“Friend’s Thanksgiving”

Friday was our official moving day.

We had so many friends show up to help us move. It was amazing and I was so grateful.

Later that night my mom, sister and I put away the kitchen while my Dad sat with Travis, my nephew, and watched a movie.

When we looked out into the living room, about ten minutes later, we found them like this…

Seriously, how stinkin cute is that!

Saturday evening our friends Ryan and Gina were having a “friend’s thanksgiving.”

I wasn’t sure if Matt and I were going to make it so I volunteered to just bring wine and a dessert.

Last year, was our first annual “friend’s thanksgiving” and it was a great time.

A friend’s thanksgiving entails, everyone bringing a dish and frying everything; from a turkey, to a duck, to snickers bar and Reese cups.

 I know what you’re thinking… fried snickers?!  Yes, they were as amazing as they sound!

So I was so really excited when Gina FB me last week about having our “friend’s thanksgiving” get together this year!

Ryan and Gina have a single-family house with a lot of land. So we also had a nice fire going outside!

I’m so glad Matt and I decided to go, even though we were both super tired and dressed in sweats.

A bottle of wine is just what I needed! J

 Our friend, Kevin, taped all his beer cans together. I really enjoyed it. Ha!

Overall, another successful "Friend's Thanksgiving!"

Thanksgiving 2011

A lot happened on Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving morning, Matt and I did a lot of packing.

And while Matt was taking a shower I thought it would be a good idea to start packing up the bathroom linen closet.

As I was packing up the box, with my insane hair product collection, I noticed that the hand towel was under the box making it unstable.

As I flung up the towel from underneath the box I see it, flying in the air.

Slow motion, “Noooo”

Matt’s cell phone is airborne and “Plunk!” went directly into the toilet.

Sidenote: Matt’s cell phone is, no lie, about five years old. He forbids getting a new one because this old honker has a blue tooth connected to it. Side, sidenote: We do not have Smartphones or cable. I know, so weird of us.

So when Matt’s cell phone landed into the toilet, I naturally felt bad and a little excited. (Yesss, we can finally get Smartphone’s!!)

Nope. Tell me why, that son-of-a-bitch was/is still working!

Nothing, I mean nothing can kill this phone.

So much for my Smartphone fantasy.

Oh well. I was happy that Matt had a phone because we had a lot going on this weekend with moving.

Thanksgiving day we go to my in-laws house in the afternoon and then we go to my parent’s house around dinner time.

We had a great time at the in-laws catching up with Matt’s brother and his girlfriend and her child. We bought Chase with us and her son loves playing with Chase.

We ate lots of yummy food! And my father in-law even let us borrow his pick-up truck for moving day.

And guess who drove it home, Me!

I told Matt, “I never drove me a pick-up truck before.”

I went instantly country. I loved every second of it.

After dropping off the pick-up truck and Chase we headed to my parents house for Thanksgiving dinner number two.

A lot of my mom’s family came over and it was so nice to see everyone.

Later that night my sister and I decided that we were joining in the madness, the madness that is black Friday shopping.

(Even though it was Thursday night. All the sales started at midnight here in Baltimore, was it like that everywhere else? I think that’s the dumbest thing ever. Those poor workers. I felt guilty about going out but I really wanted this camera, more about that later- OMG I love it!)

For the last three years my sister and I and our best girlfriends have gone out black Friday shopping. We mainly just go to Walmart and help each other get the big ticket items.

We drank a lot of coffee and we were just a little hyper

This year, we all got Wii’s. (Other items included; laptop, wireless printer, digital cameras, Blueray players, portable DVD players). Basically, we all got everything we wanted and had a lot of fun while doing it.

We love the excitement and madness of it all.

But I have to admit, this year some people got evil. My sister and girlfriends witnessed a woman repeatedly ramming her cart into another woman’s body! Like who does that. Some people act like flippin animals. Nuts.

But other then that we had a great time!

Our weekend was so packed. I have so much to share, more to come soon!

Hope everyone else had an amazing Thanksgiving!



Giving Thanks…

I decided I should do a blog post about what I'm thankful for this year.

Matt and I are truly blessed with the life we have and this year has been the most exciting, overwhelming, and incredible year to date.

As much chaos, as this year has bought us, it has also bought a ton of joy, adventures and fun into our lives.

First off, I am thankful for being able to say that I truly married the perfect man for me.

 

Matt has been such a big part of helping mend me into the person I am, and I’m forever thankful. I can’t even tell you how excited I am for our future! (Baby Bogdans!! Can’t wait for that stage of our life. But right now, we need to get this home perfect for their arrival down the road.)

I’m thankful that my parents helped in making our dreams come true and gave us the most wonderfully beautiful wedding!

Totally thankful that we got to go on a honeymoon to Jamaica! Then go back again! (All in the same year). Lucky bums.

