Curb Appeal?

It's been really hard trying to make our lawn look nice. We have a very large live oak tree in our front yard, which we love, but the shade it creates makes it very difficult to grow grass. The heat hasn't helped either. We have big plans for the yard but we are waiting for cooler weather before we attempt a major overhaul. In the meantime, I started looking for an inexpensive way to dress up the dull looking front door. 

I knew that getting some potted plants to flank the door would give the entrance a little more pop and I decided I wanted to go that route. Never having gardened before I thought it'd be best to go to a gardening store and get some advice. Due to the amount of shade and my lack of desire to take care of a high maintenance plant, I took the suggestion from the plant store people who recommended ferns. The ferns at this particular store were very beautiful. They also had a plethora of ceramic planters to choose from. However, when I saw that the small planters started at around 45 bucks a pop, I decided to look somewhere else. At $20 for each fern and two planters on top of that... I really wasn't looking to spend anywhere near $130 just to add a little something to our front door! I ended up leaving and finding ferns at Publix of all places for a little under $6 each. They were hanging baskets, but they were easy enough to replant. I got the planters from Target on sale for $9 each and picked up some potting soil for $3 there as well. I spent around $30 for the whole project. Less money than I would have spent on the ferns alone at the gardening store! I'd say that is a win!

I placed the ferns near the front door and hung up a fall scarecrow my mom had given me in the past! I'm sooo looking forward to fall and he is helping me get in the mood! 

I also hung up Miguel's Georgia Tech flag. It is football season after all. =) Little by little our house is becoming our home!

Smoking Hot Valentines Day

My flowers and Oscar

Every morning Miguel wakes up at five something and takes a shower first thing. Emma and I sleep in until he's done with his shower and then start our day. Valentines day morning Emma and I were sleeping in enjoying being all warm and snuggly in our beds. We were woken up and immediately jumped out of our skins. We had the gentle awakening from the smoke alarm going off. I jumped up and ran out into the kitchen, which was filled with smoke - re the smoking hot Valentines day.. Miguel was making me breakfast! He was so sweet. He made me eggs, bacon, coffee in a French press, and gluten free pancakes! He also had 24 beautiful tulips (my favorite flowers) and a little bear named Oscar. 

Having breakfast made for me was the perfect Valentines Day gift! But my day got even sweeter later in the day when Miguel made up an excuse for me to look under the  computer key board where I found gluten free, dairy free chocolates! Poor Miguel said it was tough finding chocolates that I could eat. He is the best! I love kind surprises!

The surprise I found under the key board!

In fact, I'm eating some of that chocolate right now. 

Num, num, num!

For dinner Miguel and I met at Jazz'd Tapas Bar in downtown Savannah. We really love this place. It's underground and has a really cool atmosphere. We were able to enjoy a free meal thanks to a Christmas gift from my sister and brother-in-law! Thanks guys! We got tapas for two. I had the black bean soup while Miguel had a salad. That was followed by spinach dip, crab cakes, lamb, and scallops. For desert Miguel had bread pudding and I had a flourless chocolate cake! Yummy! I was full after the soup!

Jazz'd Tapas Bar
source

After dinner we came home where I gave Miguel his Valentines Day surprise. I made him strawberry cupcakes and had a present made for him a couple weeks ago. I had taken Miguel's Georgia Tech track jersey and a picture of him racing and had it framed for him. He had told me a couple of times that he wanted to have that done and I thought this was a good opportunity to give him what he wanted. I told him it is the start to his man cave!

I have such a wonderful, great husband. I love him so very much and am so blessed that he loves me too! I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with Miguel and many more Valentines Days to come!

In a very sad, disappointed note, we found out this morning that we didn't get the house we put on offer on. I'm really sad. =( It's hard to  try to believe that God has something better for us. I believe that is true, but it just doesn't feel that way right now. 

Emma and Uga

My parents have a ceramic Uga in their basement. I've blogged about him before. Emma doesn't like Uga. We think she got this from Miguel's side of the family. ;) Tonight she re-discovered him and Miguel captured the two of them 'playing' on camera. Luke was hanging around too. 

2010 In Review

This past year has been full of life changes! It has brought some of the best things and some really hard moments. Here is our 2010 year in review:

Miguel and I started off the year as an engaged couple! Yay! We were soo excited! 

Engagement Photo by Two Sparrows Photography

Engagement photo by my talented father-in-law... we found the stadium unlocked! 

Engagement photo by my talented father-in-law

We wanted to get married in May, so we only had 5 months to plan the wedding! Oh my!!! Wedding planning is very stressful!

Thank goodness for selfless friends who helped with the wedding planning process!

We both graduated with our undergraduate degrees! Miguel with Highest Honors from Georgia Tech and I graduated from Georgia State. We didn't go to my graduation because it was the day before the wedding.

SO proud of Miguel for graduating with Highest Honors in a very challenging major! And our friend Kyle Finnegan too!

Handsome and talented brothers!

Couldn't wait to get on with our lives as a married couple! Only two weeks away from the time Miguel graduated. We had to tie up loose ends like applying for our marriage license.

Applying for our marriage license 

We got hitched!!!!!!! May 16, 2010! On my parent's 29th wedding anniversary!

TWO rings now! I'm a married woman!

Took our Honeymoon in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands

After we got back from our honeymoon we moved to a new city, Savannah, and into our first apartment.

Before the moving guys came...

After the movers came

Miguel started working as a Stress Analyst Engineer at Gulfstream.

We are really enjoying our new home in Savannah!

Savannah and the islands are so beautiful! We are blessed to live here!

We were lucky to be able to go visit my sister and her husband who live in Seattle, WA.

Seattle!

Seattle

We went to the Boeing Factory in Seattle. They let Miguel and me pilot. 

Kayaking in Seattle... you can see the tower in the distance behind Miguel's head

Fun to visit my sister! They live in such a cool city!

We've enjoyed having friends and family come visit us! Can't wait till next summer when more people can come visit and we can take them to the beach!

My mom came to visit! Yay!

Living with a boy has been fun, challenging, and humorous! 

Living with a boy... "Laura, the cheese isn't melting on the chili"....that's probably because you used sandwich cheese slices instead of shredded cheese! lol! =)

It's been fun cheering on our favorite teams together!

Cheering on the USA in the World Cup

Cheering on our team, the Braves, as a team!

Miguel started graduate school for Aerospace this fall. He's doing distance learning through Georgia Tech. He's handled working full-time, grad school, and being married really well! Much better than I could do it if I were in his shoes! 

So diligent! Working over Thanksgiving!

And of course we adopted the best puppy ever! Emma is such a big part of our little family. I can't imagine our lives without her!

At the Humane Society adopting the Emma-do

A great addition to our family! She seems happy to be at her forever home!

We've enjoyed celebrating the holidays together!

Halloween, ya.

Emma in her costume

We have loved spending time with both families over the holidays! It's a blessing to have them both live in the same city! Makes holidays a lot easier!

Celebrating my father-in-law, Pedro's, birthday over Thanksgiving

Playing games with the Leeper side of the family on Thanksgiving

Us, my dad and mom, and sister, Sarah, and brother-in-law, Jared taken over Thanksgiving break

Christmas is almost here! I can't believe how fast this past year has gone! I'm looking forward to going home and seeing my families! I love that my family has grown so much in 2010. We've really been showered with blessings. Can't wait to see what God has in store for our lives in 2011! 

Our first Christmas tree!