Our First Married ornament!

So ever since we got engaged I was so excited to get a "just married" or something similar ornament. Well I didn't find one that I liked, Christmas came and went and still no ornament! But I refused to wait until next year! I looked and looked and my friend Lee even did research and found some really cute ones! I found one I kind of liked (in previous post) but I couldn't figure out what it was exactly, the picture wasn't very good....but I decided to try and recreate it! It cost me under $4!

Everything I used I got from Michaels or I already had.

Wooden piece (99 cents)
Twine to hang it and to attach the bells ($1.49)
Two bells (99 cents)

I first took a black marker and colored the edges. Then I painted it in "heirloom white". Once it was dry I sanded the edges so the black would show through. Then I brushed it with this gold metallic paint, well it's more of a glaze. Then brushed it with a cotton swab so it would be lighter. Then I used stamps to write the " Our First Christmas as Mr. and Mrs." and hand wrote the 2009. Then I went over the stamp with marker because it just wasn't dark enough. Then I used that metallic paint to draw a heart and traced it with the marker. I painted the silver bells with both paints and ran the twine through. It actually got curly by accident but ended up looking pretty good....then I hot glued the twine w/the bells. I cut two pieces of twine and hot glued each side to the back. Then I took two black brads that I had and used pliers to cut the little brackets off the back and hot glued them on the front. Sounds complicated because of this huge paragraph but this was super easy :)

So glad we have our first married ornament and that it was made by me! :)

Merry Christmas!

Well this was our first Christmas as a married couple! And what a wonderful one it was! :) This was actually our 7th Christmas! Holy cow, can't believe it's been that long. Technically we started dating the day after Christmas in 2003 but I still count that year as one of "our" Christmases because we exchanged presents and we were together Christmas eve (the day I hoped he would ask me out) and the day after Christmas. So the 26th marks 6 years together, and today the 27th marks 6 years since he said I love you, hahaha yes it was fast but I guess when you know you know right? :) lol.
Well first I've been searching for a just married ornament for our first Christmas being married...no luck.....I want one that is vintage looking. I found one on etsy I like, though I may try to make it instead. If I do, I'll post :)
*Below is the one I found but I'm not sure exactly what it's supposed to be, I may just try and recreate the sign part of it and use ribbon to hang on the tree

Christmas eve we went over his mom's house for dinner like we usually do. My dad came with us like usual and it was a nice night. It's nice to have everyone together. It was a good night, yummy food and nice to spend the night with family. Chance got his netbook which he has not stopped playing with, he loves it. I got some jewelry and a tassel from Chance's mom!! Yes! I love it! I put it on my armoire the minute I got home. Chelsey got my a basket full of goodies :)

On Christmas morning, we woke up a little later than usual on Christmas, HAHA 6:30! I was excited to get up but I was very tired and could have slept more. We let the dogs open their treats and then we opened our gifts. Chance knew he was getting a helicopter which was his big one but I got him a few other things, a blu-ray dvd, video game, a plug for his car so he could plug other things in, small camera for his helicopter, a carbon fiber bracelet, and a carrying case and extra parts for his helicopter.
He got me an itouch and a pink cover, a new coat, some jewelery, green and pink girly tools and a green and pink hand sander (SO excited!).

We played with everything for awhile then went to my dads at about 9. Which is exciting, usually we then go to the separate houses for the rest of the day. I loved spending the WHOLE day with him this year! :) Then we had a YUMMY big breakfast at my dads, so good. Then we opened presents. My dad got me a Cricut!! So excited to use it for a project. I played with it for a while yesterday. My brother got me a gift card to Michaels so I went and picked out another cartridge, and I think we are going today to get one more while they are still on sale (SO expensive at normal price). I also got an awesome cheese grater, haha maybe normal people wouldn't be excited but I definitely was! The one we have now isn't good at all so I'm so excited for my new one!! And I got a few other nice things!

Then we left to go home and walk the dogs and do a few things. We went to his moms at about 3:00 and had a super yummy dinner and played some games.

Christmas was fantastic this year, it couldn't have gone better :) I feel very lucky and blessed to have this wonderful, amazing husband who makes me feel so good and so happy, I don't know how I got this lucky. And our wonderful families! I'm so thankful everyday!

