Guest Bedroom.....

Alas... the guest bedroom. Now that Matt and I are getting closer & closer to closing on the new house, the wheels in my head have been spinning for possible design opps around every corner. I LOVE this new bedding/quilt from Pottery Barn. Since I already have an awesome white-washed rod-iron bed from my childhood (thanks Mom!!) I just fell in love with this whole design, including the blue walls. It may take awhile to convince Matt but I will do my best.

A Day in the Park

Praise the Lord for the sun!

Inspections and Leather Heads

Since Matt and I have invested in Netflix it is extremely rare for us to actually go out and see a movie. But last night we forced ourselves out of our comfy-pants and went to the slapstick romantic comedy "Leatherheads." If you know me, I am always up for the "not-so-serious, break from reality" sort of movie. However, even Matt, the more serious one, really enjoyed it. A stellar performance from our fave Office star John Krasinski and George Clooney was positively charming. Renee Zellweger, who played Lexi Littleton a Chicago Tribune journalist (apparently haling from Champaign, Illinois), also played the role perfectly. If you're a movie goer... I totally recommend it!

On another note, Matt and I got to go through the house once again to do our final punch list of things that need to be done before we close in May. I did take some of my own pictures this time. So for everyone who is curious... Part of the front... our poor grass... Part of the Kitchen, minus some appliances (don't worry they are written into the contract!)

All that beautiful light... (quite the contrast from the cave that we currently reside in)

New Love!!

While in Chicago last week I got to meet up with one of my besties... Brooke. We hit up Michigan Ave. B and S style. It was windy and painfully cold but as always we bundled up and braved the elements. Upon our journey I discovered two places that I will surely revisit every time I am in the city. The first one was a handmade cosmetics boutique called Lush. If you haven't discovered the wonderfulness that is Lush you are totally missing out. Lush isn't your typical cosmetic line. Made out of all natural materials, the idea of it is to make the costumer feel like they are in a deli and by using good-for-you products they are practically saving the planet (don't worry Dad, I am not turning into a tree-hugger, I still think universal health care is a bad idea). Most of their soaps are shaped like cakes or cupcakes and some are even shaped like big hunks of cheese. The overall feel of the place is fabulous! I was slightly disappointed with the website, it wasn't nearly as artistic as the actual boutique but if you visit it I think you will get the idea. Click on each of the pictures and it will take you to that section of the site.
The second Chicago must-visit is Garrett's Popcorn. Again, If you haven't experienced this place you are truly missing out. In fact it is listed as one of Oprah's favorite things. They only have 3 popcorn flavors (butter, cheese, & carmel crunch) but you can add a variety of nuts as well. Click here for all of the mixing options. Being an AVID popcorn lover (thanks Mom) I like my popcorn buttery and salty. I went for the standard butter and cheese mix. Although it was expensive it was a good alternative for dinner and amazingly delicious!
The next time you're in Chicago....

Late Weekend Report

After an eventful work trip to Chicago last week, I was totally pumped to be home. Exhausted, I changed out of my work clothes and popped a squat on the couch hoping to enjoy some reading. One of the perks of going to Chicago is getting to come home early on Fridays. I have come to enjoy the extra couple hours off. However, by the time I got settled, around 4:00 or so, I heard a rattle coming from the door knob! I turn my head just in time to see my wonderful Matty walk through the door! He left work EARLY to come and spend some time with me! He usually doesn't get home until around 6 (he has about a 45 minute commute). What a guy. Needless to say I gladly put my book down.

Saturday marked exactly "6 months" since Matt and I have been married as well as Matt's Dad's birthday. Happy Birthday Jim! That evening Matt and I headed down to Charleston for the Campus House Alumni Banquet. It was really awesome to see a place that had such an impact on Matt's spiritual life and to meet many of the people who knew him long before me. We had the pleasure of spending some time with Amy and Brent in there cute little apartment and also got to hook up with some other good friends Derek and Jannah.
Sunday the 31st actually marked exactly 4 years since Matt and I's first date. It was fun to reminisce about old times and think about how far we have come!

Love it....

I have always sworn that the designers at Vera Bradley are geniuses but I am soooo pumped that they have recently come out with rugs! Maybe someday I will get to buy this rug... which I ADORE (not digging the couch so much)!However, I am terribly upset that Vera is retiring my favorite pattern, Medallion. Hopefully I can get some at a discount at the outlet sale coming up (So glad my birthday falls at the end of April!:)
Some other Fave Patterns: Cambridge and Kensington

Suddenly Last Summer

Yesterday was one of those rotten, good for nothing, bad days...
1. Matt and I had vowed to go running yesterday morning before work. However, around 4:00 a.m. I woke up with the chills and a stomach ache... BLAH (no running!). Ordinarily I would take the morning off but we had a User Testing Session at work which I play a huge role in. So, I drug myself to work (with a fever) and prepared for the session.
2. While at work that morning (wearing my favorite Marc Jacobs boots) I went to show a fellow employee something I had done. However on my way to her cubicle, I put weight on my right heal and whoah......... either my foot went right through the floor or MY HEAL BROKE!!!! Good thing it was lunch time... I limped out to my car and drove home and changed my boots (now I have to get my darn boot repaired and I am sending a letter to Marc Jacobs... telling him exactly how I feel).
3. I slept through my lunch hour and I went back to work hungry and groggy and the UTS, which didn't go bad, could have gone better.
Since the UTS got over early I did get to go home a little early and my darling husband offered to get me some soup from Panera & I got to watch an old movie with a young Elizabeth Taylor and an old Catherine Hepburn called Suddenly Last Summer.
Anyway today I woke up and felt FABULOUS!:)