Tim's Combat Shoot

Soldiers from Camp Ashland took home the most awards!

A closer look at their winnings! :)
Tim's team took 1st Place in the Combat Assault Competition!

Just another day at the "office," as Tim would say!

Shooting their targets

The Army version of "shade" on a 102 degree day!

Dinner at Ryan's Bistro!

Mom & Dad

My brother & I
Dinner at Ryan's Bistro was so yummy! I highly recommend it! I ordered chicken and it had a yummy artichoke/pesto sauce on top, my dad had a scampi pasta, mom had a filet pasta and Jonny had ahi tuna salad! If you go on a weekend, you will need a reservation b/c it's a busy spot and it's pretty small inside. If you're looking for a good place for dinner and haven't been, this is a good choice! :)

P.S. Please make sure I get the "wear a bright-colored shirt" memo next time! ;)

Weekend... are you here yet?!

Although this weekend will be a short one (with only Sunday off) I am anxious for it to come! Tim actually got a phone call yesterday, he was asked to do a "combat shoot" this weekend in Hastings. He said they will be shooting rifles and machine guns which he seemed to be thrilled about!

While Tim is shooting guns, I think Wilson and I will take a trip to the lake. Saturday night my parents are coming to town and we're going to Ryan's Bistro which I am super excited about! It's a newer restaurant that everyone has been giving great reviews so I am anxious to try it out!

Last week, my mom and dad spent a day preparing 80 bags (yes, 80 bags) of sweetcorn to freeze!!! I'm so excited to get some so we can enjoy dad's tasty corn throughout the year. Yum, Yum!

Enjoy the sunshine and have a fabulous weekend everyone!

Inspiring Photos!

I just thought I'd share some fun, inspiring (to me) ideas that I have found online and collected over time. Obviously, one thing I am very passionate about is design! It's one thing I love to research when I have down time. Thought I'd share some ideas with you... Enjoy!

I never met a stripe I didn't like!




Love, Love, Love window seats!I want to be in this outdoor space right now! :)

I heart this bedroom!

Painted brick fireplace... LOVE it!

Cutest folding chairs I have ever seen!

Houndstooth... one of my faves!

These bold chairs make a statement!

Best Friends and BBQ's!

Traeton, our nephew (below)

Huston (nephew) cruisin' on his Big Wheel!
Addy (niece) offering jellybeans that taste like earwax,
skunk spray, and dirt! Hmmm, no thanks but I'm sure Uncle Tim would love one!

More of those tasty jelly beans!

This made me a little nervous, but the boys couldn't get enough of it!

Tim, June and Jaxon

It was another fun-filled weekend for us! We made the trip to Lincoln on Sunday for a BBQ at Tim's dad and step-mom's house. They have a pool which is always nice on hot, sunny, summer days!

On Monday and Tuesday, my best friend Elizabeth was in town from Chicago and stayed with us! We had so much fun together, as always. We packed so much into the day yesterday! We started the day out right with a starbucks, got pedicures, visited her grandma, stopped to check out the showhouse project, had fondue at the melting pot, went to the movie The Ugly Truth and even managed to fit in some shopping!! Whew, it was a fun day!!! If I could only talk her into moving back. I miss her so much!

Can you believe it's already time for sweetcorn!?! My dad sent some home with us and I can't wait to have my first taste of the season! His corn is the BEST! Have a great week everyone!

Welcome Home Tim!

Awww... reunited at last! :)

I think Wilson forgot to breathe for the first 5 min. upon seeing Tim!

Mail, mail, mail!

Wilson's new pillow bed!

It has been a long time coming, Tim is finally home! He's super excited to be back. He has lots of stories and lots to be thankful for (after sleeping outside for 2 weeks in a sleeping bag)! He said you don't realize the things you take for granted until they're taken away from you. Wilson and I are excited he's finally home. :)

Running Market to Market!

In October I will be running from The Old Market in Omaha to the Haymarket in Lincoln! There will be a team of 6 of us that run it relay-style. The girls I am running with are from Laurel and did the run last year, but this year is a first for me. :) I am very excited, I think it sounds like a lot of fun!

What a great weekend!

Such a happy boy at the lake! (above)

Chewing on sticks, my favorite thing!

Still chewing...

Yum, that stick tastes so good!

