Party without the Panic

Looks perfect

Our current home renovation is fully underway. But you know I didn’t allow one wall to come down until we partied in the original space. We signed the papers on the house at 10am Friday and put together a random last minute party for that same evening.

Because time was of the essence, I built this on MINTED. Saved it as an image and then just texted the photo to friends and family that I thought would like to see!
Party prep pre demolition
Crafts and Kids. Totally stress free in a home that is set for demolition the next morning.

Listen people, we don’t do all these home renovations just because we like seeing the beautiful outcome. Buying a home in desperate need of attention gives us another perfect reason to entertain. And we are NO ONE if not simple humans seeking any excuse to throw a shindig.

{See our last home renovation pre-party HERE. And that specific Before and After HERE.}

Some of you may ‘gasp’ at the idea of putting together a soirée last minute in a home that is minutes from being demolished. But let me tell you that this setting is EXACTLY the perfect place to host your friends.

Self Image
Self-portraits

Think about it: *Expectations are low. (unless you are a total monster, everyone has grace on the couple hosting a party in a dilapidated home they purchased only hours prior). Which leads me to the next major bonus: NO CLEAN UP! Can I say it again for those in the back? NO CLEAN UP! Don’t really have to clean before guests arrive either (a few cobweb dustings might be appropriate but don’t get too crazy). You certainly DO NOT have to clean up when they leave. Countertops filled with crumbs and muddy floors are the least of your concern when you know a demolition crew is just hours away from coming in to rip up floors and jackhammer thru some brick walls.

And while all this sounds a bit silly, to us it’s seriously fun! We would not enjoy spending time renovating homes if we couldn’t share the updates and progress with friends and family. It’s more exciting to share the home reveal when you’ve been able to share a true ‘before’ experience with others.

Wall of Fame
Wall of Fame. Does is stay or does it go?
Complete Self Portrait
Self-portraits only a mother could love.

We are all so busy this time of year – it’s actually the perfect time to keep your celebrations simple and focused on the fun of being together – unless of course you need some alone time. In that case, may I suggest you be the one that does all the shopping for a party. You leave for a few hours and your family never needs to know how quickly this can be done. #winkwink

I’ll include our shopping list and quick party tips below. For this particular party, it was the perfect weather to have doors open, kids playing outside. And of course we had the luxury of allowing them to color and glue on walls. Not to mention, no parents had to walk around pretending their kids know how to pick up after themselves. Because no one enjoys picking up after themselves so we should really give each other grace on this front as well.

Charcuterie Board
Charcuterie Board (while this granite is being removed from the kitchen, it is being utilized elsewhere. Any guesses?

CHARCUTERIE BOARD (this portion feeds approx 20):

(we like to purchase all items from our local Central Market)

1/2 pound Capricola

1/2 pound of Mustard Seed Salami

1/2 pound Sopreseta

4oz goat cheese

4oz Manchego cheese (add a drizzle of honey sweet thang)

4oz Blue Cheese

Vine of Grapes

2 handfuls of Olives

Handful of Corshons

Praline pecans

Dijon and Mustard Seed mixture

Add in Apple/figs/strawberries/etc.

*The key is a good mixture of savory to sweet along with spicy to mild.

Various Crackers (we {HEATH} make our own using a skinny baguette sliced up. Then toast up the slices and top with olive oil/salt/pepper). We {ME} also buy Water crackers and I’m very visual so anything else that pops out at me that day.

Simple party bites
I love a good ‘come and go’ before dinner party. Lite Bites are so easy to prep!
Drink set up
Drink Station. Waters in the shape of an airplane and the plastic cups stacked high. We are David Tutera’s party nightmare!

Have music playing as guests arrive (we always use our BOSE speaker wherever we go). Let guests know where the drinks are if they are not immediately visible when they walk in. Offer to take any bags and let them know where you will be putting them so they can easily find it when they need to leave. And if kids are involved certainly just put away anything you don’t want juvenile hands touching. Keeps everyone more relaxed!

Looks perfect
Party ended and I didn’t pick up one thing. PERFECTION! (okay…maybe I saved every marker I could find. #budgets)

I wish I would have taken more photos during the party, but isn’t that truly the sign of a good time. So much fun, never thought to find my camera.

