My new fav color is GREY

Yes, my new favorite color is grey...No lie.  If you aren't reading this book, well you should be.....and I'm not ashamed to admit that here on this blog! 

I'd recommend that your husband, boyfriend, etc is within arms reach...

A great book

I just finished reading a great book, The Baker's Daughter after reading about it on JCHOKIE 's blog spot.  It was such an easy read, but totally had me from the very beginning.  I don't want to give away too much, but let's just say there were tears and smiles.  If you want a book that makes ya feel sad but then gives you a bit of hope in the end, read it.

When I was in Starbucks today buying chocolate  the girl behind the counter was crying.  Kind of weird and I debated on "Do I ask her what's wrong and deal with the consequences?" So I decided to show a little compassion and ask her if she was ok.  Maybe she was being held against her will at Starbucks?  Being forced to drink latte after latte??  She smiled and said she was fine, but the book she was reading was so sad.  SAD??  A book that makes you CRY.  Well sign me up people-where's my kindle....My brain was screaming-must.download.NOW.  So here's my next read:

For me there is nothing better than a book that makes me sob-like snot rolling, eyes puffy, nose stuffing, air gasping SOB.  I love it.  And my friends wonder why I look like hell the next day at work....most have figured out I stayed up all night reading a sad book.  What is wrong with me??

After that read, I'm going for my Guaranteed to Make Me Cry like a Baby Author-Jodi Picoult.....Lone Wolf.  She never lets me down.  I should buy stock in Kleenex.

What are you currently reading?  And is anyone else as giddy as I am about The Hunger Games??

GDC

A couple of weekends ago, Hammond and I actually had a Sunday off together.  Yes, you read that right.  ONE day off together in a really long time.  And I guess he missed me so much that he was delirious happy to accompany me to one of my FAVORITE stores in Charleston (that just happens to be down the road from us). 

We had decided that after four years in the house, we could go ahead and purchase a dining room rug.  The poor room is almost the last room in the house to have anything really done to it.   It had a lot of good pieces in it, but needed a rug to pull it all together. We taped off the room with painter's tape to see about what size we needed to buy and played with the throw rug at the front door to see what color we wanted.

  So we went rug shopping and found that finding a rug the size we needed in somewhat of a decent budget was going to be tough.  And by decent I mean "not taking out a loan for a rug" decent.  And as if it was meant to be, there was the perfect rug on sale at GDC!

Now you know what happens when you start on a room, right?  You think, "I'll just buy ONE thing and it will complete the room."  YEAH RIGHT...Sure as poop, I decided it was time to get rid of the old buffet and that we needed some art to flank the china cabinet.  More on that later.....Once I have the room complete, I'll show you the final product.  I'll be attempting to give two old window sashes a weathered crackle look this week.  Channeling Martha Stewart now........Here are some windows that I almost bought, but actually didn't as they were $100 a pop.  They did have a cool story behind them, but cool story ain't paying my bills.  I did end up finding some old windows at Habitat ReStore.

Back to GDC- I wanted to share some of my favorite pieces with you that I saw as I was walking around the store.  There is a sideboard that I keep trying to force into my house, but my decor just doesn't fit it and a GORGEOUS dresser that I really REALLY want for the third bedroom.    Enjoy my "shopping trip"  :)

I am in LOVE with this piece.

Must have this dresser

This china cabinet was HUGE.  The picture doesn't do it justice

Cute idea for a sunroom or back patio

This almost came home with me....it was for the dining room PEOPLE!

Not at GDC, but an antique store and wanted to share it anyways

What room is currently on your re-design list?

World's Best......

The world's best husband award goes to my man.  I love him for many reasons but today he did something out of the norm and sent me flowers at work.  It made me cry.  He always knows what to do to make my day and he NEVER makes it feel like he did it "because it was on his calendar".   He does little things everyday that I make me smile...like leaving the remote on the pillow in the bed when he wakes up HOURS before I do.  (He knows I like to watch a few mins of the news in the AM when I get up)  Or making me dinner everynight.....or unloading the dishwasher b/c he knows I hate to.   I love him...Thanks babe for brightening my day today..You knew I needed it...XOXO

PS-ignore my messy office floor...

