I have news.
Big news. Exciting news.
News that deserves between one and seven exclamation marks, not all these periods I keep using. Just getting you ready for the exclamation mark onslaught. Okay, ready?
Next week!
Better Homes and Gardens!!
(the *MAGAZINE*)
Is coming here to my very house!!!
And they are going to take a photograph!!!!
And they are going to print that photograph!!!!!
(In their *MAGAZINE!*)
THUMP. <-- that is the sound of me keeling over and passing out from the excitement of typing those words. So here's the sitch. Last week, they emailed me and said they were thinking about maybe possibly using my laundry room in an upcoming issue and it’s all still up in the air and there’s certainly no need to go freaking out at this point.
Naturally, the freaking out began that very second, but I had to keep it to myself. Mostly. I may have accidentally gushed, but only to people who specifically asked about it by asking me things like: “Hey, how’s it going?”
The next day, I left for vacation for a few days and spend the entire long weekend in an active state of trying to keep my hopes in check. Do not get hopes up. Do not get hopes up. Do not get hopes up.
The day after I got back from vacation, they emailed me again and said it was ON (omg) and could they come here in about two weeks and take a photo of me in my laundry room?
This is how I initially read that sentence in the email:
“We’d like to come photograph your laundry room.”
Then, I came back and read it again and realized it said this:
“We’d like to come photograph YOU IN your laundry room.”
Then I spit out whatever I was eating and ran straight to the treadmill. Not really. That’s what I wanted to have done, but I had just eaten everything in sight on vacation and it’s already too far gone. That last five pounds of baby weight is getting its print debut! Bring on the chocolate!
So here’s what you’re probably thinking: “That’s cool and all, but really? There are so many more beautiful rooms in blogland. For example, every other blog.”
This is my response to that: I KNOW. I keep thinking they’re going to email me back and say they made some huge mistake. I still don’t believe it, and I understand your skepticism. I haven’t ruled out the possibility that I’m getting punked.
But just in case…
Here, obviously, are my priorities:
- Find something to wear.
(That’s the end of the list.)
I chatted with the photo stylist a bit about what to wear and she said, “You don’t have to go shopping or anything. Just pull a few options out of your closet and have them ready.”
PSSSSH. Yeah freakin’ RIGHT. I’m going SHOPPING! First thing I did was get ahold of my stylish friend Andrea who blogs about fashion at For the Love Of, and to my surprise and delight, she pulled together a style board for me: What to Wear When You’re in a Magazine Shoot.
I’m on it. Just need to find time to actually do the shopping.
And get a haircut.
And do something about makeup.
And clean. (Yikes!)
I don’t know what to do with myself. There’s so much preparation to do that my response so far has been to do nothing, except occasionally eat another bite of valentine’s day chocolate.
In all honesty, between you and me, I pray for the blog. A lot. I pray that it’ll bless you guys and that I won’t mess it up too much. And I pray that God will do cool things with it.
But I never never ever ever expected THIS. And maybe it’s not a big deal to you and you’re rolling your eyes at what a big deal I’m making, but yall: I have no business being in a magazine. I am NOT chill about this, like some bloggers who drop it in a sentence in the middle of a post like “Oh BTW? Got a quick mag shoot tomorrow. Almost forgot.” I am in full-on over-excited, super-hyped-up, never-sleeping-again mode.
And so so SO thankful and humbled.
So if it’s alright with you, I’d like to keep you guys posted. I want to take some behind-the-scenes photos while they’re here and show you what the whole process is like. If you’re allergic to exclamation marks, you’ll probably need to tread carefully for a bit.
Hi, I'm Kelly. Glad you're here! This little blog is where I chronicle our efforts to fix up our beaten-down home on a tiny budget. We're not there yet, but here's a peek at the view along the way...
All I can say is: you deserve it. 🙂 And EEEK CONGRATS!!!!!!! (no exclamation point phobia here!)
Amazing!!!! Not because it shouldn’t be you, but because it’s AWESOME. Exclamation point!!!!!!
i am so happy for you! i can’t wait to get my picture taken in THE laundry room this june! 🙂
I know exactly how you feel. I think it IS a big deal and it’s super exciting. So glad you are enjoying the process. It is so interesting to see the process. CONGRATULATIONS!
