April Fools!!

I'm not one for April Fools jokes. It's kind of like Valentines day. Why should we limit love, or fooling, to one day a year?

But this year I made an exception. First I needed to find an easy target. One that would be easily tricked. Little JT seemed like the most gullible, so I set my sights on him and put my plan in motion.

We woke up that morning, had some breakfast. And then I said "Let's go to the park!" And I didn't mean just any old park. I meant Clemyjontri!

So we got dressed, and I loaded us up in the car. We had a 30 minute voyage ahead of us!

I got on the toll road, which cost me $4.15 to get on, and then another $1.00 to get off. Then we drove to the park and it was completely crowded. Nary a parking space to be found, unless we parked down the road and hiked up to the park. I told little JT to worry not, we'll go to another park.

I pulled out my GPS and looked up parks. I picked a random park and my trusty GPS guided me there....to a little patch of grass the size of my half bathroom on a dead end in a random neighborhood. Sweet! By this time he was done with being in the car, and I was done with him being done being in the car. After over an hour of driving, it was just time for us to head home.

So back home we go. Another few dollars to get us home on the toll road, we arrived at home just in time for lunch.

"APRIL FOOLS!" I said! I totally tricked him. He totally thought we were going to the park!

Or was it the universe playing an April Fools Day joke on me!?

Last ditch effort

Easter is this Sunday, and I still feel my decorations are inadequate. So I stole this idea from this blog.

I didn't have a large glass jar with a lid, but I did find a large glass vase at the thrift store yesterday for only $1.50. The very cheap plastic Easter eggs cost more than the vase!

And viola! An Easter centerpiece.

Odds are high that I'll make a trip to JoAnn's to buy some super cute eggs on sale to use for next year.

I can't stop--edited

(I had to edit and and one more picture)

Hi, my name is AniC, and I'm an antiqueaholic. The real problem is, I don't want to stop. I want to antique shop every minute of every day. But I can't, so I pretty much stick to weekends. And this past Saturday was a great day for antique shopping. Mostly because I got to buy something I've been wanting for a long LONG time!

Let me start from the beginning

Thursday night I went with my friend Marci to an antique sale that we found out about. It only happens one weekend a month and I felt like an insider being there. I came across an amazing vanity, and told my friend about how badly I want one, but I figured it wasn't going to happen.

Saturday I somehow managed to convince juC that we should go back to the antique sale. So we went back and I showed juC the vanity that I loved. Much surprise and amazement, juC was on board with me buying it!! And now it's home is our bedroom!

(Why yes, that is my house coat you see reflected in the mirror!)

I honestly LOVE this thing! If I could, I'd just sit at it all day. Not because I could stare at 3 of me at once, but to stare at all of these beautiful details.

I love the little details so much, and feel like they are so important, that I spent some time this morning going out and getting my own little details for the vanity. Starting with this.

I went to my favorite store JoAnn's (for some Easter eggs which I will post about in just a moment.) I LOVE JoAnn's. And I love that this jewelry box was on sale for less than $5 so that I could convert it into a make up box. Why not use it as a jewelry box? Because I've had my eyes on this at Marshalls and have been waiting to have to perfect place to put it before buying it for my jewelry.I would say I have the PERFECT place to put it now.

And one other small detail:

I also bought this at JoAnn's...several months ago. I knew I'd need it soon. It's the perfect place to put my hair products while keeping the focus on the vanity.
Seriously folks, this vanity is a dream come true. Call me crazy if you must, but it's the things like this that keeps me happy, when other things, like the government taking control of health care, get me down.

Moving along....
I last posted about my lack of Easter decor. My favorite German living friend said "In Germany they take branches (pretty, delicate and interesting ones, not huge ones) and set them in a vase and hang painted eggs from them." I thought this sounded like a wonderful idea.

