From our house to yours… we wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!

God bless! XOXO

G’day y’all… hope you are doing well. Tonight we have the Ash Wednesday service at church. This marks the beginning of Lent and a time where Christians remember Jesus’ time in the wilderness. Sometimes I feel like people that go and get the ashes placed on their foreheads at the beginning of the day walk around with them as a sort of look at me gesture as if everyone should know that they’re awesome for participating in the service when half the time I don’t even know if those people fully know what it means.

Not everyone participates in Lent. Some years I’ve been diligent about giving something up and other years I haven’t really thought about it. I was raised Methodist and we haven’t always made a big deal out of fasting during the 40 days but at Beach UMC we’re going to make it a point to fast on Monday’s from sun-up to sun-down and to really dig deeper into our faith.

Tonight will begin my journey to let go of the anger I’ve been carrying around. I think that working on my emotions is much harder than just giving up soft drinks or candy. I’m going to really work on my road rage and my impatience and I’m going to try and grow in my faith by being more diligent in my bible study.

This year the UMC is proposing that we give up alcohol. I think that is a great idea, especially for people who have lives that revolve around the socialization of alcohol and/or those who use alcohol as a coping mechanism. Some of my friends have even decided to give up Facebook or applications within Facebook such as Farm-ville.

Here is what the Methodist Church has to say about Ash Wednesday:

“While many think of actions such as the imposition of ashes, signing with the cross, foot-washing, and the use of incense as something that only Roman Catholics or high church Episcopalians do, there has been a move among Protestant churches, including United Methodists to recover these more multi-sensory ways of worship. This is in keeping with a growing recognition that people have multiple ways of learning and praying. Worship that is oriented to the intellect or to the emotions, both interior, leaves out those who engage in prayer through vision, smell, touch, movement, etc. We are increasingly aware that people are formed in faith when practices become embedded in memory, nerves, muscles and bone through sensory engagement.” Center for Worship Resourcing, The General Board of Discipleship.

So what about y’all? What are your plans for Lent? Do you participate? Do you find that giving something up helps to draw you closer in your relationship with God or do you think it even really matters?

Hey y’all… yesterday, Julia, over at Hooked on Houses, featured the 2010 Coastal Living Idea House and I am not a fan. I think that it is much too bland, the courtyard (outdoor living space) is in-between the house and garage and has no view (and the house has a wonderful view that should be taken advantage of)… among other complaints.

In reviewing the Idea House I was reminded of last year’s version which I liked much better. I don’t think I’ve done a piece reviewing the house so I’m posting it here for your viewing pleasure.

The 2009 Coastal Living Idea House was built at Seawatch in Sunset Harbor, North Carolina. I’m including some of my favorite photos but please visit the site for more information. I think they were very creative and have some wonderful ideas you can incorporate into any home you design.

The Kitchen

Tall Shutters: Brass chicken wire backed with gathered plaid fabric (right) give this nook between the kitchen and dining room a vintage feel.

Cheap-chic Lighting: Phillip had inexpensive candle lanterns wired, backed with mirrors, and mounted as wall sconces on either side of the kitchen window.

The Screened Porch

Classic Wicker: A beach must-have takes a sophisticated turn with a streamlined silhouette.

Rope Accessories: One standout piece, like this oval lantern, is all you need to get instant coastal style.

Gauzy Curtains: Their sheer weight filters harsh sunlight and adds elegance to the casual space.

The Master Suite

Fabulous Greens and Grays: Phillip fell for the leaf-print fabric used on the windows, and built the room’s bold but still soothing chartreuse and gray scheme from there.

Cabana-striped Walls: Who says they’re just for awnings and umbrellas? Here, they tie together the various fabrics.

The Guest Room

Eco-chic Rug: With wide stripes, super-soft ribbing, and 50% recycled content, this indoor/outdoor rug is both good-looking and good for the environment.

Alcove Headboard: The low-slung silhouette runs the entire length of the window.

Antique-y Sconces: In the narrow space between the bed and wall, Phillip mounted lights on the headboard―wires run to outlets behind it―and he used footstools as a landing spot for books.

The Rec Room

Cheery Wall Color: This high-energy green (Betsy Ross House Moss [6005-3C] by Valspar) isn’t used anywhere else in the room, but it works because the orange and yellow in the space are just as punchy.

Flowery Curtains: Big rooms call for big-scale prints.

Those huge Wooden Spheres: Like bocce balls for giants, they’re whimsical accessories in a room dedicated to fun and games.

The Guest Suite

The Blue/Green Combo: It’s an amped-up version of the palette in the coverlet.

Pretty Botanicals: The organic floral print on the bed is a subtle reference to the natural coastal landscape.

The Bamboo Bed: Its horizontal planking is a clean, modern take on the traditional four-poster.

About the House

Style: Gambrel roofs and cedar-shake shingle siding speak to the Cape Cod-inspired look.

“This house blends traditional Cape and coastal North Carolina elements, from the shingled siding to the widow’s watch on top.” — Sam Guidry, Director of Architecture

The Seawatch Style Guide gives you a ton of details as to how they made it all come together. Also, here and here are links to view the Coastal Living photo gallery in Picasa that shows the construction process and many more details. Don’t forget that Julia, on her other blog, Beach Cottage Love, did a post on this very house last year and you can check that out here.

Okay, folks… what do you think? You know, with each house I “like,” there is always something that I want to change; a room I’d like to make larger or smaller, or switch around the location of appliances in the kitchen, or even the type of columns on a porch. What would you do to this house? Would you keep it the same? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Hope you’re having a wonderful week!

P.S. here are the floorplans…

So, I threw out my back. I have an old cheerleading injury in my hip and it throws off my L5 and then if I do anything too strenuous my whole back is out of wack. Throw in a couple of car accidents and the resulting whiplash and you have an easily injured person.

WHICH SUCKS.

So, I thought I could handle it. You know, work through the pain. Take like 6 Advil at a time and it’ll get better, right? WRONG. So, after working a full day yesterday in constant pain I decided to go see my doc this morning.

He has me do some more x-rays because the last time was in 2006 and evidently I have a few degenerative disks that he wanted to be sure haven’t gotten worse, and, they haven’t. So he gives me an adjustment (I see a DO, not an MD, because they’re trained in more than just old school medicine) and gives me a prescription for darvocet and diazepam.

I’ve done the whole valium thing before so that’s old hat but I don’t remember ever taking a narcotic pain reliever. I was hoping he’d give me like prescription strength Advil or something. Anyway, that shit is crazy. I just got up from sleeping for 3 hours and I feel DRUNK. No me gusta. Not the good kind of drunk but the sick to your stomach room spinning kind. So, now I know that if I’m ever to take that again it needs to be at night and maybe even a half a pill. Good gracious.

Live and learn, eh?

So, I’m glad I was able to stay home and rest for a bit (because I certainly needed it) but I have to go to the lawyer’s tonight at 5:30 to sign the closing papers and hand over every cent in my checking account. And I’m worried that I’ll still feel this way.

ARGH.

Wish me luck folks… this should be interesting. Plus, I have so much more to do around here. I have so many boxes left to unpack. It’s rather overwhelming. Maybe in a couple weeks things will return to normal.

On a side note, I’m super happy to be rid of the condo. I’m super happy that chapter is over with because it’s been nothing but stress the last two years and Lord knows I can’t keep struggling like I was. This new place is super cute and cozy… though the stairs are kicking my ass (in a good way… it’s like a workout with out even trying).

Hope y’all are having a pretty good week so far.