Extreme Makeover: Guest Bedroom Edition

We are getting done with the guest bedroom. I have been wanting to paint in the guest bedroom for awhile now and have even had the paint color picked out for quite awhile but we have painted the walls! It was a process especially today when we pulled the tape and some of the paint came off! I still need some white window treatments and I want to paint the bedside table white. I also avoided showing the desk because it is messy!

Doesn't the white dresser just pop. What do you think?

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More Painting

I am painting the guest bedroom today. We are painting it a dark blue green to complement the bedding in the guest bedroom. I was going to upload a picture I took of the bedroom before but Cooper chewed up my memory card. So hopefully tomorrow I can show a picture of the finished bedroom after a run to walmart for a memory card.

Tomorrow our good friend Melissa who is a photographer is going to shoot a few pictures of our family tomorrow. More specifically Joe, me, Bella and Cooper will have a family portrait! We are excited but also a little nervous because you just do not know what to expect when our dogs are involved!



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More CHANGES

Joe is home! I was so excited to have my hubby home and the dogs were also excited. It was strange not sharing a week of my life with him. Also this weekend, Joe's older brother came with Joe from the Florida trip and stayed and then hiw wife and Mikah and Hudson came. We had a fun time shopping and eating and I probably read Hudson 10 books. This was the one picture to document the weekend.
















Also this weekend, Joe have been actively trying trying to discern our future so prayer this week would be wonderful!



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Memory Monday

Psalms 67:1-2

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face to shine upon us, that Your way may be known on earth, Your saving power among all nations."

Will you memorize it with me?



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Registered Nurse

I am officially and legally a Registered Nurse. I took my boards yesterday, hence the overwhelming feeling I felt yesterday in my post. I was a WRECK because Joe was gone and I thought I had bombed it but I looked today on the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency website and searched and there I was with a license number! So happy and relieved. I looked when I was at work today and I nearly cried! And then they got my an ice cream cake for congratulations. The people there are so great!

I just wanted to share my news with you! And Joe is coming home tonight! Whoo-hoo!!



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Rough Week

It's been a difficult week for me. Today has just been an emotionally, mentally, and physically exhausting day for me. Combined with everything this week, I am overwhelmed. I am an indepedent person and do enjoy being alone sometimes. But I realized that I need someone at night. Joe comes back tomorrow which I am very excited about. I need a hug!

I also realized that its okay to not have everything together. I had some big adjustments in the last 2 1/2 months. I graduated college and got married in May. Then in June I moved here to a new town and instantly became a Pastor's Wife and joined a new church. This means a whole church that knows me but I am trying to learn a lot of new faces. I'm trying to get my house together and unpack and figure out what I am doing. I had a job at a hospital that flooded which took away the great job opportunity. I had to start the job search again. I started a new job in an environment that has been great for me but also something that I was not prepared for. So much change all at once. I am ready to start being comfortable at all of these new changes.

Okay I got that off of my chest! Thank you for listening!

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Honeymoon

I finally printed our honeymoon pictures and put them in an album. For our honeymoon, we went to Gatlinburg for 3 nights and then to Myrtle Beach for 3 nights. It was a compromise since I am more a mountain girl and Joe is a beach guy.

In Gatlinburg we rented a cabin in the mountains which was not fun to drive to. I was driving the last shift and the roads were so steep and curvy I freaked out and made Joe drive the rest of the way. We went to the aquarium, a sky lift up the mountain, some Ripley attractions, a mystery dinner theater,a wax museum, this Jesus musical which was very good, among others. We even went to this family comedy show and Joe made it on stage and sang a solo!

In myrtle beach, we spent time on the beach, went to this zoo where you could feed every animal, Medieval Times (my idea) and we went to this place where you could hold a baby tiger and a monkey. I need to scan that picture in but when in my life will I get to hold a baby tiger again? However my true life goal is to pet a penguin.

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When the Husband's Away

What did I do today while my husband is probably lying on the beach right now or hanging out with Ross King? I studied. Yes its true. I sat in my bed with my computer pouring over my books and doing questions while two dogs run around licking me and themselves. My heart rate increases when I look and Bella is with me and Cooper is not in the room because that means he is probably into something. Why just this minute Cooper ran into the bedroom with my brush blush in his mouth.

Last night, Bella and Cooper were hyper alert after we went to bed waiting for Joe. Now I have this fear of being attacked or the house being broken into. I locked all the doors and everything before I went to bed. Well the dogs barked at every noise thinking it was Joe which really started to scare me. It was rough for awhile but they finally started to calm down. When I opened the front door today I found that I left my keys in the door when I was bringing in the groceries after church!

Well I need to get back to studying and then I am going to make dinner. I am going to make Steak! I decided while Joe is away doesn't mean that I can't make foods that I want to eat! I am using this Recipe from the Pioneer Woman. I made this for Joe and this is the still the best food I have made him yet! Yum!

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Memory Monday

Colossians 3:23

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,
as working for the Lord and not for men."

