garden graveyard

I miss spring.

And summer.

Yesterday we got a February teaser: sixty-five degrees and sunshine.

It made me want to unearth my flower beds, getting rid of the dead, to make room for beautiful new buds!

However, since I know March is sure to bring more snow...

I will enjoy my "garden graveyard" for a another long month...

{you'll be a knockout someday, honey}

 {a future hot pink cluster on my crepe myrtle}

{sweet, sweet jane magnolia bud}

{a bed of dead, wet, beautiful leaves to keep the garden warm}

{hang on droopy, droopy hang on}

{fuzzy bud, you make me feel all fuzzy inside}

{i see you, my lovely pup}

Clearly I was bored today. 

 But it was a really good kind of bored.
The day started with: with fresh-baked donuts, coffee, {yes, I can have one cup a day -- "my vagina gets a vote!" for all you Grey's fans out there -- loved that episode for obvious reasons!} and lounging on the couch with Hubby watching White Men Can't Jump.

Now time to get to work painting the currently being re-vamped master bath...

more on that to come!

Anything pretty happening in your garden graveyard?

G

laundry room redo!

I have shared our dining room transformation,
 and our kitchen renovation.

So I thought I might also give you a glimpse at the scary whitewashed mess that was...

the laundry room:

When we first looked at our house, I was actually delighted by this idea of this room -- a whole separate area that housed the things you generally want hidden:  the laundry, the dog, and the basement door.  Fantastic! But I still wanted it to be pretty.

It came complete with: a really old washer and dryer and white, white, white paint everywhere.  

If nothing else I knew it needed warming up...so that I didn't dread doing the laundry. Well, any more than usual.  So I went to my favorite go-to cozy color: chocolatey brown.  Since there are several different surfaces in the room {brick wall, drywall, cement, pipes, I chose 3 different shades of brown to add dimension to the room.


Besides three different yummy shades of chocolate, I added:

• a {very durable} bamboo area rug
• a bamboo shade 
• new, more modern looking bronze wall sconce
• white cabinet {bargain scratch-n-dent from Crate & Barrel}
• dark wicker baskets to hold {read: hide!} doggie, laundry, and garden supplies
• art!  Life is Beautiful canvas from Pier1, flowered canvas I had already

And here are the results...

BEFORE: Not sure why the washer hookup was under the window, catty-corner from the dryer.  Awkward! 

AFTER: Updated lighting, bamboo shade, and pops of orange warm the room up:

BEFORE: AH!  Beware the cellar door!  Plus that gray utility rug makes me shiver.

AFTER: What laundry room doesn't need art?  And a wreath?  And you almost didn't notice the scary hatch.  LURVE!

BEFORE: The dog looks like he would rather live anywhere else but in the disorganized, whitewashed mess that was his room.

 AFTER: Cozy, chocolatey, laundry-licious.  {Yep. I went there.}

And there you have it.  A warmer, comfier laundry room.  Even the dog looks much happier. :)  Mission accomplished!

Hope everyone is having a beautiful, warm, sunny Saturday {at least, for February.}

G


Linking this post up to these fun link parties...click on the buttons below to get inspired!

{valentines loves: a lil late}

Yeah, yeah, I know.  

Valentines Day was two whole days ago.  

But being preggo has me running a little late, lately.

I did, however, celebrate, on time, with my loves.

And though this year we took a break from 

roses...

{our bridesmaid's bouquets}

we did delight in strawberries...

...drizzled with white chocolate, nestled on a fudge brownie...

and I got a romantic dinner out with this guy...

{cruise 2007}

....and got to feel this Little Bean flip-flopping inside of me!

Hope your Valentine's Day was filled with those people and things that you

L.O.V.E.


G

{the inspired nursery}

Soon {as in 2 weeks} 

we find out what kind of Baby Ford is blooming inside me!

I have been dreaming a lot 

about nursery design and what kind of 

lovely space to create for

Baby...

Each of the pictures below has something in it I am going to incorporate in our nursery 

{aka place I imagine I will be spending oodles of time!}

So I want it to be cute.

And girlie...

or, um, boy-ie.

Can you guess what design elements I might be using as my design {inspirations}?

This nursery is simple yet super fun!  Love the pops of yellow on the valences and lamp.  I feel this shows you can use fun, rainbow colors, yet tie it all together. Also, the pale gray walls add a little neutrality to it.  

{source}

 Okay, if I have a girl, there will be pink.  Lots and lots of pale, girlie pink:

{source}

 Love, love, super love this nursery.  I would like to transport it to my house.   Simple and elegant:

{source}

 This nursery is a little too ornate for my particular taste; however, that chaise lounge is calling my name, and the brilliant turquoise poms are dreamy like clouds.  I want to nap in this nursery:

{source}

I love that this room is fun, simple, and modern.  It has plenty of color, but is not too overwhelming:

{source}

I love the different shades of blue in this little baby boy's room.  Plus, doesn't that tiny onesie hanging on that itsy-bitsy hanger just get you all teary-eyed and make you want to have lots of little babies???  {Okay, maybe that's just me and my hormones...}

{source}

I love the contrast between the white sleigh crib and the vintage gray walls.  And while the butterflies would be a little much in our small space, I adore the oversized piece of art as the focal point behind the crib:

{source}

Well, if nothing else, surely you can guess what color Baby's gorgeous crib is!

