Our Office, Hallway, and More

Needless to say, I am a "little" behind. Sorry, last week was CRAZY. Poor Justin was even more grateful for the holiday off than usual. It was one of those weeks that you walk into knowing you will be swamped. Monday- walking with a friend. Wednesday- Pa's birthday. Thursday- Justin's friend and his wife came to dinner. Saturday- Pa's birthday lunch & then Father's Day shopping. Sunday- church with a friend and then off to a wedding.With Justin working and me either preparing for a visit or going about the usual work, you can guess that Tuesday & Friday were missed.

This Monday was wonderful! We woke up with full intention of doing nothing more than staying home. We watched part of a Memorial Day concert that my brother had told us about the night before. Afterwards we watched "An American Carol". We decided to go out for pizza (a full 2 minutes from the house)! We played a few more movies while we decided to work on our first puzzle together.

We just now finished it tonight. I've been really good and avoided touching it until we are together at night. It was "over 1000 pieces" according to the box.

Anyway, here are the pictures I promised. I'll show you our office first. This is one of the two rooms in the entire house that we have not painted. It is a nice buttercream yellow.

Before

Before

Justin's desk sits on one wall, with his weights beside it. I finally got around to hanging his diplomas Sunday- all three of them. His college diplomas were already framed, but his high school diploma was not. It did not occur to me until we were standing in line that those frames were probably specially made. Thankfully, he is so sweet. He said he likes the one that I found. (I think the fact that I bought the same frame for mine may have something to do with it as well.)


This is my spot- the futon. We have nice, long conversations while he plays his games. Yes, this is totally possible. Thanks to my sister, I am used to talking to someone that is not looking at you and occupied with something else. (She had an amazing talent in that area. :) )The pictures above it were a wedding present from my great-great-aunt Jerry. My old hats match it perfectly.

Our shelves hold everything from our music to my craft supplies to the Sea Monkey family that lives happily on the top shelf. :)

Our hallway was an unexpected paint project. We never talked about painting it originally, but one afternoon...the thought of the paintbrush...so much brown paint calling my name. What can I say? I gave in.Two Downton Abbey episodes later, I had hand-painted the entire hallway.

Then this is our extra bedroom. It's the same buttercream yellow as the office. Right now it is holding fabric for bedroom curtains, boxes of wedding memorabilia, childhood sentimentals, and a chest actually in its place.

Bedroom and Closet Doors

My Old Nightstand / Our Old TV Stand

Boxes of Childhood Items / Wedding Memories

Future Bedroom Curtains & Shelves

I know. It is the biggest improvement thus far, right? :) Believe it or not, this is the room we actually have the highest hopes for. Hopefully it will not stay like this for long, but in the meantime it is being used for a few storage items. We'll just have to wait and see, I'm afraid. :)

Well, thank you for reading this long post. Hopefully, I will have our curtains sewn this week. As soon as I do, I'll post the pictures of our bedroom. Thank you for visiting!

Pause for an Award!

Lindsay at The Newlywed Notebook has been very sweet and awarded my blog with the Sunshine Award! If you have not had a chance to get to know Lindsay, please take a minute to stop by her blog. She has several posts featuring her thoughts and advice on marriage, not to mention posts on fashion and the latest of her and her husband's DIY projects.

Rules of the Award:

-Post 11 random facts about yourself

-Answer 11 questions for the blogger that nominated you

-Nominate 11 bloggers to receive the award

-Write your own 11 questions for them to answer

-Notify them that you have nominated them

My Random Facts:
1. I am originally from Mansfield, La.
2. Starting in 3rd grade, I was homeschooled.
3. I have loved being married these past 7 months, but I miss my family often.
4. My favorite book is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.
5. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to write.
6. Since becoming a wife, I have discovered I love to cook.
7. My favorite color is teal...teal blue or teal green has yet to be decided. :)
8. I enjoy going for walks with my husband.
9. I sing when no one is nearby. (My husband is set on catching me one day.)
10. I love Christmas, especially Christmas elves!
11. My favorite quote is:

"Watch your thoughts for they become your words.

Watch your words for they become your actions.

Watch your actions for they become your habits.

   Watch your habits for they become your character.

    Watch your character for it becomes your destiny."

