Five on Friday - Mud to Dolls

Posting via my phone today so I don't have the Five on Friday button. 

One:

Been in Norfolk, VA this week playing in the mud. 

This is how I motivate the guys to work harder, longer and faster.  Works every time. 

Two:

One night Hilton.  One night home I grew up in.  Got to go to Rotary with my Dad and see lots of people.  

Three:

My home-home bed. Still how I grew up. Always the best sleep. 

Four:

All of my dolls still there. 

Including my dollhouse. 

Five:

Get to see my buddy later today. Kevin too ha!

Cheers, it's Friday!!!!

Floyd!

Let's kick it old school on this fine Thursday.

Way back when, in May 2009, Kevin and I had been friends for 1.5 years but we had just started dating a couples months prior.  He thought it'd be a great idea to take me to a place where an ex-girlfriend had taken him.  HA!  But in reality, it was the cutest thing ever.  

He told me we were leaving Charlotte one Friday afternoon at 1pm and we just got out of town.  I had no idea where we were going and Kevin just started driving up I-77.  It was lovely.

We ended up in Floyd, Virginia.  A very small town about 30 minutes off of I-77 and such a great place.  Here we are back in 2009.

We be-bopped at the Country Store which was the highlight of that Friday night for the entire town.

We stayed at this bed and breakfast.  This, my friends, was my first experience at a bed and breakfast.  Listen, I don't do sharing with other people and we had to share a bathroom...no bueno.  I think my B&B future was tainted by this trip.

The next day he planned for us to go to a winery - Chateau Morrisette.  What a fantastic day that was!  My first wine tasting ever.  I was so sheltered.

Okay back to 2014.  I got to drive through Floyd on Tuesday of this week and it was so fun to reminisce!  Let me share...THAT b&b.  Yikes!!!

The place we went to dinner while we were there in 2009. Oddfella's.  Yum!

Where everyone boogied on down.

Such a quaint lil town. 

I texted Kevin a couple pictures.  We chatted about how much fun that was and how we should do something like this again soon.  But not at this B&B of course.

I started my blog about 6 weeks after this trip in 2009 so I'm thankful to have relived this and I get to add it to my journal!

Letting It Go

I keep meaning to thank you all for your advice and comments on my headaches last week!  I'm working on making changes!  But thank you!!!

Today I'm working on my ongoing battle to learn how to delegate.  One of my work/client friends and I had lunch on Tuesday and we were talking about her upcoming move 1,600 miles away.  She and I are both similar in that we are control freaks!  We like to do things our way because we know they'll get done right.  Even in our marriages it's hard to let go.  When Kevin and I bought our home, we basically divided and conquered to get it done.  This was hard for me but I obviously trust Kevin and he is a lot smarter than me anyway!  He did all of the financing (big task in 2012 and even now!).  I did the utility set up, day of moving with the movers and delivery of appliances.  Kevin wasn't even there on moving day but I didn't need him to be.  He had done so much work up front with the loan and getting other stuff straight, that it was easier for me to just do it.  It was my duty ha!

So anyway we talked about that and then I spoke with my MOH on the way home from VA about letting go and you are only one person and at some point you have to just say I can't do it all.  Do any of you feel the same?  I'm talking about getting together with friends, meeting up with a new neighbor and spending time with your significant other...oh and maybe having time to exercise ha! 

How do you do it all?  I think we can all use some help on this topic!

Until we all figure it out....at least we can shop!  These were necessary.  I'm obsessed with my tan ones!

April's Baby Shower

I was so honored to be included for April's gorgeous baby shower!  She is the most radiant and happy Mama to be!  

April with her Mom and sister!

Some of the girls.  It was fun catching up with Kerry and Ashley (pink and teal).  I hadn't seen them in years.  Ashley is 37 weeks pregnant and Kerry is planning a wedding so lots of exciting events to chat about!

 Christina, Laura and I.  Christina is due within one day of April!

Bloggers!  Dee, Me, Christina, Laura and April.

April got so many adorable things.

