An A-Door-ing Install

Anyone who has been around this blog for a hot second knows that Wrigley and Bailey are our world. We are currently child-less adults whose lives revolve around two mutts, literally. In Chris's words, "We're DINKS, dude." (Double Income, No Kids)

Wrigley loves basking in the sun and would stay outside all day if we let him (he barks...and we don't want to be the annoying neighbors), but Bailey would rather never have to go outside. She doesn't like getting her feet dirty and hates being hot.

That leads me to my point of needing a doggy door. Wrigley will "talk" to you until you let him out. You let him out and all he does is lay by the back door waiting for Bailey to come out. Then you have to get up and let Bailey out, only to see her by the door five minutes later because she is too hot.

To end this never ending cycle of inside-outside, we decided to get a doggy door.

Saturday we headed to a local surplus store where we bought a new door. Then we headed to Home Depot to buy the biggest doggy door they had. Several hundred dollars later we were back home to install our new door and doggy door and be done with the 1st world problem of having to let your dogs out.

That all was until we realized the door did not match up with our existing door. The only way for it to work was to rip out the entire door frame. After watching a few YouTube videos, we quickly realized we weren't willing to go to that length to get the dogs a door, so we decided to head back to Home Depot to see if they had any other options.

While browsing the door aisle I spotted this storm door with an extra large doggy door already installed. We were sold. We loaded it up, went home, and installed it until dark Saturday night. 

Sunday we went to church then returned everything we had bought the previous day. Although it is not the prettiest door you've ever seen, it has already proven to be the best investment yet. The dogs have had a doggy door before, so it didn't take them long to catch on. It is so nice to wake up and just let them come in and out as they please. We keep them inside all day, then when we get home, we open it up and they can go in and out. Wrigley has almost worn the door out in the four days we've had it!

I am loving not having to get up and let them in and out and they are loving the freedom of going about as they please!

To entice them at first, we bribed them with these Orijen dog treats from Chewy.com. Of course they wanted to go in and out knowing they were going to get a treat! At least the treats are good for them!

Be sure to check out yesterday's post where I showed you our updated front door! Last weekend was all about doors in the Tucker house!

DIY || Painted Front Door

Ever since we moved in to our house last March I have hated our front door. It looked so dingy and the color was somewhere between primer and off-white.

We went to look at doors on Saturday (more on that tomorrow) and didn't see anything worth spending a thousand dollars on, so we opted to just paint it for now. I really want a front door with windows to let in some natural light, but I really want counter-tops more :)

The weather was perfect here in Dallas and I was able to have the door open all day allowing me to paint without having to worry about the house being too hot or too cold. 

Because of our HOA, we are limited on the colors our front door can be, but I love black doors, so that's what we went with. The exact color is Black Suede by Behr. 

I bought exterior paint with a primer, so all I did was lightly sand and clean the door before applying the first coat. I used a brush around whateveryoucallthoserectanglethings and then rolled over the brush strokes with a foam roller. It took three coats and we are in love with the results! 

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

This was our most productive weekend all year and a lot of what we did involved the doors in our house! I can't wait to show you our next project tomorrow!

Happy Monday!

Amazon sells cute clothes?!

1. Did you know Amazon sold clothes? As in CUTE clothes? I was perusing the site the other day and right there on the front page was this adorable dress. After clicking through, I think I've found several Easter dress contenders, as well as wedding season contenders. This one is not too bold, but not too boring. This one just screams me, me, me! And this one is super fun! The reviews are good and with free returns, what's the loss?!

2. Seriously, buy this polish. You can thank me later.

3. Throwing the baseball with Chris is our new nightly ritual. The weather here in Dallas has been so nice lately that we can't help but be outside!

4. Married at First Sight. Let's just talk about this show. Dang U-Verse and it's free shows! Back on a random snow day when I was forced to stay inside, I started scrolling through the free shows and decided to check this one out. Now, I'm hooked! Even Chris is into it now. Out of the three couples that met at the alter, two are still married a year later!

5. All this spring stuff. I want, want, want.

Linking up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci.

WIWW: Jerk + Link Up

Yesterday I wore this outfit to school and within the first five minutes of the kids being in the room I got told:

"Mrs...you trendy."

"Ya'll, don't she look so cool? I want her outfit."

"Mrs. T, you look so..so like..young. You got yo' Chucks on and stuff"

"MRS. T...you look like a JERK!

That is when I gave my signature 'what did you just say' look. The student quickly stopped me and said that jerk stood for:

J - Junior

E - Educated

R - Rich 

K - Kid

The whole class was dying laughing and, I admit, kids do say the darnedest things. And where they come up with these acronyms is beyond me. 

