all the good things

After our whirlwind engagement trip even more good things came about.


1. David's house got an offer and went under contract!

2. I found out I passed the NCIDQ.

3. My best friend Carrie was getting married that next weekend.

4. We picked a date and a venue! May 21, 2011 at Wild Onion Ranch.

Needless to say we feel very lucky. David closes on the sale of the house on Friday. Wedding plans are under way. Dress shopping comes in a couple of weeks when my bff Morgan comes in from Albuquerque!

And now its time to start doing new stuff to the Gardenridge Hollow house. There are plans for the backyard, front deck, exterior paint, interior paint and the garage!

our engagement story

It was my birthday, and we were on our way to Albuquerque to celebrate with my best friend Morgan and her husband Michael. We arrived Friday and had a wonderful dinner at the base of San Dia Peak. We watched the sunset as a storm was rolling in.

I had hoped it would happen while we were there. With my best friend there to celebrate with us. But it seemed to me a logistical nightmare. Traveling out of state with a diamond ring in your pocket... not knowing the town you were going to... I didn't even think he had bought the ring yet. Goes to show you he had thrown me off, as well as everyone who had already known the week before.

Friday was not the night it was going to happen. I was exhausted from our trip, and we lost money at the blackjack table at the casino nearby. So we hit the hay and Saturday was a new day.

Saturday we woke up and went to Santa Fe. We stopped at this amazing antique store with all kinds of architectural pieces stocked in their building. Doors, arches, columns, all moorish/spanish/ancient looking. But sooo beautiful. David and I decided to come back, 5, 10, 15 years from now to snag some pieces for our dream house.

We then went towards the main square where we shopped around for a little bit and the stopped into a little bar for some beers and some World Cup watching. I remember when we were walking around, David's hands were so cold when I'd try to hold them. He just blamed it on bad circulation... despite it was 85 degrees that day.

After drinks we split up before going to lunch. David and Michael went to a nearby boot store, and Morgan and I went to look for jewelry at the sidewalk where all the Native American ladies were selling their items. I had been talking about wanting a small turqoise ring. I didn't find anything by the time we got down the line, and Morgan and I went to the hotel at the end of the row to cool off. At that point David had met up with us, and said he would buy me some turquoise jewelry and that we should go back and look some more.

At that point Morgan and Michael, already knowing what was going on, realized it was time to go get the car and leave us be. So David and I went back down the line looking at jewelry. I wasn't paying attention to him really, mainly just talking about what I did and didn't like about certain pieces. After about the 3rd time of getting up off my knees looking, I stood up and looked at David to say I was ready to go.

Then he said, "Well I found a jewelry store earlier next to the boot store, and I think I found something you might like." At this point I still don't know whats going on, I really think he went and got me a cute little turqoise ring. But then out of the corner of my eye, I don't see a chunky thick blue turqoise ring, I see a dainty little shiny thing in his hand. He got down on one knee in front of everyone in the square and proposed right there. It was the most amazing moment of our lives. I couldn't stop holding his face and kissing him. And all the little ladies were clapping and random people came up to us and said congratulations.

Our little spot where it all happened.

Then we went and had a marvelous lunch at The Pink Adobe. We had champagne and a great desert plate!

With our sweet friends!

Outside The Pink Adobe. Engaged.

A vew of the mountains right outside of the Grimm's house. A beautiful weekend with so many memories.

and so it begins..

David and I are engaged!

Explanation and pictures to follow this evening!

indian treasures

This weekend David and I attended my good friend Sonya's wedding. The weekend was full of culture and friends and fun. David and I had a blast at the reception! A traditional American ceremony with a semi-traditional Indian reception complete with dancers and Indian food.

Here is one of the better pictures David and I have taken in a long time.

Beautiful Indian sari.

Being carried in a dance by her cousins! So much fun!

treasures.

Today I picked up the latest issue of Tribeza magazine, and look what little treasure I found. Mack and Sally Brown. The article is amazing, written by Sally Brown herself. It just really touched me and I love that they are apart of the Texas tradition and football experience here in Austin! You can read the whole article at Tribeza's website.

tribeza.com

And tonight is my dear Bunco night with girlfriends. Wine, dinner, a lot of talking, and oh... 3 dice.

