Birfday Giffs

T-12 days until my birthday and just in case last night’s post was a little too serious for you, I thought I’d lighten the mood with my birthday-wishlist-daydreams. Tyler keeps asking me what I want and I simply can’t decide…

An iPhone? I’m only turning 28 but my Blackberry is turning 3, which is like 104 in cellphone years. It needs to be restarted approximately 3.6 times a day.  It’s time to put her to sleep.

Then, of course, I’ll need one of these to protect my new baby…

Or perhaps some cowboy boots? I’m a Southerner, I have way too many cute sundresses to not own any cowboy boots, and it’s almost fall…

A cover for my Kindle?  Shocked that is hasn’t been scratched yet.  Lurv this one on Etsy.

Maybe a point and shoot? Yes, we have a big fancy camera but it is way too big to carry around for everyday use and our little camera is five years old and takes terrible, grainy pictures.  In case you haven’t noticed…

Rachel talks about this book all the time and I know a ton of people who have read it.  I think I would love it.

Or a Cricket Cutter?  I don’t really feel like I can ask for this because I haven’t done my homework in researching them and there appear to be fifteen different models ranging from $85 to $500.  All I know is that I want something that I can print vinyl stencils with from patterns I make in Photoshop.  Just thinking about all of the pillows, distressed crates, etched glass, and word art I could make makes me salivate.  Please advise.

Or perhaps a pony. Yes, I think a pony’ll do just fine.

So…I think that covers it.  I, of course, would be lucky to get just one thing off here. Or nothing because I don’t truly need anything.  This is my “Whoops—the bank accidentally deposited $1,000 in my account” daydream list. 

So, which of these should I really ask for?

Over it.

“They call me cumulonimbus ‘cause you know I make it rain …” This what we sangin’ at the G’meyer’s…

Word to your mother.

Crafty Cfriday: Reupholstered Stool

I scored big time while Tyler was out of the country a few weeks ago.  Our neighborhood has a big drop-off-your-junk weekend once a month where everyone drags anything and everything, big or small, nice or crappy out to the curb to be picked up and hauled away.  So what happens is the whole neighborhood comes out to see the goods and see if there’s anything worth beating the garbage truck to.

{Read: I’m not the only one who does this!}

With Tyler gone, there was no one to stop me and Cora {and our personal driver Jared} from scouring the neighborhood drive-by style multiple times over.  Didn’t score any big items, but there were plenty of window panes and shutters to be found.  And this girl will never turn down plantation shutters…

The other items came from a garage sale we visited later in the afternoon.  Stool = $12, blue mason jar = $2, glass transistor = $2, empty frames $4 for all of them.

There was just too much good stuff there, so I quickly went into project mode: a trip to Home Depot for spray paint, Joann’s for fabric and I was ready to go.

I couldn’t decide between the blue or the orange—the fabric was on sale so I just bought half a yard of each for $10.

I unscrewed the upholstered top, primed and spray painted the wooden base, then scuffed it up a bit…

I wrapped the top in fabric, stapled it with an office stapler, screwed it back on and…The “after” of the stool…The “after” of my legs…

Now it’s a great optional seating for guests! 

And the cost breakdown… $12 stool + $5 fabric + $6 for two cans of spray paint = $23.

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As for all of my other finds, I’m still trying to decide what to do.  I was initially set on hanging an empty frame wall above our bed like these…

 

But then…I started Pinteresting…

 

And I think I want to save one for Christmas {I love this for the front door) and use one for this photo keeper. Not for above the bed but for somewhere…

And all of those shutters?

Do I make something like this?Or do I save them to do something like this one day?

Pinterest is bad news for an already indecisive person!  But I luuuuuurv it.  So many great ideas and I love looking at everyone else’s pins. So, so fun…

So anyway, Happy Crafty Cfriday!  Hope you’re all surviving this heat!

Pwerto Rico!!

{Aiy Aiy Aiy Aiy!}

{That’s what I say whenever ever anyone asked me about Puerto Rico.}

I finally got off of Pinterest long enough to write a post about our recent trip to my brother’s destination wedding in San Juan.

It was fun.

