Showing posts with label Help. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Help. Show all posts
Friday, November 22, 2013
Thankfulness 2013: Day Twenty-Two
Following up on the helpers in our lives...I am thankful for inspiration in our DIYing projects! Honestly, if we didn't have the myriad of shows on DIY Network or HGTV let alone the magazines, websites, and of course Pinterest, our ideas would be much less convenient and productive. I'd be in the planning phase forever just trying to think of how I want something to change but I'd have no ideas how...or at least very few ideas. The downside is that I have grand ideas now rather than average and typically easily accomplished (not to mention usually cheaper) options!
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Thankfulness 2013: Day Twenty-One
Having worked at a home improvement store for 5+years and my husband even longer, we both have the theoretical knowledge to get through too many DIY projects in our house for our own good. That pretty much means we have grand plans for every single area of the house in the long term plan.
The problem I run into is absolutely the lack of hands between the two of us. For nearly every project we have tackled in home remodel we have had volunteers. I am so thankful for the helpers in our lives. It has ranged from child wranglers to demo enthusiasts to go-fers to all-out-builders. I'm even more grateful for them now that we live so far away from them all. The vast majority of our help is now a 3 hour or longer drive away. They still come when they are able. We have an amazing support system that goes (clearly very far) out of their way for us.
The problem I run into is absolutely the lack of hands between the two of us. For nearly every project we have tackled in home remodel we have had volunteers. I am so thankful for the helpers in our lives. It has ranged from child wranglers to demo enthusiasts to go-fers to all-out-builders. I'm even more grateful for them now that we live so far away from them all. The vast majority of our help is now a 3 hour or longer drive away. They still come when they are able. We have an amazing support system that goes (clearly very far) out of their way for us.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Thankfulness 2013: Day Eleven and Twelve
Though the military irritates me more often than it doesn't, I am still very thankful for the opportunities and family it has provided us. The military background helped my husband find his great civilian job. I don't love the way it is run but I absolutely love the men and women in service.
Honestly, any distraction of little to no risk to the health of my kids is appreciated. I'm always looking for suggestions too! *hint hint*
Friday, November 8, 2013
Thankfulness 2013: Day Eight
Moms are amazing people. Honestly, parents are as selfless as a human can be when it comes to their kids.
I am so thankful for having the parents that I do. I called my mother to whine (yes, it was pathetic) and two days later I get an encouraging note in the mail from her. The amount of help just listening on the phone to me is worth so much, but the effort that she goes to be there for us kids makes her truly an amazing woman, mother, and friend. I hope I am at least half of what she is for us to my own kids.
**On a total side note....the US Postal Service is really odd but insanely efficient. It sends a letter from my mother north an extra hour and then turns around to ship it south 4hrs to get to me and still takes only two days to get it from her mailbox to mine.
I am so thankful for having the parents that I do. I called my mother to whine (yes, it was pathetic) and two days later I get an encouraging note in the mail from her. The amount of help just listening on the phone to me is worth so much, but the effort that she goes to be there for us kids makes her truly an amazing woman, mother, and friend. I hope I am at least half of what she is for us to my own kids.
**On a total side note....the US Postal Service is really odd but insanely efficient. It sends a letter from my mother north an extra hour and then turns around to ship it south 4hrs to get to me and still takes only two days to get it from her mailbox to mine.
Monday, August 5, 2013
The Epic of Monday...
Some days are just too fantastic to be believed...those of us with toddlers can believe just about anything though. Which is probably why this epic will resonate with your own experiences.
We haven't been able to take the gate down at night for our toddler. She is too independent and headstrong to come into my room and get me in the morning. It used to be that she would just go get into anything that she normally is not supposed to so we had to put the gate back up. In our new house there is a flight of stairs that leads to a basement family room. She isn't used to stairs from the old house. I was a nervous Momma, glad to keep the gate up a little longer. Now that she tries to potty train some mornings, I can't have the gate up if she is going to be independent like she wants to be with her potty training experience. So......
