Welcome Kara!!

The most awesomest chica is finally making an appearance in the blogging world!! And I am sooo excited!! I cant wait to read all about the house they have just started building and their adorable bulldog, Boss.

I really got to know Kara about three years ago. She got a job at my school the day before school started, because she is just that awesome and no interview or resume was required. She is friendly and outgoing and makes friends with EVERYONE!! The whole school was sad to lose her, as she was the social butterfly that visited with every teacher. Somewhat spontaneously we planned a backpack trip to Europe. It was awesome!! She is a kindred spirit that loves spontaneity, she is always up for a new adventure!

Kara moved to Arkansas when she realized she loved her soon -to- be- husband "more than air". They are a great couple and I have been hoping they would move back eventually. Now that they are building a house, i think it is time to face the facts... now that she will be posting like mad (more than once a week :) ) i think i will be able to except it!

Just Because...

he loves me. Thats what he told me when he went to the store to get razors for church and came back with these pretty flowers. Such a sweetie! I love you!!

I have decided that i love pink accents with the paint in the guest room.

Missed Opportunity

The shot is a little blurry, but when i look at this piece of furniture, i totally see a side buffet for my living room. With a little bit of TLC and a lot of paint, this would be the perfect piece.

Problem is, i don't have a dinning room. So the husband couldn't see why i would want to buy it, for possible future use, and my parents didn't seem to excited to add another piece of furniture to their growing collection in the garage, especially for an unknown amount of time. I mean come on people, where is your vision?? This is so worth the investment! I debated just getting it and putting it in the guest room for now, but the color i would use for my living room would not work in the guest, and i dont paint for fun, so i couldnt sell the idea. Thus, i am sure that my perfect side buffet has already found another home...sigh...

Still Celebrating

The last two years we have been out of the country for the 4th of July. This year we were in Bali. We ate seafood and rice instead of hamburgers and hot dogs. Feeling a little twinge of disappointment, just a little as we were having a great time, we decided to buy some fireworks. After some really serious bartering by the guys we walked away with the kind of fireworks that would normally be out of my budget at home (I always end up with sparklers and the little guys). The fireworks were great. We set them off in front of our hotel on the beach. One tube sent off 8 big ones. So big that it caught the attention of some Indonesian Police. Instead of sitting back and enjoying the show we were quickly walking away trying to look innocent. Apparently you cant set fireworks off in front of resorts. Lesson learned.

So even though I am a little late, I decided that for all of the gatherings that I will be going to this weekend, I will be bringing the red, white, and blue. It is better late than never. I made these for our friends kids to enjoy last night. Our flock group is having a BBQ after church tomorrow, for no apparent reason, but I keep teasing that is actually meant to be my late July 4th. I am planning on bringing the watermelon and another patriotic dessert.

Another "better late than never" celebration took place last night. That was my birthday, which was actually back in May. Loving all things birthday I didn't mind in the least. The girls made the cake and cupcakes. And I loved my amber earrings they brought back from the DR for me.

Picture Perfect Vacation

After two days of the worst jet lag i have yet experienced, i am feeling relatively more like myself. i am no longer sitting in a comatose stage thinking of all the things i would like to do. i am still waking up before the crack of dawn 4:00am- 5:00am, but i am enjoying the early start and all that i am getting done. we had a great time with our family and friends. i have planted the seed to move back. some days i am totally sure that i am suppose to be living in that beautiful country and other days i enjoy the familiarity of all that i know here. i took so many more photos, and plan on posting them soon, but here is a start.

Beach boxes on Half Moon Bay, the beach Alfie grew up swimming in. It didn't get below 65 degrees, even though it is winter. I chucked the uggs and walked in the water, and had locals starring at me like i was going to freeze while they walked in fur lined coats.

Scones in the Dandenong Mountains. I love going up there, it is about an hour from his parents. We hike around, then get tea and scones (seriously the best)
and of course we feed the birds. I love it so much, we always plan a day to go up there.We went for drinks with friends after an exciting Australian Rules Footy game and celebrated Essedon's victory. Though I have many photos of this night...I will only post one...
This is Bali. The venue where our friends got married. It was gorgeous. Private villa with every detail to perfection. She did a great job planning.

