Monday

Go Ahead and Pass your Judgement Now..

Jenny Lind Crib
Our Antique Dresser to be finished as the one below (without the glass knobs)


So you are probably looking at this thinking.. hmm did I miss an announcement?? No you haven't. But since I am more comfortable talking about the joys and pains of my life, I felt this is a safe place for me to share. In October of this past year I lost a child. I was almost thru the first trimester and clearing into the second and I lost the baby. We weren't trying to get pregnant, we actually had plans to wait. I wanted to finish my Masters in Education and get thru my first year of teaching. Nate and I also wanted to travel more..save more.. enjoy life prior to kids. But even with out a planned pregnancy it didn't hurt any less when I lost that baby.

That day they told me I had misscarried it all changed in a blink of an eye. My heart hurt in ways I wasn't sure it had ever hurt before. My mind and heart started playing war against each other. Placing blame on myself and just wallowing in the loss I had just lost. I had a hard time seeing other babies, seeing pregnant women.. it was hard for a long time. I am happy to say I am much better now than a couple months ago.

 So Nate and I soon decided after the loss, I would not take precautions anymore such as birth control and we would leave it in God's plan. Jump ahead 2 months to Christmas. I was majorly late (think 2 weeks late) and we started to think (get excited) that I might be pregnant again. But God had other plans and I am trusting in his plans that he knows when we will be blessed by a baby (whether it be naturally or adopted). I know God knows that I would love to be a mother and that he has plans for our family.

But accepting God's plan isn't as easy for me as it is for some. I had this huge loss and than each month I'd get my hopes up thinking maybe I am expecting,  to be told by my body I am wrong again. So not everyday am I focused on it but there are little reminders all that time that dig at my heart, dig at that pain of my loss each time. I know if you have lost a baby you know exactly what I am referring to.

Nate & I have been slowly preparing our house for a baby. One because it is time consuming, but two because it involves planning and money. Due to the fact that we are both teachers that means our budget allows for big purchases to be spread out and planned for because it is not in our bank accounts to purchase it all at once. We are really trying to not put things on credit cards and pay off all debts before baby too. So we have planned and planned. I love planning..lol.  Spring Break is right around the corner so we are cleaning the garage in preparation for the book shelves to come out of the 3rd bedroom. We plan on moving the kitties boxes and food out of the 3rd bedroom to the garage too. We are also planning on painting it since it is the only room in the house that hasn't seen paint yet. It will also be upgraded to a new fan/light fixture because fans are a must in Texas. As I said planning is my best friend. Nate & I have talked of all the changes that need to be made, alot of em involve things I couldn't do once I am expecting (paint, cat boxes, lifting), so we see it fit to be done over Spring Break when I can help. That way it isn't so many projects to be done once we are and relying just on Nate to do em. 

Even with all those changes being made I sometimes feel like a baby won't happen.  Though deep in my heart I know God has a plan, I feel as if I am not in control. If you didn't already know this about me I am kinda a control freak. With Nate around I can say truthfully this bad habit has calmed down a bit- but I am still a control freak. Guess what I am saying is we have to plan for a baby for $ reasons but I also wanted to feel as if I am in control.

The process for planning for a baby started when I lost the baby. I thank decided I was going to pro baby and get our lives in order for one. Slowly Nate & I have been doing this. I get free books online thru Scholastic and I have started collecting them for the baby. Kind of like a hope chest. My gf did a hope chest full of baby items for her little one. So I felt saving books is educational but also helps me realize that one day I will have a little one. Than it moved on to budgeting for furniture for the baby's room.

We needed a dresser for the nursery and Nate wanted it all wood. So in comes our antique dresser. I want the nursery to be all white. Nate hates painting wood.. but I want it white...lol. So he gives in and we have Simple Matters paint the dresser. The finished product will look very similar to the picture above but with out the glass knobs. I love the glass knobs but I am not sure they will work for a boy. The dresser is currently with Jannet at Simple Matters and is waiting to be painted. I can't wait to see it. So we have the dresser.. next big item to be purchased would be a crib. But we are on a budget and I have had my eye on one that wasn't.

