Audra's Ally

These days!

2014-09-25T11:44:00.002-04:00

Things are going great this month, busy, but very fun so far! Just a quick photo unload real quick like...

I hear you Angus & Edie, it's been a long week!

Tina coordinated my bachelorette party last weekend in CLT, and it was so much FUN!

Then we went shopping. :)

Dinner was amazing, Nan & Byron's.

My best friend got this hanger for me. It's feeling so real now! Come on wedding day!

The girls took us to a wine/painting place, so much fun to learn how to paint, as I have no artistic skill whatsoever.

Planning and attending celebrations for our upcoming marriage is just delightful. So much love swirling around us every day.

Ohhhh, it is FALL. I love this season, but boy would I love to put the brakes on winter coming soon behind.

Jeff and I picked up our marriage license, and it felt like the biggest relief to know that we are just counting down the days at this point. It's all been a dream!

This post was mostly for memory's sake, and for my loving fiance who's out of town working this week.

Have a great day!

Xoxo

An update.

2014-09-09T10:49:00.001-04:00

So, the last few months have been completely insane, and it's finally caught up to us - there are no extra minutes left. Not one. Let's go down the list.
1. Getting married.
2. He got a new job.
3. I got a new job.
--------------------------- We like to keep it interesting.

We're getting married. In 40 short days.

I can't wait for the day to arrive, and honestly, the only thing lingering over my head are things like: what jewelry am I going to wear? What shoes will he wear? The rest of the detail will fall into place, and just like Jeff assures me, we'll be married that night when we go to bed, and that's all that matters.

Last week we got to take a vacation - I went for five long days, but Jeff started his new job so he couldn't join me until the weekend came. It was so nice to unplug together, even if just for a few days. Even more excited about our upcoming honeymoon together.

Tina came over to help me work on our wedding invitations. Tina designed my invites, which I'll share after the event has come and gone. She's amazing - and so talented. If you need invites, holla!

We worked really hard to get Jeff moved out of his bachelor pad a few weekends ago. It felt great to finish that project, and get him living in one place finally. I know he feels better knowing that to do list is complete.

In between moving, I took a trip to Loft and got a few much needed items. Shrinking out of your clothes is awesome and awful at the same time. Nothing feels good! Happy to have better options now. And super excited to finally be a MEDIUM!

Sweater // Skirt

I'm still working hard to eat right/exercise, in between crazy spurts of our schedule. It's tough, but if you make time for it, it's always worth it!

Life has changed so much, and I am so so happy about what is happening. It looks like this blog will be the first thing to suffer. I promise to be back eventually, but you can always follow along on Instagram! audrasally

See you soon!

Xoxo

How I figured out what I wanted: Part II

2014-08-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

This is a continuation of Part I.

The next summer, (last summer) I was still going strong with my new plan. At this point it wasn't even an active plan, it had just become an integrated part of the way I live my life. Things were good. The dream of meeting someone was still very much on the forefront of my mind, but I knew that it wasn't in my hands. What a relief to come to terms with the idea that what is ahead of us is beyond our control.
When a friend called about a co-worker she wanted me to meet, I was unsure. I wasn't willing to risk losing the momentum I'd gained since November. She said she'd prayed about it for days before she came to me. When I agreed to meet him, I knew it would be different than any time before. I knew what I wanted in my life, and what kind of person it would require as a partner. That could quickly reveal if this would be a good fit for me. {Not in a way that would come off as rude, or unaccepting, but that we just weren't looking for the same things, or headed in the same direction.}
When I met Jeff, one of the first things I learned about him was that he attended church on his own. I can tell you all of the wonderful things that followed, but the important thing is that he was already the man that he was meant to be before I ever came into his life. He knew what he valued in his life and was all that much more appreciative that I also knew what I valued in mine. We were the people we wanted to be, which meant that neither of us were fighting with a feeling or desire to be someone else. With that out of the way, we were able to find out quickly if we were compatible, and easily navigate our feelings for each other.

With everything else pushed out of our focus, we were able to actually see each other.