Oh yes, unfortunately we came home to water pouring through the basement, that wasn't so fun. Chance patched it up the best he could.

p.s. below is all the pictures I have of us each Christmas! Missing 2003 and 2004 though!

'P' Plaque for kitchen/hallway

I love when things turn out cute!

I'm still playing with things and seeing what I can do which is why most of my stuff is simple. I've definitely had enough of monograms after this one! haha...honestly I wasn't even going to do this one but I couldn't think of any thing else to do with the stuff that I had. I painted this sign brown. Cut of the piece of scrapbook paper, intentionally left the top part of it without a design. Decoupaged it on the sign then painted the two decorative wooden pieces with my metallic glaze. Then I used the computer to type a 'P' in Palatino Linotype, font size 475. I printed it and cut out the P and decoupaged it to the sign. Then I took my metallic glaze and rubbed it over the P. Then I took a black sharpie and outlined the P. I hotglued the wooden pieces on and I also outlined the Fleur De lis, and dry brushed some black on both wooden pieces.

And walla! It was easy but I think I'm going to go out this weekend and try something different....I'd like to try to find a cute quote or something and print it out right on the scrapbook paper, then just decoupage the whole thing...it would be much easier...we'll see what I come up with!

Last name sign

I went to Michaels...mmm I guess it's been two weeks now to look for this candlestick thing I wanted to make and ended up finding supplies to make a 'last name sign'. I still haven't finished the candle stick, haha, maybe tomorrow!

I bought the wooden sign, painted it black. Then cut out some scrapbook paper I bought and decoupaged it to the front of the sign. I got it a little crooked so I cut and painted a decorative rod I had left over from another project and glued it on. I stenciled in "The" on one side and "Family est 2009" on the other. I painted the wooden letters black and dry brushed them with copper metallic paint. Bought some hooks from home depot and walla! It was an easy fun project and I love personalized stuff! :)

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

So the other day I just picked up stoganoff mix at the grocery store. I realized at noon on sunday that I picked up the crock pot one! So I hurried and started the crockpot to make it. THIS WAS THE YUMMIEST EVER!!! Chance loveeeeed it and my brother was over and they ate two huge bowls....I wish I could say I made it from scratch but I used McCormick Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff mix....GET IT! It was so so so yum! And in searching for a picture of the packet to show you, I found another blogger that made the same recipe and loved it too...here is her post:
http://thepodanys.blogspot.com/2009/08/crockpot-beef-stroganoff.html

FYI I nixed the mushrooms...and did not put as much onion as she did, just the amount that it called for on the package....I will SO be making this again, it was super super yum and easy, I mean it's like 4-5 ingredients.

$7 Craft Shelf Project

Okay in my previous posts I've said how I've been exhausted since the wedding and I MEANT IT! I have literally wanted to do nothing, I guess planning a wedding just took a whole lot more out of me than I thought....but I'm slowly getting back in to wanting to do projects and finish things I've put off for way way too long...I just can't believe it's already been three months!

(p.s. hubby lost his ring almost a week and half ago. I was so upset, I cried and was just so upset....I know it's materialistic but I just couldn't stand the thought of a new ring always being the "Second ring" and never the original....well he found it yesterday...THANK GODDDDD! Oh it was such a relief! Though he found it under the basket he puts his remotes and stuff in....what?! Who knows, but at least it was found!!


ANYWAY back to craftiness....so I saw this post a while back:
http://www.livingwithlindsay.com/2009/08/teach-me-tuesday-putting-thrifty-finds.html
and I was so excited about it because I've wanted one of these things sooooo bad, but they are like $100+ dollars!!! So when I saw that someone else could find a perfect shelf and do it cheaply I knew I could too....I just hadn't felt like looking.....well I went to the new goodwill store in columbia that just opened and walla! It was like it was waiting for me! And it was only $6!!! There was one twice as long for $8 and now thinking back, I should have got it, I've already filled this one up fast.

