This week was hectic. We did some major spring cleaning, which always feels fantastic. We had a big, exciting photoshoot that will come out in late summer. And then we got a knock on the door from the city that that our house had used 12,000 gallons of water in 4 days. Commence panicking. We ran all over the house checking every room's walls and floors for a sign of a leak. Chris shut off the water and the meter was still running like crazy, which meant the leak was somewhere in an underground pipe. The city shut off our water indefinitely. Right now, it'll be at least two weeks until the can come and dig up our whole front lawn to find the leak and replace the main water line to our house. We're bracing ourselves for a big, fat, unexpected expense. In the meantime, it pays to live next door to my parents as they're so graciously letting us use their water until we get this all sorted out. Chris ran out and got a super long hose and hooked their water into our house's line from their house, so while it doesn't taste very good and the pressure is low, we can still shower and flush the toilet and bathe almost like normal which is keeping our spirits up. We've been drinking and cooking with bottled water. So seeing this photo (above) I took just hours before we found out, with Chris running water and preparing dinner without a care in the world--haha!--it makes me laugh (so I don't cry) now. What a mess.
But on the contrary, here are a few more bright spots in my week:
1. Proved (see above image): Chris's cookbooks on the counter cozy up the entire kitchen. A few favorites include: The Flavor Bible, Simple Thai Food, Martha Stewart's Cooking School, Sourdough, Healing Foods and The Food Lab. (The prettiest is definitely Kinfolk Table, but it's a little "hipster" for Chris. Haha!)
2. This home, in our tiny town suddenly has a for sale sign in the yard. It has always been a favorite--the plot is expansive and is filled with mature Aspens and a large deck with a pergola, but it was a surprise to see the inside (and price!).
3. We started using a new-to-us service called "VidAngel" to watch movies. Have you heard of it? It has help us keep the things Chris and I watch cleaner and the things we watch as a family, appropriate for our girls and I can't recommend it enough! Basically, you purchase any movie or show (even the newest of new releases) for $20, apply your preferred edit settings or no edits at all--they have everything from language, sexual content, violence, etc. and then after you watch the movie, you can sell it back for $19. So essentially, it's $1! It's our new favorite way to watch movies. Last weekend, we watched The Big Short without all the F-bombs and Room and Burnt. For family movie night, we watch Enchanted, which we didn't apply an edits to at all, but you can't beat $1 and never leaving your house. You can check it out right here.
4. We have a home video from when me and my sisters were very little in the 80s dancing around our small apartment living room dancing to this song and it's still one of my all-time favorites. Prince, forever.
5. Anna can already do no wrong in my book, but this closet Rast Ikea Hack will convert anyone to the Anna-train.
6. Love it or List it gets sued and I'm kind of not even surprised (are you!?).
7. I've worn this skirt (above) twice this week already. It's breezy, light, flowy and long--a summer staple! I just love this photo my dear friend, trainer and go-to photographer, @whitneykathleen, captured of me mom-ing it hard. (Plus, this $5 dress on Faye and my favorite, versatile gray linen tee.)
8. Finally! A wildly affordable brass-framed round mirror. (I got one for above the fireplace downstairs!)
9. 2 years ago today.
Have the best weekend ever. Any DIY in your plans?
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I'm so sorry to hear about your water problems, what a pain!!
I'm curious to know which house you like on Zillow? The link just goes to the page listing all the houses.
Oh really? It's the one on 510 S 4th E.
Leaks like that are the stuff of nightmares for me! We've only been home owners for 2 years and I'm totally afraid of that type of thing happening. Yikes! Best wishes!
That Target mirror is unbelievable!!! I ran out and scooped it up (only one of three at my local store) after reading this post. Thanks for the tip! I have a feeling they are going to go fast.
Julia,
I can commiserate with you on this water issue. We had the exact same thing happen at our house 6 months ago! It ended up costing $5K (so painful) and our lawn is still a complete mess due to ripping out grass. They were never even really able to locate where the leak was, they just replaced the whole pipe from the meter on the street to our house. It seem to solve the problem, but was very frustrating and not covered by insurance. Hope you have better luck!
Awesome that your next door to your parents!
And I think I am buying that skirt!
Also, love this style of post!
I can understand censoring movies for kids, but if you are already watching an adult-themed movie that you wouldn't show kids (like Room) I'm curious what is the purpose of censoring it for yourself? As a creative person myself, I want to see movies as it was intended to be seen by the artists who created it. If I anticipate not liking a movie in its original form for whatever reason, I'd just rather not watch it. Just seems silly.
Oh, it's not about not liking a movie, or anticipating not liking a movie. Honestly, as a part of our religion we are advised not to watch rated R movies. So this really allows us to enjoy movies (often the best, Academy Award winning movies of the year!) without the R-rated extras. We thought "The Big Short" was completely amazing and fascinating, even with the F-expletives muted out. It didn't change the movie at all for me. The themes (as in "Room"), characters and story lines all come through still. But, the other cool thing about VidAngel is they don't require or recommend any edits at all. You can sign up, log in and watch The Revenant right now just the way it was made. Or you can add 1 or more of 267 edits available. So, while some people may edit out ALL nudity, some people might just edit out frontals, and some people might choose to only edit out someone's head exploding off. To each their own, I say!