I love Jenny Lind Cribs and since we chose the antique dresser I felt it would be a perfect tribute to the room and to Nate & I. Jenny Lind Cribs were big time popular when we were little. I had one as a baby but in walnut color. So I have sat and drouled over Jenny Lind cribs in nurseries all over blog land. Check our Holly Mathis Interiors to see a beautiful baby boy nursery.  Her website is http://www.hollymathisinteriors.com/.
I started looking online and couldn't find one that was in our budget. I thought about waiting to purchase one used but with all the recalls I decided I would purchase one new and be safe. If we were going to have to go thru lossing a baby and trying for another I wanted to make smart choices in what we chose for our future child..especially for safety of things.

 Well I ran across Jenny Lind Line at Land of Nod. You can find this beautiful Jenny Lind inspired crib here: http://www.landofnod.com/cribs/baby/time-to-turn-in-crib/f7006 . But with the hefty $600 price tag and it doesn't convert I couldn't rationalize spending that much on a crib to be used for a year. Plus it has a ton of feminine details and we aren't sure we are having a girl so I wanted it to be a girl or boys crib. Back to the drawing board to find an original inspired Jenny Lind Crib.   I searched tons of websites- some had them with drop downs- NOPE, some had em not in our price range and some had them but were out of stock.

Finally, I found one! This weekend it was 25% off and there was free shipping. I recieved the email between Friday and Saturday morning. DONE!! I couldn't resist free shipping and a sale. Plus with the sale and shipping the crib was now under 200 bucks (which means it is definately in budget)!! Hello the sale gods were telling me to order it. On top of all that goodness it is a 3in1 crib so converts to toodler and day bed. Horray!!
At first I thought kinda crazy to buy a crib before I am even preggo. But than I thought about people who have saved their own cribs for their future kids (wish my mom had my crib still), people who start buying stuff before hand, or getting stuff passed down from others and I felt it was justified right? In the end I don't feel guilty. We already have a closet full of baby items from friends just waiting for our baby. How is it any different than a crib. I feel like I am making a responsible planned descion towards our family's lives togeather. Especially since it was in our budget and I paid with cash!

I ordered the crib knowing it was in budget but that Nate was going to say your crazy! So I told him after I ordered it that I ordered the crib. It was on sale with free shipping. Suprisingly he was like 'oh great we'll be ready for a baby!'  I was shocked. I think after recieveing all the baby items from friends he is really ready too now that it is more of a reality with baby items in the house and not just in our imagination. He did mention that planning the bedding, paint, rug, curtains will be do much fun for me he is worried I might obsess a little once we know we are preggo and what it is..lol. Which he is right. I will prolly sit and plan our nursery for hours once I know we are preggo and what we are having. He knows me so well.

The crib is on back order now because I guess it is such a classic popular crib. I won't be expecting it at the house till May. Hopefully in May I will recieve the crib and be able to announce that there is a baby soon to sleep in it. Like my Mom says she is just as excited too but we have to Trust God and Pray.

Like the title reads- Go Ahead, Pass your Judgement Now.. I am okay with you judging me for preparing a nursery before I have the baby..I've been judged for worse things.   Like I said my heart is ready and I know God knows when the time will be right.. until than we'll wait with our beautiful crib :). So judge away- life has given me plenty of lemons already and I am choosing to make awesome pink lemonade with em. Happy Monday to all!



