before & after: guest bedroom

A couple of weeks ago I posted a picture of what was going to be my office. As I started to decorate and move my office furniture into the room, something didn’t feel right. I couldn’t picture myself wanting to go in that room and sit at a desk. It didn’t quite feel like an office space. I decided to put my office in the huge guest bedroom across the hall. My desk now looks out three beautiful windows, and the guest room now feels more complete. 

So what to do with another empty bedroom and no bed to spare? I called my soon to be sister-in-law and asked if I could have the twin beds my brother and I had from when we were kids. My brother had been storing them at his house and figured it was worth a shot. She said yes, and a few weeks later my mom delivered them to our new house. They were 90’s style, oak wood bunk beds, but with some white spray paint they instantly became more modern. 

My mom also brought me my old sheet/sham set from my sophomore year of college. The duvet comforter was big enough to cut into two pieces and wrap around each twin bed. And I scored sheets at Macy’s for $9.99 each. I ended up spending less than $50 on this whole room. And it’s become one of my favorite rooms in the house. 

And after...

backyard update

One of the biggest selling points of this house was the backyard. It is absolutely huge considering it is in a residential neighborhood. Plus, it came with a spa. Ryan has major plans to renovate the landscaping and patio. But for now, these adirondack chairs I scored from World Market and Moroccan style rug I got on clearance last summer from Target give our patio comfort and style.

Bruce Lee obviously LOVES the backyard. He run's around in circles all day long. The kitty cats love it too. Check out the video below for some entertainment.

before: the office

The office essentially became a storage room during the move, and it has been driving me crazy. I'm determined to have it organized in the next couple of days. But first, here are some before shots. Please don't judge.

The ultimate plan is to have the office showcase my passions, as well as Ryan's. I want to display artifacts from our trips, pictures of our friends and family, and have an organized space for us to sort through all of the bills for our new home :)

master bedroom update

The master bedroom is slowly coming along. There is still a lot to do, but it is starting to feel more like a relaxing oasis, rather than a big, white box. 

The bed obviously needs a headboard. I'm thinking maybe a tufted headboard in a mustard yellow color. I love the grey and white theme right now, but some color will make the room pop!

Here are some progress pictures of the before, during and after.



we bought a house!

In case you haven't guessed, Ryan and I bought a house! We are so excited to begin this next chapter of our lives. Our new home closed in less than 30 days (on February 28!), and we moved in the day we got the keys.

One thing I learned is you never know how much stuff you have until you move. Holy moly, I have so much stuff! I was kind of embarrassed to have our family and friends help us move. They probably think I'm a hoarder.

I can't wait to share all of the before and after pictures. I'm giving myself six weeks to have everything unpacked and get somewhat organized.

Here are some pictures of our home :)



Melky wasn't too excited about the move



All of our wonderful movers

Can't wait to use our hot tub and have many summer parties. Cheers! 



big announcement!

We have a big announcement coming soon!

christmas happenings

Our Christmas tree is finally up! And we are taking our Christmas card picture tomorrow (wish us luck trying to get all of our children to sit still).

Is it just me or is December flying by? My 25th birthday is coming up next weekend! Eek! So much closer to 30. My family is throwing my twin brother and I a birthday party, complete with homemade carne asada.

And I've already started planning all of my outfits for various holiday parties we will be attending. Time to break out my leather pants and Miu Miu heels.

family pictures

Ryan and I still haven't taken our Christmas card picture yet! Eek. Hopefully we will get to it this weekend. On another note, we took family pictures on my parent's farm over Thanksgiving. Our family just keeps growing! Have you taken your Christmas card pictures yet?

PS - If anyone needs their family photos taken, I would love to help! I took the photos below with my DSLR and a tripod. Send me a message and we can set up a date :)

for all the men

I just had to share this picture from the Lululemon website. Ha. Just a hint that we'd rather get a new Lulu top than a vaccum. Come on now... 



christmas wish list - the "big" gifts

It may not seem like it, but Christmas is around the corner. Seriously. Only 48 days left to shop! Last year at this time I wasn't working and was able to go Christmas shopping whenever I pleased. This year is a different story. So I'm trying to get an early start so I won't feel rushed or overwhelmed every free moment I have this holiday season.