And since she also said in her comment, "I have always wanted to do that, but not sure if I will get around to it this year. I usually live my holiday decorating dreams through you anyway..." I didn't want to let her down. So I decided to give the branch-egg-vase idea a try. Of course using the vase that she gave me and the Easter eggs I bought from JoAnn's this morning.
I really have to give a shout out to JoAnn's. I go there any time I need decorations. Their Easter stuff is already 50% off. A package of 10 of these eggs was $2.50
I do have to say, I'm a fan of the branch-egg-vase thing. Although I should have probably taken more time to find better branches, I think it's great. Thanks for the tip, Meg!

tweet tweet

I LOVE decorating for holidays. I bought this last summer from Home Goods (for only 5 buckaroo's) when my sister LoW was here visiting with her family and she and I had a girls night.

Isn't it the cutest? It's my most beloved Easter decor. Perhaps because I only have 2 Easter decorations. Am I the only one that loves decorating for holidays but doesn't have enough decorations?

I think it's time for little JT and I to head out and get some more. Shhhhh! Don't tell juC!!

progress

We have been home owners for 2 years. 2 years, and we still aren't done decorating, painting, and fixing. Maybe in another 2 years we'll be done?

But recent progress has been made.


When I was down in SC a week earlier than juC, he finally painted our stairwell. Which means we finally put these pictures up, instead of having them just rest atop the entertainment center in our living room. Now when you stroll upstairs, you can feast your eyes upon our family. Just know The Wall o' Eternal Love is still a work in progress.

I will also let you in on a little secret. Post cards. Vintage post cards. They are my FAVORITE thing to buy at antique stores. When we were down in SC I got these that now adorn my living room entertainment center. The dates stamped on the back from when the people sent them are 1910 and 1911! The one on the right is inviting the girl it is written to on a picnic July 20th.A while back, I found these in Virginia, but they are drawings of Charleston.They adorn my most beloved newest addition.My antique mantel. It is the most perfectest addition to our dining room. We bought it a few weeks ago, just finally mounted it Saturday, and I've rearranged the things on there about 5 million times. But I'll get it figured out eventually.

I'm definitely thinking no more than 2 years and we'll finally be done decorating, painting, and fixing our house.

And that's how it's done.

Up until recently, I always told juC that I am a woman that needs to be wooed. Even though we are married, I still want the wooing to continue. No matter how much I tried to explain how he could do it, I realized that I just needed to show him by example. So back in January when we decided to go down to S.C. in February, I put a plan in motion.

The plan: to have a romantic overnight date in Charleston with juC with out him having any idea.

For Valentine's Day I gave him a card saying that "due to circumstances beyond my control", he wouldn't be getting his present, but he'd get it at a later date. He assumed that the "circumstances beyond my control" was all the snow we'd gotten that made it very difficult for me to get to the store to buy something. He didn't know that the "circumstances beyond my control" was actually the fact that we weren't going to be in S.C. until later in the month.

I talked to my mom and sister, and they agreed to watch little JT. This would be the first time we'd be leaving him overnight.

My sister-in-law was kind enough to get us a room at the hotel she used to work at. I made reservations at a fancy restaurant in downtown Charleston. I plotted and planned. I wanted him to have no idea we were going overnight until we were already gone on our date. I packed a bag of clothes, toothbrushes, contact solution, and other things and managed to get it hidden in the car with out him having a clue.

So last Saturday we left for our "day date" to Charleston. For all juC knew, we'd be back at my parents house by 6. While we were eating lunch, I gave him a card informing him of my devious plan. I was going to wait until later in the date, but I was just too excited to keep it a secret any longer. He was most definitely surprised!

After lunch, we went shopping. (Every good, romantic date involves shopping.) Then we went to our hotel to get gussied up. We went to downtown Charleston and swung on the big swings at Waterfront Park.

Then we walked around downtown and checked out all of the old buildings and churches. (My favorite part of downtown Charleston)My feet were sufficiently hurting by this point, since I made the mistake of wearing high heeled boots, so it was a good thing it was time for dinner at this place.The food was AMAZING, and the massive creme brulee I got for dessert was even more AMAZING. And the fact that I ate it all by myself was even more AMAZING!

