It's a process...

On Saturday, we will be in our new home one full month!  It's hard to believe that it's been only 4 short weeks while at the same time it seems like it has taken forever, and I do mean forever, to get some type of organization going.   This morning, I walked out of our bedroom and realized that for the first time in weeks, there weren't boxes piled up everywhere or items laying around that didn't belong.   We are making progress!

Once I have everything in it's place, I can start the fun part:  accessorizing.    For now, I'm happy that we have a place to sit and watch TV!   Little wins! 

The move

Well, we did it!  After years of looking for a new home that had everything we wanted, we finally found a home that was pretty close to perfect for both of us.   It was such a whirlwind too because we closed on the sale of our (old) home on Monday and then closed on the purchase of our (new) home on Wednesday and then the movers came in on Thursday to move us to the new house. 

We had all the boxes stacked in the garage:

Sweetheart had his priorities straight; this was front and center and the first thing to get settled: 

This is how it looked when we got there:

Then the movers started bringing in the furniture:

Now the fun part:  getting everything in its place!

 Meanwhile, I'm starting to form cardboard box walls everywhere!

 p.s.  Look at this master bath.  It has a walk in shower that is the length of the entire bathroom!  It has the standard shower head and a rain showerhead feature that is so amazingly relaxing it's insane!

We're Moving!

We found a new home.   It took like forever and a day to find it.   We weren't in a hurry to move so we were terribly particular.  We almost pulled the trigger on two houses but we found fault with both of them.  Then we found the one we wanted:



It has a three car garage which was very important to Miguel.  



It will have this beautiful tile floor that has the wood floor look - which was very important to me.



It is going to have this beautiful walk-in shower with an overhead rain shower feature - which we both wanted.






The kitchen will be bright and open to the family room.   It's coming along.   It will be ready at the end of July so right now it's a mad rush to get our current home packed up.  We sold it so we will be out by the end of July and in the new home!

Getting vacay ready

Sweetheart and I are Hawaii bound and I couldn't be more excited.  I've been planning my wardrobe for close to five months now!  Nearly everything new that I bought for this trip I ordered online.   For a while it seemed like every week I was getting a package.   Of course everything I ordered was on sale.  Like 40% off --  yep, that's my jam.   I like to document my outfits so that I can remember what I planned to wear and so that I don't forget anything.    

Day one:  Travel day.   Phoenix to Oahu -- we are flying into Honolulu so we can spend a day visiting Pearl Harbor.   I'm not solid on the shoes or bag yet.   But I'm sure this will be my travel outfit.   I may need shoes without straps because airport security lines can get hairy.   Also, I may just take a tote with me -- I feel like I'll need the structure of a tote so I feel organized.   

 

Day two:  Pearl Harbor tour & museums  

 

Day three:  Travel day.   Oahu to Maui.  We are staying at the Sheraton Resort so we'll check in and hopefully just relax and maybe lay poolside this day. 

Poolside:  Everything here is on repeat except the hat.   It's new and it's cool. 

And for our dinner plans later that night:

Day Four:   we booked a snorkeling trip for the morning.  My one piece swimsuit, swim shorts and a lightweight top.  Of course I have water shoes and a hat to go with it.

And then in the evening we have a luau scheduled for the evening.  A dress is appropriate for a luau right?  

Day five:  Exploring.  Our favorite thing to do.  Comfy shoes, a hat and a denim jacket just in case.   I realize we will be in a tropical paradise but I am always cold.  

And for our dinner plans that evening.   We tried not to over plan but we do have reservations at a couple of restaurants.  This dress is so cute.   It's a rich navy which is not at all how it looks in this picture. 

This is what it looks like sans the accessories.  I love the the feminine ruffles and the cold shoulder makes it fun and sexy.   I may take a pair of heels with me in case I find the need to get fancy. 

Day six:  more relaxing at the beach and/or exploring: 

Day seven:  Travel day.  Maui to Phoenix.  I ordered this cute swing dress from the Gap and I wore it to my Dad's birthday party last weekend.  It so cute and it has a cold shoulder cut out on the sleeve!  I got one in red too.   

And in case you are wondering, Sweetheart gets in on the action too.   But he doesn't care what he wears from day to day as long as he is comfortable.  So I typically get his approval on what he wants to wear then I match it up with what I'm wearing.

