Robbing Banks

These days I can be found in my painting attire: old pants with streaks of paint, some obnoxious neon Nike sneaks, and the jail bird black & white rugby shirt from my days of sailing on Spartan. You combine that with a dust mask, sunglasses and noise canceling protective gear and I might as well be robbing banks. It's a good look.

Instead of robbing banks, we are finishing up the front of our house. And my department is the paint department. And man is that a satisfying job. The progress is evident. The process is soothing. And my house is coming back to life one stroke at a time. It is rewarding and zen like all at the same time. It's funny too because I wrote about the paint department 2 years ago about this time - just goes to show some things never change!

We have 10 days to finish this project AND the bathroom - that is our self-induced timeline. That means long days and longer nights of painting, tweaking, and finishing it up. I for one cannot wait until the 10 days are up! And I know Andrew will be releived as he has been pouring his heart and soul into these projects for the past few months. Our house certainly would never be in the condition it is without his hard work and drive to do it right.

Here's to robbing banks and finishing up the front of the house!

View of our house exactly 2 years ago! 

Virginia is for Lovers

It had been 10 whole months! 10 months since I had been back to my home state of Virginia. The home of the James River, Virginia peanuts, southern accents, and lovers of course. I hadn't seen my parents in 5 months and most of my friends in at least 10 months. This was also the first real visit I've had to Virginia in probably 5 years! No real agenda, no scheduled event, just time with my family and time to unwind. It was a special time and truly the best visit in over 5 years.

And guess what? NO house work. No painting moldings, no nailing shingles and no 5am wake ups.  A much needed vaca and break from the every day.

I walked the quad of my alma mater JMU, pigged out on Klines ice cream, dined out with friends, spent too much money at the outlets, jammed out to Jake Owen, Parmalee, and Jana Kramer at Eaglefest with my mom, sailed my childhood waters of the Chesapeake Bay, met my besties new babe, and just enjoyed TIME.

I am grateful for that time to unwind, reconnect, and recharge - now its crunch time to get the bathroom reno and front of our house buttoned up - there's nothing like the imminent threat of snow to get motivated. Stay tuned for bathroom reno updates and sneak peeks.

Up, Up, and Away

Somehow 365 days came and went. Without warning. Without this big pomp and circumstance.

A year of marriage.  

It has now come and gone. This first year they say is the hardest. But what does that mean?? Sure, it had its ups and downs, just like any other year. We had our "moments", but you know what? We had so so many sweet times together that wove themselves into this unforgettable web. This web that I know will only grow stronger and more intricate and more lively with time.  And I'm pretty sure the hardest years of marriage are yet to come. So I for one am appreciating and celebrating the beauty and simplicity in this first year of marriage.

And to celebrate, we went "up, up, and away" in a hot air balloon in Quechee, Vermont.  It was a bucket list item. One we both could agree on.  A must for anyone who wants to experience the quiet and beauty of nature.  It was the best way for us to celebrate one year of Mr. and Mrs.

Up, up and away we are on our way to Year 2!