From My Home to Yours

Home?

When I purchased my current home mid 2010 I was still living in Iraq but I knew I’d be coming home the coming year and I also knew that I didn’t want to stay in this house for more than 5 years or so.  A couple reasons for this…1) because I wanted to hopefully and eventually settle down on some land where my dream home would be built and there I’d be forever 2) I didn’t want to have kids in this house because I would like my home to be with my husband and that be OUR home where the family begins.  So in short this house was a way for me to plant shallow roots while transitioning back to the US while I found myself the love of the my life and just enjoyed living, working,  and schooling over the next few years.

 

I’m 3 years in and I have been feeling the urge for a home change.  I’ve worked hard at decorating and curating each room in and out exactly the way I want it…and since my house has been completely done for a year or so now I’m bored. LOL I came up with another “Grand Plan” and presented it to Hendrik….

I’m just going to sell my house for a profit, buy a little piece of land, and build a smaller home-y-er house closer to MV if possible but Winnsboro is still ok. 

 

 

 

 

Well, my close friends and family have a way of bringing me back down to Earth…thank God they do or I’d be selling all my belongings to move into a shack that I call an Italian chateau! 

 

 

 

AND

That’s exactly what Hendrik did when I told him of my building plans…he asked me what I wanted to spend and then said ok well this and this and this and this…

all these things cost money so your X amount is really going to end up looking more like XXX so I don’t think this is a smart move! 

Ok fine so maybe once reality set in and all the dots and Ts are added it would be a bit more than I thought. 

Good thing I didn’t jump on that train, eh!

 

 

But look at the house I had picked out isn’t it so cute and homey?

 

On to the next plan…

I am still set on finding a new living arrangement at this point so I call my realtor and tell him that I’m not in any hurry but if anything comes up in a certain range then shoot it my way and if I really like it then we will go from there. 

All the while I’m scouring all the real estate sites for anything that looks good.  I have yet to find anything that is in the range I want and not white trash or needing a full gut and makeover which isn’t something I want to do!

 

Enter NEW, realistic, and fantastic plan

 

I’m de-cluttering first… mainly Peggy Sue who has been sitting for 6 months untouched is going up for sale.  That was a “grand plan” that I really should have waited on because not only do I not have the time to do such projects at this point but I really don’t have the extra funds to put into this.  She would be great to keep and do later on because it’s not like her little butt is costing me or harming anything right where it’s at but if I’m moving forward I need to dispose of her plus the extra cash never hurts.  I would still love to do a project like this later on when I’m say…done with school , am a stay at home wife/mom, and have lots of time for crafts and fun projects!  That my friends is not right now.  I will soon be bringing her to the front of my yard, parking her by the road, and slapping on the freshly bought For Sale sign.  (if you’re interested hit me up)

 

I met with a realtor this morning and he's going to work up some numbers on my house and I will be on my way to the next big thing....

 

You’re probably asking, Ok Megan that all sounds great but WHERE are you going to live?!!

Excellent point!

Now enter The Leaves! 

These are high end gated apartments in Winnsboro and would be perfect for me while I figure out my next few steps in this road I’m traveling. They come in several different size varieties all well within my budget and not too much either so I don’t feel like I’m getting robbed.  I have never lived in town or in apartments before but I think it would be a fun ride and as much as I am home these days it doesn’t make that much difference.  I spend the majority of my time at Hendrik’s in MV and if I’m not there then I’m doing school at home or at school! I met with the apartment people earlier this week to take  a tour and they are just as nice as I thought.  ROOMY and nice!!!

 

Now this is only a tentative plan of what’s in my head this is in no way for sure happening and may not even materialize but having this big house right now is more of a stress and worry than a joy so I would rather just take a bit off my plate so I can focus more on things that are important right now! 

 

Wish me luck!

 

27

Today I turn 27!

 

I don’t feel older,

I’m not sad about my age,

I’m not in the place I dreamt I’d be at this age,

I’m happy,

I’m in love,

I have a great family,

I have great friends,

I have a fantastic job,

I have a passport that needs to be used,

I have a new cookbook to read,

I have school to finish,

I have so so so much to be thankful for,

I would never trade where I’m AT for where I thought I’d be!!! 

