January | 2017
For some reason it feels like this last month was AGES long. Just me??? Needless to say, a LOT happened in January. I apologize for my MIA tendencies lately. I warned you back in November (in this Instagram post) that you may see me more sporadically over the next while due to something we're dealing with in our personal life, and this month has been a busy one in terms of that topic. I am hoping I can be more consistent soon, so keep a look out! Let me dive in and share the scoop from our month.
Life Updates
We finally took our Bernese Mountain Dog home and he's been a complete and utter joy! We love him to pieces, and his sassy ways and dorky puppyisms constantly crack us up. He's gone from 12lbs to 20lbs in the last month and it shows! Also, you can now follow Hondo's rapidly growing Instagram account for pictures and updates. Plus he's already been approached for a sponsorship from a subscription box for pups, so there's fun things to come!
It snowed (iced) in Atlanta! Which is always a little scary because the driving conditions are terrible, but it's always a welcome scene for another otherwise brown winter. The pup definitely loved it the day after arriving in his new home.
Since bringing Hondo home, we've been far more active! He doesn't need a ton of exercise yet since he's little, but we certainly weren't doing a lot of moving before, so that's been incredibly positive. Not to mention the impromptu dates that have come as a result of being out with him!
I was able to freshen up my office with the help of my favorite print shop, Social Print Studio. See the post here if you missed it.
Had a couple hang out seshies with my girls Autumn and Alex!
I got myself locked in one of our bedrooms (they lock from the outside?!) WITH Hondo and I had to have Tom leave work early to come rescue us. It wasn't the first time I locked myself in a room of this house with no way to escape. This time at least I had my phone, but the funny thing is, I had shut the door to keep Hondo from escaping so I could take cute photos like this one... (I think it was worth it).
We started looking into landscaping help for our backyard. We are not very good green thumbs, so the help will be necessary. We can renovate an entire kitchen, but we can't landscape our yard?!
We took Hondo on a hike where we met up with a large group of other area BMD owners and dogs. He suddenly felt very small amongst the big ones! We loved seeing some familiar faces and loving on the big pups.
We had lots of appointments and we kind of gave up on cooking this month and still have no food in our house - haha - on a high note, a Culver's just opened up the road from our house which is AWESOME considering they are few and far between outside of the Midwest!
Lizards have started invading our porch and back yard. I would rather have lizards than insects, so I don't mind, but they are a little creepy.
Favorite Links or Posts
- This awesome paper tablet. We go through so many small sketchbooks for our various doodles and ideas in this house, so seeing this product totally had us geeking out.
- I love this post by Hey There, Chelsie on rocking the hot mess that is your life. It sums up a lot of my January and her tips are honestly really helpful.
- This post by Coming Up Roses on things bloggers are sick of hearing. So much truth!
- This new Ed Sheeran song:
January was busy, exciting, frustrating, sad, and happy all rolled into one. I'm glad to start off February on a positive note (and fewer doctor's appointments!) and am looking forward to the growing number of spring breakers who will be stopping by our home. That's still one of my favorite Georgia perks! How was your January, my friends? What are you looking forward to in February?
Little Ways Your Spouse Is Loving You Without Saying It
You know how sometimes we have a tendency to get so caught up in a routine or so unbalanced in our busy schedules we stop noticing the moments in between?
What I mean, are the moments when you aren't kissing, saying "I love you," bringing home flowers, going on a date, etc... those are all pretty clear moments of affection and ways we can show love to our spouse. I mean the moments when we're caught up in our own little bubble, slightly oblivious to what's going on in the other room or even right next to us.
Here a few moments maybe you're missing amidst the busyness, but are certainly little ways "I love you" is being said without actually saying it. Maybe some of them are even annoying to you, but take a minute and think of something they do or say that might just have a sweeter meaning!
- They tell you to drive safe.
- They message you out of nowhere to see how your day is.
- They get you a glass of water for your bedside table while you brush your teeth.
- They take baby/pet duty for the evening/morning/entire day.
- They cook you dinner - maybe even one of your favorites.
- They clean up the kitchen after a meal.
- They take care of the finances every week.
- They pick up dinner on their way home.
- They fix the leaky faucet or clogged drain (and you never even noticed!)
- They do all the laundry and make sure your bedding is always fresh.
- They tell you how handsome/beautiful you are every morning - before you've hardly opened your eyes to wake up.
- They pass on compliments others have shared about you.