We could see that we were physically attracted to each other, we could have the difficult, revealing conversations that allowed us to know each other better, and were able to move forward at a faster, but healthier pace than I'd ever experienced. It was rejuvenating. Like taking the biggest, deepest breath of my life. The ability to pinpoint my needs and wants in my life allowed me to see things clearly, without all of the fog from before.
Suddenly it felt so easy. Why was it always so hard? I wondered. How could I search for the thing I wanted without knowing what that thing actually meant to me?
I don't know how I could explain it any clearer. This isn't the catch-all method to snatch up the right guy. I don't know what that is. I just know, in my heart of hearts, that had I met Jeff in 2012, I would have blown it. I might have misread his best qualities, that I'm able to cherish now, as something I wasn't able to comprehend. I may have been unsure about getting so involved so quickly. I may have blown it. I may have missed out on him completely.
I can't put into words how great it feels to know that the woman I'm meant to be is in love with the man that he's meant to be.

Anybody remember this clip?

If you made it to the end of both those posts, buy yourself a vanilla cone. Thanks for reading.

Xoxo

How I figured out what I wanted.

2014-08-22T14:04:00.002-04:00

Since becoming an engaged couple, I've found myself reading every article that crosses my path about how to love him, how to be a good wife, what marriage is really like...

I don't know how to be a good wife yet, so I'll leave that to the pros. In my last few months as a single woman (not actually single, just not yet married) I still have a few things to offer the ladies out there every day, still in the fight. And trust me, I'll not soon forget out tough it is out there. Trying to find a mate has singlehandedly baffled me more than any other thing I've faced. Buying a house, navigating my way through bad jobs, finding my place in a career, two back surgeries, the hardest thing of them all was trying to find my place in a relationship that was, well, right.
Even after years of searching, giving thought to all kinds of possibilities, I thought I could nail down what it was that I wanted, but every time I came out on the other end of giving it a try, I couldn't. I didn't know what I wanted from this man that I was looking for, to fulfill me, or put up with me, or give me a family, or support my dreams; it was too much to work out in my head, and try to meet someone in the process. {We work really hard to make things extra difficult on ourselves.}
I wish I could've told myself to give it time, but it was impossible. I needed to meet someone now, someone I could begin building a life with. Talk about pressure on a first date. It was just so hard.
In November of 2012, I had a change of heart. It had been nagging at the back of my mind for several months, maybe years, but I couldn't ignore it anymore. Finally I realized that the only way to find the right man was to first be the woman that I was meant to be. I had always known that the woman I would be as an adult would be a version of my mother; her God-loving, strong-will, patience, and bursting at the seams with love and appreciation is where I was headed, but hadn't quite gotten there. I realized that until I became the woman that held those qualities, and a woman that is willing to prepare for the commitment and dedication that it would require, it wasn't going to happen.
I firmly believe that until you are the right woman, God will not send you the right man. Perhaps that's not the right idea for you, but it made total sense to me. Maybe it sounds crazy to say that the whole thing rides on that, but for me, it was.
So, I made a plan to begin attending church every Sunday. If I could be there to learn, and show patience and commitment to my new life, I knew that I couldn't go wrong. When I lost faith, I read this scripture over and over.

I told myself that I couldn't rush what was meant for me, and that every day I was learning and becoming the woman I wanted to be.
At what point do you decide that you're not just having fun, and get serious about what you want? Obviously there is still plenty of fun to be had, but I mean the real, bare-bones of who you are. It was time for me to figure out what I really valued, and what I really held important and true to my heart.
In those next months I was able to sort through my ideals; instead of random ideas and plans firing away in my brain, which never really got me anywhere. I found that my mind was so full of things, both insignificant and important, that I had never taken even a moment to delve into them and make a decision. I promised to dedicate as much time as it took to figure it out. After several months, I was able to pinpoint what I wanted out of life. At least at this point of my life. I enjoy taking care of my home, my family members, I thrive when I can live by a routine, getting exercise, my yoga class, taking time to make dinner each night, and keeping my body and mind healthy. I found that there were things that made me unhappy, even uneasy; drinking, and the guilty/worthless feeling that followed, things that stole my joy, or added unneccesary stress to my life, and procrastination. I began to phase out the bad and bring in more good. Through this process, I was able to start making each day work for me, days that included joy and a long awaited peaceful feeling at the end of them.

This post has become very long! So, come back Monday for Part II.

Have a great weekend.

Xoxo

Friday!

