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I am blown away. COMPLETELY. BLOWN. AWAY. Who is this man I married and how did I not know that he is SO FREAKIN TALENTED?! In just 8 hours, Mark finished building this GORGEOUS basement door hatch. Not only is it beautiful, it is sturdy…look at me standing on it all nonchalant. This was one of those projects that came together as seamlessly in real life as Mark envisioned in his head. From the design…

It’s gone. I’ve reached my limit. I tried to be a really good and understanding wife, but I can no longer live in a construction zone. Mark knows that we’re coming up on our 1 year anniversary of owning this house, and it’s time to finish it so that we can actually have people over. He started working on our basement door hatch. You’ll remember we moved the original staircase and that’s why we have…

Our downstairs floors, I mean. Like an ugly baby in the sense that they’re mine and I LOVE THEM. The original pine floors on the first floor are really freaking old. Some parts were painted…don’t ask me why. Other parts have this weird black stain on them that even the floor guy can’t explain. One of the floor guys we talked to said that pine doesn’t stain well. It gets gooey and doesn’t spread nice…

It’s as cold in hell as it is in Pittsburgh because the unimaginable just happened. My mother got a cellphone. Her very first one. I immediately received her first selfie (with her favorite people). This occasion deserves a PARADE…I’m currently scouting locations. 🙂 On the home front, Mark and I are painting this weekend and hope to refinish the downstairs floors in about 2 weeks. We are very excited. I also taught my first spin…

Mark and I are back in the groove. He’s reassumed the lead renovator role and I am happy to capitulate. He’s way better at priming the walls and ceiling…and I’m wayyyy better at making dinner reservations. Like last night’s soirée at Verde with my favorite mama-to-be. Kelly has officially become a tabletop and holds my drink just perfectly! 🙂 **FOLLOW ILOVE2SWEAT! Just click the “+ Follow” button at the top of the page & put…

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…