New Blog, Same Name

I had once loved blogging! All of a sudden, one day it became a chore. (Don't worry readers, it wasn't you. It was me!)  My heart wasn’t into writing about home decorations and vintage. I didn't really have it in me redecorate any more. It became overwhelming! Just when I felt like I FINALLY got everything in the house back in order THEN...it was a new season, holiday or just time for a blog. I redecorated the same rooms, walls, and shelves (over and over again). It didn't help that I took and edited all my pictures. I added more stress then necessary. I took the fun out of it!

At this time it wasn't just my interests that were changing, my life was changing. (I had NO idea how much my life would change).

2014: I was so lost in life and everyday BS.  I had "lost my drummer" and had "no beat". I realized, I was no longer dancing in the chip aisle to Britney Spears. I wasn’t even hearing the music play, I was just rushing in and out. I was in a hurry to go nowhere.

Late 2014-2015: If someone would have given me a crystal ball and said, “CoCo, this is your future." I would’ve laughed. I would've laughed so hard that I would snort, tear up and finally choke on air. When my side stopped hurting from laughing, I would’ve said, “Good one! Seriously, I want to see my future.”

People have always heard me say...(Insert year) is going to be MY year. When I said it about 2015, I meant it. I owned 2015 and made it mine. (Planning on doing the same with #sweet16)

  I obviously can't share all of it in one blog! You'll have to keep reading (and I will keep writing).

Today: I'm in love with my life everyday! I went from an office to a classroom, adults to children. My co-workers inspire me. I'm currently learning from the best of the best. I work with kids that make sure I don’t forget how simply awesome life can be. Kids that make me laugh and most importantly remind me not to take life so seriously. (Which will be a big part of some future blogs)

AG is going to take a new direction, just like life has.

I had plans to start a whole new blog. I changed my Instagram name and even did one post on a new blog. I thought, since I have so much new, my blog should be new too. I wanted to share my "now story". 

ONE PROBLEM: I still love Almost Gemini. I can't quit AG. I love what we do, did and will be doing. I was putting so much thought into it. Dare I say over thinking it? I DARE!!! SIR-PRIZE!

I'm not saying we won't update you on our house, home decor, and we still have ALOT of vintage! You need to see all the work we've done to the house. New flooring, painting the ENTIRE house (we hired people for both), painted our kitchen cabinets (we did that), and new kitchen appliances coming soon! The house looks AH-MAZE-ING!

In the last 19 months, I've filled two full journals of the fun, joy and everything in between. I’ve been plotting my writing return. (Working on my third one)

We will eventually catch you up with all the happenings. How I'm transitioning into teaching, how Sis has redecorated the house since all the new goodness. (It really looks BE-A-U-TIFUL) and we will still throw in some vintage goodness. 

"Be in love with your life. Every minute of it." -Jack Kerouac

I hope you all continue to read our new story. Most importantly, I hope I continue to write it. I'm so funny! 

Smooches! 

AG

Woe is me! How long has it been?

Where has the time gone? I started to write this blog to celebrate Mama's Birthday (May 17) and now I'm just getting around to finishing it.

First, Mama blog..then we can discuss where we will be in June and July!


Celebrate Your Mom, Come ON!

Well that's not what they REALLLLLY sang (Yeah-hoo)! We at AG get a week Month of Mama. Her birthday and Mother's Day are always a week apart but we always celebrate them separately and for at least a month (give or take)!

I love this picture (not sure Mama will). It's a sweet kiss between Mama and Sissy. I might look like I'm six months old but I just got home from the hospital! #BIGBABY


This isn't the first time I have written about my Mama  Mother. I have no recollection of EVER calling my mom "Mother" but in second grade, I wrote a book about "Mother".

SIDENOTE: The drawing of "mother" and I might be my one great masterpiece! We all know sis is the artist!

ANYWHOOOOOOO!

This is what I wrote:
We read the News Paper.
Me and My Mother watch T.V. We watch cartoons. (Days of Our Lives)
We read books.
We look at picture books. (I'm not sure if it means photo albums or magazines but we looked at both).
We play cards.
We cook together.
We play dolls.
We do the wash. (I think that meant I watch mom do the laundry)
THE END

Each page had its own picture and it was laminated and bonded! Kinda a big deal! Just sayin'!

