overdue updates

I don't know where to begin. Before we left for Mexico, I'm sure you could already tell posting was getting less and less as things started getting more crazy and stressful. Once we got home, the craziness continued, and the thought of blogging stressed me out even more! So, I'm back to recap the last couple of months. Especially since many new and exciting things have happened around here!!!! :)

Cabo Trip

It's nearly impossible to try and sum up a week of vacation. We had an amazing time. The room was incredible {upgraded to the Penthouse!}, the weather couldn't have been more perfect, the food was so good, and sharing that with best friends makes it even better. Here are a few pictures from the week:

{The Group}

{The Boys}

{The Girls}

{My Love}

Doggie
After talking about getting another dog for a long time, we finally caved in and bought our second dog. We rescued Olive from Animal Care and Control. We picked her up after her spay on April 1. After a couple days, her and Cooper have become best buddies.




During our first vet appointment {also Cooper's 6 month check-up}, we found out that Olive had kennel cough. They put her on $60 medicine and couldn't give her the shots she needed until she got better. Two weeks later, we took her in to finally get her second round of shots....vet said everything looked good except a rash on her belly {needed more medicine for that}.

That next Saturday {after having her for 3 weeks}, Olive had been up throwing up all night. Her belly looked really misshaped and she couldn't stop shaking. The vet wanted us to come in as soon as possible. After a long day, lots of tests and x-rays, and some confusion, Olive had surgery to remove her spleen. It had twisted over on itself and she almost died because of it. She's practically famous at our vet office now since she is only the third dog in 30 YEARS that this has happened to! It's going to take almost that amount of time for our wallets to recover! :)

She's happy and healthy now. She loves to play with her older brother and snuggle on the couch. Our house appears to be hit by a tornado because she loves playing with every toy we have. She can entertain herself for quite awhile! Every time we put the toys into the basket, she takes them all out and puts them on her bed. I love our new addition to our family...even if she is expensive!

{Here she is with all her toys on her bed...including the 3 she's laying on!!!}

Katie and Kurt, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g, first comes love, then comes MARRIAGE!
Yep, that's right. Kurt and I got engaged last Friday!!! We couldn't be happier to take the next step in our relationship. The engagement was perfect. After taking me to dinner, Kurt planned for us to walk around downtown and take a carriage ride. Because it started to storm, we couldn't do either. I suggested we go get some ice cream and go back home to watch the Blackhawks game. The entire night, Kurt acted totally normal and didn't persist on us doing anything. After ice cream, we went home. By that time, I knew he wasn't going to propose that night. When we got home, there was a card taped on the wall right as you walk in. It basically took me on a little scavenger hunt. The last stop was the dresser where a ring box was with a note that said, "Turn Around." He had mentioned in one of the cards that there was a surprise on the bed. As I am ruffling around the bed, thinking that Cooper has eaten my surprise, Kurt got down on one knee. Finally I turned around and he asked me to marry him....while Olive licked his face and Cooper howled at the door because he wanted in!!! :)

{After he proposed!}

{The ring he designed AND kept a secret from everyone since February. He did ask my dad a week in advance, but before that, NO ONE knew he had bought a ring!!!}

We've started the wedding planning process. We're planning to get married June of 2011. Hopefully this summer, I'll be able to shuffle tutoring, getting a classroom ready, planning a wedding, and blogging!

{One of my best friends, Susanah, got engaged the night before us. Not planned at all!!}

Of course we've had some other exciting things going on, but I wanted to update on the most exciting/important ones. Only two and a half more weeks of school...so I hope to be around more often!

48 more hours...

...until we're in Cabo!! This week has been so incredibly busy...we've had stuff every single night. Getting ready for vacation and finishing up loose ends at work is already stressful enough! I have one more day of work and then 2 WEEKS off...one in Cabo and one at home. I'll be sure to share pictures from our trip when we return. Enjoy the beautiful weather!

checked out

I've lost a lot of motivation...it's not hard to do since we'll be here in less than 2 weeks...

I honestly can't put into words how excited I am.

employed

Phew...today was the day my school passed out contracts for next school year. While I was really not worried about getting a job, there was always a little bit of fear that I wouldn't get one. But, I DID! This is the first summer that I'll be able to relax and know that I have a job...at a school I love...with people I love working with!

I think this is a cause for celebration tonight!!! :) {Especially since we don't have a pay freeze anymore and I'll get a 'raise'!}

healthy eating....

...not really! After writing reports all weekend and afternoon, I got home and didn't feel like cooking much {plus we're running really low on food}. I asked Kurt to pick up some milk today when he was out, but he forgot. He was going to run to the store a little while ago and then pick up something quick for dinner. There's not too much healthy food around our house, so we finally decided on Wendy's....so much for us losing weight before we go on spring break!!! :)

Then I had a genius idea. Kurt could make a 'one stop trip' and get us dinner and milk for breakfast! Just buy two individual size milks for our cereal in the morning. We couldn't get any more lazy, but I have to say I love that about us!

