a bad moment when the Husband exclaimed his needing to eat more carbs since his weight was XYZ and I proceeded to cry.  Right there in the cracker aisle, tears started to flow.  This craziness was brought on by the hangover probably but also the fact I weigh more than the Husband.  UGH!  Special K is my new go to - cereal, breakfast bars, snacks and meal bars.  We shall see how this works people...

Monday I woke up late - blah! - and was cruising on 66.  The road opened up and I was able to gain speed finally yet quickly realized that I was needing to keep my steering wheel sideways to go straight!!  Thinking to myself I need to check my tire pressure/air when I get to work, I got over in the slow lane (not my typical move) and there went the tire!  Totally done...it luckily wasn't a huge blow out like I always imagined the situation being.  I pulled on the shoulder and called the Husband....hit the flashers, called the boss lady and the Husband again for the important numbers to come help me.  Up pulled a state trooper and he called in roadside assistance for me...they came about twenty minutes later and was able to change my tire, with a bit hesitation as neither of us could figure out how to get the spare out from under the truck.  Once I had the spare on, I hit Starbucks (sorry Husband but my toes were in pain!) and met a lovely lady who questioned the dog hair on the back of my black coat (hahaha!)...finally at work I was exhausted already!  Not a good start to the work week.

Today has become better with snuggling in bed with the Husband this morning.  We took my truck to get inspected (due by end of January) with our fingers crossed the spare would pass inspection.  YAY!  Yes, it did but I did need more running lights but that was easy peasy compared to a failed inspection.  She's good until 2012 :)

I'm cooking up some hamburger now and listening to our wedding playlist on Sonos...it's bringing me back to our fabulous day!  Makes me think I need to do something FABULOUS for the big 30 people!!  An innocent night out dancing...let loose and groove it on the dance floor is sounding fun to me.  Maybe it's because I've been dancing around the kitchen while cooking.

This week will get better...even though it ends with saying goodbye to my twenties...


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The Big Lebowski...

Originally written on Jan 20th

Yeah, I don't even know what this post title is (a movie, I think?) but the saying pops into my head everytime I think of the upcoming event in my life. 

I'm turning thirty the end of this month and just the thought of it freaks me out a bit.  Okay, a lot to be fully and completely honest.  I know it's just a number, I truly do believe that (my Gran is a shining example of this fact) and it's not that I'm getting older...I like to think of it as getting wiser :)  There are a few things I thought I would have accomplished by this time.  There's no need to list them here.  Rather, let's be positive about this upcoming milestone...  I've accomplished a lot in my last thirty years. 

I own a home - multiple homes actually (not our smartest decision but... be positive Susan!)
I was able to live alone and loved it!
I lived in the heart of Reston...a smaller scale version of NYC :)...
I walked to the grocery store, restaraunts and work
I have a college degree due to some determination on my part
I have a supportive and loving Husband who I can't imagine my life without
I have four fabulous fur-kids
I have a vehicle that is still running even with her grumbles in the morning (trying to be positive...)
I have a job which I enjoy very much and where I've been collectively for close to six years!
I have amazing friends who have stuck beside me and held my hand through life's events
I can sew and craft :)

All of the above are fabulous accomplishments, yet it makes me realize that above all those things...
I am alive
I can walk
I can breathe on my own
I am not in constant pain

The Big 3-0! :)


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Strength

I need to focus on the positive in my life right now.  I have so much to be thankful for!  I am a usually optimistic person and aren't shoved down often, but when I do find myself on the ground I try to think of how Heidi would handle the situation.  In the middle of her turmoil, she was smiling - always smiling - I miss her.  With her strength within me, I am always able to get up again and continue on...

A goodbye to 2010

It's halfway through the month of January and I still can't believe 2010 is over!  A few days before the new year, I sent the following email to the Husband...

I’ve been reflecting lately on this past year… We have accomplished A LOT! 

 ·        Tore down wallpaper and painted the foyer during blizzard

·         Tore down wallpaper in yellow room and partially in hall bath

·         Updated wood stove to flow into main duct work

·         Destroyed front yard!  Removing pebble garden, sidewalk, retaining wall, flower bed

·         Laid so much dirt it’s ridiculous in that open space

·         Took down master bath door

·         Built workbench in garage and basement

·         Flower beds – weeding, moving bulbs and mulching

·         Seeded and fenced in front yard

·         Tore up carpet in living room and office (Happy Anniversary!)

·         Tore down basement drywall, studs, drop ceiling, dividing wall, cork closet walls

·         Painted office

·         Scraped laminate flooring in basement - here

·         Laid boards in attic

·    New Living Room window (plus a major headache) - read about that here with more to come

·         Moved kitchen cabinets, re-hung cabinets and range hood

·         Painted kitchen and dining room - here, here and here

·         New curtains - living room, office and dining room

WOW!  In the two years we have been in this house, this past year was crazy busy with projects.  It's amazing to look at pictures of the walk-thru vs. present day to see the changes.  Granted, most are cosmetic, but I feel they are the best since it makes this house our home.  I think we are almost there (even though the list on our fridge is double-sided!) – hopefully only tackling a few more large projects (outside of full demo), will get us through 2011.  Here's the top of my list...