Mama isn't a fan of this birthday! I was thinking that The Dadster would surprise us all with a trip to Australia. Instead he took her to the casinos and wineries in Kentucky and Ohio. Same diff, only we weren't invited and its not Australia!

OBIVOUSLY, I can't tell you the reason it has taken me so long to blog is because I didn't get wifi in the outback. THANKS DADSTER! I have just been a busy bee. (Busy doing nothing). I read my first book since I left FL in January! YEAH

We also have been busting our buns working on our next market. One of our favorites Restyled barn sale!

We have "new" items that we have been saving for this sale! Come  early and come often!
FYI: WE WILL BE IN THE BARN THIS YEAR! MAKE SURE TO LOOK FOR US THERE!

In July we are back in Tipton, IN for Horton's of Tipton french flea market. Another one of our favorites. (I know I say that but I mean it.)

So mark both of those dates on your calendars! Once again, I'm going to promise to try and be a better blogger! It just seems like time flies when you are having fun!

My mom made me think I was gorgeous. When I was younger she was like, 'Look at you! You're an angel. You sparkle!' And I was like, 'I do!' You believe your parents. ~Amy Schumer AG

A Family That Laughs Together...

Most likely just saw the ever HI-LARRY-OUS Matt Holt live!

The U family took a trip to Broad Ripple and Cracker's Comedy Club.  I know you're thinking! It's only 10 miles away. EVERYTHING the U family does is a trip/adventure. Just have to call a spade a spade! 

Bless The Dadster's pea pickin' heart but he almost killed us at least four times on the way there. He isn't used to driving in the "big city".

 I'm sure these two "backseat drivers" didn't help his cause. #dadsterdrivingselfie 

Good news….we made it there alive and EARLY! Whoot Whoot. There were three comics at Crackers that night. In order of appearance:

First up was Jeff Vibbert. What an A-DOOR-ABLE  and charming 13 23 year old. He was (as Mama put it) a "clean" comic. He was truly funny without the cuss words. His stories were so funny and yet somehow, I'm sure they were totally true! 

Sporting this mustache type thing, makes him look beyond his years! My sincerest apologies to Mr. Vibbert but there wasn't a lot on the Internet to steal borrow.  He is up and coming so, give it time and your news feed will be blowing up with his name! 

Up next was not so clean comic Ben Moore. What to say about him? Ahhhhhh. Ummmmmm. Yeah, I think this guys says it best. 

FYI…This isn't Ben. I don't know who it is. 

Last but certainly NOT least is funny guy and friend, Matt Holt. My dearest readers, I'm admitting right here, right now,  the entire U family are now officially Holtamanics! 

I did pre-warn Mama that Matt uses "adult" language in his act. Mama isn't a fan of sailor talk but she was prepared for a "f bomb" or two. 

SIDENOTE: For some reason, I decided I needed to know where the term "cuss like a sailor" came from.  I didn't really get the answer I was looking for. The best I could come up with was someone called "Peace and Love" on Yahoo answers. I'm going to go ahead and take her answer as "fact". I do enjoy some peace and some love. PL says: Back in the day, sailors were often uneducated and could be somewhat dangerous or barbaric. Now, sailors are just any other person with a job, but the expression comes from all those "uncivilized" sailors that had potty mouths.

Kinda thought that would be more exciting! ANYWHOOOOOOO! 

The "f" word didn't stop Mama from laughing, LOUDLY! The Dadster did his chuckle that we love so much and Sissy snorted a couple times. Of course, I have a dainty and polite laugh..nay giggle. 

Not only was his set funny, he ended with a really cool and motivational story. Mama thought it was awesome and made a note to be more motivated and live her dreams…the next day when she woke up. It was late and she had been working in the yard all day.  

If you don't live in Indiana, no worries. The dude travels EVERYWHERE spreading laughter and joy. (to much?) ha 

Click here to enjoy a video of him I found on YouTube. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.

holtcomedy @holtcomedy · Jesus was a Carpenter, but he didn't write any of their big hits. #rainydaysandmondays-

How Do I Love thee?

Let Me Count the Grays...

Mama and I are still singing "Hallllllll-laaaaaaa-lu-ya, Coco's room is done". It's AH-MAZE-ING. You know from my "Spring is Clean" blog, I've been drooooooling over laminate flooring. DROOLING! We did it! Mama and I grabbed our construction wine glasses and got to work.