Proud and thankful that Matt went back to college and graduated with magna cum laude. And then landed a crazy-good government job in DC. So very proud of him! Overall, thankful that we both had the opportunity to get a college education!

This is my graduation day- I can't find Matt's graduation pictures. Dang

Thankful that my old car died and I got to get a new car- ha!

I got me a 2010 Nissan Versa hatchback (this time last year) and I love it! My old car didn't even have automatic locks or windows, so this little car is a real treat!

Thankful for our jobs. They have allowed us to purchase our very first home! (It’s been a lot of work, mostly on Matt’s part, but it’s turning into the perfect home for us). 

 Work In-progress. But inside is looking great!

Thankful for our health. We are truly blessed to be so healthy and able to do lots of fun active activities! (We work hard to keep ourselves healthy. And I work hard at preparing all those healthy meals for Matt, so his heart will stay strong so he can be around forever! Matt’s dad is in such bad health, we truly make a joint effort to make sure we are healthy for each other.)

So very thankful for our family and friends. I don’t know how many times Matt and I turn to each other and say, “Damn, we have a fun life.”

I'm especially thankful for my parents who spent countless weekends working on our new home and helping make it perfect!

Thankful that we adopted (literally) the perfect dog for us. We are so in love with this pup, it’s scary. Ha!

Honestly, I’m very thankful for everything in our lives. We are exactly where we want to be and it’s beautiful.

Wishing everyone a perfect thanksgiving, enjoying friends and family!

(We only have to travel ten minutes to my in-laws home and then two minutes away to my parent’s home. Clearly, thankful for our short travel on Thanksgiving Day!)

Emmy's Birthday Celebration

Friday we had my best friend, Emily’s, birthday celebration.

Matt’s band was playing at a local biker bar, so we all decided to go up and celebrate there.

Although, it is a biker bar everyone is always courteous to us and most importantly, there is a dance floor.

We totally took advantage of the dance floor and danced the whole night. (I’m lucky because I love to dance and so do all our friends!)

I love this jumping photo of Matt!

Oh and life lesson learned Friday night.

 Never, I mean never, wear your mustard colored dress and black tights on Ravens “purple Friday.”

You will hear an abundance of shit from all of Baltimore. (Steelers colors, lesson learned.)

Sorry Baltimore folk. Didn’t even cross my mind that my love for all things mustard yellow would lead to assuming I’m a Steelers fan.

Come on, NEVER!

Getting Ready for the Big Move!

My weekend mostly consisted of this, packing the apartment up.

I can't believe how much stuff we have accumulated in just three years (of living in our apartment).

While I packed (or attempted to pack) the husband spent his time at the new house installing a dryer vent and coating/sealing the hardwood floors. 

(Real hardwood. Big vintage area rug.Can't wait to see all come together!)

Matt has spent almost all his time making this home perfect for us.

I feel so lucky to have such a nice hubby.

I was so stressed about buying this house, but Matt really knows how to do it all. 

It's looking really good, I can't wait to move in!

Thanks Matty for being such a wonderful guy! :-)

 This picture, of my Dad and I, is from a few weeks back when we were painting. Can I get an Amen, for that being done with! Painting is hard work!

 This is our kitchen. Clearly, we haven't moved in yet but gives you an idea of what the house looks like.

My nephew, Travis, running around in our kitchen. Really shows off the yellow walls! Ps. Don't mind the trash cans, they are outside now. Ha. We had just bought them when this photo was taken. 

Thanksgiving Weekend we are moving in! :-)

A Rainy Wednesday Night…

Yesterday it rained all day in Baltimore.

So when I got off work and had to take Chase out for a walk, I knew I had to change out of my work clothes.

I deemed these bad-boys appropriate.

Just your average pair of high-water velour sweatpants.

Yup, don’t worry the bottom of my pants did not get wet, at all. They totally served their purpose.  

(Why does Chase actually look embarrassed in this photo? Really Chase, you’re embarrassed of me. I’ve seen you eat and roll in poo. He can be so judgmental.)  

Anyway, once the awkward walk was over I made something I hadn’t made for dinner in a long time.

Chicken broccoli alfredo.

(I put cheddar cheese on top because I forgot to buy mozzarella. And face it; all cheese is good in my book).

It turned out really yummy.

I will have to make sure to keep that one in mind for future dinners!

Friday the husbands band is playing at a bar close to our house.

All us girls are going out to celebrate Emmy’s birthday.

Should be a sweaty, tipsy, dancing, good time!

The house consumes us…

Recently, our weekends have been spent working on the house.

There is no time to do anything else but fix this little house, which we will soon call home.

I don’t mind fixing up the house though.

But the painting.

The painting is another story.

I finally finished painting all the rooms of the house this weekend; while Matt and about five of his friends worked on the drainage system in the backyard.

