A flurry of activities: 5 days to go!

We have been non-stop on nights and weekends lately.  We are 5 days from pictures and handing the paperwork to our real estate agent for listing our condo.  It has been a lot of work but it’s coming together nicely.  It’s kind of a bummer that our house will look the best it ever has right before we move out.  I think it taught us some valuable lessons about controlling clutter more proactively in our next house.  We have donated a ton of stuff, moved some into a small storage unit, and organized each space in the house one area at a time.  This past week was the most fun since the results were really visible since we repainted the chalkboard wall, patched a few nail holes, did some touch up paint, and moved the last batch of items into storage.  The next 5 days will be dedicated to deep cleaning everything and devising our game plan for keeping it show ready while we live there. 

I have been fastidiously making lists to help myself feel like we have a game plan and that we are on track.  So far it’s working since I’ve only had one or two meltdowns in the process.  We’ll see if I can keep that number low once we have the added stress of meticulous cleaning and maintenance each day while the loft is on the market.  Kyle and my mom reminded me that I always rise to the challenges presented to me so this will be no different.  My parents have been a godsend during all of this.  We have a ton of music equipment stored in their basement that would have exceeded the insurance coverage for our storage unit.  They have let me vent, given me advice, and helped out in whatever way they can.  My dad came and showed me how to properly chalk, sand, and repaint nail holes.  While my dad and I did that my mom started hand washing our glassware.  They have been so supportive and helpful and it has helped tremendously with managing my stress level.  I’m so thankful for Kyle because he has been such an amazing partner in all of this.  We have laughed, reminisced, argued, made up, and gotten a TON of work done in just a couple short weeks.  He knows me so well and has helped me stay calm and focused.  He also reminds me to take breaks and to focus on what has been accomplished instead of only looking forward to what is left to do.   

January 2015 Resolution Check In

One Month Check-In

• Fitness: 15 Pure Barre Classes, 1 Dance Class, & walks during my lunch break 3 times per week
• Body Image: I am noticing that things that killed me in first Pure Barre class are not as brutally difficult now so I’m feeling subtle changes to my strength.  If I’m honest with myself I still follow too many fitness and model people on Instagram and that is both inspiring and deflating.  The fact that it’s part deflating means I still have a lot of work to do in this area.  
• Cooking: home cooked dinners on average 3 nights a week, I’d like to bump this up to 4-5 in February 
• Books: Hollow City by Ransom Riggs & Wild by Cheryl Strayed
• Declutter: 2 bags of clothes to good will
• Move Progress: real estate walk through with our agent to discuss out timing and staging plan
• Let it Go: I’m still not sure how to measure this one (which using my work brain means it’s not a SMART goal – specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused, and time- bound) but I think it’s important.  I’m hoping to better wrap my mind around what letting go of hurts/grudges/anxiety looks like for me and how to measure my progress.  I will say that regular exercise has helped me keep my daily stress levels better in check.  

Bingo Night!

We are bringing bingo night back into style for young people or at least for our friends.  This was our third bingo night at our house and it continues to be a really fun tradition.  We plan to host bingo nights every other month.  We have people bring a small prize with them to contribute as prizes for each round.  We bought our bingo set on Amazon over the summer and plan to get a lot of use out of it.  Here are a few candid photos from the evening:

Loft Walkthrough

Oh my goodness it’s getting real.  We have talked for years and years about the transition from the in town loft to the suburbs but it’s starting to really happen.  We had our real estate agent come do a walkthrough of our place to make a list of things we need to fix, change, and stage as we prepare to list our house on the market in the spring.  After recovering from a little shock that this is really happening we felt good about having a solid game plan and will start getting to work.  We plan to work on some of the small fixes a few at a time on the weekends.  The next big step is getting a storage unit to store our extra stuff (clutter, personal items, etc.).  Then going through each room and clearing it out to just the basics so people can better imagine living there without our personal items and taste affecting how they feel about the space.

C&A Came Back (for a weekend)

Chad and Amanda came back for Megan's wedding and it was so nice to get to see them.  I know it's only been a month since they moved but we had been having major withdrawals.  We got to catch up on life, their new apartments, and new jobs.  We ordered pizza, played games, and had at least one too many Manhattans on Friday night.  On Saturday we met up with some friends for coffee and then got ready for the wedding.  

As mentioned in my other post about Megan's wedding it was beautiful and so much fun!  It really reminded me that even though they moved away our friendship is very strong and won't end just because of the distance.  We are planning to go visit them in Charlotte in early spring!  

   

Megan & Mark's Wedding!

Their wedding was absolutely beautiful!  They got married in the Log Cabin Community Church - it is a beautiful little church with wooden pews and a very intimate and cozy feel to it.  Her dress was stunning and it was a really beautiful ceremony!

She had beautiful winter inspired details like pine cones mixed in with the beautiful red roses in her bouquet and pine trees on the details like the invitations, programs, and favors.  The whole wedding really reflected their style and personalities.  One of my favorite details was the bright red classic truck that they rode away in driven by her dad. 

Then reception was at the Heritage Center in Sandy Springs.  We ate great food and danced the night away.  These are some of my favorite pictures from the evening!  It was so fun to be with so many our friends to celebrate such a momentous occasion.  It is only bittersweet because the wedding being over means she is moving to Texas but I know she's excited to finally live in the same state as Mark again!

Megan's Bachelorette

We had a really fun day celebrating Megan’s bachelorette!  We started with pottery painting at Splatter’s, then went to Noche for tapas, and ended the night at my house for her lingerie shower.  

Finished Product from Splatters - a set of four plates and four coffee mugs for their new kitchen:

Group Shots from the Shower: