EvY at HomE

For the labor day holiday and unofficial last weekend of summer I am heading to Sacramento to meet up with my first spouse and best friend of 13 years:  We been through a lot together me and the ole roomie. She's aged way better than I have. We're going to her family's cabin to eat smores, play monopoly, and drink wine.  Just me and her.

Here's what I've done and here's what's left: Hmm I think I can check off the golfing and the picnic in the park with friends (Back to the Future screening at Hollywood Forever Cemetery with boxed wine and picnic counts right). And we probably walked to at least three movies so I think I can check that off too. I made smoothies but not "lots". Judges?

I think we've all been living a lie. A lie in which we actually thought that once I bought a house within months it would become this whole new place with before and after makeovers to blow away and inspire. Well... not so much.  Basically we're moved in and settled. There's no moving boxes impeding our path but we haven't done much to the place besides hanging up some curtains and painting two rooms and a closet. When people come over they think the place looks great and we look settled and it's all true. What you don't know is that I'm not planning on changing anything for awhile. Maybe for another year. Maybe even two. It isn't like when you rent an apartment this whole home ownership thing. There's way more freedom now but there's also a lot more paralyzing decision making because of that freedom. I mean we are limit less in terms of things we can do to the place which means that every decision becomes that much more crucial. It...

Here's the current paint color plan for the house. Only two rooms have been painted the color they're supposed to be. Painting rooms, sheesh what work. I really want to do the laundry room next.  And here's the current layout of where things are furniture wise and where we want things to be. I know this house hasn't gotten the lovin' it deserves but guess what? I don't feel bad about it. It's liveable and cute enough for people who come visit to say, "aww it's so cute." Also: WE OWN A HOUSE! I'm still pumped about that.

Mostly just the color combos are fun.

I take my color matching to unhealthy levels. I didn't really mean to start doing it with my workout gear but I guess I just gravitate to certain color combos and somehow I ended up with this: I was trying to keep it simple but as time passes things had to get added to the "gear" for practicality: 1) The armband. I don't have pockets and I don't want to run holding a phone so armband it is. I've always had armbands for runs and this is the THIRD ONE thanks to Apple continually changing their products. What am I gonna do? NOT buy the latest iPhone? Yeah right. 2) Wristband. Sweat in your eye is annoying and I can't keep wiping my face in my shirt so a wristband is really helpful actually. 3) A digital watch. I have to keep an eye on the time in the mornings because I have to go back home at certain times to make it to work on time and I couldn't keep looking at my arm and phone so I got a cheap watch from Target. I know it like times my runs and ...

The new Ikea catalog came in the mail. In lazy attempts at trying to remember things I've gone ahead and snapped some photos of items that I deem worthy of purchase by yourself or someone you love. First of all a green velvety couch . Secondly, this here cart . Equally wild about this here wall shelf . This very versatile cabinet that could fit in many places in your home. It's also available in the most beautiful  green color. Cute little dollhouse furniture for your nieces. This whole thing makes me drool for the shed. Clear plastic bins gaaahhhh. Ikea has their own version of the Container Store's closet system and it is way cheaper than the Container Store so I'm currently debating using it for the eventual closet remodel. It's called the Algot system . The table and those yellow glass cabinets . HURT ME! I was just really into this kitchen. Especially the small but efficient island. God I love me some carts. This one is ...

August 18, 2000 was the day I moved into Biola which was 13 years ago. It was in my calendar, circled, I couldn't wait to move out of my mom's house. Shopping for the dorm supplies was the most exciting time of my life perhaps. I can't believe my life used to involve sharing a shower with a bunch of other girls and taking my bath products to the bathroom in a little blue plastic basket and having to walk down a hall in a towel. Those were the days! Target has single handedly got to have America's college kids taken care of and walking around the aisles fills me with such happy memories. Except that these are the kind of things I would have wanted to have available 13 years ago and they didn't exist! Lucky modern kids... If I had my way I would have so much of my house in hot pink. Or at least the guest bathroom  in dark grey and pink. That boy I live with is lucky I curb my pink things to my office. Things could get a little nuts if I didn't. I can...

"I think I've mentioned this before but I think we should have some of those lightbulbs (points to cool bulbs at Hook Burger) in the house somewhere" "You know what we should have in the house? A painting of a sailing ship in the ocean." These are the things that remind me why I married him.

Well after much debating I went ahead and bought it. The Lemonshine Ombre Console  is going to be headed to Burbank to live in my office. The plan is laid out here. It would replace the standing TV cabinet and all of its contents would go inside of the new console, three floating shelves would go above it on the wall (they're already in the closet, just waiting, biding their time). Plus, I want all of the contents of the glass-front bookcase to fit inside that console as well and then get rid of the bookcase which while it pains me greatly to lose it since it's so nice and helpful, there would be no point in having it since the DVDs and books would go on those floating shelves above the cabinet. I want so badly to find another place in the house for it but guess what, my house is too dang small and we are maxed out on furniture in every room. Maybe I can give it to Ben to hold. He has an empty house with nothing in it that he can hold onto until I can reclaim it for th...

See isn't this fun? Rotation of pictures and such and such. I was concerned the white ledges and the black frames would look odd together but nope, works well. Eventual paint color for the kitchen? Hard to say with walls coming down and such. Tricky indeed.

The scale gave in and told me what I wanted to hear. Minus 5. Which means 10 more to go to be at the weight I was when I donated blood in college and was underweight and passed out. Also, the peach tree is turning red! Maybe they will be edible! I'm not saying I want to be underweight but it would be nice to say I am the weight I was 13 years ago. THIRTEEN YEARS since I was a college freshman. What?! - mobile blog post. spelling irrelevant.

There's been a lot of ideas about the backyard of our house but my absolutely favorite idea for the backyard is the idea that it would become a place for outdoor movie watching as best exemplified by this incredible home featured in Sunset Magazine .  Now while this beautiful space is in the front/side yard of their house, ours obviously would be for the back of the house. I'm particularly inspired by this fencing because it's ultra modern and recently I've decided to just go balls out modern with this little house of ours because there's no history to preserve and I think a modern looking house might make it more appealing for young buyers in the future. When discussing the back brick fence into the alley my father in-law and I thought that a good way to hide it would be just building a fence in front of it and this is just the ticket.  It also features a huge sectional and a fire pit that has been on the major wish list for the backyard since always. I ha...