Okay so I have fallen off on blogging (big surprise).
I've been quite busy lately. Not so much with work...work is steady and interesting, but not at all stressful,which is great!
Some things that have been keeping me busy:
1. I've been busy helping hubby with some of his college courses. I love his determination to go back. I know its difficult for him as he is working full-time and all, but he is doing a GREAT job.
2. We planted our new veggies. We just planted Basil (again), Okra (again), Cucumbers, Bell peppers (again), Jalapeno Peppers (again), watermelon, rosemary(mmmmm, it smells so good), and cilantro. We are trying several new items as you see. I can't wait to see what actually up and what doesn't. The fun part is seeing the things grow. Now, if we can just watch out for those pesky birds and rabbits from last year lol.
3. We are planning our vacation. YAY!!!! can't wait. Planning a vacation is as fun as the actual vacation. We are also going to plan a getway soon and a couples getaway with some of our friends.
4. I have been trying to get into couponing. I have started clipping some coupons. I read some were recently that you should try to clip use at least $20 of coupon when you grocery shop. So, we will see how that goes.
5. We have been working on some ideas for our backyard. I need to get some plans in stone. I want to make sure it comes out to be something that I really like and backyard oasis that I can enjoy. I LOVE BEING OUTSIDE!!!! I have become obsessed as always with outdoor items. I will do a post later of the items that I am lusting over LOL.
6. We planted a new tree in our front yard. Due to the drought, one of the trees was looking miserable. So, we went ahead and replaced it before we get a nasty letter from our homeowner's association.
So, all in all, I have been quite the busy bee.
What have you guys been up to lately. Post a comment and let me know!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Resolution # 2 to workout/be more active
Yay! I have updated my blog within a week. I'm doing good with this New Years' Resolution thing. :-)
Also, I have re-visited one of the places that I haven't visited in a while.....Our home gym!!
I really want to make working out as important as going to church every week. I just think, God gave us these perfect bodies, and we don't take care of them.
On Monday, I was going to get on the elliptical, but when I got home from work, my hubby was already on it (with his dedicated self - love him!). He was running a marathon or something on the elliptical because he was on it forrrr-everrrr hahahah. Just kidding, but he actually did 4 miles in 30 minutes.
Since the elliptical was "occupied", I did the P90x disk - Legs and Back. I'm always more interested in working out my legs because I can usually see the results quicker. Also, I love to wear shorts and summer and swim suit weather will be here in no time. Not only did I do P90x Legs and Back, but I also did ab ripper X which as at the end of the legs and back disk (ab ripper x is 343 reps of ab exercises). I got pretty winded through the workout. .I could tell I was really out of shape. It astonished me how a person can get out of shape so quickly. I remember when I could pretty much complete the ab ripper X entirely....not so much now.
Let's just say that the next day (Tuesday) I was in PAIN from Monday's workout. I think I may have pushed it a little bit too far for my first workout. I got home from work a little early on Tuesday and really did not feel like working out, but my muscles hurt so much that I felt I needed to at least stretch. So, to the workout room I went. After stretching, I felt a lot better. I decided I could do today's workout, and I wasn't going to let this soreness stop me.
I jumped on the elliptical for 10 minutes while hubby did some weight training on his weight machine thingy (its kinda like a bo flex machine). I did pretty good, but I was definitely feeling tired toward the end.After the elliptical, I put in the Arms and Shoulders P90x disk.
I was really impressed with myself! I have to admit working out has made me feel pretty good from the endorphins.
Next, I might... just might try going to the free Ladies bootcamp in our neighborhood on Wednesday mornings.....but 5:45 am....ummm I don't know....but I will try one Wednesday, but not tomorrow lol.
Below are pics of our workout room. Its pretty bare bones....so its a work in progress. I want to get it painted, but once we have a baby, "baby X" as we call it, the workout equipment will be moved to Jerry's man cave. So, we won't paint it for now. Although, a nice yellow or orange color or light green could be appropriate for either sex for nursery, huh? hmmm, I will have to think about that.
I want to get a sign like this to put in the room
Break down of amount spent on workout room
$100 elliptical (on craigslist...it was our first purchase after we closed on our house. Luckily the person we bought it from lived near our area in a beautiful subdivision called "Long Meadow Farms"
$60 Bo-flex type machine (craigslist)
$20 Mirror (dollar general store)
$5 Aerobic Step (from Katy Christian Store)
$20 Pull up bar (walgreens or Ross)
$40 dumbells (various places)
$15 Dry Erase Board Calendar (from Home Goods)...to make workout schedule
Total cost is less than paying for gym memberships for a year for two people!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!