Omg, I’m hyperventilating. This is SO EXCITING!! Congrats! Can’t wait to hear every detail.
AHH!!!! How exciting! I went over and checked out the style board that she whipped up for you and. I. Love. It. You’re going to look awesome in your awesome laundry room! And I am subscribed to the BHG print magazine so I can’t wait to see you in it! You deserve it! Congrats! 🙂
ooh! I’m so excited for you!!! And you and your laundry room totally deserve it :). and, yeah, if someone told me I was going to be in a magazine I’d be like, “umm….are maternity jeans okay?” But I know you’re going to find something perfect!
AHHHH! So exciting! You better believe I’ll be running to the store the morning your issue comes out. I wonder if they’ll have you pose taking clothes out of your dryer or attempting to get a stain out of a piece of clothing.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Too many? Nah…
How exciting 🙂 I am so happy for you!
Kelly!!! I am SO excited for you! That is HUGE!!!! And honestly well deserved. Congratulations! Can’t wait to see!!!
HOLY MOLY! That is BEYOND amazing!!!!!
AHHHH! OMG!!! Kelly this is so amazing and exciting! I’m so happy for you! 😀
Whoa! This is humongous news! I may have to renew my subscription just because of this!!!
Because I luv ‘ya so much, I’m offering up to be your body double for this gig.
Bliss
AHHHHH OMG that is so awesome, Kelly!!! It’s okay girl, you have every right to be ecstatic!! Your hard work has paid off, and I couldn’t be more thrilled for you!!!
Bring on the exclamation points, I am SO HAPPY FOR YOU! Woot woot! Your laundry room is actually the coolest laundry room I’ve ever seen (the light totally makes it), and since you’re the coolest blogger I’ve ever met, this photo just might be the coolest photo ever taken. No, seriously. It just might be.
I’m jumping up and down inside for you. Girl, totally use this as an excuse to go shopping. I usually do that before interviews. If I’m wearing something new that I feel good in, I interview better. And I’m guessing the same can be said for being photographed! Shopping spreeeeeeeee!
Also…I love that you pray for your blog. Really. In fact, I need to start doing that more. I pray for bloggers, especially when I can tell some are hurting or struggling…but I should be praying for my little blog. Great idea!
CONGRATULATORY HUGS!
Yay!! I’m super excited for you! I’d be ecstatic as well! That’s so amazing- I would be telling everyone about it too! Can’t wait to read all about it and see the feature : )
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I’m so excited I can hardly stand it. Lucky for me I LOVE exclamation points and all caps, if you happen to feel the need to toss in more ALL CAPS! 🙂
WOOHOO!! Congrats!! That is totally awesome!! Your laundry room is Beautiful, it should be in a magazine!! Super exited for you!!
AWESOME Kelly!!! No worries here, I love exclamation points! I believe that deep inside all of us we have this same magazine dream…I sure do! I can’t wait to see you in the mag!
I can’t think of anyone more deserving! So excited for you!!! 🙂
omg, THIS IS HUGE!! Okay, I’m going to need an autographed personal copy of BHG magazine from you! Talk about dream.come.true!!You totally deserve it and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds! haha (no pun intended!) har har!!
HOLY CRAPOLA! I would be jumping up and down!!! congrats girl!!!!
Congratulations! That really is awesome. And your laundry room is a thing of total beauty, you definitly deserve it!
How exciting! Can’t wait to hear how the visit goes {and to see the photo in BH&G of course}!!
a girl after my own heart…love this quote: “PSSSSH. Yeah freakin’ RIGHT. I’m going SHOPPING!”
Congratulations Kelly! That’s some AMAZING news! I’m so freakin’ happy for you! Behind-the-scenes the crap out of the experience – you deserve it and I want to live vicariously through your experience haha 😉
Psst: I’m shipping out your bookends tonight! SO sorry for the delay!
I am so freakin’ excited for you! I can’t wait to hear all about it! I’ll have to have you autograph your issue at Haven so I can prove I know a supa-star!!
Kelly, how fantastically awesome….of course you should use a zillion exclamation marks! Congrats, enjoy and have the best time! And of course you should go shopping! Can’t wait to hear all about it!
