someplace else

no pot of gold...

2008-07-17T01:22:00.002-04:00

it would have been a full circle, if the wing wasn't in the way!!

from my flight back to richmond from winston-salem. we were following a thunderstorm.

project runway

2008-07-15T07:10:00.002-04:00

there were reports that it was switching to lifetime, but it looks like it is still on the bravo channel.

my first flight

2008-07-12T16:49:00.003-04:00

i was scared, terrified that i was going to throw-up, and even more excited. i luckily had the smoothest flight ever, and have since learned that it really, really was smooth. i didn't feel sick, and got to sit up front for the best views ever.

co-pilot... (yeah, right, best seat on the plane!)

the clouds are awesome. there are many more photos, i was a little camera happy.

camping, again

2008-07-12T16:28:00.006-04:00

a couple of weeks ago we drove out to camp kittamaqund to go camping with the girl scouts. this camp sits on the wicomico river. almost in reedville. this time we slept in tents... and loved it.

after ryan fought for the good tent with the amazing view of the river, she thought it was better to hang out in our tent. karma got her back when her zipper broke, but after making fun of her for a bit, i did manage to get it closed so they wouldn't be attacked by bugs at night

the sunsets over the wicomico river were fantastic. see why we fought for the tent.

troop 55

check out more photos from our camping weekend here.

i almost missed it!!!

2008-06-16T23:18:00.002-04:00

i am not sure how i let it get by me... but weeds has already started. luckily i have been able to record the 1 episode that already aired and i am on top of it for the rest of them... Weeds night, anyone?

obama

2008-06-12T08:03:00.003-04:00

one of the dad's at ryan's school is selling these shirts....

check out the website if you are interested.

feel free to share with your friends!

hot weekend

2008-06-10T07:33:00.003-04:00

we went to the pool this weekend for a birthday party. it was the perfect day, since it was so hot out.

we happened to be in the ryan's dad's neighborhood so we stopped by to see the kids...

amalya, novia, ryan, noriah

ryan hasn't seen the new baby since she was born, so she just held on to her the whole time we were there...

and she didn't seem to mind.

novia who is not shy at all loved taking pictures, and amalya who is generally shy with me and ryan, what not so shy this time!

our fairy

2008-05-31T22:25:00.000-04:00

tonight was a nice evening. after we finished dinner, we decided to go back down to the beach to fly our kites. we have had our fairy kite since last year, but didn't really get her up in the air until yesterday. it was very exciting!

well, today... i lost her. i had it hooked to my chair and i moved to take a picture and she flew off, into the ocean. it was very sad to see her go.

ryan flying her spongbob kite!

we luckily found a website that sells them and were able to find another one just like her. so she is on the way!

beach day one

2008-05-31T21:58:00.002-04:00

we claimed our little spot.

we flew the kite.

we went in the water, but there were lots of jelly fish. this was most relaxing...

we wore matching hats!

coney island

2008-05-31T21:02:00.008-04:00

on our way back from connecticut we stopped in at coney island. here are some things that i saw...

astroland...

not sure i really want to ride this... but just might have to this summer!

i do want to ride this one!!

hmm? this could be interesting

this was a show for sure!!

my camera's zoom rocks... (i pretended to take a picture of my mom for this one)

of course we had a nathan's hotdog while we were there. we actually got it from the board walk instead of this one, but i hope to go back and get one from the original shop!

long weekend

2008-05-28T22:09:00.006-04:00

this weekend i got to spend with my sister! we made the trip up to connecticut to be with her as she graduated with an MFA from Yale School of Drama. we are so proud of her!

sarah, lisa, jo, danielle

on saturday night we listened to the YSD no name band play at sullivans, (which was the first place we ate, when we moved her up there). it is where she frequented the most, we believe!

ryan left her mark (a sullivan's tradition) for when she goes to Yale for school....

the graduation ceremony was nice. it was outside in old campus and there were thousands of people there. the ceremony was projected on to 3 or 4 jumbo trons for us (the people in the way way back) to see. sir paul mccartney was honored with a doctorate in music. thanks to the jumbo trons, i got to see him.

