Possibilities

Hello, 2015!

I’ve never been one for sticking to those New Years Resolutions you hear most people talk about.  To be honest, I never really hold myself accountable and nobody else can hold me accountable because they don’t know what my goals are.  But before I look forward, let me wrap up 2014 because in a nice bow for you all.

In no particular order, here are some of the high points for 2014:

• Got my first stamp in my passport- BVI
• My sister and brother got married.  Not to each other, duh.
• We put down a deposit on our very first home
• Learned how to crochet
• Spent much needed quality time with Mom and sister at the beach

Now looking forward to 2015 I have some pretty big plans

• We are buying a house and making it a home
• Go on a vacation
• Build my blog (which means more blogging)
• Commit to my yoga practice.  I’ve been attending classes regularly for 18 months but I haven’t committed.  I see all these yogis on Instagram and Facebook talk about their practices and how much it has changed their lives and I want that.  The only way to get there is to commit!  
• Stick to my budget.  There are things I want to go and do and the way to get there is to stick to the budget.

And finally- work on me.  Talk about a loaded statement.  There is so much that I feel I need to work on.  I really could make a very lengthy list and I’m not very proud of how I am some times so I am definitely going to work on me.  Be more patient.  Talk with a softer heart.  Judge less.  Be more peaceful.  Be less reactive.  Be kinder.  Love more.  

And thats all the “internal” work…..  The external is a whole other ball game.

I’ve always battled with my body image.  I’ve always compared myself to other but that needs to change ASAP.  I always complain but never take the steps to make it all a reality.  The gym just hasn’t been a place that I enjoy but I know that if I don’t change my opinion and thoughts on it, nothing will change.  Not only do I have to show up, I have to put in the physical work and clean up my eating.  All in due time, right??

One of my intentions last year that I am going to roll into this year is possibilities.  I have the tendency to shot myself down before I’ve even really started trying.  I don’t really believe in myself and that has to change.  

What is your intention for the year??

Jenga!!!

Just about a month ago my youngest brother, Jacob got married.  I thought long and hard about what I wanted to get him because he is one of my favorite people in the world.  I didn't want to just get them something off the registry because that's lame for your brother.

So off to Pinterest I searched.  My search terms were something like "personalized wedding gifts", "awesome wedding gifts" and "nontraditional wedding gifts".  There were some really good ideas that popped up but there more I thought about Jacob and what he get use and fun out of, one idea made the most sense.... Jenga!  Jacob has made a couple corn-hole games for himself and others and he and his friends like backyard games so I thought it was a no brainer.

I found a couple links that were really helpful...
Home Depot's Jenga Instructions 

DIY Giant Jenga is the Coolest Backyard Game Ever

So because I am not the most handy gal out there, I enlisted the help of my other siblings and my hubby.  This was a huge project!!  First, Danny cut 2x4's into 10.5" boards.  Then I sanded the crap out of them with my Mom's very handy palm sander (which reminds me... I need to order more sandpaper for her).  

After each and every board was sanded and wiped down Laura and I branded all the boards with Jacob and Nancy's initials.  Laura got their initials from Brandin' Buddies. It took us a few tries to figure out how the best way to brand the board.  We found that getting the letters too hot or not hot enough is not good.  Keeping the brand hot makes for quicker and cleaner work.  The brands don't hold heat for long so you can't get multiple applications from one heat-up.  We found that lining up multiple boards helps in a couple ways.  1. the letters line up more evenly 2. it made for much quicker work.

Once the branding is done, it was time to stain and polyurethane.  I chose a stain color that was light cause I wanted the letters to stand out.  

I lined up the boards, and with my hubby's help, applied two coats of stain. Now this takes time because they have to dry between the applications.  

This is after 1 coat of stain.

Then came 2 coats of polyurethane.  And that takes more time because it has to dry over night, then has to be sanded with a fine grit sand paper which has to be done by hand because if you use a palm sander it could take too much off.

Dry, baby, dry!

And here is the final product!!

To say I was excited to show Jacob what we did is an understatement.  I hope he and Nancy get many years of fun out of this game.

Here is Jacob's junior groomsman playing it at their rehearsal dinner.

I played with him and it was a draw.  We both wrote our names on 2 of the boards.

Lets Start at the Very Beginning

I don't know what I am so afraid of... this is just a blog.  Something that is on the internet for all of the world to see.  I read blogs everyday and for the  most part, they seem to be harmless.... right??  We shall see how this goes.

The beginning is a very good place to start, according to Maria (Sound of Music).  I am just a girl from southern Maryland living above the Mason-Dixon line with my hubby of almost 3 years, our pup Sadie and my cat Bono (I didn't name him; I got him that way).  I guess this be considered a "lifestyle blog" and I hope its enough to keep you all captivated.  

There will be lots of pictures, ramblings, perhaps some recipes, crafts and all that life has in store for me.

This isn't my first blog.  Some haters ruined my first try but I am hopeful that this will go MUCH better this time around.  Mostly because I chose not to have those kind of folks in my life.  It's amazing how much one person can really change in a few years.  Would that be considered growing up?  Meh, who knows.  Either way, upward and onward!!

So lets start with some introductions.  To start us off, here is Sadie, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.  She is the first dog for hubby and I and let me tell you something- I was NOT a dog person until we got her.  Most days she is what gets me through my day at work.  She is nothing but sweet, loving and just plain awesome-sauce.  She doesn't listen, barely follows simple commands like "sit" (that's really the only one she does do consistently) but when she  wiggles her hiney when we walk in the door it makes up for all her non-listening.  She is perfect addition to our little family.