8:15AM
*calling from a distance* "Momma!! Me went out in the RAIN!!"
Momma jumps from her bed and runs to the living room to see Alyssa taking off rain boots and coat in the dining room looking extremely proud of her adventure and being able to let herself back in without help.
"Me no get any wet, Momma." Grinning and pleased at how well behaved she was to get all her gear on and play out in the wet morning with her chalk on the backyard steps.
She doesn't even remember that she is NOT allowed to go outside without someone. She probably has forgotten that just last night she was asked to not color on the steps and to keep it to the sidewalk at the bottom of the steps instead. She hasn't even realized that it isn't raining but just wet from the rain overnight. She is so proud of herself and I'm horrified at what could have happened. Wyatt slept in, she didn't wake me....she went out back instead of the front, thankfully! She was able to get back in without help, thankfully! She put on rain gear so that her sockless feet wouldn't get too chilled....
I tell her sternly in the split second that I've had to register all of what could have happened that she DOES NOT GO OUTSIDE WITHOUT ME! I watched her proud stance melt a little. She looked a little confused about why I wasn't so excited about her doing such a great job with remembering her rain gear and coming in dry and 'all myself'. The next moment is where I realize that stern time is over. She knows. She forgets. She is three and did some really smart things while she was being forgetful.
"I'm glad you didn't get wet, Alyssa. Can you pick up your boots and coat? Next time you want to go outside you have to remember to come get me first. I'm glad you were able to open the door all by yourself to come back in!"
I don't have any idea how long she was out there. It scares me...there will be some new toddler-proofing today though I'm not sure what yet.
----A few minutes later, I'm mixing a bottle for the little guy who is just waking up to the voices.----
**WARNING: Potty Stories are rarely pleasant...and not for the weak stomachs.**
"Me have to go POTTY!"
"Okay, go in there."
*sounds of diaper being taken off and climbing onto the toilet*
*sounds of running out of the bathroom*
"Me already pooped!"
......ALYSSA! Ughhhh, ew.
Has it sunk in yet? Diaper came off but she already pooped? Yup. My bathroom has already met with toddler grossness and thankfully survived the event. So, after cleaning up the tub side, the floor where it landed, and the toilet where she dragged her little gross butt across...
8:28AM
Monday has officially begun.
We haven't been able to take the gate down at night for our toddler. She is too independent and headstrong to come into my room and get me in the morning. It used to be that she would just go get into anything that she normally is not supposed to so we had to put the gate back up. In our new house there is a flight of stairs that leads to a basement family room. She isn't used to stairs from the old house. I was a nervous Momma, glad to keep the gate up a little longer. Now that she tries to potty train some mornings, I can't have the gate up if she is going to be independent like she wants to be with her potty training experience. So......
8:15AM
*calling from a distance* "Momma!! Me went out in the RAIN!!"
Momma jumps from her bed and runs to the living room to see Alyssa taking off rain boots and coat in the dining room looking extremely proud of her adventure and being able to let herself back in without help.
"Me no get any wet, Momma." Grinning and pleased at how well behaved she was to get all her gear on and play out in the wet morning with her chalk on the backyard steps.
She doesn't even remember that she is NOT allowed to go outside without someone. She probably has forgotten that just last night she was asked to not color on the steps and to keep it to the sidewalk at the bottom of the steps instead. She hasn't even realized that it isn't raining but just wet from the rain overnight. She is so proud of herself and I'm horrified at what could have happened. Wyatt slept in, she didn't wake me....she went out back instead of the front, thankfully! She was able to get back in without help, thankfully! She put on rain gear so that her sockless feet wouldn't get too chilled....
I tell her sternly in the split second that I've had to register all of what could have happened that she DOES NOT GO OUTSIDE WITHOUT ME! I watched her proud stance melt a little. She looked a little confused about why I wasn't so excited about her doing such a great job with remembering her rain gear and coming in dry and 'all myself'. The next moment is where I realize that stern time is over. She knows. She forgets. She is three and did some really smart things while she was being forgetful.
