I love anything to do with design. In college, I took courses in both Fashion and Interior Design and loved them. I considered both both as potential careers but settled on Hair Design because I felt it would give me more flexibility. And because I'd already been doing all my friends and family's hair since high school. And because I absolutely love it. But I've continued to play with other kinds of design on my own.
Living in a borrowed house right now that is 100% furnished doesn't give me a lot of opportunities to decorate. And I miss that. So I am totally enjoying living vicariously right now since Ben and Josephine are letting me help them come up with a design plan for their new house.
Today's Favorite Things are...
1. White walls. Let me clarify - white walls in a brand new house. There's something so refreshing and optimistic about the possibilities of clean, white walls. It opens up the imagination to what could be.
2. Paint. Yep, once you appreciate those pristine white walls, it's time to paint! I love color and am not afraid of it. Deciding on the color scheme for anything - a room, a piece of jewelry or someone's hair - is very exciting. We picked out the paint colors for the whole house today and it's going to be gorgeous.
3. Shopping. Oh, I do love to shop. (I AM a complete bargain shopper, so that helps, right?) Josephine and I had a fun trip and got bedding, towels, decorations, all kinds of fun stuff! I really enjoy helping someone else shop as much as shopping for myself. (It's a cheap thrill!)
4. Accessorizing. This is the most fun part for me - of a room, an outfit, whatever. My mom still teases me that when I was younger and lived at home, when she sent me to clean my room I didn't clean it - I decorated it.
5. Dreaming of the future. I'm always collecting ideas for future rooms in future houses we may have. Right now it mostly consists of pages ripped out of magazines and stuffed into a green hanging file. But I just read this post by Liz at Mabel's House and am inspired. A design binder like hers is so my next project for January. By the time I have my own house again in 20 months, I'll be ready to decorate my space again to my heart's content!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Aunt Jennifer
So, I'm in Omaha Nebraska, helping Ben and Josephine get moved and settled into their new house. It's a beautiful home and we're having a great time unpacking, arranging furniture, picking out paint colors and planning all the interior decorating. But you might be able to tell from my list of favorites today what the best part about being here is!
Today's Favorite Things are...
1. Waking up to the sound of the laughter of the cutest 2 year old and 4 year old known to man. Really, that was the first thing I heard as I began to regain consciousness this morning, and it just filled my heart with happiness!
2. Feeding the most precious 6 week old ever her bottle. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing when it comes to babies. I'm a bit intimidated by them if truth be told. But little Claire gobbled all her milk up and then burped nice and loud, so I must have done something right.
3. Kissing baby Claire's head and getting hugs and snuggles from Tyler and Ashley (when they slow down enough to give them.) Cute. Just cute.
4. Helping the kids unpack their boxes of toys. Each newly rediscovered toy was just so exciting! As every toy emerged, they would exclaim "WOW!!!!" (We should all be so delighted about all the stuff we already own!)
5. Finding toys in my bed when I climbed in to get settled and write this post. I think they left them here as a little gift to remind me that they love me. I'm sure I'll need to give them back tomorrow.
I love being an Aunt!
Today's Favorite Things are...
1. Waking up to the sound of the laughter of the cutest 2 year old and 4 year old known to man. Really, that was the first thing I heard as I began to regain consciousness this morning, and it just filled my heart with happiness!
2. Feeding the most precious 6 week old ever her bottle. I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing when it comes to babies. I'm a bit intimidated by them if truth be told. But little Claire gobbled all her milk up and then burped nice and loud, so I must have done something right.
3. Kissing baby Claire's head and getting hugs and snuggles from Tyler and Ashley (when they slow down enough to give them.) Cute. Just cute.
4. Helping the kids unpack their boxes of toys. Each newly rediscovered toy was just so exciting! As every toy emerged, they would exclaim "WOW!!!!" (We should all be so delighted about all the stuff we already own!)
5. Finding toys in my bed when I climbed in to get settled and write this post. I think they left them here as a little gift to remind me that they love me. I'm sure I'll need to give them back tomorrow.
I love being an Aunt!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
13 Hours
I rode from Ohio to Nebraska today in a 22-foot U-haul. My brother and sister-in-law bought their first house after moving to NE and Ben came back to OH to pick up their stuff and drive it out and I came with to help keep him awake. I hope this makes any sense at all because I am really tired now.
Today's Favorite Things are...
1. Peanut M & M's and Dr. Pepper. Essential road trip snacks.
2. Clean rest areas.
3. Radio stations that play Christmas music and houses along the highway that are decked out with Christmas lights.
4. 13 hours of stimulating conversation with my awesome brother.
