Wordless Wednesday....Sorta

 Pup prison

I HATE leaving Beauford in a crate all day while we're at work, but after multiple attempts at free roaming during the day, Beauf just can't do it.  It's not every time, but 9 times out of 10, Beauf pees if left out during work hours.  I just can't have that.  We only use the crate while we're at work, because he's able to hold it while we run errands and such, but he just can't make it 10+ hours.

We started using a baby gate this week instead of a crate and have kept him contained in the mud room while we're at work. So far, so good!  I feel SO much better about this.

One of the rare moments, he wanted to cuddle.  I love this boy.

Happy Monday!

 

 Does anyone else feel this way, ESPECIALLY on Monday?!?

It's FINALLY Over!

After 16 looooooooooong months, it's FINALLY over!

Meet the new and improved Shannon:

WHAT, WHAT!!

The braces are FINALLY gone!

Those things have been a thorn in my side for the last year and four months, but it was all worth it in the end though.  My jaw is not 100% better (you can't correct TMJ, just improve it), but it feels 100x better!  You can read all about why I got braces on this post. 

Speaking of that post, that post always has the most hits on my blog analytics.  So to all of you out there who are in braces or thinking about getting braces for TMJ issues, DO IT!  Not going to lie - I hated every.last.minute of wearing them and I was well, a tad bit over the top self-conscious about them, but I saw dramatic improvements in my jaw, so it WAS worth it (even though it didn't feel like it at the time).

 I'm back!

Sweet Tooth

In less than 6 weeks, Adam and I, along with our friends Bob and Val, are setting sail for a 6 days/5 nights cruise to the Bahamas!!

We are SUPER excited, but that’s a whole other post. Good grief, I can’t wait!

Adam and I were talking about the cruise Monday morning, and I mentioned that I needed to get bikini body ready.  We are really good about working out, but not so great on the diet portion.  I really don’t think we eat too terrible and actually somewhat healthy, but it’s the sweets that have become a problem.

Adam had the idea that we cut out all sweets until the cruise.  This was a little TOO steep for me.  I can’t just go all cold turkey.  I like to set realistic goals and that to me is not realistic.  So we compromised and decided we could have one sweet a week.

So here we are on day 4 of no sweets – I’m DYING!  I didn’t realize how much of a habit I had created.  It’s not so bad during the day, because I usually never eat sweets, but it’s after dinner that really gets me.  I’ve just gotten so used to having something sweet that I just CRAVE it (and that’s a problem!).

I’ve found the best method for me is to brush my teeth relatively soon after dinner.  After I’ve brushed my teeth for the night, I don’t want to have to rebrush them, so the temptation is gone (but not necessarily the craving…). 

I already told Adam that when we do finally have a sweet this week, it is going to be something REALLY good such as:

You know, just a few things I've been daydreaming about....

I can do this, I can do this, I can do this!

On The Big Screen

We RARELY go to the movies, but I've actually been to the movies two weekends in a row here recently.

First it was The Hobbit with Adam:

If you love The Lord of the Rings trilogy (which I do), then you'll love The Hobbit.  It's a little more lighthearted than The Lord of the Rings.  Definitely recommend it.

Next was Les Miserables with my friend Amanda:

Oh.My.Goodness!!!  SO good! I had never seen the musical or any of the old movies, so I had no idea what the storyline was.  My friend Val recommended reading up on the story before hand, which I did, and that was very helpful. 

I must say I enjoyed every single minute of it.  I HIGHLY recommend this one, and definitely worth seeing it on the big screen instead of at home.  Heck, I'd go see it again.  Anyone need a movie date?

Not necessarily a movie, but last weekend Adam and I started the Showtime series Homeland:

We got the first of four disks in the mail from Netflix, and it contained three episodes.  Let's just say Adam and I watch all three episodes back-to-back on Friday night.  It sucked us right in.  I'm officially hooked!

Seen any movies lately that would merit another trip to the movies?  I love a good reason to eat buttery popcorn!

Ruler Growth Chart

Since yesterday's blog featured Adam's project, I thought today I would feature mine.

Two of my very best friends had babies turning one right around the same time, and I couldn't think of anything to get them.  First birthdays are so hard to me.  The child is too young to understand or appreciate a gift, and I know both of these ladies didn't necessarily want a bunch of toys (who wants your house taken over by toys that your child really doesn't even play with).

So I decided I would make them something.  I had pinned a ruler growth chart project on pinterst a long time ago, and I knew this would be the perfect project.  I made two, one for both Claire and Neil, in one afternoon.  SUPER easy project!  I followed this tutorial to a "t" and love the way they turned out.

 Can we say baby model?  Goodness, he's cute!

The ruler growth chart is 6 1/2 feet tall.  It starts at six inches and is meant to be hung on the wall six inches above the ground. 

Hopefully this will be a piece they both have for a very long time, marking their sweet little growth from year to year.

New Coffee Table

Since the dawn of time (well for six years, at least), Adam and I have had this coffee table:

From Hattiesburg, Miss. to Chapel Hill, NC and then to Nashville, the old coffee table has been with us.  We bought it when we first moved in together from an elderly couple who was going to throw it out.  It has served it's purpose, but it was time to retire the old girl when we moved into the house.

Ever since then, we've been working with this pseudo coffee table all the while looking for the PERFECT coffee table.

Finding the perfect coffee table is harder than you think, especially when you want something unique and one of a kind, so Adam decided he was going to make one.  Adam has a track record of making some pretty great stuff (exhibit A, B and C), so I had no doubt our coffee table was going to be fabulous as well!

Inspiration came in the form of a This Old House magazine featuring this dining room table.  When we went home over Christmas, Adam got to work with his dad on making the top of the table and finished the rest over the past two weekends at home.  Last night, he finished it, and I'm in LOVE!

Yay!  Isn't it awesome?!

The top is sassafras, and the bottom is piping from Home Depot.

It's great having a handyman around the house, and it's a bonus that he's cute!