Everything else was pretty much given to us by family. Including the flat screen TV from my sister. LOVE HER!!!
Below are pics of our workout room (and me after my workout)
So how are you coming with your new year's resolutions? What are some things you picked to resolve?
Also, I have re-visited one of the places that I haven't visited in a while.....Our home gym!!
I really want to make working out as important as going to church every week. I just think, God gave us these perfect bodies, and we don't take care of them.
On Monday, I was going to get on the elliptical, but when I got home from work, my hubby was already on it (with his dedicated self - love him!). He was running a marathon or something on the elliptical because he was on it forrrr-everrrr hahahah. Just kidding, but he actually did 4 miles in 30 minutes.
Since the elliptical was "occupied", I did the P90x disk - Legs and Back. I'm always more interested in working out my legs because I can usually see the results quicker. Also, I love to wear shorts and summer and swim suit weather will be here in no time. Not only did I do P90x Legs and Back, but I also did ab ripper X which as at the end of the legs and back disk (ab ripper x is 343 reps of ab exercises). I got pretty winded through the workout. .I could tell I was really out of shape. It astonished me how a person can get out of shape so quickly. I remember when I could pretty much complete the ab ripper X entirely....not so much now.
Let's just say that the next day (Tuesday) I was in PAIN from Monday's workout. I think I may have pushed it a little bit too far for my first workout. I got home from work a little early on Tuesday and really did not feel like working out, but my muscles hurt so much that I felt I needed to at least stretch. So, to the workout room I went. After stretching, I felt a lot better. I decided I could do today's workout, and I wasn't going to let this soreness stop me.
I jumped on the elliptical for 10 minutes while hubby did some weight training on his weight machine thingy (its kinda like a bo flex machine). I did pretty good, but I was definitely feeling tired toward the end.After the elliptical, I put in the Arms and Shoulders P90x disk.
I was really impressed with myself! I have to admit working out has made me feel pretty good from the endorphins.
Next, I might... just might try going to the free Ladies bootcamp in our neighborhood on Wednesday mornings.....but 5:45 am....ummm I don't know....but I will try one Wednesday, but not tomorrow lol.
Below are pics of our workout room. Its pretty bare bones....so its a work in progress. I want to get it painted, but once we have a baby, "baby X" as we call it, the workout equipment will be moved to Jerry's man cave. So, we won't paint it for now. Although, a nice yellow or orange color or light green could be appropriate for either sex for nursery, huh? hmmm, I will have to think about that.
I want to get a sign like this to put in the room
Break down of amount spent on workout room
$100 elliptical (on craigslist...it was our first purchase after we closed on our house. Luckily the person we bought it from lived near our area in a beautiful subdivision called "Long Meadow Farms"
$60 Bo-flex type machine (craigslist)
$20 Mirror (dollar general store)
$5 Aerobic Step (from Katy Christian Store)
$20 Pull up bar (walgreens or Ross)
$40 dumbells (various places)
$15 Dry Erase Board Calendar (from Home Goods)...to make workout schedule
Total cost is less than paying for gym memberships for a year for two people!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!
Everything else was pretty much given to us by family. Including the flat screen TV from my sister. LOVE HER!!!
Below are pics of our workout room (and me after my workout)
So how are you coming with your new year's resolutions? What are some things you picked to resolve?
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
2012 look back at 2011
My resolution for 2012 is to be a better blogger, workout more/be more active, and eat better.
So, for my first blog of 2012, I would like to do a look back at 2011 and some of the things that I didn't post about.
1st up - some home decor/updates that we did to our home
We installed hardwood floors...real hardwood. I always wanted hardwood flooring in our home, but since we built our home from ground up it was not very wise to buy the flooring from the builder as I hear that they mark the price up tremendously. Plus, who wants to pay 30 years for their flooring (i.e.rolled into their mortgage).
Hubby promised me we would get hardwood eventually. Well, finally after several budget meetings, it fit into our budget. YAY! We searched so many places and online and finally found EZ floors. They were the best place to buy flooring, economically and yet still have the quality that I wanted. After some online searching I found someone that recommend Mustafa at an EZ floors location in Cypress. Granted, there is a EZ floors near our neighborhood in Katy, we found Mustafa's store to be more friendly and helpful. So, after many and I mean many trips to the store we finally settled on our flooring. From my research, I DEFINITELY wanted an American based company (as many of the chinese companies are said to be sketchy) The chinese brands are cheaper but lack in quality and customer service after the sale, in my opinion. I read some of the brands even begin to peel.
