Lego Land Florida

This past weekend I went with my brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews to Lego Land Florida where we spent two full days at the amusement park. We had a great time! Just imagine a theme and water park where everything looks like legos...and you have Lego Land.

We rode roller coasters, let the boys drive us around in lego boats, and enjoyed cooling off on the water park's slides. Remember those water slides that you go down without a tube and they literally just drop you down the slide? I remember them being fun. Not anymore. I went down one where you are in an enclosed slide for the first 30 seconds and then it drops you out. Needless to say I was slightly freaking out the entire time I was going down the enclosed part. Okay, I was completely freaking out.

Besides the scary slides, we had such a good time. It was so much fun getting to see the boys take it all in. Here are some pictures from our trip...now I'm in desperate need of a beach vacation with a drink in my hand.

 

 

A Patio...Finally

When I moved in to my apartment a couple months ago I instantly set up my patio, as I have been anxiously awaiting the day when I would have one again. When I lived in NYC I barely had an apartment, so a patio was just not happening. Not to mention that outdoor space in Manhattan is not something that people have, unless they are super rich...which I unfortunately am not.

I purchased a few plants, my mom gave me a few plants, and I put together the patio set I bought over a year ago (when I didn't even have a patio). The patio set had been hanging out in storage, but I just knew that one day I would have a place for it! Then a couple of weeks ago, my mom helped me plant tons of herbs in pots she had lying around. I now have a patio complete with:

• Rosemary
• Thyme
• Basil
• Cilantro
• Garlic Chives
• Oregano
• Spider Plant
• Gerber Daisy (my favorite!)
• Flower Basket - flowers, ivy, sweet potato plant, etc.
• Lights

I just love outdoor spaces and am so happy with how mine turned out. Now I just have to keep everything alive...the thyme is already fading on me!

My patio.

Updates with herbs, lights, ribbon.

Apartment Updates

I've been thrift shopping the past couple of weekends...purchasing, painting, and recovering old furniture for my apartment. I am determined not to spend a lot of money on the furniture I need. Recently I have purchased:

• an end table for my guestroom - $10

• a chair for my guestroom desk - $10

• an end table for my living room - $10

• 2 nightstands for my bedroom - $25/each

Check out the before and afters of these projects...

Chair.

Nightstand.

End table.

In total since I started buying furniture for my place, I have purchased 7 pieces of furniture for a total of $120!

Also, here is a chair my friend Megan sanded, stained and recovered...doesn't it look awesome! 

Thrift Stores - Not Junk Stores

Growing up my Mama always LOVED to go into thrift stores and antique shops (I always called them "junk" stores). There were few things at that age I hated more in life than going to a "junk" store and looking at all the crap other people wanted to sell so they didn't have to look at it anymore. I just didn't understand the logic.

Now, at the age of 24, I can officially say - I get it Mama! The other weekend I went, what I now call "thrifting" with my friend Megan. I just moved into my apartment a couple of weeks ago and have no interest in spending tons of money on furniture. So, I went thrifting and found....

This coffee table that I use as my TV table. It was an ugly beat-up wood color. I spray painted it the teal color to match my decor and added the baskets underneath for functionality. 

TV table.

Close up of TV table.

This little table that I use as my entry table. It was also an ugly wood color. I spray painted it the same teal color and then painted the key/mail/organizer above it gray, something I had in my room growing up that is now useful once again! The table still needs some love in terms of decor on it, but we will get there.

Entry table.

All in all, I'm pretty proud of my finds. I forgot to take before pictures, so you will just have to imagine how ugly it was before the new paint. I learned from the best growing up and can't wait to find more treasures to add to my home!

Here's the breakdown of what I spent:

TV/Coffee Table = $25

Entry Table = $15

Spray Paint = $6

Meet Oliver

Ever since I was in college and had to give up my dog Boozer because my apartment wouldn't allow him, my life has been missing something. I then moved to New York and couldn't exactly fit a dog inside my tiny apartment with me. So, when I got my own place this time I decided that I absolutely had to get a dog. This week I went to an adoption center called Pets, Inc. and found the something I had been missing. He is a full blooded Lhasa Apso and he is 4 years old. Please meet Oliver.

Oliver.

Oliver sleeping at home.

Boozer.

I'm so excited to once again have a dog and a constant companion/friend, and I can't wait for Boozer to meet him. They HAVE to be best buddies.

As for Boozer, he now lives a very good life at my parent's house with several other doggie friends and lots of attention/love. We still have an unbreakable bond...we will love each other forever, no doubt.

A Heritage Weekend

This past weekend I went to Hilton Head Island where one of my best friends lives. A group of my friends all went down to go to the Heritage golf tournament. We had such a great time...even though we didn't even go into the tournament. We just hung out in the tournament area all day Saturday.

I then ended the weekend by meeting up with my sister, brother-in-law, and niece at the zoo. It was such a great end to an awesome weekend. Getting to see my sweet girl get excited over the animals was great! It doesn't get any cuter than my girl. Here are some pictures from the weekend.

Heritage Weekend.

Brunch.

Quarterdeck.

The 19th Hole.

Heritage.

"Grace...where is the iguana?"...she is a genius.

Off to see the fish.

A Very Happy Easter

I had a great Easter weekend with my siblings and their little families as we celebrated Easter at my sister's house. Little Grace got to hunt Easter eggs for the first time. She caught on pretty quickly thanks to help from the boys. My whole family then got to spend the week after Easter in Dobson, North Carolina at a house on the Mitchell River. I was lucky enough to be able to join them on Thursday for a long weekend. We had a great time hanging out, reading, fishing, eating, and playing with the kiddos. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures with my camera...I left the picture taking up to my mom. Maybe I will share of those pictures later. In the meantime, here are some Easter pictures.

On a side note, I get the keys to my new place on Friday! Let the moving begin...(ugh I hate moving).

Grant helping Grace hunt Easter eggs.

"Where are those eggs..." 

The Wall Family.

My Sweet Girl.

My kiddos. Being an Aunt is the best.

Candy!

Sweet Boys.

The McCurry Family...minus Ben (he had to work).

Silly boys. Boys will be boys.