2014-08-15T14:52:00.001-04:00

The bathroom is closer to completion... But just needs a few more details finished! I love it!

The "engagement hallway". This is the paint job Jeff worked on the day we got engaged... Always reminds me of that day when I walk by. :)

One of my favorites from Imstagram this week.

And Edie and Angus' first day of school. Just kidding. They didn't go to school.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Xoxo

Transformation Tuesday.

2014-08-12T15:27:00.000-04:00

As I've mentioned before, part of the way to stay accountable is to constantly take a look at how far you've come. Last night as I washed dishes, I picked up a small glass that I always use for milk. :) I thought about how I always try to wash the milk out immediately, because if it sits too long, there will be a milk ring on the bottom, and it's nearly impossible to scrub out at the bottom of the glass. So, as I scrubbed, I pushed the sponge down into the glass, and just like that my entire hand slipped down inside the glass to reach the bottom. I panicked, and quickly pulled my hand out, hoping it wouldn't be stuck, but it wasn't. I've just lost weight in my hand. How does that happen? I'm not sure, I guess its something you don't consider, but it's real. And I've never been able to fit my hand down in those little glasses before. THOSE are the things they should tell you to be excited about. Little things that you happen to come across in a normal day. That was a nice feeling.

Keeping in that frame of mind, how about a few more things that I love to go back and look at: Before and After pictures.

Summer 2012 // Summer 2014

December 2013 // August 2014

March 2014 First week of WW // July 2014

July 2013 // July 2014

Do you take before/after shots? Go back and see how far you've come!

Xoxo

Friday.

2014-08-08T07:00:00.000-04:00

I've got big plans this weekend...

Sister Day! I am so excited.

Do you have big plans?

Also, these invitations were also designed by my very talented sister. You can check out her site on Etsy.

And a few things I liked this week:

Why you should be crazy thankful for your big sister.

Maskcara is one of my new favorite blogs. Especially Makeover Monday!

A newly engaged truth I've come to know.

Have a great weekend.

Xoxo

Ten ways Weight Watchers works for me.

2014-08-01T11:50:00.001-04:00

So, have I told you that I've been on Weight Watchers since March? I'm guessing I have. Anyway, I thought I'd do a little post on what helps make me stay successful. I don't have a collage of photos to track my progress thus far or anything today, so I'll leave you with this gem.

There is no SURPRISE! like your childhood ballet teacher tagging you on Facebook with a #tbt picture.

1. Track every bite, taste, and crumb: Every single thing that goes in your mouth should be tracked. Sometimes, all it takes is one bite of a cookie for me to feel satisfied, and I can throw the rest away. But, you've got to track that bite. If not, you'll find yourself eating more than you thought, therefore eating more points than you thought.

2. Plan ahead: I've said this before, but try (really try!) to pre-plan your meals for the week, or even for the day ahead. If I know that I have a banana and an apple in my lunchbox, I have the willpower I need to avoid any other snacks that I didn't plan for.

3. Pack your own dessert: At work, we like to celebrate. Oh, it's your birthday? Let's have cake! When I know these days are coming, I pack something for myself, to eat at the same time that they are having cake. Strawberries, Popped rice cakes, or anything that I can get excited about. It's easier to turn down peer pressure when you've got something already in your hand, ready to eat.

4. Weigh your food: Since we got engaged in June, I've been fighting with the scale, up one pound, down one pound, repeat. It's frustrating. So, I used the WW website to find ways that I may be "cheating" my own system, and get back to the basics of what works. Turns out, I can't actually eye-ball how much 4 ounces of chicken really is. When I started weighing it on my food scale, it turned out to be 5.5-6 ounces! That's a difference of two points. Imagine what else I may be underestimating? Also, keep a 1/2 cup and 1 cup measuring cup on hand. This is really helpful for pouring out cereal, or whatever I might be making. It's nice to actually see the measurements.

5. Scan the package whenever possible: If it's possible, scan the package of mashed potatoes you're making. It's easier to track the actual food, instead of just searching for mashed potatoes in the tracker.

6. Add vegetables and fruit to every meal: It seems elementary, but simply adding a vegetable and fruit to every meal means that I'm replacing something else in that meal with a smarter, healthier choice. When I'm snacking, I ask myself, "Am I hungry enough to eat an apple?" If I am, then I eat the apple. Usually that is enough to satisfy my craving, and I can make it until the next meal.

