1995 Called....

My main beef with this house--to be honest, it's probably my only beef with our house, are the borders the owner decided to so lovingly place in 4 of the rooms. Seriously, this house was built in 2005, not 1995, why would they do this.....

...to the master bathroom(FISH?!? really??). And this....

...this, to the master bedroom! Not to mention this...

...in the main bathroom and last but not least this.....

to the kitchen. REALLY?!? I have not brought myself to be able to rip it down yet(we can paint, but have to have the approval of the property manager for the colors). At one point I thought that I'd find a nice embossed border to cover it, but no one carries nice borders, imagine that. Anyway, at least they left us with this easy-to-decorate-around light fixture! Hahaha I can't bring myself to even turn the light on. I don't want the attention to be drawn to it's loveliness....

wow. That's all I can say.

In other news, I think I may be trying to get too many pictures of Aubrey lately because when she sees the camera out, all I get is this....

And this. Maybe I need to put the Pentax down for a bit :)

Random Nuggets From My Day To Day....

Nugget Numero Uno--- Zach technically gets every other weekend off and the weekends he does work, the days are supposed to end around noon (for this particular rotation he's on....and noon?? NEVER). Anyway, last weekend he needed to do a little work in the eventing and Aubrey thought she'd "help" him. I don't know how he gets anything done, but he does. And check out the colossal mess these two can make while "working! I spy another place where my mask has been lovingly placed....

Best part was that I didn't see it there until I looked at the picture, so I went back the next day and took another close up for your viewing pleasure :)

Nugget Numero Dos--- Ok, so you know how you finally decide to confess one of your crazy anallities (spell check hates me for that, but it's a word now) to your spouse and you hope for support and love in return?! Not in my house. I confided in Zach that once I have used something from the medicine cabinet, I have to make sure that all the bottles have their labels pointing nicely forward....and this is now what I come to see every morning.

Sad thing is he goes waaay out of his way to put them in perfectly backwards. Keep in mind that he's getting ready at 4am! Seriously?!? Trouble. Why do I even open up my mouth? I can just picture him at 4am grinning like an idiot, pleased as can be with himself. Sadly, it's just another reason why I love that man.

Nugget Numero Tres----- {side note: I'd like to give a shout out to Dora the Explorer for teaching me Spanish} I won my first giveaway over at Pink Stitches , it was from Live.Laugh.Photograph and it's this super cute necklace....

Isn't it fabulous?!? I love it and have worn it since I got it! I'm loving mixing it with other necklaces I already have.

Nugget Numero Quattro--- I saw this the other day and it made my heart melt! Aubrey set herself up by the window with her chair and her blankie and was waiting for Daddy to pull up. Her love for her daddy is so precious, like I said before, him being gone a lot is hardest on her. But when Zach is home, he puts his all into playing with her and it just makes my heart swell! He's the perfect example of quality time, he gives her his undivided attention when he is home and that is making this whole thing work. She still knows that daddy loves her, no matter how much he is gone! Like I said before, love that man!

Mason Jar Love and Flea Markets

When Blogger had it's mini melt down, I lost this post that I had written and it was so wonderfully restored to me in draft format a few days later....missing all I had written. Nice. Thanks. But I keep looking back at these jars and today I finally thought; hey, I'm gonna post these. So here they are. The End.

No, I'm kidding, you're going to have to listen to more of my rambling today--you're welcome.

{side note--how gorgeous are these peonies?!?}

Zach had this weekend off and by some random miracle decided not to write one of his 129,458 pending papers he has on deck. YAY!! Aubrey and I got him all to ourselves....mainly because we don't know a soul here in Augusta, but hey, I'm not letting that get me down!! Ok, maybe a little, but I didn't dwell on that this weekend *Insert pat on own back*

I somehow conned Zach into checking out a local flea market that Amy found for me (yes, friend from NJ found my flea market here for me...that's because she's a great friend!). And let me tell you, it was local (read hick). BUT to be honest it was better than I thought it was going to be and we found a really cool vintage wooden Coke bottle crate and that made it all worth while! I'll post pictures tomorrow.

I guess I thought it was going to be one of those cute flea markets that I always see on people's blogs, but to be fair, those people live in California so it's gonna be classier. There is another flea market that we're going to check out when Amy gets here (IN A WEEK!!!) and maybe that'll be better....maybe...

At one point Zach burst out laughing and I tore my eyes away from the giant bin of sewing notions, to see him holding up a bag full of random hotel soaps that were for sale. Seriously. He said that made it officially worth the trip out for him. He seriously brings that up every few hours now, "hey, remember that bag full of hotel soap for sale?!? That was awesome."

The rest of the weekend was filled with frozen yogurt, our backyard pool and LOTS of playing and it was wonderful! Too bad he doesn't have a day off in sight for the next three weeks.....

Looking Back....