As I write this we are hopeful that we are just 6 weeks away from moving into this completely transformed space. In the meantime…feel free to invite me over to your place. I promise to always be a good time. And let’s make a deal that you don’t have to pick up before I arrive!

What is your favorite go-to party food?

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Ballet Barre

The After. One of the bedrooms, now a girls dream.

Heath and I created a baby Ballerina. So now we’ve gone and done what every obsessed dance parent would do:

We built a Ballet Barre.

And now I will play ‘Choreographer’ and teach you to do it too.

For the love of dance.
My friend said to me: “Don’t ever let her loose that way she is looking at herself“. May we all raise confident kids!

At the age of two we thought it would be so fun to sign our daughter up for the local dance studio in town. Having seen a few episodes of TLC’s Dance Moms and knowing competition is stiff for these tiny dancers, we knew it was time to take her dancing to the next level. Sure we had wood floors installed at home (read: lots of professional grade practice area), but we knew her foundation in ballet was critical. And because her passion for dance was strong, we wanted our 2-year old daughter to know she could practice 24 hours a day. This commitment made it easy to select her bedroom as the prime location for installing her personal ballet barre!

Ok, ok. Maybe the above paragraph is laden with sarcasm. If you didn’t pick up on that, I do hope you can agree how stinking cute it is for a little girl to have her very own ballet barre in her room. And I sure hope you know how! much! fun! little kids have dancing in the mirror at this age. They are constantly impressed and filled with adoration for themselves. May that confidence never cease!

So whether you have the future Swan Lake lead in your house, or you just love the idea of giving more opportunities for your child and her friends to have creative dance and play, we have the quick (and inexpensive!) steps for you to do this in your own home!

HARDWARE YOU WILL NEED:

  • Handrail Bracket (two) Linked here
  • 1-3/8 inch Hardwood Dowel (cut to length desired. Ours is 40 inches in length. Linked here
  • Mirror (you can be as creative as you like, but be certain it will fit behind and in between the two handrail brackets.
  • Screwdriver (we use a cordless electric screwdriver because we hate to bust a sweat.)

THAT IS IT PEOPLE!!! That is all you need! 

(hello, Saturday morning project!)

INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLATION:

  • Sink one handrail bracket into a stud at desired height. (using this stud finder here can be very helpful.)
  • Making ‘dad style’ jokes about ‘studs’: optional
  • 32 inches from your first handrail is where you should find another stud (studs are always set every 16″ unless they had to alter for a various wall).
  • For height placement measure where your ballerina wants it. Ours is certainly not set to the ‘industry standard’. Don’t tell .
  • If you are doing a longer ballet barre than we did, you could space the handrails further apart…using the 16″ rule again to make installation safe and easy. But keep in mind that you’ll need a handrail bracket at least every 48″, so if you are doing an incredibly long ballet bar, you may need multiple handrail brackets.
  • And for the Grande Finale: Hang mirror on the center (by placing our handrails 32″ apart, this ensured that we would have a stud to hang the mirror on smack dab in the middle! #KISS method: Keep it simple studs.
  • Finally, prepare yourself to have the lead dancer in the next recital (or at least just to up the fun quotient in your home)!
Handrails secured to studs 32" apart.
Ballet bar Step One. Handrails set 32″ apart…securely attached to studs!
Securing the wooden dowel to handrails.
Place the pre-cut 1-3/8 inch wooden dowel and secure to handrails.
Little hands can even help
Love a project so quick and easy that even the toddler feels like she can help. (as opposed to many other times when yelling might come into play…what’s the ballet term for ‘let daddy finish’?)
Measuring up to be a great ballerina
Measure twice. Cut once. Rules to live by for a boss baby ballerina!
Double check to see it is all secure
Once all is set perfectly in place. Double check that everything is tight and secure. If your kids are like mine, their strength is unbelievable.
Phoebe Fawn and her first pair of ballet shoes.
The Grande Finale: Add a few little details because this is decorative too. I added her first pair of ballet shoes and her favorite dolly, Phoebe Fawn from Hazel Village.
Encouraging and inspiring dance.
Sometimes her little dance space inspires creative movement…..
makeup mischief
And sometimes it inspires her to take a little too much creative liberties! Either way…we love this space so much we’ve created it in TWO homes now. Shall we call this photo the official ‘Tableau’ (some sort of Ballet term that means it depicts the entire play..and I’d say this photo does indeed depict our life!)