- They give you a back-rub just because.
- They clean up your side of the bedroom/sink/etc...
- They surprise you for a midweek lunch date.
- They take a day off to help you with something.
- They tell you to let them know when you get to your destination.
- They always, always hug you when they greet you at the beginning or end of a day apart.
- They send you links to things that you'd like (or they like and just want to share with you!)
- They wait to watch that show with you.
- They hold your hand in the car.
- They give you that sweet look of admiration or one that says "you're hot and I love you."
- They tell you they're proud of you and appreciate you.
- They speak well of you around others.
- They drive a little slower, just for you ;)
- They bring you home a bottle of wine/beer/whatever.
- They always make sure there's coffee for you in the morning.
- They make sure you know how important you are to them.
- They take turns reading a book aloud with you.
- They keep your car in good shape and gas filled up.
- They fix your buggy phone or computer.
- They wait to have dinner with you - even though they're starving!
- They make you something (sewing, building furniture, DIY house project, etc...).
- They give you their jacket.
- They let you have the last bite of dessert.
- They drive you (I take this for granted all the time! I love my chauffeur!).
- They play with the kids so you have time for yourself.
- They encourage you to do what you love.
- They support you, right alongside you in your faith.
- They pray for you.
- They know your favorites and style and you could trust them to order you a drink, entree, pair of shoes, piece of furniture, whatever, without worrying about their choice.
- They know the temperatures you're most comfortable in the car, outside, etc...
- They keep trips organized and efficient.
- They clean up the dog poop.
- They ask you if you need anything from the kitchen before they come sit down.
- They take their shoes off before tracking all over the house.
- They listen to your boring work stories.
- They notice your new hair-do/haircut, shaved face, new earrings, etc...
- They give you secret signals in public that say "I love you" or remind you of an inside joke.
- They do weird things just to make you laugh.
- They remember to keep the necessities for the house in stock (toilet paper!)
- They randomly order something they know you'll love and don't tell you until you open it in the mail.
- They watch the shows or movies only you like, just so they can be with you.
- They don't judge you when you're gassy - haha!!
- They help you decorate a room and hold up items on the walls for "vision."
- They hold you tight when you need to cry.
- They open jars and reach things that are too high.
- They smell nice for you.
- They take the sweetest care you when you're sick.
- They sass you in the very best ways and never stop flirting with you.
- They genuinely respect you and it shows.
- They put God and faith before you.
- They're there in a jiffy when you're in a bind.
- They let you have the favorite blanket.
- They leave their stuff in the pile of whatever room because they had to drop everything to give you a kiss.
- They take pictures of you that you hate, but they cherish because it was a real moment.
- And that even if you've been grumpy with each other, those little moments in between are still there to fill in "I love you."
Of course, this is only the tip of the iceberg, and mostly ones I could think of from our one relationship out of the millions of relationships in the world. How does your spouse "love you in between?"
Creating An Inspiring Home Office
Do any of my readers have home offices? Whether you work from home or just have a desk dedicated to bills and management of your personal...
The products in this post are c/o Social Print Studio.
Do any of my readers have home offices? Whether you work from home or just have a desk dedicated to bills and management of your personal finances or life events, it's important to feel a sense of order in these places. As someone who works from home, I must admit that using my desk/office area has been a bit of a struggle. The bed is warmer and cozier, and being able to just sit up after a night's sleep and hit the keyboard is convenient.
But...
It's not very good for me.
Someone please tell me you work from your bed too?! Please? So I don't feel like such a bum? Not only is it awful for my posture and generally just lazy, but it also breaches the boundary of use for our bed. The bed is a place for rest and is shared with the hottie I call husband, so to use it for work is a little unnecessary.
We don't currently have a room that is dedicated as my home office, but I've been in need of a place to comfortably do my work for some time. You've seen the renovation of our whole house over the course of this past year, yet somehow creating a home office got overlooked! For the new year, I decided I needed to tackle this problem and I've had get creative in making a portion of our master bedroom an office until we can perhaps transform one of our spare bedrooms into a joint space for both of us.
The thing is, this desk area doubles as a vanity for doing my hair and makeup, so it's important for me to be able to hide my beauty stuff so as to create a productive area for work. Over the last year, it's definitely felt like more of a vanity and less like a desk, but thanks to the help of Social Print Studio, I'm feeling so much more confident in using this area as my office! In fact, full disclosure, this is probably the first post I've ever written in its entirety at my desk and not elsewhere. Winning already!