First day, was mostly prep work. We touched up the paint on ceiling, painted my baseboards, and joyfully ripped the carpet out. We were drinking in great spirits, so optimism was at an all time high! 

Once we got our trusty "box knife for like carpet" aka a carpet knife, we had no trouble ripping that up! Now being "newbies" to the home remodeling/construction thing, getting an actually carpet knife, change our lives! 




SIDENOTE: Mama and I went total redneck on the carpet. After we ripped it up, we took out the screen and tossed it right out the second story window. Since looks can't actually kill (and we did NOT make a bonfire out of the old carpet) no one was harmed during this process. 

AHHHWHOOO…about a week later AND….

A little before…A little after! 

Now everyone sing-a-long…ISN'T SHE LOVELY! ISN'T SHE BEAUTIFUL!  We did it! We WILL NOT being doing it again!  We didn't just do the flooring, we re-did the ENTIRE ROOM! 

Mama got these wire garden trellis at an estate sale for $5. We spray painted them gray (#1). I think they look pretty awesome! We also got the bedspread (gray #2) at sale for $5 (plus dry cleaning costs). I hate how wrinkled my pillows look but I couldn't bring myself to iron them. 

The dresser is mine from my nursery so its….29(ish) years young?! We painted it gray (#3). I love the frame we picked up at The Southside Vintage Marketplace. I already had the silver "C" and candlesticks. Is silver gray? Remind me to "google" that. 

OH don't you love my vintage hamper (on the right) and bright blue TV stand? I DO! 

Close up time:

This blue makes me smile ear to ear

I had to have an owl in my room SOMEWHERE! 

To top off my gray (#4), I got this night stand for the low price of FREE! Painted the handles the electric blue and I LOVES IT! 

I love, love, love, my "new" room. It's clean, it's fresh, it's four shades of gray! 

I wish I could say the trials and tribulation of all this has put a damper on my need remodel. It didn't. Next stop? My bathroom! 

Still being a little obsessed with BuildDirect, I had to go and look at their tile samples! I'm thinking subway tiles for my bathroom!? It might be a little to soon…but Mama don't you love this look? Should we try it?

BuildDirect

The road to success is always under construction.
Lilly Tomlin

AG

Hooiser Hysteria

Hoo·sier

ˈho͞oZHər/

ynoun

1. 1.

   a native or inhabitant of Indiana.

   
   

Hooiser Hysteria is the state of excitement surrounding basketball in Indiana. Every year Indiana residents experience "Hooiser Hysteria". Indiana is  known for producing AH-MAZE-ING basketball players. It might just be in our blood. 

Sadly, this year Indiana wasn't represented in NCAA's basketball tournament. That hasn't stopped us Hooisers from filling out our brackets or cheering on Kentucky and Michigan (if we chose them in our brackets). 

We at Almost Gemini wanted to keep the Indiana spirit alive. 

This is our Indiana wall of fame! Indiana designs by Indiana friends! 

Sis and I met the VERY talented Lindsay Clark at last year's ReStyled Barn Sale. She is the AH-MAZE-ING artist behind Seven Lemons. When we saw this particle piece of art we already had the "Indiana wall" idea in our heads and knew this would be PERFECT! 

"This is HOME". Indiana is our home and this print by United State of Indiana made my heart smile! Of course this frame came of our warehouse but it fit perfectly! Make sure to also check out their website. You MUST check out their t-shirts. They are the softest, cuddliest, shirts! LOVE THEM! 

"The Crossroads of America" is from our darling friend Kris's store. Kris is the owner and master mind behind The Inventorialist. Make sure to check out the store located at 715 Dorman Street, Indianapolis, Indiana. The Inventorialist is open Thursday-Saturday 11-7 and Sundays 12-5. 

We might not be seeing many flowers yet this spring but we do love our license plates flower. We bought it from our friends at Robb Restyle at last years Hobknob Market. Fingers crossed they will be there with us again in May. 

Sis and I added license plates from the year we were born…..

TAAAAAAAA DAAAA! That is how we roll decorated our Indiana wall. We love it so much, we might just keep it for bit. MIGHT! 

I don't think I have ever been out of control.- Former Indiana University basketball coach Bobby Knight 

I don't think I have either Coach Knight!

AG