We Are Growing Up

Yes. Let's face it. We are growing older, making grown-up decisions, and fully into the "real" world.

My friends are all entering this new phase with me and I am excited to have others who understand. We are getting married, buying houses, having kids, establishing big-time careers, finding grown-up interests like wine/book/social clubs. We are decorating our homes for the holidays, planning holiday parties, talking about savings plans and financial goals, raising puppies on our own, and so much more.

It's crazy how we all have blossomed in the past year. Graduating college does that to you. It makes your dreams realities, makes your long-term goals attainable, and really makes you feel good. I love being surrounded by so much growth and positivity.

Getting Things Done at Work This Week

Birthday weekend was so much fun and very relaxing. It made me feel rejuvinated and ready to get back to work.

Things at work are changing. We added a new employee (my boss's wife) and I love her! But she is changing things so I'm having to do quite a bit of work to keep on top of things. Plus, last week was a busy out-of-office week. Therefore, I am working pretty hard this week.

It's exciting getting things done but exhausting at the end of the day. I am having to put on several "hats" with different roles. Tomorrow, I am an accountant. Today, I was data entry. Lots to get done...

Birthday Weekend is Coming

I have my last of the six screenings for a school district up here this afternoon. I have spent all week with the lovely students and athletic trainers. It was great getting to see them again and they are always a joy to work with. But I am nonetheless excited so I will in fact be taking tomorrow off.

So tonight, when I finish this last screening, I will begin my birthday weekend! Tonight I plan on relaxing with an easy dinner, bath, and early bed time. Tomorrow I will wake up to a big cup of coffee, I will make birthday pancakes for myself for breakfast - complete with sprinkles. Then for lunch I will make a roasted red pepper goat cheese alfredo. Doesn't that just sound like something I would enjoy? And for dinner, Phillip will be making me a mystery dinner while I relax and watch him on our new bar stools with a glass of wine in-hand. Sounds so relaxing, huh?

Saturday, my family is having a little get together since Heather and I are celebrating in the same city once again - that hasn't happened since high school. It'll be a good reason to have good food with good family.

Sunday's plans are still up in the air. It might just be a regular Sunday.

Today I Love You Because...

The other day, I made something similar to what is pictured above. I purchased a frame and wrote "Today I love you because..." on scrapbook paper to be placed inside the frame.

I got this idea off of Pinterest and it is already such a great thing for us! Each time the mood strikes, we write a message for the other to see. It helps us appreciate each other for the little things we do - and is a way to communicate that appreciation. It could be for washing the dishes, cooking dinner, taking the dog for a walk, calling the cable guy, or anything.

I challenge you to try this with your significant other. It is a great activity!

Another Man's Trash

... is our treasure!!!

Today, I did one of my frequent thrift/consignment store tours. We have 3 consignment and 4 thrift stores within blocks of each other. So I like to take an afternoon to peruse the selection. In the past I have found GREAT things. Between this area and the numerous local shops near our parents' houses, our place is practically dripping with second-hand items. But the best part is, you can't tell!

I don't mean to brag, but I consider myself a top-notch thrifter. I am able to see the potential in everything and I do not like to spend exuberate amounts of money on senseless items. I love finding second homes for things. I love refinishing and/or finding new uses for previous despised things. The thrill of the hunt makes me not want to buy anything brand new ever again. It's so much more rewarding to find a "needle in a haystack" than to buy some item that is stocked in bulk at a major retailer.

Today I happend across the mother of all finds. To most, it looked like two boxes. No photos on the outside of the box. No identification. Just a price tag on each.

But not to me. You see, I noticed the things normal thrift shoppers don't see. I saw two boxes that were unopened. Sealed too well to have been resealed. Yes. These boxes were practically untouched since their journey from the mystery manufacturer.

I also noticed on the side an item number and a color. The color is what got me curious. The color is what made me stop to look at these on the bottom two shelves of the picture frame section. Espresso. If you know us and/or have seen our place, you know we kind of really have an obsession with the color. Some would even venture to say we have entirely too much brown in our decorating color palette. I have even found myself saying this before. So how could I possible pass up on two mystery boxes that contained items in the espresso color group?

Being the technologically savvy thrift shopper that I am, I instantly pulled out my nifty iPhone to search for what might be in the box. This was after seeing if I could find some way inside. But alas, it was wrapped really well. Like I said, too well to have ever been opened or resealed.

So what did I find??? What made me instantly shell out the $20 for each box??? Well, after I returned home with them and assembled them, this is what came out of the box!!!

* Plus an additional stool around the corner of the bar. *

Hello great find!!! Four Target barstools that were brand new and in-box for a total of $40!! Did I tell you I was a thrift store goddess or what!?!? We have been looking at these exact stools since we signed our lease back in May. We were eventually going to spend the money on them when other priorities were paid for, but this opportunity was too good to pass up!!

I don't mean to brag. But man I'm good at thrift store shopping!!!

