from nothing to something

today i have decorating on my mind. here is a photo of the back of our house, deck is not finished in this photo. our deck is now complete and is an antique white color. i love it. blake is the gardener of the two of us and he asked me if i had any ideas for what i want done. i certainly do! i want color, antique fixtures, funky accents and lots of herbs/vegetables and flowers. i know blake cannot wait to get his hands dirty and really make the new backyard our own.

i do not like buying anything that is new besides clothes. i love going to local thrift and antique stores looking for hidden gems. i often find things that i have a vision for and blake just thinks is junk. lately i have been on the hunt for an old wheel barrow and old window panes. some places have the items marked for a ridiculous price and i have learned to haggle. i love it! i also have had some luck with craigslist.

i will go by the house later to update the blog with more photos, until then here are some garden inspirations...

window pane dividers (love!)

old bed frame turned garden

what i am loving wednesday: 6/29/2011

i wanted to post some pictures of things that are inspiring to me. i have so many ideas for the new house in my head and have been blogging/www.wdyl.com/and scanning magazines for things that i love. here are a few...

boerne's very own yogurt shop!

this button headband

little whimsical girl with a feather in her hair

skull bracelet my sister caroline got me for my birthday



his & hers tuesday: 6/28/2011

hello followers! i have been busy with the new house, the construction/restoration is coming along nicely. blake & i are growing more excited as the days get closer to closing & moving! today i wanted to follow a trend from the blog all the little things.

so today we have a his & hers questionaire

his:

biggest pet peeve- bella pooping in the house

most hated food: sardines

most despised type of music- rap

chore to avoid- putting laundry away

worst trend- fashion trends...be you

worst idea of a vacation- cruise ship sinking while we are on it

hers:

biggest pet peeve- people who liter

most hated food- meat/anything with a face

most despised type of music-r&b

chore to avoid- mopping

worst trend- crocs

worst idea of a vacation- las vegas

there you have it! hope everyone has a fantastic tuesday. i will be packing/cleaning/watching casey anthony trial! i will write more about the trial later....

my birthday weekend

we began the weekend by checking out our house

everything looks great!

now onto birthday fun, we dined at the dodging duck and then went to boerne's annual berges fest in town.

my mom decorated with baby photos, cake-pops, and pink flowers.

i had a wonderful weekend my husband and family spoiled me rotten. i am very blessed and excited for what the next year will bring me.

try skipping!

many of you know i am an educator which means i have the summers off. i decided to focus on two goals: my fitness and becoming a more domestic housewife. i have learned that i only like to do 'chores' when i feel like it; not necessarily when the house needs it. one of the duties i must try is grocery shopping. i hate grocery shopping. so after i finished ironing, dusting, and plotting my list i went to the store.

i decided to be happy. i skipped. just like these two happy people are doing. it didn't hurt, its so simple and easy and it without fail made me feel good. an elderly man noticed me and said, "you sure are happy today", i smiled, skipped a bit more and replied "i sure am!"

a place to call home

earlier in the week i blogged about a house my dad and i came across while walking old number nine. well.... WE GOT IT! it's very cliche but we are over the moon! the house is currently being restored and there is still lots to be done before we close on it. i cannot wait to upload more photos as the construction continues.

a few characteristics of our new home include:
- built in 1940's
- moved to boerne in 2001
- has sixteen foot ceilings with tin tile throughout the home
- dog trot entrance (common of the victorian style)
- porcelain & crystal door knobs (this makes me so very excited)
- a separate parlor entrance
- front porch & back deck

it is a home blake and i can see ourselves living in forever. god is so good.
here are a few photos:


when we found this treasure



new paint (trim will be repainted soon)

dog trot entry way, the red will be changed (any suggestions)

tin tile sixteen foot ceilings

kitchen will built ins

parlor

oh did i mention the house comes with a skeleton key?! bonus



look how happy mr. dryden is




a true gem! still being polished



fill in the blank friday: 6/9/2011

1. This weekend I am going to my sisters baby shower and taking the before pictures of our new house!

2. My last vacation was to my parents beach house in port aransas with blake, and my parents.

3. My next vacation will be a road trip to dallas for the fourth of july!

4. My favorite way to relax is either going to the gym and getting lost in cardio or curling up in bed to watch a marathon of shows that i like.

5. When vacationing one should always be spontaneous and not have a schedule! Just do whatever you want, it's ok if you sleep in, it's your vacation! :)

6. When vacationing one should never worry or fret about a thing. indulge on everything and enjoy the time you have away from 'regular' everyday life.

7. The best part about vacationing is the feeling of clarity/rejuvenation you get from escaping, and also being with the one(s) you love!

update: the house i stumbled upon with my dad on the monday walk is now ours! we are very excited and i will upload the before and afters of the place. it's a 1940's queen anne victorian style house. it has 16 foot ceilings, porcelain doorknobs, claw foot tubs, and tin tile ceilings! i cannot wait to move in, complete renovations and make it our own.

i hope that you have a wonderful weekend!

happiness:6/8/2011

i have happily been working out each day this week. yesterday i was on the walking trail, old number nine, in boerne with my daddy. we found an old victorian house that is being renovated... curious, we walked up to the house to find a potential dream home for blake and me. (fingers crossed)

mentally i am feeling a lot better, getting back into the gym and being active with loved ones is making this girl happy.

here are some photos of other things that make me happy...

i love that my husband was at my college graduation

i adore this tattoo

our wedding day: 10/30/2010

my gorgeous sisters, minus the oldest, elizabeth



my brilliant, patient, incredible parents



fill in the blank friday: 6/3/2011

1.    People always tell me I look like my grandmother (Dicey). I enjoy looking at photos of her when she was young because I can see the resemblance. I would be completely happy if I was even as lovely as a LADY as she was.

2.    Friends don't let friends  feel alone in this world.

3.    A sunny day is perfect for walks and talks.

4.    My favorite accessory is my ridiculous bracelet/bangle collection. I refuse to take any of them off. They cover some of my scars & without them I feel naked.

5.    If I could afford it I would hire someone to organize all of my stuff, ie: closet/bedroom/living room/life.

6.    The cure for boredom is blogging and unfortunately the internet.

7.    I am currently 'in like' with rose gold & being out of school for the summer.

back to where it all began: wedding site

after my third day of working out at the YMCA :) i decided to return to where blake & i got married this past october.

i couldn't find the photobooth that we donated but the memories of that day made me tear up. i love cibolo nature center, it's so peaceful and is just a happy place.

here are some photos i captured today.

can you spot the deer?

end of the school year 2011

i am thrilled to say that tomorrow is my last day of this school year. yes, that means 'schools out for summer!'

insert cliche scene where students scream and throw papers in the air while they run out the front doors.... (awesome) but, that never happens.

i am thankful for the generousity of my students, my career, my sweet husband, having a pulse, and my body.

yesterday i got back into the gym, seriously cannot remember the last time i was there, pre-wedding i believe. it was nice and helps me mentally. today was day two. even though i could only huff out 45 minutes of cardio i feel better than i have in quite sometime.

after tomorrow i plan on spending the summer focusing on myself. by that i mean my body, my health, ME. of course i will spend time becoming a better wife to blake (learning to cook) and growing as a married couple.

as i have been writing in several yearbooks, i believe: 'my future's so bright i need shades!' (hahaha)