 

I'm also starting to put together my Christmas Wish List. Growing up, my brother and I got our choice of one "big" Christmas present. Or a couple of "small" Christmas presents. In the upcoming weeks, I'll post my favorite picks for both. As well as gift ideas for friends, family, and the hard-to-buy-for men in your life.

 

Here are a few of the "big" presents I'll be wishing for this holiday. Oh, and my 25th birthday is coming up on December 22. So maybe I'll be getting a few of my "big" wishes this year ;)

 

Just a side note -- I was really looking for the Lululemon puff vest in black, grey or hunter green, but it isn't online anymore. Hopefully they haven't sold out in the store. And I've seen that gold Michael Kors watch and stainless steel KitchenAid mixer at Costco for really good prices...cough cough.

 

The North Face north face
altrec.com

Pants
lululemon.com

Michael kor
$365 - vanmildert.com

KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer
williams-sonoma.com

Cuisinart Elite Food Processor, 11-Cup
williams-sonoma.com

Reebok CrossFit Nano 2.0 Women's X-Training Shoes
$155 - rebelsport.com.au

hurricane sandy - another way to help

Here is another way to help support Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. JHill Design is selling these limited edition prints and all of the net proceeds will be donated to the Red Cross. This would make a great Christmas gift, or buy one for yourself. You get a new piece of art to hang on your wall and help people at the same time. It's a win-win situation.

 Click here to buy the New York poster

Click here to buy the New Jersey poster



best supporting boyfriend award

Some of you may have noticed I've been a little m.i.a lately. I haven't been blogging as much, but with good reason. I'm in the final weeks of a 12-week fitness challenge. The goal is to have the biggest change in our before and after pictures. For me, that means putting on muscle. A big goal in such a short period of time. There have been lots of ups and downs through this challenge, and Ryan has always stood by me. Yesterday morning, I was surprised to see a box from Banana Republic sitting on my desk at work. Inside was an encouraging note from Ryan and a striped sweater dress, just in time for fall. He definitely earns the best supporting boyfriend award. Love you baby :)

hurricane sandy - how you can help

It's hard to comprehend the severity and damage of Hurricane Sandy since we live on the West Coast. But after a week of watching the news and seeing pictures of people helping people, it made me want to help too. It's so easy to donate money to the Red Cross (click here to donate directly to Hurricane Sandy relief efforts). $10 might not seem like a lot of money, but imagine if we all donated $10 to the Red Cross? Donating ten dollars might mean skipping your daily Starbucks coffee or not getting Chipotle for lunch, but the feeling I got when I donated can not be expressed in words. I encourage all of you to take the time and donate today.

halloween treats: "bloody band-aids"

Halloween is right around the corner! Do you have any favorite Halloween themed treats you plan on making? I thought I would make some “bloody” band-aids using a homemade strawberry glaze. These band-aid treats are great for kids and adults alike. Plus, they are super easy and fast to make. They are guaranteed to give everyone a fright!

What you will need:

Cinnamon graham crackers

White frosting

2 lbs of California Giant strawberries

½ cup of sugar

2/3 cup of water

1-tablespoon cornstarch

Red food coloring (to deepen color of the “blood”)

Prepare your band-aids by breaking graham crackers into band-aid shaped strips. Use a knife to spread white frosting in the shape of a square on graham cracker. 

Prepare the “blood” by combining strawberries (with stems removed), water and sugar in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low, and cook mixture for up to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the strawberries soften, use a wood spoon to break them into pieces in the saucepan. Remove from heat and use a strainer to separate the liquid from the solid strawberries, return liquid to low heat. 

Meanwhile, whisk cornstarch with 3 tablespoons or water in a bowl. Then pour into the simmering pan of strawberry juice. Increase heat to high and whisk mixture until it thickens into a glaze (3-5 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature before putting in refrigerator. 

Once chilled, add 20 drops of red food coloring to mixture. Then use a spoon to dab the blood on the band-aid. I had quite a bit of strawberry glaze leftover, so I poured it into skull vases as blood. Muah-ah-ah-ah (that was suppose to be a scary laugh).