For proof, here's dinner and {part of} breakfast tomorrow... 

tv stand {3...finally!}

I know, I know, I've been away forever. I was actually thinking of giving up blogging/reading blogs for Lent, but decided against it. So, that's why I haven't been posting lately. We've been taking a break from house stuff lately, so I really don't have many updates. Here are the pictures of the t.v. stand...finally!!

Remember how I told you that I started buying stuff instead of trying to find stuff that all fit together?!? Well...it worked! We are using almost every single thing we bought in the living room area! Check it out...

Warning -- although I wish {a lot} I would be good with photography, I'm really not! So, sorry. These pictures aren't very good....best shots I could get... :)

Very top right. My favorite part!

{Coral - Z Gallerie}

{Blue Vase - IKEA}

{Red Dish - Crate and Barrel}

 

Top Right Shelf

{Z Gallerie}

 

Middle Right Shelf

{things we found around the house}

Bottom Right

{Z Gallerie -- Sale!}

Very Top Left 

I know the picture is the wrong way...we had it in a different spot. We tried it vertically and liked it...we still need to find a picture to replace it...oops!

{Yellow Vase - Crate and Barrel}

 

Top Left Shelf

{Blue Vase - Crate and Barrel}

 

Middle Left Shelf...another favorite!

{Lantern thingy - Z Gallerie}

{Little Birdie - Crate and Barrel}

 

Bottom Left

{found around the house...my favorite book...Marley and Me!}

Can you tell we really liked the white look? I like it even more when you see it all together because the white really pops on the dark wood. I'm loving all the bright colors together...they're fun! Here's the whole thing...

 

lazy

I'm not one to sit around and do nothing, but the last couple of days that's just what I've been doing! Last week I started feeling sick. I had a nasty cough and lots of congestion. So, I ended up not going to work on Friday. The rest of the weekend, I felt stuffy and still had a cough, but not too sick to keep me in bed. But I must admit, for the most part, we stayed at home, relaxed, and watched the Olympics. I'm not sure about you, but we l.o.v.e. the Olympics around here. We've been taping each day and catching up on it at night....thank God for U-Verse!!! :) And to top off the weekend, we didn't have school yesterday!

So now it's back to reality and I have lots of things to catch up on!! Hope you had a great weekend!

snow

I love snow! Pretty soon, I'll be ready for the weather to get warmer and the snow to melt away, but for now I'm enjoying all the snow we've had in the last couple of days. Snow is even better when you get a day off work!!! Yesterday, we had a snow day and it was amazing. I sat. In my pajamas. All day long! And, it was wonderful!!! I have a hard time relaxing and normally don't like sitting at home all day. But I must say, it was really nice to have one day to spend in our house without worrying about a thing. 

Today is back to reality, and with report time coming up, things around here are starting to get stressful. Hopefully I can get rid of my procrastination and get these reports done early!!!

flag

On Thanksgiving, my grandma gave Kurt and I a housewarming present -- an American flag. I was excited about this because a flag is something I would probably never spend my own money on, but I'd love to have one flying on our house. At that time, I had already started my Christmas list, which included an IU flag and flagpole. I was able to check the flagpole off the list, but still wanted the IU flag {badly}!! And, one of Kurt's brothers gave us an IU flag for Christmas!!! 

We finally got around to hanging it last weekend. We had a tough decision which flag to fly first. But, in the end, we decided to show our Alma-mater pride first. It was really quick to hang it and it's exciting that we already have two flags to alternate between. Check it out...

 

We marked where the holes needed to be and then drilled in those spots...

...then hammered the anchors in...

 

...Kurt used his big muscles to screw the holder-thingy in...

...I put the flag on the pole and screwed it into the holder, and voila!

 

...what it looks like now...

{p.s.- do you see how great the new blinds look upstairs in our bathroom??}

blinded by the light!

Immediately after we put up the blinds in the laundry room and kitchen, we knew what our project would be that next weekend! We were amazed by how great and different the windows looked by just adding/switching out the blinds. Moving in, we knew eventually we'd need new blinds at least upstairs if not the entire house. The decision to complete all the windows upstairs was quick and easy once we saw the other two windows. Bonus -- we loved that for a reasonable price we were able to get quality, expensive-looking blinds. Double bonus -- we would now be able to open and close our blinds, or even crack them to let just a little bit in...so luxurious! Without further-ado, here are before and afters of some of the upstairs windows....

 

Here's our bedroom. The blind on the right was too small for the window. If we ever tried to open it, the blind would pop out onto our heads and unravel...ugh!

One down, one to go...

Can you believe how much better it looks?!? Our room looks so open and airy! 

{Now if we could just find a stand to put our tv on...that space is awkward.}

Here's the guest room. Yes, the left blind was stuck like that....

With the new blinds, Coop can sit on the bed and look out the window...what he l.o.v.e.s. to do!

Also, we were finally able to fix the ceiling fan in the guest room. We had NO light in there since we moved in. We couldn't take down the fan because one of the screws was stripped. But we were finally able to use the light from the old ceiling fan and put it on this one. Thank God!!

  

Our giant window in our bathroom looks great with the new blinds...we love them!

And just to brag a little bit....I put all the blinds up on my own while Kurt and his dad worked on the laundry room project!!! {Kurt did help me lift the one for our bathroom....}  :)

dreaming of...

