Top 11 in 2011

So I know I've been MIA for a couple of months.  I could use the excuse that the holidays got in the way since my last post was in October - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. So now it being the beginning of 2012 I'm going to keep up this blog and do my top 11 in 2011. I got this cute idea from Ashley and also from Kendra.  Both such cute sites and very inspirational! Ok...

Top 11 in 2011

1.  Josh becoming a 2nd year Resident! Only one more year of call left! (Now only 4 more calls left...!!)

2. Our trip to Michigan... Holland, Saugatuck, Grand Rapids, Grand Haven, Kalamazoo, South Haven (I'm probably missing one)...

3. My birthday/Symphony on the Prairie!/Fire Works

Yeah, we brought the whole box. :)

4. Another trip to Michigan... this one at St. Joseph's with my side of the family in July.

5. Trip to Cleveland in August for Chris and Lauren's wedding.

"Electric Sex in the Window!"

A Christmas Story!

Inside the Cleveland Arcade. Beautiful.

Cleveland Art Museum

Getting pretty.

Getting our nails done.

Going to lunch

Rehearsal Dinner

6. New Job!

Remember this?. :)

7. Halloween

Yeah, he made me answer the door when the kids were little since he scared a little girl...

8. Celebrated our 3rd Anniversary 

November 8, 2008

November 8, 2011
The Melting Pot... Yum!

9. Thanksgiving

The "kid" table...

10. Hoosier Basketball!

11. Christmas

 Overall 2011 has treated us well.  We both have our health and are both employed and enjoy what we're doing.  Hopefully 2012 is just as good, if not better. ;-)

Kitchen Cabinets

When Josh and I first bought our house one of the main things we wanted to do was paint the cabinets.  They were that hideous 1990s oak color. 

Exhibit A:

 Hi Howard :)

It was going to be too expensive {or more than we wanted to spend} to install all new cabinets, but with about $150 in supplies and some TIME {ended up taking about 3 weeks to complete the entire kitchen} we were able to get them looking so much better. 

That is until I decided they needed a shiny polyurethane coating on top to prevent them from getting scratched or nicked.  Of course I bought the oil based polyurethane instead of the water based and the cabinets turned YELLOW!

 I deleted all of the pictures of the yellow so I don't have any of those. But just a word of advice if you ever decide to cover anything that is painted white with polyurethane: Get the WATER BASED!

Office

As most of you know I started a new job almost 2 months ago.  Change is always hard for me but I believe that is the only way that you can fully move forward and grow to your fullest potential...plus change is inevitable.  I love my new job. I love the people and my office. I love being back on campus.  My new office has 3 windows and it's own restroom.  That's right it has it's own personal restroom.  When I first told my husband of this he said, "You're George Costanza on Seinfeld"! He then tried to YouTube the episode where he tries to become handicap so he can get the office with the restroom. 

Anyway, my office is great.  It's just plain... white and boring.  I'd heard of a new shop {http://www.crimsontate.com/} on Mass Ave. downtown that now has Amy Butler and other awesome designer fabric.  I got the awesome idea to buy some fabric and cover my 4 bulletin boards that are in my office.  It wouldn't be permanent (as paint would be) and I could use the fabric later down the road. 

Here are some before and after pictures:

Before:

After:

It definitely adds personality and some color!