we maybe sort of live in a demolition zone

But the good news is that Nathan is pretty handy. Which is fantastic, because I'm no Mrs. Fix-it.

(pictured: not me.)

We've been in our new house for ten days. Nathan's dad and granddad were here for six days, helping us get the major projects underway. They left this morning, but have promised to return at some point down the road to see how everything comes together.

We love the layout of our house. We love the outside. But this statement pretty much sums up our feelings about everything inside:


Nathan was feeling somewhat discouraged about the number of projects we've set out to do but have not yet completed. So I made a list of everything we've done so far, to show that yes!, we've totally finished some big projects. And even though it seems like we cross off one thing and add two more, we couldn't be happier.

1. Installed doggy doors
2. Took out carpet in front rooms (living/office/dining/front hall)
3. Took out tile that was underneath it
4. Power sanded everything
5. Took out wood paneling
6. Took out wallpaper that was underneath it
7. Drywalled weird doorway that was underneath it
8. Took out woodburning stove and stove pipe from ceiling
9. Drywalled hole in ceiling
10. Drywalled weird passthrough between living and kitchen
11. Textured all drywall
12. Installed cool new mailbox
13. Painted ceiling in guest room
14. Painted walls in guest room
15. Replaced doorknobs and hardware
16. Installed new front door
17. Installed new window in front door
18. Installed new ceiling fan in guest room
19. Connected bookcases in guest room
20. Installed robe hook in hall bath

This list doesn't include approximately 47 trips to the Home Depot, where we literally know people by name. Sort of like Cheers. Only the Cheers we prefer is Nomad, a great little bar in our new hood. Yup, we like the place. Think we'll stay awhile.

Do you know about Pinterest?

My lovely and talented cousin-in-law Julie and her hubs (Nathan's cousin, Jason) visited us all last week and we had such a marvelous time. We ate some amazing, delicious food, hung out and chatted, shopped, and had a spontaneous Just Dance tournament. Julie is a graphic designer and has fab taste. She introduced me to Pinterest, and now I'm just a tad obsessed.



It's like eye candy! And while I'm still a huge fan of Weheartit, I find that Pinterest is more clever in that you can categorize the photos. i.e. home, design, photography, style, etc.



If you're not yet on Pinterest, leave a comment below with your email address and I'll send you an invite to join! It's totally free and purely wonderful.
If you ARE on Pinterest, be sure to add me as a friend (I'm "theamyshow") so I can enjoy all your boards, as well.
Happy Pinning!

Here's to a happy weekend!

We have another weekend without a shoot and I just don't know what to do with myself. Luckily, our place is a mess, and Nathan's parents will be here next weekend, so that gives me plenty to do. Did I say "luckily our place is a mess"? I meant unfortunately.

What are you up to this weekend?

I love my mother.

Today I got yet another excellent example of how well my mom knows me.

She emailed me this:
Body of message: Thought you and Nathan might want to enter this! Love, Mom
Subject line: Fw: Enter for a Chance to Win a Trip to Food Network's NYC Wine & Food Festival


Thanks, Mom! I would indeed like to enter this. Love you, too.

P.S. Would YOU like to enter?

Here's to a peaceful weekend!

Friday Favorites, East Texas family edition

This weekend, Nathan and I are visiting my family in East Texas. It's always wonderful to visit everyone out here, where the pace is slow and the agenda includes eating at the little pizzeria that's two blocks from the house, playing games, grilling, chatting and laughing. Here are a few other things related to our trips out here:

1. thrift stores


My mom is the queen of thrifting, so I learned from the best.
Besides being able to find unique things at affordable prices, thrifting also supports charity and is good for the environment (because it's like recycling).
There are some incredible thrift shops in and around my parents' town, so my mom, my sister and I always hit the shops.





2. hammocks
My parents have a hammock in their yard under the trees. There's nothing better than lazing in the hammock with a good book, or your sweetie to cuddle with. (The hammock does accommodate two.)





3. Apples to Apples
My current favorite board game, which we JUST played tonight. This game is easy to learn and hilarious to play.



4. bocce
One of the best outdoor games-- and trust me, you don't have to be athletic to play. It's also somewhat luck-based, because it's a moving target.



And look, even the Pope plays.


5. family!
A couple family members I don't normally get to see are my amazing sister (who has been teaching for the past year in Istanbul!),


my fabulous grandma (who lives all the way up in Illinois), my talented brother and wonderful sis-in-law and their new little baby, Mikayla, who is our one and only niece. Mikayla's not only completely beautiful, she's the most serious little baby, always taking everything in with her big, blue eyes.

Here she is, during dinner. I don't know if you can tell from her eyes, but they are saying, "You all get pizza and I get strained carrots? what gives?"


We of course brought our cammies, so I promise more (non-Hipstamatic) photos very soon.

Happy weekend!

Happy Father's Day!

This is a photo of me and my dad after a German Volksmarch when I was in preschool. How great are our matching windbreakers?
(Both times we lived in Germany, we lived in the southwest right near the border of France. This was in Sembach.)

I love my dad! He's always been so cool about being involved with me, my brother and my little sister. Growing up, he would cart around me and my friends from school in the family van, which he jokingly called the "Prien taxi."

Most dads aren't that cool. And I'm incredibly lucky! Love you, Dad!

Happy Mother's Day

to all moms everywhere


and the biggest "I love you!" to my AMAZING mom!


(the very first photo of my mom and me-- taken on Galveston Beach)

I just love this card.

You can find it (and many more) at Fluff Paper, the fabulous paper shop owned by my fabulous cousin. That's right. Julie's not only a creative genius, she's related to me.

If you happen to live in Denver, you can visit the store in Belmar at 445 S. Saulsbury St., Unit G, Lakewood, CO and see all the goodness for yourself.

Ooh, and how cute is this card featuring a Vespa?



I happen to love Vespas and have featured them in my Friday Favorites and for almost no reason at all. One day I plan to own either a red one or a seafoam green one. Because, you know, I'm not picky.

Only my mother would understand

that giving me books, jam, and tap shoes for a rainy day makes perfect sense.

And to think, most people don't even like to be in the same rooms as their mothers.
Jeez, I'm lucky.

Vacation,

all I ever wanted.

This Thursday, we fly to Salt Lake to see Nathan's family and go camp and hike in the Slot Canyons in Utah. Normally, hiking and camping might not sound that appealing. But, Nathan's parents have this great, tricked-out camper, and we make food in the mini-kitchen that is equivalent to the Food Network in goodness. My kind of "roughing it."