Wednesday

St Patty's Decor- Project #8

 Mantel Decor- Greenish Blue Hydrangeas, Nate's Baby Cup (tribute to his red hair on the mantel), Ireland pic, heart st patty's garland
 Close up
 Entryway vingette- Chalkboard with yarn wreath, greenery and lettered blocks



 Close up of Dingle Pennisula in Ireland
 Front Door

My Newest Additions:Our Adorable St Patty Pillow & Sign





So Valentine's is over which means yea St Patrick's Day is soon!! Which is one of my favorite holidays for many reason..after St Pattys means spring break and flowers blooming, I am of irish hertitage as well as my red-headed hubby, and it is my saints day. Being raised Catholic you have a saint's day and my saint is St Patrick. 
One day this past week I got tired of seeing all the pink and red decor. I love pink but the frillyness of Valentines was getting old. I was ready for Spring, St Pattys Day and Spring Break! I took all the valentines decor down and pulled out my lil bit of St Patty's decor I have. I say lil bit but if you go to my decor closet I have boxes of decor for each holiday. I can't wait till I get to pull out my easter/spring stuff! Wohoo. I love decorating for holidays and I love having things different for each one. I also like changing things such as pillows and accessories with seasons so it feels as if the house is changing too. In fall I use reds and browns, Christmas I add more whites and blues, spring I love all the brightness, and summer I love the aquas and blues. I will have to blog more about the seasons.

Anyways it brings me to my St Patty's. I added the celtic welcome cross to the front door. I added the letter blocks on the entry table with a green tree instead of the typical orchids. I felt the green was welcome for st pattys. I than added my yarn wreath on the chalk board with a cheery Happy St Patty's Message. On the mantel I added heart four leaf clover garland, nate's baby tin cup, and a picture of the homeland Ireland. I kept the Hawaii Map and our wedding pic. I love them and I feel they are welcome all year around, plus Nate loves art and pictures up..when I was putting them on the mantle he said OH I really like that.. wow ok!! Just seeing the map of my happy place- hawaii and our wedding pics make me happy. When I was putting up the decor, Nate was sitting on the couch and I said mind if I put the Ireland pic up and your baby cup. He said really I always wanted my ireland pic on the mantle. Glad he can enjoy the decor too.  Lastly I added our sign a wee bit irish and our pillow. I think it is just enough st patty's touch and I can't wait for Easter!

Side Note to St Patty's: Inspired Room just did a beautiful post on decorating with things you love and things that are important to both you and your spouse since you both live there. I always try to keep Nate's taste in mind. I say I because I do most of the decorating and he does the installing (hard work).  But he has clearly stated that decor is my area and he is okay with what I do. With that said I know what he dispises (anything grandmaie lol, country, floral and a lil too shabby chic). Nate doesn't like alot of change. He likes simple, functional and true to us. He likes a room to reflect my perspective but as he puts it he lives here too.  He appreciates art, pictures of our travels, photos of our families, accepts my love for all things coastal and white. He has specifically stated he hates words (like subway art..lol) and prefers art and photos on the wall. He is dying for me to put a collage similar to the one in the entry in the stairwell.
He dispised white before but likes the idea of bleach now..lol. He is truely a mans man and likes practical things- but he adores a comfortable house such as the one we live in. He accepts my disorganization behind closet doors and love for decorating, throw pillows, milk glass, seagrass baskets and clutterless rooms. I say clutterless rooms because they look clutterless till you open my disorganized closets..lol! He swears I will change when we have kids and accept clutter. I love him for accepting my flaws, wants and desires and I truely hope my house reflects us both. I know that both of our favorite items in our house have been hand me downs or given to us by our families. Which makes me beam that I have a hubby that likes furniture with a story!! Our dining table, kitchen table, pool table, guest room headboard, dressers, and bar cart were all others before they came to us!!But we like to make them ours and I am proud to say it is ours!

Thank you dear for putting up with my crazt DIY obsessions, listening to me and guiding me when I get frustrated with a project and you have to finish it. You are fab!!