I also wanted a DARK hardwood. For me, it looks richer, more expensive, and less like laminate. Plus, to me, it is so much more cozy and calmer after a hard days work. I want to come home from work and my home feel like an oasis. MOST importantly, it HAD to be in our budget, or my husband would freaking flip and cancel the whole thing lol.
In addition, I did not want a smooth floor, I wanted a handscraped/hand sculpted look. To me, this was better in the event that there was future damage to the floors....God forbid scratches and such (although in our home we have a shoes off policy) , the handscraped floor will hide the infamous accident (i.e. dropping a glass, etc) .
Lastly, we wanted a material that was hard and durable. I researched all the brands of trees and their hardness factor. You can find this online if you are ever in the market for flooring.
And Ta-da, Mustafa brought out Andersen's Applachian flooring - Black Hills is the color. I loooooooved it!!!!!!
So, to stop all my rambling, here are pics of our flooring being installed back in June - July 2011-ish. We got it installed in the living and dining room. I LOVEhow it turned out. Wish we could afford to get it installed all over the downstairs (except for the bedroom) , but that will NEVER happen.
You can see my dining room curtains here, talked about later
The workers put my furniture back exactly. It was weird that they knew where to place it without me telling them.
They are working hard
Before the flooring was installed, indecisive me started freaking out....worried the color wasnt dark enough....HA, I am so silly. I sent this pic to Hubby at work screaming...I dont like. hahahha
Next up, we finally got Curtains in our 2 Story living room. Before I say anything else, I have to say Drapery Montage is AWESOME!!!!! They are located in Houston on fondren road and I have been stalking their website for a while. They have done 25 foot ceiling curtains in the past so I knew I could trust them. The owner, Edith, is very nice and patient (especially with an indecisive person like myself). She helped me pick out a cohesive color that went with my furnishings, that went with the Tiffany blue curtains that I already had in the dining room (since my first floor is an open concept floor plan....things need to "go together".
She helped me pick out Living room curtains and tied those into the Kitchen Nooks curtains that she made, which then tied to the Tiffany Blue Curtains that I already head up in the dining room. Let's let the pics speak for themselves.
Igonore my slippers on the floor..HA! Sorry, Messy me
I will post the kitchen nook pics a little later....sorry to tease you, but drapery montage, made pillows for my couch that matches the kitchen nook curtains.....as a surprise to me. I loved it!!!! You can see the color in the above pics (a tiffany blue and brown color.
So, how has everyone been? Any new an interesting home updates? Please update me via email or comment.
So, for my first blog of 2012, I would like to do a look back at 2011 and some of the things that I didn't post about.
1st up - some home decor/updates that we did to our home
We installed hardwood floors...real hardwood. I always wanted hardwood flooring in our home, but since we built our home from ground up it was not very wise to buy the flooring from the builder as I hear that they mark the price up tremendously. Plus, who wants to pay 30 years for their flooring (i.e.rolled into their mortgage).
Hubby promised me we would get hardwood eventually. Well, finally after several budget meetings, it fit into our budget. YAY! We searched so many places and online and finally found EZ floors. They were the best place to buy flooring, economically and yet still have the quality that I wanted. After some online searching I found someone that recommend Mustafa at an EZ floors location in Cypress. Granted, there is a EZ floors near our neighborhood in Katy, we found Mustafa's store to be more friendly and helpful. So, after many and I mean many trips to the store we finally settled on our flooring. From my research, I DEFINITELY wanted an American based company (as many of the chinese companies are said to be sketchy) The chinese brands are cheaper but lack in quality and customer service after the sale, in my opinion. I read some of the brands even begin to peel.
I also wanted a DARK hardwood. For me, it looks richer, more expensive, and less like laminate. Plus, to me, it is so much more cozy and calmer after a hard days work. I want to come home from work and my home feel like an oasis. MOST importantly, it HAD to be in our budget, or my husband would freaking flip and cancel the whole thing lol.
In addition, I did not want a smooth floor, I wanted a handscraped/hand sculpted look. To me, this was better in the event that there was future damage to the floors....God forbid scratches and such (although in our home we have a shoes off policy) , the handscraped floor will hide the infamous accident (i.e. dropping a glass, etc) .