Before:



I had some painters touch heirloom white paint that I got for my table project (still on hold, need to find the right tool apparently) and I bought a rod for $1 from michaels. I got 3/8"...I used ribbon in the store to test what would fit around it. Chance drilled holes for me in the side and cut the rod. Then I painted 4-5 coats of paint and it's all done!! I love it, it already came with little holes to hang, I haven't hung it yet but I will :)

$7 project= woo hoo!

1st coat of paint



Up against the wall (not the one I'm hanging it on) Sorry for the crookedness, I couldn't hold it up AND take a picture, so he did it for me



I just love it!

some fall decorations & projects I'm working on....

I put up the little bit of fall decorations I have yesterday, I don't have that much, maybe need to make a stop at michaels :)






Okay this isn't fall but I had to move my stuff around to make room for fall decorations and I think I may just keep this stuff over here






And I bought two tables from a yard sale once for $20 when we moved here and I just quickly painted the one to use as a night stand but now I want to redo it. I bought heirloom white paint to paint it but I also bought tile that I plan to cut out the center then nail plywood underneath to cover the big hole and then tile it. I got one middle piece of tile and then I'm going to break the other to large pieces I got....it's a work in progress because I need Chance's help and he didn't have the tool he needed, now he does...so hopefully we can get working on it soon :)

Here is the table before when I painted it black:





I bought these from ross for a few bucks each and painted them, I want to hang them asap but I'm having a hard time finding something to hang them that isn't all involved and heavy duty so I may wait, they are heavy!

Before:



After....sorry not such a great picture, and the flash made them look shiny! And the picture itself is dark

Update on job!

New job is going great!! I really like it, I have this super cute cubicle, it's all by itself in the corner, no window though :( and it has like a little doorway, and has windows at the top (not looking outside, but just random windows, but I love it....I'm currently searching for cute fall window clings for the little windows....I set up my desk all cute and went out and bought some of my own supplies because they are very scarce around the office. I even bought a little jar and put some candy in it :) haha it's all set up, I just want to go get a little reed diffuser for my desk so it smells good and get a magnetic dry erase board for my cabinet! I'll have to take a picture of it!

My first day was monday and I had to go downtown to DC right next to the Capitol for New hire orientation. Luckily my dad drove me so I didn't have to bother with the metro. It was a good but long day. There were two other girls at the SAMHSA table so I got to meet them and it turns out they were two of the other staff assistants hired so we will be working together.

On Tuesday I had to go to the Parklawn building in Rockville to get fingerprinted....they don't use ink anymore, just a fancy machine but apparently they haven't used ink in forever I just haven't been fingerprinted since I was like 7! Then they took my badge picture, ugh it was terrible, if the guy was nice I would have asked him to do it again!

Then after that I went to my building and met a few people and had a quick overview of things. They had a road to recovery play that afternoon that I got to sit and watch, it was good!

Wednesday was my first official day at the office...it takes about 30-35 minutes to get there, so I gave my self an extra half an hour and left about an hour early, well I was 30 minutes late!!! AHHH I was so embarassed, I'm never late!! But they were okay with it. I had to get everything set up and I met some of the people in my branch. I'm working in Substance Abuse Prevention, Drug free communities! I like everyone a lot. I got to go to my first meeting that morning and take minutes, I was totally lost but it wasn't too bad!

Thursday I decided to leave at 6:30 since it took me an hour and a half the day before.....well I got there 35 minutes early! Ugh, if I leave an hour a head of time it takes me an hour and a half, if I leave an hour and a half ahead of time, it takes me an hour. I'm so not used to traffic, I never ever hit traffic when I was working with Humanim! My branch chief came back on thursday and I got to meet her. I really like everyone so far and I'm excited about everything. My job is so far pretty easy.

Friday I got there 45 minutes early, haha oh well...there is panera down the street so I went and got my FAVORITE asiago cheese bagel, sooooo goooooood. Then we had a social get together for all the new employees in the afternoon, that was fun.

It was a good week and it went by really fast. I'm looking forward to next week!!