Please scroll down to the comments to let me know if there are other projects you want details on…or share photos of your tiny dancer! Doesn’t get much cuter than seeing kids decked out in their dance attire!

Post recital smooches
A ballerina always knows who to thank for her dance journey! Post recital smooches for her most excited fan!
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Before and After in less than 22 minutes

The After. Lucious living space

Growing up I loved Saved by the Bell. There would usually be some sort of drama (Gasp, Jesse is on pills and we have an aerobics video to record). But then it always returned to happy perfection when Slater and Zach saved the day. Remove the commercials and, if you’re like me, you realize you can solve most of life’s problems in less than 22 minutes. (Even Screech occasionally found his coordination and had a few ‘special’ moments with Lisa within those 22 minutes. I’m telling you…I thought anything could happen in less than 22 minutes). 

And I’m certain most of you reading this have also seen the magical home renovations on HGTV that occur in the same time frame. Well guess what my friends?! Our latest project is overdue on our own magical home reveal. Sure we did a reveal party but someone (me) was hitting the cheese platter too hard to remember to take any photos. And now that we’ve also hosted a few Christmas soiree’s, I want to do a proper BEFORE and AFTER photo share.

The actual renovation for our Pied-a-Terre (read more about it here and here) took a full 13 weeks. But today I’m giving you the pretty ‘tied with a big bow’ finished version. And in less time than our coveted 22 minute sitcoms. (Although please do let me know in the comments which project you want to hear more about). If I can add humor and helpful information to it then I promise to do a write up to share details. And when are vaulted ceilings and updated tile never not funny!?.

Just like I couldn’t wait to see Lisa Turtle find a soft spot for Screech each episode, I hope you too can see that this house was wonderful to begin with.  It just felt dated and we love to find and restore some updated charm.

Oh…and because you know my family likes to keep things interesting. Our whole family fled to Mexico for a week in the middle of this 13 week project. What HGTV never shows you in those 22 minutes is the insane mental exhaustion of a renovation. Spoiler: beach cocktails help cure this ailment. We came back ready to finish. She is a beauty! Take a look!