His comfy consists of cargo shorts and shirts:

His swimwear:

And his dinner clothes:   All restaurants are 'resort casual' so for him it's a button up shirt and flat -front chino shorts

and travel day:

And remember I said I wasn't thrilled with the bag and shoes in travel day one picture?   Well that caused me to change two outfits. 

Travel day one:  Phoenix to Oahu.  I really need a tote to carry everything I need and I decided the rose colored cold shoulder from LC's Kohl's line is lovely with the tote and the shoes will be easier to work with through security at the airport.    Excuse the no makeup and bed head hair; it's work from home day.  

And in my quest to find a good travel outfit I created this.  I like it so  I'm taking it with me just in case I need another outfit.   

We are all set!

Easter

Easter time is such a great time!    I'm looking forward to sandals and shorts...it's right around the corner!  It's a time when bunnies and colored eggs scattered around the home is completely acceptable, right?   Right.

My love of wreaths is completely satisfied with this adorable Easter egg wreath.   I wish I could keep this up year round.  I really do.   And that yellow chevron pillow cover screams spring to me and it looks lovely with last year's Target dollar spot "hello" pillow and my newly converted place mat pillow:

My sweet niece was over this weekend and that little girl LOVES to see the different decorations every time she comes by.   This tree was one of her favorites: 

She's four years old so you can imagine her excitement when she spotted the colored eggs.   They look really delicate but they are actually plastic so when she found out she could handle them (without getting yelled at) she was in heaven!   They kept her entertained for some time.    At one point she hid the eggs behind the pillows, under the couch, in my computer bag, etc.   Yesterday I found an egg in my tote.

Love.

I meant it when I said there are bunnies and colored eggs scattered around...

Pillows are my jam too.   

And this little snake plants has been making the rounds in the house.   It's been in the hall, the kitchen and now it sits in my reading corner in the living room.   Oh yeah, and there's a bunny there too.

And here too.   And remember that calendar I got a Christmastime at the Target dollar spot?  Turns out Sweetheart really likes keeping the date current.   It's more his OCD that kicks in when he walks by it but still.   

My decor ended up being so much lighter than previous years.  Which I'm not complaining about...I kind of like it.   

+

And in true lazy-girl fashion, I tossed garland atop the mirror and called it good.   

We are mid way through the lenten season and I would be remiss to not mention that Easter is more to me than spring and colored eggs.  Easter is special to me for religious reasons:  the sacrifice, the reflection and the renewal.   Also because of the family traditions that are built around lent that are so meaningful to me.  It truly makes my soul happy.     

Happy Easter!

Saint Valentine's Day

After taking down all the Christmas decor my house felt so bare and very boring.  So although I had no plans to decorate for Valentine's day.....I did.   Okay, who am I kidding?  I knew I would decorate I just didn't have a plan in place.    Ergo, I had to get creative with what I had.   Everything that I placed out is on recycle from past years.   Remember that black chevron pillow cover from Halloween? It turns out it looks great with my Valentine's day stuff too:

And I made that banner.  Black chalkboard hearts taped to a string.   Duct taped.   Yep.  That's because I had planned to hole punch the hearts but they were so thick that wasn't happening.  So I pulled out the duct tape and fashioned a decent looking banner if I may say so myself.   The red pillow is from many years past -- actually it's not a pillow, it's a placemat that I converted into a pillow.  

I love this picture.   Polka dots.  Cheveron stripes.  Red and pink and black; so lovely together!   p.s. that 'Love' pillow is also a placemat converted into a pillow.

My reading corner in the living room got into the Valentine day groove too:

And the felt ball garland?  Sigh....I adore it!

That calendar is from the Target dollar spot.  I put a gift basket together for my sister for Christmas and included this calendar because it's just adorable.   So adorable in fact that I grabbed one for myself!

And would you believe that lamp is a $19.99 lamp that I found at Walmart?    I don't typically shop at Walmart but I was looking for a cheap replacement for a lamp and this is what I came up with.  I was actually surprised at how nice it looked when I got it home and set up.

More Target dollar spot finds from years past:

This year Ash Wednesday and St. Valentine's Day fall on the same day.  That means that I'll be putting out my Easter decor in two weeks.   This year is already going way too fast!   Currently my focus is on planning our trip to HAWAII!  We are going to Hawaii in March -- 2 nights in Oahu and 4 nights in Maui!  I'm so excited and I've already got nearly all my outfits mapped out!  Because priorities, right?  

Happy Saint Valentine's Day!