Now that i've started this job I can settle in and do things I've been wanting to (I have just a few more thank you notes, I'm so embarassed, they should have been done SO long ago). I got home from the honeymoon a week after the wedding, then i had a week and a half until the clinic closed so it was absolute CHAOS then I started the new job and after three weeks I found out I would be starting at SAMHSA, so there was 7 weeks of CHAOS and overtime and then here I am starting SAMHSA after a week....I think it's about time for things to settle.....except we are trying to hurry and save just a little bit more so we can buy a house....I will be so glad once we do so there isn't anymore to look forward to for awhile, haha that sounds bad but I just want to live and do things without preparing for something else for just a little while.


Things are good, just ready to settle.....cleaning and putting up some fall decor today, will post....actually will hopefully start to post more now!

My Birthday!

My birthday was on a Monday....not the best birthday day of the week!! I wanted to go a lot of different places but really wanted to celebrate on my birthday so there weren't many options on mondays. We ended up going out to Chevy's at Arundel mills because I had been wanting to go there for a couple years, last time I went it was yummy. We went there and got dinner (huge dinner, it was so much food) and then we decided to go to the movies....there wasn't a whole lot out or much that would work for the time we got there so we decided on September issue, the time worked perfect and I read briefly that it was something about a magazine, assuming it was some chick flick....WRONG! The second it started I was like oooommmmggg, it was a documentary :( Of course we didn't stay and I felt terrible for wasting the money but I was not about to sit there and watch a documentary about the editor of vogue! So instead we walked around the mall because I haven't been there in forever to shop and we bought a couple things...it wasn't crowded because it was monday....it was a good, quiet night! :)

I got a great couple of things too! My sister sent me super cute flowers, chance got me a cute new bag, sweatshirt and he picked out a perfume WITHOUT even smelling it which is dangerous, hahaha you never know what it'll smell like, but it smells soooooooooooooooooooooooo good, It's my fav now!! It's Hailey from Aero! It's soo good. My dad got me an ice cream maker...I'm making Irish Cream Ice Cream now, will post pictures when I'm done! And he got me a snuggie!! wooo hoo I wanted a snuggie! haha

My pictures of the brewery

We had an event last week and I took some pictures around the room so we could use for the brochure! But I took some additional pictures so that I could remember after I leaaaave :(



In the lobby, these are original steps that they kept, they cut it off at the ceiling


This is the bottom of the grain shoot, and if you look on the floor they have glass looking down into the second floor


one of the glasses on the table with the gifts in the back, just trying to be all artsy!


this is one of the old beer tanks they cut out and made a seating area, and on the ceiling there is the bottom of a tank that they cut and put up there


This is the terrace out back, not a good picture but if you look to the left that is the city, inner harbor


this is the top of the grain shoot, if you look you can see the wood worn away from the grain


this is the board room, my favorite


this is the second floor event space

Some yummy recipes I just tried.....

I usually try something new every time I go to the grocery store, but I need to start writing down my favorites and putting them in the cute recipe binder Chance's mom gave to me because I've tried some really yummy ones...I also thought I'd try to take pictures so I can remember them!

First I tried Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo w/veggies.....E-A-S-Y! And it was so yummy, chance loved it and it was perfect for leftovers the next day. You can do this one so fast.




2qt water
1pkg (9oz) refrigerated fettuccine
3 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 pkg. (10oz) ready to serve roasted chicken breast strips
1- 1/2 cups Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

**I made substitutes, I didn't get the ready made chicken, I just cooked three breasts in a skillet and cut it into strips. I used a whole jar of Alfredo, and I used just grated Parmesan cheese instead of shredded and lots of it because I hate store bought Alfredo sauce but the parm cheese covers it. Also, the mixed veggies at the grocery store always have Lima beans in them, I try to pick them out....And of course add pepper.

Directions: Bring water to a boil. Add fettuccine and vegetables; return to boil. Cook on high for 2-3 minutes or until fettuccine and vegetables are tender; drain. Stir in chicken and Alfredo sauce; heat through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

It takes like no time at all, especially if you use the ready to serve chicken



Chocolate Eclair Squares

SOOO good!! Takes a little longer...