April's Mom handmade this gorgeous dress.  It was so detailed and stunning.  A truly special piece and one that will be in their family forever.

Thank you to Dee for the pictures.  Dee also gave her this cute skirt as a nod to April's hubby!

 Three ladies expecting!

What a perfect shower it was celebrating such a special Mama!

Weekend - Brunch, Night Out and April's Baby Shower

This is basically what our weekend consisted of:

Mills' 18 month birthday on Saturday.  Look at those paws!

Courtney invited me to her birthday brunch.  I had a good time catching up with her and a couple other girls I knew.  And I got to meet a few new friends!

Playing in the yard.

Bill was in town from PA and we went to Bradshaws and a couple other places nearby.  We met a new friend named Freddy.  Nicest guy.

Millsy got a very necessary bath.

And April's baby shower which I'm excited to share with you all.  I have to wait on pictures from Dee's fancy camera though!  And truly, it does deserve it's own post! ;) 

Five on Friday - House Upgrade Style

I don't like to say that we are renovating our home but making upgrades is a better term for it.  Our house was the first one built in our neighborhood (in 1999) and the couple that built it is who sold it to us...we still have the original blueprints!  I've told you all about them but she was the nicest lady.  Her husband passed about 5 years ago but we had the joy of meeting Mrs. Smith.  What a gem she was!  Anyway, they were in their 90's and the house is now 15 years old...it needs some updating!

They didn't cut corners building this home.  They really spent time planning and figuring out the best layout and adding all of the extras.  Well, I guess the only thing they did cut corners on was that front door area (the vinyl).  Why they put vinyl on a custom home, I'm still not sure but I bet they had a good reason.  It will be history soon enough...project is on the list.  I know you all are sick of hearing about how I hate it.

But for now, we've decided to make some other priorities and it is exciting getting things done to our home!

ONE:

This light will be swapped out today!  We ordered it a couple of weeks ago and it'll match the other ones we got for both sides of our front door and lantern that hangs above the front door.  Lighting makes such a difference and this thing is old and faded!

TWO: 

We bought new knobs for Kevin's cabinets in our bathroom and also my set of cabinets in my getting ready area.  They always make a difference.  We've decided that when we redo our bathroom, we're going to save our cabinets and just get new countertops.  Custom cabinets are mucho mulah!

THREE:  

We FINALLLLLY got the trim (crown, baseboards and all doors) painted in our common areas - dining room, living room, den, kitchen, half bath, laundry and craft rooms.  I asked for this for my birthday in November, Christmas in December, I tried to think of a holiday in January and then for Valentine's Day in February.  Basically Kevin got sick of hearing about it and finally agreed.  

This double crown in the below picture is painted but the doors and trim around those aren't.  Isn't the change dramatic?  It's SW Creamy High Gloss.  SO pretty, if I do say so myself!  No more stark white!

And you can really see the difference in this picture too.  Look on the left side of the crown that he is painting.  See the difference halfway? 

FOUR:

We got a new microwave because our old one died (knew it was bound to happen any time).  Kevin ripped it out on Wednesday night but we have someone else installing the new one today, thankfully.  I never knew how reliant I was on a microwave until it snowed and we were inside for 3 days reheating soups.

FIVE:

New backsplash.  Oh the black tiles that you see above are not spaced evenly and some of the tiles are cracking and we're done with it!  Out with the old and in with subway tile.  This will be done by the middle of next week.

So between all of these projects, the new rug and desk, we are having fun getting things done!  I'll post before and after pictures of our projects once they're finished and our house is put back together!

Hope you all have a great weekend! 

Brain Dump

Just a random Thursday brain dump:

1.  The 70 degree weather in Charlotte was nice yesterday.  It's going to be a beautiful weekend in the 60's too.  I can get used to flip flops in February.

2.  Having our house in disarray this week and next is definitely interesting.  I'll be filling you all in on our projects tomorrow!  Poor Mills' condo had to be moved to our room so he didn't have to smell the paint fumes...yes this was a Kevin requirement.  It wasn't THAT bad.

