Bathroom decor ideas...

As we get closer to our move to Madison (we've been staying with my parents in Columbus, OH for the past few weeks), I'm exploring more paint colors and making some tentative choices for decor. If you've been following my blog, you probably already
know that Joe picked out our new apartment, and that I have not seen it. I will not be seeing the place until move-in day, eek!

I have photos of several rooms, but I don't have any of the bathroom. Joe tells me that it's "just a bathroom," and that there really isn't anything memorable about it. I have no idea what the fixtures look like, what type of flooring is there, or even how much space we will have. He thinks that the sink, toilet, and shower are white (I'm hoping). In spite of my lack of information about the space, I've been looking at some various ideas for the decor.

The paint color I am leaning toward is a Benjamin Moore paint called "Silver half dollar." Check it out here. It is a soft silvery gray that I think will be soothing and neutral.

To the right is the shower curtain I've selected. Joe loves sticks as decoration, so he immediately agreed to this choice :)

I'm thinking of placing a small fern in a dark pot on the top of the toilet tank.

At the moment, we have towels in a light blue and a light green, which I think will work with these items. I would add some succulents if there is space (I think there is a radiator in there, if so, I would build a shelf on top of it and place a few there). I'd love to hear your opinions about the choices! Any additional ideas would be welcomed, as always!

Settling in, kind of

After a couple of days that were heavy on the driving, we made it to Columbus last Friday. We've been settling in to our temporary space and relaxing, enjoying living with mom and dad and letting them take care of most of the daily chores ;) We are also adjusting to the weather, which has been alternately hot and muggy, then stormy and dreary.... Where is the 74* weather with the lovely ocean breeze to which we are accustomed??

I spent the day yesterday completing my application for taking the License in Clinical Social Work (LCSW) exam and ordering test prep materials, which will occupy my time for awhile while I am here. Joe started his internship today, so I am looking forward to hearing how things went.

I was thinking of heading to the Pearl Street farmer's market today to compare my beloved Torrance market to that of Ohio in summertime. However, it is looking a little dreary outside again today, Joe has the car, and Mom is off doing what she does. I will have to decide if biking is worth the risk...

road trip!

We spent the first night of our road trip in Las Vegas, where we watched a little fireworks show, had a nice dinner, and played some penny slots. Then, on to Zion National Park where we hiked the Emerald Pools trail and visited the Weeping rock.

We heard rave reviews about hiking the Narrows, so we decided to be spontaneous and got ourselves a camp site for the night. We got up Tuesday morning and headed to the trailhead. This amazing hike starts with an easy, paved trail along the Virgin River. At the end of the paved trail, the river literally becomes the trail. There were some small sections of high ground, but for the most part we were wading through the water. It was a little cold at first, but we quickly forgot about the water temperature and easily pressed on, stepping on rocks and splashing through rapids wih the help of sturdy wood walking sticks. The hike led us through areas if towering cliffs carved out and worn smooth over thousands of years by the river. It was probably the most interesting and impressive hike we have yet done. We were so glad we decided to stay the night and did the hike.

We ended the day with a quick but stunning visit to Bryce Canyon National Park and a long drive to Grand Junction, Colorado.

At the moment, we are heading to Denver for a Rockies game and a short visit with some friends in Colorado Springs. More to follow!

final farewell to socal...

After a beautiful farewell beach party yesterday, we finally finished packing, had lunch with Darin and Nikki, and hit the road out of town. We will miss the California weather, the leisurely beach days, amd most importantly, the people we've come to know and love. Change is tough for both of us, and it's been a crazy amount of work getting everything in order for the move. I think, though, that we are ready to turn the page to the next life adventure. To Madison we go!

Too bold?

As I prepare for the big move, I have been perusing design blogs, books and magazines for ideas on decorating the new place. I found this picture, and I love the paint color for my new kitchen. Joe seems to think it's a bit bold... of course.

(Photo source: Apartment Therapy)

I have small appliances, tools, and accessories in red, butter yellow, and a very similar teal-blue. As seen in the previous post, the kitchen floor is similar to that pictured here, and I will have white cabinets. The pantry cabinets have panels that will need a new coat of paint, and I am considering painting these with a black chalkboard paint. Thoughts? Please share!

It's official

So I've put in my notice at work and am now able to officially discuss the Hagma move to Madison! We have decided that Joe will be returning to school to pursue his MBA at the University of Wisconsin. But first, we will be spending about a month in Columbus with my parents, while Joe participates in an internship with a medical device startup company. The plan is to arrive in Madison on August 15th, when we will be moving into an adorable 2 bedroom apartment. I had to give up a lot of control over where we would be living, since I was not able to join Joe in the search for our new nest. Joe did an awesome job taking detailed measurements and pictures of each place as best he could. These are the photos from which I am planning our new space:


The adorable kitchen; I love the floor and all of the bright light!


I'm really excited about this pantry space.



The living room, currently occupied by college student furniture. Ignore the mismatched furniture, and focus instead on the beautiful woodwork around the windows.




Master bedroom...



My closet (Joe has volunteered to take the one in the 2nd bedroom, which will serve as his office space.



Three-season porch, which leads out onto the deck. I am really excited to set up this outdoor space. We will have to use part of it to store athletic equipment, tools, etc., since we will no longer have a garage; but I think it will be a nice space to set up a little seating area. We will definitely want to create a dining area on the deck for summertime, as well as a little container garden for herbs, veggies, and a few flowers. Fortunately, we are on the top floor and it looks like it is pretty private (of course, Joe doesn't remember what is behind the house, but I see trees in the picture).

This is also the first apartment I've lived in that I am allowed to paint. I am getting really excited to choose paint colors and enhance this space to our tastes. What are your color suggestions?

Rest in Peace, Nana

My Nana, Dorothy Hagen, passed away yesterday after a long, faith filled life.

Nana, we will miss your unfaltering, unconditional love and your sloppy lip kisses. After 14 years, you can finally join Papa in heaven.

This is a photo of Nana's engagement ring, in it's original box, taken on our wedding day. I wore the ring on my right hand to honor Nana, who was not able to travel to our wedding.