This weekend has been chock-full of house-y things and it's not even half over yet! Yesterday Ryan & I retrieved the items we dropped off to be re-upholstered AND put together our new bed frame. Since neither task involved the use of a power tool- we actually got them accomplished fairly efficiently. Today we had our new mattress delivered. So I guess if you can't win the Mega Millions (we did not- despite Ryan's valiant efforts), the next best thing is getting things checked off the ol' To-Do list, right?
If I were the patient type, I would withhold these pictures and just let you see them when the rooms are finished and I finally do some big before/afters. However, as is evidenced by the fact that immediately after getting our new mattress I rushed out and bought like 5 new pillows (it's dangerous when Ryan leaves me unattended while he golfs) - I am NOT the patient type.
It's starting to look more like a real adult home around this place. Don't worry though - no one is acting like one. Enjoy these few photografias.
Remember this guy?
He looked like this from above.
Now, he looks like this.
Here is an above shot. Also pictured: Lola playing Sphinx.
Remember these cool chairs we got from Ryan's grandparents?
Here's a close up of one.
Ta-da! Here they are now- wearing a yellow frock from somefabricplaceIfoundonline.
Don't you just want to hug it?
Old bed playing stand in until we finally got a new one.
Next up: headboard. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....
Hello, hello! I was all over this blog stuff in February and then I seem to have mysteriously dropped off the face of the universe in March. Why, you ask? Because we've been getting stuff done, yo. Well, sort of.
I typically reserve blogposts for just one event at a time but lately there have been no big events, just a lot of smaller ones. If this blog were a season of 24, now would be the time that the writers would be developing the side stories... like Jack's current love interest (who will inevitably die via bomb or sniper in the season finale) or maybe some story about the head of the CIA's personal life. So basically, it's the point in the season where things are getting done to lead UP to awesomeness.
So, what have we been up to?
1. Planning
Ever since we found out they were moving to Switzerland, Ryan and I have been saying we are going to pay our dear friends, the McClains, a visit. Recently we decided to stop saving saying and start doing (someone has spent too much time at Home Depot). We purchased our tickets across the pond and couldn't be more pumped. April 13th through April 28th we'll be galavanting around Europe with the cutest little Swiss family you'll ever meet. The first week we plan to kick it local in Geneva with Mel and Jakey. The second week Jonathan took off work and we're in the process of planning exactly where/whom we will grace with our ultra-American presence.
Our current plan of attack is a road trip to Italy with a grand finale in Paris. I am confident the Italian countryside will be eternally grateful for an introduction to Popeye shirts and Britney singalongs. Look out! I know that regardless of where we go or what we do, we are going to have a fabulous time and we are super excited.
So all this planning has resulted in lots of Skype-ing and emailing with these hotties:
The sweet McClains. Check out Mel's blog to live vicariously through their exciting adventures.
2. HGTV in real life-ing.
While we don't have much to show for it at the moment, Ryan & I have been diligently working on Project: Kickoff. Seldom does a day go by that I do not spend some extra-curricular time online shopping doing crucial research to better Casa Martin.
Project Kick-off Playbook. Just in case you thought I was joking about making a prioritized Excel spreadsheet.
We replaced all of the hardware in the kitchen with some brushed nickel. See ya sass-a-brass! (I tried to do some before/after pictures but 1) they're very boring if you aren't me and 2) thanks to some user error issues and poor lighting, it's really hard to see)
Worked on some color-scheming for the living room. The tray is navy/indigo incase it looks funky on your screen like it does on mine. I just noticed Ryan's shoes are also featured here. They are not part of the permanent decor plan.
Ordered a bed frame (pictured here) and mattress (not pictured because the mattress store is awkward enough WITHOUT your husband's primary testing methodologies being barrel rolling back and forth and then posing on his side like some kind of pin up model). After 1.5 years of sitting in our hall closet, our king-sized duvet will finally have a home. Brings a tear to your eye, doesn't it? Particularly if you're me because it means you for real have to get on that whole upholstered headboard plan...
3. Aunt & Uncle-ing.
Last weekend we went out to dinner with Ryan's family AND we went and hung out with them after his racing debut. I got spoiled spending all that time with this little munchkin- who can now say Aunt Amy. Heart: melted. I just love her precious little face.
