boxes, boxes come out wherever you are

It's official... Jake and I are moving at the end of May!

While I realize the move from one rental to the next isn't as exciting as the move from renting to owning, this is the stage Jake and I are at and I'm not upset about it at all!  Actually, I'm perfectly content, its where we should be.

So, in two weeks we'll be leaving the 948 sq. ft. apartment we've come to call home for the past 20+ months for a townhouse in another area of VB- and I'm really looking forward to the change (I think we both are, which is a big deal if you know Jake).

Honestly, the only thing I'm concerned about is packing.  Everyone knows thats the toughest part about moving and we've only scratched the surface at this point.  However, I think having a place lined up and a set move date will help motivate me to do more than I have been.  I want to get started this weekend, but all I keep thinking about is what am I going to pack things up in?  I haven't been one of those proactive people whose been collecting boxes the past month and I wouldn't have the slightest idea of where to get some from.  Oh well, it'll eventually make its way over to the new house one way or another.

The only other thing I've been thinking about as far as preparation, and its minor, is what I want to paint in the new place before we start moving furniture.  We made arrangements to get our keys on Thursday so we'd have time to slowly move boxes over and paint before the big stuff gets moved but I'm not sure what I want to mess with.  Despite this place being a rental, its still very much our next home and paint to me can work wonders in taking a sterile space and making it warm and inviting.  At the same time, everything has to be painted back before we move out so I don't want to get too crazy with it!  For now, I decided the kitchen HAS to be painted and the only other space I'm considering would be the living room.  Currently the walls are stark white and the dining room is a dark tan... it's quite the contrast.

Here is a quick shot of the kitchen, nothing fancy but don't you agree that it needs a little color?  Any suggestions?

PS- Don't judge it as is... I have high hopes for this room!

Dumpster Dive

Ok, so I didn’t have to dive into any dumpsters, but I did dash from the end of a stranger’s driveway back to my car with an end table this weekend.

Long story short, I’ve always wanted to refurbish a piece of furniture and decided that it might be something I’d need to acquire at an antique store or garage sale versus stumbling upon, but this weekend I got lucky and I did just that. 

I was driving around a few neighborhoods looking for some for rent signs on townhomes when I saw a little end table/nightstand at the end of a driveway.  I assume when people place items there they mean to get rid of them, but this wasn't the area where the trash cans stood to be collected so I wasn’t 100% sure.  I went up the driveway, knocked on the door, and asked the woman if she wanted to get rid of it… only to find out it was her neighbor’s not hers.  So, I went next door and knocked and no one came to the door (they were definitely home because the storm door was closed but the main door was not).  I knocked once more before walking backwards to the end of the driveway.  I grabbed the piece and literally ran to my car parked a few driveways over.  I’m still not sure why I felt the need to run, but it made the whole experience that much more exciting. 

Jake called right as I was driving away and I couldn’t help but practically scream in excitement what had just happened!  He of course encouraged me for being spontaneous and a risk-taker and asked that I not take months and months to reinvent the piece, which was a totally reasonable request.

So, here she is in all her current glory.  

I already peeled off some stickers and am very clear that she still needs a lot of work.  My first thoughts are that she’ll need to be sanded, painted a fun color (although, black or white  isn't completely out of the question), and receive some new knobs.  I’m leaning towards traditional glass or round black knobs if I paint it a quirky color, but if I go white or black I want to do some unique artsy knobs like these.

all over the place

Lately I have been all over the place, in more than one way.  We've been in town, out of town, in town but dog/house sitting, etc.  I haven't blogged because the things that have been racing through my mind and changing in my life haven't seemed noteworthy.  But, to reassure you that I haven't fallen of the face of the earth I'll shed some insight into a few of the things I've been thinking about and involved with lately.

1. I put in a request to keep Spring intern on for the summer and am fairly certain that won't be happening.  Bummer, I know!  She has been a HUGE help to me since January but extended her stay with us wasn't anticipated and as a result budgeted, so it doesn't look like it will happen.
2. I went to Fort Worth recently for an event and it was a very successful!  I am getting more active in the social spaces as a marketing tool and this event kicked those efforts into gear.
3. Speaking of social media, I am getting more active on Twitter and am loving it (for the most part)!  Two recent things  I've learned/seen via tweets include proof of Robert Pattinson and Kristin Stewart almost kissing and this article/video of Pete, a penguin from SeaWorld, walking through the aisle on an ordinary Southwest flight.
4. We submitted our intent to move out to our apartment community and have until May 31st to line something up.  I am not stressing over this because I know we'll find something and per a local realtor it doesn't take long at all to flip privately rented condos and townhouses in the area.  Fingers crossed we like our next home better than our first!
5. I am still obsessed with the movie, "Life As We Know It" and rented it for the SECOND time this past weekend.  I really want to just buy it, but it is still $20 at Target and I think thats crazy!
6. I had my first misplaced luggage experience when I traveled back from Texas and it wasn't so awesome.  I did learn that Delta will deliver your bag to your door, but didn't get to take them up on their offer since we were going to be in and out all day and leaving my suitcase with my life in it on our doorstep wasn't the best idea.
7. Club Tank appears to have dissolved.  The kids still like Tank, but I guess he's too big now at a whopping 16lbs for them to be totally enamored with.
8. Jake is 99% sure he is going to do a half ironman in Manteo this fall!  I'm super excited for him to work towards this!
9.  I started running again... and by running I mean I ran like 2 miles on Sunday.  I have been too sore to run again yet, but I've thought about it- so thats a step in the right direction!
10.  I'm getting serious about Jake and I traveling somewhere awesome that requires a plane.  I'll keep you posted on the progress!  Realistically, he has no vacation time since Haiti so it might be just me going somewhere, but I'm not opposed to another girl's weekend in Atlanta!

That's all I've got for now... I told you I've been all over the place!