(Backyard was always wet, that’s why Matt wanted to put this drainage thing in the backyard so it would actually be dry back there).

Looks high tech. Like I said before, Matt’s a smarty-pants when it comes to all this “house stuff.”

I’m a lucky girl marrying this guy.

We also went a little crazy with a chainsaw.

Damn, chainsaws are fun.

Backyard looks a little bare now, but good.

On a different note; I’m old these days.

I turned down a happy hour with some people at work Friday to go vintage rug shopping.

I know, how old of me.

But hey, a girls gotta do, what she’s gotta do, to make her home look perfect. (Huh?) Right?

I’m anxious.

I can’t wait to get our stuff in the new home and start to decorate!

So many new purchases.

So many.  

Friday, this sweet boy (and my sister and her BF) met me for lunch.

It totally made my Friday.

I can now check, ‘visit a castle’ off my list of “to do’s”

My girlfriend Jackie, from high school, is getting married in January.

And guess where her bridal shower was Sunday?

In a castle!

(The Cloisters Castle)

A friggin castle.

It was so awesome.

Will Smith and Jadad Pinkett Smith got married at the Clositers, so awesome. (She's from Baltimore).

I loved every single second of it.

My girlfriend Juls and I even explored and went all the way to the top of this old castle.

I could have shit my pants. It was so scary and I for sure thought the hunchback of notre dame was going to come out of one of the rooms and murder me.  

(If you don’t know, I love this scary stuff! So I loved every second of this old castle).

I’ve already decided that Juls MUST get married here. It was amazing!

This was one of the random rooms on the top floor. So cool.

(Jackie and I)

 

We cleary won the toilet paper bride dress contest.

Event though I got showered and dressed in a half hour (bc of painting) I enjoyed seeing my high school girlfriends and celebrating with Jackie.

Can't wait till the wedding! 

I don’t give my husband enough credit.

He is totally a handyman.

Who knew, I had married someone so damn handy.

Not me.

When Matt called me Friday at work to tell me he was moving the thermostat from the middle of the wall to the right-hand side of the wall.

I thought I was going to have a panic attack.

Me, “Like, do you even know how do to that?”

Matt, “Babe”    

*Note: Matt calls me babe, like every 30 seconds. When we’re arguing he calls me babe in-between almost every word.

Me, “Is that necessary…..arguing…”

Matt, “Babe….more arguing…”

Me, “Just don’t tell me what you’re doing to the house anymore. Just do it”

Boy did I not give this man enough credit.

Wall looks perfect and thermostat totally needed to be moved. Ugh, Matt was so right.

 He really knows how to do a lot of stuff.

Like make screens for the windows (yes, no screens in the house since the previous owners lost it) And change a leaking pipe (with help from a plumber friend) and a bunch of other stuff that I didn’t know he knew how to do.

Totally impressed.

We also painted the whole house this weekend.

Girl, let me tell you, my whole entire body hurts from painting. I didn’t know painting was such exercise.

It was only my parents, my sister, Matt and I who painted. It was two very long days. But I am so thankful for my family. They are so incredibly awesome!

 We ate lunch outfront of the new house. It was actually fun!

This made me nervous. But Dad didn't go through the ceiling so, it's all good!

My Mom took so many photos. I will have to borrow her camera so everyone can see inside the new house.

It looks so bright and cute!

Perfect first home for the Bogdans.

A much different Halloween this year...

Monday, was settlement. (Halloween)

It was a long day to say the least.

When we finally left the realtors office at 5:30, we went directly to the new house.

We pulled up to my Mom, my sister and our neighbor, Casey all out front with their video cameras in hand.

They videotaped our arrival.

My sister also ran across the front yard (dressed like a cat) and put my pumpkin that I had painted with Trav on our front door step (of the new house).

They are all too sweet. How lucky are we to get to live near all these wonderful people?

They also suggested for Matt to carry me across the threshold. He did. A$$ up in the air. I’m sure that video footage is awkward.  

My sister’s four nieces came over to walk around for Halloween. (I walked with them. Sam Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale in hand. I needed it after that day).

I might have also had a slight anxiety attack later that Monday night. And ran out of the new house with Chase and walked home in the dark by myself on Halloween.

But I’m ok now.

I’m finally excited!

Guys, I even weed-wacked the front yard.

Not well, but I did it. That thing was heavy and I sucked at it. I kept making bold spots- oops! (My sister’s lawn mower died, so I still have to mow). But I surely weed-wacked the crap out of that yard. Terrible.

This weekend we're painting.

Any suggestions on color?

I’m having a hard time with a kitchen color, I’m thinking mustard yellow. (I’m into it)

Living room, I’m thinking tan and green.

After living in an all white apartment for three years, I need color in my life!