Our Wedding China

Happy 600th post readers!

I was thinking of the best topic for this post and couldn't find anything. And then this morning, as I was looking for something, I stepped back to look at our beautiful wedding china and realized that I never shared that with you!

This is it. Our beautiful set. It is "Imperial" by Lenox. We could not have asked for a better set and it means so much to us. So much family history and stories behind it.

Let me tell you more about this set...

We did not register for china for our wedding. It was something we wanted to register for but felt wedding guests these days wouldn't appreciate the old tradition. We also did not get this set for a wedding present. We received it shortly afterward and weren't able to even take it out of the box until we moved this summer.

So how did we receive a beautiful set we didn't register for? The Galloway grandparents.

My dad's parents had this set for their wedding china. I remember using it at times growing up. This was their set they received as a wedding gift. And we are honored to be the ones they passed it down to. I jumped at the opportunity when they downsized last year and moved up to Bedford.

They married during the World War 2 era. My grandfather is a veteran of the same war, and their love story is one for the movies. They met on a train. They courted through war-time letters as my grandfather braved the war. After my grandfather was wounded, they married. They have been together ever since.

This china pattern was a "World War 2" pattern. That means it was very popular during that time. Because all of our resources were being used during war time, my grandmother never got to see the pattern in person before registering for it. And, she was not able to physically receive the pieces until they were back in stock years after they married. They received gift cards towards the china instead. After searching all over for at least something to see in person, a store in Houston had a tiny cup and saucer (called demitasse). She was able to hold on to it until she could purchase the remaining pieces. We still have that tiny cup and saucer to remind us of the history of this set.

I love having a set so rich in history. It's much better than the modern pieces you can register for today. The pattern is no longer being made, but there are places to purchase pieces online. We have a complete setting for 8 and some pieces for 9. Eventually I would love a complete set for 12 and some serving pieces. Perhaps Christmas and anniversary presents for us?

Until then, I will constantly be reminded of the power of true love when I look at our heirloom set displayed for everyone to see in our house.

Relaxing Weekend Together

This weekend we have nothing to do, other than be together. It has been quite a few weeks since we have been able to do this. It seems like we are constantly moving and constantly have a busy schedule on the weekends. But not this one.

We have a few chores we want to get done, but nothing pressing. And if they don't get done, oh well. Last night we hung out together and today has been much of the same. Football. Cooler weather. A date night. Trips to various stores to make purchases we have been putting off. It has been oh-so-wonderful.

I love just being us. I love sitting next to each other while Phillip channel checks between sports channels. I love having the puppy inside sitting on the other couch sleeping or eating a bone - sometimes both at the same time. I love conversations about nothing and about everything all at the same time. I love glasses of wine in the nice weather. I love relaxing baths on weekend nights. I love him. I love this. I love life with him. I am so lucky and we have worked so hard and waited so long to have this life that we enjoy so much.

Yay weekends!

Pintervention

Pinterest. Oh boy. I am obsessed. Too many craft projects and neat ideas.

Lots of my craft projects have been successful... while others have been a disaster. Regardless... Here is a list of things I have learned from Pinterest...

1. Chevron stripes are never as easy as any tutorial makes them seem. Wasted painters tape. Wasted time. Too many measurements needed.
2. Most of the recipes are quite ingenious and delicious. I can't wait to try all the holiday desserts and crock pot recipes.
3. Half of the earth-shattering ideas I'm skeptical about but secretly can't wait to try. I mean, do printer ink levels really lie to you like that?
4. The yarn/string art shapeforms you see all over the place? Run. Run far away. Don't even look back. They are impossible.
5. You can do anything and everything with a combination of: mason jars, antique white paint, magnetic sheets, a sander, and spray paint.
6. If every wedding idea is "new" and "creative" but everyone pins them, does that make them outdated and over used? If I see one more super hero shirt wedding pose, I might scream.
7. I'm tired of pins that lead you to other pinterest-like websites. I don't have enough time in the day people!!!

There are plenty more to come in the future. I'm always having a love-hate relationship with pins and tons of trial-and-error. But it certainly has fed my creativity recently. And it's a huge time waster.

Labor Day Weekend

I love three day weekends. I mean, who doesn't?? But I especially like them when summer is drawing to an end... and when you know you won't get another holiday like this for a while.

This weekend we are relaxing a bit, getting things done around the house, and Phillip is working a little too. Today we cleaned our cars, gave the pup a bath, and Phillip started on the lawn - to be finished tomorrow. Speaking of, it is growing really fast these days. I mean like fast enough to require weekly mowing. Weekly. That's ridiculous. And apparently the HOA police like the lawns super well-kept and edged. Not that we know this from experience, like in the form of a HOA rule violation notice.

College football is also in full swing this weekend, so the TV is buzzing with games. I love football. Football means the weather will get cooler, the holiday season is approaching, and it's almost time to switch out the seasonal wardrobes.

Enjoy your three day weekend!