Couch Potatoes

Yes, yes we are.

E & I watch TV in our Family Room almost constantly. We spend more time there than we do in our own beds. We also eat dinner on the couches.

For the past four years (how have I lasted that long?!) we have had hand-me-down couches from E's aunt. Her decor style is country. And these couches were purchased circa 1985. You can't even begin to imagine the sort of blue and white gingham and flower pattern that threw up all over this 1960's-style wing-back couch and loveseat. I wish I had a picture but, alas, the camera is afraid of these couches.

I have them covered with slipcovers. Currently, they sport a chocolate brown microsuede. They look unoffending, for about five seconds. Once you sit on them, you realize that the regular slip-covers don't fit wing-back couches and loveseats. And, no one makes slip covers for wing-back couches and loveseats. My guess is only two people in the world own wing-back couches and loveseats: us and E's aunt.

Anyway, the point. We recently went shopping for a new couch/loveseat set. We went to several places and ended up purchasing at Roomful Express. We bought this set:

We were told that the couches would be in our house between mid-to-late June. But the salesperson hinted that it was more likely to be there mid-June. Apparently she lied.

I got a call today that the couches would not be delivered until mid-July. Putting them at slightly over a month from the purchase! I was not OK with that. I had already had a goodbye party for the ugly couches and was fantasizing about the dog not having a slip-cover to tug on. So, I complained. Not angrily, just in a disappointed way. I mentioned that, had I known it was going to take over a month, I would have purchased from somewhere else. Less than a minute later, I was offered free delivery, meaning the delivery charge we paid for would be comped. Deal!

I will gladly spend an extra two weeks with the gingham and flowers (covered by brown microsuede, of course) in order to have any extra $110 in my bank account.

Now, it will be a different story if the couches take ANY longer than that!

Kitchen Upgrades- Part 1

We have a big kitchen. The room is roughly 11 x 14 with a lot of wall space. It feels roomy. And bright.

When we moved in, the kitchen only had one wall of cabinets, original to the house and painted white. Between the fridge, the sink and the dishwasher, the wall only had enough room for two over-head cabinets, two under-counter cabinets (one under the sink), one drawer, and one hard-to-reach over the fridge cupboard. Read: no storage.

The previous owners left a big bulky fake-wood cabinet that served as a pantry, and we brought in a kitchen cart that houses our microwave and pots and pans. Everything had a place as long as we kept all of our small appliances in the dining room, the dog food in the basement steps, and our baking items in a hard-to-reach cabinet obscured by pot lids. It was not efficient.

Last weekend, I packed up half of the kitchen and painted the walls a beautiful light grey color called Plantation Moss (Valspar matched into Behr). And moved the wood cabinet, with our canned goods, into the garage. What do you think of the progress so far?

Painted new-cabinet wall

Next chapter: assembling and installing extra cabinets and a counter top.

So much for the summer!

I cannot believe May is already gone! I have so many updates to post, please bear with me.

1. Running Update: I injured my knee after my awesome four mile run at the beginning of May and have been sidelined ever since! Every week I start off hopeful that I will get to run again, but then a short run with the puppy in the backyard has me limping... Maybe THIS is the week!

2. Rowing?!: Although I have not been able to run, I joined my work's corporate rowing team and am rowing every Wednesday until late July. I am so excited for this adventure! I had always wanted to try rowing, and now I actually get to do it for half the summer.

3. Puppy: Big Boss has been a joy to have in our house. He is a fantastic little pup and is learning fast. There have been a few hiccups along the way with his training, but he's getting there. And, he definitely is the sweetest pup around!

4. House updates: We have started purchasing furniture! Soon, I will blog about our bathroom re-caulking project that turned into a month-long saga rather than a weekend DIY. I also have to share a post about cutting down an unsightly dying tree in our front yard. I just need to take some after photos to share with you, otherwise the afters are not all that exciting.

