Good Deal and Great Friends

Wow.  Our house is clean.  It's NEVER this clean.  It's never this tidy.  Everything is in order and in the proper place.  Well... most things, just don't open the bedroom closet.  :)  Actually, even that is pretty clean! DH and I spent the majority of last week cleaning our house top to bottom!  It had needed it for a long time and it now feels wonderful to relax in a clean and tidy home!  We even trimmed trees and pulled weeds!  We were on a roll!  I love a clean house!  Love it!  I just hate to clean! So... why were two people who hate to clean on such a cleaning spree?  Well... we had more company this past weekend, than we have had our entire time we've lived here!!  It was the perfect motivation we needed to get this place in order!  The house looked great and having company was even better!

Friday night we hosted Doug's aunt who was in town.  She had only been here once, around wedding time, so the house has changed a lot.  It was great to see her and show her how we have made this house our home.  On Sunday, we had Doug's mom, dad and sister over for a few hours.  They have also not been here much, so it was great to host them.  

But the real motivation for the trimmed trees and deep cleaning... Ann and her husband R from Building a Nest were in town!!!!!! Whoo hooo!!!  How exciting to met some blogger friends!!  We all met at a little restaurant for lunch with Beth and crew.  It was so fun! Then, we all headed back to our house for some delicious cupcakes.  Delicious because I did not make them.  :)  It was so wonderful to meet Ann and R in person.  Ann and I have spent hours and hours on the phone, so it was great to talk to her in person!  R was so easy going and anyone can tell he is a great DH.  Ann was just like I imagined... a genuinely warm person who is funny, caring and a blast to be around.  Man, I wish I could spend more time with her.  I might just have to go visit her someday! ;)  

It was great to show Ann and R around my hometown and have them see where Doug and I live as well.  They even got to spend some quality time with Doug's beloved cat Smokey.  I'm sure that was the highlight (not!) of their entire trip.  I was going to give him them as a souvenir, but it didn't work.  Ann and R were a hit with Beth and crew as well.  Madeleine and John Paul loved playing with both of them (and Smokey, too).  It was crazy cute! Now... if Ann could only come back and help me decorate and hang up some pictures, we'd be set!  Don't you all remember this?  Yep, she is good!  

Here is a preview... more pics to come on Ann's photo blog, I'm sure.  :)

So, right when Ann and R were taking off, we were chatting about our house.  I told them the only thing I really wanted to change (about the living room) was our ugly tv stand.  I hate it.  It's old and too small, but it's all we have for now.  It's not a huge priority to replace and really no big deal.  

About 20 minutes after they left, my MOH Mary stopped by.  See, tons of company!  She said she had seen a great looking tv armoire on a porch in our neighborhood.  I jumped in her car and we went to take a look.  I loved it!  I told the lady I would bring Doug by after we had measured our tv to take a look!  We headed back deal and bought a beautiful piece of furniture!  For $25!!!!  Whoo hoo!  What a deal!  They even delivered it right to our living room!  We spent the next few hours cleaning it up and polishing the wood.  It looks brand new!  I LOVE IT... just as much as I hated the ugly old stand!!  It makes the room look so more finished!  Whoo hoo!!!  All in all... a great weekend!!!!!!

Ugly old thing.

Beautiful new look! For only $25!!

Side note: Prayer buddy... Can you say some extra prayers for DH?  He has hurt his back something fierce and is in a lot of pain!  Thanks in advance!!