Room Envy

How amazing are those two chairs?!

Nautical

Lovely breakfast nook

Another beautiful nook I'd like to escape to. Would be even more awesome with a few floating shelves for books.

From Keri Russell's home. Love the modern meets rustic feel.

Lovely built-ins

Russell Brand and Katy Perry's home. Such a great common area

Perfection. Can I have those stairs too, please?

So cozy and beautiful while remaining totally functional

All images via my Pinterest here

Beautiful on the Outside

I love looking at pretty home exteriors

Beautiful door colors

Side porches=love

Love the shingle siding and big front porch

Craftsman style is my favorite

Cute and country

So pretty for a beach or lake house

All images via my Pinterest here

I'm Gonna Get Pinched...

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I'm going to have to scramble to find something green to wear today. Don't want to get pinched!

St. Patrick's Day is my favorite of the lesser known holidays and has been for many, many years. No, I've never drank green beer. And I went to college in Columbia, SC which has a St. Patrick's Day party to rival Savannah, GA, but I never managed to attend in 4 years. Yes, I'm lame. No, I love St. Patrick's Day for another reason.

John Mayer. Take a listen if you've never heard this one before...




*Swoon* I love John Mayer.

Happy St. Patrick's Day from this half Irish girl!

Window Wonderings

There's a little nook in our living room.  On one side of the nook is the side of the fireplace and on the other side is a narrow window (pardon the lack of photos, camera is dead, charger is missing). It would be pretty simple to build a little window seat there, and with a hinged top it could even provide storage space for extra blankets and pillows.

This image was my inspiration:

via

I'm totally in a soft grey/blue phase right now. And this photo is speaking volumes to me. It's making me want to build my own little window seat right now to relax in and enjoy.

Favorite DIY finds of the Week

So I've been homebound this week after having an outpatient surgery, and what better to do than catch up on all of my favorite blogs and find tons of new ideas. I have a few goals for my home that I would like to complete this year and there is never a shortage of inspiration to be found on the net. After lots of time spent reading, I've compiled a few of my favorites. I swear, if I can be half as talented and original as some of these DIY bloggers, I will be one happy lady!

(Click on the photo to get the original post!)

Kristi at Addicted 2 Decorating made this beautiful sunburst mirror. Can you tell what it's made from? Wood shims from a home improvement store! Beautiful and genius!

Michelle at Prudently Painted Vintage gave her own version of  board and batten. If there is one DIY project I never tire of seeing, its Board and Batten. I plan to use it in my dining room and can't get enough of all of the different ways people make it work beautifully in their homes.

Kimba was inspired by some other great spring wreaths she saw, and made her own version of a spring wreath using fabric flowers. So cute and chic.

 

Cindy did a fabulous side table makeover from a Goodwill find for only $20! Inexpensive projects that pack a lot of creative punch are the best!


Did you have any favorite projects this week? Or maybe you made something fun? Do share :)

What I'm Loving Wednesday!

I'm loving/loved seeing Black Swan!

Saw it last night and it was so intense. If you are into psychological thrillers I would definitely recommend it.

I'm loving that we are getting our house appraised this week so we  can move forward with our refinance. We chose a 15 year loan so we can knock some major principle off, which will help us down the road when we choose to sell.

I'm loving Netflix!

Hubs and I have been watching Netflix through our Wii and we have been having fun spending time together and watching hub's favorite (and my new favorite) show, 24. We are on season 3 so far!

What are you loving this week?

What's your sign?

Saw a few different funny/cool/exciting things in the news recently.

Verizon is getting the iPhone 4! I'm mostly just happy for Verizon, because I'm a loyal Verizon customer and I thought Apple was pretty lame for only using AT&T, but I might be too chicken to try the iPhone. I LOVE my CrackBlackberry. Anyone else made the switch to an iPhone from a different type of smart phone? I wouldn't want to pay full price for the iPhone (my contract isn't up for awhile) and then turns out I don't like it.

