ww: these smiles

these smiles fill my heart with so much love

Thats all.

p.s. did you know Chelsey chose our pic as one of her fav summer pics! :D

linking up with Jenni & Chelsey again

my control station

Of course, Im way late with the post, but what else is new? Every Monday is supposed to be a link up with the sweetest barganista Lindsey and her home tour series. I know Im a whole week late, but better late than never right? And that just means my take on the series will last one week longer.

So you might be wondering by the title of the post which room were exploring today.  Last weeks room was either a spare bedroom or an office. And since I work from home, I figure what better to do than share my office, or as my friends call it "My Control Station." See, out of all my friends Im probably the most tech savy of the group, and a definite die hard apple advocate.
A little background on my job, I worked for a company right after getting out of college with the office literally 5 mins from my house. I worked there about a year and then the company was bought out by another company based in Boston. Unfortunately they dont have a office in Fl so we were all told to either move to one of their US locations or we would be out of a job. And well, you know us southern girls, we like to stay in the south, so I told them sorry, but "PEACE." I had till March to find a new job, so basically 7 months. Then the company realized, they had no one else to do my job, and really, there was no reason  I couldnt work from home. So 2 weeks before I got married, 1 week before we closed on our new house, they came to me and offered me a full time work form home position. SCORE!!! Conveniently, the office was closing the next month, and there were a few things in the office that our old owner had left and the new company couldnt claim, so our CEO called me and asked me if I wanted any. And this my friends is my Control Station.

Yes, you do see 2 computers. one personal and one work. The gigantic screen is what I inherited from the owner of the original company. Its mine free and clear. I additionally have a 3rd large screen in my spare bedroom thats not hooked up, that is supposed to be my "work screen" from the new company. But as I said, Im a Apple advocate, and the third screen is a dell (i know pathetic). The french doors we just put in less than a month ago. I love them!!!! They are sooo much better than the sliding glass doors that were inoperable, of course that is until the day we took them out and figured how to actually open them.

This view is looking the opposite way. The shelf I also inherited from the office. the door on the left opens to the backyard and the door on the right opens into the carport (eventually a hallway to a master suite). Of course Im showing some proud alumni swag with my FAU flag. The painting to the left of the shelf is actually a painting I need in college for my Painting 1 class. Its theme wa "Inside Looking Out" and shows the back patio and pool at my parents looking out their dining room window. Im so glad I chose that view. I cant count the number of times the backyard has been changed out there and love that I captured at least one of them.

I have another set of painting hanging on the opposite wall. Starting from the top, is a watercolor and ink painting that my Pop-Pop made before he past away. I actually never realized it until after he was already gone, that the boat in the painting is named after me, written small in ink it says "Lisa C." I had to have it and I have hung it in every place I have ever lived. The middle painting is a revisiting of a famous sisters painting (i completely forget by who as Im writing this). The third is a painting showing vantage point in a garden area at the college campus. The bottom 2 were painted in the painting class as well.

So that my friends is my "Control Station." I dont really have inspiration board for this room yet. Eventually when we close in the carport for an extra bedroom, this room will go back to what it is supposed to be: a dining room. Sorry again it was so late. Next week (or maybe if i get a chance this week) be prepared to see my Kitchen!

Want to catch up on my other rooms? (i know your dieing to! lol)

• my bathroom
• our bedroom
• the living room

the salon (aka living room)

Its that time again (although I guess technically it was that time yesterday, but you know me, i procrastinate) Linking up for the Home Tour Series with the oh so wonderful Miss Lindsey over at The Bargain Blonde (and Raven from A Momma's Desires & Pacifiers of course!) .

(Did you miss any previous posts: my boudoir and my stinky old bathroom?)

I wouldnt say my living room has any kind of theme or organization (unfortunately). Hubs and I decided to not decorate it too much because for 1) our living room is also our dinning room right now and 2) when we redo the kitchen its going to make the entire living room look like a construction site. So here goes nothing . . .

As you can see, everything is a bit cramped right now. Eventually the dining room table we go into my office the dinning room once we enclose the carport as a an office 3rd bedroom. The couch is my sisters old one. It has 2 recliners and is a pull out bed. We never use it, but its nice to have if we need it. Both dog crates are in the living room, since we have no where else to put them. :( The bookshelf and mirror are actually going to be torn out to extend the kitchen by 1.5ft with a bar top. But currently it holds everything from paint and paintbrushes to picture frames and my flower girl basket.
Lets take a look at the shelf as a whole:

We could actually even play the "I Spy Game"! Lets see how many you can find :)

1. I spy 2 wine glasses still in their boxes (got from bridal shower, they are the same but from 2 different friends)
2. I spy a ring bearer pillow (yep from our wedding, what are we supposed to do with it now?)
3. I spy an unopened set of pots and pans (another bridal shower gift Im not allowed to use yet)
4. I spy 2 deer (hubs stuff, no explanation)
5. I spy a half used bag of thinset mortar (b/c dont all of you keep this stored in your living room?)
6. I spy a friends picture frame (me and one of my besties at my bachelorette party, cowgirl style!)
7. I spy a basket (random storage)
8. I spy scategories (one of my all time fav board games!!!)
9. I spy a giant fishing lure (xmas gift to the hubs from my sis, it should hang on the wall eventually) 

The list could go on, but Ill leave it to just that. Here are a couple closeups for you.