5. The fact that we made it all in one piece!
Today's Favorite Things are...
1. Peanut M & M's and Dr. Pepper. Essential road trip snacks.
2. Clean rest areas.
3. Radio stations that play Christmas music and houses along the highway that are decked out with Christmas lights.
4. 13 hours of stimulating conversation with my awesome brother.
5. The fact that we made it all in one piece!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Git 'R Done
After a lazyish day yesterday, today I got busy. Cleaning house, doing laundry, paying bills, filing paperwork and generally being the household Office Manager, Accountant and Housekeeper.
Today's Favorite Things are...
1. Making lists. I started the day with a list of things to get done and crossed them off as I went along. I am a list-maker. I always have lists going...things to do, things to buy, people to call, ideas, errands to run... I feel so gratified when I cross things off that if I do something that wasn't on the list to start with, I'll write it down and cross it right off just for the satisfaction!
2. Cleaning house. I actually enjoy tidying my house. It's fulfilling. Yes, I know I'm strange.
3. All my laundry done at the same time. I realize all the moms out there are snorting at me, and I know that my day will come (hopefully)...but for right now I am taking pleasure in the fact that I can do all my laundry in one day!
4. Having my ducks in a row. I can't abide clutter or papers piling up. My dear husband calls it OCD, I call it being organized. Either way, at least I know where everything is!
5. Jammin' to some tunes while I work. Oh, dear, I just totally dated myself by using the phrase "jammin' to some tunes", didn't I. Oh well, I AM a child of the 80's and just to prove it, I cranked up the 80's music while I buzzed around today. It was, like, totally rad!
***I can't take credit for how pretty the house is, because it's not mine. The green couches and our photos are basically the only things I brought with us. I will, however, take credit for the sparkling windows and mirrors, lack of dust, clean counters, made beds and fluffed pillows. Scott will take credit for the clean toilets. He always does those! :) ***
Today's Favorite Things are...
1. Making lists. I started the day with a list of things to get done and crossed them off as I went along. I am a list-maker. I always have lists going...things to do, things to buy, people to call, ideas, errands to run... I feel so gratified when I cross things off that if I do something that wasn't on the list to start with, I'll write it down and cross it right off just for the satisfaction!
2. Cleaning house. I actually enjoy tidying my house. It's fulfilling. Yes, I know I'm strange.
3. All my laundry done at the same time. I realize all the moms out there are snorting at me, and I know that my day will come (hopefully)...but for right now I am taking pleasure in the fact that I can do all my laundry in one day!
4. Having my ducks in a row. I can't abide clutter or papers piling up. My dear husband calls it OCD, I call it being organized. Either way, at least I know where everything is!
5. Jammin' to some tunes while I work. Oh, dear, I just totally dated myself by using the phrase "jammin' to some tunes", didn't I. Oh well, I AM a child of the 80's and just to prove it, I cranked up the 80's music while I buzzed around today. It was, like, totally rad!
***I can't take credit for how pretty the house is, because it's not mine. The green couches and our photos are basically the only things I brought with us. I will, however, take credit for the sparkling windows and mirrors, lack of dust, clean counters, made beds and fluffed pillows. Scott will take credit for the clean toilets. He always does those! :) ***
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Pajama Day
Today's Favorite Things are...
1. Having a "pajama day." Once in a while, I just need to stay in my jammies all day and not worry about putting on makeup or doing my hair. It's a nice break.
2. When my husband tells me he thinks I'm cute at the most random times. Like when I'm in my flannels with a naked face and crazy hair. I don't get it, but I appreciate it!
3. Eating ice cream for breakfast.
4. Painting my nails a funky color.
5. Having a date night at home on a weeknight. Scott made delicious gourmet hamburgers and we opened a bottle of sparkling grape juice and turned off all the lights and watched a movie together.
1. Having a "pajama day." Once in a while, I just need to stay in my jammies all day and not worry about putting on makeup or doing my hair. It's a nice break.
2. When my husband tells me he thinks I'm cute at the most random times. Like when I'm in my flannels with a naked face and crazy hair. I don't get it, but I appreciate it!
3. Eating ice cream for breakfast.
4. Painting my nails a funky color.
5. Having a date night at home on a weeknight. Scott made delicious gourmet hamburgers and we opened a bottle of sparkling grape juice and turned off all the lights and watched a movie together.
Today was a good day!