 

Apparently, all the zodiac signs have changed because of the tilt of the earth and I'm no longer a Virgo, but now a Leo. I feel a little betrayed for some reason. I've always been a Virgo and now they (whoever "they" are) go and change the whole sign chart.  Go here to check out if your sign has changed as well. Let me say, I've never believed for a second in astrology, but I thought it was kinda crazy how they can just up and change it.

The beautiful (and future princess) Kate Middleton attended a wedding this past weekend and now people are calling it a scandal because of, get this, what she wore to the wedding. There was the whole conversation about whether or not it was ok she wore black to a wedding, whether she was even wearing a bra, and, *gasp*, a plunging neckline! I think she looked gorgeous, as always.

Got to love crazy new stories.

Top Two Tuesday: Strange Addictions

1. I am ADDICTED to the Gems game on my Blackberry!

The only problem is that hubs is addicted too! We take turns playing levels and we are both pretty good at it. If one of us is every bored, you will find us playing this game.

2. Multi-tasking the computer and television

I'm doing this right now! My attention span has become so short that sometimes I will get antsy if I'm watching TV without being on my laptop at the same time.  Its so bad. I play on the computer (mostly blog reading) and listen to the TV. I can watch a whole episode of a show without even looking at it too much. This is just proof that our society is too "wired." We depend on technology so much that we can't focus on one thing, which is, I believe, the cause of my strange addiction.

Share your strange addictions over at Taylor's blog!

1-1-11

We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.  We are going to put words on them ourselves.  The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.  ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Wishing you the happiest of New Years from the Oakes family

Goodbye 2010: A Year in Review

Wow, can you believe this year is over already?

Its been a good year for the Oakes family this year. After all, we started our family in April of this year.

We welcomed a new member to the family in June:

Started looking for a new home in July, only to decide to stay in our current home. Yes we are full of drama around here.

In October we did a major decluttering of our home in our (then) effort to sell our house. We might have decided to call the whole thing off, but let me tell you, decluttering is something you will never regret.

And then before we knew it Christmas was here! Our first married Christmas, and let me tell you, hubs blew it out of the park in the present department:

Sorry bad quality. Its actually my right hand I wear it on, my Mac flipped it backwards when I took the pic

He knew I loved the Princess Diana/Kate ring and I'm in love with this princess inspired ring.

And so tonight we will watch our Gamecocks play in the Chick-Fil-A bowl and then ring in 2011 with the family. Can't wait!

What was the best part about your 2010??

See you next year!

Quote of the Day

Last night, among my other usual internet surfing, I ended up doing a little New Year's Resolutions research. My "research" consisted of going to good-ole-google and typing in "how to find something you're passionate about." Yes, I'm clearly having a little trouble dealing with my resolutions this year.

But I found this great quote:

"Find something you're passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it" -Julia Child

So I've determined that finding a passion can be as easy (or not) as choosing a topic, activity, whatever, and becoming interested in it. Learn all you can about it, become a self professed amateur-professional.

Sounds easy, right? I'm telling myself that anyway.

What are you passionate about? How did you become so?

Top Two Tuesday: New Year's Resolutions

These resolutions have been something I've been giving a lot of thought to. Its the same every year for me (and I'm sure I'm not alone); you have these great ideas and plans that sound so wonderful but are just downright hard to pull off and stick to. This year I'm hoping to complete a few goals that are on a bigger scale and more of a "whole year" goal, rather than a "right now" goal.


1. Find something I'm passionate about

For years I've always struggled with never really having a hobby. There are things I like to do of course, but I've always put more of my time and energy into my friends, school, work, whatever; and less time on something that I enjoy just for me. I'm thinking it maybe could be photography (I've been eying all of the DSLR cameras out there) or who knows what else. I've always been so jealous of my husband -his "thing" is fishing. He goes to the lake whenever he can and he will tell you he isn't the best at it but it just makes him happy. Its my goal to try some new things this year and find something that I can do every once and awhile that will bring me joy.

2. Making a point of remembering birthdays

This past year was a doozie in this department for me. I've got 8 new nieces and nephews, and countless new in-laws whose birthdays passed without me having any clue. Its not such a big deal for the adults, but I would really like to remember to send a card or small gift anytime one of the kids has a birthday.

What are your resolutions this year? Go on over to Taylor's blog to share your top two!