G

{chicken with tomatoes and goat cheese}

Some of the best recipes I find  Hubby finds in men's magazines.  They tend to be really easy, and relatively healthy.

Think: "Me man. Me need protein. Me no cook."  You get it.

This is one of our favorite Men's Fitness finds...
(don't ask me what issue - I have had the recipe awhile. Circa 2009?)


Chicken with Tomatoes and Goat Cheese (no fancy names here, Rachel Ray!)


Ingredients:


4 chicken breasts, trimmed
1 can diced tomatoes (for an extra kick use the garlic-roasted flavor)
crumbled goat cheese
basil (dried is fine...fresh is divine)
salt + pepper

First, preheat an oven-safe pan on medium heat, spray lightly with cooking spray, and sear the chicken breasts (seasoned with the salt and pepper) about 2 minutes on each side:

Remove the pan from the heat, then spoon heaping spoonfuls of the tomatoes onto each one.  Top with a LOT of goat cheese crumbles.  Oh. So. Good.  Plus, surprisingly low cal, all you cheese lovers out there!  Finish by sprinkling with the basil.

Move the pan to your oven, which has been preheated to 350 degrees.  Finish cooking the chicken all the way through, about 25-30 minutes.

Serve!  So easy!  

Only hard part is not eating all the goat cheese crumbles during prep time...


G

Linking this post up to the sistas at Between 3 Sisters...they are hosting their weekly Midweek Motivation Party!  Click here for more recipes and fun ideas:

{tears and flutters and onesies} oh my!

So we still have no idea if we are having a boy or a girlie...

but Baby got a sweet gift on Sunday...

his/her very first onesie!

{Hubby went to the University of Kentucky and is a passionate Wildcats fan.  I am too, um, sort of.  I get into it on occasion!}

Dear Nana and Papa, 

Thank you for this very cute onesie!

Love, Baby

Speaking of, did I tell you the other day I got teary-eyed while looking at onesies?

{source}

Or while I was watching the movie Juno?  Okay, I was literally sobbing at one part, teary-eyed at five other parts.  Moral: Do not watch the movie Juno while pregnant.


Or do.  If you like sobbing.


The part I was sobbing at was when Juno goes into labor and the whole family is rushing to the car, and her stepmom nearly forgets Liberty Bell, who is still in her cute little ballet uniform.  No freaking clue why that in particular made me start sobbing uncontrollably.

{source}

Hormones, people.  Lots of them.


{ps Not naming my baby Juno.  Or Liberty Bell.}


Other fun pregnancy news:  I think I felt my first "flutters!"  I have felt this several times over the past week.  Either that, or it was just gas bubbles.  Again.


But this felt different...like fun, sweet, fluttery gas bubbles!


I'm not crazy.


Just pregnant.


Which is different.  Sort of.  :)

Happy Monday!


G

10 things to love about pregnancy {plus 1 bonus!}

{source}

1. No more weekend mornings spent hungover. Nauseous 24-7 maybe...but hangovers are worse, right? Riiiiight?!?!

2. When you do something stupid at work, you can always blame "placenta brain!"

3. You have an excuse to buy new clothes. So what if they're maternity? They could also double as next Thanksgiving's post-feast garb.  Plus, at least now you don't need feel awkward browsing around the maternity section of Target, muttering things like "Hmmm these maternity jeans are ca-ute!"

4. When you and your husband are starting to have a fight, all you have to do is look at him with tears welling up, rub your tummy, and sniffle, "Upsetting me will only upset the baby." He will hug you and forget whatever the dumb argument he was about to make was.

5. Baby names become an interesting date conversation. Hint: Let him think he has some control over this decision. Try not to dry heave when he suggests weird names that will get your kid beat up, like "Sly" or "Soothe." 

6. Whenever you hear someone's kids screaming in Target, you can smile, rub your tummy and think, "My kid will never be like that..." as you delusionally browse for cute high heels you'll probably never wear again.

7. People like to feed you. For the first time you do not (and should not!) feel guilty accepting food from anyone. It is for the baby, after all.

8. Whipping out a package of Saltines and hurriedly eating 4 in quick succession mid-conversation with someone is suddenly not rude. Or maybe it is, but you don't really care.

9. You save money on belts.  They have become an irrelevant accessory, as your waist is now a nonexistent body part.

10. Speaking of...now it is considered kosher to spend all day with your pants undone. Sure, this fact is disguised cleverly by the genius invention called a "belly band," but...you know.  Pants.  Undone.  Yep.

11. Suddenly someone kicking you sharply in the uterus is a beautiful moment.  

:o)

G