I was going through all my old blog posts yesterday while I was sitting outside and Aubrey was splashing away in her kiddie pool. I was going through and labelling them all (pain in the butt and I don't know why I felt compelled to do so) and I happened upon these pictures of our apartment in Grenada! It's crazy to think that we lived that differently less than 4 years ago!

Because we weren't there permanently, we rented a place that was furnished and let's just say, it was NOT my taste. But it did the trick. The kitchen had no hot water and for the first few months I would boil water every time I wanted to do the dishes! That got old really fast and I said to heck with it. I bought dish soap that was antibacterial (that cost an arm and a leg) and called it good. I'm sure the amount it cost to boil the water on the propane stove, not to mention trying to cool down the house after using said stove, worked out cheaper to just buy the spendy soap. That's what I'm telling myself anyway.

Hahaha! The couch was the most hideous fabric/color I have ever seen, so we covered it with a quilt we brought along (naively thinking we'd need it to sleep there. ummm not quite!).

This area was also our guest room :) This apartment was small, but didn't feel super small because of the high ceilings. But when we had guests?! It was jam packed! We'd put a good ol' air mattress out here and call it a guest room. Best part was when Astrid(my sister) and her husband Jo came to visit with their son Jacob, we all squished into our bedroom! Willy Wonka style. Well, not quite, they slept on the bed and Zach and I took the air mattress on the floor. Ah, the joys of having the only AC unit in the house be in the bedroom.

I thought this was funny, it's what I wrote in the original post.....

"The bedroom, the only room with A/C. Needless to say, we are in here most of the time. Zach has his desk in here, so this is where he spends his endless hours studying(while I spend endless hours sleeping!). Yes, that is Zach having one of his infamous power-naps:)"

and the bathroom, oh the bathroom! I was classy to say the least....but it was a bathroom and a toilet IN the house, which is more than a lot of people had in Grenada.

And last but not least......

The classy shower head.... Bare exposed wires! IN a shower. I don't know how we didn't die?!?

I didn't think that I could love the house we are in more than I already do, but after seeing these?!? I LOVE MY NEW HOUSE!!!

There was one perk to our place in Grenada....we had a cleaning lady! It was built into the cost of rent and it was fabulous! At times I wished we could have just saved the money and I could have cleaned, but it was nice to help a local lady who really did need the money more than we did. But I always had this feeling she was looking at me thinking I was lazy for not cleaning my own place! I would try and not be home when she was there, I just felt too guilty! I always felt like I had to explain myself to her, "No! I would clean my house, but it's built in the rent! Don't hate me please!!". Ahh good old Menno guilt ;)

And Now, More Deep Thoughts.....

My thoughts have been really muddled these days, hence the lack of blogging, but I figured that today I'd throw a Random Thoughts post your way because that's just where I'm at.

*we only have one car.

*Zach leaves anywhere between 4 and 5 AM every day and doesn't come home until (the earliest) 7:30 PM....most days it's more like 8:30 or 9.

*ergo, he wins and gets the car each day.

*ergo, Aubrey and I are stuck at home EVERY DAY.

*I don't know anyone in this State, let alone Augusta

*Zach works 12 days in a row, then has 2 days off.....leaving no time for us to have found a church yet.

*did I mention that I'm home all day, every day and know no one?!?

*I've got a bad case of cabin fever.

*there is no bus system in our town....not even a cab company! Seriously, I checked.

*I live relatively close to a bunch of things, with in about 2 miles, but it's in the 100's every day and I about pass out just walking to the mailbox 100 feet away.

*yes, I'm complaining, so?!?

*we NEED a second car, but in no way can afford one.

*I'm stuck.

*I've thought about pulling Aubrey out of bed at 4 am to drive Zach, but that just feels plain old stupid. Seriously, how selfish would that be?!?

*we're still potty training and I think we will be for the next year. It's just not clicking.

*Ok, enough whining. On to nicer thoughts.....

*Aubrey asks to blow bubbles EVERY day.

*even if it means sweating up a storm in the sun while doing it! please note the first picture and her sweaty brow.

*If I had to be stuck in a house, this is the one I want to be stuck in! I still love it! *insert contented sigh* central air!

*This place is so open, airy and doesn't feel like a cave(as our last place did).

*I've been spot cleaning the carpets like a mad woman these days. I love having carpet in the house, but other peoples stains are a bit disturbing.

*I'm using the Target brand carpet cleaner spray(Up and Up brand) and it is working like a charm!

*I've even been getting some sewing done! Not my quilt yet, oops, but a little something for a certain English niece who's turning 2 soon:)

*I think I'm going to have to whip up the same thing for all my nieces....or at least something....ahhh another project to fill the time! Yes!

*and in closing, I miss my husband....but not as much as Aubrey misses her daddy :( poor poor us. (yes, I did let this post take a turn for the sad again. What are you going to do about it?!?)

Band Aids and Future Projects....