Oh, and did you see the smurf my Dad up there? I blame my lack in personality on him.

Dress - here, here

Converse - here

Now for the link up!

- All I ask is you link back to my blog and link to a specific post.

- Write about something fashion related!

- Instagram @SarahTuckerUp for more outfits and randoms!

Thanks for linking up and to see other WIWW posts, click here.

Linking up with Because Shanna Said So, Get Your Pretty On and The Pleated Poppy.

Spring Sandals || 8 pairs under $100

Clockwise from top left:

1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 

As I have gotten older, my tolerance for uncomfortable shoes has gone out the window. If the shoes I'm wearing hurt my feet, screw looking cute, in the donation pile they go and on to the next.

I used to cheap out on sandals. If they were more than $20 I wasn't buying them. A couple years ago my Mom bought me some sandals that were almost $100. I just about died and wanted her to take them back. That was until I actually wore them and realized how comfy they were. Don't get me wrong, I love Target, but almost all the flats I've bought from there are now in a Goodwill somewhere.

I am so happy that Birkenstocks are making a comeback. I've had my Gizeh pair for seven years now and they are still my most comfortable sandal.

What are your favorite sandals?

Put Down Your Phone

One big thing for Chris and I is that when we are together, we are not on our phones. We never have them out at dinner and make sure they are put away when we are on a date.

Now, when Chris is gone, that's another story. I feel like lately I am on my phone way too much. Maybe I am on it the same amount, but I am just now realizing it, or maybe I've upped my phone in hand game, but either way, I feel like I need to put it down. Between the snow days and Spring Break, being inside has caused me to spend hours scrolling through twitter on the hunt for my next article to read.

What am I reading, you ask? Usually reading articles that I find on Fox News. Chris and I read the news on our phones all the time. It sucks us in!

Going in to this weekend I wanted to really be aware of the time I spent on my phone. I am really proud to report that I feel much better about being able to just put it down. Being on my phone is not a problem until I'm alone.

Friday night we went and saw American Sniper. I don't think I breathed the entire movie. It was so good and I have an even greater amount of respect for all the soldiers out there. In the movie I obviously didn't have my phone out and the only thing I had it out for the rest of the night was to research stuff about the movie. Chris knows that after I watch movies I always dig deeper into set locations, etc. I have no idea why I do this, but I love finding those facts out.

I've also been working on not being on my phone for about an hour before I go to bed. The bright screen keeps me awake and I always have trouble falling asleep. Last week I tried not using my phone for the hour before bed and when I laid my head on that pillow, I crashed!

Saturday we were lazy most of the day. Chris was supposed to go fishing, but it rained so it got pushed back to Sunday. After lounging on the couch most of the day we made it to the gym. It felt good to get our blood pumping and keep on track with our workouts.

Saturday night I went out to Benihana with some of my co-workers. These ladies have become some of my closest friends and I love them dearly. It is so nice to spend time with them outside the classroom. Once again, I didn't have my phone out most of the night, so no pictures!

Sunday Chris got up at 3:00am to go fishing. I slept in and then did stuff around the house all day...after I got some kolaches and donut holes, that is. (I promise I am still doing Whole 30 during the week!) Chris kept sending me pictures of what he was doing so I sent him a picture of my kolache and the dishwasher. Exciting, I tell ya.

Sunday evening Chris and I threw the baseball for awhile and he mowed the lawn. I made ribs in the crock-pot and we just piddled around the house. Every time I thought to just take a break and get on my phone, I found something else to do (see: laundry).

It was a great, phone sorta-free, weekend! Just what I need right before the big state test hits!

Happy Monday!

My Workout Routine: I'm Struggling

I cannot get this picture to turn...

I'm the one wrapped in the blanket. I was pitching during the championship game of a tournament and I got hit in the head by a line drive hit straight back to me. After watching the video, I threw the girl out at first base before I passed out. I ended up getting MVP of the tournament and it is a game I will never forget...at least what I can remember :) #fortheloveofthegame

Growing up I was always active. I played on a year-around traveling softball team from 5th - 12th grade and played every sport in middle school through high school. I was constantly at some sort of practice or game or softball lesson. Sitting around never really happened for me.

Fast forward to college where I played softball. Being active was a requirement and I never worried about having to choose a workout or plan time for it. Practice and workouts were set by our coach and I just followed directions.

That is how my workout life has been since I was little: someone decides the workout and I follow it. I worked out to train for something. I worked out to be better at the sport I was playing. I never worked out just to better my body.

