New Paint = HAPPINESS!

     So, this summer has been so busy to say the least.  We did get a chance to go away for a week to the lake and had a pretty nice time away from the routines.  We shot a few photos but not like I usually do. I actually relaxed! It was much needed.  When we got back we started planning on painting the living room since the color was bringing us down.  When we moved in we wanted a bold color and we chose a pretty dark one.  We tried to love it...we even tried to like it.  It wasn't happening so we planned on changing it as soon as we could.  We also decided to start some of the major wedding planning which has me feeling like I am doing a lot by myself... I feel pretty alone on it and I know when it gets closer (it's just about a year away) people are going to be putting pressure on me and that's when I don't function well.  So I am trying to get a lot done by myself.   

     

     And now for the BIG news.  I was a smoker for 12 years. Notice I typed "was".   WE QUIT! We quit together. It has been the HARDEST most CHALLENGING thing I have ever done.  I was just sick of being bullied. DONE.  Quitting together is helping.  We are each others support team and it's made it easier. We quit 17 Days ago and have NOT smoked at least 255 cigarettes! I downloaded an app on my phone that tells me all sorts of things including hours of life I gained back and how much money I am saving! I could go to ICELAND every year on the money I spent on smokes.  So here is to a new chapter of bad habits and standing up to bullies! 

I only edited a few from Conneaut. I'm behind on a lot of things but here are two of my favs. 

   This was the frames I finished as a little project with water colors and a quote I LOVE, "The wolf that wins, is the wolf you feed."

     So to keep up with battling the cravings I have decided to take spin classes one or two times a week.  IT IS AMAZING! I adore the classes and am thinking of buying a package deal so I can save some money (It's still less than smoking).  So Saturday night I booked the class for Sunday morning with Brian's sister and started prepping to paint our living room.  We tapped off all the walls and moved furniture.  We figured it would only take the day Sunday and we could rest on Monday since we were both off for labor day.  I woke up extra early to make it to spin with Stef on Sunday morning and the doggies wanted to stay in bed.  I went to class and biked 9 miles.  That's not all you do though.  You do arm exercises while on the bike and core exercises.  You speed up, slow down, tighten the petals to make it harder like you are going up hill and sprint on the bikes.  It's one hell of a workout but makes me feel so good about myself after.  First time, I thought I was going to puke my lungs out.  I'm getting better at it though.  They turn down the lights and play loud, fun, motivational music and the instructor even encourages me during the class to NOT smoke and asks me every time I go how I am doing!  I usually wouldn't talk about smoking.  It wasn't something I was proud of but I am proud of quitting!  I find myself missing it out of habit, it's strange how much I let it take over my life!

     These are some before photos of the TERRIBLE paint we chose.  The first photo is when we first moved in and didn't have a couch yet but that's all I could find since I didn't take a lot of photos in that room (poor lighting).
The others are right before we put the paint on. I wish I remembered to take a few before we moved everything.

 OUR FIRST COAT! It was so dark before we knew we would have to do at least two layers of paint.

 Doggies were NOT happy.  THEY DID NOT want to stay in different rooms than us.  To be honest, if we didnt' leave them in the bedroom, we would have paint in places we didn't need it.

 After a while, Bear did make himself comfortable.

 AFTER! I'M IN LOVE!

 SO MUCH BRIGHTER! HAPPIER!

 There are still some things I'm going to change and have to update. We do need another coat on some spots.  We really didn't want to do a third.  We do have touch ups to do and I officially hate painting.  We got in on baseboards, floor.... my armpits.... anyways. I need to get some off white for the ceiling to covers mistakes from that first awful color we had and I would like new curtains and a new rug.  I also want to sand our end tables and paint them.  ONE THING AT A TIME.  Now that I'm not smoking, I have more time to do things :).

 By the way... I didn't mention this went all through MONDAY! We thought we would be done Saturday.  Well. WE WERE WRONG.  Our living room walls go all the way down the hallway and the door frames needed painted.... that took for freaking ever. We are pooped.  It's done though! So we are glad of that.
SO MUCH BETTER THAN THIS:

 Happy Tuesday everyone! Thanks for reading my post on wall painting. ;)