7. Stay hydrated: So often, we don't drink enough water. Drinking plenty of water, sometimes just two-three bottles a day at work is enough to help me feel more awake, digest my food properly, and stave off any rogue urges to snack. When I get home from work I make sure to keep a glass full of water to drink all evening.

8. I don't broadcast my plan, nor am I embarassed by it: Weight loss/gains are something that nearly everyone deals with in their lives. Every day I have some conversation with someone about weight loss, food choices, etc. Most of the time, I don't mention that I am using Weight Watchers, but if anyone asks what I'm doing, I am happy to explain what works for me. Some folks at work don't want to hear about what I'm doing, or acknowledgement that their food choices are different than mine at lunch. It's not my job to make anyone feel guilty about their own choices, but I also expect them not to make me feel guilty about mine. I like a "live and let live" approach. :)

9. Travel your own path, not someone elses: As of today, I am 22.8 lbs down since March. It is a lifelong journey, and I know that. I am excited when there is as little as .5 lbs lost on my Friday morning weigh-in. Sometimes even staying where I am is a win in my book, if it's been an extra difficult week. I lose weight at a different rate than anyone else, and this body isn't like anyone else's - it's unique! Shouldn't my journey be unique as well?

10. Take note of NSVs: Those are non-scale victories. Things I've noticed:
I'm finally comfortable in jeans!
My engagement ring is too big!
I can run up the stairs! Fast!
I can wear my sister's shorts!
Sometimes realizing these things are bigger than seeing weight loss on the scale. These are real life wins!

I hope these were helpful - let me know if you have questions!

Have a great weekend.

Xoxo

Bathroom subway tile - done!

2014-07-29T16:43:00.000-04:00

You remember the before... this is the totally ripped out bathtub spot. Oh lord, that wallpaper. A welcome sight for me though, to see a totally dry wall and no water damage in sight. (We've had roof/leaking issues.)

And just for memory's sake, the "vanity hole". It'll be more beautiful soon!

Making progress, looking good so far, and a shiny new tub!!!

Jeff graciously snapped a picture of me laying tile! Around this time I asked if we should put something in our vows along the lines of "I promise to only lay tile with you, til death do us part."

Oh he's just my favorite DIYer/project partner.

We grouted with pearl gray, and it was quite different than using white. Much more labor intensive, since white generally doesn't show as many imperfections (or glue spots!) but we think it was well worth the extra work. This to me, is what subway tile should look like.

And here's the hot mess that we're still working with, until we can get the rest completed this week.

Baby steps for sure, but it feels so good to know it's being done right. One thing I can say about this man of mine, he is adamant that every step is taken to ensure quality work. Peace of mind is everything!

More updates to follow...

Xoxo

How I learned to wash my hair 1-2 times a week.

2014-07-28T07:00:00.000-04:00

If there is one single thing that I would take with me to a deserted island, it is dry shampoo. I have always had naturally oily hair, and washed my hair daily in high school. My oily hair (and face) contributed to acne, and once, when I got bangs, I ended up looking really greasy in bangs by lunchtime. Thankfully, my mom graced me with her tried and true tip from her high school days: baby powder. To this day, I don't think that any other dry shampoo will ever live up to baby powder. But, I have found better, more efficient ways to use it. When I moved to Seattle after college, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when I realized that the west coast had a thing called dry shampoo. I wondered, "where have you been all my life?" and quickly grabbed a bottle. Even when I moved back to the east coast, I ordered dry shampoo online, because no one around had ever heard of it. Thankfully, a few years later it hit the market here.

These are the dry shampoo options that I have tried. I don't like to spend a lot of money on it, (although I have) because to me, the less expensive ones seem to work as well as the pricier ones.

1. Dove Dry Shampoo - I was recently given the Dove dry shampoo by a friend who now had brown hair, and couldn't use it anymore. One thing that is common among dry shampoo products is the white/gray tint that is left behind. If your hair is blonde, just rub it in, but darker haired girls need to get a tinted version. I loved this one. It smells great, and feels like a quality product.

2. Suave Dry Shampoo - Suave has always been my go to dry shampoo. I like the smell, and it does a great job of soaking up the oil. One thing that I notice is that it can become so drying to my scalp that I can only stand to use it for 2-3 days before I just want to wash my hair and start the process again.