Lastly, we wanted a material that was hard and durable. I researched all the brands of trees and their hardness factor. You can find this online if you are ever in the market for flooring.
And Ta-da, Mustafa brought out Andersen's Applachian flooring - Black Hills is the color. I loooooooved it!!!!!!
So, to stop all my rambling, here are pics of our flooring being installed back in June - July 2011-ish. We got it installed in the living and dining room. I LOVEhow it turned out. Wish we could afford to get it installed all over the downstairs (except for the bedroom) , but that will NEVER happen.
You can see my dining room curtains here, talked about later
The workers put my furniture back exactly. It was weird that they knew where to place it without me telling them.They are working hard
Before the flooring was installed, indecisive me started freaking out....worried the color wasnt dark enough....HA, I am so silly. I sent this pic to Hubby at work screaming...I dont like. hahahha Next up, we finally got Curtains in our 2 Story living room. Before I say anything else, I have to say Drapery Montage is AWESOME!!!!! They are located in Houston on fondren road and I have been stalking their website for a while. They have done 25 foot ceiling curtains in the past so I knew I could trust them. The owner, Edith, is very nice and patient (especially with an indecisive person like myself). She helped me pick out a cohesive color that went with my furnishings, that went with the Tiffany blue curtains that I already had in the dining room (since my first floor is an open concept floor plan....things need to "go together".
She helped me pick out Living room curtains and tied those into the Kitchen Nooks curtains that she made, which then tied to the Tiffany Blue Curtains that I already head up in the dining room. Let's let the pics speak for themselves.
Igonore my slippers on the floor..HA! Sorry, Messy me
So, how has everyone been? Any new an interesting home updates? Please update me via email or comment.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
My Vegetable Garden
I had been talking to my darling hubby about starting a vegetable garden in our backyard. I thought a vegetable garden would be a nice touch to the backyard oasis that I plan to eventually complete in our backyard....little by little.
Hubby was at his mom's when I purchased the items, but I texted him letting him know what I had purchased. He said, oh you should have gotten some jalapeno peppers. So, I went back to wal-mart and got the jalapeno peppers (in seed form). I thought it was a great idea to try our hand at growing at least one item from seed. Plus, the seeds at wal-mart are about a $1 each...extremely cheap!
The next day hubby put together the raised bed (with MY supervision LOL. ...which basically consisted of me reading the directions (guys just do NOT like to read directions ) and making sure he completed it correctly. The bed was pretty easy, despite a little snafu with hubby's electric screwdriver going dead, but we finished in no time.
Next, we decided on placement, the place that I orginally planned to place the bed did not look right and there wasn't much sun as the garden would need. So, we moved it to the far end of the yard...ummm, no, the bed looked lonely. Then we moved it kitty cornered in the opposite end (corner) and it looked great! Plus, that area gets full sun and I can see it from my kitchen nook. Hubby said that he can just picture me saying...let me pick some ____ for dinner tonight. Or, honey, can you go pick some____ for dinner tonight. LOL He's so silly :-)
I read online that newspaper is best to be put down instead of landscape fabric since the newspaper breaks down over the years and helps the soil. So, I laid newspaper down and we got busy pouring the mixture of soil, compost, miracle grow soil.
I think it turned out great!
We have already noticed that the jalapeno has started to sprout. It was too dark to take a pic tonight. Right now it looks just like leaves LOL....But we know that it is our jalapenos.
So, we had some funds in our house maintenance fund...(Side Note: I love our ING Direct bank and that allows us to setup up different accounts/funds and name them different names. Hubby didn't understand why I did this before we got married, but I love earmarking money for certain reasons....instead of just all in one big "savings" emergency fund/account). Anywho, one Saturday I went for it and decided I would get it. I purchased the raised bed kit from Home Depot. I got some soil for vegetables and flowers, some hummus compost and some top soil (all also from home depot). I purchased the vegetables at wal-mart. Walmart had several herbs and veggies (in plant form) for about $2-$3. I bought parsley, basil, green bell peppers, yellow bell peppers (to add some different color to the garden) and some cherry tomatoes.
