Getting the boy involved

I have had a daily ritual of reading countless wedding related blogs for the last 2+ years.  I cannot even tell you how many times I have mentioned one thing or another that I saw on said blogs to Doug and asked him whether he could do this project or that project.  I never got a "no" and I usually got a "yes" or a "probably."  So imagine my surprise when I asked Doug to accompany me on a shopping trip to get the supplies for one of these previously discussed projects and he had zero idea what I was talking about!  (To be completely honest, I wasn't really at all surprised and since he re-agreed to help I didn't care.)

And so here is the first of several projects I had planned for my future husband - our DIY card box.

He looks extremely excited that I documented this for the ol' blog, doesn't he?

And so four white frames, a ton of L brackets, a lazy susan, and 8 gorgeous engagement pictures later, we have this.  Our cute rotating, card box!

 

The spinning base has since been painted white, but the card box is being temporarily stored at my parents' house and I didn't get a picture before the transfer.

 Lessons Learned:
1) Give specific directions.  I actually envisioned the frames going in the opposite direction, but I didn't explain it clearly enough and didn't realize what was happening until it was all put together.  I think, though, that this one was a happy accident because I more easily found pictures I liked that were in portrait orientation. 
2) Getting him involved is important to me but the important detail to him is that we are getting married, not the random DIY projects I ask about.  And that's ok, but I'm still going to keep asking his opinion and help on many things between now and May 22!  :)

My boy is so handy

I big puffy heart having a fiance who is wickedly mechanically inclined. I never have to worry about car maintenance or house maintenance. He has now single-handedly saved my various family members from spending many many dollars to fix things that need not cost so much to fix if he does it himself. Just yesterday my car got new rotors and a few weeks ago he saved my dad from spending the money both to tow a car and fix it.

While in many aspects the fact that Doug got laid off in April has been an inconvenience, there is one area it hasn't: finishing all of the random house projects we had talked about. Since he has been off we have gotten: a new back porch (and soon to be front too), new steel entry doors, "revised" landscaping, new siding, a redone bathroom, and a redone dining room.

So, speaking of that dining room. It used to be purple. I kid you not, it was a lavender-faux finished delight that could only come from the previous owners using it as a little girl's bedroom and not a dining room. I am so sorry to say that the before pictures looked gray when uploaded to blogger, for I know you all would revel in getting to see the lavender amazing-ness. We (sort of) use it as an office, so we decided to paint it gray.And then one night we were talking about how we needed more storage and the next day I came home from work to this masterpiece:Seriously, how lucky am I? Doug's handiness and work ethic are only two of the many reasons that I love him as much as I do. I am actually a little sad that I will have to leave it when Doug gets another job and we are able to move.

Wall hanging and diploma fail.

According to the level, the picture hangers on this wall are in a completely straight line.Crooked early 1900's wall fail.

Oh, and those two frames on the bottom you ask? Yep those are the inserts that came in the frame. They will eventually hold my two diplomas. But you graduated in May, right? Yes, I did, but I still do not have my diplomas! Talk about efficiency.

Happy 23rd birthday to my wonderful fiance! (To my knowledge, he doesn't read this blog, but maybe I will send him the link.) I couldn't ask for a better friend, protector, supporter, and debate partner and I am so excited to add husband to that list in only a few days more than a year. Doug, I love you!I have been working on a post about our engagement story, but have not yet perfected it. I promise to have it posted in the next week. :)

Looks like I might like him, huh?

This was at his cousin's wedding last June, just posted by his father (don't know how I feel about Dad's on fb, btw).

Trisha, I promise you are next, I've got to make sure I can give your pics the attention which they deserve and I most definitely don't have, as I am now facing what is quite possibly my longest to-do list eva.