Using the New Chalkboard

Here is a shot of our chalkboard in action!

Now, let me explain:

• I took this picture at 4:30 a.m. - feel me?
• 'The Wilsons - Est. 2010' - we are the Wilsons and we were married (established) in 2010. der.
• I have no idea what the drawing is - it looks like legs or golf clubs...no doubt intended to be something unsavory. Artist: Mike Kirn
• 'Happy Birthday Linds!' - another toughie...it was our friend Lindsay's birthday and that was our special message to her.
• 'Lean Cuisine Fett. Alfredo' - that is what we were eating at 4:30 a.m. SOMEONE hadn't been to the grocery in a while...ESPECIALLY if we were eating Lean Cuisines!
• 'Adopt a Bulldog' - Shane and I went to PetSmart on Saturday to get dog food for Beau and Brother and they were doing adoptions outside the store. They had a six month old English Bulldog for adoption and he was adorable! Shane seriously thought, for at least 3.6 seconds, that we were going to adopt him...but then I reminded him that we already had two dogs, live in a shoebox and can barely take care of the four of us. We don't need another mouth to feed up in 'her. So, he sent a picture along to our friend, Jason, in hopes that he would adopt it and could just bring it over every once in a while. Thus...this was on the to do list.
• 'Dirty Girl' - Rob Dyrdek's (aka Bobby Light) song. Hilarious. It was playing...at 4:30 a.m.
• 'Leg Day 2-19' - Shane and I went to the gym on Saturday and did legs. We were pretty sore on Saturday, which is why I jotted it down, but seriously COULD NOT WALK on Sunday and Saturday. So painful.
• The last drawing is also another Mike Kirn original...it's a leg - and a very unproportional one at that. I drew on the shoe and laces. Your welcome.

But we know the chalkboard paint works now! And we love it!

February Goal Accomplished

Although it was a bit depressing, we have finished and sent in our income taxes. Here are the highlights:

• Being married is not beneficial - from a tax perspective. Uncle Sam apparently hates marriage.
• I have always used Turbo Tax to do my taxes and get so excited when I see my green numbers flitter (upward, preferably). That did not happen this time. I only saw one upward flitter.
• We had to start repaying our '$7500 Homebuyer Tax Credit' that Obama 'gave' us when we purchased our house in 2008. Oh wait! It wasn't a tax credit and it wasn't given to me! What they meant to say was 'Enjoy this interest free loan for the next two years. And thank you for paying it back for the next 15 years.' Seriously? I'm not going to get political here but Obama is stoopy. I miss you George W.
• And, lastly, I wish I was still at an age where $1800 meant that I WAS FREAKING RICH.

That's all.

Have a great weekend!

The New Kitchen Chalkboard

As I mentioned yesterday, we decided to try our hand at chalkboard paint...and I was very impressed with the brand we used - Rustoleum Chalk Board Paint!

Here is the before:

 And here is the after (that looks like I just painted with black paint):

So, I give this product a 5/5. It was super easy to roll/brush on, it didn't really smell that bad (although it was different than a 'paint' smell) and it covered my white cabinet after only two coats. I would highly recommend taping your surface before you get started...and I normally NEVER recommend taping.

However, I can't write on this for three days while the chemicals and blah blah blah settle and it forms a real chalkboard. But I'm looking forward to jotting all kinds of little notes here...such as "Shane - remember to win the lottery." or "The Wilsons Rule." or something in Italian, because that just seems like something you would write on chalkboard stuff.

I'll post a pic of some of our musings after Saturday!

Trying Our Hand...

At using this...

Stay tuned...

Happy Valentine’s Day!

I am one of the few (or at least that’s how I feel) that enjoys Valentine’s Day. I like getting flowers (although I don’t get them NEARLY enough :)), getting dressed up, braving the crowds and going to dinner, ordering off the ‘limited menu’ and sitting elbow to elbow with the couple next to you. There, I said it.

However, I also realize that the holiday (made up or not) is also about recognizing the one you love. And I’m going to do so, here and now, and give you the top five reasons that my husband is my ultimate Valentine:

1. Because you enjoy spending time with me (and trust me, not a lot of people can say that same thing) even if we are just laying on the couch having ‘snuggle day,’ cleaning the house, shopping, or whatever…we always make it fun. 
2. Oh, and I love that you love to shop with me – clothes, shoes, house stuff, beads – you are there, you’re engaged and you don’t complain. (Unless it is a Saturday during football season.) 
3. Because you make me laugh. Even when I’m pissed at you for not washing out your bowl or putting away the PlayStation because ‘you have to finish the season’ – you still find a way to talk me off the ledge and make me smile. 
4. Because I see how much you love our boys, Beau and Brother, and can only imagine the love you will have for our children. 
5. Because we don’t give up. We have been through some doozies together and we always know that, no matter what, we’ll get through it together and be stronger because of it. And we never doubt this.

There are, of course, many more, too many to list, but I’ll stop here. I love you, Shane! You are my special Valentine!

Hope everyone else has a great Valentine’s Day!

A February Goal in Progress

I'm working on picking out my six favorite wedding photos and am having a REALLY hard time! I want to print them all...in a flip book...and remember the day (just as it occurred, minus my meltdown about my hair) over and over and over again!

Here are the front runners:

Favorites? Thoughts? So many good ones to choose from!

Planning a Wedding Shower

Shane and I, along with two other couple friends, are in the midst of planning a wedding shower for our friends, Mike and Mandy...I'm not sharing any details but I ran across this funny and just wanted to share:

Plus, I have nothing else to talk about today. :)

Fire Makes Me Panic

Last night, the dogs were outside going to the bathroom and I was standing on the deck. I look over at our neighbors house (who have a long transom window directly in eyeshot) and I see a red flicker. Then I hear a house alarm.

Below are the sequence of events that occurred after I thought my neighbor’s house was on fire:

• I immediately did a double take of the flicker and was certain that it was fire. 
• Did a triple take and was 200% sure that it was moving up their living room wall. 
• I kept my eye on the fire while trying to get back into my house…still looking at the fire…knocked on the brick – that was wrong…still looking at the fire…tried to turn the deadbolt – incorrect…finally grabbed the lever and pulled it. (By this time, Shane is standing at the door wondering what the hell is going on.) 
• Stacy: “Shane! Call the cops! The neighbor’s house is on fire! Come look!”
• Shane: “What?!?!”
• I run back outside. I employ the same door opening techniques to the gate on my deck…fail. I jump over the gate and then realize that I have stairs on the other side…so I grab the railing on the way down, swivel and almost break my wrist.
• Shane comes back outside, “Are you sure that it’s fire, before I call?”
• Now that I’m ground level (mind you – wearing PJ’s and socks and having just ninja’d my way off of my deck) I can see the fire clearly. 
• Oh wait, that’s not fire. What is it? A freaking red, mylar Valentine’s Day heart hanging from the ceiling. 
• My response to Shane: “S**t…no, it’s just Valentine’s Day decorations. Damn it – I really thought that place was on fire!” Commence full body shakes from adrenaline.
• Stacy: “Well, 'Operates well under pressure'…F.”
• Shane: “Yeah, you kind of freaked out there for a minute…”

Moral of the story: Always look twice. Or in my case – five times.

Super Secret Project Revealed

So, it wasn’t really a project, but on Friday I mentioned that we were having someone over to our house for a potential project. It didn’t really pan out the way we thought it was so I guess I can share it…and I’m sure you are all just waiting on pins and needles to know what it is….calm down…I know, I know – it just ruined your weekend…so here it is:

We had a realtor over to take a look at our house and provide some guidance on how much we could list it for.

And bottom line is that, it’s true folks, the market sucks right now. I know that we were all doubting it and didn’t really believe the 47 magazines and newspapers that have been saying this for months…but it is 100% true.

In order to sell our house right now, we would have to take AT LEAST a $15,000 loss. That sucks. Needless to say, we are staying put right where we are!

We truly do love our house but with all the short sales and foreclosures on the market, we figured we would see what was out there and what we could do…answer: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

Which this is a good thing, I really didn’t want to have to change my address, or pack and move, or change the image in my blog header, or lose AT&T U-verse…so many negatives.

It's Friday. I'm Happy.

Why?

1. Because it's Friday and it's almost quitting time. Edited to add: And I'm hanging out with Shane tonight...it is SOOOO on. :)
2. I'm hanging with some girlfriends tomorrow…it is SO on.
3. We are having someone come to our house tomorrow regarding a super secret POTENTIAL project. Any guesses?
4. Because I found this picture on my camera the other day and it made me laugh out loud.

Meet my dad's American Bulldog/Boxer mix, Izzy...this picture reminds me of 'Dogs Playing Poker'...ha ha!
Have a great weekend!

2011 Goals/New Years Resolutions

It’s February, I realize that. But now that we have our bearings in 2011, I feel comfortable establishing some goals. As I used to do, for the four people who read my blog, I’m going to assess them quarterly so they seem a little more attainable.

January:

• Missed it…shucks.

February:

• Complete and submit income taxes
• Write and mail all wedding thank you notes
• Select and print 6 of our favorite wedding pictures
• Work out at least 4 days each week
• Read two books

March:

• Buy/make curtains for dining/living room
• Work out at least 4 days each week
• Read two books
• Help throw a fun and successful wedding shower for our friends, Mike and Mandy

I’m not shooting for the moon by any stretch of the imagination so I’m hoping that I can TCB here.

B&B Beds

We recently ordered Beau and Brother new dog beds from Drs. Foster and Smith. I can't tell you how much time and money have been spent on the cheap little PetSmart beds that A) get gross and lumpy B) develop a very curious odor that won't ever go away C) are ugly prints...so we decided to invest a little more money and get something good.

 See how thick it is? Like a little puppy mattress...

And I had to add the monogramming...it says 'Beau and Brother' but I couldn't get Brother to move his left arm long enough.

We have another one coming for the bedroom that is 50"x35" so they can really stretch out at night.

They are so spoiled.