I’m so happy at this point in my life that I couldn’t imagine the 27 years that I’ve lived to go any other way other than the way it has because otherwise I’d never be where I’m at today.

 

My 27^th year IS GOING TO BE THE BEST YEAR YET!!  I know this for a fact because I have a ton going on and a lot of changes in the making!  I can’t wait to see what it looks like at the end but looking at it from the beginning it looks pretty darn good.

 

Book Review: The Husband's Secret

I saw this book on Good Reads a couple weeks ago when I was updating my reading list and since I had just finished a book and was needing a new one I thought I’d give it a go.  After reading a bit about it on Amazon I decided I would go ahead and make the purchase.  I dove right into The Husband’s Secret and although it gave a lot of details and flip flopped between several character’s lives all unknowing to them I really liked it.  I was holding out this great hope for a huge story changing secret, German related, but midway through when I did find out the secret it was sort of a letdown…only because I had built up in my head this grand story.  After I found out the real secret the book really got interesting and started to take shape for me.  I then, of course, had to finish reading it and in a hurry so I could find out the consequence and outcome of the chain of events that THE HUSBAND’S SECRET put into play.  Plus the ending was THE PERFECT ending to a book.  There were no loose ends and nothing left you hanging wondering what happened.  It even gave you a look into the future of what COULD of happened. 

Amazon Synopsis

My darling Cecilia, if you’re reading this, then I’ve died. . . Imagine that your husband wrote you a letter, to be opened after his death. Imagine, too, that the letter contains his deepest, darkest secret—something with the potential to destroy not just the life you built together, but the lives of others as well. Imagine, then, that you stumble across that letter while your husband is still very much alive. . . .Cecilia Fitzpatrick has achieved it all—she’s an incredibly successful businesswoman, a pillar of her small community, and a devoted wife and mother. Her life is as orderly and spotless as her home. But that letter is about to change everything, and not just for her: Rachel and Tess barely know Cecilia—or each other—but they too are about to feel the earth-shattering repercussions of her husband’s secret.  Acclaimed author Liane Moriarty has written a gripping, thought-provoking novel about how well it is really possible to know our spouses—and, ultimately, ourselves.

 

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I even thought about it after I finished reading it which is unusual.  Books I read mostly don’t spur after thoughts because they are VERY fictional and are just fluff but this book was actually about real life and a lot of things that adults have to go through and deal with.  Now of course I’m sure that most adults don’t have to deal with secrets exactly of these because that would be really dramatic but I can definitely see this scenario playing out in the real world.

 

Currently reading my first book by the popular murder/mystery author Patricia Cornwell, Postmortem.

 

Happy Reading!

Easy Sunday Supper

I love to cook so I do it a lot and Sunday night while Hendrik was out finishing up some work stuff I decided that I would take some pictures and do a post on my Sunday supper that is homemade but not complicated or hard. 

 

Of course I took all my prep pictures but by the time I was mashing the potatoes, filling the deviled eggs, and fixing our plates Hendrik was back distracting me…I totally forgot to finish up my picture taking so you will have to use your imagination on what it looked and tasted like but I SWEAR it was yummy!

 

On the Menu:

• Pre-seasoned peppercorn pork tenderloin
• Mashed potatoes
• Steamed green beans with crispy back added
• Deviled Eggs
• Sweet Tea

  

What makes cooking even more yummy is that I usually cook enough food for 4 people and that ensures that I always have leftovers for lunch.  Not only is this healthier than going out but HELLO! talk about cheap and it’s not anymore trouble.  When I’m cleaning up and packing the food away I just make a little Rubbermaid dish for my lunch.  Hendrik usually tries to be around the house when lunch time calls so he just fixes his own from the frig.  As I ate my leftovers at lunch on Monday I planned my upcoming Christmas Feast menu and I can’t wait to share it after Christmas Eve.

Sweet Simple Treats

I don’t know if it’s everyone but I, for one, am the definition of broke

 when it comes to the holidays or really just ANY DAY! 