nana j and jojo...

jo also made the newspaper the next morning!

mother's day

2008-05-12T07:59:00.003-04:00

ryan and i planned to spend the day at busch gardens for mother's day, in hopes that most people would be at home with their moms. well, we were right, it wasn't busy at all, although the gloomy weather probably had a little to do with that. it was a great day to ride the rides we would generally have to wait in REALLY long lines for. so we went the extra mile and waited in the lines for front row.

last week when we went we started to get in line for the griffon, but being really tired (or really scared) we quickly got out of line. this week, we were determined to ride it. but not front row. so we got in line, and were able to get right on, giving us no opportunity to change our minds. we loved it. so we decided to get right back on, but wait for front row. the view was awesome

we also waited for the front row of the big bad wolf, and torrential downpours started just as we loaded. just so you know, going at the speed we were going, rain really stings the face. and we got soaked!! but we laughed the whole time.

berries...

2008-05-10T07:51:00.003-04:00

today is the day... for the strawberry street festival. i have been spending the last couple of weeks coordinating the volunteers. this is usually a bit stressful, and i have to say that i was not as stressed this year. i did get a little worried earlier this week when i had an abundance of high school and middle school students. but i think we are going to be fine!! we have extra people and i am hoping that there are people that will just show up.

i am looking forward to the festival being over, but not before i get some spicy noodles and strawberry shortcake!!

keep your fingers crossed for NO RAIN.

quick!!

2008-04-28T18:24:00.003-04:00

so just 2 weeks after i was notified that ncarb was going to finally transmit my application. i received my letter of approval from the state AND the letter from prometric! that is efficient. (ncarb actually sent my record to the state on the 22nd.) the letter from prometric allows me to test.

i am waiting until july when ARE 4.0 releases. but this gives me plenty of time to study.

camping

2008-04-27T19:04:00.003-04:00

trooop 55
Originally uploaded by sarahmac74

yep... that's right. i camp!

this weekend we went camping at camp pumunkey in hanover, VA, just past kings dominion. saturday, we had a full day of games, crafts, canoing, fishing and hiking. we even made it back to richmond for a soccer game... (4-1!!).

the rain didn't ruin our campfire plans, as they have a big pit in the dining hall. we were able to make our s'mores and burnt marshmallows (my favorite) without any worry.

the girls were fantastic and are really getting the hang of camping. we have plans for 2 more trips this summer.

check out more photos of our fun...

ncarb

2008-04-13T10:10:00.001-04:00

after months and months of waiting... i was notified on friday that ncarb has approved my idp and they will submit my record to the state. i am not sure how much longer i must wait, but there seems to be a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.... time to start to study. yikes.

viewer

2008-04-11T08:15:00.002-04:00

IMG_3083.jpg
Originally uploaded by sarahmac74

from the top of the empire state building

chillen...

2007-11-18T20:39:00.000-05:00

i have been chillen, and enjoying my clean house!! i have to finish up my bedroom and had every intention of doing it this weekend but that didn't happen.

i will finish the room after next week. there is not much work to do at all....

here is my to do list:

take down curtains and mini blinds
hand new roman shades
get rid of the last of the outbox
install pulls on dressers
install lack shelf
put away the last of the laundry

http://flickr.com/photos/9566101@N06/1394436576/in/set-72157601935270229/

here you will find before pictures... it is not quite this bad... really, i swear.

dining room: after

2007-11-10T21:37:00.001-05:00

a summary of my dining room!

before:

after:

with all the books on the shelving unit, the shelf is nice and clear. the major work in this room was the plaster work on the wall. it was the most time consuming and messy part of the room. the chocolate brown paint went on really smooth and didn't require too many coats. my favorite thing in this room is the buffet. it holds my microwave!! it also holds my serving platters, extra dishes, and other utensils that don't fit on the kitchen wall. (i do not have any drawers in my kitchen).

before:

after:

the picture wall!! this is so much harder than it appears. i am pretty happy with how it turned out. (i recently discovered how to nail into plaster. duh!) i used a drafting dot, but any tape will work fine. then hammer as usual. the last time i had to nail something into plaster it just crumbled. i didn't have any troubles at all. i also put my beetle collection back on display!!

