Myrtle Beach: Day Two

Our first morning at the beach Mackenzie woke up at around 5:30 am. Isn't that the way it is? You can't drag them out of bed to save your life on a school day, but vacation rolls around and they're up with the sun. This was an unexpected blessing, I found, because it was the perfect time to go out on the deck and watch the sunrise.

Once the sun came up, we noticed a special message in the sand from our 10th floor balcony.

We followed the advice, ate breakfast and got ready for our day at the beach just a few steps away from our hotel. It was 75 and sunny, with a breeze. Perfect weather to build a sandcastle, dig your toes into the sand and soak up some rays.

Later in the afternoon we dragged ourselves back up to the hotel room for a nice nap, then headed over to Boardwalk on the Beach for some shopping and dinner. Kenzie found her (5th or 6th) favorite ride ever. It's like bumper cars, but the entire thing rotates 360 degrees. She spent the entire five minute ride spinning in one consistent circle. Dizzy much?

It was a great day of relaxation, fun in the sun, great food and shopping. What more could a girl ask for?

Myrtle Beach: Day 1

This year for Kenzie's spring break, my mom and I thought a girl's trip to Myrtle Beach would be just perfect. We arrived in the afternoon and decided we would go to the cutest little family fun park. Fair-type rides always remind me of my younger days. It was one of the most exciting times each year. I always looked forward to the fair for months beforehand. I see the same anticipation in my child's eyes.

The hustle and bustle of the children as they run from ride to ride, declaring each as their "favorite". 

The squeals of joy, the tummy drops and indulging in hot, sweet, sticky funnel cake and hand-squeezed lemonade.

I warms my heart to watch my girl enjoy the same things I did myself so many years ago, and to be able to enjoy it with her is such a blessing. It brings a sense of closeness and bonding that I can't describe. Like the generation gap is quite so wide. 

Ahh, memories. The Hurricane was my favorite as a kid. It goes over peaks and valleys in a circle (a very very fast circle..), until you feel like you can't take anymore...and then, they do it all again - backwards. 

 Have I mentioned I don't handle rides that spin so well anymore?

Reno Update

Whew, things have been BU-SY around here! The garage/kitchen renovation is well underway, and boy has it been a roller coaster ride of ups and (many) downs along the way. 


As of now, there's been contractors here from 8a-7p every single day since March 6th. We're making steady headway on the garage but I have some news: we're thisclose to being finished with that area, so I can officially call it my NEW dining room, laundry room and storage closet!


The kitchen on the other hand...looks like this: 

Yikes. When I walked into the kitchen after demolition, I could not believe what it looked like underneath our hardwood floors and behind our cabinets. ESPECIALLY the burned looking area in the first picture. That, my friends, is actually 30 years of grease build-up blown out by the hood vent and behind our cabinets. Every time we used the stove the grease would heat up and burn a little more behind the cabinets.  I had no idea what was lurking behind there - and I wondered why every time I used the oven or stove the fire alarm went off. I was mortified... Needless to say, we are replacing all of the drywall. *sigh*


Oh, and check out our backyard:

Great lawn ornaments, huh? ;) (And whoa boy, does my yard need some grass seed...)


What home renovations have you been aching for? More importantly, does this post change your mind? 

The State of my Garage

The garage renovation is officially underway. This is the part where I have a panic attack and wonder what in the world I was ever thinking. 

Day one went along swimmingly. The wood siding was removed from the right interior garage wall and saved so it could be re-purposed on the front of the house (where the current garage door is) later.  

We ran into the first (and hopefully last) of our problems on day two of the project. Our contractor discovered that the brick in our foundation was not level by more than three inches from one side of the garage to the other, and from the other side to another it was off by an inch-and-a-half. The brick on the foundation was very poorly done, so our best option was to *deep breath*...lift 3 of the garage walls off of the foundation by a few inches, knock out the existing brick foundation and re-lay the entire thing properly. 

Here's the front of the garage after being lifted. I'm told it's not as bad as it looks. Thank goodness, I was about to have a heart attack.

So, a bit of a slower start than expected on the garage, but we're moving in the right direction. If this is what I can expect out of these renovations, it's gonna be a hell of a ride.

The Post Where I Squeal with Joy

Check out this little baby that I'll be picking up later tonight:

Isn't she a beauty? My very own Canon Rebel T3...sigh. I'd jump up and down if I was physically able to, haha. I've saved for so long and drooled for much much longer. I'm finally getting the camera of my dreams! There's certainly going to be a learning curve, but I am very passionate about photography and can't wait to find my bearings. I'm going to use Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 for my editing...which will be a huge change from Picnik. ;)
For those of you who have a DSLR, what tips and tricks do you wish someone had told you before you started shooting for the first time?  Any advice on beginner shooting? I would really like to stay away from auto mode if I can, since my goal is to eventually learn all the nooks and crannies in order to capture the best shots.

Wild About That Wednesday with The Dreamy Meadow

Here's what I'm wild about this week:

1. Felt Flowers as gift wrap...such a cute idea.
2. Crocheted Rainbow Rug made from your children's old clothes. Kenzie would love this.
3. Making New Memories lace dress - perfect for spring.
4. The comfiest looking outdoor swing I ever did see.
5. Roses in the Garden floral flats. Adorable.
6. Apple Pie Layer Cake. Need I say more?
7. Handmade Tissue Paper & Tulle Flowers, I'm definitely making these. 
8. Riesling Strawberry Wine Slush. I rest my case.
9. Loving these beaded jars - a beautiful way to play off the color of a simple flower centerpiece.
10. Homemade Sour Cherry Jam. I'm determined to try to make some...someday.

Dreaming of Baking....

One of my favorite hobbies is baking. I am obsessed love it. I love feeling like I've made something for my family to enjoy. I love the sweet aroma that fills every nook and cranny of our house until it smells like a home. I love the sense of accomplishment I get when I've baking something new, or out of my comfort zone, or with advanced techniques I've never used, and standing back with a sigh of relief and a sense of knowing I created this. 


For the past nine weeks I've been unable to whip up any new creations, since I'm immobile until further notice. So instead of actually baking, I'm dreaming of it instead. Here's a little collection of recipes I've been drooling over. Eye candy, baby.

Strawberry Lemonade Layer Cake

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    Pecan Mudslide Cookies

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     Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

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   Snickerdoodle Bread

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Are you salivating yet?