Happy 4th Anniversary Orion

Today, is our fourth wedding anniversary. We didn't know it four years ago when we saw each other for the very first time what the next four crazy years would hold. Through everything there is no one else I'd rather live this life with than you! You're my partner, my friend and the one I love more than anything. You've seen the good in me and the bad and stuck with me through it all. Together we've made so many memories, become parents to a lovely girl and I look forward to the many adventures we've got yet to come. I love you Orion.

To see more of our wedding, including our wedding video click here.

photos by: Gregory Photography

Random Bits

In just 2 days Orion and I will celebrate 4 years of marriage. The last year has kinda gone by so fast, it kinda seems like a blur. When I look back on our wedding website and those early photos I feel like babies even though we were 24 and 29 when we got married.



Source: joyshope.com via Andrea on Pinterest

Yup, together we can. We've been through a lot in these last four years, seen a lot, lived a lot and I know that I can do just about anything with Orion by my side.



Source: weddingwhimsy.tumblr.com via Andrea on Pinterest

We got home from vacation a week ago, and I still feel like I am recovering. It was so good to see family, and experiencing traveling somewhere new together as a family.



Source: nomrdarcy.com via Andrea on Pinterest

I'm excited about some of the things I've got coming up in the next couple weeks here on the blog! It's always exciting to challenge yourself, dream new ideas and reach out to this awesome creative community. Stay tuned for lots of fun stuff, including a giveaway this Friday to celebrate 100 followers! Thanks to all my readers for sticking with me and enjoying this blog as much as I do!

Joyfully,

Andrea

{Sponsor Love} A Shabby Apple Sale!

I really, really love Shabby Apple! They have so many awesome dresses and accessories on their site! And the best part is all month long they are having a sale!!



Enter SUMMER20 for 20% off at check out!

 This 20% Off Sale Includes SALE ITEMS and our PRACTICALLY PERFECT SECTION!

I've got my eye on this dress!

You can take an extra 20% off already reduced sale prices, that makes some of their dresses only $40! That is a steal for all you bargain hunter fashionistas!!

Do you have a favorite Shabby Apple dress or item you love? Tell me in the comments below, and don't forget to jump on over to their site and scoop up some of these amazing deals!

Happy Shopping!

Blog Roll Monday: Happy Together

Blog Roll Monday is a weekly feature where I high light and talk about one of the blogs on my reading list. For a complete list of all the blogs I love, click here. 

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I found this blog via Pinterest {love that site} I got hooked on this tutorial she had of a shirt she refashioned and I needed to know more about how I could make this myself too! Lucky for me Jessica of Happy Together is very generous on her blog and gives you lots of step by step sewing tips and instructions. 

Meet Jessica of Happy Together. Isn't that a cute blog name?!!!?!

{click the link}

Jessica is currently preggers with her 2nd baby girl, and she's got the most adorable maternity wardrobe I've ever seen, seriously it's cute! And, all made by her!!! Aren't you even more jealous in a you still love her anyway kinda way?!!! 

Yup, I thought so! 

For a complete list of all her tutorials go here. Her no sew poncho is next on my list to try and make, but she's not just about sewing and crafting she chats about home decor as well, check out her daughter's "big girl" room. 

And for more things that will inspire, check out her adorable Etsy Shop! 

Mommy to one and almost two girls, wifey {her Hubby's in the military} and from what I can tell on her blog she seems sweet as pie! 

Stop by her blog today, and tell her I sent you! 

Happy Monday Everyone!! 

{DIY} Refinishing Night Stands

I'd been on a Craigslist hunt for about a month for some night stands to refinish for our master bedroom. It's always trail and error with Craigslist trying to find the right furniture for the space and price I wanted to pay. I was about to give up, and then I found these beauties for $80 for the pair. I was hoping to find some for $50 a pair but had been searching for so many weeks that I decided to go take a look at this set and see if I liked them in person.

I think if you're patient and keep looking you can find some great deals.

I sent the Hubs to go look at them. I called ahead of time and spoke with the seller and offered them $60 for the pair and they took that offer, but before my Hubby left I told him to offer them $40 when he got there and see what they said. {it never hurts to ask!} To my surprise he came home with two night stands and they took my $40 offer!

They did come with drawers, but I forgot to put them back in before I took the picture.

