Pin Up

Since our move, I've been trying to get and stay organized. Even though I think our place has a spectacular amount of storage, especially for being a city home, sometimes we need things to be organized in order to be functional.

This is an example on how said organization occasionally requires a little creativity. My hair pins and clips have been jumbled in a box for the last few years. I decided it was time for them to breathe a little. 

The inside of the cabinet in our bathroom vanity looked like this.

After a spending a couple dollars on magnetic strip tape at good ol'  Home Depot and about 45 seconds, the inside of that same cabinet door now looks like this. 

This little project was easy, simple, cheap, convenient, and even beautiful. Go me. 

Girls Night In

Moving 2,000 + miles away from the majority of my closets friends a few years ago was then, and continues to be difficult for me. Finding new friends the older you get is also more difficult than one would imagine. Especially, since H and I never seem to stay in one place. 
It's hard to hit a moving target!

I would say the most difficult part about being in a new place is the lack of a local support group. Sure, I am making friends here in Charm City like my BBFF, James. And I'm not sure I could have survived here on the east coast this long without the love from H's childhood friends (and their wives) and my family that is (kinda) nearby. Especially, my cousins B and C! Love you girls! 

But, it's hard to replace those friends who have known you since you were a wee lassie. 

So... last week when my friend from home, Megs, came up with the brilliant idea to stay connected by having a girls night in via Skype with a few of our bestest girls, I jumped on it! 

This foursome that once was all in one spot is now sprinkled all over the country and missing each other dearly.

I don't always love technology. (Sometimes I'd rather spend my days in a cabin in the mountains with nothing but a good book and some sweet company, maybe that's what retirement is for). But, for now, thank goodness for the internet and video chat!

That was the best 2.5 hours of laughter I've had in a while! Love you beautiful ladies!

Adirondack Love

As soon as I knew we were going to get our RTD I had been dreaming of a pair (or more) of pretty adirondack chairs to sit up there. Alas, most of the adirondack chairs that I've ever seen were in the $100-250 range, per chair. (Boo!)

Then the tides turned this spring while I was picking up some essentials in Home Depot. I found a pair unassembled and unfinished adirondack chairs on sale for $25 bucks! So, I grabbed two, paid, and ran like hell outa there thinking they had to be miss marked.

The chairs patiently waited in their boxes for some love until we moved. Once we cleared out our garage we finally had the space to tackle this project. I was hoping to paint THEN assemble but, H had another idea. He snuck into the garage claiming he was going to put them together on his own. I think he was just anxious to use his drill, boys and power tools. <insert eye roll here>

So, without protesting I just let him be. Pretty soon he emerged and claimed 'they were good to go'. Translation: 'You can do the rest.' 

After a little sanding and cleaning, the chairs were ready for some paint. Although they are kind of pretty in their au naturale state.

At first I had grand dreams of spray painting these suckers. The idea of spray paint just seems so lovely; quick and easy. But, after a few spray painting test runs I decided I loved these chairs too much to mess up with my amature technique so, I went back to the home improvement store and found a regular old can o paint. 

From day one I knew these babies had to be painted happiest color of them all, yellow! Plus I'm a Steelers girl living in Baltimore so, what else was I to do?!

This was a blessing because the Rust-oleum Sun Yellow if far superior to the other, at least in my opinion. Valspar products are great but, this particular yellow is the perfect bright and cheery color I was looking for.

Hand painting these chairs was also the way to go. Next time however, I will race H to the garage and paint them BEFORE assembly. It is just more efficient in the long run, getting into all of those nooks and crannies can be tough.

Here is the finished product.

 

These lovelies are now perched on the RTD and they make our little bit of outdoor space even better, especially with a warm cup of coffee or a frosty beverage.

731 Days

As of today H and I have spent the past:

2231 days together

731 days hitched

46 days in our first home

Happy anniversary H! Cheers to us and many more milestones to come.

Traveling Fools

We are very much enjoying our new home however, it hardly seems like we've been here at all! H and I have been traveling fools as of late (hence the hiatus in posts). 

First we went to Pittsburgh to meet this little angel. 

This is my cousin B's baby, you first heard about him here. It was heaven seeing Jack and my sweet family and some of our Pittsburgh friends. 

While we were there I got the call that my friend who was going to watch our little Maui-kinz the following weekend no longer could. So, my generous Aunt J suggested we just leave our pup with them for the next 10 days or so. "It will be like dog camp!"-she proclaimed. They have a dog and a granddog so there are lots of toys and tennis balls lying around, a huge back yard, and a pool. So, "Dog Camp" it was for Maui.

With heavy hearts (just mine really) we left Maui behind and headed back to Charm City for a short week of work. The next weekend we flew (rather miraculously-it's a long story which, I care not to re-live but, none the less, THANK YOU to H's parents and H's good friend Jud-man!) to Jackson Hole, WY, my home. 

Yes, it is still my home because 'home is where the heart is', and so much of my heart is still swallowed up by those big beautiful mountains.

This quick trip "home" was to watch one of my very best, most beautiful, and always inspiring friends get hitched! 

Here is a sweet moment during their ceremony in which each of their brothers sprinkled rose peddles on the opposite siblings head. It symbolized something very touching but, I was too busy sobbing to hear what exactly. Don't worry, they were tears of joy because my dear friend has met and married such a wonderful match. Plus, who doesn't like a man in uniform?

I loved how colorful...

...and personalized every last detail was.

After an all too brief trip in the Hole which, I didn't get to spend nearly enough time with my family nor get to see all of my friends, we headed back Maryland.

The following day, exhausted from an emotional weekend, traveling, 3 hours of sleep,  and about ten hours of work I made a trip to the other side of the state where my amazing Aunt J's sister lives and where I was going to pick up Miss Maui. Seriously, aren't these people amazing?! They hold an impromptu "Dog Camp" for us AND bring the dog to me! I'm still so stunned and so grateful to have family like I do! 

Just when you think they can't get any better, they do; my amazing Aunt J and Uncle B out did themselves and surprised me with my cousin B and baby Jack (and dinner)! Wahoo! 

So, I got a little more quality time with this guy.

After dragging Maui away from my family and their "Dog Camp" (seriously, she barely recognized or acknowledged me) we headed home to finish out another short week of work before we headed down to the other "-burg". 

H and I hadn't been to VA since June so, we thought it was about time we got our butts down there to see some friends and family.

Our friends hosted a great barbeque so the crew could get together, catch up, and meet a few new family members.

H has four couples he's been friends with since childhood who now have children of their own and all within the last year. These kidos are pretty successful baby makers because I haven't seen a group of better looking babies. I didn't get a group shot but, I imagine Chelsea over at A Page In Our Book will post one soon. I did manage to snap one of H and his BFF's babe, Grant.

These two even share the same birthday which, is so sweet of Matt and Chelsea to have planned that.

So, after another drive home and here we are, whew. Hoping to unpack again and stay that way... at least for a few more weeks.