Monday

New Mantel- DIY Project #7



PB Rug, New Seagrass Baskets to hold Mag & Books

New Chalkboard basket to hold shoes

Close up of the chalk board

Hawaii Vintage Map from 1930's and our wedding pics (wedding & Luau Celebration)

Milk glass & Hydrangeas

Antique Ceiling tin tile cross

Mantal with Map, Pictures & Hydrangeas with Valentine Garland

Willow Basket next to new tall lamp

So if you read my other post we had a DIY weekend. I didn't get to everything on my list but we did alot! when we bought out house there was slat tile going up the front of the fireplace on both sides but no mantel.  I feel like a mantel completes a fireplace. I wanted one for decorating for the season esp. christmas with stockings. I found one on Home decorators (home depots chain) and bought it in white.. nate and I agreed white would match the trim but it looked horrible next to the slate.  So I returned it for a chunky black one. Nate installed it with the help of our neighbor Roger whom we adore! He is always willing to lend us tools and help.

I than played around with decorating it. I have shutters in aqua and my subway art to put up for the summer. But I think the vintage map, wedding pics and hydrangeas work for now. I also have heart paper garland up from Valentine. I am changing it out this weekend to St Patty's decor! Than to easter.. I love easter/spring decor.
I also put pics of the new floor lamp and all our new seagrass baskets. There is one in the entertainment cabinet from Khols but the rest of the segrass baskets are from Target- with the exception of the one under the floor lamp which is an antique. I adore the extra large sqaure chalkboard basket. It has chalkboard on two sizes and I felt it was welcome by the front door for shoes! Well that is all that is new for the E Casa.. I will take pics of the St Pattys decor and share later.


Dining Room Updates!!- Project #6

Before with basic light

Light in the box

Hubby getting started

Finished product

Love it!!



Close up of hydrangeas, shells and willow branches

Close up of the bar with personalized plate & wine cork wreath


This weekend started off wonderful! I picked up the second dresser I purchased and than headed to a happy hour at my gf's house which turned into a slumber party complete with my gf's sleeping in her son's bunkbeds.. it was a blast! I am so blessed to have great gfs who have helped me thru the good and the bad times. Shout out to my DHHC sisters!!  Saturday I picked up the new bed for the guest room and ran some errands. That evening we  went to dinner with Jon & Kelly.
Sunday rolls around and I wake up to my marathon running hubby putting up my christmas gift! My dining room chandy!! I love that man!!
 When we purchased the house it had no lights (foreclosure). So my mom who had just built a new house had custom lights put in hers and gave us all the basic standard grade lights for our house- which is awesome because they were free and we got lights. But I wanted to complete the dining room and had my eye on this light for awhile. Nate suprised me at christmas. It has been siting in the box forever and I thought he would get to it over spring break. But he did it this weekend.
The light was purchased at Lowe's for a fraction of what Pottery Barn charges. It is a antiqued bronze with a candle light glow. It is gorgeous. Where the light is centered on the ceiling it doesn't sit directly over the dining room table so we got a swag hook and moved over the center of the table. I love it and can't stop staring at it.
We ran into a couple problems along the way with installation.  I have never installed lighting- so Nate told me to interwine the cord with the swag chain while he worked on the other parts of the lights..well the cords to attach in the ceiling one is white and one is black. Well on our light they are both black and one had a white tag to identify it..well little did I know this was important and I pulled it off while intertwining with the swag .   Needless to say Nate was a little irritated when he discovered this. I called the help line but being Sunday no one answered. We decided to treck our way to Lowes and open the same lights and see which one it was that was suppose to be the white cord. After a thirty min debockle.. we discovered which one was the white cord and I learned my lesson!! So we went home back to install the lighting. Nate gets the light up and it is perfect- turns power back on and nothing!! Oh he was frustrated. We started at 11am and by this time it was almost one. We ate lunch and than Nate took the metal piece down that holds the wires to reexamine the connections. When he used the wire bolts to wrap the lights wires with the houses wires one of the wires snapped and wasn't connected. So he re-connected them and than wahla!! It worked and is fab!! He than decided to hang our new mantal!! I'll post those pics in a seperate posts so it isn't all pics!!  Did I say enough I love this MAN!!