And! The new design excitement in my life is sharing the experience of furnishing and designing a beach house with my mom. Thats right, come October, our family will be the proud owners of a lovely little house just 100 yds or so from the Gulf of Mexico in Port Aransas, TX. My mom has had a blast starting the designing in her head, with an inspiration book with magazine cut-outs and swatches. So, I'll be posting updates of that endeavor over the next couple of months. Its already framed and on its way to becoming a real house! Hopefully David and I can join the family down there soon after all the bridesmaids duties cease in July!

the heels take over...

So, now that we don't have anything to really "build" or "design". The heels are taking over and I've decided to just write about all the little treasures that I find. On the fabulous world wide web, my travels, day to day, work, why not?

My first find comes from the most recent and I might add drab Sex and the City 2 movie... But what is more exciting than the storyline or the drama are THESE RUGS! The Rug Company is a long time sustainer of all things RUG in the show and in the recent movies. I don't know about many of you, but when I was watching the movie, I didn't want to hear about Samantha'

s menopausal hormones or Charlotte's crying baby... I was paying more attention to all the loveliness that was around them! Here are two images of The Rug Company's rugs in the movie set.

therugcompany.com

therugcompany.com

And in my perusing of the internets today I also found some lovely Sex and the City 2 interior shots that I found lovely, one of which is actually Carrie's remodeled original apartment. One of the most stunning moments of the 1st movie. Still a wonder to me now.

These photos are courtesy of elledecor.com of whose magazine I subscribe to. A little treasure in my mailbox every other month. And look what else I found. Pictures of Candace Bushnell and Sarah Jessica Parker's own homes.

Candace Bushnell's Home | elledecor.com

Sarah Jessica Parker's Home | elledecor.com

Sarah Jessica Parker's Home | elledecor.com

So there you go, a little summer fun a-la Sex and the City 2. Even if the story wasn't well planned, the interiors stepped up for the show.

Handsome and Heels

So, I'm not going to apologize about not writing in a whole month, because everyone who writes blogs and doesn't blog for a long time always apologizes. But there is no need for apologies in the blog world. Blogs are for come and go writing about exciting things in your life or fun facts or interesting things to do/find. We have not had any of that in our lives over the past month, hence the cease in updates about your dear Hammers and Heels couple.

However, I would like to talk a little about the season of summer. Oh summer, how I love you so. No longer are goose bumps continually on my arms and legs, or the scarf perpetually wrapped around my neck, nor the constant worry of stepping on a cold surface or touching a cold beverage. I am free from the subconscious avoidance of anything minutely cold.

Now that we have 95 degree weather every day all day, I don't mind the heat. I can sweat with the best of them. And I am now at peace with my environment. The only thing that peeves me about summer are my car's leather seats. Holy goodness! You know what I'm talking about. Good thing I don't have the Ford Escape anymore with the black leather seats, and instead have the tan leather... I'm talking 10 times more hot when your white little legs sit down on them after that black bakes in the sun for 2 hours while you were in Nordstrom.

The summer also brings on WEDDING SEASON. Which is what David and I are about to enter into. This upcoming weekend marks my good friend Sonya Nair's wedding in Houston. A whole weekend of a beautiful hotel, pretty bridesmaids dress, culture, and driving.

The weekend after is my good friend Amy Anthony's wedding in Fort Worth. Another fun weekend full of driving (not by us! Carrie and Daniel are taking us with them!) another pretty bridesmaids dress, and lots of friends!

The weekend after that is my birthday and we are celebrating in Albuquerque with Morgan and Michael Grimm! I am so stinking excited about this weekend. A good break with my best friend in the world doing fun stuff in a fun town. (There is also a casino ;)

Then, after a good break in Albuquerque we return to Texas for my best friend Carrie Asher's wedding in Austin. A full weekend of primping, beautiful bridesmaids dress, beautiful venue, good friends and NOT driving!

Then we are free! So, "Hammers and Heels" are more like "Handsome and Heels" for the next month of suits and ties and dresses and fancy food and hotels. Then our lives are back to normal, as well as our bank accounts, our weekends, our gas consumption and diets. Then maybe we can get going on some much needed TLC to the Gardenridge Hollow house, aka my house.