"I'm glad you didn't get wet, Alyssa. Can you pick up your boots and coat? Next time you want to go outside you have to remember to come get me first. I'm glad you were able to open the door all by yourself to come back in!"
----A few minutes later, I'm mixing a bottle for the little guy who is just waking up to the voices.----
**WARNING: Potty Stories are rarely pleasant...and not for the weak stomachs.**
"Me have to go POTTY!"
"Okay, go in there."
*sounds of diaper being taken off and climbing onto the toilet*
*sounds of running out of the bathroom*
"Me already pooped!"
......ALYSSA! Ughhhh, ew.
Has it sunk in yet? Diaper came off but she already pooped? Yup. My bathroom has already met with toddler grossness and thankfully survived the event. So, after cleaning up the tub side, the floor where it landed, and the toilet where she dragged her little gross butt across...
8:28AM
Monday has officially begun.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Bathroom Overhaul 2013
Our house has been hectic lately! We had that week away followed immediately by a bathroom overhaul. This is the first major project for the house and it was the top of our list. I mean, you can only live with a tub/shower that has a register (AC/Heat) in it--think toddler bath time.
Demo started on Monday afternoon (having returned home Saturday night). My husband worked his job and then came home to do this big project with the help of his younger brother (13). My job was to keep the kids out of the way. Easier said than done with a curious three year old and loud noises!
The floor broke up a lot easier than they thought it would be...considering that one of the previous owners built up the floor with over an inch and half of concrete before tiling....over an old floor which was on top of the subfloor. Oh, and it had the metal rolls through the whole thing! It was also used as a corner form with the sheetrock/tile on the walls.
After that mess got cleaned up we had a blank slate. Okay, so there really wasn't any way to reconfigure it when the door stays in place as does the plumbing. But at least we could do everything else new!
Slowly the bathroom is getting put back together. A week later we had the new tub and surround in, the electrical and plumbing completed, the register relocated, the laundry chute moved a bit further from the tub, and the window replaced. I can hardly wait to have a complete bathroom across the hall from me again rather than in the basement (in an unfinished half without walls or door to separate it from the laundry! We have the toilet installed, the sink is in (but not hooked up), and the shower will be the next step (right after the window trimming!). I'll get some pictures of a finished bathroom up in the midst of my overwhelming excitement I'm certain.
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| Yes, that is a window that you can see through easily there also. |
The floor broke up a lot easier than they thought it would be...considering that one of the previous owners built up the floor with over an inch and half of concrete before tiling....over an old floor which was on top of the subfloor. Oh, and it had the metal rolls through the whole thing! It was also used as a corner form with the sheetrock/tile on the walls.After that mess got cleaned up we had a blank slate. Okay, so there really wasn't any way to reconfigure it when the door stays in place as does the plumbing. But at least we could do everything else new!
Slowly the bathroom is getting put back together. A week later we had the new tub and surround in, the electrical and plumbing completed, the register relocated, the laundry chute moved a bit further from the tub, and the window replaced. I can hardly wait to have a complete bathroom across the hall from me again rather than in the basement (in an unfinished half without walls or door to separate it from the laundry! We have the toilet installed, the sink is in (but not hooked up), and the shower will be the next step (right after the window trimming!). I'll get some pictures of a finished bathroom up in the midst of my overwhelming excitement I'm certain.
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| Just a taste of what is going on still. |
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Storytelling-- Toddler Style
Momma laughs.
Alyssa- "What is it?"
Momma- "The couch is eating Wyatt's legs."
Alyssa laughs- "Where Baby Wyatt's legs?"
Momma explains that he backed up under the couch and it just looks like the couch is eating him. - "Go tell Papa that the couch is eating Baby Wyatt."
Alyssa runs to back door and yells- "PAPA, IT A 'MERGENCY!"
My daughter is so smart. If the couch was really eating us, she would know exactly what the situation should be labeled as....
Alyssa- "What is it?"
Momma- "The couch is eating Wyatt's legs."