Before with zero curb appeal
THE BEFORE. Forget about curb appeal. You could barely see the house driving by!
After. Sherwin Williams Shoji White.
THE AFTER. Ahhhh! There she is! Bushes be gone and show us your bright white!
(more specifically Sherwin Williams Shoji White). You actually notice the big sprawling tree now as well.
BEFORE. Come inside and look around!
THE BEFORE. Come on in and let us show you around.
THE AFTER: Even the models seem cuter in their raingear! 35* and rainy on reveal day. But for a family that ‘loves a rainy night’ these 8 foot glass front doors ‘are a beautiful sight’. Thank you Eddie Rabbit for my lyrical door description.
Split level with a split personality. Bold and confusing.
THE BEFORE. Split level with a split-second decision on which staircase to use. There were TWO staircases within 4 feet of walking in the door. If you’re indecisive like me, you’ll appreciate that we gave you one solid grand entry.
The After. Entry way
THE AFTER. The largest doors I’ve seen in person with my actual eyeballs. A bright and elegant light with just a few grand easy stairs taking you into your cozy living area.
Before Family Room colored in all brown
THE BEFORE. A solid dark palette and turns out the fireplace brick was poorly assembled. One swing of the hammer and it all came down!!!
The After with vaulted ceilings! Hooray!
THE AFTER. Why yes we did vault the ceilings! Installed real hardwoods, updated the fireplace that turns on with the flick of a switch (or by asking my 3 year old to do it)! And of course we gave her fresh paint – Sherwin Williams Front Porch.Speaking of paint – that painting you are all going to ask me about is by Legendary Katie Murray.
Before Laundry and Storage
THE BEFORE. The laundry room and storage was all one space. We redesigned the entire downstairs and think it’s much more user friendly. (do you spy one of the staircases that formerly led to the entryway?)
The After. Spacious and Stylish Laundry Room.
THE AFTER: A sizable (and stylish) Laundry Room. Large enough to host a gathering and pretty enough that you might actually run a load of laundry too!
Before Bonus living area
THE BEFORE. This was the large living space off of the laundry and storage area. They gave us a great space to work with. We just knew we could make it more functional.
THE AFTER. Smooth ceilings, reinforced header (au revior columns), and lots of places to stash the toys before company arrives!
Before half bathroom
THE BEFORE. This half bath was showing it’s age with a few dated design aspects.
The After. Downstairs Bathroom
THE AFTER: Downstairs bathroom. A few easy, inexpensive and simple updates!
So fresh and so clean!
Before Master Bedroom
THE BEFORE. Master Bedroom had a large layout with an area that we felt would be better used and appreciated in the Master Bathroom
The After Master bedroom with a fresh design.
THE AFTER. The Master Bedroom is still spacious with a seating area (out of view from photo). We think you’ll agree on stealing space for the Master Bath…..
Before Master Bathroom.
THE BEFORE. A tiny Master bathroom considering the overall size of the house. Itsy-bitsy shower and just the one shell-shaped sink!
After Master Bathroom. Saving marriages with double sink vanities.
THE AFTER. There’s room in here for two! Larger shower and a double sink vanity (because we believe in the sanctity of marriage). 
Before Master Closet.
THE BEFORE. Previously the Master closet was accessed thru the bedroom. Our renovations allowed for a proper en suite.
After Master Closet and En Suite
THE AFTER. Master Closet (En Suite) has an updated layout and is now accessed thru the bathroom. I love this because it means if you sleep in later than your partner, he can shower and get ready in one area without opening and closing doors and turning on various lights. (I might be speaking from personal experience here ‘5am Heath’).
Before Leigh Ann's bedroom
THE BEFORE. Leigh-Ann’s bedroom. I’m not sure who Leigh Ann was but she had 3 layers of wall paper and I was digging her ever-changing design ideas! As we did with all the bedrooms, we just freshened it up and made it move-in ready for anyone’s design to take shape!
Before single panel doors
THE BEFORE. We replaced all 16 single panel doors. RIP Leigh-Ann’s room.
The After. One of the bedrooms, now a girls dream.
THE AFTER: ‘Leigh-Ann’s Bedroom’.
Now Greenley’s bedroom and she loves having her own ballet barre along with two closets. #girlsdream
Before Hall Bathroom
THE BEFORE. Layout was already large so we just updated with some of our favorite design ideas at the time!
The After Hall bathroom. Floor to ceiling tile and a shiny vanity!
THE AFTER. The most commented thing on this Hall Bathroom thus far has been regarding the shiny finish on the vanity. It’s hard to see in the photo but just know it has serious luster and we love the way it pops with the gold accents and white tiled wall.
BEFORE backyard deck
THE BEFORE. Most of you have seen the backyard from the pool here. But we also wanted to update this side of the yard.
After backyard deck
THE AFTER. Again we simplified things by reducing the stairs and opening up the area to better entertain your friends and family.
Before the kitchen
THE BEFORE. I will end this post with the most requested room in the house….the Kitchen! I coined the wall to the left as the ‘isolation wall’ because the cook was literally cut off from the rest of the house. The space was too small to let others into the kitchen with you, yet being fully walled off, you couldn’t even pretend to be a part of the group.
The After. Kitchen looking out to the spacious and inviting living area.
THE AFTER. The kitchen now opens up to the main living area. The high ceilings make it feel more spacious and you still have easy access to the living area downstairs. You should have seen the 10 guys hauling in this massive marble island countertop.
After. Another incredible view of the kitchen with a pretty pop of color in the backsplash.
THE AFTER. Casing out the kitchen sink window instantly made it feel larger and we added the largest window we could find within our time constraints. Now this is a kitchen I can really spend some time in (I probably still won’t cook, but I will spend more time here).

Y’all this house (our Pied-a-Terre) is FOR SALE! We have moved our little family here until the next owners find it and I can whole-heartedly tell you that it’s wonderful! Will you stop by for a drink if you’re ever in Fort Worth? It’s seriously the perfect home for hosting. Tell me the details of this project you want to hear more about. You know I love to share!