Dinner talk

I've been pretty slack keeping my blog updated with my DETOX progress, but I promise I am doing really well with it.  Tonight I made what was supposed to be a "pasta" but using rice noodles with a "pesto cream sauce"  Yeah, not so much.  NOTHING can replace good old GLUTEN slathered pasta.

Here was the recipe:   Whole Living Recipe (click on it)
You'd look at that and think not bad, should be yummy right?  Nope-nope-nope.  It looks pretty:

Tasted like old water.  Seriously.  I'm sure I didn't use the proper proportions, but ick-ick-ick.  Chad's super funny comment "Babe-I could make this taste a little better for you with just a couple of ingredients.  Butter, bacon and cream.  But you aren't allowed to eat that."  Yeah thanks asshole-Like I didn't know that already!  Always a team player that hubby of mine!  :)  XOXO-still love him...

Shower her with gifts

Last weekend I made the trip up to Virginia to help throw a shower for my girl Jennie.  Her dream wedding is taking place in April and we thought it would be a lot of fun to pull everyone together for bridal shower. 

The night before the shower we all hit up a local sushi restaurant, Wild Ginger, and it was delish.  Our waiter was fun and even sent out this dessert when he learned Jennie was getting married-it was hysterical:

I am so SHORT

Sisterly love

A lot of planning went into this big day and four of us from three states plus her Aunt pull an amazing event together.  I must say our decor of pink and black turned out mighty adorable.  We sure hope she loved her day!

Sunday after the shower, Mama, Daddy & I went over to the Science Musuem.  I haven't been there since I was a little girl-a girl scout in fact.  It is awesome.  Mom didn't want to tour the museum, she just would agree to watch the IMAX movie which was amazing.  It was on orphaned elephants and orangatangs (spelling??) and I found myself tearing up at the end-It was a GREAT ending-nothing traumatic!

I got to hang out with Andy and Michelle too, but unfortunately we didn't snap any pictures!  :(   Next time for sure.   It was a great weekend and I so wished I lived closer to home....a girl can dream I guess.

Detox-End of week one

I survived week one of detox and I have to admit I feel pretty damn good.  The first day was tough, but that was because I didn't plan as well as I thought.   I have more energy, seem to be in better moods and overall just feel 100% better than I have in a long time.   (And I've lost 4 pounds...YIPPEEE!   Even though that was NOT my main factor for doing this.  Which to me is surprising because I am CONTSTANTLY obsessing thinking about my weight)  Hence my Detox Recipe Book cover:

 

Thanks Hope for the inspiration....

 

What did I learn I liked this week? 

• Radishes & red cabbage in my salads
• Sweet potatoes
• Beets-cooked
• Cilantro (I knew I liked it but pretty sure I love it)
• Butternut squash

What did I learn I don't like this week?

• Beet soup (I never actually tried it, but each time I did I gagged)
• Carrot & Mango smoothie-seriously that stuff was some nasty shit.
• Kale Chips-pretty sure this would be something a dog wouldn't even think to sniff

 What did I overkill this week?

If you know me, you know once I find something I like, I'll over:

• eat it (birthday cake)
• play it (Eminem & Rhianna anyone?)
• read it (Twilight)
• watch it (Real Housewives & Dirty Dancing)

So with that said, I over ate the hell out of avocados & sweet potatoes.  Pretty positive I kept the local grocerer wondering where their avocados & sweetie taters went!

 

I'm so looking forward to week 2!  I get to re-introduce beans and some protein like salmon and flounder and tofu!  My favs!

 

Here are some shots of that McNasty Mango Carrot Smoothie:

 

You'd think this wouldn't be so bad right?

I remember thinking..."Hmmm...I don't know about this"

 

Maybe if I put it in my Hokie Tervis it won't be so bad???  WRONG