True princesses swim in Tu-Tu's. How do you think Ryan would feel about me sporting one of these?
Practicing her stroke sitting up. She is an inovator!
4. Fur Parenting.
Did you think that you'd make it a post without some pictures of my little love muffin? Puh-lease.
Ryan makes this same face when I try to sit in his lap. Glad to know it isn't just me.
Can I help you?! I'm pretty busy here.
This must be what it feels like to have a teenage daughter. Silent treatment superstar.
Just another Saturday morning in the Martin household.
And I wonder why she's such a Daddy's girl.
I can't believe I almost forgot to post this. So, Ryan & I spent the day hard at work cleaning and home decoring. Lola was not satisfied with the lack of attention she received so she took to her bed to pout. Ever the sympathetic father, Ryan proceeded to do this.
5. WTF-ing.
In the past week I've been introduced to the most deterimental app to my productivity I believe will ever exist. I know I'm a shade late to the technological party here, but how awesome is Draw Something?! It provides me with endless laughter. I never knew what Picasso's my inner circle held until I downloaded this bad boy. Behold below some of my ultimate favorites thus far.
All Sheriffs are that shocked. And followed around by floating guns.
If you know what that is, maybe you are actually Ryan's soulmate. I pray any future Martins do not get their artistic skills from their father. Rooster unicorn squirrel?
I had no idea that oil was recovered the same way as stuffed animals in those vending machines. Did you?
Yellow comb overs are very sad indeed.
This week's goal: buy some more colors. I'm tired of drawing blue palm trees. Help me out, people!
That's about all I have for now. Stay tuned for more excitment in the next few weeks. If I ever stop playing Draw Something, that is. :c)
For Christmas this year, Ryan's parents bought him a "racecar experience." Much to my chagrin, this racing experience was slightly more adult than the ones I had as a youth which typically consisted of sitting in the middle of a cardboard box and yelling "vroom, vrooooom" while rocking the box back and forth (because everyone knows that earthquakes and racecar driving go hand in hand). This one consisted of 15 laps in a real racecar on March 17th.
Given that the biggest risk I take most days is going down stairs in heels without looking down, I was a little nervous. The fact that my darling husband has never driven a manual didn't do much to calm my fears. Nor did him saying, "it's like learning to swim by getting thrown in the ocean." I hung my assurance hat on the line in the certificate that said "we can handle experience levels from novice all the way up to experienced racecar driver." Well, that and the fact that it was St. Patty's day which meant that day drinking immediately after was acceptable.
Ryan, Mike, Mike's friend Curtis, Curtis' son Tyler and I all headed up to Texas Motorsports Park to either partake in (Ryan, Mike & Curtis), or cover our eyes whilst others partook in (I guess really just me), some adrenaline junky-ism. Luckily, after getting to do a few laps around the track as a passenger, Ryan somehow managed to learn how to drive a manual through Osmosis. After he initially took off and nearly rear-ended a stationary vehicle in front of him, he did stellarly.
Believe it or not, I even enjoyed watching it. Almost enough that it cancels out Ryan starting 1 in every 5 sentences since then with, "Well, from my time as a professional racer...." Thank you to Ryan's parents for such a fun gift.. even if it did create a monster.
Check in Lady: "Sir would you like insurance? If you don't buy it you are liable for up to $15k."
Ryan: "Uh, yes."
Despite the masses** of onlookers, I scored a front row seat.
I know what you're thinking- I can't BELIEVE you didn't mention the Andrettis were there. Believe it or not, this is just Ryan, Mike & Curtis. Strategizing, clearly.
Checking out the fans for some inspiration.
Walk hard.
Ryan's maiden voyage as a Co-Pilot. No one tells you at 16 that your next Drivers Ed class is the one you should really look forward to.
Waiting to put those new skillz to use.
Go time, part 2.
Annnnd... they're off. This is the only picture I have with all 3 of them in it. Also included: their #1 fan. Ryan was 22, Mike was 12 and Curtis was 8.
I GUESS this is cooler than my cardboard box.
Sometimes you just have to remind the kiddos who the boss is.
This past weekend the stars aligned to allow the whole family to get together to spend the weekend in Conroe - which is a rarity these days. The timing couldn't have been more perfect because Papa Bear had been out of the country for a month doing work-y stuff, Mama Bear had been worn down by the trials and tribulations of trying to sell a house and let's be honest- Ryan & I wanted to get away from our increasingly large laundry pile.