                                                         -Margaret Thatcher

Questions for Me:
1. What has been your favorite vacation so far?
      There are so many, but I would have to say our honeymoon in October. I think of that drive so
      often. It was wonderful to be in a cabin in Georgia, where so many other vacations with my
      family had taken place. It was beautiful and peaceful and a wonderful beginning for us.
2. How many siblings do you have?
       I have a younger sister and a younger brother (but he is MUCH taller than me already)!
3. Heels or flats?
      I love my heels, but I am clutzy enough and smart enough to wear flats more often.
4. If you could own one exotic animal (not a typical pet) what would it be?
      I would have to say my husband's sea monkeys are as exotic as we need ever imagine. :)
5. What is your favorite blog post you have written?
     I think I would have to say "20 Things I Love..." .
6. What's your favorite type of music to listen to when you are rocking out in the car?
      Pop music, mostly from the 80s. I like music from the 50s, too!
7. What's one guilty pleasure?
      I can't think of any at this very moment, but it used to be watching Real Housewives of New 
     York...or Orange County...or, my favorite, Beverly Hills.
8. Why did you start your blog?
      To keep track of the lessons I am learning and our life together.
9. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
       I have no earthly idea. I guess anything with potatoes?
10. Are you an introvert or an extrovert at heart?
       I would have to say an introvert.
11. What's one irrational fear you have? (hey, we all have them :) )
       I don't know. (I know, I'm no fun.) I think all of my fears are rational! Hahaha! I do turn off my
       alarm clock and turn it back on at least 3 times every night because I am afraid I will either forget
       to set it or that I will set it for pm instead of am...even when it typically stays the same every day.

My Nominations:
1. Nicole at Bloom
2. Victoria at Happily Ever Strader
3. Amanda at Marry Mint
4. Chelsea at Southern Charm
5. Rachel at The Random Writings of Rachel
6. Karla at Forever Newly Wedded
7. Shelby at Stay Crafty My Friends
8. Laura at Oh Laura Darling
9. Annie at Annie B Jones
10. And my longtime blogging friend, Natalie at Heart Stirrings
11. Sorry, I did not have an 11th.

My Questions for You:
1. What is your favorite old movie?
2. What is your next DIY project?
3. Scenario: You and your husband only eat out once a month. This month, the waiter is rude and the food is so greasy that neither of you can finish your plate. Do you say anything or just pay and leave?
4. What color would you title as THE "Happy Color"?
5. What was your favorite toy as a child?
6. What is your stress-reliever (or at least the one that works best for you)?
7. Mr. Darcy,  Mr. Knightley, Edmund Bertrum, Edward Ferrars, Captain Wentworth, or Henry Tilney (and if I have forgotten an Austen hero, please forgive me and include him as part of your choices)?
8. Favorite type of pizza?
9. Biggest grammatical pet-peeve?
10. Do you know if you are related to anyone famous (or infamous)?
11. Where would you love to visit, but are to afraid to go?

I hope that all of you have as much fun with this award as I have. Thank you again, Lindsay, for nominating me!

Our Bathroom!

I have to update our bedroom and office pictures, so that just leaves pictures of our bathroom right now.

Sorry, the picture is blurry. All of the rooms actually bring in a lot of natural light.

I love the shower! The curtain to the side covers the shelves behind the doors.

Again, sorry about the picture. I was so happy to see that they left this cabinet.

I have a pedestal sink!
 Justin was so excited to see we would have one after I had talked about them so much.

 

I'll update our other pictures next week and be quick to post them. Thank you for visiting!

***Our Dining Room***

Our dining room was one of the rooms that really convinced us that this could be home. It is a very large room- bigger than we could possibly need right now. With our little breakfast table, we still have LOTS of room in our dining room for a multitude of possibilities in the future.


*Before*
The day we signed papers!

Again, the room was a crisp, mint green. The double doors allow a lot of light to come in. Originally, we were going to leave this room the same for a while. After painting the living room though, we discovered we had more than enough brown paint left over. Justin headed back to work after a week off. (Well, he was away from his work computer, but, trust me, the poor man was not out of work that week.) I managed a few minor projects in the first couple of days. I even traveled from our apartment and back with little things while he was at work. One day, I couldn't take it anymore. I turned on Netflix and grabbed a paintbrush. Two "Downton Abbey" episodes later, our hallway had been hand-painted brown. Four "London Hospital" episodes the following day, our dining room was painted.


*Before*
Still moving in at this point obviously.

*After*
Ignore the door to the side. It was another project!