We as a whole family just aren’t all in one tropical place together these days and even though not everyone could make it {and we sure missed them}, it was still nice to hang as a and fam and just relax and have fun.  The weather was beautiful, the resort was great, and the company was even better.  Andy & Christine have such great friends and Christine’s family is just as close as ours, so we all had a blast hanging out.  It was easy, effortless, and so fun.

Tyler and I found great non-stop flights out of Baltimore, a mere 45 minutes from DC.  We thought we’d make our lives easier by not taking a car and just hopping on the train.  So we got a ride to the metro station…to take the metro to Union Station…to get on a train to Baltimore…to take a shuttle to the airport…to get on a plane to San Juan.  Ridonculous.  Lesson learned.  Just drive to BWI.

Anywho, our flight was delayed and we didn’t end up checking in to our hotel until 2am.  Family excited and ready to hang out called at 7am to wake us up.  Awesome.  This is pretty much how the whole weekend went—in bed at 3, up at 8.  But it was only because we were having so much fun that we just didn’t want to waste any time sleeping!

We stayed at the Caribe Hilton, which was really close to the airport and easy to get to.  The hotel was great and the staff was amazingly kind and helpful—I would stay there again in three seconds.  If only the views from our room weren’t so awful…  

Everyday, as soon as you walk out of the lobby toward the pool, this is what you’d see…

The pools wrapped all over the place, the pool bar is to the right, the useable part of the beach was to the left, and the ocean is straight ahead.  I’m not going to lie, I spent maybe 30 minutes in the ocean.  {And it was at 2am after the wedding reception with the rest of the wedding party.}  The rest of the time I was here…

So Friday was a pool day.  Eighty people turned out for the wedding festivities, so we quickly claimed our space at the pool bar, all catching up and getting to know one another.  We’d met a few of Andy & Christine’s friends in New York when they got engaged, so it was fun to see some familiar faces and feel like we knew some of the group.

Pardon the cell phone quality of my pictures—I took them with my cell phone... Top: Me and my brother Andy {the groom}, Bottom: Tyler and my Dad.  Tyler’s hair gets ridiculous in the humidity.

We pulled ourselves out of the pool long enough to make it to the rehearsal dinner via a very confusing transport requiring two taxis, many stops for directions, a six month old baby, a strobe light, and some Lady Gaga.  But we finally made. I love this picture Stephanie captured of us sharing the video I made with Andy & Christine.

Saturday was more pool, but the wedding was at 3 o’clock so we didn’t spend too much time in our bathing suites before it was time for fancy clothes.  Tyler was already planning on wearing his seersucker suit, but I convinced him that he needed to go all out and just be ridiculous.  So we broke out my fedora {the hat of the weekend—see below} and his bow tie…

{Think I’ve gotten enough mileage out of this LBD?  I feel like this is the only dress I wear these days!}

The wedding was at a beautiful little catholic church in Old San Juan while the reception was on the beach back at the Caribe.  It was a little windy, but the temperature was perfect and it never rained a drop.  There was a cocktail hour with mojitos and cheese bar {mmmm…cheese} followed by dinner and an open bar.  I have no concept of time, but I’m pretty sure that all eighty of us were on the dance floor for the rest of the night.  The DJ kept announcing “Okay, this is the last song!” and then he played five more. It was so. much. fun.

My hair was a little crazy after all that dancing outside, but I love this picture of me and my Dad.

Sunday was recovery day.  Nothing planned, nothing on the docket, no places to be.  So naturally, everyone went to the pool for a serious competition of beer pong.

  Cutest picture of Charles and Landon ever.

I bought this fedora a few months ago that I love.  And for the record, Charles made fun of me for it when I was home for Memorial Day.  But he was singing a different tune once it was the hit of the weekend—I think everyone had it on at one point or another.  See pieces of evidence #1, 2, 3, and 4 below.

Sunday night, most of the group went kayaking at Bio Bay while Charles, Landon, me, and Uncle Rob {Tyler left earlier that day} went and enjoyed a great dinner at Jam Rum Bar.  It was hard to find an open restaurant that night, but we were so glad we found this place.  It was seriously delicious.  By the end of the night, I was exhausted that Uncle Rob bought me some ice cream and I took it straight to bed and watched TV until I fell asleep.  It was a great Sunday.

Monday morning I went to clean out my bag while I was packing on and this is what I found…I just started laughing.  Somewhere along the way, my pool bag became a bootleg transport of rum. I could have been the most popular person on the plane!

Proof that we actually did leave the resort at one point… Monday afternoon before catching our flights, we walked around Old San Juan and took in some of the gorgeous sites.  It is such a neat city—so pretty and clean and I never felt unsafe.

Another official endorsement: San Juan was just a beautiful place to vacation and get married!  We loved the resort, the restaurants, no passport needed, easy flights, and relatively inexpensive overall. 

And it was so fun to hang out with my family and have my parents in one place together.  We missed my sisters, but I’m still so thankful for the time all had together.  Andy & Christine did an amazing job making sure we all had a great trip and we had a blast celebrating their love, their wedding, and their future.  Sign me up for the vows renewal!

Slowing Down

“How many books are you reading right now??”

That was Tyler today at the pool after I pulled out yet another book to read.

He’s right.  I’m reading too many things right now…

There’s the Dietrich Bonhoeffer bio I’ve been working through for a few months now {It’s heavy and can be a little dry, so I need a break every now and then.  Church history + theology + conspiracies against Hitler isn’t exactly chick lit…}.

Then there’s “House Rules” by Jodi Picoult that I’ve been reading on my Kindle {I’m exactly 19% through}.  And there’s “Bossypants” by Tina Fey that I have to finish in time for bookclub this week…

Have I mentioned I haven’t started it yet?

And today I pulled out my latest.  A book I’m reading for small group… “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life.”

The title’s cheesy, yes, but I was nodding and nodding through the first two chapters wishing I had a pen…

“The thought intrigues you.  Deep inside of you there is a hunger, a calling, to know and love God.  To truly know Jesus Christ and the fellowship of the Spirit.  You’re not after more head knowledge—it’s heart-to-heart intimacy you long for.

Yet a part of you hangs back.  Exhausted, you wonder how to find the strength or the time.  Nurturing your spiritual life seems like one more duty—one more thing to add to a life that is spilling over with responsibilities.

It’s almost as if you’re standing at the bottom rung of a ladder that stretches up to heaven.  Eager but daunted, you name the rungs with spiritual things you know you should do: study the Bible, pray, fellowship…

‘He’s up there somewhere,’ you say, swaying slightly as you peer upward, uncertain how to begin or if you even want to attempt the long, dizzy climb.  But to do nothing means you will miss what your heart already knows: There is more to this Christian walk than you’ve ever experienced.  And you’re just hungry enough—just desperate enough—to want it all.”

So many days I just feel overwhelmed.  Between working and working out and keeping the house clean and going to church and Bible study and blogging and making the house look like what I want the house to look like…oh, and being a good friend and maintaining a social calendar, and keeping in touch with family…grocery shopping, laundry, errands, watering the plants… All the while wanting to be the best wife, the best employee, the best therapist, the best cook, the best blogger, the most creative… It goes on and on.  And when I come home exhausted, I just say to myself,

“I don’t even have kids yet.  How am I ever. going. to make it?” 

Spending time in the scriptures or praying or serving always gets pushed to the back seat because it’s the one thing that doesn’t have a deadline.  And every night, as I fall asleep with that closed Bible sitting on my nightstand, I feel bad about it.  I feel guilty.  And I know I’m missing out on the best part of my life because I’m trying to make my life the best.

If the fact that I’m reading four books is any indication of how much I take on at once, you can see that I’m in need of a good kick in the butt.  I’m truly excited to get into this book, take in its encouragement, and slow. down. Dive into the Word. Experience this Christian life as it should be.

So here goes.

{Happy Sunday}

This one’s a snoozer…

What’s up readers!  Bored yet?

Me too.

I have been so busy lately I haven’t even had time to Pinterest!  {That is some serious busyness right there.} And since I’m busy, I’m tired. And so I sleep and then I work and then I travel and then I’m tired again so I sleep again.  So then nothing interesting happens to blog about.

But Puerto Rico was an absolute blast and a welcome few days away from DC, with plenty of sunshine and daiquiri permanently glued to my hand.  I haven’t even uploaded my pictures yet, but a recap is on its way!  We all had a great time and Christine & Andy are married so I consider the trip a smashing success.