3. Baby Powder - As I said before, baby powder is #1 in my book, and the price is right. A tip: put baby powder on your roots and work through your hair at night before bed. When you wake up, the powder has already worked all night to soak up any oil, and leaves your hair feeling clean and full of volume. Also, this keeps your hair from smelling like baby powder, and you won't have a white tint left behind.

4. TreSemme Fresh Start - TreSemme was the first one I noticed in stores when it finally popped up. It wasn't a bad product, but it kept me wishing for more, and eventually I made the switch to Suave.

5. Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo - A few months ago, I read about the Not Your Mother's Volumizing Hair Powder , (and yea, it gives you lots of volume! PS - Mom, this is what I told you about.) So, I tried the dry shampoo hoping for the same exciting results. I came away unimpressed. The smell is very... I'm not sure how to describe - chemical/industrial smell? I hold my breath when I spray it. Also, not that this has any bearing on how it works, but I find that dry shampoo that dries into the white/gray color actually does a better job. One plus, then I guess, if you don't want that, this dry shampoo dried clear.

So, if you couldn't tell, I rated these best (1) to worst (5). I think I'll always use a combination of these, but if I had to pick in order, this is it. For instance, this is my regimen:
1st day: wash hair at night
2nd day: spray a little dry shampoo in the morning for volume
3rd day morning: dry shampoo
3rd day at night: baby powder
4th day morning: run fingers through, and work it through my hair
4th day night/5th day morning: wash hair

It seems like a lot, but it works for me!

Do you have a brand that you love? Let me know!

Xoxo

Bathroom: Before

2014-07-26T07:00:00.000-04:00

Most likely we are knee deep in renovating by this morning, but I wanted to throw some before photos of the bathroom up on the blog, for memory's sake. I always love to go back and look at what it looked like before the transformation. That's the only way to remember how far it's really come!

I'll miss you, seashell-gold swirly sink and vanity. We had good times together. Sometimes, I forgot you were oddly shaped and clogged weekly, and just enjoyed having you... sometimes. AU REVOIR!

These green faux tile walls were here when I moved in, so I worked with it as much as I could, adding green rugs, decor and shower curtain. I actually never imagined I'd be completely changing it, because all I could ever do myself was paint and update. I don't like rugs in front of toilets, but there's this weird little square of mismatching floor around the base of the toilet, and I wanted to camouflage it as much as I could. It's always been a huge eye sore, and I'll be especially thrilled when that's gone. Also, the wall between that space and the shower curtain, that skinny wall, is barely holding itself together. I'll be glad when that's stronger!

These windows actually have pretty great architecture behind those curtains. It'll be beautiful when we can show those off.

The shower wasn't so bad with the curtain closed, although the curtain rod has seen better days. We'll be replacing that too.

Man, that tub is old as the hills.

When I moved in, there was no place to store towels, so I threw these shelves up on the wall as a temporary solution, and they've been there for 2 years. I'd loooooove to have a built in shelf with cabinets where I could hide those things. Of course, I could always keep one or two towels on hand... throw them in a basket. I guess having 10 towels stacked up there isn't necessary. That random table looks really bad. In the last few weeks though, we've just worked with the bare essentials...

I love these polka dot towels from West Elm, these hand towels, and this anchor bath mat.

Let's be honest, I can't wait to decorate. Updates coming soon!

Xoxo

Friday!

2014-07-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

Just for Tina: Living in a tiny apartment.

I think it's high time for a roundup. I won't have updates on the bathroom until next week (fingers crossed for smooth reno) so let's take stock of what's happening around here.

Making: lots of plans. Wedding, reno, our future, it's all so exciting!

Cooking: lots of vegetables. I love summer!

Drinking: water with lemon at home.

Reading: just finished a book called A Secret Kept.

Wanting: to see what's in store for us in the next year. I'm working on being patient and enjoying each step.

Looking: at our wedding guest list.

Playing: Kem Radio on Pandora.

Wasting: time, most likely, waiting for 5:00.

Sewing: nothing. Wishing I could hem all of my too big clothes.

Wishing: lots of luck to us renovating my bathroom with patience and strength.

Enjoying: every. single. thing. Life is so good.

