We Are Still Alive!

I apologize for our lack of blogging... I am hanging my head in shame.  Life here at W&A's House has been a little hectic.  Allan received a promotion at work, yay!!!  We are both very excited (and proud)!  With the pay raise comes more responsibility and more time at work... which equals less time for blogging.  For some more depressing news, I (Wendy) was laid off a few weeks ago.  While I would have like to have left on my own terms, I am looking at it as a blessing in disguise.  I haven't been happy at my job for a very long time.  Hopefully this is a sign that there are better things out there for me.  Not having a full-time job should mean more time for blogging but that hasn't exactly been the case.  I have been a busy bee.... job hunting, home improvement projects, cleaning, babysitting for my nieces and nephew and doing some of the things that aren't quite possible while working 40+ hours a week.  Now that I have cleansed my life of unsaid nasty bagel place, it is time  blogging again!!  Hopefully I will keep it up this time. Fingers crossed :)

xo

Wendy

Christmas in January

Christmas has come and gone. And when it was actually acceptable to post Christmas decor pictures we were MIA from the blogworld. But it's never too late right? Here is a tinsy little look at our 2009 Christmas decor.

Here is Allan on the roof, patiently waiting for me to bring the ladder to him



This is the scratch I made on Allan's car after his genius idea to get on the roof, push the ladder away and have me lift the 4,753 pound ladder back up to him. Don't worry, I eventually got the ladder up to him, I didn't even have to call for help!


Allan and the ginormous 4,753 lb ladder.



Finished product.


A Christmas in January post would not be complete without a Christmas tree shot.

What's All the Commotion About?

The past two mornings Riley has been driving me crazy, like really crazy. She barks like a maniac, howls out the sun room window (in true beagle style) and scratches and whines at the back door. At first I thought she just had issues.... then I saw what she saw.

Do you see it?? Not our lovely swimming pool or our lovely pool leaf scooper-outer. That tiny little black thing on the neighbor's roof. Need a closer look?

Yep, there has been a C-A-T (don't say it out loud or else Riley will get upset again) hanging out on the roof that overlooks our back yard. Riley does not approve. And as hard as she may try, her little toothpick legs just can't propel her sausage-sized body on top of that roof. Poor thing. And that mean cat likes to taunt her by glaring down and flapping its tail. I honestly think it is saying "nanny nanny boo boo, stick your head in doo-doo"... come to think of it, I don't think Riley would mind that too much, dogs do like poop ya know. Anyway, later in the day that mean kitty continues the torture my poor dog by walking along the top of the fence. Riley-no-likey.

So, what should I do about our C-A-T (ssshhhhh) problem? Be the crazy lady and bang some pots and pans in the backyard? Let Riley keep thinking she can make it on the roof? Borrow a bb gun from the little boy across the street? (ok, that one is a joke, I am a lover of all animals. Unless bugs and snakes and creeply-crawly things count as animals. I don't love them).

xo
Wendy

Spreadsheets, O' Spreadsheets

Spreadsheets, O' Spreadsheets 

How much do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

Spreadsheets, O' Spreadsheets
My one true love
Spreadsheets, O' Spreadsheets
Heaven's gift from above

Your columns and rows, worksheets and graphs
Functions and formats, its all just a blast
The beauty you hold
Its deep in your cells
Your function, your grace
It cannot be replaced
Even if using Ctrl + H

You Excel in assisting and making decisions
Your calculations are of the upmost precision
With each new keystroke
The outcome becomes clearer

Spreadsheets, O' Spreadsheets
You are my true love
Spreadsheets, O' Spreadsheets
Heaven's gift from above

-Allan Brown

Before Pictures, Part 2

Part two is here!! Yay! Again, all pictures were taken long before we owned the home and moved in. So without further ado, before pictures!

Hall that leads to the bedrooms

Master Bedroom.

Master Bathroom

Hall from the Master to the Master Bath and Wendy's Dressing Room

Dressing Room/4th Bedroom




Guest Bath




Guest Bedroom




Office/3rd Bedroom




Patio




Swimming Pool (it started out green but by the time we moved in it was a black frog pond)

That's all for the before pictures. Now the fun part starts. We get to show you all the work we've done! Stay tuned.

xo
W&A

Guest Bloggle

Riley is my name, guest bloggin' is my game. That and eating. And chasing squirrels. Sleeping too. I am a three and a half year old puggle. That's half pug, half beagle. I have a short, black snout, big floppy ears and a curly tail. Yep, I'm as cute as I sound... I know it too and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I often use my extreme cuteness to get me out of trouble. I'd like to think that doesn't happen often but I gotta be honest... I may or may not get into the trash, bite holes in my mom and dad's undies and socks, and steal the food from their plates sometimes. But they still love me. My mom and dad tell me I need to go on a diet. I don't know what that means but it doesn't sound like very much fun. Mom and dad also like to make up songs about me, they think they are sssooooo funny but they aren't. They also like to humiliate me from time to time.


See. There is the evidence. But mom and dad aren't all bad. They let me sleep in the bed with them, snuggled right in the middle where I like it. Sometimes my mommy even lets me share her pillow while I snore in her ear. They give me a ton of lovin' too. If I roll over they'll rub my belly as much as I want. It works like magic! I also have a big, huge back yard that is all mine, perfect for squirrel hunting. I also like to bark at my neighbor dog, who is also a puggle, through the fence.

Well that is all for now. I'm late for my third two-hour nap of the day. I'll leave you with this super adorable picture from back when I was just a little puppy.



Yes. I'm cute. You don't need to remind me.


Lot of love and sloppy kisses,

Riley

The Story of an Indecisive Painter

Hi, my name is Wendy and I'm indecisive. Like really indecisive. There, I said it. But when it comes to painting I make normal indecisive me look good. So far my paint sample total has topped off at 18. This does not count the swatches I've brought home from our local Home hardware stores. Want proof of the paint sample madness?

Yeah, it has gotten a little out of control. By far, the most difficult space to pick a color for was the family room/dining room/sun room/hallway. It is all one open space, and the first color you see coming in the house, so picking the perfect color was of the utmost importance. Here is a picture I took a few months ago when I couldn't decide on a color.

When all the samples I brought home were either too light, too dark, too yellow, too brown or too gray, I turned to the handy paint lady at my local Home Depot. And guess what y'all? She whipped up the perfect hue for me. Here is how she worked her magic: I showed her the color I liked most but thought was a tad too dark and she adjusted the tint till it was just right. Easy peasy painty squeezy! When I brought home my newest sample and slapped in on the wall, 'cuz I couldn't quite commit to the whole gallon yet, it was love at first sight.

Here is the final color... swoon! I love telling our guests that the color was custom made just for me.


xoxo
Wendy