SN and I have been trying to decide how to decorate our bedroom for a while. We've browsed through interior design photos and discussed bedroom decorating ideas for the last 4 years. It's a hard decision! We had actually (finally!) agreed on painting our entire bedroom, including the doors and ceiling, Sherwin Williams Naval, which is an extremely dark, sophisticated blue. Our thinking is that a bedroom should be as calming and cozy as possible in order to sleep better. What better way to achieve that than by enveloping every surface in a rich, deep blue? We loved this bedroom decorating idea. We loved it too much. Recently, we painted every wall of our guest bathroom Sherwin Williams Naval. It looks amazing (really, check out our bathroom before and after photos ), but we think it would be boring to do the exact same thing in our master bedroom. So, it's back to the drawing board. I complain, but let's face it - browsing through photos of beautiful bedrooms is fun!  In

When we designed our custom dream home, it was important to us that this not be just another cookie-cutter, builder-boring house. Well, no worries - this house is wild and unique!  But also tasteful and elegant...I think. I hope. We have 3 bathrooms and each has a one-of-a-kind style. The most bold of all is our guest bathroom, which features a vaulted ceiling so tall that visitors tend to look up and say 'WOW!' when they enter.  Sometimes they laugh. I prefer the wows. Unique Bathroom: Before Photos No, our red brick isn't going anywhere. Over the years, our bathroom decor has become rustic with a little bling mixed in. It turns out that a clawfoot tub and cowhide rug pair beautifully together. This style is perfect for a mountain home in the Southwest. The dogs are not allowed in here. Biscuit is a rebel. Our guest bathroom was okay, but the high ceilings left a lot of blank space. We've also had difficulty making the room feel light and bright, despite a wall with 4

Gather 'round, my bloggy friends, and I shall tell you a funny tale of social anxiety, a new job, and pickles. I have a bad habit of licking my lips when nervous. If you follow me on Facebook  and my other social media accounts, you know that I recently left my pediatric dentistry job of 16 years in order to work closer to home. (You also know many more of my embarrassing stories.) Starting in a new workplace for the first time in my adult life (seriously, I was only 20 when hired at my previous office), I've been understandably nervous. So, I've been licking my lips excessively. Thanks to COVID-19 and a mandatory mask, no one is the wiser. Actually, I'm sure everyone knows. In the brief maskless moments when I'm sipping water or eating lunch, you can see that my lips are chapped as heck. Stop licking them! Oh, if only I could. I don't even know I'm doing it. Which brings me to my embarrassing story. After work yesterday, SN and I were chatting in our kitche

Here's a sneak peek at our wallpapered hallway bathroom. I'm writing up the big reveal blog post for it right now and couldn't wait one more moment to share a photo.  Pamir Garden by Sanderson Wallpapers Isn't this just the most whimsical and charming wallpaper ever? According to the information that was included with our order, this brand is the official wallpaper of Buckingham Palace. Fancy! What's that? You know I'm a procrastinator and you can't wait one more moment (okay, more like one more week) for my hallway bathroom reveal? Here's one more photo, just because I like you: That cute butterfly is hiding a little oopsie from the wallpaper installation. I'm pretty pleased with how our bathroom looks here, but it gets even better. There has been a BIG improvement since these photos were taken and, even better, it's a project that was so easy to do. You can even incorporate it into your own wallpaper projects, just like *snaps fingers* that. 

I received my second COVID vaccine on January 25th. It went much better than my first dose . ( Read all about it here. ) In New Mexico, we were randomly assigned a vaccination site with no input on which brand vaccine we were receiving. After being vaccinated the first time, it was revealed that I'd received the Pfizer.  It's not a big deal - I'd happily sign up for either brand just to get closer to a post-COVID world. (Come to think of it, that's exactly what I did.) Still, it seems I lucked out by receiving the Pfizer.  Moderna VS Pfizer This is just anecdotal evidence, so feel free to roll your eyes at me, but everyone I know who received the Pfizer vaccine has been perfectly fine after both doses and everyone I know who received the Moderna vaccine has gotten sick after one of the doses.  It's merely anecdotal...except I'm in the healthcare field, so I'm basing this on lots of people, including dentists and pharmacists. I follow a professional message b

Have I ever told you that Sexy Nerd is a beer brewing enthusiast? In our old house, he took over most of the garage and even cut into the wall to gain access to the empty space underneath the stairs, all in the name of expanding "Kitchen Pig Brewery". We even have an antique fire extinguisher that he has transformed into a dispenser for his keg. Years ago, fancy beer glasses seemed like a smart gift choice for him. However, I hate wrapping gifts. Even if I loved it (nope!), how the heck do you beautifully wrap 8 beer glasses? I had a better idea: Valentine's Day Gift Idea for a Beer Lover   I think the gift bag and the Sunday comics emphasize my gift wrapping point pretty well!

(2021 update) How long is the flight to Australia? Oh, not too long - just 16 hours (!) or so from LAX to Melbourne. Of course, few of us start in Los Angeles. Our journey took us from Albuquerque to LAX (5 hours because there were no nonstop options available), from LAX to Melbourne, and from Melbourne to Hobart (another hour or so, plus several hours to kill at the airport). By the time we arrived at our hotel, the fabulous Maylands Lodge in Hobart, we were understandably exhausted...and then my husband took me on a surprise, multi-hour hike. Uphill! Do I even need to say it was a surprise? Surely no sensible person would have agreed to strenuous activity after all that flying unless they didn't understand what they were getting into. Then again, after that much travel, is anyone still sensible? Can they understand anything? (Honestly, I think SN just got lost and he wouldn't admit it.) I'd been dreading the long flight even before booking it. I tried to convince