We definitely enjoyed the time to ourselves and getting a good nights sleep with out having to worry if we heard the baby crying. Little JT enjoyed his time with out us too, I think. I just wish that when juC and I got home the next day that little JT didn't run straight past me to his daddy. I guess we know who he loves more.

And now juC knows how wooing is done.

Woah!

The day of loooOOOOOoooove is almst upon us. Which means I still have a little time to share some of the things I love about juC.

juC isn't the best at planning romantic dates and such. It's ok. I just plan them and then give him a hard time for not planning them himself. But the thing that I love is that he's a good sport about the things I plan. I mean, he's surely not super excited about going on a house tour of an old mansion at night, but he does it happily anyways.

We've been able to go on a lot of dates lately. The house tour date was particularly romantic. It's like "Woah, this is romantic." Thus becoming "woahmantic". We went to the house tour, then went and ate at Red Hot and Blue, then did some Christmas shopping. See? Can't get more woahmantic than that.

So as this Valentines Day approaches, I encourage all of you to plan something woahmantic for your loved one. (juC)

I've also been thinking a lot about our love story, since my sister LoW posted hers.

So here is a condensed version of ours:

I first eyed juC in 2003, and I didn't know if he was just off a mission or pre-mission. He was driving a grandpa car that I was sure he must be borrowing from his dad to get around. And he looked young, so it was hard to know.

My assumptions were wrong. He'd just graduated college, and it was in fact, his car. I had my eye on him, but I was dating someone else.

Then I got engaged. Then that ended.

I dated around a little bit, until I finally got the opportunity to talk to juC, the guy I'd been eyeing for a while. I'd wanted to talk to him many times, but chickened out. So when I had the chance to do it online (in the year 2005, about 2 years after first eyeing him), I took the (lame) opportunity. Following the online introduction, I saw him at church and spoke to him. Then he finally responded to my online introduction.

We emailed back and forth for a couple weeks. Then we spent some time together at a Halloween dance, where we had our first dance together.

The next night we had our first date. We made cookies then went to a movie.

I invited him one time to go to a place called Great Falls Park, but he couldn't. Then the next week, he invited me to go. It really was woahmantic. We ended up spending the entire day together. First the park, then dinner, then going to a church activity, then watching a movie at his apartment. It was at that point that I knew he must like me. He even held my hand for about 5 mintues during the movie.

A month and a half later we had our first kiss. As little as it was I thought it was sweet that he was so nervous about it.

We broke up 4 months after our first date. And continued to break up and get back together for the next year. We were super mature.

Then in January of 2007 we decided to get married. He proposed in February, and we got married in May.

And now we are currently living happily ever after.

Thus concludes the super condensed woahmantic version of our love story.

heart

As this month of loooOOOOoove continues, I was reminded of how I truly feel about this "holiday" by Cindy.

I remember her exact reference in the comments of my last post. It was 9 years ago that I became very bitter about the day known as Valentines Day. I referred to it as Satan's Day. My opinion of that still hasn't really changed. Any day is set up to be celebrated only by couples has to be of the Devil. I mean, c'mon, there are lots of holidays that make single people sad that they don't have a special someone to share it with. Why did the greeting card people have to come up with a made up holiday to make it even worse?

So although I still think of it as Satan's Day, I can't help but be happy that I now have an eternal Valentine to share it with.

Now...for my craft idea. After I made the Valentine card I posted about last, I first thought "Oh, this would be cute framed!" But late at night, when all the world was sleeping and my head wouldn't stop working, I thought "OH, I should paint a canvas and do it on there!!"

And so I did...

twice.

Ok, maybe it wasn't all that creative, but I still think they're cute.

I love them. And I want to do more.

Now to continue on with the things I love about my eternal Valentine.

Home boy is more patient with me than I could have ever imagined anyone could be patient with someone. I love that he deals with me so kindly. I love that he accepts my craziness with an extreme amount of patience. I'm convinced he was the one and only guy in the world that had enough patience to survive being married to me.