It doesn't get much better than this weather-wise! I'll go for 70's/no humidity in July anytime. :) It was a fun and relaxing weekend. Wilson and I spent most of it at the lake of course! On Friday night we celebrated my cousin Kim's birthday at The Melting Pot. We had so much fun doing fondue! If you haven't been, I suggest you go! It's a great place especially for a "girls night out." In Omaha, it's located at Village Pointe, here's the website... http://www.meltingpot.com/

Wilson and I ran Lake Zorinsky twice this weekend. While running, I met a fun group of girls that are training for the Kansas City Marathon in October. I would like to start running with them more regularly and possibly train for the half marathon (13.1 mi). I run quite a bit recreationally, but I think having a group of girls to run with will be more motivating to help train for a half marathon. I am excited!

We're now in the home-stretch, Tim gets home Saturday!!! It has been almost 2 weeks since we've been able to talk on the phone. I did get a letter though and he said they're camping and doing some pretty rigorous testing. He took the last required test to become an officer and passed so he was pretty excited! I'm hoping this week goes fast because I'm anxious for Saturday!

Have a good week everyone!

Designer Showhouse Website!

I have had many people asking lately about the progress of the showhouse I (along with other local designers) am working on. I thought I would share this website, it will give you a little insight to the designers showhouse. Mark it on your calendars! Hope to see you all there!
http://www.omahadesignershowhouse.com/

Catching Up!

A college Friend, Jen's wedding (above)

Tim's big catch at the lake! (above)

Liz and I in Chicago at the top of the John Hancock Bldg. (above)

My Cousin Jeff and his wife Emily (above)

Oh boy, where do I even start?!? What a summer it has been so far! Might as well jump right in, lets start with something fun...

There's no better way to begin the summer than w/a trip to Chicago to visit my best friend, Elizabeth! We had so much fun! We went to Navy Pier, ate at some great places and of course shopped our little hearts out. :) Plus, I got to see their first new home, it was beautiful. We had a blast, as always!

Tim left for Army Officer School on May 28th. He is in Fort Meade, SD for 8 weeks until he completes the program. I am excited for him! He seems to be doing well, but is definitely ready to be back home! He gets back July 25th, which can't come soon enough! He will graduate from the Officer Program on August 22nd, and upon graduation will be a Second Lieutenant in the Army. This will not be a full time job for him, as he is in the reserves.

While Tim is gone, my "little" brother Jon has been staying with me! He has been a huge help (especially with Wilson). Plus, it's just nice to have him around. He is working as a personal trainer for Optimum Fitness. He does boot camps, personal training, and also works with employees of companies like First National Bank and Mutual of Omaha doing training in their corporate gyms. He seems to be enjoying his time in Omaha! :)

Work has been very busy. We were named the 30th largest builder in the country by Big Builder Magazine! Last year alone we had 1,290 closings which is an exciting accomplishment! We're still plugging away too, things have not slowed down one bit! I still LOVE my job, but vacations are nice too! ;)

The Designers Showhouse is coming right along. Our walls are up and we have ordered plumbing fixtures, lighting and fabric! It's still on schedule to be completed mid-September. More details to come...

Otherwise if there's not a wedding, baby shower, bridal shower or jewelry party going on than you can find me and Wilson at the lake! :) We've been spending as much free time there as possible! Wilson is set to compete in the olympic swim trials coming to Omaha in 2012! ;) Watch out Michael Phelps! haha!

I hope this blog post finds everyone happy and healthy and having a wonderful summer! I will try to update as often as I can! Happy, Happy Summer!!!

Showhouse "pre tour"

Taking a little nap...

I know it seems like a big sacrifice (especially for me), but I have decided the blog needs to take a little nap while I do a little "spring cleaning for the soul."
So thank you for listening to myself when I ramble on about boring things. And for leaving awesome comments that show you care. And, mostly, for letting me share all these silly things that make me happy. So thank you.
Updating this site is one of my favorite things to do and I certainly love to share all of my pictures and resources. I hope you all understand and I hope you all will come back and visit when I start blogging again! :) Happy Spring! Much Love, Katie

On a roll...

As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, things have really picked up for us at work! The first time homebuyer tax credit has been HUGE for HearthStone! It's all great, but can be a little overwhelming and stressful at times. It seems the rush just came overnight and was almost unexpected. But the great thing is we sold 61 homes last month and are on track to sell over 100 homes in April! My work days are fully booked with buyer appointments which is my favorite part of my job! It's so fun to work with all kinds of different people and to help them create a place they will call "home!"