OMG!!!! This is a BIG deal!!!! Worth many exclamation points!!!! You should blog about your outfit mood board and selections! I cannot wait to see your feature!
YAYAYAYAYAYAYYYY!!!!! Oh man, I’m SO SO pleased for you and TOTALLY understand the panic!! At least you got some warning, I didn’t get any!! They showed up and the guy says, ‘We’re going to need some owner shots so I’ll need you to sit over there and pretend to read’ and I was all like WHAT?! WAIT. NOOOOOOOOOO. So yeah, there’s that. You are gonna ROCK this shoot my lovely and it’s so totally well deserved – your laundry room makes me jealous like a big greeny bit of lime jello, for realz. So so excited for you!!! WOOHOO!! xxxx
Congratulations!!! That is ridiculously exciting and they are so smart because the world NEEDS to see your awesome laundry room!!!! I am also the biggest fan of the wondrous exclamation point…even if it does look like I am screaming everything. 😉 I’ve been trying to cut back and consciously put in more boring periods, but for a post like this, I say !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! away!!!!!! 😉
That is outrageous and wonderful. I am so totally psyched for you!!
Of course they did!!!!!! You have such incredible style and I know that you will be a perfect fit for the magazine!!!!!! I am definitely not allergic to exclamation points…..so you go girl! We all want the details! I am over-the-moon happy for you!
blessings,
karianne
This is amazing!!! And so well deserved! Can’t wait to see you all published and glossy!! 😉
Wooohooooo!!! That’s is so awesomely exciting!! Big congrats and virtual hug!!!!
Congratulations!!!! That is so exciting! What’s funny is we are moving into a new house in just a few weeks and I just showed your laundry room to my husband saying now we can do something like this to the walls. It’s gorgeous and DEFINITELY magazine worthy. 🙂
I’m a new follower and I just checked out your laundry room for the first time, and I have to say it is definitely worthy of BH&G! Love that stenciled wall. Congrats! Can’t wait to see what you pick out to wear!
This is so freaking exciting. But your laundry room is truly amazing. So it’s totally believable 🙂
So deserved as well!
Wow, that is super cool!! I’m so excited for you. Congrats!
that’s incredible. you are adorable. enjoy!
Kelly,
I am so genuinely happy for you! Seriously. I read this post — and am typing this comment — with a big old stupid grin on my face!!! This is truly exciting … and truly well-deserved!!!!!!! And now I can say “I read her when …”
🙂 Linda
Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Kelly!!! Woo to the hoo, girl! Congrats! Don’t worry about those 5 lbs sister — bet you stress them right off. 🙂
So glad I subscribe to BHG so i won’t have to fight the masses at the newstand when this hits…
big celebratory hugs!
xo Heidi
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I may have just passed out from ‘exclaiming’. Girl, I love you and I’m sooooo happy for you! I can’t wait to live vacariously through you!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3
That’s awesome news! But girl, you are going to HAVE to calm down or you’re never going to even make it to the shoot. It’s like you’re a cartoon character ricocheting all over the room!! So cute!!! Can’t wait to see how it turns out!
that’s amazing! congrats! you totally deserve it! your home/kids/life/writing style/outlook on life is beautiful and bhg will see that and that will come across in the shoot. can’t wait to receive my copy.
congrats again!
You’re the coolest. Your laundry room got new clothes. It’s only fair that you get new clothes. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I can’t wait to stick your laundry room on my fridge. It’s going to be amazing.
SOOO EXCITING!!!
I’m so excited for you, Kelly- such a blessing and a huge encouragement. You will do great, and so will your laundry room! 😉
That is great, great news, and I am so very excited for you. You worked so hard in that room- a true labor of love. You deserve all of the good things that are headed your way. And you absolutely have every right to freak out and do the happy dance. And go shopping. And use exclamation points- as many as you want!!
Congrats!! That is so so so exciting!
Yep, hyperventilating is in order. And then some more. And even more. Heck. You might as well pull out the oxygen tank until they come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Yay, Kelly! Congratulations! That is BEYOND awesome! I can’t think of a better reason than a MAGAZINE PHOTO SHOOT to get a new outfit! 😉
Yay Kelly! So excited for you! Shop til you drop girl, you deserve it!!!