When creating an inspiring home office for yourself (even in the confines of part of another room) there are a few helpful tips to keep in mind so it works for you specifically and will make you want to use it.
A proper desk for you
Though you may like the look of a minimal desk with no storage, will you find yourself in a disorganized pile of papers and odds and ends without a place to stow them away? Think about what you'd really need in a desk and what sorts of storage you might need for yourself. I don't personally have a lot of papers (I do everything electronically), but I need a couple drawers for my camera lenses, laptop sleeve, flash drives, and of course my makeup.
A comfortable, supportive chair
This seems like a given, but have you seen some of those office photos with bizarre, clear or oddly shaped chairs? Typical office chairs on wheels can be good in terms of support, but I was looking for something minimal, soft, and good for my posture. You might grimace looking at the white fabric, but it's a washable cover and it stays pristine. Figure out what sort of chair you'd most likely be able to spend several hours in and wouldn't leave you with a backache.
Decor that inspires
Do you have some favorite quotes or catchphrases that motivate and inspire you? Maybe even some photos that remind you why you do what you do? A candle that offers a refreshing scent? Images that give you a sense of peace or purpose? Put them somewhere prominent or in a place you might glance up to in between thoughts. This was a big one I had been missing, so I'm loving the wood prints from Social Print Studio. One with a Bible verse that reminds me to do what is good. As writer, it's a great reminder for me to put forth words that are truthful and pleasing to God. Another is a quote from Winston Churchill. Solid mix, am I right? God's Word and Winston Churchill - haha! Winston's words remind me to be brave and stand up for what I believe, even if it's something not everyone will agree with. Being brave in my writing is a personal struggle for me as we live in a world that's constantly offended. I don't want to be offensive, but I also don't want to always work with my tail between my legs. The truth takes courage. As for photos, I chose a wedding photo as a reminder of... well, need I say more? Tom is my number one fan, and I couldn't do what I do without him. The other photo, of me holding a vase of eucalyptus, was just a photo that brings me good thoughts and calms me when my mind goes off track. The wood prints I have are the smallest ones they offer (4x4), but they go all the way up to 16x20. Another bit of decor that I think adds a lot with a little, is some sort of plant life. Don't forget a candle (if that's your jam) to warm up your space and put off soothing scents. All of these pieces add not only to the aesthetic of an office, but they fit into our room and home with ease.
Organization
If your desk doesn't offer built-in storage, how about some bookshelves or stylish filing cabinets? Desktop storage also offers some good options when you need things at your fingertips. What about wall organization? Another one of my favorites from Social Print Studio are their wall calendars. Guys, their print quality is AMAZING and this calendar is not only visually stunning (with my choice of personal photos for each month), but it'll be perfect for me to fill out and be able to quickly glance over the month's schedule. It would go great next to a bulletin or chalk/white-erase board or some awesome floating shelves. If you're like me and sometimes need a more visual overview of your schedule, this calendar is the perfect addition to your office. For whatever reason, computer calendars don't always cut it for me and things get overlooked. Plus, the physical calendar just adds a great pop to my little space and makes me feel like I'm at work.
Healthy sustenance
When working from home, it's easy to grab the fastest, most unhealthy food choices. Chips, sugary granola bars, and soda. But by keeping a few healthy alternatives at your desk, you'll easily make better choices and keep yourself from wandering into the kitchen for something more. I try to maintain a healthy water intake every day, and this little glass pitcher is perfect for refills and looks pretty too. Also, what's easier than fruit?! Keep a little bowl of fruit or nuts near your office and the temptations for the bad stuff will diminish.
Good lighting
Isn't this an obvious one? Thankfully I get plenty of natural light in our house, but a good lamp is essential when that's not available. This one was a DIY project I had envisioned and my husband brought to life. Yet again, it fits in with not only my desk aesthetic, but the whole room.
Thanks to Social Print Studio for collaborating with me on this post. I've been a long-time customer and have ordered several of their products as gifts. You guys know I would never talk about or endorse a brand or product I didn't 100% love, and SPS is no exception. They are super responsive in terms of customer service and their products are truly great quality. Not to mention they make these great business cards I ordered several months ago. I leave them on tables and hand them out to business contacts I come across or potential clients - definitely recommend them.