before:

after:

this corner makes me happy. you can see a bit of the buffet... (i need to add more pics.) i got rid of the mini blinds and hung new shades. oh, i finally added a battery to that clock... it only took me a year.

before:

after:

this is still my temporary desk but it works well for now. i also hung some more pictures, frame less photos of my daughter.

living room: after

2007-11-10T16:38:00.003-05:00

here is a summary of the living room!!

before:

after:

i added the expedit shelving unit, which now holds all of my books. funny it seemed like i had more! my old tv stand is my new coffee table. (it is still in need of a coat of paint). it fine cabinet also holds my knitting basket, my box of photos, my to be filed basket (which needs to be emptied.), and my wireless speakers. i got some little plants for the new vases. the top of the unit is where i have my weekly flowers, since my cat, eddie, hasn't figured out how to get up there yet.

before:

after:

other than cleaning up all the junk... the biggest thing i did in this picture is frame my Matisse poster that i got in Venice, Italy in 1997. it was hung in my last apartment but it has been waiting for about 4 years to have a home.

before:

after:

first i moved the desk into the other room. huge difference. this expedit shelf has been a wonderful addtion to my house. it holds all the extra dvd's, cd's and magazines. the 2 chairs are so comfy!!

they're up!

2007-11-09T08:02:00.000-05:00

check out my new photos on flickr....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9566101@N06/collections/72157602200149871/

i added a smaller set that is before and after, but you should really check out the progress pictures that are in sequence in the apartment thereapy cure set.

enjoy!

all in a day's work...

2007-10-28T19:41:00.000-04:00

let me remind you of what the bathroom looked like before...

notice the broken mini blinds, boring color, unpainted window sill, and the stack of products over the teeny tiny shelf.

today i painted it!

i also installed a new shelf that has a movable mirror. it also partially hides stuff behind it. i installed new roman shades and painted the window sill. i got rid of the blue circle rug and got another brown one.

here is a close up of the shelf. it is hung low so that me and my daughter can use it at the same time!

the dining room is next.

don't give up on me..

2007-10-26T22:06:00.000-04:00

on this weekend's agenda.... update

-paint bathroom
-trip to ikea and purchase - then assemble:
-buffet for kitchen
-tv stand
-book shelf - working on this one
-headboard
-miscellaneous items for the house

next week
-paint dining room
-empty outbox
-hang artwork

-final dust and mop

the invites went out this week and it is locked in for Nov. 9th. i have a lot of work to do.

cd's

2007-10-14T19:45:00.001-04:00

in an attempt to purge... i took a big box of cd's that i no longer listen to down to the local record store that typically buys back cd's.

they rejected my entire collection!

big job...

2007-10-09T20:12:00.000-04:00

so i have this box of stuff to go in the outside storage. however, the outside storage is full.

so i bought this box to put all my stuff in.

but where i want to put it... there are a stack of 16 x 16 concrete pavers. (that i will use on a future project). so in order to get rid of the box of stuff, i need to move them.

i took on this task this evening, since didn't feel like going to the gym, but wanted to work out... this was definitely a workout. i moved each one, one at a time to the other side of the yard. (don't be too impressed, the yard is only about 16' wide). but i did move each one.

i shifted the taller one over and made room for the short one, so there was no obstruction from my kitchen window! stacked the cooler and tied them all together so that nothing walks!

i emptied the box and even reorganized the tall one to fit tall tools in it that have been stored in the house!

aaahhhh

2007-10-06T18:54:00.001-04:00

laundry has consumed me! this is what is responsible for my lack of posting. i am one load away from being caught up. yeah!!

week three: landing strip

2007-10-06T18:31:00.000-04:00

i love fall. our uncut pumpkins on the porch steps.

our welcome mat!

looking towards the front door. the stack of folding chairs will be painted and reupholstered. i am searching for a shelving unit to go on that wall that will hold our 'take upstairs' baskets and some hooks for jackets. (normally they hang on the banister).