But I love the dining room now. I want to refinish the old farmhouse mission style table in black..but that will have to wait.  I added the beautiful dried oregon hydrangeas to the willow and sea shells on the iron piece and I love the cottage costal look it adds.  We recieved that iron piece with a vase for a wedding gift. The pictures don't do any justice to our sisal Pottery Barn rug.. But I love it. It has light blue, dark blue, brown, red and lime green stripes on a tan background. I think it also brings in a more casual look and beachy feel!!  I think it is a marvelous room and very original! Hope you enjoy and Happy Monday!!

Friday

Changes for a good cause

Natural Nails

Brunette








You are probably looking at the photos above and wondering why?? Well since I was 16 years old I have had solar nails (fake) and I loved em. I loved going to the salon. I loved getting pampered and I loved that they always looked nice. Also since I was a freshman in highschool I have been coloring my hair.. I am not really sure what my natural hair color would be today. I was born strawberry blonde and it turned to a sandy blonde in my teens but than I started coloring it.

Well recently Nate and I decided we were going to start trying for a baby. So I got some advice from Nate's sister, my ob and other friends. The verdict was no more fake nails and no more hair coloring. These things were advised not a have obviously. But with having a misscarriage once already I didn't want to risk anything. I felt like if I lost a baby again I might play the what if game again.. So I felt better safe than sorry.

On Valentine's Day I divorced my fake nails. I loved them but they had to go for the love of something larger than them.. a baby! I spent two hours at the salon soaking them off  and getting my paper thin nails painted. The first day was miserable for my fingers. Everything that touched the tips or my nails hurt because they were so sensitive- you have to remember they have been covered up by fake nails for like 12 years now. But I am adjusting and I am hoping the prenatal pill will not only help them grow faster (which they already are) but stronger too.

Than two days later I went to see my stylist Diana. I told her what was going on. She took me from a sandy light blonde to BRUNETTE. She did do a little bit of blonde highlights which I might keep up once I am preggo. Not sure yet. The brown was a little dramatic for me.. but it is growing on me. My hair doesn't hold color well so I know after a couple washes it will lighten up. Which in it's light brown form it will prolly be closer to my hair color. Nate really likes all the change- he said he got a new wife...lol. I have always been blonde in our relationship. But my students didn't like the change as much.. they were in shock! These were big changes for me too.. not just my kids. I think I am adjusting well but I will miss my summer blonde locks and perfect southern french manicure nails.. guess after the baby is born I can always go right back.

PS why do I still have a double chin in every picture.. UGH!  Also I am picking up the double long dresser tonight and the bed for the guest room!! Tomorrow I am picking up paint for the 1/2 bath downstairs (from green to rain blue) and paint for the dressers!! Wohoo DIY weekend.

Thursday

Aww Love

Guest Room Now I love the lamp & Night stand <3

Guest Room Now

 My painted side table with my lovely zebra chair







The New addition- full size black antique headboard & footboard



So I have been searching craigslist for a chest and long dresser for our master bedroom and also a chest for our soon to be nursery (third bedroom).  Our current dresser are malm dressers from Ikea from when I was in college and are falling apart.. we also need more storage. So I have been looking weekly. Nate insists on all wood furniture and we can't afford all wood chest and dresser for our room on top of furnishing a baby's room in the near future. Teacher budgets = craigslist.

Luckily yesterday I found a fabulous deal on a chest and long dresser that are all wood with dove tail drawers in excellent condition. I will post pics of them on Saturday.. I picked up only the chest last night because the SUV couldn't fit both of them. I pick up the dresser tomorrow. The wood is light cherry wood and our bed and nightstands are both dark espresso wood. So I am debating whether to paint the new dresser that are antiques an espresso color or leave as is. I hate to paint perfectly good antiques.. But leaving them not matching will drive me CRAZY! I also plan to trade out their handles from brass to bronze or silver to match our other hardware in the room. But enough on my sucess with dressers! While I was searching for a dresser for the third bedroom I stumbled on a post by Simple Matters. She lives in Katy (where I grew up) and she refinishes modern, vintage and antique furniture and sells them. She had just listed a black  full size headboard and footboard with rails. The wheels started rolling..