What do you need in a home office? You better believe that when we create a joint office, Social Print Studio will be gracing the space once again :) Go check 'em out! (These giant photostrips are next on my wish list)
What We Didn't Picture
From relatively young ages, we all start to picture our futures. What we want to be when we grow up, what kind of person we'll marry, where we'll live, the places we want to see, the kids we'll have, the house we'll live in, the lifestyle we'll follow, and so on.
In college, that picture of our future starts to come within reach. We study fields we want careers in, maybe we meet our spouses, and the timeline of the next distinctive season of our lives seems to clarify.
I remember spending many a night throughout those fours years with my girlfriends (and even good guy friends) talking about our hopes and fears and expectations of life beyond the brick walls of that cold Wisconsin campus. As in the years prior, they were visions of jobs, spouses, children, places, and impacts we'd make in the lives of others. It was exciting and scary, but I'm still grateful that it was in an environment that urged prayer and devotion with one another.
I'm grateful because those prayers and moments in God's Word together, brought us increasingly closer and have helped each of us along in life's challenges today. A friend recently reminded me of the things we seemed to gloss over in our thoughts as we dreamed of our futures.
Because you see, what we failed to picture in our futures were the heartaches. The hard marriage seasons or divorce, the infertility, the loss of a child, spouse or other loved ones, the miscarriages, the financial burdens, the job layoffs, the loneliness, the anxiety or depression, the hard adjustments, the illnesses, the accidents, or anything else that falls under devastation and heartache. It was in that safe bubble of college dreaming that we visualized the happiness. I wouldn't trade that time or even go back and warn myself and my friends, because it was a place of innocence and joy. I think back on it fondly.
Now, however, the reality of those sweet timelines and plans have begun to set in. We do see the heartache and we have no choice but to face it. It's not all a grim view, of course, but with that picture perfect vision slowly morphing into one with sad seasons, you can't help but mourn the vision you once had.
Yet, it's how we face these challenges that will determine the outcome of our lives. In our marriage, we face trials head-on. We don't sugar-coat, and we lean heavily on the Lord. We see the struggles and sad seasons of our friends and we pray, offer a listening ear, support, and love them. We have learned how little we really know about the trials of those around us, how very little we actually control, and how blind we are to the heartaches.
But when we open up and let the people we love in, we create a safe place of vulnerability and honesty. A place where you hear "me too" or "how can I help you?" A place where you can face reality with the strength of many, instead of baring it alone amidst the everyday routine. A place where active prayer and God's Word are shared to remind you you're never alone and His plan is best... even when it's hard to accept it in the present.
Maybe the fantasized picture of our lives would have been the easiest or most ideal by our standards, but isn't it the hard things that stretch us and teach us and bring us new perspectives and understanding? It's a hard lesson, learning to be grateful for the tough stuff, but it's important.
You learn that even when you feel like you're about to fall apart, you don't. You're stronger than you realize. You learn to be grateful for the seasons of peace and quiet. You learn to value the little things, the little victories, and the people who are most important. The very things we didn't picture are the things that give us purpose and help us relate to others who are stumbling through the same storms. Sometimes it's God's way of bringing people together and teaching us humility, mercy, forgiveness, and grace.
How will you face the challenges you never pictured? Who will you ride out these storms with?
For me, it will be Christ. He is my rock, and he is the rock of my marriage and many of my friendships. I will face the trials I never pictured all those years ago, and take from them new perspectives and a kinder outlook. I'll choose (though I'll fail to do so many times) to trust His plan and be a witness of His grace and love. I'll work to be a shoulder for those who need it, and try to offer the same peace He gives to me.
Our trials can make or break us. What we didn't picture can help us grow, or crush us to pieces. Join me in letting others in, and allowing life's ebbs and flows to strengthen you to become a beacon of hope and solid confidence for those who need it.
And maybe by doing so, we'll see the incredible picture He had in store for us all along. We'll revel in the outcome and be grateful for the journey that got us there. Regardless of reality, I know that I'll spend eternity with Him. Today, I'm thankful for what I didn't picture. Are you?
Letting Go Of Perfectionism
We all have those areas where we need to be stretched. For some maybe they need to find ways to be more confident. For others they need to be stretched and challenged in their work so as not to become complacent. Adding a new baby stretches people, getting married and living with a new person stretches people, and in my current case... adding a puppy to a perfectionist's home stretches me.
