Thoughts on Thursday

Father/Son Bonding....If y'all even knew what they were looking at on the phone.  Flatulence videos.  Oh my gosh, I am so outnumbered, boys will be boys!

See the new curtains in the background...used my Pottery Barn gift card wisely.  The 63" panels are still on sale, check them out here: Elene Palampore Linen Sheers.

Winds were so bad here last night that we lost power and I woke up just as I was supposed to be getting into work.  That kinda sleeping in is not restful....

So excited for Friday.  We are going to our favorite Bar & Grille The Crabs Claw who is opening up for the first time since Hurricane Sandy.  It's going to be awesome and probably standing room only.  Holla!

I'm getting tons of hits on my Food & Recipe Pinterest Board and this blog post... Crack Bread.  I'm not even sure yet what I'm bringing to the Superbowl party we are attending.  It won't be that!  Too addictive...

I've been rolling along with my NY Resolutions.  Down 7 pounds, being kinder, not sweating the small stuff and organizing my house room by room and closet by closet.  I'm hoping I can knock my February goals outta the park!

Thanks for visiting ~ Have a fabulous weekend!

Homes I Love...

Spring Lake, NJ

Circa 2009

It's been awhile since I've done one of my real estate posts.  This house is just well-done. I am loving the splashes of orange in the family room and the elegant wallpaper in the dining room.  This can all be yours for $3,299,000.00.

From the Realtor:

Spectacular British Colonial inspired beach retreat, impeccably & thoughtfully renovated in 2009. Ideally situated on a rare 53x250 property this chic & sophisticated 5BR, 3.5 + bath seashore residence boasts the very best in quality, craftsmanship & design. Special appointments include rich hdwd floors, exquisite millwork, Ann Sacks hand painted tiles, Waterworks fixtures, LaCornue range, Pella Architectural Series windows & a beautiful inground pool. Bring your most discriminating buyers.

Lately...{Photo Dump}

Friends out for a {rare} night on the town.  Notice my husband in pink...I love him in that color, not sure he did.  Love my Lilly Elsa in Starboard Stripe...major score during the post-Christmas sale.  Chinese Laundry boots were a 75% find at Macy's. 

Our boys made the local section of the Asbury Park Press.  My little local celebs...Restore the Shore!

Snow Patrol

The extent of my Valentine decorating.  I LOVE decorating for holidays, but for some reason have very little V-day decos.  These are handmade and free printable~d off the net. Better than nothing...onto Easter.

My snowbaby

Went into HomeGoods after a long sabbatical (It was a tough habit to break).  Scored the gray chair for our home office (of which hasn't even been cleaned out or painted yet...so who knows...)

And a cute one for my Moms living room.

Dreary Monday morning photo of Lake Fishigan a stones throw from my office.

Have a wonderful week ~ Thanks for visiting!

We went back {Seaside Heights}

Took the trek over to the barrier island over the weekend.  There are a few places opening up, two of which are on the boardwalk...when the boardwalk was there.  

This is the view from the Beachcomber Bar & Grill. Across the way is the Beach Bar.  From this point north the boardwalk is gone.  It's actually amazing that the Beach Bar is still there.  All of the places in Seaside were crowded, for a January day anyhow.  It was mild out, but most people were there to see what's become of everything.

We'd had a fabulous lunch at Klee's Bar & Grill before going up to the boards.  Klee's was packed, an hour wait at 1pm.  It was nice to see.  Let's give these businesses some $ back. I must say they served me the BEST grilled shrimp caesar salad I have ever had.  

Smiling, but not really...

Comfort station that used to be attached to the boardwalk.

Couldn't get near enough to the infamous Roller Coaster to take a pic.  State Troopers are stationed along every beach entrance. The police presence is thick, no one is allowed onto the beach. Although I am hearing that restriction will be lifted soon.

Last stop for photos

Kids playing on the stage.  At the bar. Don't judge.

Lucky Leo's.  Boys are so happy the arcades are back open.  While there, an Asbury Park Press photographer took the boys pictures playing skeeball and said they would be published in a series called "Voices of Sandy".  So far, not published yet.

3 Points!

It is still going to take time to restore our beloved shore.  We came in from a few miles north, over the Mantoloking Bridge and headed south to Seaside.  Let me tell you, pictures don't even begin to tell the story at that impact point.  Grand, old shore homes, some 3 stories, tipped on their sides.  Destroyed.  Walls ripped away.  I could still see a womans fully stocked closet complete with handbags and dresses blowing in the wind.

Amazing, truly amazing.

Thanks for visiting and have a lovely weekend!

Transitions {Not Wordless Wednesday}

The littler one transitioned into a big boy bed this past week.  Unbeknownst to us, the crib conversion kit went from toddler bed to full bed.  Original Nursery can he found here: http://coastalpines.blogspot.com/2010/07/brennans-room.html 

So, all that twin bedding I was planning on....yeah.  So after getting a new mattress & boxspring, we realized that the conversion kit headboard won't work either. So no headboard and no bedding. Maybe...

Hubby started the whole..."Let him pick out his own stuff.." Ummmmm No.  They have a playroom, family room and a fridge to decorate.  His room is my job, he's the baby, my baby. Besides, he's growing too fast, I wasn't ready for this big boy bed thing.

The room isn't even scaled well for a full bed, so needless to say in a little while, littler one, will be moving into the bigger ones massive bedroom with bunk beds (and decorated to the nines with wall-E's, transformers, tonkas, surfboards and various sports teams).

So, to my husbands dismay, it's going to be feminine stripes & cabbage roses for awhile.

Because I am the only girl in the house and this bedding set was from my bachelorette pad and I've missed it while it was stored away.

Does it match? No. But we already have it and free is for me. (Wrinkled bed skirts are not for me either, I'll get to that later)

They don't seem to mind...

The Bright Side...

of being displaced.  This is one of the rooms in my in-laws temporary "Sandy" rental.  This wrought iron light fixture is to die for. I can not even imagine what it must weigh.  This exotic, warm, rich room is a sitting room in a house full of similarly decorated rooms.  I don't want to invade the landlord or the tenants privacy, but I had to share this one room.  It's fabulous.

awful iPhone pics

Thanks for visiting!

Have you tried...

ColorSnap by Sherwin Williams? Its an iPhone App that lets you snap an inspiration picture and match colors to it. I also tried ColorCapture by Benjamin Moore, but I didn't love it as much.  I think it is going to be integral in our home office project. Here's a peek at my curtain fabric (linen curtains by Pine Cone Hill in flax) and the rug I've decided on (Eastern Colors available at Overstock or Horchow).

I'm leaning toward the Gray.  It would be more of a neutral if I should change up the accessories in the future and kinda outside of my comfort zone, as I tend to gravitate toward warmer colors.

This project will begin once we've completed our January clean up & out. That could still be happening in March...

Thanks for visiting xo