I forgot to add pictures of our house covered in snow. I love how everything looks so clean and pretty.
Oh, and here’s a quick video of Brian taking the plunge. We had such a great day. Wish all you friends and family could have been here to enjoy it with us!
It all began at about 7pm, January 29th. Kristin, Brian’s sister, came over for some dinner and brought Sully (her Labradoodle) with her. As you can see he thoroughly enjoyed the snow! The snow was just starting to accumulate on the grass. She didn’t get to stick around long because we didn’t want her getting stuck on the roads!
After sleeping in until 8:30 Brian and I got up and made a yummy breakfast of waffles, scrambled eggs, turkey bacon and orange juice. Then we checked out the accumulation. Below are a couple shots of some plants and our front yard.
After spending time in the Word for a bit we decided to hit the slopes!
One of the many things I love about our home is how near to Bond Lake Park it is. We are within walking distance of some pretty incredible sledding hills and boy did we take advantage of that today! (click pictures to enlarge if you’d like!)
We really enjoyed all the folks that ventured out to sled at Bond Park. We were even joined by Sion and Dave. They were good sports :) Sorry my action shots were not right on target. These pictures are actually taken by the dam. Way fewer people and actually a faster, longer ride. So fun!
After sledding for about 3 1/2 hours Brian and I decided to head home. Sion had to work and Dave was meeting up with some friends to do some snowboarding. We had a lovely walk through the woods and Brian got some fun shots.
This is the Bond Lake Dock & Boat House
It is hard to see, but in the picture below Brian wrote me a sweet message. I didn’t even see it until I was thumbing through the pictures on the camera. I love that guy!
One more shot of the fun-filled park!
I just loved all the bright colors and crazy winter outfits!
What did YOU do on this North Carolina snow-filled day??
Ok, ok, so here's more like what we're going to get. Maybe 12" was a bit much?! :)
Are YOU ready?!Brian and I are one step closer to having a finished formal living room! Over the last week or so Brian found several jewels on Craigslist. We were searching high (Knoxville, TN) and low (Atlanta, GA) and every where in between for the perfect chair to create our reading nook in the living room.
Well, my heart was set on a distressed leather chair. Only problem, it was in Charlotte. Thankfully, some friends of ours were headed to Charlotte for a baby shower (yay!) and agreed to pick up the chair for us (thanks dave & kara!)
I was so excited when Dave brought it over. Check it out!! It fits perfectly in its new home and its in near perfect condition. Thanks to Brian for his search efforts and finding a great addition to our living room.
The new chair! 
Comfy reading nook! 
Brian enjoying his new chair :-)
Next up, the downstairs hall bathroom! Here’s a sneak peak. You might understand why they had a pink vanity in there after all! Yes, we were just as horrified when Brian found this little snippet!
More updates coming soon!
I had a rough afternoon today. I got really upset and angry over really, nothing. I was short with my husband, short with my bosses, and just in an overall crabby mood. It wasn't fun. I didn't want to be upset because I knew I was being upset over something seriously petty. I've been reading this blog for a while and something the author said in one of her posts really encouraged and reminded me. God intended me for joy. When I'm having a "crusty day" (as she puts it), God did not intend it...I'm just quoting her now, so just read her excerpt below!
"So, I want to encourage you...if you are having a crusty day, just know God did not intend for it, but the thief who hates your guts! He likes it when we're crusty and gets a kick out of it when we're impatient with our kids/spouses/friends/strangers because our agendas aren't being met. Tell him to BACK OFF and then, READ THE BIBLE OUT LOUD!... I call it, "Story Time for satan." Let me tell you, he stops bugging you immediately because he HATES God's Word with a passion, but not only that, he HATES it most when you not only read it but you BELIEVE it! Read on... "
Love it. I think I'll go read God's Word out loud now! Be encouraged dear friends!
Ok, weird post title I know...sorry.
But seriously. Brian introduced me to this song yesterday and it was really good and thought-provoking.
What do you fantasize about? What do you long for? What do you dream about? In the end, is what you long for, dream about, fantasize over going to be something that lasts or really have meaning?
Take a listen and enjoy. Comment if you'd like.
(This is not an endorsement of the video...just listen to the words, you don't even have to watch the video...i didn't watch the whole thing, just listened.)
2 Timothy 4:8--Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Matthew 6:33--But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
The house projects continue. When we moved into our house we knew that we'd eventually have to replace the carpet...as in, that would be one of the first things we would want to do, after painting and popcorn-ceiling removal. We're getting closer to completing that project; in the meantime we completed another major project, Hardwood Floors.
I actually thought hardwoods would be something that we'd maybe get installed later down the road, as in several years from now. Just thinking of the time and effort that would go into installation, not to mention the cost, was overwhelming. Brian contemplated installing them himself. Honestly, I was a bit nervous for him to tackle flooring our entire downstairs by himself (with the help of any friends that might be gung-ho like him). I imagined months of no furniture and hours of frustration.
As Brian researched and looked at samples, interviewed installers and priced out different types of flooring I think he realized what a monumental task something like installing floors by yourself would be. He also recognized the value of having a professional install the floors; because it was such a large investment we wanted them done correctly. Also, after some advise from a godly friend, he also determined that going with a professional would probably be better for our marriage!
We also waffled back and forth on whether to do just the downstairs or continue the flooring up the stairs and through the hallway. In the end, Brian convinced me that it would look better and would make everything flow nicely to do the stairs and upstairs hallway. So, we bit the bullet and went for it. I'm so glad he has a better eye for style and design than I! I really enjoy the finished product.
I know you're just itching to see the photos, so here ya go.
Oh, and look at that. I accomplished my goal of updating the blog this week!