Our first big update is coming up this weekend: the kitchen! Stay tuned for a few posts about the before, during and after of this mini-remodel. New cabinets are being delivered as I type! After the kitchen, we are tackling the dining room, then the living room, and finally adding a patio to our backyard.

We hope to be fully done by Labor Day weekend so we can throw a housewarming/wedding anniversary party and get to enjoy our house with our close friends.

Friendly Neighbors!

On Saturday, we headed to Ikea to buy this. It is going in our Master Bedroom to help hold E's clothes.

On Sunday, I spent all afternoon building the wardrobe. While I built it, E was unpacking our bathroom things and kicking the empty boxes down the stairs onto a heap.

Right after I finished, I heard the doorbell ring. I ran down the stairs to find a wall of empty boxes blocking my way to the front door. So, in the interest of time, I kicked them and they scattered all over the room into random piles and on-top of furniture. I opened the door breathless, in sweats and with no make-up. And there stood our next door neighbor in a suit and pearls.

She came in, and I was mortified! Our house looks like hoarders live there. With a pile of coats that covers the entire couch in the living room, extra furniture placed precariously where it doesn't go, and a random 3-D puzzle of the Black Pearl on the mantle. We are pure class!

Bless her heart, she brought us a basil plant (E already set it up, watered it and claimed it as his new pet) and a folder filled with delivery and take-out menus from the area, with special notes on places that only offer take-out. It is such an awesome and thoughtful gift. I will definitely file it away for future use. And now we have to invite them over once the house looks livable. Just so they don't think they have hoarders for neighbors.

And while we are in the topic of friendly neighbors, I got to talking with our neighbor from across the street. They have a puggle and I told her about our new pug, and she went into her garage and gave me a free crate! It is the perfect size and in awesome shape. Just needs a hose-down and a doggie bed.

I think we lucked out! We'll be sure to keep mowing our grass and tending our yard so our neighbors don't think we're the sorry people.

Morning Running

I knew I needed to get in another run before the weekend so I decided to run first thing this morning.

So I woke up at 7 am, got ready and headed out to the park. I hit the trail and ran the first quarter mile when I realized I had dropped my car keys. Frick! I found the keys and ended up running that same quarter mile three times in my search.

I ran the loop I had chosen with no major problems and made it back to my car after 2.25 miles and a new personal best on the mile (9:30). Lance Armstrong congratulated me and everything.

Then I looked in the mirror, and I saw how dehydrated I was. My face was super puffy, and my eyes looked like someone had punched me. And it was then that I discovered my issue with morning running. I don't drink enough water at night. Because I would pee the bed if I did.

During the day? I am a water-guzzling machine. And I also pee once an hour.

I vow to try morning running again soon, since it energized me and didn't cut into my schedule at all. But I need to figure out how to hydrate either before or during the run.

Running Update:
May- 6.25 miles ran, 33.75 miles to go
Year- 26.25 miles ran, 173.75 miles to go

May is National Runner's Month!

After a fantastic and exhilarating four-mile run yesterday, I have decided to set a 40-mile goal for the month of May in honor of Runner's Month.

Cheer me on as I strive to complete it!

Running Update:

May- 4 miles ran, 36 to go
Year- 24 miles ran, 176 to go

Growing into the house

Slowly, things are beginning to fall into place. The amount of boxes is diminishing, or maybe it is the same amount but my husband keeps hiding them in the basement. The amount of time we spend looking for an item is decreasing. And we have mastered the art of the recycling bin. Soon, we'll have a fully furnished home with no visible cardboard. That's the dream.

This weekend we had our first adventure into adding something special to our home. We went to meet this guy.

His name is yet to be determined. But he is a six-week-old black pug. We get to take him home in three weeks, once he's had his shots and all his papers come in. He is the runt of the litter. And his little mouth is curved into a smile. He'll join his big brother Mojito (a hairless guinea pig) in filling our house with love.

Who needs furniture when you have a perfect pup?

Kidding. Furniture is coming and, hopefully, the pup will be somewhat housebroken before we give him the chance to pee on the new couches!