What else has been going on, you ask?  Well…

• I signed up for my first half marathon {In Savannah this November.  I can finally scratch off #6.}
• I got addicted to Pinterest.
• We saw Next to Normal at the Kennedy Center which was phenomenal. I am currently memorizing the score.
• We said goodbye to our friends Chris & Alison, which made me super sad…
• Cora and I went junking and garage saling together unattended, which is always dangerous.  So I spent a whopping $20 and came home with all these beauties.  I smell my next three DIM projects. {And spray paint.  Lots and lots of spray paint.}

• I’m taking a continuing ed course this week which is a nice way to come back from vacation.  It’s called Brain Gym and I am fascinated.  Caution if you ask me about it— I might not shut up.  If you’re a teacher or therapist, I highly recommend it.
• My birthday is next month. Maybe I should post a wish list?  I’m thinking of hosting a fun dinner party and making our back patio look like this…

{Perhaps on a slightly smaller scale.}

• I’m watching While You Were Sleeping right now, a movie I will always heart.  I remember my 5th grade teacher told me I reminded her of Sandra Bullock after she saw this movie and I loved her for saying that because homegirl did not look like Sandra Bullock in 5th grade.
• I have not seen an SJT since the blog post!  Thank you for all of your emotional support—I laughed out loud at your comments.
• Every craft store within 10 miles is sold out and continues to be sold out of “Thunder Blue” Folk Art, which means half way through summer, I still have one blue and one brown curtain hanging.  Cool.

So…that’s kinda it.  Up next though, crafty crafts and Puerto Rico!

Happy Wedding Day!

We’re down here in San Juan, Puerto Rico enjoying the beautiful weather, a few days off of work, and these two lovebirds…

Happy Wedding Day!  Be back in a few…

Guess Who’s Back??

Mr. Grassmeyer flew home this morning after nine days in Israel on a work trip!  And while I always relish the downtime, I always realize how much I missed him once he gets back…

I went to sleep last night after falling asleep to a movie with a glass of wine in my hand… But I woke up to a dark sky thinking it must be very early in the morning…

But it was only 2:15.

I never wake up in the middle of the night, so I immediately started to worry.  Something must be wrong. I prayed and worried until I eventually fell asleep.

But I woke up again.  This time it was 5:30.

And it was thundering and lighting something good outside.

So I really started to worry… Why do I keep waking up??

So I turned on a movie until I fell asleep again.

{Maid in Manhattan— logical choice.}

I woke up again, this time at 8am.

And there was a text from my husband that had come at 7.  He was safe, drinking a Bloody Mary in Philadelphia, waiting for his flight to DCA.

Thank God.

So I climbed out of bed, took a shower, and watched Father of the Bride on TV while I got ready.  Have you watched that movie lately?  I cried like 8 different times.  Even after seeing it 2,598 times…

And then it was time to go grab Tyler!

I picked him up and we headed to brunch at Bayou Bakery…

I have wanted to go since they were featured in Southern Living a few months ago.  I was under pressure from a lot of great choices, so I don’t think I ordered that well…My biscuit was a little dry, but the grits were ah-mazing.

{It’s hard to find good grits up here.}

I will definitely be going back.  If for no other reason than the beignets or the grilled pimento cheese sandwiches!

Then we headed home and napped together for much longer than any sunny Sunday afternoon should have allowed.  But he was tired and jet-lagged, so we slept.

Then we spent the rest of the day talking and laughing and catching up on our week.

And we figured out that while he was gone, on the same night, we separately ordered the same movie—he on the plane, me at home.

{Unknown.}

I missed him.

And before we knew it, it was time for dinner!  We ordered pizza and wine and bruschetta from Café Pizzaiolo… They messed up our order and delivered two pizzas.

“Cool, we can overeat.”

It felt like we were cheating on Lost Dog.  But it was really good.

In the mean time, the sky turned black, the wind whipped up, and we guiltlessly took our food and wine to the basement where we’ll hide out for the rest of the night riding out the storm…

Our biggest concern is what we’ll order On Demand.  The Adjustment Bureau?  The King’s Speech?

I’m glad he’s home.  It’s been a happy Sunday…