Now that we have a back yard, we are going through some serious amounts of band aids. Aubrey is a little on the clumsy side and that mixed with concrete in the back yard = trouble

She was so excited when I brought home these! Pretty sure the first day she got "hurt" about 5 times....verrrry convenient ;)

But who cares because look at her cute little bandaged up feet!

Ok moving on, I am so pumped for this project I have on deck! Now, you would've never have guessed that I was judging by the fact that this fabric has been sitting on my sewing desk for the last two weeks....but I am! Really! I just, you know, MOVED this last month and this was not my first priority. I figured that I'd get Aubrey's room out of boxes before I start a willy nilly(yes, willy nilly) project. At least, that's what I tell my procrastinating self.

Ahhhh Sugar Pop by Liz Scott! In a delicious charm pack and layer cake! Oh yeah, these babies are going to become a quilt. Not just any quilt, my FIRST quilt!

Yay me! I got the idea from Amy, she had a quilt made from a Moda charm pack and layer cake in her living room and she kept talking about how easy it was to make and that it was the first one she ever made(is that right Amy? Am I remembering that correctly?!). So I thought, hey, that sounds like the perfect first quilt for me! So, here it is...ready for me to get my butt in gear and start! Wish me luck....

More Room Decor, Some Research and What Happens When I Call Myself a Hairdresser.....

Can't....stop....crafting.....

I've been lusting over all the Martha Sewart-esque pom poms out there in blogland and needed some of that fabulousness in my home....namely Aubrey's room. And let me tell you, when I saw this polka dot tissue paper in Walmart?!? Are you kidding me?! And at $1 a pack, I was in!

It's a little bit wonky, but it's the first one I've made and it's hanging nice and high, so we'll just pretend that it's perfect, 'kay?? Good.

Look at all that polka dotty goodness!

So like I've said previously, I've been on a spray painting spree and I've discovered a few things along the way. Let me enlighten you and you may then glean from my findings--I know, I know, you're welcome.

There are three main brands of spray paint out there(well, there may be more, but I haven't found them so you're getting my findings on the three). Valspar(Lowes $3.60ish), Rust-oleum(Home Depot $2.90ish and somewhere else, can't remember) and Krylon(Walmart $3.60ish, Hobby Lobby $4.99--are you kidding me?!?).

Well, let me tell you these three are NOT created equal people. I assumed that because of the higher costs of the Krylon and Valspar, they'd have a better quality. Yes, that is where my mind goes, I assume higher cost = better. WRONG! The one that has worked the best for me is....

Seriously, the coverage this thing has per can is second to none and I've found that the overall colors offered are better(personal taste). Valspar had fabulous colors too, but at the highest cost per can and probably the worst(in my humble opinion) coverage, not to mention the stench this gave off?!? I'm out. Rust-oleum it is.

I figured that I could save you all some time and most importantly $$$ by sharing this. Again, you're welcome.

Now on to the pictures of shame.....Aubrey's hair was driving me crazy! My daughter hates having clips, elastics, etc in her hair so it's usually all over the map, mainly her eyes. It doesn't seem to bother her that much, but like I said, it was driving me crazy. So, since I have no car pretty much every day of the week, I took matters into my own hands....unfortunately....

Yup. Classy. She's now a mix between Dora, William Shakespeare and an Amish boy.

The pictures are fuzzy because this kids DOES NOT sit still, ever! And she was not happy I was taking pictures of her, I think she knew she had/has a dud of a haircut. Oh well, nothing I can do about it yet, we still have no car during the day. At least it looks half decent when in a clip...assuming she lets me put one in.

But look at that beautiful face! Please don't hold her mom's mistakes against her....

Aubrey's Room: The Never Ending Craft Session....

So I'm really getting my craft on for Aubrey's room. I'm trying to use stuff I already have around my sewing room so we can save on $$ :) Yay me, right?!

Some hoop art was next on deck. I'm going with a color scheme of, well, color in her room. Like I said before, I don't want to be tied down by a "scheme", I'm rebellious like that.

The two brighter patterned hoops I just left as is, but I flexed my glue gunning muscles on the purple one. Didn't want it to be bland, nope can't have that.

Nothing some buttons and lace can't fix!

I'm loving how they turned out! Best part was Aubrey come up while I was making them and when I told her they were for her room she said, "Wow Mama! I LOVE them....what are they?!?". Ah 3 year olds, no artistic vision.

Thought I'd throw in this next shot.....

Random I know, but I have this mask that my brother got me when he travelled to Venice and to say Zach hates it, is an understatement! For some reason it FREAKS him out and of course I wear it and sneak up on him and prop it in random places for him to find at some random time. I'm a good wife and that's what good wives do; piss off their husbands. Anyway, after one particular time of me hiding it somewhere on his desk, he got me back! Oh man, it made me smile for the rest of the day. I'm convinced that this is why our marriage is going to make it ;)

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