Running thru life... a new cleaning product

I was organizing under our kitchen sink a couple weeks ago and was amazed at the amount of cleaning products I used.

1) Windex for windows

2) Endust for dusting

3) Simple Green for Stainless Steel

4) Granite Cleaner

5) Costco Cleaning Wipes for everyday

6) Etc,

It is amazing how many products I have so I am always looking for ways to make cleaning an easier process for me (aka more economical and also more time efficient). 

That Sunday in the adds I recieved a coupon for Pledge MultiSurface.  It advertised that it is for Metal, Wood, Glass, and Electronics.  I figured it was worth a shot because it could help eliminate at least 4-5 cleaning products I currently use. 

So in Wegmans the following week I picked it up just to test it out.  

Two weeks later I am loving it.  

It cleans everything quite well and does not leave streaks which is a plus.  

I have used it on mirrors, granite countertops, stainless steel, and to dust my furniture.

The other nice thing is it comes in two scents- Rain and Lavender.

 

So goodbye lots of cleaning products and hello Pledge Multi Surface Cleaner!!!

Another house project Part 3- HOA

May I first start by saying I dislike our HOA. 
I understand what a HOA does but I feel like ours is not helpful at all and just dish out rules. 
With us redoing our backyard, I knew I would have to notified the HOA aware according to our stupid bylaws.  So I painfully got all the paperwork together... as follows


Step #1
Fill out application


Step #2
Get neighbor signatures.  Yes this is so stupid!!!! Especially since no one can see our patio.  So I quickly sent my husband to two of our neighbors to get signatures.  8 minutes later husband returned... success

Step #3
Pictures
We had to send in pictures of what our backyard looks like now and pictures of what is it going to look like.. PAIN IN THE BUTT

Step #4
Send our Plat with the area highlighted that we are going to change.
So what is a Plat you might ask?
It took me about 10 minutes to find ours.  I quickly googled it and found out it is basically the lay out of your house.  You are given a certified copy when you buy a house.  So I marched up to my room and pulled our our house file and there it was.  Copied it and was on to the next step.

Step #5
Dimensions and design
I had to send in a copy of the actually layout/design from the company we are going with.

So after approximately 25 minutes with the help of my copier/scanner/printer in 1 and my hubby- Everything got stuffed into an envelope!!!!!!

On to the next phase....

Another House Project Continued Part 2

My hubby and I decided for our back yard a simple patio would be the best.  We already have a deck that came with the house when we purchased it.  The bad thing about the deck is that is blocks almost all the sun in our backyard meaning that it is really hard to grow plants... but for some reason weeds have no problem growing. 

We sat down a short time ago just to design what we would like.  Ideally we decided the less lawn maintenance we have the better.  So we decided to cover approximately 340 sq feet leaving two areas (in two separate corners for planting).  The two areas are also the only space that gets sun- so it made the most sense. 

With that decided, we needed to think what we wanted out of a patio.  I started to research the different options- stone, brick, stamped concrete, etc.  My parents have a stone patio and their neighbors have a stamped concrete patio so I head over there just to look at them.  So both are equally as nice.

Then I started researching the price and I almost had a heart attack!!!  This is where the home garden show helped because I was able to obtain a decent amount of information and pricing in a short amount of time.)  Keep in mind our backyard is TINY!!!  I found stone can cost anywhere from 22-40$ a square foot!  The stamped concrete cost about 12-17$ a square foot.

I talked with my parents neighbors (who is a lawyer and researches everything with a fine tooth comb) regarding their decision to go with stamped concrete.   They told me about the pros, the cons, the maintenance (which is very low), the companies they looked at, the different estimates that got.
Basically, they made my job so easy for me. 

So I ended up call the Stamped Concrete company that they used called  Creteman Custom Hardscapes.

I have an appointment set for tomorrow- so we will see!!!

So what is stamped Concrete???

It is basically concrete laid in different colors- that is stamped with a pattern before it drys.  The Creteman lets you pick from 8 different shape designs and then has 15+ colors

Here are one picture below just so you can get an idea. 

This is not the color we would go with... Since our house is brick we are thinking of something along the brick color scheme, but we will see. 

So Tomorrow- I have an appointment with the Creteman.

Wish me luck!!

Running thru life... Another house project

Post #2 for the day..

 Last fall I took on the project of remodeling our kitchen.  

After 3 months of talking granite, kitchen sinks, dishwashers, tiles selections- I was so happy to be done. 

But I was even more happy with the results.

Before

After

 I was happy to be done with our kitchen project and I swore off home improvement projects for a while.

Well now I have enjoyed my break and have decided that it is time to start working on our next home improvement project- OUR BACKYARD!!!!