keys and mail. i have a little basket that i put other mail that can be sorted at another time.

new chairs

2007-10-06T18:28:00.001-04:00

i acquired 2 new chairs! they came from an old office warehouse in winston-salem, nc.

they have found a home in my living room, but i am not sure that they are going to stay there. i need to make some purchases from ikea for the living room so it depends on how they work with the new shelves. they are also throwing the hard/soft ratio off. one or both may move to my room, but i am worried they will become a clothes hanger instead.

weekend reading(shopping)

2007-09-28T18:46:00.000-04:00

my super awesome friend (yeah, you know it) brought me the new 2008 ikea catalog today!!! i can't wait to sit on my couch, in my clean living room and do some shopping.

checking in...

2007-09-28T08:01:00.001-04:00

i haven't disappeared... i just have a lot of work to do. i will be continuing with my kitchen/dining area since there is not much of an entry to my house.

i am going to buy my paint this weekend too!

major repair

2007-09-24T22:02:00.000-04:00

so the biggest issue that i had was the hole in my bathroom wall. my dad came last week and filled it in. here are the results.

i found a website that demonstrates how to repair drywall. i wasn't here to watch him but have seen it before on a larger scale.

i still haven't decided on a paint color. :(

week two: progress

2007-09-24T21:48:00.000-04:00

Bones
okay so this wasn't on my list, but my cat was laying on my bed, and my duvet doesn't currently have a cover on it. i scared him and he jumped and ran and TORE my duvet.... feathers everywhere. it was really quite funny because he thought it was fun and kept jumping on it while i was trying to keep all my feathers in my very favorite, can't live without, duvet. so i mended it!

i have always used a water filter! i have one on my faucet and the pitcher in the fridge.

Breath
i have painted just about every wall in this house. so i have been very close to every wall. i have a combination of plaster on lath, plaster on brick, and drywall. this makes it difficult, but not impossible, to hang pictures on the walls.

i think my cabinets look great, i did this exercise a couple of months ago. although, i still have a bit of work to do on my kitchen and since i don't have a foyer, but a small basket that collects my mail. i can continue with the kitchen/dining room task. i did get under the sink and organize!!

before

after

my storage closet, has improved!! here is my daughter sorting out the mismatched containers.

i also added some more hooks to the bar for some pots and pans that are used regularly and additional utensils.

Heart
we cut new flowers from my garden this morning. my cat doesn't seem so interested, but i had to put the jar in a vase so he wouldn't knock the water over. he is strange little kitty.

i feel that i know what my style is. how to describe... not so sure. i will continue to post pictures.

Head
i cooked earlier in the week. i look forward to more cooking now that my kitchen is clean.

the part that i am most excited about!! my best friend and i are 5 days apart and our birthday is coming up at the beginning of october. we throw ourselves a party every year. this year we are going to do it at my house, and since we were so late in planning we are going to postpone it to NOVEMBER 2. i am so excited, because there is no turning back now!

i will add more photos to flickr this weekend. i am at my max.

week two: kicthen

2007-09-18T21:42:00.000-04:00

this has already been a crazy week for me already and it isn't going to get better.... however, my dad came and got my junk. this is just the first load of junk. i keep sorting through and filling bags with clothes and other miscellaneous stuff. i will be ready again next week.

he also patched the hole in the wall in the bathroom he has to apply one more coat of spackle in the morning then ready to sand and paint. i just need to pick a color... i have been leaning towards blue but i have too many blue rooms...

any other favorite colors for a bathroom?

he also cut my grass, which just makes him super fantastic!!

getting rid of the junk helped clear out my room a bit, so i am still trying to find the floor to mop, but at least i am getting somewhere! i need to hold off since i will be sanding.

in my attempt to do this cure alone at the beginning of the summer, i did get to week 2, and cleaned my kitchen. which doesn't make this such a frightening task. i do need to touch up a bit, and my fridge is a little unhappy. i need to concentrate on unused, unpaired Tupperware containers and excessive baking pans. (i actually do love to bake). and the storage closet which is in my kitchen and my dining room need the most attention. (you saw photos, yikes!)