So number 2, he's patient with me beyond what I deserve. For that I am grateful!

el oh vee ee

Today I am in charge of an activity at church with the 8 and 9 year old girls. I do this twice a month and have been doing it for about a year now. It's been a huge struggle for me, but I feel like maybe I'm finally getting into the grove.

While looking up ideas, I stumbled upon homemade Valentine's card. One of which looked something like this

I made this last night, and while I was laying in bed, unable to fall asleep, this idea inspired another idea of a Valentines decoration. Stay tuned to see if I do it, and if it is as cute as it is in my head.

Another idea I found that we'll making today at our activity is this.

It's a sugar scrub that I found here on this blog.

I made a trial one last night and gave it a try this morning. My hands are silky smooth.

And since it is February, the supposed month of loooOOOOooove, I thought I'd spend some time talking about my eternal Valentine. and the things I love about him.

For the past few months, I've loved his beard. I especially loved when we got our Wii and I got to create his Mii and the opportunity it gave me to give his Mii a beard.

A red beard! (Although in this picture part of the beard looks kind of blonde) The resemblance is amazing isn't it?!

The best part about his Mii is that when I'm at home and missing juC, all I have to do is turn on the Wii, and it's like he's right here at home with me, cheering me on when I bowl.

So number 1 on the list of things I love bout juC is his beard...and his Mii.

oy!

Our house is always just one big mess. Little JT tries to keep it cleaned, but I just follow behind him making a mess of what he cleans up.

I'll be honest, it stresses me out that people think I should have baby #2 on the way by now. I

feel like as great as it is to be a mom, I'm barely surviving with the one I've got. How will I ever handle 2? No really, how will I? (And since we are on the topic, who came up with the 18 months to 2 years age difference for kids?!)

Where ya been?

It's been a little while since I've blogged.

I went to get my eyebrows waxed and the lady asked "Just eyebrows or lip too?" It bugs me that this isn't the first time that question has been posed. But she made up for it by telling me I had "skin like a baby."

We got a Wii for New Years. When the craziness that is motherhood gets a little too much to handle, I just take a Wii break. I've found it to be very therapeutic. Doesn't my Wii Mii look like me??

The man of the house is still sporting a beard. It's been about 3 months now, which is a record. He also got a haircut a couple days ago and the barber when a little too short. While we were watching the Biggest Loser I realized who he looks like now.

Bob! If he got tattoos like Bob, they'd be identical twins.

buuuurrrrrr

Should i feel guilty that I'm inside, warm and cozy, blogging, while juC is outside in the freezing cold digging our cars out?

my husband thinks i'm stupid

He's good lookin' ain't he? But with those good looks i'm not sure why he married stupid ol' me.

Yesterday I had an activity at church. I had a little Christmas party for the 8 and 9 year old girls and their mothers. I decided I needed to have some Christmas music for the Christmas party.

I grabbed the portable CD player that juC brought into our marriage and tried a CD and it didn't work. I then grabbed the CD player that I brought into the marriage. Didn't work. Luckily I was able to borrow one from a neighbor.

Since juC's CD player didn't work, it made a perfect toy for little JT. Last night, after juC got home and saw that JT was using the CD player as a toy he asked if it was ok for him to be playing with it. I informed my dear sweet husband that the CD player didn't work anymore. Do you know what he said??

"Did you plug it in?"

we like to dance in our family

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

tis the season to be jolly!

the Christmas season has arrived, and i couldn't be more excited. last saturday juC and i put up the decorations. one of my most favorite things to do is go shopping for Christmas decorations after Christmas when they are super cheap. then i get so excited for the next year when I get to use them.

a few things that i was really excited to put up this year that i got after Christmas last year.....

this dr. suess-ish tree.

this santa belt ornament.and this, possibly my favorite. santa and his clothes hanging out to dry.we also went to some thrift stores last weekend, which is the best place ever to get Christmas decorations. i fell in love with this, for only 50 cents.and i fell in love with these, for only 50 cents per plate.have i mentioned how much i love Chirstmas decorations??