I don't think I can understand this limiting view. Life is "R" rated sometimes... (not "extra"!) and uncensored... and then other forms of art like sculptures, paintings, music, etc. can be R rated... As an adult I couldn't imagine drawing lines all over the place to censor these things from myself.
Life is defintely rated R sometimes. We are just really mindful of what we bring into our home, where we do have that control.
I agree with Julia. Some of us don't want or need to hear the F word tossed around. Movies are just as good without them. And while not Mormon, but definitely Christian, I think it's good to be mindful of what we watch, hear, say, etc. Just like what someone said, to each their own. Life is R rated sometimes, and I agree with that also, but it doesn't mean that I will choose to add more R related things to my life.
Amy- it's a Mormon thing. BYU (a Mormon University) once attempted to censor "Schindler's List" for nudity, and "Amistad" for violence. Steven Spielberg had to ask them to stop.
It's part of the Mormon religion and culture. I don't think you will be able to understand unless you are Mormon.
Ugh, the water. What a bummer! (A bit of a relief that you still have a way to have running water in your home though...)
And thank you thank you for the Target mirror link. I love it and have ordered it. For everything wonderful that Target has in home design, I find it nearly impossible to dig through and find anything good online.
UGH! plumbing woes! i feel your pain there, sister. hang in there...it'll be resolved soon.
and that target mirror is the BEST find! i've been eyeing several more expensive options for my new master bath and just couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger on any of them. i went out and purchased this one at the target around the corner from my office on my lunch break today. thanks for the tip!
Yay!
VidAngel is widely considered to be copy-write infringement. As an artist yourself, I guess I'm surprised you would be promoting them.
Nope! There have been other companies pop up in the past that did get shut down due to copyright infringement, but with VidAngel, you purchase the movie. You own it. And once you own a movie, you're allowed to edit it (or not edit it). Then you can choose to sell it back. :)
You're right... I didn't mean to imply that the legal cases had been decided. It's not technically copyright infringement until a court says it is.
But I guess I was making the larger point- that as an artist, author, and original content creators yourself, on I am surprised you would promote a business that profits from changing the original artists' content (and creative intent) without compensation to the artists.
Didn't want this to be a thing, but just wondered if you were aware. In the age of content sharing, sometimes we forget about the original creator's rights to be fairly compensated.
Oh yes, LOTS of DIYing this weekend. My husband and I are completely renovating an abandoned 1930 bungalow, so every single weekend (and evening, lunch break, etc.) is spent at the house.
Sorry to hear about the water mess! Hang in there, it'll be over before you know it!
Also, I wish I looked that oh-so-stunning and effortless wandering around the house...! Ha!
XO, Oksana
99.9% of the time I'm in gym clothes without a stitch of makeup. Haha. That was definitely satirical.
Julia, you are too sweet girl! Thanks for the love! Now to *finish* that closet...:)
Looks like your dining table disappeared in the photo above! Does this have something to do with the exciting photoshoot you mentioned?
Yup! You can see it next to Faye. Everything's back in place now. :)
DIYing this weekend?? OH YES, we are replacing all of our kitchen tile AND installing a pot filler (the same one you have, I bookmarked it ages ago and now it's really happening)!!!!! Really can't wait :)
Ahh! I'm so excited for you!
p.s. SO SORRY about your water. this is so frustrating. hoping things get resolved VERY soon!
Oh no, sorry to hear about your water woes! At least it wasn't a leak inside your house? I guess that's one positive thing? Still sucks though!
Thanks so much for the Target mirror link -- I've been looking for a large round mirror that didn't cost $100+ and this is perfect! I even had a gift card balance to apply to it. The stars have aligned!
Good luck with the water situation. It's always handy to have family nearby :)
your VidAngel links aren't working
Oops! Forgot the "http". All fixed. :)
Ugh, sorry to hear about the water! I can't believe the city has given you a two week window though! That's insane to expect anyone to go that long without water! Is it possible to call out a private co, since you'll be stuck with a big bill anyways? Perhaps a company that'll use a camera to go in first and have to dig less? Hang in there.
It's actually the private company that gave us the two weeks. Because they leak is happening after the meter, it's all on us to get fixed.
Oh man, I would think they'd be able to get there sooner! What a nightmare, good luck guys!
You are the best! This is why you should have ALL the sponsors lining up- I had officially given up on finding the right mirror for my guest bath earlier this week but instead I saw your post and already ordered my mirror (and of course several other things because who can leave Target with one thing). Happy Friday!
Ugh..What a nightmare about the water. I hope the city turns "indefinitely" into some sort of immediate action.