BABY ITS COLD OUTSIDE

Happy New Years my friends! Today is the first Monday back and I am sure we can all agree we are over today already. New Years is a time we set goals for ourselves and become more hopeful as we don’t know what the New Year will have in store for us.

I have made a few goals that I hope to accomplish. One, I would like to learn Spanish. About 6 months ago I purchased Rosetta Stone and tried it for a few weeks and then stopped. So I just need to get back into the swing of things. Secondly, I want need to work with Milo more. I am the mom that lets Milo do whatever. On a daily basis I hear from my mom, “Laura, who is in control?” Obviously not me as Milo is jumping from couch to couch with mud all over his paws. Once I work with Milo for a few months I would then like to find out more information on dog competitions and possibly enter Milo into one. The thing I love about German Shepherds is they really do love to learn. So when I do work with Milo I know he enjoys it. Lastly, I am doing the classic New Years resolution of eating better.

COZY UP BY A FIRE

What sounds better than to start the New Year off with coffee, Netflix, and a fire. Steve Hawkins is known for his stone fireplaces. Walk into any spec or model home and your eyes will go straight to the stone fireplace. Most customers tend to bring the exterior stone inside. I think it is great. My personal favorite is just the simple white mantle fireplace.

ACCESSORIZE

When building your fireplace think ahead and figure out if you will be hanging your TV/clock/lights or anything with a plug above it. If so, you will need to tell your electrician so they can wire a plug for you. Once your fireplace is built it is pricey to go back in and rewire for a plug. So it is best to know from the start.

People also love to accessorize their fireplaces with barn beams. I absolutely adore these. This makes your fireplace have a rustic feel to it. Whether the beam is dark brown or light brown, it will look great.

Raised mantles are also an option. People choose this type of fireplace so they can sit close to the fire. This type of fireplace is great for Christmas as you can literally sit next to a fire. However, this year Christmas was a little warm so sitting by a fire would of been miserable. That is Texas weather for you though. Happy winter days to you all!