Will you memorize it with me?



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Sad Bella

Yes Bella, I am sad too. Joe left me today for the week and this time he did not take Cooper with him. That means an entire week with no help to manage him. Tonight I left my the rest of my dinner on the coffee table while I went to the bathroom. When I came back, no more dinner for me. Let's just say Cooper had to be in his crate for time out for a little bit.

Mikah left this afternoon with Joe also. Last night Mikah came out the living room after her bath and Bella ran and barked at her and jumped on her which scared Mikah. So I had to put Bella in time out. I'm not sure who was more upset that Bella was locked up, Mikah or Bella. When we put them in time out we put a blanket over the crate because when we leave we have to crate them so they know they are in trouble when the blanket is over the crate. Mikah was peaking in on Bella so I called Mikah to come sit by me which upset Mikah and she said the cutest thing. As she is crying she said "I know how you feel Bella! It's just not fair!!" Sweet Mikah.

Bella and Cooper keep running to the door at every car thinking it's Joe...aww. I wonder when they will figure out that he is not coming home.

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A Weekend with Mikah

Joe picked up his niece Mikah yesterday and she is spending the weekend here. Then Joe will take her home when he takes the youth to Florida. She has a had a fun day with going to the swimming pool and going to Chuck E Cheese. She is sleeping in the guest bedroom and calls it Mikah's room!


After her bath yesterday I wrapped her hair in a towel and she is hamming it up for the camera. The towel lasted like a minute before it was too heavy for her.

And here is Mikah and Bella. I told Mikah I wanted to take her with me in pocket all the time but she didn't think she could do that. So we settled on a picture with her and Bella!

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A White Dresser

The project I did on Monday was paint my dresser. Now I had this wonderful before picture but I erased it off my camera before I uploaded it. So you have to imagine kind of a yellow wood dresser that's old. Joe bought for me from his old roommate when he was moving out.

On Monday I was back on the front yard staining and painting. This time I used a roller because spray painting left some spots. I installed new hardware and my new hardware almost cost more than what we paid for the dresser!

This is in the guest bedroom and soon the walls will be a dark blue and the trim will be white. And once I paint a couple of more pieces of furniture we'll be set!

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Girl's Night

Joe went to Evanville for the night and took Cooper with him so Bella and I are having a Girl's Night Out! So far we have fallen asleep when I got off work, we have been on a walk, and watched Project Runway so I say that we have been productive. Today at work I actually answered triage phone calls and gave suggestions to parents...I know! I learned a lot and probably had to ask a question for every phone call but it was fun.

On Sunday Joe is leaving me again to take the youth group to Florida while I am stuck in North Vernon by myself while I work. Another stressful event is happening next week but hopefully you will hear good news from me about it here after. Keep me in your prayers!

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Knitting

I love to knit and crochet. My best friend taught me my Junior year of college when we lived together how to knit and I have tried to improve. I get on knitting spurts where I just want to knit and last night I decided that I wanted to knit a scarf. You may wonder why I am knitting a scarf in July but I must say that a scarf is the easiest and well the only thing I know how to make so far. Someone needs to teach me something else to make. My next goal is a blanket.

















I starting cable knitting a scarf before but I got annoyed with it and kind of came up with my own pattern here. Do you like?



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Get to know me

In order to get to know me a little better, I thought I would fill out a little survey.

1. What time do you get up in the mornings?
If I am working 5:45 am, if not around 8:30

2. Diamonds or pearls?
I love diamonds

3. What was the last movie you saw at the theater?
I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I saw Wanted with my husband and some of his students without realizing how bad it was.

4. What are your favorite TV shows?
Friends, Jon & Kate plus 8, I Love Lucy, Gilmore Girls, Golden Girls, Law and Order, Top Chef

5. What do you usually have for breakfast?
Usually nothing.

6. What is your middle name?
Marie

7. What food do you dislike?
Hmm, I used to not like Chinese Food but I am starting to like that so I'm not sure

8. What is your favorite singer/music group?
Jon Mclaughlin--check him out! He graduated from my school at Anderson University when I was a freshman.

9. What kind of car do you drive?
VW Beetle

10. Favorite sandwich?
Ham and Cheese

11. What characteristics do you despise?
Pride and dishonesty

12. Favorite item of clothing?
I love comfy sweatshirts

13. If you could go anywhere in the world, on vacation, where would you go?
I used to answer Italy for this question but I was blessed to go there so now I will say France.

14. Favorite brand of clothing?
I love Old Navy, and Target has really cute clothes.

15. Where would you retire to?
Near my family

16. What was your most recent memorable birthday?
Well my last birthday, Joe was here in North Vernon when I was home in Evansville and he was having tests done on my birthday and they were seriously considering a really bad problem and I was all alone and wasn't with him. Definitely not my favorite birthday.

