Welcome to the Puppyhood!

It is official! Our twosome has become a threesome :) This past Saturday, March 24, 2012; Jon and I became puppy parents! If you remember my post from here where we decided to get a puppy and then here where we freaked ourselves out and decided to wait.

Well, the waiting is over! Please welcome Duncan Hill to the blogging world! He is our 9.4lbs baby boy and we love him!
Duncan, is a rescue dog from Wish Bone Canine Rescue in Bloomington, IL, this is his story...(boink, boink):

I found him while just browsin' around on Thursday night on petfinder.com and then I checked again on Wish Bone's website. He was listed as a 1 year old, poodle who's owner could not pay his reclaim fee. (My poor bubba's!).

11:30p - 3/22/2012 - Jon and I just decided to fill out their online app, excepting to get a phone call saying that, "we're sorry but Duncan has already been adopted."

8:50a - 3/23/2012 - My phone started ringing, it was Debbie from Wish Bone, to let us know that they were going to be checking our with our references and just wanted to double check our information. I immediately texted our 2 references, my bff Samantha and my sister Maggie, to let them know they should except a call. Texting convo's ensued.

4:11p - 3/23/2012 - I was out having coffee with my sister-in-law, Jessie (she was home for her last spring break of college at Drake U), when I received a phone call from Debbie saying that we were approved to adopt Duncan and we had a 4 day window.

4:11p - 5:50p - 3/23/2012- Phone tag was played between Jon, me and Debbie to set up a time to meet Duncan and adopt him.

11:00a - 3/24/12- At the Petco in Bloomington-Normal, IL (Wish Bone is a foster home based rescue so they do not have an actually facility), we met Duncan and instantly fell in love (bonus his foster parents were not white trash! Yay! That was a real concern! It was this really sweet older couple and they seemed sad to see Duncan go!)

11:45a - 3/24/2012 - We were heading home with our new addition, Duncan!

He is still adjusting to life in the Hill House, but he seems to be doing all right. He was neutered on 3/22/12, so we've been dealing with keeping him from biting at his wound (lots of doggie diapers, and now finally a cone). He seems to have been crate trained and housebroken though it might take him a little while to really show us this. He hasn't eaten or drank that much and finally went to the bathroom last night but only number 1 and he doesn't really like to walk on our solid surface floors (ice!) or walking around in general right now. But I am sure that with anything he will just need time to adjust and get comfy-cozy with us!

I love him and he reminds me of a smaller version of a dog my family had when I was little named Sophie.

Also, I will put up photos soon once I start taking them with my actually camera because I cannot figure out how to upload the ones from my phone! Maybe you'll just get a whole post of nothing but photos!

Two Years of Homeownership!

Today is the two year anniversary of Jon and I closing on our house! So, much has been in these past two years: I graduated with my BS from the University of Illinois (Go Illini!), we got married, and have been working on the house since! We done a lot of growing up and are still growing!

The day we closed, my dad was with us and after we walked in and assessed what we were doing, that night we just sat in the middle of the living room floor, scared out of our minds because all the toilets were leaking, no electricity, and we couldn't get the pilot light on for the water heater. We didn't stay there the next few nights but focused on deep cleaning and getting Jon's stuff moved in because he's lease at his apartment was up on April 1st! And we moved everything ourselves, with Jon's Escape and my dad's truck!

But looking back its been the best 2 years of my life and it keeps getting better! So here are a few outside photos of the house just to show ya! We love it and are working on it slowly to make it our own! It was built in 1958 and must have been a custom build due to some of the features.

Face Lift

When we bought our house almost 2 years ago, (03/23/2010 - I can't believe its been 2 years, ahh!), Jon lived here by himself for several months, until I graduated and then I would stay off and on until our wedding that November. For us one of the big selling points was the living room, it has a massive vaulted ceiling and almost the entire back wall is brick floor to ceiling. But not just any brick, red brick from the 1950's (the house was built in 1958). It was okay, but made that side of the living room this giant dark space, my ginger Jon (who hates the sun) liked it and fought me on painting it for months! I finally found a great before and after of red bricks being painted white and he agreed! We started by cleaning the bricks with a solution, we also had white foam stuff growing from the bricks and needed to clean it off. Then we started priming and then painting. In the end it took like 2 cans of primer and 3 coats of white paint, but the result is fabulous! Now I just need to actually hang pictures and decorations up! Its only been 2 years, whats a little more time! Enjoy!