Unto Us a Child is Born...

Well, our first Christmas as husband and wife is down in the books, and it was extra special this year getting to spend the whole day with my husband and both of our families. And to top off our special day, the southeast was hit with a "snow storm." I say "snow storm" because of course the maybe inch of snow we got doesn't begin to compare to other areas of the country that will be hit with snow in the next few days, but being from the south, it was definitely a storm for us. I think I heard that it has been 50 years since our area has had a white Christmas.

Call me a scrooge, but I would be just fine if it hadn't snowed. I don't exactly like being cooped up inside the house because no one in SC knows how to drive in snow and ice, and I wasn't about to be another bad driver out on the roads. But the snowfall is slowly stopping and its already melting off of the ground, so I hope we will be snow/ice free in a day or so.

Its that time of year again, thinking of New Year's resolutions I might actually be able to stick to. Doesn't like 4 out of 5 resolutions fail by February (I may or may not have just made that statistic up)? I'm trying to think of things that are actually do-able.

Anyone else have trouble sticking with New Year's resolutions? Do you even bother trying them in the first place?

Thursday Five

So its been a looong,  long time since I've blogged. Life has taken over the past few weeks, and we have been keeping busy. Who isn't busy this time of year anyway?

But anyway, onto Thursday Five! Its something I'm doing for the first time.







1. I'm excited for my Christmas present from hubs to finally be here. It won't be here until after Christmas, but it will totally be worth the wait!

2. I am joyful about this time of year. I wasn't so into the Christmas spirit for a few reasons, but I think I've finally come around.

3. I am thankful for my gracious and loving husband who never gives up on me, no matter how crazy I can be!

4. I am happy to see my wonderful step-sons next week and have them stay for Christmas.

5. I'm pumped that it is almost the weekend!

Top Two Tuesday: Cleaning Tips

Hmmm.... I'm nowhere near qualified to be telling anyone else how to clean (not being so great at it myself) but I have picked up a few tidbits of info, especially after living on my own for the first time in college.


1. Baking Soda

Not Hub's Tub. Just an example. The style of the tub looks the exact same though, must have been the norm for houses built around the 40's.

Its non-toxic and scrubs like a dream. When I first started dating hubs, I came to his house and immediately noticed his bathtub made me want to gag was gross. So naturally I got down on my knees and began scrubbing. Bleach, Kaboom, some "As Seen on TV" product...

Nothing. Would. Clean. This. Tub.

But then (cue angel chorus)..... I discovered baking soda. I got the tub wet, sprinkled it on, let it soak a little while, and then with a scrub brush, the tub came clean! I've since learned that baking soda is great for all kinds of things. My great-grandparents even brushed their teeth with it. Who knew!

2. Microwave De-Gunker

Mom showed me this trick. In a microwave safe container, mix water with a teaspoon of cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves (or your favorite spice), and heat for 2-3 minutes or until water boils. It will help loosen all the gunky stuff that always gets all up in your microwave, and as a bonus, it makes your kitchen smell fab!


Go on over to Taylor's to see all the great cleaning tips!

Potter and the Ring

Its been an exciting week!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1 debuted in theaters. I dragged hubs with me to see it, and now he says he wants to see all of them (success!).

 

Overall, I was very happy with the movie. Splitting it up into two parts has enabled the film makers to stick more closely to plot lines from the books. But there were still a few key things missing. The story of Dumbledore's past was really absent. Nothing about his family, sister, brother, etc. nor his relationship with Grindewald. I love the way the story of the three brothers and the deathly hallows was illustrated on screen as Hermione read it aloud. The saddest moment of all the films had to be when Dobby died. (I think hubs was pretty close to tears at this point haha- just kidding babe!)

All in all a great movie though!

Now on to the best part of the week.....

I literally shrieked like a little girl, jumped out of my seat and sat crossed legged in front of the TV when the story of their engagement came on the news. Yes, my husband finally knew for sure at that moment that I was crazy. But I just can't help being so excited about this. Its every little girl's dream to marry a prince and William and Kate's love story is somewhat of a fairy tale. 

And the RING! Omg the RING! 