I fell in love.. debated buying it and just did it. Because we couldn't find a better deal on a all wood bed and on top of that it would look fab in our guest room.  The guest room mattress is practically brand new. I purchased it when I was living alone downtown slept on it maybe 7 months and than Nate & I moved in togeather. Since than it has been a lonely mattress without a headboard.. see the above pictures.  But it works great in our larger guest room and has been used by Nate's whole family basically when they come to visit  from Illinois & Missouri (brother, aunt, uncle, dad, mom and sister have all used it).
Because this room is basically completed and only used when we have guests .. I seem to put it off. The door stays closed so the cats don't get hair all over the bed. I felt our guests might prefer a cat/dog free room. So my intentions were to make a headboard or do a mirror collage above the bed to give some kind of focus on the bed. But I never got to it with the wedding, starting a new career and getting my masters.

  We got the mirror on the other side of the room off our registry and I wanted to add 3 or 4 more sunburst mirrors to the room. But the addition of this beautiful antique bed is perfect and I can't wait to put it togeather and show you the pics of the room completed!! I get to pick the beauty up tomorrow while Nate is still at work ( I have 1/2 days) and attempt to assemble alone.. haha most of my projects start alone until I call in the help of his guns!! I'll post pics of the finished guest room and our new dressers soon.

I think I might have a lead on a dresser for the nursery too. Solid wood selling cheap because it is painted in primary colors. I will have to repaint it white.. I see lots of primer in my future ;)

 Have a great thursday!! XoXo

Wednesday

Update on Past, Present & Future List

The list below is the list that I presented in my past posts. So I wanted to update everyone on it.

First off I am realistic in the fact that I want a house that is comfortable and liveable..I want kids to be able to play in every room and my house be truely enjoyed.. but with that said I won't be able to afford to make any major changes after a baby comes so we have a list!!



The list is as follows:


1. Pay off all credit cards & Tricia to finish Masters in Education (Feb. 2012) Debt is paid down & still enrolled in program to graduate in feb. 2012


2. Hold only one car note (the toyota is almost paid off so we are trading in the mazda for an SUV). Toyota has a couple more car payments and we traded in Mazda for a new Santa Fe Limited SUV which we drove to St. Louis at Xmas and Love.


3. Take a great vacation before .. you know it won't happen after! We just booked our first wedding anniversary trip to Belize, Costa Maya and Isle Roatan!!!


We have two extra rooms upstairs.. one is a guest room and the other is being habitated by the cats (litter boxes) and all nate's books for his business. So you'll understand the next lists.


4.Move Plywood from garage (whole stack) planning on doing this around spring break


5. Move bookshelves from 3rd bedroom to garage  planning on doing this around spring break




6. New light fixture in 3rd bedroom -fan motor is dead and a fan is a must in houston! planning on doing this around spring break




7. Paint 3rd bedroom planning on doing this around spring break




8. Install closet doors in 3rd bedroom. Currently closet has no doors I hung a rod with curtains and litter boxes are behind. planning on doing this around spring break




9. Install Kitty door to garage and move kitty boxes out there.. planning on doing this around spring break




10. Regrout tile in guest bath and master


11. Add tile to guest bath - it is wood..umm not practical with kiddos


12. Install Bamboo Roman Shades on all windows in great room to replace verticals (4 windows at 72 inches and a huge bay window) already priced and saving  Check See previous Posts


13. Hang burlap curtains in great room-DIY project to look like Pottery Barn! Check See previous Posts




14. New Dining room table that is all wood and can be used daily(we're working on it) Check


15. Add Chairs to dining room set and Oversized floor mirror to reflect light from french doors in dining room We decided to wait on the chairs, but we did add a new PB rug and a bar cart from Nate's Mom so no more large mirror!


