House of Hydrangeas

I'd like to introduce you guys to Casa de Reutter! After a horrible day of looking yesterday we finally found a few good options today, and this is the bad boy we ended up with!  It was actually the last house we saw (after about 20 houses), but hey, better late than never.  The neighborhood is wonderful, we have a huge backyard for the pups and we're literally minutes from the beach! The view from our driveway :) Our estimated move-in date is January 16th.  Hooray!

Jon's orders for NAS Pensacola that we've been waiting on for months finally came through just before Christmas. And the very next day he got a job offer to fly with a contract company he's been interested in.  Needless to say, we are both thankful and overwhelmed!  We need to have a new house picked out, our stuff moved down from storage in Oklahoma and everything all unpacked and settled (well maybe just unpacked) before the first weekend in February when Jon leaves for training with his new job.  The heat is on! I'm helping with a wedding the first week of January so that week for searching for a place was out.  Therefore, we decided the hunt should start tomorrow!  We leave for Pensacola in the morning and are hoping to find a place before Friday. I can't wait to go house hunting and find our future home (for at least a year)!  I'm excited about getting to live in Florida, but I definitely will miss colder weather (and the layers and scarves that come w

I hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas! It went by in a flash for us! Perhaps it's because there is so much else going on...with a new baby in the family and a wedding coming up, there's a lot on the mind. And for me, a lot of shower ideas floating around in this head of mine. Here is my latest compilation of a shower idea (baby or wedding). If I have a baby girl one day, my one shower request will be to steer clear of a lot of pink. I've always been a purple girl ever since I was little.  I've also always been a big lover of breakfast food.  Both of those loves yielded this shower idea board.  I think it's simple, sweet and full of ageless charm.  I hope you like it too! I'll be bringing you a real-life party I helped on very soon (as soon as I narrow down which pictures to use!)  Have a blessed Monday!

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We knew we'd be heading out to see little Cohen's debut somewhere around Christmas so we kept the decor at my mom's house pretty simple.  Even though we wouldn't be spending that much time at her home, it was still necessary to add a little Christmas cheer.  Traditional garland, a mini tree adorned plain white lights, and a chandelier and centerpiece full of greenery and crimson accents were the perfect solution.  I hope you're enjoying your home decorations and the last few days before Christmas!

My sister had her little bundle of joy at 2:26 this morning. Cohen Landon Smith weighed in at 7lbs 1oz and was 19 inches long. Mommy and baby are doing well, and daddy can't stop smiling. He's the best Christmas present ever!

Here's another Look for Less that will keep your design heart happy and your wallet full! Natural Wood and Chrome Console Table from Wisteria (Sale price is $524.30, regularly $749.00). And here is the look for less over at Overstock.com.  The Maywood Espresso and Chrome Sofa Table has the same sleek look for....drum roll please... $130.99!  That's almost a $400 difference with the sale price at Wisteria!  Thanks, Overstock!

We finally finished the portable crib that Cohen will be sleeping in when he comes to visit at my mom's. The bed has a lot of sentimental value because Cohen will be the third generation to sleep in it. My mom, my sister and I all slept in it when we were babies, and soon it will be Cohen's turn. As you can imagine, with time comes wear.  So it needed a little updating. We completely took it apart, sanded it down, re-stained it and then repainted it (the wooden balls). The decorative balls were originally pink, canary yellow and robin's egg blue, but we decided a nice coat of white (non-toxic, of course) would look better and be more appropriate for a little boy. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a before picture, so you'll have to use your imagination. But here's the finished product. We added to the update by getting some new bedding.  My mom made the trimmed blanket to match the white Minky Dot bumper set we purchased, and the monogrammed pillow is from

I started feeling a little under the weather last night, but unfortunately, Jon and I still had a list of errands we needed to run starting this morning. I managed to last until about 12:30p and then I was done. Jon was sweet to let me sit in the car at most of the stops while he ran in to take care of things, AND I was able to keep the radio on Christmas music all day. He isn't the biggest fan of repetitive Christmas music, but he knows it makes me happy so he didn't say a word :) All I wanted to do was come home, eat some lunch, snuggle up on the couch in my jammies and watch Prancer (my favorite Christmas movie).  Unfortunately Prancer didn't happen because it's packed up in storage, but I was out in no time anyway.  I'm still feeling achy but am hoping for some progress soon.  At this point the Christmas spirit seems to be the best medicine.  So with that being said, I thought I'd bring you a little Christmas cheer with this party designed by Abby Barnet

Now it's time to gather some gifts for the working woman.  All of these gifts are aesthetically pleasing as well as functional.  And best of all, they'll make work so much more bearable! HoH Gift Guide (Part 3) - For the Businesswoman 1. Leopard iPhone 4 Case by Kate Spade-$40.00.  Every business woman needs to protect their phone.  Why not do it in designer style?  2. Engravable Business Card Holder by Pottery Barn-$12.00.  This silver case is perfect for storing your business cards and the engravable front adds a personal touch.    3. Leather Tablet or Laptop Case by CB2-$29.95/$39.95.  Protect your tablet with this fashionable leather case.  It even has a spot to easily access your business cards. 4. Valise Journal by Anthropologie-$24.00.  Get rid of the post-its and pick up this beautiful leather journal to write down your ideas and to do lists. 5. Personalized Stationery by Pinwheel Press-$20.00 for 16.  If you can't get enough of ikat, these persona

