Sunday, October 26, 2008

Painting

Why does it always seem like painting your house is such a good idea. "It won't take long", "roll, roll, roll". Every time I decide to paint, I think it is going to be fast and simple and it never is. But, when it is done the end result is usually worth it.

My house as been sage green since we moved in 3 1/2 years ago. We have changed furniture and lighting and with the dogs, it has just become dingy and dark and I have been itching to repaint for a couple of months now.

Finally, I told Juan, I am painting whether you want me to or not. One day you are going to come home and I will have started, and then there will be no turning back.

Well, I didn't have to go that far, he finally agreed to let me paint.

The other bad habit I have is I tend to go for dark colors. Since I wanted to lighten things up, this could be a problem. I asked my friend Todd to help me because I think he has a great eye for color and combining them.

Well, we went with 3 colors. An aqua blue (Acapulco Cliffs) a cream (Cape Honey) and a rust (rum raisin) color. The living room is aqua and cream, the colors are on the 4 walls opposite each other and the rust is around the doorway. I like the cream, it definitely lightens it up, especially with a brown leather couch. I like the rust too, which is no surprise since I like dark colors and it is very close to the color in my bedroom. The aqua is going to take some getting used to. I don't have it, I like it, but it is really bright. I will have to see how the room looks once all the furniture is back in. That will make a huge difference.

I am going to bring the colors into the dining room next and reverse the pattern.

Wish me luck. Looks like Wednesday and Thursday, I will be painting.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

We Booked a Date

Well, we finally booked a date for our wedding. November 21, 2009. The Saturday before Thanksgiving.

We wanted to do it in November, so it wouldn't be too hot. It's hard to avoid the heat in FL. We wanted to do it on either the 19th of a month or the 22nd. The reason....well, Juan's birthday is the 20th of the month and mine is the 21st (not of November). We just thought it would be funny to have all our dates, 19,20,21 or 20,21,22. Whatever, I am strange. I also wanted to get married on leap year. I have always wanted to do this. I proposed back in February but obviously this didn't happen and I don't want to wait another 4 years, 4 years of dating 3 of living together is enough.

So, here is the unusual part. Being from NY, it is taking some adjusting to how laid back weddings are here, not in terms of being elaborate or not, but more in terms of what you get for the dollar. I come from the land of big over the top catering. In NY, you get a cocktail hour which is what is a buffet reception down here and then some. At my first wedding (yes, I have been married before), people from FL thought our cocktail hour was the reception. After that you walk into a 4 or 5 course sit down dinner, all with open bar and your cake is included. Down here, everything is extra. They even charge you to cut a cake. Give me a knife, I will cut it.

Enough about that. We went on Thursday to place a deposit at Rumrunners. I was completely prepared to give the $750, but I was surprised, we met with the Managing Partner, not the manager who I had met with previously. He told me he didn't want to take our money until we get closer to the date. He said to hold on to it, put it somewhere else, or put it in a CD to gain interest.

Who does that?

On one hand it was very nice of him. On the other the NY'er in me doesn't trust it. I kept asking if I could have it in writing. He told me, if I want him to take my money he will, but he has been in business for over 20 years. So I am happy with that and we recieved an email confirming the date. My good friend Michelle is helping us plan the wedding (she is interning with a highend wedding planner) and she said we will touch base again in about 6 months.

Rumrunners does have the ability to have the ceremony there, but we really want to get married on the beach. My only concern is what if it rains. How do I have a backup plan then? Michelle says with the length of time the ceremony usually is, even if it is a light rain it can still happen. Worse comes to worse, we will get a lot of umbrellas, maybe it will make a cool picture.

You gotta love her, she finds the positive in everything.

So now I feel like I don't have anything to do, but there is still so much to do. I guess people down here don't book things until 6 months or so before. Again, in the land of NY, you book things ASAP in order to not miss anyone. I had booked my wedding 18 months before the date the first time.

So, now it will be research and finding the best vendors where I can get the best bang for my buck and looking through magazines for ideas.

Suggestions are always welcome