16. To install safty latches on top of all french doors that lead to pool


17. To install safety net on pool(we cant do a fence because pool is immediately out of the doors.. not enough pool deck)


Since we have no playspace and our two guestrooms are on the small side we need a room that doubles as living space plus play room and if needed a second guest room since we're losing one for a babino(we're talking next 3 years here).. currently in our great room there is a living room, formal living room and dining room.. off of it is nate's office sperated by french doors and the kitchen.. The formal living room is not used at all.. It has a pool table in it.. I let my hubby have it. As he says the kids are taking it away.


19. Move pool table to the garage.


20. Add a sleeper sofa in tan linen to formal living room, shelves with wicker baskets to conceal their mess and a wicker trunk to conceal toys and double as coffee table..




 We are planning on working on our third bedroom that is suppose to be the nursery over spring break but the rest of the projects will probably be waiting till the summer.  I have also added to the list finding a dresser on craigslist for the nursery that is white or that I will refinish white and also a dresser for our master bedroom. The search is on and I think I might have a lead on one! I am also refinishing the cabinets in our 1/2 bath downstairs  black and painting the walls blue in hopes it will make it more beachy feel.. we'll see how it turns out this weekend. I already purchased a small tall lamp for the bathroom to help it feel brighter since it is so small and there is no window.  The list is always growing and keeping up on it takes alot of time.. which with teaching and being in my Master's Program leaves none.. when I have down time I seem to do nothing.

Here's our progress.. feel like we have gotten somewhere!


Bamboo Roman Shades- Project #5

Living room during the day-side view

 Pool Table room during Day with large window &  bay window
 The same rooms at night.. gives you better idea of texture of blinds.
 Excuse my hubby's mess on the pool table.. he thinks it is his dumping ground for all things tennis/gym



When we bought this house the downstairs had ugly 80's vertical blinds. Which as hideous as they are they keep alot of the heat out from the sun in the summer.. but they also darken the room a ton. Our living space downstairs is all open, the only seperating spaces is the french doors that close nate's office and our double sided fireplace in the middle of the room. I hated them. I dispised them. But I couldn't do anything about it because it wasn't in the budget after the hurricane damage and if I redid blinds in the living room I would have to do it in our formal living room known as the pool table room also. Luckily the french doors in the dining room going to the pool I decided to keep naked and save $$.
Since we are finally getting to the point where there aren't any major projects such as repairing the roof from a tree during the hurricane. I have had time to find blinds I loved and I could save for. The issue was we have 3 very large not average size windows in the living rooms and than two small ones in the bay. So I had to buy custom.. which can be PRICEY! After late night searches online I finally found my blinds..but I kept debating between dark wood like we had upstairs and in nate's office or light with dark accents. I decided on light wood to light the dark wood furniture. The blinds were shipped to the house and sat for a week before I finally convienced Nate and his bromance Jon to put up the curtains. 
Saturday we did St. Arnolds Pub Crawl with Jon, Alice, Nyomi, Paul, Justin, Jennifer and Gil! It was a great time. We than went back to our place and grilled out and Jon offered to help Nate on Sunday! Wohoo!! Jon is in construction and is a perfectionist so I knew Nate and him would hange the blinds perfectly and in one day..where as if it were Nate and I it would take forever.  Sunday came and passed and the boys took down the verticals and hung my beautiful bamboo roman shades. I have posted pictures of them in the day and at night so you can see them. I love the filtered light they allow in the room now. They add some privacy but you can see outlines of people in the rooms at night.. hence why they are downstairs. But we also have them in our rooms and I just draw the curtains. I love them and they remind me of my honeymoon in a tropical destination. I love the natural look  and hope you do too!!