week one: deep treatment

2007-09-16T22:13:00.000-04:00

Bones
some of my repairs include:
-painting, (2 rooms need it)
-window treatments - i have to loose the vinyl mini-blinds
-a hole in the drywall in the bathroom

so, finding and cleaning the mop bucket was a task in itself... but, it is so rewarding to mop my floor. it has made my living room beautiful already. i still need some new furniture and put up artwork.

my dining room is going to have to wait until next week with the kitchen... it is currently my outbox (yes, the whole room).

as for upstairs, that is tonights task. i picked up in there a bit today, so it shouldn't be too much to vacuum and mop. i still need to add before pics, i will do that now.

Breath
i bought the book months ago and read through with the intentions of doing it on my own. since then i have had 2 out boxes, one upstairs and one downstairs. if something doesn't have a home, i stick it in there and then periodically empty them and donate (usually everything) to the thrift store. it has been a while since i emptied them. they are all packed up and ready to be dropped off monday. just waiting for my dad's truck... (yes there is that much stuff).

this is the upstairs outbox... it will be emptied tomorrow!

Heart
i love having flowers in my house. plants too. saying that... i don't have a single living plant in my house. as i have had to take a good look around, i see that i have a dead dried up basil plant that did not make many dinners. i would like to add plants and flowers to my home as part of this cure. we cut flowers from my garden today instead of buying flowers.

Head
i sat in a spot in my living room that i have had a dresser and the tv so it hasn't been accessible until now. as far as the layout of this room, the furniture that i have, i like, and i like it in the location that it is in. i also was in this room before i cleaned it so my concentration was on what was in store for me. i definitely need a coffee table and some more artwork and furniture.

i am happy to say that i love and have always used murphy's oil soap. method's containers are designed so great, what a bonus that they are earth friendly!! i will look for others at target.

check out the before picture on flicker!

dorabella designs

2007-09-15T13:25:00.001-04:00

a friend of mine owner of DoraBella Designs has just launched her new online store check out her awesome hand painted glass ornaments.

i have several and they look fantastic on my christmas tree. but they would make a great accessory to any room.

flowers

2007-09-14T19:38:00.000-04:00

i went to the Calyx & Corolla website mentioned in the book. they sell a year of gerbera daisies, where you get fresh, beautiful gerbera daisies delivered to your house every month. i would love to be able to afford such a treat!

week one: the interview and quiz

2007-09-10T18:58:00.000-04:00

from apartmentthereapy.com

This Week's Assignment: Get your hands on a copy of the book and read through page 69. This gives you all the ground work and gets you started with the interview and short quiz on the health of your home.

Here are my answers:

Favorites

List your favorites in each category...
Actress: Scarlett Johannsen
Actor: Tay Diggs
Artist: My kid.
Writer: Recently read a book by Ayelet Waldman that I enjoyed.
Music: Reggae and R&B, Sanchez, John Legend, Jill Scott
Restaurant: Millie's
Automobile: VW Convertible
Television show: Food Network Challenge/Weeds/Big Love
Clothing (designer or store): Banana Republic, if I could fit in their clothes.

How would you describe your style (3 words)?
1. classic
2. functional
3. comfortable

Personal History

Where have you lived: Mississauga, Canada; Richmond, Virginia; Blacksburg, Virginia
Where you grew up: Mississauga, Canada
As an adult: Richmond, Virginia

Whom would you consider a role model?
my mom.

What three adjectives describe the qualities that you admire in this person?
1. honest
2. giving
3. patient

Apartment/House

What is the problem with your apartment (3 words)?
1. unorganized
2. unfinished
3. cluttered

If your apartment could speak, what would it say is the problem?
you have too much stuff and no where to put it... get it out of here. oh, and fix that wall.