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Visions of Sugarplums
We worked a looooong day today, and I'm dead tired but I had to get my post in before I nestle all snug in my bed...
At work today, the conversation turned to food (as it always does - it's sort of the running joke that we ALWAYS talk about food!) and we started discussing some of our favorite holiday treats. Food is a BIG part of any celebration for both of our families, and the Christmas season brings with it some favorite delights that I look forward to every year.
Today's Favorite Things are...
1. Egg Nog. Mixed half and half with ginger ale. Oh yeah.
2. Peppermint ice cream. With hot fudge, of course.
3. Fudge. A few weeks after we got married, Scott was bragging to me that he had "the BEST fudge recipe." He went and pulled it out of his recipe box, looked, and my mom's name was written on the top. (He had gotten the recipe from her years ago!)
4. Christmas Quiche. Our traditional Christmas morning breakfast.
5. Buckeyes. I started making these a few years ago when I became an Ohioan. Even though in my heart I am and always will be a Marylander, this chocolate and peanut butter confection has won over a corner of my heart for Ohio.
Now I'm off to bed, with visions of buckeyes dancing in my head...
What dances in your head this time of year?
At work today, the conversation turned to food (as it always does - it's sort of the running joke that we ALWAYS talk about food!) and we started discussing some of our favorite holiday treats. Food is a BIG part of any celebration for both of our families, and the Christmas season brings with it some favorite delights that I look forward to every year.
Today's Favorite Things are...
1. Egg Nog. Mixed half and half with ginger ale. Oh yeah.
2. Peppermint ice cream. With hot fudge, of course.
3. Fudge. A few weeks after we got married, Scott was bragging to me that he had "the BEST fudge recipe." He went and pulled it out of his recipe box, looked, and my mom's name was written on the top. (He had gotten the recipe from her years ago!)
4. Christmas Quiche. Our traditional Christmas morning breakfast.
5. Buckeyes. I started making these a few years ago when I became an Ohioan. Even though in my heart I am and always will be a Marylander, this chocolate and peanut butter confection has won over a corner of my heart for Ohio.
Now I'm off to bed, with visions of buckeyes dancing in my head...
What dances in your head this time of year?
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Road Trip
Because of our job, Scott and I spend a lot of time in the car together, driving all over the state and beyond for work assignments. I've learned to love and look forward to this part of my days...
Today's Favorite Things are:
1. Seeing the sun rise. Most days, we have to be Somewhere Far, Far Away by Very, Very Early. And, I am NOT a morning person. That said, when necessity hauls my groggy butt out of bed at the crack of dawn, I do always manage to appreciate seeing the beauty of the sunrise.
2. Rush, Sean and Neal. I am a conservative girl living in a liberal world. Gotta stay in touch with the voices of reason!
3. Nap time. My wonderful and self-sacrificing husband always drives, so sometimes I get to sleep on the way to or from work...or both. I keep one of these in the car for such purposes:
(Wait...is he always driving because he is so gallant or because he doesn't like MY driving? Oh well, either way I get extra sleep!)
4. Chatting. Sometimes when we're home, we're so busy going different directions (or watching too much TV, I'll admit it...) that we don't talk enough. Being trapped in the car together for hours kinda remedies that! Today we spend the trip talking about our favorite things about Christmas, childhood memories and plans for our future holidays together. It was my very favorite part of the day.
5. Coming home. There's nothing better than walking in the door and having the cutest little dog in the world leap into your arms and give you kisses!
Today's Favorite Things are:
1. Seeing the sun rise. Most days, we have to be Somewhere Far, Far Away by Very, Very Early. And, I am NOT a morning person. That said, when necessity hauls my groggy butt out of bed at the crack of dawn, I do always manage to appreciate seeing the beauty of the sunrise.
2. Rush, Sean and Neal. I am a conservative girl living in a liberal world. Gotta stay in touch with the voices of reason!
3. Nap time. My wonderful and self-sacrificing husband always drives, so sometimes I get to sleep on the way to or from work...or both. I keep one of these in the car for such purposes:
(Wait...is he always driving because he is so gallant or because he doesn't like MY driving? Oh well, either way I get extra sleep!)4. Chatting. Sometimes when we're home, we're so busy going different directions (or watching too much TV, I'll admit it...) that we don't talk enough. Being trapped in the car together for hours kinda remedies that! Today we spend the trip talking about our favorite things about Christmas, childhood memories and plans for our future holidays together. It was my very favorite part of the day.
5. Coming home. There's nothing better than walking in the door and having the cutest little dog in the world leap into your arms and give you kisses!
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