I knew months ago that I was going to write this post. Not because it's been four or five days and I'm going to pull my hair out (he's not even shedding and he's been really, a pretty good little pup), but because it's an adjustment for the bubble I've created in our home. A clean, quiet bubble with no dirt clumps or carpet stains or unsavory smells. That's going to change, and I have to change with it.
It doesn't mean letting go of my already cleanly habits entirely, but it means taking things a notch or two down on my perfectionism spectrum. It means making room for messes that are made by a little creature that brings me joy. It's not going to be easy, and for any perfectionist out there, letting go of such habits is a serious challenge. Here are some things I'm going to keep in mind to redefine what "perfect" is to me. Not just in the case of our new puppy, but in my perfectionist nature as a whole.
Remember that God is in the messes too.
Have you heard this phrase? I've heard it several times lately, and the timing has always been just right. It's a simple statement, but think about it. Does God only meet us when our counters are clean and our beds are made? Does He only meet us when clothes are folded or cars are detailed? No. Of course not. His Word is there in the pile of laundry on the living room floor. We can pray for patience amidst the puppy accidents on the rug, and we can do devotions with our loved ones before we say goodnight in a room strewn with shoes, towels, and dirty socks. My house doesn't need to be perfect for God... so why does it need to be such a high standard of perfect at all?
Can your incessant perfectionism make the sweeter things less sweet?
We have a puppy! Of course I'm completely thrilled and overjoyed beyond belief, but does my need to vacuum very crumb off the carpet to keep things "how I like them," take away from this precious puppy-hood? It might. It's easy to justify by calling it upkeep or "for my sanity," but it's just a justification for not being able to let go of my perfectionism. Am I saying I should let my whole house go to rot? No, but the "freak" in my clean-freak nature may need to take a backseat so it doesn't sour the sweet things.
That's just one example though. Think of when you put some of your perfectionist tendencies before your children, spouse, or friends. Maybe you're a perfectionist with your work and it makes you a workaholic with little time to give your family. Before we know it, perfectionism can creep in and ruin even the sweetest things.
I'm not actually in control.
Sometimes I think perfectionism comes from a need to control. In a positive sense, it can give you a feeling of consistency when everything else seems to be out of whack. However, it can also give you a false sense of control. As much as I like to think I keep our home (as an example) in tip-top shape, things will still go awry because that's life. Roofs eventually need re-shingling - no matter how well you care for them, leaks in plumbing can occur, and carpet gets ruined.
Do you sometimes find yourself thinking your actual life plan should go one way and then... it doesn't? No matter how often you "play by the rules" or supposedly do everything right, you're not actually in control. God is. There are no better hands for my life to be in, so why stomp my foot and get upset when it doesn't? God doesn't make mistakes. But we do. Let go of the control and trust.
Leaving room for imperfection, leaves room for grace.
We all need grace. I've talked about it many times on this little space, but the truth is, I'm not always that good at giving grace, even though it's given to me so freely by my Savior. When my husband makes the same annoying (but pithy) mistake over and over, my grace starts to run dry. But with God, graces abounds... so where does mine disappear to? I'm not saying you leave room to purposefully sin, but to realize that mistakes are inevitable, life isn't perfect, and grace can offer so much freedom and practice in forgiveness, that imperfection shouldn't cause fear.
These are just a few things I hope to keep in mind in the coming months as we move forward and our "bubble" changes. Over the last four years, since Tom and I got married, we've experienced all sorts of changes to the plan we had envisioned, but... we've survived 100% of the curves in our path. With our feet firmly rooted in Christ, I know that letting go of perfectionism will undoubtedly yield good fruit. Even if it takes me a long time (which it will), I endeavor to find beauty and rest in the mess.
Home Office Inspiration
After we finished our kitchen reno (over a year ago already!), I think the DIY bug felt... satiated? Haha - hey, it was a LOT of work! But now that we've had a break, I've been feeling like our spare bedroom could use a purpose. It's been used as a storage room, a second guest room, and (don't laugh.. okay.. fine go ahead) Hondo's room.
We put up a wood accent wall that I think we are already tired of, but I do like the texture of it. I want to rough it up and perhaps paint it something sort of moody and fill the room with lots of natural wood, white, and functional pieces.
The challenge in this project, is that I'd like it to serve both Tom and I. He works from home occasionally, and I work from home all the time. It would be nice to have a place where our work stuff can gather and we can close it off from the rest of the house. Right now, Tom takes early morning conference calls each week from the couch in the living room and this means Hondo can't be disruptive and I can't make any noise either. So the current situation is not very conducive to work/life balance in that sense.
