Fabulous Finds

Yesterday was supposed to be spent relaxing. I make plans to do nothing on the Saturdays that we don't already have something to do (birthdays, weddings, etc). Yet, somehow I find myself unable to just sit around.

I woke up yesterday morning way too early, and despite my best efforts, could not fall back asleep. So what's the best thing to do early on a Saturday morning? Yard and Estate Sales!!!!

I was on my way to an estate sale in East Memphis when I saw this beauty below in passing. I was rubber-necking so bad that I almost rear-ended a car in front of me.

{antique buffet}

I immediately turned around, got of the car, and very quickly asked how much. I took a picture, sent it to both my grandmother and father-in-law. They both have a love for antiques and are rather knowledgeable when it comes to good deals! Once Kyle gave me the go-ahead to get it, and so lovingly handed me his truck keys, I headed back with my final offer.

I talked the lady down by $50 (which I must say I was rather proud of my negotiation skills), and now this pretty piece is in the brick room of our house! I still need to clean it up some, but it feels right at home...

{settled in}

Once, that was done I had an itch to start a project. I was wanting to recover some dining room chairs. My sweet friend Lee was up early too, so she and I spent the day together driving all over Memphis to complete it. When we moved into our house, we literally did not have to buy a single piece of furniture. Between the furniture from Kyle's house and the furniture my mom had waiting in storage, we had plenty. We have two dining room sets. Kyle had a pub set and then my mom had given us a standard set. It's solid furniture and not something I would want to spend money on these days. Furniture has gotten out of hand in price these days. However, there are certain colors that are just not me. Red being one of them. See below:

{dining room chairs prior to being recovered}

Lee and I drove to Michael's, who doesn't carry fabric, Hobby Lobby, and JoAnn Fabrics before finally making a final decision on the fabrics I wanted to use. I knew I wanted them to not all be the same print/pattern. Once I got home with all of them, I was ready to go.

I needed to take the red coverings off first, so I had an easy pattern to follow when cutting my fabric. This is what I found underneath the red covers:

{sick right?}

Here are the four fabrics I chose:

{this one is on the two end chairs with the arm rests}

{this is one of the side chair fabrics}

{another side chair fabric}

{this I used on two of the side chairs}

{four different fabrics for six chairs}

{other end}

{anytime i take pictures in this room, everything has an orange tint. can only do so much with an iphone i suppose}

{best full table shot i could manage}

I woke up this morning, sort of having forgot that I did this yesterday, walked into the dining room, and smiled big. For my first attempt at something like this, I think I did a pretty good job. Eventually, I plan on staining the chairs and table a dark walnut color, but for now it's neat to see how much a small change of fabric can make!

Keeping the Backstreet Pride Alive

Backstreet's back! Along with the NKOTB!That would be the BackstreetBoys and New Kids on the Block for those of you born after 1995 or so...

Monday night, me, my co-workers, and some friends headed down to the Forum to fall in love all over again with the boys (now middle aged men almost) who stole our hearts when we were younger.

After dinner at Bosco's, Candice, Valerie and her two sisters Jaime and April, my friend Kate, and I broke it down all night to the NKOTB classics like "Hangin' Tough," "Step by Step," "Covergirl," "Right Stuff," and the chart-topping BSB favorites including, "Quit Playin' Games," "The Call," "As Long As You Love Me," "Get Down," and many others.

It amazes me after not having listened to much of their music in the past several years, how many songs are stored in our memories!

Here are a few pictures from the night...

One Year Down...

Sunday marked a milestone for the McShans...

Our FIRST anniversary!

Kyle had instructed me to take Friday off of work, and then he cleverly arranged for me to somehow not have patients scheduled on me for Thursday afternoon. I thought I was having to cover at one of our other clinics. So Thursday afternoon, we drove to Nashville to catch a flight. I had no idea where we were going. All I knew was to pack sundresses, sandals, and a swimsuit. Even when we were going through security, Kyle wouldn't even let me hold my own boarding pass. He tried so hard to keep it a surprise until we got to the gate.

And this is where we were going:

{Fort Lauderdale in case you can't read my blurry picture}

{pretty sunset on the way down south}

{rockin' them beats}

When we got to Fort Lauderdale, I asked if the hotel we were staying at had a shuttle or car service that would be picking us up. Kyle told me yes, but that we had to walk downstairs near baggage claim to meet them. As we were going down the escalator, this is who I saw:

{my gigi waiting with two happy anniversary balloons. she and poppy were our ride to the hotel-second big surprise}

When we got to our room, this was waiting on us:

{champagne and chocolate covered strawberries-was supposed to be from my dad and kim but the hotel decided they wanted to take credit- long story}

The hotel we were stayed at was B. Ocean. It was right on A1A. Right in front of the beach. Right where I needed to be.