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I’m on a Boat and….

boat bed in sons bedroom

Lake season in Texas is officially over. Sure, there is more than enough water, but I’m way too cold and full of pumpkin-spiced lattes to trapse around in a bikini. And quiet down now if you are already thinking to yourself that I should never trapse around in a bikini. This is not the place for body-shaming!

To keep my spirits up on chilly days, I like to blare songs from our ever evolving summer boat playlist. They are fun and sunny, but many tend to be so inappropriate. Why is that? Nevertheless, it reminds me of when I first learned the gravity of playing a foul language song to the wrong group.

When I began working for SeaDream (as a Yacht Director on the luxury line) the song ‘I’m On A Boat by The Lonely Island, was released. (Grandma, do not click that link!) What you also need to know about me is that I’m the type of girl that ‘acts first, worries later’. Meaning, I don’t really think of my actions before they occur. This often results in fun. Yet, usually gets me into trouble. While working on SeaDream, I was basically removed from the real world. Week to week I had one goal and one goal only…receive perfect scores on our Voyage surveys. Ok, ok, I wanted to do a good job and be helpful to the rest of our crew. And I genuinely did want the guests to like me. But let me get real with you quickly. I didn’t check Facebook, I didn’t watch TV and I barely emailed with friends and family. I was consumed with creating daily itineraries that catered to the elite traveller. And of course I was constantly responding to Patty’s complaints about the pesky locals not taking the US Dollar (she brought 500 $1 bills to France and she wants to use them). Or maybe I was busy solving Mr. Wienfeld’s issue of needing crab legs for the 4th day in a row (because he didn’t realize we had fresh crab the last 3 days and today we don’t. This is now my problem).  All that to say, I heard there was a ‘fun’ new song about being on a boat and didn’t realize the mass amounts of profanity throughout this Boat song. I was the naive world traveller….a ‘flipping tourist’ you might say. (NOTE: It isn’t actually until THIS VERY MOMENT that I am realizing this song was actually a SNL-skit thing. Cleary I’m still out of touch).

I just remember being incredibly ecstatic that an entire song had been written about my current life! Although, if I think about the language that gets thrown around at sea I suppose it shouldn’t have been shocking that the lyrics of a boat song were littered with f-bombs towards your mutha.

Before listening to even one chorus of ‘I’m on a Boat’, I just took it upon myself to download this ballad and blast these tunes through the entire yacht sound system. After about six lines of ‘Mother F*&@?$ boat’ I realized I had made a mistake. An ugly mistake. Our dear Captain wasn’t amused. I mean this is really bad if even lifetime seafarers are officially offended.

Music never really has been my thing.

So what is ‘my thing’? I’m not really sure, but it’s clear I’m always up for taking risks! To me it’s just a way of life. Whether it is risking my career on playing a song to the masses that I didn’t bother to preview yet or just taking a risk in designing and doing things differently. Why live life safe, when you can just LIVE?! (My personal motto is, “it will all just work itself out“. And this honestly bugs my spreadsheet-addict husband. He plans and organizes and over-prepares. For everything. You can imagine how upsetting it is to him to see me throw things at a wall and they actually stick. And look pretty decent too).

You may hear my life motto being mentioned a lot. Oh, also, Jesus has my back. Always.

But returning to the subject at hand. Boats. Growing up allllll I wanted was to have a boat. My parents had a canoe for a short bit. I don’t feel like that fully met my desire. Like not at all. They finally sold it (or donated it. Or sunk it. I need to ask them how one gets rid of an old rusty canoe).

As the years went on my parents would go on cruises and I didn’t get to go on a SINGLE ONE! Not a single one!!! The travesty! I let them know many times over how deprived I felt.

I should have saved myself the whining. If only my younger self knew that I would someday spend 2 years living and working on one of the best boats in the world – SeaDream. (I promise you LOTS more stories coming your way from my years on the water).

Then I found a man who wanted to marry me (sucker) AND he owned a boat. So it should be no surprise to you that our kids also love the water and have a boat obsession.

Surfing
Lake with friends

When it came time to move our oldest son from a crib to a bed we felt like we had one solid option to ensure this little guy would love stay put all night in his new sleeping arrangement:

A BOAT.

We had just moved into a new home (the 3rd home for our 2-year-old boy). His new room was so spacious. We couldn’t just do a bed that looked like a boat. We knew we wanted to take an actual boat and make it look like a bed.