I still want to give a little gift and to me that easiest, cheapest, and most fun thing I can think of is making some little treats and packaging them for my family. 

After scouring the web here’s some that I’ve come up with!

  

 

Buckeys / hot chocolate in a jar/ sugar cookies/ kiss cookies

 

Do you do homemade gifts and treats?

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

I was dead set on getting a real tree to put up at Hendrik’s house this year.  I had this grand plan of us going to the tree farm (where I haven’t been in probably 20 years) and picking out the perfect tree, cutting it by hand, and even making a cute little ornament out of the stump. 

Well folks…as we know grand plans are made to be shattered and that’s pretty much what Hendrik did to my real tree dreams. LOL 

THIS YEAR ONLY! 

Right from the beginning he was not happy about getting a real tree mainly because of the hassle of doing it all and also he didn’t really want a tree at all but that’s for sure not going to happen.  After 3 days of us going back and forth and me being able to tell that he really was serious I gave in and just snagged a hand-me-down FREE tree from his mom. 

She doesn’t put up a big tree anymore and still had it on hand so she dug it out for me and I went to town decorating. 

I got all the stuff out of the boxes only to find that the bottom of the stand, which was plastic, was broken.  I had to wait a full day to put the tree because Hendrik had to make a stand. (a discarded disc blade and a piece of pipe)  After a late night stand building and a run to Wal-Mart for décor the next night I finally got the tree decorated. 

I’m pleased with it because I just love putting up trees and Hendrik is pleased because he’s SUPER proud of his stand and didn’t have to go to a tree farm.

 

burlap sack as tree skirt

on dining table

on coffee table

 

 

I wanted to go to Target and Hobby Lobby and get ornaments that were plaid and I was going to do a rustic, homey, yet classy tree in gold, green, and red.  It was late by the time we got around to going to eat so Target was out of the question and Wal-Mart didn’t have anything plaid but I was able to work with what they had. 

 

 

I love the way it turned out!  2014…TREE FARM HERE WE COME!

The Last of Fall

In November I was really inspired to do a work attire outfit post and also to take a lot of pictures of all the pretty scenery that the leaves made in all their colors.  I had Elizabeth help me with my outfit pictures at work and that weekend I took some fall pictures around my house before Taylor and I went to see the newest Hunger Games movie.  It wasn't all the fall pictures that I would have liked to have taken but at least there's a couple!

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

I’m obviously not an fashion blogger because I felt super awkward and had no idea what to do to make myself look fashion photo cute plus I felt really vulnerable with Elizabeth taking my pics. LOL  But whatever I went with it and this is what you get.  I felt really feminine and classy in this work outfit and I think it’s perfect for Fall in Texas.  The short sleeve sweater from American Eagle is perfect because it’s warm enough for Fall but not hot and if you live in Texas you know what I mean.

 

Oh and Hunger Games Catching Fire rocked….it was really long but held true to the book in my opinion…only if we didn’t have to wait a whole year for the next and sadly the last one.

Winter Bucket List

Well December is in full swing and that means another seasonal bucket list to crank out but first here's an update on what I accomplished from my Fall Bucket List.

I didn't accomplish all of my items but what I did do I really enjoyed.  The only two things I really wanted to do that I didn't get to do was probably go to a haunted house and hike during the leaf change.

Now for some good Winter activities to tide us over until Spring!

 

Book Review: The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.

You might remember that an item on my Fall Bucket List was to read a book that I saw called The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.  Well I read it and I hated it.  I wouldn't recommend this book to you but I am also not a big literary reader but more of a fluff reader.  This book had it's good points but overall I was left with a not exciting ending and a man (Nate) who over analyzed every emotion in his head but was a typical 20 something male on the outside.  I felt like I took nothing away from this book except a feeling of YUCK especially for all the women characters who were involved in Nate's life.  I say give it a shot if you want but I won't be going back for seconds. 

but the cover is super cute...don't you think?