{shot of the room}

{very comfy bed}

{fun chocolate brown couch}

{view from one window}

{view from the other}

{friday morning we had breakfast in the b'stro-everything was called b-something. i was just in love with the clean lines and how the mixed solid wood tables with more modern chairs-very chic}

{yummy breakfast}

{shot of the front of the hotel where my beach chair remained all day friday}

{the water was gorgeous}

{sand in my toes and not a care in the world}

{comparing this picture to one from our honeymoon a year ago-we have become a little larger and a little more pale-but we're happy and that's all that matters}

Friday night we decided to have dinner with Gigi and Poppy. But not before a quick photo shoot in the lobby.

{the walls were textured with some sort of plaster creation and then color-changing lights for a dramatic effect}

{poppy, me, and gigi}

{the four of us-hopefully we can make it to 57 years of marriage like the two of them}

{dinner at Cafe de Paris on Las Olas-the waiter brought us chocolate mousse with a candle to celebrate}

{we were pressured into doing this :) }

After a long day in the sun on Friday, we slept in Saturday. We both had gotten a little too much sun the day before and decided that laying out was not in the cards for Saturday. We had lunch at a cute little diner/dive next behind the hotel. Crab salad sandwiches for lunch! Delish!

{love florida colors}

{my amazing groom}

{and his not-so-bright-eyed-and-bushy-tailed wife}

After lunch we decided to take a water taxi tour through the Intercoastal Waterway. I have never seen such huge houses with more expensive yachts parked out front in my life.

The water taxi makes several stops along the waterway. We decided to get out and walk up and down Las Olas to do some shopping (more like window shopping-everything was outrageously expensive).

{we stopped for some ice cream at kilwin's-sooo good. i think they have one in gatlinburg}

{the shop just looked and smelled like heaven- homemade chocolates and fudge}

{say hello to tommy bahama}

Saturday night we ventured out for dinner, just the two of us. I got bored waiting for Kyle so I decided to snap a picture in the entryway to our room, but Kyle must have said something funny from the side.

{solo}

{dos}

{lobby of the hotel-it's tough trying to get someone else to take your picture}

{where we at saturday night-casablanca cafe-probably one of the best meals i have ever had}

Before checking out on Sunday, we had one last breakfast at the hotel. The best french toast I have ever put in my mouth!

{french toast covered with powdered sugar and sauteed, yes sauteed, berries}

Since we had to check out at 11 and our flight didn't leave until 7, we spent the day with Gigi and Poppy at their condo. Their downstairs neighbors and good friends Bob and Sheila were having a Father's Day lunch, so we ate and spent some time with them for a while.

{family}

After we finished lunch, Gigi and I went through all of her closets digging out some hidden treasures! I played dress-up and Kyle took pictures.

{this dress gigi had custom-made for my dad and uncle's bar mitzvah when they were 13. they are 53 now. you do the math}

{picture to prove}

{strutting}

{cranberry, ankle-length raincoat made by French designer Louis Feraud, which if I remember is from the 50's}

{moving along the 80's, we have this stunning silver belted-dress-it fit like a glove. gigi said she was glad that it fit me so well or else no one would have believed how skinny she was. i took that as a compliment to my-not-so-flattering-these-days-figure}

And this was the best find...

{my great-grandma rosie's mink stole}

And the best part about the best find...

{her name embroidered on the lining-i cried when i saw this. we were very close and she passed away when i was 11-she meant the world to me}

Driving home from Nashville after getting back at 8:30 made for a long ride home. But once we got there, we got our our wedding champagne flutes, our top tier from our wedding cake, and ice cold milk (just like we had at our wedding) and followed tradition.

{it still looked good}

{and it still sliced well, but it tasted not so great-we forced down one bite and called it quits}

{but not before a toast before bed}

Kyle, thank you for making our first anniversary so memorable and worthwhile! Thank you for knowing what is important to me and running with it. Not flying to the beach for a weekend, but for time spent together with no distractions. For loving my family as if they were your own (which they are now I suppose) and knowing how important they are to me. And for scheming behind my back to make it all possible! :)

I love you more than words can describe and pray for 100 more years together.