Waiting: for a day of relaxation on the calendar.

Liking: all of the sunshine we've had with a touch of chill.

Wondering: if Tina will come visit this weekend.

Loving: my new laundry room floor.

Hoping: for rain today on my plants and garden.

Feeling: Hungry. When's lunch?

Hope you have a great weekend!

Xoxo

Bathroom Reno - just beginning.

2014-07-24T11:13:00.001-04:00

Prepare yourself for the terrifying photos ahead of you in this post. This weekend we began ripping out the bathroom, (Jeff) and this coming weekend, we (Jeff) will begin the overhaul and renovation of the (I'm finding out quickly) most important room in the house.

This is what it looked like the day I moved in. Yuck.

And since we've started ripping it out!

You probably can't tell from this angle, but that sink is the shape of a seashell. The entire vanity will be replaced in this project. Thank heavens. All I'd really done up to this point was paint the vanity white, and change out the sconces.

The border has many layers, and it's been interesting to see what was covered up over the years. Some have been on so long that they're actually back in style. Alas, they're still going.

Since this post is full of pretty awful photos, here's an inspiration shot to make me feel a little better about what is possible. Wish us luck.

Thankfully, after this weekend, we can show some improvement.

Stay tuned!

Xoxo

Taping off stripe lines.

2014-07-23T14:30:00.001-04:00

So, I wrote this entire post, and then it was mysteriously deleted. Fun times.

Letttttt's start at the beginnning. I wrote this post to begin the process of painting the floor in the laundry room. Since then, it's been primed, painted, and taped off for the blue stripes coming its way. (I followed this tutorial, so go there for step-by-step directions, she's great!)

I taped off lines using the natural faint stripe of the blocks in the vinyl floor. I eye-balled it, at best, but made sure the stripes were as straight as possible, and relatively the same size.

In an effort to avoid painting the wrong stripe, or stepping in the wrong place, I added blue painter's tape dots inside the stripes that should be left white.

I used porch and floor paint, which seems to hold up really well, and I only need a quart, (even though I bought a gallon of white) so I'll use what's left when I paint the kitchen. We'll save that for a later project.

So, after the blue stripes were down, (I trimmed after this photo was taken) I shut the door on this space and waited all night for it to dry. I was able to paint another coat about 4 hours later. The painters tape pulled right up, with a straight line, and only pulled a piece of white paint up in one spot. I easily corrected that and painted it again.

I'm worried about the durability of this floor only because it is a main door that we use to enter the house. I bought polycrylic to coat the floor with a final, glossy finish. I almost did it last night, but gave it another few days to cure, and I'll do it later. REMIND ME TO DO THAT. haha Those kinds of things seem to get put on the backburner. Anywayyyyyy, the stripes are beautiful, and I'm really happy with the result.

Three tips for doing this project:

1. While it's really fun to pour the paint directly on the floor, it is possible to pour too much. When I poured the blue paint inside the stripes, there was no place for the extra paint to go, unless you carefully transfer it to another stripe. I recommend using an even, thin layer of paint, then doing a second coat when it's ready.

2. Only buy quart size. The floor may look like a lot of space, but it's only one floor... usually when we're painting a room, we've got 4 walls. Just a little paint went a long way for this project. I'd read that others couldn't find the floor and porch paint in a quart size, and my Lowe's didn't have them displayed, but did keep that size behind the desk. Never hurts to ask!

3. Keep something in your path before you get to the floor. It's easy to forget at 3 a.m. that you've painted the floor that is directly in the path to the bathroom. I kept the door to the laundry room closed so that it could dry without animal footprints, but also to keep myself aware that the floors are wet.

Overall, this is a fun project, and the results are so exciting to see!

Next up: bathroom renovation!

Xoxo

Painting a vinyl floor.

2014-07-18T13:55:00.001-04:00

There are few things more interesting to me than a 9:00 p.m. DIY project I just discovered the same day at 3:00 p.m. I have the most disgusting laundry room floor.

I mean, it's embarrassing. I painted this room as soon as I moved in, and since then, the floors have just dragged down the whole room. No matter what I throw in there.

This room is the first room anyone sees when they enter my home. Up close, it's scary, scratched, yellowed, and no amount of cleaning makes it look clean. Frustration mounts.