We're currently re doing our master bedroom and have been completing a series of projects to make it complete, the night stands were next on our list! We knew we wanted to paint them a gray color off to Lowes we went to pick up the perfect shade of gray paint. After picking up some paint and brushes we primed and got to work. This project took us a couple days to finish. The Hubby sanded them both and then I primed them in one evening, and then the next day we painted one while Ava was sleeping and then waited till the next day after that to do the other one. Lucky for us Arizona is HOT, HOT in the summa time even at night so they dried quickly and we were able to get them done in two nights after Ava went to bed.

I knew I wanted to replace the hardware, so I searched for a few days to find the right ones. I found some at World Market and bought them and came home and the screws were to short to fit the hole. Took those back and went to Hobby Lobby, Target, and Lowes before finding ones I liked at Hobby Lobby for 50% off! NICE!

We're so happy with the way they turned out and we feel like real grown ups with night stands now.

I love that there is a drawer for all my stuff to be hidden and out of sight when I'm not using it. And a shelf below for other odds and ends. We plan on finding some sort of basket to go in there, but I'm having a hard time finding just the "right one" with the right dimensions to fit. But, I like "hunting" for things so it's a good kinda hunt!

Let's take a look at them:

PS- see those lamps? yeah, they are a whole other story. *coming soon* 

Cost Breakdown:
Nightstands $40 for the pair
Paint $10
Brushes & Sandpaper free already had these
Knobs $3 for the pair


Linking Up with these Great ladies: Tater Tots & Jello Weekend Wrap-Up Party,Just a Girls Show and Share Day, Sundae Scoop with Iheart Naptime, Tuesday's Treasures, Thirty Handmade Days Pitty Party, One Project at a Time with A Bowl Full of Lemons, Tuesday To Do 

Get Your Craft On

Hello Blog

Hello Blog... it's been a few days since we've seen each other.

I'm still on vacation mode, even though vacation is well over. We had an awesome time at vacation, we fell in love with the Pacific Northwest and wondered to ourselves why we hadn't been there sooner.

We took 1 day to re-coup, and then headed back to work. Lucky for us it'll be a short week and then we head into the weekend, I look forward to cleaning my house and catching up on some projects this weekend.

Coming back home hit me hard, I have a lot on my heart today. Honestly, I am having a rough couple days. I feel tired, emotional and worn out. It's during times like these that I remind myself how wonderful it is that God is in control. And when I feel at a loss for words, when I feel no solution on my own I find myself on my knees.

And that's the best place to be always.

Forgive me for not blogging my little heart out this week. I'll be back soon, I promise.



Source: diosmudanzas.tumblr.com via Andrea on Pinterest

My Trip to Minneapolis

I realized that I hadn't yet shared about my Minneapolis trip, it was a whirlwind weekend filled with a lot of things but it was a lot of fun too! It was my first ever solo trip sans the baby and my Husband I've taken since Ava was born. Truth be told I wasn't nervous at all about leaving, I know my Husband is more than capable of taking care of her and holding things down here at home. So it made me leaving for the weekend a little less stressful.

I had an early morning flight on the 17th, which with the time zone change ended up being later in Minneapolis. When I stepped off the plane and into the airport a funny feeling hit me that this wasn't my home anymore. A city where I spent the better part of seven years was no longer home, but very familiar to me. The truth is it'll always be apart of me, and it'll always feel a little bit like home.

My friend Jessie picked me up and we headed to lunch. I spent the rest of the weekend soaking up as much time with Jessie and her family {they are some of our best friends} kinda wishing that Orion and Ava were with me during this time. Running back and forth to Miss Minnesota events {since that's what I came for} and then Saturday I got to have lunch with some amazing ladies.

I miss these girls a lot. It's been hard for me here to form friendships, I miss my friends every day. So getting to spend just a little time with them and catch up was such a blessing. They are the kind of friends who when you see each other again you just fall right back into where you left off. They each mean something different to me, and I am so thankful and grateful to call each of them friend. Jessie I saw in February, but the other three I hadn't seen since last year when I was in Minneapolis for my baby shower. It was long over due.

Thanks girls for coming to see me and spend the afternoon with me! I miss you all more than I can say, but so thankful to have seen you. Let's all plan a vacation for you to come to Arizona next, I think that sounds like fun! 

Next up, pageant deets!