Now, with no team to play on, no coach telling me what to do, and no personal trainer, I am left to come up with my own workouts and I am left to motivate myself. It was always easy to get motivated when I was younger because I was extremely competitive. I wanted to run the fastest and jump the highest. Now, I don't care who runs faster than me, who can lift more than me, or frankly, who has a better body than me. I am married and am confident with what I've got.

Middle school awkward years #25

Then I started to feel crummy. It was like my body was saying, "You've worked out your entire life and now you're going to stop?! Well I'll show you!" Let me say this: I never have worked out to look a certain way. I have always worked out because it was what I was required to do because of the sport I was playing. I never really thought, "Oh, I love working out!" It was just something I did because I love(d) sports!

This has been the hardest transition for me. To go from working out in order to be a better athlete to now workout out for...my body? my health? how I look in a bathing suit?

I'm not sure. To be healthier I guess? I don't aim to lose weight or be a fitness model. I've always been stalky and on the more muscular side, not the long and lean side. I simply workout because it is something I've always done, but I always did it for sports, never for me.

Chris and I have been following Jamie Eason's Live Fit Trainer for a little over a month now and I can see my body changing, but I still think, "Okay, when is the big game coming that I've been training for?! Oh, wait, there is no game..." This has, by far, been the biggest transition for me as far as working out goes.

Most days I miss the competition of playing sports terribly. I hate that I will never play a high school basketball game again, or rally in the dugout with my friends. It pains me to think that I might be that crazy mom in the stands one day, because I always hated those parents. The crazy yelling ones, you know? I've already told Chris how excited I am to coach our kids sports teams. He is equally as excited, but doesn't think as far ahead as I do, hah!

I saw some high school girls in the gym the other day and all I wanted to tell them to cherish this time. They were volleyball players and I was jealous that they still got to play on Friday nights and practice with their best friends. I was jealous that they still had someone coaching them and pushing them to 'leave it all out on the floor.'

During the summers I attend daily workout classes because, once again, I love someone else telling me what to do. It is what I know. I don't want to think about what I have to do next. Just yell and me and tell em I'm not going to die, tell me I'm not pushing it hard enough, and I will do it.

All-in-all, I am blessed to be able to workout. I am blessed to have been an athlete my whole life and sustained only minor injuries. I am blessed to have married someone who, when we are in the gym together, pushes me like a coach. I guess what I'm training for now is not a game, but instead for this next chapter in my life, whatever that may hold.

WIWW: Blog Famous + Link Up

And a blooper:

Blogging is so funny. When I started blogging a couple years ago I had no intentions of...well anything really. I did it to keep my Mom from calling me every five minutes to see how life was. It still sort of makes me cringe inside when people talk about my blog in front of me. Yes I am 100% authentic on here, but it still is a little strange.

Plus, if you're like me, you never expect someone to recognize you while out in public. My blog isn't that popular, so I go on about my business like a normal, non-famous blogger should.

That isn't the case for my husband or brother. You see, they don't have blogs, but both have been recognized from my blog. They are blog famous, hahha!

The first occurrence came when a local blogger saw Chris at some basketball courts. This field house has tons of courts and that is where her son plays and where Chris plays for his work's team. She contacted me and said she thought she saw Chris and I confirmed that, indeed, she has spotted the beast. Hi, Kristel!

My brother, who lives down in the Texas Hill Country, is a sports radio broadcaster for a local station down there. He calls me up one day, dying laughing and sounding like he has the craziest news ever and says, "You will never believe what just happened. Okay, so I am setting up my equipment to broadcast this game and this girl comes up to me and asks if I am Sarah Tucker's brother. She said she loves you and follows your blog and that she recognized me from your pictures." I asked him what she looked like and what her name was, but in true male fashion, he couldn't recall anything, so, to whomever you were, hello!

Then, just last night, Chris calls me on his way from work and says that he was talking to a girl at his work today (she works in a totally different department, so he has never officially met her) and she said, "I think I follow your wife on instagram..." After some chit-chatting it was confirmed that she does follow me and recognized Chris from my pictures. Hi, Claudia!

After these sightings, I think it is safe to say that the real stars of the show here are these two men. Them - 3. Me - 0.

Now for the link up!

- All I ask is you link back to my blog and link to a specific post.

- Write about something fashion related!

- Instagram @SarahTuckerUp for more outfits and randoms!

Thanks for linking up and to see other WIWW posts, click here.

Linking up with Because Shanna Said So, Get Your Pretty On and The Pleated Poppy.