So, I'd found tutorials before on how to paint vinyl, but I just never quite got on board, because, well, I don't know that much about floors. My fiance, on the other hand, owned his own flooring store for many years. I was nervous to ask him if he thought painting it was a good-ish idea to paint it with floor paint, and he was supportive enough of the idea for me to run with it. Of course, this floor will be replaced in the future, at some point, so if it went horribly wrong, we could always re-paint, put on a protective coat of something, or replace it altogether. I'm sure that his support had something to do with the fact that we could rectify the mistake. Oh, and his last text read, "PLEASE don't move any appliances by yourself." And with that, I had an excuse to paint around the washer and dryer, not under it. ;)

So, I cleaned it thoroughly, then I primed the floor, first trimming around the wall, doors and washer/dryer. That process took about 5 minutes. Priming the rest of the floor was SO FUN. Painting a floor is so much better than painting a wall. You just pour the paint on the floor, and then roll it around. I used a paint roller with the extension pole so I could stand up and roll.

I can't tell you the happiness I felt when I covered up the first terrible spot on that floor. Installing a brand new floor must feel something like this. I've never been able to update a floor, usually only walls, things up high - never something we walk on. Encouragement mounts.

The primer promised to be dry in 60 minutes, but it ended up taking over two hours. I think that I noticed the long time difference because walls aren't a huge deal to leave wet, but the floor, especially the one that leads to the only entrance of the bathroom, is sort of an attention getter. {Found that out the hard way.}

So, this morning, I had a perfectly dry, white laundry room floor. I can tell that the primer will collect all of the dust/footprints/anything that comes across it, because that's what primer does. It holds onto the paint when you put it down, so I'll need to be hasty about adding the floor paint. Soon.

Note: you can tell that I moved the washer and dryer over to paint just to the right of where they sit. I will be moving them back over to line up under the cabinet when it's all said and done. No, I did not paint the wall behind the units either. ;)

So, here's a little before/after shot.

Even with a sub-par iPhone camera, there's no denying the difference this paint has already made.

Oh, and this is what the laundry room looked like two years ago:

See that post here: Before & After painting the walls.

Now, it's time to decide what design to do. This is the tutorial that finally helped me make the decision to paint the vinyl. I think I'd like to do a striped design similar to the one they did:

Also, I like the stencil prints that I've seen, but I don't want to spend hours on a project that will eventually be replaced. So, I think it'll be horizontal stripes. Don't you think the stencils are beautiful?

Image: Apartment Therapy

Have a great weekend!

Xoxo

Coldwater surprise & acupressure.

2014-07-16T16:29:00.001-04:00

I've had a stiff neck since July 2nd. That's 14 days, for those of you counting. When I couldn't take anymore, I looked up ways to heal a stiff neck. I found an acupressure technique, and it worked within minutes. I almost can't believe it myself.

It's been a busy day so far, I hope that means Friday is on its way quickly!

Friday: striped Loft top // Old Navy Sweetheart Jeans

Most of the clothes I wear were not purchased recently. Unlike most bloggers, I keep a lot of clothes, and wear them (!!) for a long time. So, although some things may not have direct links (see striped top above), I'll still link as close as I can to where it came from. Just keeping it real. Also - that's an Eddie Bauer cardigan, and it is the BEST cardigan I own. Check them out.

Target sandals // Gloria Vanderbilt jeans // Coldwater Creek Bracelet

Do you shop at Coldwater Creek? I didn't - until I saw an 80% sign outside the window, and stepped in to find out that they have been bought out by a New York firm, following its bankruptcy. I can recommend that you should check it out if you haven't, they're even selling the furnishings, and they are really neat! I hate that I'm late to the game on this store, but enjoy while it lasts.

Have a great day!

Xoxo

Black & White and Red all over.

2014-07-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

Black/White top (old, Lane Bryant) // Black pants (Loft)

This outfit incorporates new pants I picked up at Loft this weekend, and an old favorite from Lane Bryant a million years ago. Pretty simple, but still polished.

Xoxo

One year together.

2014-07-14T11:23:00.000-04:00

One year ago today, I was lucky enough to be asked to meet this man on a blind date. We met at a baseball game on a Sunday evening, and I remember his smile, and the way he hugged me like we'd known each other already.