I expected to go to the lake, relax my face off with the family, maybe teach Caddy a word or two, watch Daddio play with a nail gun and return to real life without any videos, pictures or stories to share. Enter: Cinnamon challenge, the geyser seen down the block and some incredibly cutting edge fashion. Never a dull moment with the family and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Friday night Julie, David, Ryan & I arrived at the lake with our respective fur-faces in tow. We hit up Fajita Jacks for some ah-mazing TexMex and even MORE ah-mazing karaoke. (Melissa, no performance we saw held a candle to your stellar rendition of Shania- have no fear). Like the old people that we are, we were all asleep on the couch when my Mom returned home from the airport with Dad in tow at midnight. Is that not the welcome party everyone dreams of?!
Saturday proved to be a much more lively day. The morning started off watching about 5 hours of WWF (Whiskered Wrestling Federation). Is this what having a child is like? Laughing and interimently yelling "hey- enough cheek biting?" If so, I'm well-practiced.
It looks like Lola is gearing up for a body slam here.
During a wrestling intermission, David and I took the beasts out to relieve themselves. Clearly a much better natural auditor than yours truly, he took note of an unusual noise coming from our neighbors yard. When we looked around the corner we were greeted with Old Faithful. I took the video below really so that we could send it to our neighbors so they could see what they missed, but I'm posting it here because I think it perfectly encapsulates the chaos that 7 adults and 3 dogs in one place at one time encapsulate. I believe it also illustrates the importance of buckets.
Dogs: Man's best friend but not their most helpful one.
This doesn't even begin to represent how dirty Dallas was. Plllllllease let me in!
Okay. Seriously though. Let us in.
Success! Our little lap dog.
Mid afternoon we wound up washing all cars in the driveway which naturally segwayed into washing... the tractor?
She thinks my tractor's diiiiiirty.
I look like such a natural.
Dallas & David are obviously impressed with my mad skillz.
Live footage of Julie's first tractor driving experience. If this whole finance thing doesn't work out, I'd say she has a real future here.
Please note the fact that David took the tractor off-roading.
I'd like to thank the bicep curl machine for making this picture a reality.
Were you wondering what on earth would make Ryan pass up an opportunity to drive a manly piece of equipment? A&M game was on. Duh.
One of my favorite parts of any weekend at home is getting treated to good old-fashioned Caddy cooking. I've said it many a time, but my mother is a fabulous cook. Probably why Ryan was hanging out on the couch with her inside while we were playing tractor time now that I'm thinking about it. One of us needs to learn her secrets, and I obviously haven't yet.
My Dad: fashionista. (This was his favorite souvenir from his recent work trip, clearly).
Is this not what family dinners look like at your house?
After dinner we decided that the perfect thing to settle our bellies would be... undertaking the Cinnamon Challenge. I had no idea what this was until Julie, David & Ryan forced me against my will to watch several YouTube videos of people undertaking it. Why this still seemed like a good idea after watching them is still an unknown.
Ah, naive excitement.
David's parents must have fed him a lot of cinnamon as a child. Ryan's parents- not so much.
The video footage of this is on Julie's camera but I think that these photos succinctly document our experience. (P.S. The fashion apple didn't fall far from the tree- I am indeed wearing a Gallery Furniture denim jacket).
I would put this at about 2 seconds in. Julie looks like an angel enveloped in that halo of cinnamon.
Cinnamon: 2, Sisters Boarman: 0.
On Sunday we spent the day going on a long walk, acquiring our first sunburn of the season and trespassing in very large homes under construction... so basically your typical Sunday. Overall, it was an incredibly fabulous weekend and I returned home well-rested, happy and completely un-interested in eating any cinnamon for at least a month. Thank you to my wonderful family for being so much fun and to my awesome parents for letting us spend the weekend with you. I love you all!
I'm a Longhorn-supporting, Aggie-marrying, high heel-adoring accountant in Houston. I live for my family, friends, and a good belly laugh. I dream of a world without cheese, space, snakes or wind.
Reading Legend:
Ryan = The Dear Man I Married Emery = Our Sweet 1st Daughter