What one thing would you like to do or do more of in your apartment?
read a book without feeling like there are other things i should be doing

Eight weeks from now, when this project is done, if friends came to visit how would you like them to describe your home (3 words)?
1. beautiful
2. clean
3. organized

Self-Diagnostic

Head:
Does your home support everything you want to do? No
Do you use your home often? No
Is there room for everything you want to do at home? No
Is there a good space for what is most important to you? No

Heart:
Do you consider your home beautiful? Almost... does that count as a No?
Do you feel you have a sense of style? Yes
Does your clothing express your style? No
Does your home express your style? No

Breath:
Do you consider your home comfortable? No
Do you sleep well at night? Yes
Is your apartment organized? No
Is it easy to clean and declutter? No

Bones:
Do you consider your home to be in good shape? No
Is everything in good working order? No
Do you take care of repairs quickly? No
Do you clean your home often? Nope.

Score: 2 Yes, 14 No
Very ill. Depressing. Serious Problems that are harmful to your health.

This is not shocking.

book: eat pray love

2007-09-03T11:20:00.000-04:00

i have finally started reading eat pray love by elizabeth gilbert. i bought this book sometime in june and just never started it. as i have become completely addicted to my google reader, and have been able to catch up on some amazing blogs it seems this book is one i must read.

new start!!

2007-09-03T11:13:00.000-04:00

apartment therapy is starting a their fall 8-week cure which i am going to participate in!! now that september has started and i don't have anything going on for the next month or so, it is perfect timing.

today i am straighting and will post some pictures of 'before' so to say. also have most of my house in the computer and will continue to draw it out so we can see the progress room by room (with the exception of ryan's, since that is essentially done, with a few remaining projects).

i have the book and will read ahead (again) to see what is in store for me the first week!!

New toy: update

2007-08-03T22:49:00.000-04:00

About 3 weeks after I got my gps unit, it stopped being able to acquire satellites... which is the whole point of having a gps. I called Garmin and the said to send it back and they will send a new one. I am patiently awaiting the arrival of my new gps, which believe it or not, I really miss.

I've been tagged...

2007-08-03T22:04:00.000-04:00

I hesitated, not quite sure what to do with this, so here I give it a shot...

1. Everyday I wake up saying I am going to "eat right" today, and usually fail at breakfast.
2. Relationships are very difficult for me.
3. Organization is a skill I wish came naturally.
4. I have a new obsession with ironing, although, I don't think it will last.
5. I make excellent bread.
6. I am completely addicted to Google Reader.
7. I feel more Canadian in the USA and more American in Canada.
8. I love to rearrange rooms in my house.

not going to get lost anymore...

2007-07-09T19:36:00.001-04:00

My new toy!! Garmin Nuvi 360. This gadget it going to keep me sane, hopefully, when traveling outside of my little world that I seem to prefer to stay in. I am not really a hermit, but the last couple of times that I have gone on a little adventure, it has really been an adventure. It starts out with wanting to avoid traffic and thinking I am going in the right direction.... and not.

It has some pretty great little tools that I hope to use as well. The first.. is the bluetooth capability to work with my phone. I will be able to make phone calls, hands free from the unit. It has an mp3 player, however, I am not sure how to get my music on there, it seems as though I need to buy music... not sure that I want to buy all my music again. Some other features are the audio book player by audible.com, the world clock, a calculator, translator, to name a few.

It has already let me store my home, and a few of my favorite locations. It seems easy to find addresses. If you have the address then you are set, if not you can find something close, zoom in and find it that way. Another way is coordinates, hoping you know the coordinates of the location you are trying to get to... strangely, I had one address that gave me coordinates on their website (the other option was a p.o. box number).

I am definitely looking forward to my next road trip. August will be the next big one, but I will have to pretend the next time I cross the river, that it is a fun road trip!

do you want me to help clean...

2007-07-05T21:37:00.000-04:00

Spring has come and gone, and yet I am still spring cleaning. It has been a process but we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.... The big hump was Ryan's room. Thanks to my mom, and her desire to just help and clean. These are the results...

closet side, before.

closet side, after.

we removed the closet and added this shelving system from ikea. we still have to deal with the duct.

window side of the room, before.

window side, after

The room is painted Sherwin Williams Raindrop. The carpet squares arrived today, and still need to taped together, it makes the room so much warmer.

So far it has been a week and she has managed to keep it clean!!