...getting another puppy. We've been talking about it forever now. It's probably not the smartest time to get one, but I don't really care!! :) We'll see what happens. I can tell you one thing's for sure, if we get another dog, Cooper will be in heaven!

 

Don't you think he'd be such a GREAT big {doggie} brother?

Winterfest!

Saturday Josh, Meredith, Kurt and I went to Winterfest -- a beer fest with mostly all local beers {and a few not so local}! I was the only 'beer fest rookie' so I wasn't quite sure what to expect...not to mention I was somewhat concerned about making it through the day... :)

After we took a cab to the fairgrounds, we had to wait in line for awhile {in the FREEZING cold!} before we could get in. The fest only lasted from 3-7, so most people wanted to get in right at the beginning.

 

Freezing our butts off!

 

The boys were very intense about trying to get to possibly as many places before the time was up. The second we got in, they were on the prowl! Meredith and I on the other hand, took things a little more slowly as to not get ourselves in trouble! {Plus, I hate chugging good beer. Can't I sit and enjoy it for a minute?} 

Towards the end, we weren't looking too bad!!

Kurt was trying to run around at the end {while we were getting kicked out} trying to find 'trinkets.' I'm not really quite sure why...I hate trinkets and who knows what we'd do with them anyways!!! Apparently Josh really wanted this one sign so Kurt was trying to get the guy to give it to him. I walked up trying to get Kurt to leave. Instead, I was able to talk the guy into giving us the sign.. {ha!} Not for our house though!!!

 

Once it was over, we waited for awhile for a ride. We originally planned on taking a cab back home, but another friend decided he'd pick us up on the way. We all ended up coming back to our house to hang out. Too bad we were starving when we left but our pizza took over 2 hours to come!! All in all, we had a pretty fun night!!

 

{Waiting for Loyd, our ride.} 

Tip I learned from beer fest: Make a pretzel necklace before going to any other beer fest!! {We saw tons of people with these and we couldn't have been more jealous!}

color pop

I've recently changed my decorating mentality. Since we've moved into the house, we have spent hours running around the city, shopping, browsing magazines, etc. looking for things for our house. We never seemed to buy things because we {I} wasn't sure if it would fit, how it would look, if I'd like it.....

So, I told myself if I see something I like, I'm going to get it, try it out at home, and if we don't like it take it back! And, it's working!! We've added lots of new accessories to our tv stand that look great {and wouldn't have been anything I would typically throw together in my mind}. Here are some recent purchases we bought from Crate and Barrel.

{Glass Birdie - $7.00}

 

 {Lula Vase $9.00}

 

{Yoko Vase $8.00 -- we got blue one}

One of my favorite things about buying stuff I like when I see it.....we have a few extra things that we've stored away. We have them close by for whenever we'd like to switch things up a little bit! I'll be sure to show you the finished tv stand when we get it complete!!

Have a GREAT weekend!!

door/window upgrades

Finally after the major projects were complete in the laundry room, we tackled the door and the window. After we moved in, we decided to switch all of our door knobs to stainless steel. Because they are pricey, we decided to do a few at a time. Now, all the downstairs doors and the laundry room door have a much better look to them! Check out the door before...

First we put the door knob on. But, we still had to do the hinges. You may not think it's that big of a difference, but when you see the silver door knob next to the brass hinges it's night and day!!

Next up on the list was a new blind. The one that was in was 5 in. too short. We are also planning on making all of the blinds in the house uniform. This was blind #1. Before we began...

It was difficult to get the screws into such tight places. After putting in a couple blinds, we came up with a great strategy that has made all the other blinds a breeze.  

It didn't take too long to transform the window. We're so happy that we can actually leave the laundry room open to get more light upstairs. It's nice to be able to open and close the blinds, too!!

Since we're on the topic of blinds, I'll show you what we did to the kitchen window. That window was the only one in the entire house that didn't have any type of covering. I really dislike having open windows at night {people can see in, but it's hard to see out!} Also, since we're in an up-and-coming area there is still some issues with crime {really this could happen anywhere}! We've been told time and time again that if people can see in your windows all the time, that gives them an opportunity to scope out what they want if they were to break in. Anyways, we wanted blinds on the window to give us some privacy and make us feel a little safer!!! Here's the before...

It was extra tough getting this one up. {Compared to the laundry room}
You had to stand on the counter tops and get into that small space.

After a couple minutes, we were finished! And we're now able to still see out the window...

...or close it if we want!

Of course I had to throw in one of our Coop. I think he was wondering what in the world was going on. Isn't he cute??

****If you are thinking of getting new blinds, I would highly recommend the Levolor brand from Lowe's. If you take your measurements into the store, they will cut the blinds for you while you shop. They are also VERY reasonably priced. We compared the look of many blinds and these ones look the most like real wood {we thought}. Also, you may have noticed that our blinds look a little long in these pictures.... you can shorten them to fit your window ...we just haven't gotten around to that!! We liked them so much, last weekend we {really ME...I'm proud of myself} put new blinds in all the windows upstairs. Pictures to come soon!