28 Day Detox

I came across the 28 day detox from a blogger that I enjoy following.  All Things G&D  She's a really funny blogger, who I connected with over her love of wine.  :) 

So when I read that she was going to try this 28 day detox, it appealed to me.  Mainly because I've counted 28 days in a row now for almost three years and that's gotten me now where.  I decided I'd like to change up my day 28 count to a goal that is attainable.  I want to see that I can get to an end goal after 28 days that I can control.  Plus I think a detox after 32 years couldn't hurt.  By no means do I think that this 28 day detox is going to be fun at all.  So with that I pulled in some of my friends to suffer  join in with me.  Enter Dirt Diva and Sunny Charleston.  Along the way we'll blog....but until we get started on Wed, Feb 1, you can find the yummy recipes and 28 day challenge HERE.  Wish us luck...no gluten, no booze, no normal foods for 28 days.....Hey JCHOKIE you still have time to jump in on the challenge.  I promise you that you can have your caffeine after 28 days....

Weekend Spending

I guess it is a good thing Hammond and I work our arses off during tourist season, because we sure do know how to spend money in the winter.  You see Charleston is such an outdor area, that when the weather cools off and there is no beach or boating going on, we spend spend spend....one of these years we'll run out of projects and start saving!  (ha-I'm kidding...on the stop spending part!)  Seriously-once we run out of projects in this house, what the heck are we going to do?  Stare at each other?

Back to our weekend spending-Hammond decided to give the guest bathroom a little mini makeover around the holidays.  He was thinking he'd just install a new granite vanity top he found on sale at Lowes.  That sounded simple enough, but when he pulled it out, he marked up the walls.   Which led to painting which led to "IF we are going to paint, we might as well do crown molding." And that led to "Gee that light fixture is UGLY" and "Can you frame out the window?"  You see where this is going right???  Cha-ching-cha-ching...(My most favorite sound in the world)

So here are some before shots of the old guest bathroom:  (Why are these pictures sideways???)

Once the granite top got installed:

And you know I wanted a good excuse to get a new mirror.....Enjoy the afters-sorry if you get neck strain from looking at these.  I can't get the pictures to rotate...annoying

And I saved money by just getting replacement glass fixtures for the light...see I can be thrifty!

Framed out window above shower

Hi Hammond!

But no weekend would be complete if we didn't do something to the outside of the house.  So enter new outdoor light fixtures.  Ours were just the builder grade, run of the mill fixtures.  We really wanted copper light fixtures but got a dose of reality when we saw how much those were....so at Charleston Light Company we found these really cool lights that had a hint of our house color in them-SOLD

Old fixtures:

New Fixtures:

So that's basically our weekend wrap up.  I just love house projects!  Go visit my girl JCHOKIE as she is re-painting her living room Restoration Hardware's "Silver Sage."  I can't wait to see how it turns out!

House Anniversary

Four years ago today we moved from our cute house on John's Island to our current  house in Charleston.  I thought it might be fun to document what some of the changes have been over the last 4 years to the new house.  (At least things I have pictures of)

Our first house

New house-Move in day!

New House-move in day!

We built a fence for the puppies

And painted the fence black

We put in a brick path instead of a dirt path

Do you see the dirt path-no b/c it wasn't special

We went from a slab patio to an elevated patio with a garden edge

I can't find a "before" shot of the patio but you can see how small it was

I'll have to take an updated picture-it is much more lush now
And we have more furniture. 

We added palm trees

And then spruced up the walk way to the front of the house:

And my most FAVORITE PROJECT:   SHUTTERS!!

Here's a before:

Drumroll please...drum drum drum drum:

Thank you Chad!  You are the best husband!  Now I'm off to think about my newest "honey-do" project for you.  Aren't you the luckiest guy ever to have such a thoughtful wife like me.  XOXO

(I'm sure he loved having me watch him from each window and snapping his picture)

Holiday Recap

Our Christmas was very low key this year.  We had a few check ins with Cobblestone on Christmas Eve which made it feel very "un-holiday" like.  Nothing like working to blow your holiday....but, working is money and money is house projects!

After Christmas with Chad's parents and brother, we came home and just laid low with the pupps.  They had a fun Christmas of "puperonis" and gifts.



M.U.S.T. G.E.T. P.U.P.P.E.R.O.N.I

Tuesday we left for Pennsylvania to visit my family and stayed with my grandparents.  We had Christmas Day with my extended family and my Mom and Dad came up the next day which was great.  I put Chad to work installing a new faucet in my grandparents house which my Grandma just LOVED.  She said doing dishes is much more fun now-How doing dishes is fun is beyond me, but if she loves, it then GREAT! 

Anneka should really be my daughter!  She's a mini me with her attitude! (And I named her!)

Me, Grandpa Bender & Aunt Bonnie

My cousin Garett got married while we were up in PA so we attended their wedding.  My cousin Tara and Chad's kids were in the wedding.  They are so adorable-I love them to death!



Can't forget little Hannah!  She's a cutie pie!

Fun pictures:

 Chad would be sad if I didn't post this picture.  We walked to the top of my Grandma's hill and straddled the PA/Ohio line.  Anyone who knows Chad knows he is the biggest OHIO fan ever!  (NOT)  He was so excited to be in his fav state:

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a very happy new year.  Here is to a great 2012~~