17. Favorite sport to watch?
Whatever sport Joe is watching. Right now the All-Star Baseball game is on.

18. Do you have piercings?
On my ears. I used to have my cartilage pierced but that grew back.

19. Can you play an instrument?
I can play the piano and I played the flute in middle school.

20. When is your birthday?
August 8th

21. Are you a morning person or a night person?
Definitely a night person

22. What is your shoe size?
6.5 or a 7. Funny story I guess I used to always think my feet were bigger than they were and just recently figured out why my shoes never fit right.

23. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us?
My sweet Bella is now 3.

24. What did you want to be when you were little?
I wanted to be an author.

25. What is your favorite candy?
M'M's

26. What is your favorite flower?
Hydrangeas.

27. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?
For so long it was May 31st our wedding day so now we'll say my birthday.

28. What is your full name?
Alison Marie Mayes

29. What are you listening to right now?
Sara Groves

30. What was the last thing you ate?
Right now I am drinking my banana milk shake I made....yum!

31. Do you wish on stars?
No I believe in a Sovereign God so I don't really do wishes.

32. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
I guess I would say red because that's my hair color but really red isn't a favorite color of mine.

33. How is the weather right now?
It's warm and its night time.

34. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
Joe

35. Favorite soft drink?
Coca-Cola. When I was in Russia you had to say the full name to order one and now I am in the habit.

36. Favorite restaurant?
Olive Garden.

37. Hair color?
Strawberry Blond

38 What was your favorite toy as a child?
This monkey that you could wrap around you and I named him Billy Bob but Bob for short.

39. Are you afraid of the dark?
I don't like the dark when I am alone

40. Chocolate or Vanilla?
Chocolate.

41. Coffee or Tea?
Neither

42. Do you have any pets?
Two cocker spaniels Bella and Cooper

43. The last time you cried?
I think at the wedding.

44. What is under your bed?
nothing

45. What did you do last night?
I went to Joe's softball game and then we played Taboo with a couple of his students.

46. What are you afraid of?
Honestly, being attacked.

47. Salty or Sweet?
Salty

48. How many keys on your key ring?
5

49. How many years at your current job?
About three weeks now

50. Favorite day of the week?
Saturdays

51. How many towns have you lived in?
Well I grew up in Evansville, IN, then went to school for four years in Anderson, IN and then moved to North Vernon, IN after I got married.

52. How tall are you?
5'3 and 1/2" That 1/2" is very important.

53. How much do you weigh?
Who would answer that?

54. Do you have a tattoo?
Nada

If you read all of that, you must have been as bored as I was to fill it out.

And because you read all of that some more childhood pictures for all to enjoy

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More pictures of our home

I thought I would show a few wedding presents. We received fine china as a gift and I was so excited for this beautiful china. It has service for eight so I need to have a dinner party! Then when we returned from our honeymoon, the family we rent from gave us a china cabinet that was in the house when we moved in. So now I have a beautiful place to display the china!






















I painted my dresser yesterday which went pretty well and I drove to Seymour to buy new hardware but they were too long. So you'll have to wait in anticipation for the revealing.



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Trying to be Crafty

I got this inexpensive decorating idea from a friend of mine. A few dollars and I have something really cute on my kitchen wall. I bought these letters at Wal-mart and some $0.50 acrylic paint and convinced Joe to hang up my shelf that I already had and I was good to go. What do you think?



I also said earlier that I would post a picture of the new mirror thing in the living room. It's hanging over a chair in the room.

Today I think I am going to work on painting my dresser. My dresser is in the guest bedroom so I think I am going to paint it white. The comforter in the room is blue and brown and the the headboard is dark brown. I want to paint the walls a dark blue so I'm going to paint all of the rest of the furniture I think white to brighten the room. We'll see how that goes.

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Memory Monday

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Will you memorize it with me?



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No Doggie Day

Bella is at the beauty salon today called Paws and Claws. They also offer Doggie Daycare so we decided that Cooper needed a doggie day. I am sure right now he is running around the shop licking everyone and Bella is being shy.

VBS is now over but it was a fun week. Last night was the Parent's Night and everyone sang the songs they had learned. They were sooo cute!! One girl stayed up there the whole time even if she didn't know the song.

Last night I made Joe rearrange some stuff in the living room and we hung up our gorgous mirror we received as a wedding gift from Crate and Barrel. I will have to post a picture of that soon.

The next project for the house is the guest bedroom. I would like to paint the walls a darker blue and paint some of the furniture white. Maybe I can do that this week. I have this long list of ideas and projects for the house. I just do not tell them to Joe until that project is next or I'm afraid he will bolt.

Now for a fun trip down memory lane. For our wedding ceremony, we created a wedding slideshow with pictures of Joe and I growing up and us dating and such. Last night I spent some time trying to figure out how to publish a powerpoint presentation on the web but I could not get it to work. So over the next few weeks, I'll post some pictures of us growing up.

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Extreme Makeover: Bedroom Edition

We finally got everything inside and now the bedroom is finished. I posted pictures of the bedroom before but now we have curtains and a couple more cute things.

And this is Joe after an afternoon of spray painting.

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