An 18 carat sapphire sourrounded by 14 diamonds. Of course you probably know that it was William's mother Diana's engagement ring. Given Diana and Charles' unhappy marriage and divorce, I was kind of surprised that William gave Kate his mother's ring. But it was so sweet that William said this was his way of making sure his mom didn't miss out on the excitement. A GORGEOUS ring, wouldn't you agree?

Top Two Tuesday: Favorite Jobs

 

Over at Taylor's blog this week is top two favorite jobs you've ever had. The problem for me is that I've worked for the same company since I started working at age 14. So I guess I will choose my two by telling about my two favorite positions I've been given at work.

Well, my husband and I work for Sonic Drive-In. That's where we met about 8 years ago and hubs is now a successful partner in his store here in our hometown. So I will go on to describe my two favorite things I've done for Sonic and try as hard as possible to make this not sound like my resume :)

1. Assistant Manager

I was promoted to assistant manager when I was 16, the youngest manager I've ever heard of at that time and since then. I was a carhop before then. Basically I ran shifts, counted money, and sent upset customers home happy. Anyone who has worked in the food industry can attest to the fact that to work in any kind of restaurant is a different world from retail or any other environment and no two days are the same. Its crazy, stressful, but mostly fun and I can honestly say I have loved almost every minute of my time with Sonic.

2. Local Store Marketing

I've been promoted very recently to the area of marketing for my husband's store. I will go door to door to businesses, talk to people about Sonic, and foster relationships with schools' academic and athletic programs. Its very exciting because I get to take all the things I know and use them to build relationships with the community to help grow their programs while growing our family business.

Go to Taylor's blog to take part in the fun!

All Quiet on the Blogging Front...

Been awhile since I've been on here. We've been busy for sure. Quarterly meeting on Thursday. Then we left for Florida on Friday for the Carolina vs Florida game. We had a great time. Met some awesome people. Its very unusual to be welcomed with open arms by fans of the opposing team. We pulled up to our tailgating spot and immediately people from nearby spots were coming over to introduce themselves, offer us food or drinks, and just chat. Well, if you watched the game, you know that USC dominated, but all the Florida fans we crossed paths with after the game were congratulating us on our win.

And now Thanksgiving in drawing nearer, I'm trying to decide if we will have our own thing at home or go to my mom's house. And I'm starting to get stressed about Christmas shopping. So many things coming and so much to do.

And to top the weekend off, we were given some bad news while in Florida. One of hubs high school friends passed away on Saturday. It was very sudden and unexpected. He was buried today and it has been a hard day to say the least. Hard to say goodbye and just hard to understand why this happened. Please keep his family and friends in your prayers.

Rest in peace, Matt.

For Maddie

All week, I've had this little girl on my mind.

Her name is Madeline. This week would have been her 3rd birthday. Sadly, she was only able to celebrate her first. She passed away as a result of complications from being born prematurely. Her mother, Heather, writes the blog The Spohrs are Multiplying. It was one of the first blogs I began to read daily when I first "joined" the blog world. She is one of the funniest and wittiest bloggers and the videos she makes of her youngest daughter Annabel make me smile and laugh every week. She is a woman of many talents and much strength. It is needless to say that I don't know how I would cope with such a loss as the one Heather has endured. I have both laughed and cried reading her heartfelt blog.

Her foundation, Friends of Maddie, is a support for families of premature babies. Heather has made a DVD compilation of the videos she has made and 100% of the proceeds will go to Friends of Maddie. Check out her post on it here. Its a wonderful way to honor Maddie's third birthday and it would be a great Christmas gift for kids, these videos are HILARIOUS! :) 

Please check out Heather's blog, and if possible, donate to Friends of Maddie or to your local March of Dimes. And whether or not you are able to do this, join me in saying a little prayer for Heather and her family, and for all the premature babies and their families around the world.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 29

Day 29: Three wishes

Right now these are the things that are on my mind. They are more like dreams and hopes rather than wishes, but here they are:

1. I wish we were debt free.

2. I wish we could be living in our dream house right now.

3. I wish I could find a great job that pays well and will help #'s 1 & 2 come true more quickly.