So we moved in our house more than 2 years and when we bought our house our least favorite things was the backyard.  It is a pile of mud and weeds.  We have spent many dinner conversations on what to do with our backyard.  We have now decided the time is now.  

We decided we want a patio that is basic and simple.  

So I have started on the first phase... Research!!!

So last weekend after my Sunday run- I headed to the Dulles Expo center with our backyard in mind to the Home and Garden Show.  About 1 1/2 hrs later I emerged with a lot of information.  I could have spent a lot more time... but I applied the "guy shopping" rule.  I only asked for information from patio people who offered what I was looking for. 

Now I need to process it and set up some estimates..

Let the home improving begin.....

Running thru life... Happy Birthday Hubby

Today I am acutally going to post twice.

1st Post 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE!!!!!!

His day started out right with both of us sleeping in with Clemson. 
Then he took Clemson for a walk while I did my 11 mile run.  WHICH ROCKED!!!!
Then a late breakfast with homemade Waffles and Coffee.  This was my version of a birthday cake because we are bothing trying to stay away from the sweets and also because I never cook breakfast it was a nice suprise.

Today he will be studying for his midterm while I run errands.... but tonight we will be celebrating with his family at L'Auberge Chez Francois.  It is one of his favorite restaurants and with his mom brithday being last week, his dad decided to take us all out for the night.  THE FOOD WILL BE AMAZING!!!!

My gift to Joe will not come until next weekend.  Because he is working so much and going to school, I am giving him a gift of a nice night out just the two of us (which rarely happens).  We will be trying a new restaurant out - Trummers on Main in Clifton, Va. 

I will be posting reviews of both restaurants. 
Happy birthday honey!!!

Running thru life... Treating my feet

THANK GOD TODAY IS FRIDAY.
I was going to blog today about listening to your body but after the week I have had I needed a "fun blog," so here it goes.


I am not a big shopper so I was looking thru my closet the other week and noticed in was lacking in a department-  Summer Shoes.

Let me start by stating I LOVE SUMMER Shoes. 

However, Clemson tore my favorite pair of black thong slips along with my pretty green ones. 

So I set out on a mission to please my feet. 

I have been watching two pairs of shoes for more than a month- but could not bring myself to buy them because of the price.  Then about three weeks ago when I went to check http://www.6pm.com/ website. 

 I found both of them for signifcantly reduced in price!!!!

So here are my awesome buys....

My fun buy....

First Charles by Charles David Twilight Sandle Pump

I am short so I love summer pumps and I bought them in a nude color to wear with capris, my dress jeans,  or pretty much anything.   
SO PRETTY. 
The were orignially $90 which I ABSOLUTELY REFUSED TO PAY...

but $23 dollars on 6pm.com was a steal!!!
I actually own other pair of Charles by Charles David so I knew exactally what size a need. 

My Practical buy

My second pair KORS Micheal Kors Winnie Leather Flip flops

I need a new nice pair of flip flops that are not 3$ flip flops from Old Navy.

These are perfect in everyway.... Not to mention I have a Micheal Kors Obsession.

I also can use these as a basic sandle or dress up with them which makes them very functional!
I read the reviews on line that stated they were pretty true to size, which they are. 

Originially $65 dollars was too high for a pair of flip flops- but $35 was a much more reasonable price. 
When I showed them to my hubby.... he smiled and that was all I needed. 
He is calling them my "MUST TAKE TO GREECE SHOES"
(Mostly because they are can either be dressed up or down and we are going to try to be minimalist when we go on our Greece Trip)

On top of everything I recieved free shipping because I spent over $30.  So $57 dollars later I have two pairs of awesome shoes to add to my collection. 

Happy Friday... Happy feet!!

Running thru life... Everything happens for a reason

I am a firm believer that "Everything happens for a reason!" 

Furthermore, I also believe you are "Given what you can handle and nothing more."

I try to remind myself of both of these in good times and rough times. 


I thought about this tonight during my very long drive home from work after a long week and a very very difficult day. 

They are kind of my motivational thoughts to myself.   

It is my way of saying to myself  "You can handle this Laura... suck it up." 

I find living in this area I say it to myself a lot. 

Sitting in traffic after a long day!

When I do not want to run but need to!

After a long day at work!

Or a long night of not sleeping due to Clemson puppy (seriously he is like a baby!)

When I get frustrated with my husbands school schedule!
When I get upset that my best friends are miles and miles away and I need girl time!!

Or frustrated that I do not have enough ME time!

When LIFE HAPPENS!

But then I think how boring would LIFE be if it was the same predictable thing everyday. 

So bring it all on... because

"I am only given what I can handle and nothing more,"

and

"Everything happens for a reason." 

So embrace life and everything that is thrown your way because you can handle it!