We decided to move my desk into the dining room. He plays games on his computer from time to time in the office. I truly do not mind because it is so rare, but because he hates the feeling of ignoring me while he is in there, he always wants me with him too. I am sorry to say this, but when I HAVE to sit at my desk, I can not think of what to write or anything else to do on my computer for that matter. I suggested we find a futon for the office for two reasons. #1. When we have guests, they will be promised a more comfortable place than the floor next time. #2. I will have a more comfortable place to sit when I stay with him in the office than a dining room chair. I can write, read, or just talk to him in comfort now. This is beside the point though. 

*Before*
The doors face the front of the house.



*After*
My office space!

My "office" is in the dining room. It has the best light and I still feel close to the rest of the house when I am in there. The first bouquet Justin ever gave me sits on my desk. It is a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils. If you have ever seen "You've Got Mail", you will understand. My mother loves that movie, and in time I grew to love it as well. When we first met, I told my husband that I thought the best bouquet for me would be one made of newly sharpened pencils. I said it would remind me of fall (my favorite season), writing (my favorite thing to do), and a favorite movie. He not only found and watched the movie, but on our second date he gave me this little round vase full of curly pencil shavings and newly sharpened pencils. :)


*Before*

*After*
Standing in the dining room entrance.

Our laundry room is connected to the room through those doors. I could not get a good picture, so I will have to try again later.

Every day, our home becomes more and more like...well, home. When we look at this room, we think of a future schoolroom we hope for. We think of birthday parties and craft parties for our children. It becomes less and less empty the more we think about it. This thought alone makes us very, very, very happy.

Our Kitchen!!!!

Since being married, I have quickly come to realize that I love having my own home. I love walking in the front door and placing things where I know they belong. (Of course I am certain my mother would stop me right here to point out that children change this.) I love planning a grocery list, coming in under budget, and cooking our meals. I love all of this even more now that we have our very own kitchen.


Apartment Kitchen

One of the few things I knew I wanted when we started looking for houses was a kitchen with plenty of cabinets and counter space. Our apartment was great for a start, but not everything could be kept in the kitchen. We had to leave a few things in storage or on shelves in the office. Now...


Before (view from the front door)

The kitchen was beautiful! It was the same fresh, mint green as the rest of the house. It had a built pantry, large drawers, and lots of cabinets. Husband looked at it and saw a tiny kitchen, but I saw something else entirely. Yes, it is a small square of a kitchen, but not being Italian promises my future is free of needed pizza-throwing space or anything of the sort. I pointed out that the sink was big enough to bath babies (something my parents did with all of us when we were very little). The cabinets...where to start. Not to mention, it was clean and new, yet old. I loved it.



Before

Before

Before (view from the kitchen)

Just like with the rest of the house, the green had to go. I had originally planned on painting the walls a bright teal blue or sea foam green, but seeing as the kitchen wall ran straight into the living room I knew it would throw off the warm look we wanted. What better color then than RED!!!! I love red. It is happy, warm, cheerful, and a mixture of two of my favorite decades- 1940s & 1950s.


After (on our first day of painting)

After (Moving Day!)

We had to buy a new fridge. My husband loves telling the story of how they had to turn the fridge onto its side and push it over the counter. I am just thankful I wasn't here because...well...we would probably still be without a fridge. Either way, we now have one and it is right where it belongs. The crazy thing is that they did not plug in our fridge or hook it up. Apparently this is common knowledge to everyone, but us. In our defense though, we asked this specific question and we were told that the delivery men would deliver it and connect the water line. Not true. Husband was going to connect it, but ran out of time before having to go back to work. Thankfully, my wonderful family offered to stop by & help last Monday with anything we needed. They even hung a few of our blinds for us. (The house came with completely bare windows.)



After
Instead of a "Coffee Bar", I set up a "Breakfast Bar" in the corner. :)

I love going into our kitchen. I know where everything is, and there are even some cabinets that are not full. I actually have a drawer now just for my tea towels, hand towels, aprons, and table cloths. It is luxury, I know, but it makes me smile to open this drawer. This drawer pretty much sums up my kitchen.


Drying Mat (left)
Top (left to right) Dish Towels, Tea Towels, Cloth Napkins, Aprons, Tablecloths
Bottom (left to right) Potholders, Small Towels, Hand Towels

When I step into my kitchen, I can't help but smile. I get to see all of the pieces that I have collected over the years. I see things I bought, pieces my family bought me for my hopechest, and a few wedding gifts. It makes me smile. I see myself cooking years from now, with our children propped on barstools watching me. I hear all the stories I am going to share with them; just like my mother did with me.


After

After

After
(Where better to display my antique mixer than the kitchen!)

It is just a very happy room. I love my new kitchen!



Our New Kitchen!