Wishing you a ridiculously smiley weekend!!
Soooo … we bought a house. Wait, we bought a house?! Is this for real?! Yes!!! All I can say is it sort of happened out of no where, and it still feels surreal, but we really needed to get out of the rent life and into something we could actually put our money towards that was for us, and not someone else. Something we could call ours and grow our family in. And to be honest, we needed to be more central so we weren’t spending all our time and energy in rush hour traffic. So now we’re officially homeowners, and it all just worked out. We have a square of land and a house that sits on it! We’re in the old Village Grove neighborhood in South Scottsdale .. a little pocket of life right by Papago Park, the Desert Botanical Gardens, and .. a Burger King! Our street is really quiet and we’re just a block away from the Arizona cross cut canal (I think that’s the name), I’ve been using it for my night runs and I love it. The house is darling, and thankfully, was mostly move-in-ready. Not a lot of fix up or repair, didn’t have to buy any appliances. It even came stocked with rose bushes, plantation shutters throughout, an awesome sprinkler system in the front and back, and the cushiest carpet you’ll ever step foot on. It’s an older home, with a floor plan I’ve had my eye on since we started house hunting (which was only for like 2 weeks, ha!). I’m working on a little video of our new casa, but until then, here are some shots of my first to-do’s since being in our new house.
We rode a camel!! And because we had little James with us (thanks Sarah for getting us in with your awesome annual membership!), Jace wasn’t scared at all. He got right on and just smiled away. Such a fun day at the Phx Zoo .. splash pads, monkeys, sea otters, a tiger up close, giraffes, kettle corn .. and best of all, the camel! I made sure to thank him for letting us ride him. Poor guy is continents away from his real home!
The boys playing in the splash zone!
I think it’s about time I bring this back, right?! Right! This was the other day, on our way to a friend’s house for a birthday party. He’s got his watch on. His hat. His shades. His dried mango strips. His shoes. His ice water. His blanket. His girly car seat (hey, it was free from a family friend!). His long blonde locks. His tank top to show the muscles off. He’s ready to party. #jaceface
I’ve found myself spending a lot of time on Pinterest lately .. when Insta and Facebook get a little overwhelming, I take a break and head on over to Pinterest to chill out. It doesn’t stress me out, it just inspires! Pinterest is known for that, and has stayed pretty true to their original game plan (aside from the now sponsored and suggested posts, which I oddly don’t mind). And I also find myself making new connections with people I never thought possible! Recently, Douglas Elliman asked me to participate in their Florida Room style board challenge. I myself do not live in Florida, nor do I have a Florida Room (or what we tend to call an Arizona room here in these parts), but nonetheless, I can still day dream, right?! As part of the challenge, I was asked to personalize a style board around how I would design or decorate a Florida room if I had one, and provide any tips and tricks along the way. What I like about Pinterest is you don’t have to be a licensed interior designer to put together ideas and design elements, you simply have to have a vision! So, here goes .. Right off the bat I know my dream Florida room would be a mix between a beach bungalow and a southwest patio. Bright and happy, where summer lives all year long. You can see my full board on Pinterest, but in the meantime, here are some of my staples (or tips have you:
- Windows. Lots of windows. But more importantly, Bahama shutters. They’re so southern and beachy! Would also settle for some plantation shutters or wicker roman shades.
- Foliage all over, with a variety of tropical leafage and even a cactus here or there. Might as well as embrace the heat and humidity at this point!
- Coral. I would love this color to accent wherever possible. A door, a wall, some vases. Anything, my Florida room has to own this color.
- Comfy couches. Give me a sectional, some wicker furniture with fluffy cushions to lounge on and I’d be set. Preferably white, so all the colors around me really pop.
- Statment rug. There are so many to choose from, this detail would definitely take some time. It’s gotta be perfect, and encompass all the right colors.
- Wood. Whether it’s a custom art piece, a Bob Marley quote, or just a bunch of wood stacked up, I have to have a woodsy element. Distressed. White washed. Ocean washed. Whatever, I’ll take it all.
- Bar and bikes. My Florida room must have a great bar cart, as well as a beach cruiser near by to jump on. Truly what the easy life is about if you ask me!
- Directional signs. These are such eye candy to me! I think I’d always feel like I was on vacation if I had these in my Florida room.
- Last but not least .. wait for it .. a surfboard! Also love all the colors paired with this one. And dang it. Now I think I need a cattle skull, haha.
Again, for more on my Florida Room Style Board, check out my full ‘Florida Room’ Pinterest Board below. Now that I’ve started pinning, I don’t think I can stop! Thank you Douglas Elliman for including me in your challenge. Had a blast day-dreaming about my beachy, yet very Arizonan, Florida Room!
For continued inspiration check out some of these gorgeous Florida properties!