The gazebo for the ceremony was set on top of the pool. They had steps to walk over the water and the left side has candles and flowers floating. The dance floor, where I spent most of the night, was in front of the pool.

The bride and groom with all their mates. They only had three groomsmen, but it is hard to tell which ones they were, since clearly white shirts with gray pants was the thing to wear.

These are the guys that every story from Alfie's childhood centers around. They are the best. They can tell a story like no one I have ever meet. The trouble they got into... love them. The wedding took place in Bali because the bride has two stores and a factory there, where she designs and sells clothes, accessories, and some jewelry. She also currently wholesales to over 150 stores in Australia. (heres her website if you are curious www.luxeaccessories.com )She spends about 10 weeks out of the year in Bali. Her dress was designed by her. I love this dress. She is a gorgeous person.The reception was gorgeous. Each table has its own light hanging over. I did not take enough photos of this wedding.Table 7. This is where the party was. Everyone wished they were sitting here. Dinner out with the boys. They were so nice in letting me tag along pretty much the whole trip. They really made our trip. And is one of the reasons we would love to move back.
And me with the girls. Fashion is very different from Australia to the states. they always look so put together, even for drinks at a bar. i very much felt under dressed with them all this night.

I have so many pics left. Especially of me surfing the waves of the Indian ocean! My first time on real waves. We had such a great time. the location was amazing, but it is truly the people that made our travels so awesome.

Lazy Summer Days

Yep. That has been my wonderful life. Beautiful hot weather requires plenty of pool time, which is the only thing I really enjoy doing during the summer. It also explains the reason I am not outside today, 6 loads of laundry are awaiting. So while I am waiting for the next load to fold, I thought I would share a few pictures of finished projects and what I have managed to squeeze in between laying out and... um, more laying out. Man it is going to suck going back to work in August...

Anyway. Here is one of the frames I bought at a garage sale a while back, now hanging in the kitchen framing a magnetic/chalkboard that I made.

And my new kitchen. Ugly and outdate brown to antiqued cream. Add some new hardware and a few rugs... viola. Now light and airy. I. Love.

Let me just add, that we have 28 doors in our kitchen. I didnt count the drawers, so that is 28 doors alone!!! It took forever! I hope I never have to do a paint project that big again. Although as soon as we get back from vacation we are planning on painting the living room... which will take some time, but I think I can handle doing just walls.

We finally picked out a new sofa. Nothing like the one we wanted from Restoration Hardware, which was discontinued (boo). But it is comfortable and I love all the pillows. We are still playing around with positioning furniture. We removed the loveseat to open the space up, and brought in a chair that was previously in the study. The trunk is temporary or permanant. Can't really decide. We will be painting the walls Cafe au latte from Restoration Hardware. It should help open the space a bit more. Out with the brown! And of course we still need a coffee table... but here is what we have so far (suggestions are welcome, as i am impaired at decorating)

Forgive the dog barrier on the couch. It was the first day, and they were a litle too excited about the new scent. I need to get a better picture....

Finished

Finished with the kitchen. And... The Twilight Series. I broke down, and then got sucked in. In my defense it is the hubs who rented the video that started it all. Until watching the video, I wanted nothing to do with the vampire fad. But then I watched and realized this was more than blood sucking vampires. It is a love story. Will it go down as the best love stories such as Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, Romeo and Juliet, Noah and Allee (the notebook). Not sure I will go that far, but it is one that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I wont admit how quickly I read them, but I did fall off the face of the earth until it was finished. I might have even finished one and then went to buy the next one that very night... ugh. Shameful.

Anyway, besides Bella's happy ever after, we have finished our kitchen. And a few other projects I had laying around waiting to be completed. So now I just need to post them. That is to come. Right now my stomach is growling and the Mr. is taking me out!