Oh my goodness! You are so worthy of this… but Holy Cow! How are you keeping it together woman? B.H.G. is like my second bible, it is a friend that has always been in my life. I can’t wait to see your piece. Congratulations!
I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love this post (especially the treadmill part-ha!!). I can’t wait to read all about it. Thanks for your realness and for being who you are – it shines through. You totally deserve this opportunity!!!
I can’t believe that I’ll know someone who is cool enough to be in a magazine. I can’t wait to see it!!!! So proud of you!
Shut The Front Door!!!! SO EXCITED FOR YOU KELLY!!!!!!!!!!! ******* !!!!!********!!!!!!
That’s so exciting! How affirming!
I’d be content just to have somebody come over who didn’t say stuff like, “Do you think you’ll decorate?”
Of course you are excited! And you should be! Enjoy it to the very fullest! Congratulations!
Congrats Kelly!
love your blog, and that you pray for how it touches others, and I pray the magazine shoot, shopping, and keeping it all in perspective is a success. 🙂
that’s awesome! your laundry room deserves some press! happy clothes shoppping.
how awesome! even though you say otherwise it’s totally a well deserved feature….your laundry room is gorgeous!
You GO girl!! I cannot wait to see your smiling face in BH&G. You put it in the Lord’s hands and THAT is why He is blessing you this way. So hereby stop telling yourself you don’t deserve it. 🙂
I promise not to critique your outfit. You WILL be beautiful. I am all in agreement with Andrea on the layers with some light texture and fun accessories! And I would totally go shopping, too. Good excuse. 😉
EEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So so so crazy-pants excited for you!
I’ve got to add my blog to my prayers, I was just focusing on my kids not killing each other, I’ve got to branch out:)
Jessica
LOVE IT! There is no way anyone would want to take a photo let alone write about my laundry room because you have to wear rock climbing gear to get through the mountain pile! So excited to follow your process to having them come to your house. I love !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! marks just sayin’ 🙂
How exciting! Your laundry room deserves to be seen by millions! I linked up to your super easy crib skirt tutorial today: http://www.everafterblueprint.com/2013/02/13/why-i-love-living-in-an-older-house/
Thanks for the inspiration!
Congrats!!!! Please show us lots of pictures. You will do fine, enjoy shopping but most of all enjoy the glory of all of your hard work being recognized. Your laundry room is pretty great! Enjoy every second.
Prayers = answered! 🙂 CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <–deserved exclamation points. You earned em! Your home and blog are beautiful and I'm SO happy that BHG sees that! WHOOHOO!!
That’s amazing Kelly! Congrats! Can’t wait to see you in one of my favorite magazines! xo Kristin
That is amazing news! How exciting – congrats! Can’t wait to see you in the magazine and say “I knew her before she was famous!” 🙂 Can’t wait to hear all about it!
That is a-mazing, congrats!! I just saw your home on 6th Street…beautiful! I would be freaking out to, and definitely going shopping, because really, we all know that whenever any woman is trying to find “a few cute things to wear”, her closet suddenly has nothing to wear! Good luck! I’m sure the room and you will look amazing!
*too, not to! Sorry…had to correct myself!
Woot woot! Awesomesauce 🙂
I say wear something bright, but that doesn’t clash with the laundry. Have a basket of clothes near by as in “Yes I always look this good when I wash the diapers” 🙂 Cause we know that’s true.
Now, I’m sitting here thinking… of course they did! NO surprise over here, girl!
Get that new outfit, style your hair and strike a pose! I’m so uber-incredibly happy for you!
OMG!!! Awesome! I can’t wait to see it =)
AHHH!! I’m totally on board with your exclamation marks!!!!! CONGRATS!! How awesome. I’ve only just started reading and I’m already crushing on you! I love your honest excitement!1
xo
Congratulations! You SOOOOO deserve this! 🙂
I am just seeing this and that is so cool! I would be head over heels excited and probably would be doing the exact same things 🙂 I freaked out just two days ago because Ashley from The Handmade Home started following me on Instagram! My husband did not understand, but he helped me up from where I had collapsed on the floor. 😉 Good luck and enjoy it! Your laundry room is absolutely gorgeous and I think they’re spot-on to want to feature it.
How cool is that?!?! So happy for you!! I would be freaking out too. Good luck and have fun!