It has been a surreal year, filled with so much love, excitement, and realization of what truly is important, and available in a life, if you allow it to be, and have the patience to wait for it.

Racerback Chiffon Maxi Dress

We had a quiet, private room to ourselves in a small restaurant, with the most amazing food. We went over our first date again over conversation, and remembered the small details that we loved hearing about all over again.

My salad, locally grown, including homemade cornbread. yum. :)

Jeff's salad, with candied nuts, grilled pears and so delicious. (He always shares.)

The most delicious smoked bleu cheese pork loin - with sweet greens and potato hash.

Jeff had a braised wild boar shank, with spaetzle, carrots and asparagus.

What an amazing weekend. AND! The floors have been ordered to begin the bathroom renovation! Stay tuned!

Xoxo

Friday!

2014-07-11T15:18:00.001-04:00

It's FRIDAY!!! My first favorite day of the week, knowing that Jeff is coming to town for the weekend, and adventures will abound. Everything we do is fun. All of it. Tonight we're planning to run out of town to a drive-in movie. We'll snag some burgers, then have ice cream and wait for the movie to begin. Then tomorrow: shopping for his wedding suit. I get so excited just typing that out.

Not much else to report here, just a few things!

Life hack #1: Traveling (Actually helpful tidbits)

This eyebrow tutorial from Merrick. I'm not lying when I say that I have been waiting for a tutorial on her eyebrows for years. Those are envy-worthy brows. Can you spot mine below? See, it's a struggle.

Oh, and one other thing I found out today....

The wedding is officially 100 days away. BRING IT ON.

After my Progress post this week, my motivation returned. I knocked off one more pound that I'd been fighting for a month. {Did you know there's a lot of food/celebrating when you get engaged?!}

So, hope you all enjoy the weekend, and have something fun planned.

Xoxo

Progress: 2014 summer update

2014-07-08T16:32:00.001-04:00

Sometimes a little perspective is all you need.

With the wedding coming up in just a few months, I am feeling the pinch on continuing the journey to eat right, exercise, and lose the last bit of what has been my goal. The photo on the left was taken November 2013, and the right photo was the end of June 2014.
Of course the journey will continue, long after the weight is lost, but some days progress feels extra slow. Those are the days that you drag out an old photo, and remember how far you've come.

Remember this post?

Do you have a before and after photo? Let me see! I'd love to use your success as motivation on this slow day.

Xoxo

He picked it.

2014-07-07T12:49:00.000-04:00

Blue Linen-Blend Shirt (Similar) // White shorts // Flip Flops

Maybe one of my favorite things is looking for a perfect July 4th outfit, to find out that your fiance has ironed your shorts and top, coincidentally putting together the sweetest, most comfortable outfit for a summer holiday. Looking quite red, white and blue for the occasion on the corner of the porch.

Hope you had a wonderful holiday too.

Xoxo

Plaid and blue.

2014-07-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

Plaid shirt // blue pencil skirt // flip flops

And just like that, it's back to the hallway iPhone photos. This has become one of my favorites for summer work attire.

Xoxo

Sunshine & white pants.

2014-07-02T07:00:00.000-04:00

Crepe Blouse // White pants // Flip Flops

Such a fun trip with the girls. I wish we could do it every month.

Xoxo

Cupcakes for breakfast.

2014-07-01T11:25:00.000-04:00

Tank Top // Shorts (Similar) // Flip Flops

While in HHI, we had a cupcake tasting for the wedding, and chose the most delicious ones: white chocolate raspberry and red velvet. I brought two home to my groom, and he approved. :)

This is one of my favorite outfits; one that my Mom and sister bought for me. The best ones are bought for you, right?

Xoxo

Tropical sisters.

2014-06-30T14:34:00.002-04:00

This weekend my sister, Mom and I traveled to Hilton Head Island, SC to scope out houses/caterers, etc. for the October wedding. As a plus, they took photos of all of my outfits. How kind!

We had a wonderful time. I'm so lucky to have them both. Details about my outfits, and my sister's are below.

Audra: Tank top // Floral Skirt (Similar) // Bag (Similar) // Necklace (Similar) // Strappy heel sandals // Tina: Dress // Shoes

We also really love this cinch tankdress.

Hope you had a great weekend as well!

Xoxo