Fireplace

Here is another Before and After project in our new home:)  I am trying to pace myself with the projects around the house, but this is one I have been dying to do for a while now!!!  We have two real fireplaces, and have absolutely loved making real fires all winter.  One fireplace is in the formal room with marble surrounding it....gorgeous.  The second fireplace is in the Den and it is brick....faded painted black brick....uhhh!  So not chic!
Here are some of the before pics.

So the first step for us was finding a screen.  I searched for weeks until I finally found one that we loved.  It was hard to find a screen that we liked, that also had the mesh backing, which is essential when you have a real fire.  After we found a screen we had to choose a color.  I had grand plans to restore the brick to its original color and white wash it.....hahaha not happening!  Way too hard.  If the brick had never been painted it would have been doable, but after it was painted black it was not worth the trouble.  So we painted on several shades of grey and cream to blend in with the wall more.   We put the new screen in front to see the colors with the screen and "lived with it" for a few days.

After 3 days and lots of opinions we finally decided on a color and were ready to paint!
Here is the after:)

Ok so its not perfect...but looks 100% better than the faded black paint and was a lot cheaper than hiring someone to do it!!  It looks amazing at night with a fire!

Now I just wish we had done this sooner!!

Old Fashioned Fun!

Friday night I went to an old fashioned girls night and Ryan had a guys night.   Not that I don't love spending time with Ryan, but this night was much needed for us both!  The guys went to a Checkers Hockey game, out for pizza and beer and then went over to Beth's parents house to play pool.   We had a completely different kinda night.  I seriously felt like a little girl again.  Emily hosted the girls night at her house and had a lot of fun planned for us!   We ate lots of junk food, played charades, watched old movies, played MASH, ate more junk food, gossiped, and even snuck out of the house to play a prank on the boys...yes so high school!    Here are some pics to capture our night....

Yes we are all huge dorks!  We couldn't use the flash during our midnight prank, but lets just say we were all dressed in black, had a get away car and had to lay still on the back lawn trying not to giggle as we watched the boys squirm!   I haven't laughed so hard in a long time!!!!  Here is the only decent pic of us making a run for it!

Thanks again Emily for hosting....I had an absolute blast acting like a kid again!

Bonjour!

I am a HUGE fan of any themed event...a Birthday party, shower, or even just a simple dinner party. So we decided to have a few friends over for a French themed dinner. Not only did we learn about French culture, enjoy French music, but the food was delicious! Those Frenchies sure know how to eat! I was pretty occupied with my hosting duties and didn't take a lot of pictures of the meal, but here is what we had.

For Hor Dourves...Baked Apple Bree deliciousness and Olive Tapenade brought by the Shwedos.

We started the evening out with a French beer...yes we know the French are known for their wine, but we thought it would be fun to have a variety....don't worry we had plenty of French wine too!

After the first course we moved into the dining room.  Ryan and I did not have a dining room in our first home and still do not have a proper dining table (coming Saturday!), but enjoyed finally getting to eat in our new dining room!

For the main meal we served Coq au Vin.   We didn't think it was hard to make and I loved the fact that you could make it in advance and relax before guest arrive.   I don't have an after pic, but here it is in the making:)  

The Schmitt's brought two amazing sides (forgot to take pics!).  They brought both Mashed Butternut Squash (amazing!!) and Hericots Verts with Shallots (also amazing).

The French eat their main meal, then the salad, then fruit and cheese.....

And lastly the dessert!  We could not decide on a dessert so we made several.   Chocolate Mousse, Raspberry Macaroons, Salted Caramel Brownies, and Lemon Cream Petit fours!!...Okay, I got a little carried away.

Since we had so many desserts everyone went home with a few:)

Adam George Lee

Adam George Lee

2.12.12 at 8:07AM

7lbs 13 oz.

Well Rachel and Andy had their little boy this morning, and Ryan and I drove down to meet him.  Let me just say these pictures do not do this little fella justice.  He is absolutely adorable!  I am so proud of Rachel and can't believe she is now the mother of two precious little boys!  Such a blessing:)

Rachel and Andy we are so happy for y'all!  You are now a family of 4:)

Aloha

We are so excited about a long uneventful weekend!  We have been go go go lately and in desperate need of a low-key couple of days!  Well as you know from my previous post...Ryan spent a week in Hawaii while accompanying our friend Andy Lee at the Pro Bowl.  Lets just say it was a males trip of a lifetime!
He surprised me and actually took a decent amount of pics....although he didn't get ANY with athletes.  He said that out of all the guys he talked to and met, Aaron Rogers, Philip Rivers and Drew Brees were the friendliest and most down to earth. You know he was just trying to play it cool and blend in:). He also had a chance to spend a lot of time with Andy's fellow special-teamers David Akers and Brian Jennings.
View from their room...

First night Welcome Party....

 View from room before the party....

I did get a text one night that said "Drew Brees says goodnight" along with this picture....

Apparently that night he talked to Drew and played with his son in the pool....seriously!  How cool!

They got a chance to play golf at Waialee Country Club where the Sony Open is played...

Ryan got to visit Andy at practice....

But most days while Andy was at practice Ryan enjoyed Hawaii....

During their free time in the afternoons they went shopping, visited the Dole Pineapple plantation, went into the city, ate ALOT and played more golf.

Went to see the Bonsai Pipeline at the North Shore...

And of course the game:)...Here they are tailgating pictured with Andy's Agents and Parents

Andy's fake punt pass!!...Nice Pic Ryan

Ryan came home with lots of goodies like this!
Now while Ryan was gone I went to visit Rachel and little Ryan for the week.  Although our week was no Hawaiian vacation we did do a lot.
Hung out and helped Rachel with this little guy...

We too had good Hawaiian inspired food....macadamia nut pancakes with coconut syrup!

Dinner at Mellow Mushroom with Rebecca...

Dance parties....

I helped Rachel make some final decisions on her nursery....

And lots of resting up before her baby comes.  Although we both had fun weeks, I am glad he is home and now I really want to go to Hawaii!