However, we do use this spare room as second guest room fairly often, so I also want to create a super functional room with desk space for two with the ability to turn it into a welcoming guest room when needed. This will be a big challenge since this is the smallest of the bedrooms, but I think it would be an awesome and unique way to liven up the space.
Here is my office inspiration board on Pinterest. I want to keep the cool tones we have throughout the rest of the house consistent with this room, as well as add our modern/mid-century flare.
My favorite image of the set, is the one with the navy wall, wood shelves, and rattan chairs. It's seriously giving me ALL the heart eyes!
Here is what that room looks like currently (when it's set up for guests):
We liked the idea of the wood wall, but quickly realized it's far too warm for our taste. I want to paint that puppy navy right this second!
To remedy the issue of needing this office to transform into a guest space, I thought it would be awesome to add a sleeper sofa. It would make a perfect spot for lounging if we wanted a break from the desk (and could even give us seating for small meetings) and would help create a space we'd enjoy working in.
via IKEA
I think with a couch in the room, we'd have to get a little creative with the use of space in terms of desks, but it would a fun challenge. I thought perhaps lining a couple of the walls with fold down desks would be nice for stowing them away when guests came to town. Or placing them just so, so they'd become side tables for the bed.
What do you guys think? Is this a challenge we should attempt? I'm not kidding, I'm ready to take a roller to that wood wall any second now!
Don't forget to follow me on social media to stay up to date and connected. Feel free to message or email me with any content requests, ideas, or collaborations!
Home Tour
Well this has been a long time coming! The way I figure, our house will never be as pristine as it is right now (now that we will have a puppy to muck it up in TWO DAYS), so I whipped out my camera and went to town.
Our style is very much modern, mid-century, minimal. We like subtle accents of wood and plant life amidst our greys and blues and greens. I shared this photo on Instagram a while ago, and it sums up the aesthetic we go for pretty well.
A little about our casa:
- 1,300 sq. ft.
- Split level - kitchen, dining, living are downstairs, and bedrooms and bathrooms are up
- 3 bedrooms
- 2 bathrooms
- No basement - just a crawlspace
- Laundry located in the garage
- 2 car garage
- Built in 1990
Below, keep an eye out for the links to each room's individual posts where you'll find some before and after photos (I'll be going back and updating the photos for those posts soon). Every inch of our home has been updated and the kitchen was completely gutted a few months ago. Without further ado, let me walk you through our home!
Entryway and Living Room
Our entryway was our most recent project. We picked up those black shoe containers at IKEA and added a stained piece of wood to the top to make it look more finished. It's been an awesome "dumping grounds" of sorts, for our random odds and ends. Our living room is obviously one of the main places we spend time. The coffee and side tables were DIY by Tom, and the rest of the room is pretty minimally decorated. It's bright, clean, and functional. Those floating built-ins have been wonderful for electronic storage. They still need tops to finish them off, and we're on the hunt for a different floor lamp behind the couch, but it's a great living area none the less.
Entryway post
Living room post (coming soon!)
Kitchen and Dining
The kitchen that came with this house was the one major vice for us. We knew we'd have to re-do the whole thing, and about a year later, the task was done... all by US (well, Tom). It's added so much to our lives and we absolutely love using our new kitchen. Hidden storage for brooms or mops is tough in this space, but we've managed to make things work. Also, being a shorty, my handy little step stool/ladder is a must :) We still have to add a backsplash, plus some other minor additions, but overall it's done and we adore it.
Hall and Landing
This wasn't a huge task, but it made such a difference to have the ceilings smoothed out and the walls brightened from dark tan to light grey.
Guest Room
Finding a good shade of green for a room can be tough, but we're pretty happy with this one. It's a calm, soft little retreat for our visitors, and every now and then I'll spend an afternoon working from the bed in here. Just for the change in scenery.
Guest Bathroom
The vanity and upper cabinet color matches the side tables in the guest room... just a little touch to bring the guest spaces together! It's a simple little bathroom but comfortable and functional.
Spare Room aka Wood Room
This room is sort of our floater room. We've had ideas or plans for it in the past, but nothing has really come to fruition. So we use it as an extra guest space. But we're also toying with creating a shared home office! We added the wood wall and feel it adds a neat feature to an otherwise small, boring little room. Maybe you'll see a post on this in the coming months!