Amazon Synopsis:
In this sharply written first novel, Waldman homes in on a self-absorbed writer living in New York City. Nate Piven is still basking in the glow of having sold his first book after years of struggling to support himself with freelance work. His newfound success has given his love life a boost, and a number of women are pursuing him, including his beautiful ­ex-girlfriend Elisa and brainy Hannah, also a writer. As Hannah and Nate’s relationship gets more serious, Nate is quick to blame any communication snafus on Hannah, whose calm and self-­confidence begin to evaporate. Although Nate thinks of himself as enlightened, a product of a postfeminist, 1980s childhood and a politically correct, 1990s college education, his actions continually belie that self-image. Nate is constantly jockeying for status among his friends and critiquing women’s bodies, clothes, and looks even as he tries to figure out why his relationships never last. The novel is most likely to appeal to twenty somethings, who will no doubt recognize the preening male so thoroughly skewered here, but older readers may be put off by such an unlikable lead character. --Joanne Wilkinson

Happy or not so happy Reading

I Love My Job.. no REALLY

The bank that I currently work for is fantastic!  It has turned out better than I ever thought, especially since the job I had right before this bank was a HUGE disappointment.  There’s nothing worse than when an organization has you completely fooled but on the flip side there’s nothing BETTER than when you don’t even realize how great it can be until you get there and experience it you just have the mentality of anything is better than what I have.  I’ve mentioned before that I’ve moved through the ranks quite quickly at my current bank.  I’ve gotten raise after raise not to mention the 3 promotions in under 2 years of being employed here.  The icing on the cake is now that I work in the accounting department directly under our Controller.  I’ve had this position since February and I still love it.  I love how my desk can start out squeaky clean at 8 AM in under an hour is looks like this…..

organized piles

Then by 5 PM it is back to squeaky clean.

 

The people I work with (my friends) are great supporters and make the job even better.  Although one day I would love to stay at home do DIY projects, raise babies with a hubby, and do my own thing... right now I’m loving where I’m at.  I can afford all the things in my life all by myself and that makes me feel very accomplished and successful…..I’m a grown up now I guess. LOL 

 

I’m very grateful for a job that makes it easy to come to work my life has more fulfillment because of it. 

Book Review: Vampire Diaries Unspoken

 

My goal of reading 50 book this year is failing...by half.  To date I've read 25 books and I'm currently reading 2 but this post is about one of the latest that I've read...another Vampire Diaries book.  I've raved about these books before especially if you like the TV serious.  Although they are very different from the TV series they are so good and just keep your reading for more and more details.  The Elena, Damon, and Stefan love triangle is still alive even though Stefan is actually dead in this novel. The main struggle through it is finding a way to kill Stefan's murderer a scientist/fake hybrid vampire.  Ok so it sounds far out but I'm telling you they are GREAT, easy, and fun reads.  These books are the kind that suck you in and before you know it you're done reading it and can't believe you did it so fast!

 

Amazon Synopsis:
Elena Gilbert’s entire world has shattered in a single moment. Her true love, Stefan, is dead, staked through the heart by their so-called friend Jack. Now the only thing Elena cares about is destroying Jack and his race of scientifically created vampires. But Jack’s creations are impossible to kill—immune to sunlight, stakes, and every traditional weapon against vampires. Elena and Damon set out to uncover the mystery of Jack’s dark past in hopes of finding his weakness. As they spend more time together, Elena and Damon can’t deny that their connection is stronger than ever. Can she face her feelings for him without betraying Stefan’s memory, or are some things better left unspoken?


I'm impatiently awaiting the third book in The Salvation trilogy.

Until next time, Happy Reading!

Update of the Past Few Months

So...yes MOTHER I know you're sick of looking at my realistic wish list but I've been busy living. 

I'm finally making time to catch up on posts that I've had drafted forever!  Although I have been living I don't have many pictures to show for it or many exciting activities so here are some recent iPhone pictures over the past few months.  Overall I've done a lot of ordinary things and have been really just enjoying life (and being in love ;) )

September

Learned how to do my hair with one of those styling rod things!! I look like a REAL GIRL!!! We had a double date with my brother and Lara this night.  We went to eat sushi and hibachi in Paris.

