Since this blog is named after my LOVE of a good sweat sesh, I am going to share with you my latest passion. I LOVE to spin (aka indoor cycling.) I do it all the time, and not since I played tennis and basketball in high school have I loved a sport so much! My sister and most of my friends love to spin. We are spintastic spinners who talk about spinning all the time….

I am completely blown away by my drywall finisher, Mark. What he can do with a bucket of mud while on stilts is an art form. Drywaller Mark mudded and taped our downstairs walls and ceilings…fixed some of the finishing work that was already done…and had the whole thing sanded and perfect in about a day and a half. He also put up plastic to minimize the dust from the sanding. I know this is…

My knight in shining armour did not arrive on a horse, but on stilts. Meet Mark. Not my husband, Mark, but my drywall finisher. He is the best thing to happen to me this week. Drywall Mark started early Tuesday morning and the hardest thing I did all day was make him a cup of coffee. He is fast, precise and perfect. Drywall Mark gets more done in 5 minutes than my Hubby Mark and…

The answer is two blondes and a brother-in-law. Mark and I had temporary bulbs in our can lights downstairs, and they would shut off periodically because they would get too hot. I bought the correct wattage and my brother-in-law, Kevin, and I changed them in no time flat. Blonde sister Kelly took the pics. I also blew a fuse. The lights in the upstairs hallway went out and we can’t live forever in the dark….

I met with my drywall finisher yesterday. Not only was he terrific, but it turns out that he is friends with my cousin. Pittsburgh is such a small town…there are always connections!! Anyway, I felt very FANCY and IMPORTANT during this meeting while explaining our renovation project. I told Mark he doesn’t have to worry…I’ve got this project (like my dance moves) on lock. Didn’t know I was such a good dancer, did ya? You…

As the newly minted LEAD RENOVATOR of our DIY home renovation project, my first order of business was to put on my Boss Lady glasses. No doubt who’s in charge now, huh Mark?! My second order of business was to call my Aunt Trudy. Aunt Trudy is married to Uncle Warren and Uncle Warren knows everyone. He’s the guy who hooked us up with our electrician, Dominic. Dominic is now part of our family, and…

2015 has already brought some exciting new developments to our little neck of the world! First, we got our new mail slot. I know, I know…so freakin’ awesome. The insulation we bought this summer… We finally put it down in the attic. That has served us well in these ridiculously cold temperatures that have me seriously thinking about moving south. My husband, Mark, is now doing some VERY COOL work in his professional life. Because…

My husband took his first vacation since buying and renovating our house. I begrudgingly went along with him. (HA!) We went to the warm beaches of Longboat Key, Florida where we did absolutely no remodeling, but LOTS of sitting. I guess we have good mojo because the weather was beautiful and hot almost every day we were there. While we lounged, swam and played with our nephews, it was easy to forget that we had…

2014 was awesome. Really, really awesome. We bought our first house together and immediately went to work. We tore down walls, got really dirty and inhaled a boatload of dust. Our parents, siblings, friends and family came over, pitched in and encouraged us even when we were ready to throw in the towel. My husband, Mark, turned into a master renovator who upped his game…he has more brains and brawn than I ever knew. His…

We’ve got déjà vu fever at our house…the mudding and taping and sanding is back! That means Mark’s rotator cuff injury has reared its ugly head once again. Pop a few Motrin, drink a couple of Heinekens and he’s good to go! There’s not as much drywall downstairs, but the ceiling is a bear. Time is of the essence because Mark will be very busy work-wise when the new year starts, and we might only…