Spare room post (coming soon!)
Laundry Room
You know, having the laundry in the garage really doesn't bother me. When our water heater died on us shortly after we moved in, Tom bought and installed a tankless one over in our crawlspace to save room in the garage so he could create this little corner for me. I had no qualms with doing this task in the garage, but I was wishing it felt more sanitary. Husband to the rescue! One of the photos shows how it's in its own little oasis away from the rest of the garage.
Also, I had made that piece of art some time ago, and could never find the right place for it. The words are from Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing (which holds a special place in our relationship) and I finally realized this spot was better than anywhere. Tom made me this little space, but I do all our laundry... so the words are a sweet reminder every time I do this monotonous task each week to remember how blessed I am to love someone so much.
Master Suite
This room is our escape, so the stark white mixed with hints of green life and grey create such a bright place to wake up each morning. We sip our coffee, talk, and get ready for the day together (my desk doubles as a makeup vanity). Our bathroom is the same shade of green as the guest room. We love our suite and will hopefully be updating our furniture in the coming year or so to styles that suit us a bit more.
I hope you all enjoyed the tour! As you can see, we are very much minimalists and find joy in our home's clean, simple aesthetic. It'll be fun to see how this little space of ours might change in the coming months in terms of decor, or with the addition of a giant breed dog. We shall see!
December | 2016
I cannot believe it's 2017! This past year seemed to fly by... was it just me? I know everyone keeps talking about how 2016 was some big dumpster fire, and in some ways I must agree, but in so many others I can't help but wonder if it's what our society chose to focus on that made it so crappy. Frankly, Tom and I had a pretty depressing chapter in our year, but that chapter doesn't make the rest of the year's story a sad ending. I mean, we have a freshly renovated home (I still go ga-ga over our kitchen every time I use it), a puppy to bring home in a few days, fun trips and adventures under our belts, and never ending laughter. In fact, I think I have RBF so many times because my face needs a rest from laughing with my Thomas.
December itself accurately summed up our year, though. It included good food, time with family, new endeavors in our professional lives and in our personal adventures, lots of love, and yes... puppies! Can you guys tell how excited I am about our bernese mountain dog? Because I'm really, REALLY excited. Not to worry, he has a separate Instagram account to house my overload of puppy photos (I'll share the account with you soon). Anyways, here's a summary of what happened this month along with a few photos...
- We got to watch the Christmas concert at our alma mater via live streaming, and had some friends who were actually attending, wave at us. It was a fun way to start the month.
- I participated in The Bloom Workshop's December Instagram photo challenge.
- Tom and I finally bought a Chemex coffee maker and have been using it as our primary brewing method each day.
- We finished our small entryway with some functional storage, a large mirror, and minimal decor. Love it!
- We attended our second Christmas parade in Helen, GA purely for the sake of seeing the bernese mountain dogs that walk it. We saw familiar faces and pups and had a grand ol' time.
- On our way home from the parade, we stopped by what is currently the nearest Culver's (hour drive) for dinner. Lo and behold, just yesterday, we discovered a new one being built only 15 minutes up the road from us. Jesus loves us!
- I did my first photoshoot! Possibly more on the photography topic soon...
by BRC
- We prepped for the puppy (including his GIANT kennel) and I've anxiously awaited his arrival day by day.
- We enjoyed lots of hot, homemade drinks (lattes!) and Christmas cookies.
- To end the month, we spent the holidays in Idaho with all of Tom's family. It was nice to see some snow! And also ride weird motorized animals through a mall.
Cheers to 2017, my friends. May it bring you health, happiness, and if nothing else, a grateful heart for all that is good.
Also, thank you sincerely, sweet readers and followers, for your devotion and support on this little place amidst the great big interwebs. I hope what you find here inspires, lightens, relates, or offers some sort of comfort, escape, or joy to your life. I absolutely love hearing from you and I'd love to know if there's anything in particular you'd like to see more of in the new year. Comment below, on Facebook, Instagram, via email, my contact form, whatever floats your boat... but let me know what brings you back here time and time again! Want to see more food? More everyday adventure ideas? Marriage posts..?.. what topics in particular? Posts on Atlanta? Encouraging life posts? Puppy pictures ;) ? Interactive positivity challenges? Photography?
Seriously! Tell me what you'd like to see, and I'll try my hand at it!