3.  Mariel is who to ask if you ever need a restaurant recommendation.  Thankfully I got to try Orzo Kitchen this week in Charlottesville.  This Italian Mac & Cheese did not have any cream, cheese or calories in it.  SO good.

4.  I've been having terrible headaches lately (literally every weekday afternoon) and I'll spare you other details of my health but it hasn't been a fun couple of weeks.  Any solutions to terrible headaches other than drinking water and taking Advil?

5.  I need to find some clothes to go to China and Japan in!  You know how they do an event for us every night for 10 days.  And also most of the same people went to Paris and Monte Carlo last year.  So I need a few new dresses for the evening events.  I'm sure Kevin will be thrilled to hear this. 

6.  The difference in NARS blush and Clinique blush is unbelievable.  I never knew that blush should actually still be on at the end of the day.  Try NARS!

7.  Mills has been staying in our room and on our bed with us most nights.  He has started going in there and getting on our bed at 8pm to claim his area.  SRGR...spoiled rotten golden retriever!

8.  We are all wishing away winter but then we'll be wishing it was cooler when it's 90 degrees outside.  Don't we always want what we can't have?

9.  FaceTime - I love this invention.  Mills gets to see his grandparents almost every day or at least a few times a week.  Or maybe it's Mills' Mama that uses Mills as an excuse to see them.  Either way, it's wonderful.

10.  This time last year we were crazy doing lots of wedding activities.  That was such a favorite time of life and I cannot believe it's almost been a year.  

Bonobos Dress Shirts

Bonobos is launching their Spring/Summer 2014 dress shirt collection for guys today!  Kevin LOVES Bonobos pants...good quality and fit.  Bonobos wrote to me and asked if I'd be so kind to share about the launch.  And just because Kevin does like Bonobos, I decided to share.  Here are some pictures of the newly released shirts:

  

(not sure about this pink tie ha! but I do like the shirt a lot)

See a gazillion more of their shirts here!

Here is their guide to the fit:

When it comes to dress shirts, the most important element is fit.  Hands down.  And to get ours just right, we spent months fitting hundreds of shirts on dozens of guys to create the perfect set of options:  Standard, Slim and Tailored Slim.  If you're not sure which fit is best for you, here's a little cheat sheet to help you get started.

Standard Fit:  For guys of average build who like a shirt that's flattering, but not too snug.  It's a little trimmer than most off-the-rack shirts because we got rid of that unnecessary fabric around the middle.

Slim Fit:  For men with a more slender build, or who simply prefer a snugger fit.  The waist has a distinct taper, and the sleeves are a little narrower as well.

Tailored Slim:  The most form-fitting option we offer, this is as close to a custom tailored shirt as you can get.  The rear darts really bring in the sides for a crisp, definitive taper.

Fit may be the most crucial factor in finding the perfect dress shirt, but it's just one piece of your dress code.

Luke Bryan

On a whim Tara and I decided to get Luke Bryan tickets.  His show had been rescheduled due to the snow so there were actually tickets available for the Greensboro, NC show last night.  We decided we'd much rather see him in an arena than in an amphitheater because we could hear and see so much more.

And who am I to withold pictures of Luke Bryan.  Here are every single one.  OBSESSED.  The videos I have of him shaking is are out of this world.  I die.

Kelleigh Bannen opened.  Cole Swindell was supposed to be there but his album came out today.  Kelleigh was really good.

So was Lee Brice.  Homeboy likes to have a good time.

And the show began for Luke...aye aye ayeeeeeee!

The center stage opened and fire was all around it and up popped a big black truck and he was on top of it  singing That's My Kinda Night.

I was minorly freaking out.

HOT.

Possibly my best pic of the night haha...

He played piano for Do I.

 I knew I liked him...he drinks Miller Lite.

And brought a bunch in his Cabelas cooler to throw out in the crowd.  

Then he sat on the dock and sang Drink A Beer.

Outfit change for the encore.  Country Girl Shake It for Me and Kick It In the Sticks.

LIKE WHOA.

Got home at 1:15am.  Worth it for sure!