It is amazing to look back and remember the red brick. We also rearranged the furniture after painting the wall and it makes the space feel even bigger (if that's possible) and is just a better lay out!

Childhood Redo

Last fall I tried my hand at my first furniture revamp! I took one of the nightstands from my childhood (actually these were also from my oldest sister's childhood in the 1970's). I sanded, primed, spray painted and added new hardware. Sadly, I forgot to write down everything I used aka the colors and the hardware but everything came from Lowe's...

Before

And the after! What do ya think? I know use it as my jewerly and accessory chest in my closet. Now, I just have another identical nightstand, a tall dresser and a long dresser with mirror to figure out how to redo....

What's Trending? Cathryn Style

Here's whats Trending with me lately:

Music:

• Mumford and Sons, "Sigh No More" (how did I miss this album until now?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6rYPHmSzcE

• Adele, "21"

Television:

• Once Upon a Time (ABC)
• Downton Abbey (PBS)
• The Amanda's (StyleNetwork)

Social Media:

• Twitter - @cathryn_hill
• Pinterest.com

Hobbies:

• Bible Study Fellowship (BSF)
• DIY Home Projects (organizing and remodeling)
• Pinning on Pinterest.com and wishing I were that crafty and fabulous!

I would have put up images but again, I really stink at this and really did not want to run into copyright issues. Any suggestions on that, besides saying, "This isn't mine, but here's where I got it?"

What is rockin' your world right now?

Low to High

So, I know it has been awhile since I posted last, and I was on a pretty good roll there for awhile. I just suck at adding photos which seems to be a key to a lot of people showing up to a blog!

I have been busy job searching! I have realized that since I don't know what I want to do yet, that I should be looking for jobs that I do feel qualified for, such as an administrative assistant position aka what I do at the church right now. I have put in for a few positions that I had found. Chances of getting an interview = 0% (did a few follow-up calls this morning; one group starts interviewing today and the other, "has a stack so high you wouldn't believe." direct quote.)

It is really disheartening! It reminded me of when I went through sorority recruitment! It is that hopeless, why don't you like me?, irrational feeling of not being good enough or liked enough.

However, I do recall relying on God a lot during that time, and saying, "God will put me where He wants me." I just need to remember that again because it worked out really great for me the last time. I fell into the best group of girls that are now and forever will be my Phi Mu sisters!

I need to remember and repeat, "God will put me where He wants me," constantly to myself. It does help that I have my support team, God; my husband, Jon, and my best girlfriend & Phi Mu sista, Samantha to help me keep it together!

Thank you for listening to me gripe, complain and cry and for giving me hope at much needed love and support! I love you!

So, for anyone trying to figure out their path, remember who's path you are on and that Paula Deen wasn't successful until she was in her 40's ya'll! God may not want your purpose to be known right now but He will reveal it in time, and you may not notice it until after all is said and done!

Also, make sure you have a great support team everyone, even for the stupid, silly stuff!

Lilly Love

So, a little website's (TotalFratMove.com) female tab (TSM) introduced me to Lilly Pulitzer about this time last year! After seeing post after post mentioning Lilly, I went searching to see what it was all about, and I swooned!! Lilly Pulitzer's designs are so clean and so simple, exactly what I want and have been looking for with crazy color combo's and patterns!

However, Lilly Pulitzer has an extreme price tag for such simple togs! Its really not fair, Lilly! *Sigh* I would be probably your only advocate in Central Illinois, outside of campustown in Champaign! Please, Lilly! Make it affordable for all to wear you! Please!

Do any of you have clothes envy (you'd wear it but can't afford it) like me?

Lilly Love by cathrynhill featuring t strap sandals