1 3/4 cup cold milk
1 package (4 serving size) vanilla pudding (instant)
1 tub (8oz) Cool Whip
Box of graham crackers
3 tablespoons butter
2 squares bakers unsweetened baking chocolate
2 tablespoons cold milk
1 cup powdered sugar

POUR 1 3/4 cup milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk for 2 minutes. Gently stir in whipped topping. Layer one third of the grahams and half of the whipped topping mixture in a 13x9 inch baking pan. Break grahams as necessary to fit repeat layers. Top with remaining grahams (I ended up with Graham > Pudding > Graham > Pudding > Graham > Chocolate.)

Place butter, chocolate and 2 table spoons milk in small saucepan cook on low heat until chocolate is completely melted and mixture it blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, stirring until well blended. Spread over grahams (Chocolate STICKS to pan, so just keep stirring, don't leave it there, and the powdered sugar will mix even though it looks dry, just keep mixing, also I had a hard time spreading the chocolate, I got most of it spread)

Refrigerate several hours or overnight (I did it on Thursday night and ate it Friday when I got home, yum!)

New Job (again).....

So the new job has been going really well and I love it! But....I applied for a government job with SAMHSA first week in April, I had completely forgotten about it and I just randomly got a call from them. It's now two weeks later and I've been offered the job. I'm excited but it's come at a terrible time! My boss is about to go on maternity leave (like her due date was 2 days ago) and then I'll be leaving in a couple weeks, after I just started!! I feel terrible and I was not looking for another job, I had planned to stay and be there and everything but I couldn't turn down this good opportunity with the government! It'll be a great thing for me and Chance all around, the pay will be better, benefits are great, it will be in Montgomery county, it's just all around good for us. I do feel absolutely awful about it still but I just plan to help out any way that I can before I leave! I am excited but I wish it had come at a different time....I guess things happen for a reason though!

So I start at SAMHSA in a few weeks....I'll be working as an Admin Assistant in one of the departments, not too sure what exactly I'll be doing yet but that's okay! I've been working at Humanim since I was 18! It's exciting/scary to be starting something new!

Also, since it's in Rockville, we are seriously considering buying a home in Montgomery County (since chance works all over Montgomery county)! Which we hope to do SOON! Before it was difficult because we wanted something in between DC and Baltimore because that's where I've been working some of the time.....but it's just sooo expensive so it really limits us. I've looked on Long & Foster and there are some great houses in Gaithersburg and other places, so maybe we can find something there!

8/13/09

Not too much going on! The new job is going great. It's been a lot of fun, I'm going to baltimore two days a week...I wish I had some pictures of the inside of the brewery, it's really neat inside.

Chance is sick right now! Ahh no fun, I never get sick thank goodness but he's always always sick! I haven't smooched him since monday! hahaha he refuses because he doesn't want me to get sick, and with just starting this new job I don't want to get sick either!!

We finally got our custom mats in for our artwork we bought in bermuda! We were determined to get some sort of artwork when we were there. We were looking around at this little "mall" they had in dockyard and found a little art store. The artist runs the store and she basically takes pictures of things around bermuda, then paints the picture then runs prints off. We got one of the prints that she can only run like 5 at a time and it came with one of the less nice prints that you can run like 100 at a time. It was neat to sit there and talk with her about the pictures and so we bought them. When we got home we got frames and had to order custom double matting....it ended up being a little over $350 but we enjoy them. The nicer one is the red window....all of the houses in bermuda are a white or a pastel color, you don't usually see darker or bold colors. A man came to her and asked her to find something unique and paint it for him and that's when she found the red house and took a picture of the window and then painted it. We liked it, I'm not so sure it goes with anything but we still like it :) And the second one that was included is a picture from hamilton, she had a lot of pictures with people in them and I didn't like those so much and the one we got has someone it in but they are off to the side so it's not too bad. She told us things like the street sign in the picture was actually a no parking sign but she didn't want to paint the words....anyway it was really neat to get a little background and get some artwork like we had wanted! :) FYI I do not plan to hang these together, they obviously don't match. I have no idea where to put the red window, maybe if we make an office it would go great in there :)





I've been feeling lazy but I promise to get out thank you cards asap!!!!!!!!

We are going to the beach for the day next weekend, ohh I can't wait :)

We went to the Harford county farm fair with chance's dad and sister, here are some pictures! Chance has wanted me to go for a long time, and we finally went!