·         Grind and stain concrete flooring in basement

·         Hardwood floors in living room and office

·         New roof and gutters

·         Seal basement concrete block

·         Yellow room with closet

·         Hall bath

·    Fenced in yard

·         Transplant flower bulbs

·         More mulch!!

Okay, so enough with the lists which I love!  Reflecting on this past year obviously makes me think of this coming year too and all the changes that will come with it…  It excites me to find out how the year will pan out – What will we get done at the house?  What will come of our jobs?  Where will we go on vacation?  New car?  New little person?  New animal?  All of it is unknown, which admittedly scares me a bit lot, but also reminds me that there is so much to look forward to! 

I'M READY FOR THE ROLLER COASTER OF 2011!  Bring it :)

Just one of them days...

...that a girl goes through...

It has been a day, let me tell you!  I'm doing my early to work, early to home thing pretty good these days.  Was at work to day by 7:30am - usually the only one in my department - but it didn't start off too great.  One thing after another, after another and I didn't peace out until 5pm, only to hear on the radio that there were two accidents on 66 (you have got to be kidding me!)  Hit town shortly after 6pm, headed to the grocery store for coffee for the Husband (grabbed a few items in addition to that).  I decided to get gas with my Giant points since I was already out late and so I didn't have to go in the AM (will thank myself tomorrow morning).  I went to pull in and some guy in a tiny FL plates car took my spot - I couldn't even grab the spot in front of him (piss me off) - so I back it up and swung around to another pump, inside to pay and cash in my G-points, we are pumping gas.  I empty out my trash bin in the door since I'm a multi-tasker and trash flies everywhere!  My torn up deposit slip is in little pieces on the ground, I parked too close to the pump so had to straddle it each way to make it the trash can (twice).  On the way home, I decide a newly purchased (seedless) clementime will perk my spirits;  I peel that chumpy and take a big wedge: three seeds! -- second wedge: one seed! -- last try: two seeds!  (piss me off big time!!)  I throw the rest out of the window and continue home.  Lastly, I am putting wood on the fire and drop a big one on my foot - ugh!  I think I'm going to call it a night - fed the zoo, check on the constantly barking Hunter outside, going to scarf something down, take a bath and go to bed.  I hope your day has gone better...

Tomorrow is a new day; it will be better! 
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Christmas and New Years Eve 2010

I have been neglecting the world wide web lately with the holidays keeping this house going and doing some much needed relaxing. 

We had a great holiday with Jay's family in town.  The schedule for the most part followed my thoughts here.  It made for a long day but was fabulous to see almost all of both our families in one day!  We were showered with  presents - picture frames, socks (always), beautiful pearl necklace, manicure set, Boston pjs and ornaments (nice!), HD and Lowes gift cards and mula (always appreciated and needed!).  Jay and I agreed this year to not do presents since we didn't need anything and the money could be better spent on the house projects needed.  My husband is a sneaky and fabulous man!  Sidenote: we usually exchange gifts on Christmas Eve.  Once I was all snuggled in bed preparing to awake in a few hours, he comes in and asks if I want my 'holiday gift now or in the morning?'  I smile yet remind him we agree to not buy presents this year, to which his planned response was 'it's not a present, it's a holiday gift'.  I love surprises and he knows it :)  The Husband bought me yet another item to help me relax (his new goal in life hahaha!) -- a bath spa that suctions to the side of your tub and creates a current/bubbles to jazz up a still tub o' water, a bath pillow to rest my pretty head and a drain suction cover to gain an extra 4-5 inches of water in the tub.  I used it once the in-laws left and it's amazing...I love it and him for thinking of me!  He always does...


The day after Christmas we went to visit Heidi.  It was a nice ride to relax and get out of the house with the doggie doo.  We decided that next year we will start a tradition of bringing her a wreath and decorating after Turkey Day thru Christmas for some festiveness...

New Years Eve was nice... I had the day off work yet Jay had to punch the clock, so we rode in together and I dropped him off to go meet up with Daddio to see Tron (not Thor) in Manassas.  It was a good movie - neither of us had seen the original from the 80s but they did good creating a back story.  I enjoyed it more than I thought honestly, where Dad thought it was 'okay'.  After some movie and popcorn time, I hung at Kathy and Dennis' with the girls - we painted our nails and watched some music videos (hilarious!).  I scooped Jay once the girls went to bed and we headed back to K&D house.  It's my turn to enjoy some adult beverages (we take turns each year), plus we had veggies, chips/salsa and bruchetta - quite yummy.  On the way home we listened to the top 500 songs and I thought I was Mick Jagger or something jamming out, surprisingly knowing all the words to multiple songs - surprised the Husband. 

It was a great end to the year...time to look forward into 2011.  Another post to come later this evening if I can swing it. 

I'll leave you with some pics of some very happy girls on Christmas morning, among other festive items...

Thank you my love!

Gold ornament tree in dining room

Dress up shoes!

Star Wars book

 

 

 

Reading Santa's letter and his reply too!

 

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!