Down we trekked to Eagle Mountain Lake and let the Harbor Master know that our young son loved to sail. This kind man found us an old sailboat that he was thrilled to give to a young sailor. And construction began.

A new paint job (royal blue for that authentic nautical look) and a platform to fit a twin-sized mattress. Heath and Johnny Madison spent a few weekends getting the boat prepped to set sail up our staircase. Meanwhile, I hunted for a PG version of ‘I’m on a boat’. Doesn’t exist.

Friday afternoon was boat move-in day. And it started raining as soon as the 5 man crew arrived to hoist the sails boat over the banister. I wanted to panic but remembered a boat is built for water. Still to this day, I couldn’t believe we made a 14-foot sailboat fit up our stairs and into our sons room.

Moving in the boat
It took 6 strong men and an equipment loader to bring in our 2 year olds bed. And they say kids are spoiled these days…
How many guys does it take to slide a boat into a bedroom.
This was the point of no return. It had been hoisted up the stairs. Now we all prayed it would fit thru the doorway.
The boat bed fits!
Can you believe this beast fit?!?! Our movers certainly have ‘choice’ words for us after this move.

That night we told our son ‘bon voyage’. He climbed in his new bed and slept all night. We think….Heath and I celebrated with several margaritas so it is possible that we just snoozed right through it.

Ready for America's Cup
Our version of the ‘America’s Cup‘ is: Whoever sleeps past 7am wins Gold!
Narrow Draft on the boat bed
Thankfully this boat has a shallow draft (I’m sure that means something to real sailors, but to me it just meant it could fit through a doorway!)

Will you please tell me a song you have accidentally played to the wrong crowd?! Or share your favorite boat songs so I can add them to my playlist for next summer!

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Pied-á-Terre

Home remodel ready
Split level with a split personality. Bold and confusing.
Upon entry she was bold red. Yet she leaves you wondering if you are to retreat down the narrow added stairway or head upstairs. And the bright color along with an abundance of nick knacks made this stairway decision space feel claustrophobic.
Brown on Brown on Brown.
All wood. All day. And brown accents everywhere you glance. This home was well cared for but definitely dated and crying out for a refresh!
Claustrophobic Kitchen.
On my InstaStories, I referred to that wall of cabinets as the ‘Segregation Wall’. This is the entire Kitchen. All of it. And if you’re cooking you don’t get to be part of ANY of the fun your guests are having because you can’t see beyond the stove and it’s too small for your friends to fit in the space to help you.
Downstairs but not downtrodden
This is going to be such a cool hangout space. It was added on by the original owners, but we are going to make it feel cozier and create a proper bathroom and laundry room. This will become the area that fully completes this family-ready home! OH…and BYE-BYE popcorn ceilings!

There is no perfect remodel home. Some are completely trashed and you need a hazmat suit just to get started. Some have been vacant and infiltrated with pests and ‘pets’ (read: raccoons and their furry friends, squirrels and cats).

But occasionally you find that easy breezy remodel home. The one that has been well-loved, yet it is dated and needs a fresh update (this is also how I typically describe myself!).

These remodels are so fun for us as parents because we can actually take our kids into the home throughout the renovation without third world style vaccines or having the fear of death by impalement or toxicities. (Sure…it’s also nice for us as grown ups too. I have a good sense of smell and I promise you no amount of Febreeze can hide the scent of untrained animals).

Our current project falls into the ‘we could move right in, but we prefer to make it a #1 Stunna’. And we shall call this project the ‘Pied-á-Terre’ (home in the city) because:

1. The term is French. We LOVE anything french: This French toast recipe similar to Norma’s, French braids, French promenades along the southern coast of France and of course French fries. Even our dog is French, people!

Moiselle. Our FRENCH dog
You didn’t think I was going to mention our little Bichon Frise/Shih Tzu without showing her did you? Moiselle will make an appearance anytime I can sneak her in (standby for the story of her missing and being found after nearly 5 months).

As I write this, we are currently living in out the country. 30+ long minutes away from family, friends and the city of Fort Worth we love. We honestly needed a ‘home in the city’.