Yesterday's gift guide centered on items for the home.  Today, we'll be focusing on items for the fashionable females out there. I'm sure we all have a least one person on our list that fits that description, right?  This list was the hardest for me to make because there are so many wonderful gifts out there.  BUT I've narrowed it down to my absolute favorites that are budget-friendly and also one size fits all! HoH Gift Guide (Part 2) - For the Fashionista  1. Originals Python Watch by Timex-$60.00.  This timeless watch will add a little vintage flare to any outfit.  2. Woven Fringed Infinity Scarf by David & Young-$22.00.  Scarves are the perfect winter accessory and this teal color is right on trend.  3. Bangle Bracelets by Robert Rose-$36.00.  Add a little dazzle to any outfit by stacking these bangles.  You can even mix and match with other bracelets. 4. Sequin Wallet by Zara-$59.50.  This sequin clutch speaks for itself.  The colors and the pattern

I've been slacking on my Woof Wednesday posts, but I feel that now is as a good a time as ever to get back to it.  I don't have a specific dog to bring you today, instead I just have a plea.  If you are planning on getting a dog for your family this Christmas, please consider adopting one from a shelter as opposed to getting one from a breeder. There are thousands of dogs in shelters who would love a place to call home and who are, unfortunately, running out of time.  And if you need more convincing than that, please remember that shelter adoption prices as often far less expensive than breeders and most dogs come already spayed or neutered...another expense you need not worry about.  But all money aside, the best thing about a rescued dog is the love they give you when you give them a second chance.  So please save a life this Christmas!  I promise you won't regret it. Visit your local shelter or look on www.petfinder.com to find an animal in need.  

We're keeping the Christmas lists simple this year, but that doesn't mean I can't help the rest of you pick out the perfect gift for someone (or yourself). I'm going to bring you several lists in the coming days, but today, we'll start with items for the home.  They are all reasonably priced and just my style (and hopefully yours too)! HoH Gift Guide (Part 1) - For the Home 1. LOVE Gold Foil 16 x 20 print by MadeByGirl-$35.00.  The simple design coupled with the shimmery foil print make it the perfect addition to any space.  2. Striped Throw by Ikea-$29.99  Blankets are a necessity this time of year and the black and white stripe design is timeless.  3. Silver Gallery Frame with Burlap Mat by West Elm-$9.00-43.00  These silver frames bring a new twist to your normal gallery frames with their burlap mats.  Gift with a personal photo inside or let your friend pick their own memory to display.  4. Set of 3 Bulb Vases by Two's Company-$15.00  Every ro

I mentioned on my post last Friday that I would be crafting with friends. Well, now I have the results to show you!  My friend Bekah recently purchased her first house in July and was very excited to decorate for her first Christmas in her new home. Like any smart girl, she took to Pinterest to get some ideas. We girls had a great time making all of the ideas come together, and I have to say, Bekah's holly jolly home looks fabulous!  The fun, festive mantel   Ornament bundles add interest and color to the mantel garland.  Bekah loves zebra print so the chartreuse balls she found were perfect! Tinsel and ornaments make great fillers for apothecaries.  Ribbon added around cabinet doors create for a great place to pin up Christmas cards. Spray paint old wine bottles and add a little dazzle with glitter branches for a festive kitchen table.  Styrofoam cones, glitter and spray adhesive were used to make these stunners. We had a little difficulty with the husbands getting a g

I'm a list maker by nature. There's something very gratifying about knowing I have everything I need to remember written down so that I don't forget it.  And it's even more gratifying when I get to scratch it off after completion. Most of my lists center around the obvious: the today's errands, what to buy at the grocery store, things to pack for a trip, etc.  But sometimes I wonder if I need reminders of those things that are so blatantly obvious that I often look them over. On our 10 hour drive back from Dallas, Jon and I listened to a good bit of NPR (something about people talking to me helps my trip go by faster).  Anyway, on one of the shows, they were talking about selling items that used to belong to famous musicians.  One of those items was a "to do" written by Johnny Cash.  I could only remember a few of the things they mentioned on the list so I did a Goggle search for it (what would do we do without Google?) and here's it is: When I

Here are my other favorite Christmas tree styles-rustic and coastal (since we're moving to Florida).  Enjoy! Use tea stained manila tags to create ornaments.  So simple, yet so cute. This rustic tree has just the right mix of gold, silver and burlap...my faves!  The stockings are adorable too. Christmas at the beach anyone?  Starfish make the perfect adornments for a coastal holiday. Coastal blues bring this tree (and these presents) to life in this traditional home.  This tree is full of more starfish and the hydrangeas and chartreuse color palette remind me of my wedding :) Now to decide which style to use...or perhaps a mix of the styles is in order!  Do you change the theme of your tree every couple of years? Images via 1-Country Living, 2-Southern Living, 3-4 Unknown, 5-Better Homes and Gardens