Walmart has some raised bed kits, but they were not made of cedar, and I read cedar is best as far as it not breaking down in the outside conditiions, etc. Also, the guy at home depot mentioned that I could probably build a bed myself of treated lumber (2x6's)...ummm, no, I read that the chemicals in the "treated" lumber will evade your soil. So, I kindly declined his offer. I've read that if you go the treated route, a way around it is to cover the inside of the bed with something to help prevent the chemicals from invading the soil. But, I didn't want to risk it.
Hubby was at his mom's when I purchased the items, but I texted him letting him know what I had purchased. He said, oh you should have gotten some jalapeno peppers. So, I went back to wal-mart and got the jalapeno peppers (in seed form). I thought it was a great idea to try our hand at growing at least one item from seed. Plus, the seeds at wal-mart are about a $1 each...extremely cheap!
The next day hubby put together the raised bed (with MY supervision LOL. ...which basically consisted of me reading the directions (guys just do NOT like to read directions ) and making sure he completed it correctly. The bed was pretty easy, despite a little snafu with hubby's electric screwdriver going dead, but we finished in no time.
Next, we decided on placement, the place that I orginally planned to place the bed did not look right and there wasn't much sun as the garden would need. So, we moved it to the far end of the yard...ummm, no, the bed looked lonely. Then we moved it kitty cornered in the opposite end (corner) and it looked great! Plus, that area gets full sun and I can see it from my kitchen nook. Hubby said that he can just picture me saying...let me pick some ____ for dinner tonight. Or, honey, can you go pick some____ for dinner tonight. LOL He's so silly :-)
I read online that newspaper is best to be put down instead of landscape fabric since the newspaper breaks down over the years and helps the soil. So, I laid newspaper down and we got busy pouring the mixture of soil, compost, miracle grow soil.
I think it turned out great!
We have already noticed that the jalapeno has started to sprout. It was too dark to take a pic tonight. Right now it looks just like leaves LOL....But we know that it is our jalapenos.
 |
| Boobee! Read the directions! |
 |
| Almost there. I guess he doesn't need directions any more :-) |
 |
| My shade tree worker LOL |
 |
| The electric screwdriver....must need new batteies |
 |
| My "Secret" Vegetable Garden LOL And a little sexy music from Quicy Jones :-) |
Monday, May 9, 2011
Miami, Catalina Island, & Waikiki, Hawaii
One of the blogs that I love to read is doing a "Show us your life" series on favorite vacation spots. It gives a chance for all the readers to post their live once a week (sometimes the topics is show us your home, bedroom, etc. This week it is your favorite vacation spot.
There were several entries so I thought I would enter as well.
You can see the other entries here
http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/2011/05/show-us-your-life-favorite-vacation.html
Hubby and I love to vacation. Actually, Hubby is a newbie to it, but now he is infatuated with (since his first airplane ride a few years back).
3 or our favorite places are:
1. Miami Beach, FL - we have been 4 years in a row...so I guess that shows how much we love it.
2. Catalina Island - is just off the coast of Los Angeles, Cali. We did a short getaway to LA about 2-3 years ago and we went to Catalina on a day trip. I LOVED IT! I did not want to leave when our ferry arrived at the end of the day to take us back to LA. it is such a cute fun town. You can get around via golf carts :-)
3. Waikiki - We went to Hawaii for our honeymoon and stayed 5 days in Waikiki. I like Hawaii a lot. The 8 hour plane ride was bit treacherous though so it will take some convincing to hubby to make the trip back.
There were several entries so I thought I would enter as well.
You can see the other entries here
http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/2011/05/show-us-your-life-favorite-vacation.html
Hubby and I love to vacation. Actually, Hubby is a newbie to it, but now he is infatuated with (since his first airplane ride a few years back).
3 or our favorite places are:
1. Miami Beach, FL - we have been 4 years in a row...so I guess that shows how much we love it.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Things that I am loving
Just a list of my favorite things and things I am currently loving!
Sectionals
So modern, clean lines. I love them
I am a vase-a-holic. I always see tons that I just love. Just saw these in a catalog (west elm) they look like beehives
Outdoor round chairs
Garden Decor- especially this garden trellis to light your path (at Pottery Barn)
mmmm, Pergolas
Sectionals
So modern, clean lines. I love them
Vases
I am a vase-a-holic. I always see tons that I just love. Just saw these in a catalog (west elm) they look like beehives
Outdoor furniture
White sofas (Sectionals)
Outdoor round chairs
Tufted Headboards
(west elm)
These Drink Coasters at CB2
Garden Decor- especially this garden trellis to light your path (at Pottery Barn)
mmmm, Pergolas
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