Demo-Time Part 1

Immediately after closing on our condo we started ripping our wallpaper, repainting, and decorating... oh, and moving in! :D

The first major project was the bathroom! It had two layers of wallpaper on the walls- ew. It was ugly on top of ugly. The top layer was an ugly pearly-pink textured paper. The bottom was a pioneer floral pattern.. both of which are now extinct.

Here is the BEFORE

Okay, so while I was in Home Depot, looking for wallpaper remover, the very helpful, and very brain-fried-from-drugs employee told me (or rather mumbled to me in an animated way) that fabric softener and vinegar work just as good as the DIF stuff. Guess what!?! He was totally right! Fabric Softener and water (50/50 solution) worked great with a scorer and putty knife. 

what a mess- and thanks to my mom who willingly helped me demo the bathroom!

color is on! 

Decor is on!

More Decor!

Closing!

On Wednesday, March 20th, 2013, Ryan and I officially bought our very first home! When we went to settlement we were waiting for the attorney to finish up some other stuff and his partner guy came out with a HUGE camera and took a picture of us and our agent... all of the sudden the camera blinded us and the flash bulb exploded and a cloud of smoke engulfed us! ... okay not really, but suddenly something started emerging from the top of the camera... It was a polaroid!!! No way! Here is the digital copy of the picture! Pretty cool! 

Playground Fun!

Nevermind- it's warm again! Here we are at Burke Lake Park having a BLAST- obviously! 

She somehow would start off on her bum facing forward and then would end up on her tummy backwards... whichever way- she loved it!

Hailey and her Aunt Elise and Aunt Brook

WEEEEeeeEEeeeee!

OH MY GOSH THIS IS SO MUCH FUN!!!

Practice Makes Perfect

More Crafting!!! The plan for my new kitchen is to give it a major upgrade. The wallpapered walls and 70's honey oak cabinets needed some TLC. I decided to go with a Java Gel Stain to fix the cabinets, but I'd never worked with gel stain before! So I got to practicing! I bought a Lazy Susan from Bed Bath and Beyond awhile back. It's a bamboo wood with no finish on it- so no sanding involved! Yay! I just spread the pudding-like gel all over it and then rubbed off the excess! Voila! Spectacular! 

As for Hailey, it's cold again and so she is going stir-crazy! She disappeared for 5 min and this is what I found! She completely destroyed her room and then sat down in her rocking chair to read a good book! 

crazy girl!

but I sure do love her!

Snow Day to Spring Day

This weather has been ridiculously indecisive! A few weeks ago we had a snow day and then two days later it was 60 Degrees outside! It's confusing the heck out of Hailey! And now that she's realized that she can actually play outside- all she ever wants to do is go out! Which is great... unless it's cold and wet! Here are some pictures of our adventures with the weather changes!

(Ready for the snow!)

(loved the sledding!)

(two days later in 60 degree weather, trying to sled)

(maybe this helmet will help the sled move!)

(aunt brookie needed a turn!)

(most adorable picture!!! Aunt Brooke with Hailey)

Dining in Style

Okay, So I've been a little busy the past month getting ready for "the big move". Well, the day has finally come and gone! We are settling into our new home now and I have a lot to catch up on! Here is my new Dining Room Table! I bought this for $160 at a vintage shop in Lucketts, VA- called Old Lucketts. It's an AMAZING shop! Full of great ideas and finds! The table was a light wood color (sorry! I forgot to get before pictures), with blue/gray legs. I sanded the wood down and stained it a dark walnut color with a poly/wax finish. Then I painted the legs and scalloped under-edging "Tuscan Red" (Home Depot, Behr Paint). The result is FAB!!! I absolutely love it! Notice the two leaves in the back there too! It looks great in my new dining room! (More Pictures to come later!

Hailey

This month has gone by SO fast, which is a relief since last month was agonizingly slow! I can't believe February is over! It was a really great month though! Hailey started saying actual words! She goes into nursey, at church, in only 3 weeks! It's so weird- She is a year and a half old! I'm coming to the realization that she is no longer my baby- but my toddler!!! Whaaaaat?!??! Well, no matter how big she gets, she will always be my sweet little baby. Take a look at these recent pictures! She's so funny! 

(this is her "Goodmorning, Mommy!" face)

("What?? I'm innocent!" Do you like her bedhead?)

("...or am I??" She's so mischievous)

(nom nom nom nom)

Lately, when I pull out my phone to take pictures of her she poses for half a second and then runs to look at the other side of the camera where she expects to see a picture of her!

(wearing grandma's boxing gloves)

(uppercut, left hook, right hook, SMASH!)

Since Hailey is NOT in nursery yet, she gets to roam the halls of church (since she is too loud and busy to be acceptable in Sunday School). There are a few children her same age that also like to run around with her and explore. I snapped a few pictures of her and her friend, Calvin. Calvin kept trying to hold her hand and hug her- SUPER cute!

(Hailey and her friend, Calvin, form church)

(they are besties)

(Do you like her pony tails?? :D)