Life's a Beach!

Lately I've been LOVING the beach and nautical trends seen in fashion, makeup, and room decor. Thanks to my mom and hubby I am turning our spare room into a beach-themed relaxation paradise. Even though we moved quite awhile ago, the spare room has been the opposite of paradise...more of a dump-all. Well that's going to change!

My mom got me some cute signs and decorations and is making me a quilt for the daybed! My husband went with me to find more decorations and he came up with some really cute and creative ideas. Above are some pictures that inspired me...but I think my room will be even cuter thanks to them!!!

Mouse Hunt

I remember a movie "Mouse Hunt" coming out when I was a lot younger. The basic plot of the movie is a mouse taking over a house and ruining the two villians plans. I remember thinking how adorable and cute the mouse was and how if I had a mouse like that in my house I'd treat it really nice and set food out in little thimbles for it.

Well that turned out to be a totally stupid idea.

Between Christmas and New Year's my hubby and I were sitting on the couch watching a movie late one night. I saw something black flash by and run behind the TV. My husband got a flashlight and looked behind the TV stand. He didn't see anything. I was content to believe I had imagined it...a side affect of staying up too late.

I decided to go make sure it was nothing for myself. When I kicked the cords around that black thing ran somewhere down the hall in our little apartment. My husband was then sure it was a MOUSE!

After screaming (just a little) and making a scene by standing on the couch we went through each room and taped off closets and picked up anything that was on the floor. We didn't really worry about the bathroom, thinking the mouse would definitely not want to be in there. We made a 3am trip to the pharmacy to buy some mouse traps and we went home setting them with velveeta and peanut butter.

It turns out, the problem was much bigger than we thought. After several days of agony (no trapped mouse, but food-less traps) and a trip to the apartment complex manager (she lived in our building and also had mice), we realized the entire building was infested with mice. They were in the vents, scratching in the walls, in every cabinet in the kitchen, and even in my silverwear!

The apartment manager gave us the run-around and finally after almost a week sent pest control. This exterminator (and I use that term loosely) not only looked and acted stoned but set out two sticky pads and two boxes of poison. REALLY effective...NOT!!!!

We finally ended up moving to a new apartment which just happens to be a little roomier and much cuter. We're also on the second floor and our building doesn't back an alley...which makes the whole feel a little less sketchy.

We've been here 2 1/2 weeks and I'm still not quite done unpacking. I guess I should be doing that instead of blogging...

Getting Ready for Christmas

It's our first Christmas together as husband and wife. I am so excited!

We decided we would get each other three gifts this year; one big one and two smaller. My husband's big gift is a part to his gun. He's been working on modifying his rifle for quite a few months and he needs this one part to finish it off. Since that gift is not really a surprise, nor something I can go pick out, I decided to make him something really special. I made him a huge quilt. I used this pattern called "Turning Twenty." I spent hours between my grandma's house and my mom's house borrowing everything from scissors to sewing machines. Thanks to my grandma and mom the quilt (pictured above) turned out great! I'm getting his last gift tomorrow. I have to decide between a couple of different things...so we'll see what I end up with.

My husband gave me my present a little bit early. He got me a really (I mean REALLY) nice sewing machine. I LOVE it. He gave it to me after I was almost done with his quilt, but I have already been testing it out. It is pretty much the most user-friendly machine I've seen. I'm so excited to make more quilts!!!

Making traditions that are our own is really important to me. I'm not sure that we have made any traditions this year. Maybe it will be easier to discover how to make our own family holiday traditions once we have children.

Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ...so no matter what gifts we give to others or what traditions we may or may not have, I really hope that this first Christmas we have together can be special.

Becoming the Stay-at-Apartment Wife

I married my best friend about four months ago. I was working at a job that wasn't really going anywhere for not-that-great of pay. The original plan was that I would continue working at this place while I either looked for a job in my field (I have a bachelor's degree) or went back to school. While I was on my honeymoon, my boss scheduled me for some weird hours. When I got back, I could not work most of the hours I was scheduled for...so with my husband's urging, I quit.

With the support of my husband (and entire family), I decided not to look for another job. Originally, I headed back to school for a paralegal certificate. I eventually figured out this was not the path I was meant to go down. I dropped my classes and am now a full-time stay-at-apartment wife.

It is a huge blessing to have a husband that supports me in staying home. I have so many opportunities. Sometimes I focus on baking or cooking something, other times I clean the bathroom top to bottom, read, sew, or spend time with my amazing mom. I also teach piano lessons to my younger sister and her friend. I am so thankful that I am able to stay at the apartment.

Sometimes, old friends or previous co-workers will ask, "What are you up to these days?" When I tell them I'm a stay-at-apartment wife I get responses varying from concern to disbelief. My favorite reaction was from a sarcastic former co-worker. He said, "Wow...way to be a drain on society." (Kidding of course...)

Sometimes it's a little bit intimidating to tell people that I don't have a job. I also know there are a too many times that I am not the most productive in a day...perpetuating the "sitting around eating bon-bons" stereotype. So far, my husband and I are very happy with this choice. I hope to focus on growing in my faith, cooking new and exciting things, doing sewing projects, scrapbooking, and making the apartment a welcoming place for my best friend to come home to every night.