So while we will sell our Pied-á-Terre before the Autumn leaves are done falling, this project is our little home away from home as long as you don’t mind a home with live wires, exposed nails and subfloor (hint: we don’t mind). But better than even the location, is that it has a pool. We seriously are doing this project at the perfect time. What a waste it would have been to have renovated a home with a pristine pool in December?!

Hidden pool.
There is a pool back there…you just can’t see it because the railing is blocking it. Don’t worry…we will enhance your view post renovation!
Look how HUGE this pool is! Check back in soon and I’ll tell you how to throw a quick and easy Renovation Party! We invited everyone over for a pre-reno swim (Pro-Tip: more people come if it’s for a swim party vs. having to do ACTUAL work).

Don’t get me wrong. Just because this home was technically move-in ready, doesn’t mean that we aren’t completely changing the footprint and going full resurrection mode to bring this charming home up to date. Every room has changed in ways that will enhance this living space for the next owners and we can’t wait to show you!

I am late in sharing this current project with you all, so it will feel almost like an episode of HGTV because the big reveal is just a few weeks away. Do you want to see the progress photos? Or maybe you’d like to see how quickly our budget spreadsheet changed. When the ideas flow….the money flows along with it…..

Have you ever thought about renovating? What scares or excites you the most about it?

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Flip to Trip

Bike ride from Nice France to Monaco

Imagine a life where you were dropped at an airport, skirted through the express security line, sipped on Fiji water while Priority Boarding your flight overseas. Then put that on repeat for 5 years. This was my life. Actually no it wasn’t – nothing was ever that smooth. Sure, I travelled internationally on a very regular basis, but it came with A LOT of hiccups. I still travel often, and the same trouble follows me. Begging to be put on flights when the door has already closed. Leaving my carry-on at the airport Sushi Lounge. Ambien-Induced conversations with flight attendants. And I haven’t even mentioned to you yet that I was a Travel Director in charge of ‘vacation ease and entertainment’ for elderly and wealthy people during my travel working years. This isn’t your same old boring travel blog. This is about my life as the ‘flipping tourist’. Now married with 2 kids and 37 years old. Not much has changed. I cause havoc and hilarity everywhere I go.

 

Filming A German commercial on the beach
That time we filmed an infomercial for German Television!

That time we wish we were filming an infomercial so at some point production would come give us a break from these fake kids.

Oh speaking of ‘Flipping tourist’. Sure, it’s a play on words as we all know that tourists are a ‘flipping’ pain. But now my husband and I are actually FLIPPING houses to fund our travel! Nearly five years of marriage and ready to flip our 6th home. He’s the numbers guy and I’m the idea girl.

Lakeside Living BEFORE

Lakeside Living AFTER!

Beyond flipping homes and traveling the world, we love to entertain! Heath acts as ‘Back of the house’ and I’m always ‘Front of the House’. Why flip homes if you can’t use them to entertain others and travel the world? We will share it all with you (as long as it’s entertaining. Like someone Ubering their forgotten passport to the airport and arranging its very own seat all the way to Puerto Rico or turning a cat-infested stairwell into a wine cellar that Alain Ducasse would be impressed with). We will spare you from the boring ‘flight delayed’ drama. Who cares unless it comes with $100 Vueve Cliqout airport credit while we brainstorm our next home and travel purchase.

First Class always means champagne. Even better that it’s included so you don’t have to wake your sleeping toddler to pay $6. #Upgradebenefits #alwaysworthit

Think of this blog as your one stop shop for interesting travel stories, incredible vacation ideas and renovation must-haves. There is nothing I love more than traveling and the best way for me to fund extraordinary adventures is to stay busy flipping homes. I think we’ve got some different perspectives on home remodels and I’d love to share those ideas as well.

Our son went from sleeping in a crib to slumbering away in this 14-foot sailboat. When people ask how the transition from crib to bed was for our family I can’t answer this question fairly. What little kid wouldn’t die over this bedroom? On night one we said, “all aboard” and he climbed in and has slept in it ever since!

When it comes to travel, we do it all including couples weekends and amazing group vacations with hilarious friends. Oh and we even love those family trips (NOTE: These aren’t vacations. They are clearly trips when anyone under the age of 20 is included), And yes, I’ll throw in some helpful hints and links because I suppose you might want to know where the best ceviche and wine in Spain would be).

 

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