20 Basics Every Couple Should Register For

Here are some basic items that every couple should start off with when they get married. Gabriel and I didn't realize the basic everyday tools we needed until after we got married. 


When registering, you will fall in love with lots of fluff (which of course, is more fun than essentials.) But trust me, right about the week you get back from your honeymoon, you will be taking many trips to Pottery Barn, Bed Bath & Beyond and Macy's (in our case.)


Kitchen:
-pots & pans
-knives
-plates
-cups
-silverware
-tupperware
-cooking utensils

Bathroom:
-towels
-washcloths

Bedroom:
-pillows
-sheets
-comforter

Closet:
-hangers 
-storage compartments

Cleaning:
-iron
-ironing board
-drying rack
-mop
-vacuum cleaner
-hamper

I hope this short list helps you plan for the future! To read more on our registering experience, click here and here.

Sweet Day!

NYC & An Educational Resource

As I mentioned before, my hubby & I took a trip to NYC to celebrate our 1st New Years together as Mr. & Mrs. I'll let the pictures do the recap of what we did...with maybe a little commentary from the peanut gallery.

 best breakfast in the city.
 best pizza in the city.
best coffee in the city. we went about 15 times during our stay. no joke.
 our lady liberty.
 us florida people were freezing. it was in the low 20s.
 best, best, best sushi in the city. i believe we ate our body weight in sushi. tripled.
 new years eve getting ready to eat more sushi & snuggle on top of the roof for the fireworks.
 they have one in nyc. pretty amazing.

While I was in NYC, I decided to make a video for my first graders since we're studying "America Icons" this month. Feel free to show this video to your class (teachers out there) if you ever want them to see some NYC American Icons!



Update: They saw the video yesterday afternoon and loved it....wanna guess their favorite part?? Yes, the close up of a One Direction billboard ;) I know just how to get their attention!

Have a sweet Friday! Tomorrow we are headed to Naples for the weekend to spend time away with my bro/sis-in-law and mom/dad-in-law. I can't wait to do some relaxing with the hubs since he's been out of town all week working.

Have a great weekend!!

Valentine's Day Wreath Tutorial

After taking down our Christmas wreath last week, I didn't like how bare it left our door. Hours on pinterest and a trip to the craft store later, this is what I came up with in just 3 easy steps!


Supplies:
18' wreath
assorted berry branches (I got mine on an after Christmas sale for 80% off)
wooden heart display (can be found at any craft store this time of year)
glue gun
wire cutter

1. lay branches and wooden heart display on wreath.
2. use wire cutter to cut branches to desired height.
3. glue down all parts.

& it only cost me a whole $7.55 thanks to teacher discounts and coupons. enjoy!

Ours is already hanging on the door for all the neighborhood to see (not sure if anyone else notices these things or if I am the only one). Oh well, at least our neighbors will know how much we love, love!

Healthy Weekday Recipes

Now that I'm a wife and cook everyday, I have come to love meal planning!!

Here are some favorites of mine that I found on food blogs. We have been on a healthy kick lately, and have enjoyed these tasty yet nutritious meals!











 

I accompany most of these meals with either caesar salad or par boiled rice and adjust some of the measurements for two since we don't really eat leftovers. 

Do you find meal planning helpful?

House Renovation: Tile Floor

Now that we are back from our time off (wedding, honeymoon, holidays, traveling) we are jumping into more house renovations! For the past couple of months, we decided to break and start again in the new year.

Next up on our list: tile floors 



When we bought our house, it came with carpet-covered terrazzo. Once the carpet was removed (1st thing we did) we loved the floor that was under, but soon learned (with the help of specialists) that the floor had stains that wouldn't be able to be removed.
........
While shopping around for flooring, we came across new terrazzo floor averaging at $25.00 sf which was way over the price range!!

Next...we decided to look into was porcelin tile that looks like wood! Cool, huh?? We knew it would give our house the perfect "coastal cottage" look we were going for!

The tile comes in planks of 6x24 or 6x30 and has textures just like wood.

Perks: Easy to clean, no grout line, more durable & less expensive (ranging from $2.45 sf - $7.00 sf).


We are looking at having the floors installed throughout the house in a few weeks! As for now, we are still in the process of finding the perfect color to match our light walls (they come in many varieties).

I'll make sure to update you on the progress!


Sweet Day!!