1. Hubs and I when I was still in high school, we took a roadtrip to NJ in my dads truck with my parents to see my family up north

2. Our wedding invite (that I designed) and us cutting our cake (it was DELISH!)

3. Beagle stuffed animal my niece gave us as a gift

4. Beagle figurine my nephew got us as a gift

5. Hubs and I on my birthday in Cozumel, MX at 1/2 Senor Frogs the day after he proposed

6. Wedding photo

7. Grandparents on my fathers side wedding photo

1. Painting project from college

2. Lanterns (when you live in a place that has hurricanes you stock up on these)

3. Pic from Valentines Day

4. 1/2 empty paint buckets

5. Fishing Lure

6. Bridal shower gifts (candles, wine glasses)

7. Board games (Scrabble, Rummikub, scategories, oh and PS2)

8. Pic from my bachlorette party

9. Flower girl basket and ring bearer pillow

10. All hubs random hunting and fishing figurines (the bass fish mount is actually the first bass fish he ever caught, his dad was a taxidermist and mounted it for him when he was young)

Our end coffee table, some reads for you: Saltwater Fishing, Kitchen & Bath, and of course the latest VS catalog (i spend way too much money there)

Our DVD collection (age appropriate, although there may be a few inappropriate in the armoir, sorry mom) includes titles like:

• Swat
• Bruce Almighty
• Friends Seasons (yes im an addict of the TV show Friends)
• Waiting (hilarious, if anyone is in the restaurant biz you gotta rent this)
• Blow
• Super Troopers
• You, Me, and Dupree
• Fight Club
• The Patriot
• Catch me if You Can
• Meet the Parents & Meet the Fockers (i should prob go buy the 3rd)
• and plenty more

Since we had decided to not decorate this room and focus on the other rooms in the house, I havent really figured out what I want this room to be like. Here are a couple things Ive seen that I  liked for inspiration (i know theyre all over the place, but common theme = no light colored couches, dogs would destroy them)

If any of you have small living rooms and wanna link up to share some ideas with me go here and join the rest of us. Next weeks room is Guest Room/Office, crap I better go clean up my office :(

10 Day You Challenge ~*Day 10*~

Can you believe it? I actually finished a challenge, yay!

 

~*Day 10: one picture of yourself*~

(not the best picture Ive ever taken, but its me, comfortable. working at my weekend job)

10 Day You Challenge ~*Day 9*~

 

~*Day 9: two songs*~

1. When I Said I Do, Clint Black (Our Wedding Song)


2. Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

10 Day You Challenge ~*Day 8*~

 

~*Day 8: three films*~

1.The Patriot

2. Pretty Woman

3. Super Troopers

10 Day You Challenge ~*Day 7*

 

~*Day 7: four books*~

1. The Hobbit



2. Harry Potter Series


3. Something Borrowed


4. . Love You Forever

10 Day You Challenge ~*Day 6*~

~*Day 6: five foods*~

1. cupcakes
2. moms homemade mac & cheese
3. twice baked potatoes
4. chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream
5. filet mignon

10 Day You Challenge ~*Day 5*~

~*Day 5: six places*~

1. The Florida Keys (usual getaway)
2. Disney World (with my neice and nephew, so cute)
3. St Thomas, BVI (honeymoon, beautiful place to para-sail)
4. Dunns River Falls, Jamaica (absolutely gorgeous)
5. New Jersey Shore (summer family vacations when I was young)
6. Europe (someday.....)

10 Day You Challenge ~*Day 4*~

~*Day 4: seven wants*~

1. A baby
2. New kitchen
3. A Cruise in the Mediterranean
4. A good camera (Im talking pro Nikon or Canon)
5. iPhone (but I refuse to switch to AT&T or Verizon, why cant it go to Sprint?)
6. Start my own Cupcakery (hehe)
7. Eat healthier

10 Day You Challenge ~*Day 3*~

~*Day 3: eight fears*~

1. Spiders (ever notice when you run into a spider web you suddenly turn into a ninja?)

2. Not being able to get pregnant (we havent officially started yet, but i do fear this)

3. Car accidents - I make my hubby do most of the driving

4. Scary movies

5. Losing the ones I love

6. Being broke

7. Being falsely accused of something

8. Darkness (interpret that one for yourself)