Beautiful early morning sunrises

got plenty of pig hunting in

and got my first pig kill on a Saturday night.  I literally brought home the bacon that night and cooked a four course meal the next...pig back strap included.

September was a great month.  It was jam packed with a ton of hunting, school, and winding down the summer to get ready for fall.

October

Played bunco at my Mom's as a fill in for their group and it was Halloween themed.  Mom as a scarecrow and her BFF, Monica, as super woman.

Hoss (Hendrik's dog) sad that Daddy was leaving him behind in the office

Hendrik's parents were out of town a few night so we kept his mom's dog, Bella.  We went on a little Jeep ride.

Oh I forgot to mention that for the past 5 months I've been dating Iron Man!!!  Just kidding but this teeth whitener is hilarious.

October was super relaxing for me.  I took my last week of vacation from work before the busy season started up and did absolutely nothing.  It was glorious.

November

The above few pictures are of me and Mom's trip to Canton the first weekend of November.  It was the perfect day. My mom and I spent some great quality time together just chatting and being our usual mother/daughter selves, the weather couldn't have been more perfect, and Canton DID NOT disappoint...but when does it ever.  These are just a few of the super cute things I was eyeing but not buying!

a late night cafe mocha from Starbucks on a Wednesday night drive home from Rockwall.  Hendrik and I went to see our chiropractor, a little shopping at Aldi, and sushi eating

Football weather... we attended several of Caleb's football games but this one was the last one of the season!  Senior night...brought back great memories of my own senior night especially when they played the Star Spangled Banner (tear)

Can you believe he's a sophomore already and on Varsity? Seems like yesterday he was just a baby and having a diarrhea diaper blow out on my lap at my 10th B-day sleepover...just a reality check that was 17 years ago...shit that makes me feel old

S.P.O.I.L.E.D ROTTEN that's all

awe so sweet loving on his Daddy!  really just an excuse for him to get his 80 lbs self on the couches

November flew by in no time.  This past weekend was the last of it before all the Christmas and holiday hustle and bustle really went into full swing.  We had a great Thanksgiving at Memaw Sue's and then me and my best girlfriends had a early morning breakfast before we all started our week back up and a new month...December can you believe it?!

That's what I've been up to, what about you?

DIY: Deer Silhouette

Everyone is an artist...right? 

Well I don't claim to be an artist in any form or fashion but I do have a flare for interior design and I thought up this little project all by myself.  No help from Pintrest or any other idea forum. 

 

I'm trying to really stick with a general theme throughout Hendrik's entire house which is pretty much modern day, classy, bachelor pad with a feminine flare.  I think it's working....If I ever live there some things will need to be changed up but for now it's perfect and not too much to run me off, although the curtains are almost that bad! LOL

My inspiration for this little project was this....

I remember doing these at church.  We would stand really still and the ladies would trace our shadow on construction paper with chalk then we'd cut them out for our moms. 

Put a modern day, bachelor pad spin on things and you end up with this timeless, classic print....

Here's how I did it!

Find a nice picture on the Internet that you would like to make into your silhouette.  I printed the image on regular computer paper then cut it out....DON'T cut the excess paper out cut the image out of the paper so there is a whole where the picture used to be.  Then get your super enthused boyfriend to hold the paper up while holding a flashlight in the perfect spot to cast the perfect shadow on your canvas.

 Then, using a pencil trace the outline lightly on your canvas.

Once your tracing is done then comes the fun part...painting!  I used a plain light brown that I already had on hand but don't be afraid to mix it up.  This would be a great chance to get crazy with color for a kid's room or to simply color coordinate a specific area. 

And VOILA!  It's done.  This project was simple, easy, cheap and lastly CUTE!  I can see this print being reused long after it's master bedroom days are over...a baby boy's nursery could rock this buck!

Now for what you need:

Your chosen image printed out (don't worry too much on the size of the image because you can get closer/further away with your flashlight to make the shadow grow smaller/bigger)
Scissors
Canvas (I bought mine for $12 at Hobby Lobby...the only item that cost money)
Pencil
Paint
Flashlight
and don't forget your helper i.e. Super enthused boyfriend or husband LOL

See I told you simple!