Alyssa laughs- "Where Baby Wyatt's legs?"
Momma explains that he backed up under the couch and it just looks like the couch is eating him. - "Go tell Papa that the couch is eating Baby Wyatt."
Alyssa runs to back door and yells- "PAPA, IT A 'MERGENCY!"
My daughter is so smart. If the couch was really eating us, she would know exactly what the situation should be labeled as....
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Reading and Charity
Everyone (well, that I've ever met anyways) likes to see that a purchase they would have made regardless will have some small impact towards charities. Well, there are various chances to purchase books that will give back to different types of fundraising.
I have seen books published by Avon donating funds to ovarian cancer research. Learn about K.I.S.S and Teal 2011/2012 here. Feel free to keep an eye out for this to come around again--I'm sure hoping it does!
There are the books, toys, and more sold at the Kohl's checkouts that donate to Kohl's Cares (see here for details and charities). This is something that I have a hard time walking out of that store without at least one of them. Check out some of their Kohl's Cares Merchandise here (kids') and here (women's)!
Today I discovered another chance to satisfy my reading appetite while knowing that part of my purchase (as it was on my To Be Read list already) will be going to a worthy cause. Author of historical romance novels, Heather Snow, has dedicated a portion of the royalties of Sweet Madness to help our U.S. soldiers and their families via Hope For the Warriors. Read more here about Sweet Madness and why it ties into this charity. Follow this link to learn more about the charity itself.
So if you are so inclined to buying romance novels, you may consider checking out this book and if not, maybe you'll make a trip into Kohl's. Do you know any other titles that are currently running donations like these? What is your favorite charity/cause?
I have seen books published by Avon donating funds to ovarian cancer research. Learn about K.I.S.S and Teal 2011/2012 here. Feel free to keep an eye out for this to come around again--I'm sure hoping it does!
There are the books, toys, and more sold at the Kohl's checkouts that donate to Kohl's Cares (see here for details and charities). This is something that I have a hard time walking out of that store without at least one of them. Check out some of their Kohl's Cares Merchandise here (kids') and here (women's)!
Today I discovered another chance to satisfy my reading appetite while knowing that part of my purchase (as it was on my To Be Read list already) will be going to a worthy cause. Author of historical romance novels, Heather Snow, has dedicated a portion of the royalties of Sweet Madness to help our U.S. soldiers and their families via Hope For the Warriors. Read more here about Sweet Madness and why it ties into this charity. Follow this link to learn more about the charity itself.
So if you are so inclined to buying romance novels, you may consider checking out this book and if not, maybe you'll make a trip into Kohl's. Do you know any other titles that are currently running donations like these? What is your favorite charity/cause?
Friday, February 8, 2013
A Typical Day....
Things are starting to settle into a predictable pattern finally.
Wyatt wakes up 2-3 times each night for bottles--what I consider 'night' for the kids though is Alyssa's bedtime until her 'green light' to get up rather than times I'm asleep though.
Alyssa gets up and rouses a tired Momma by yelling "Green Light, Momma!! It's GREEN LIGHT!" We get breakfast going and it must be eaten before going downstairs to play with the kitties who are still being acclimated to the new house and therefore are restricted to the downstairs temporarily.
Nala (the dog) gets tormented dozens-tens of dozens of times daily by a toddler who enjoys bullying the poor little dog. I'm waiting not-so-patiently for her to nip Alyssa's hand/arm to make her realize that pulling tails or grabbing fur on the back/sides is NOT a good idea. (Yes, I have tried all sorts of methods to get her to stop these actions and I am at a loss other than she is in need of the hard way of learning apparently for this one...*sigh*) Thankfully our poor, tormented dog is a little 1/2 chihuahua mix and has endured so much abuse from this girl without actually biting (lots of growling though) that I'm fairly confident that if she does get nipped it'll be a warning shot much like the two dog bites I've received from my large dog when I was growing up. Oh, did I forget to mention that she inherited her love of egging animals on from my toddler self? Yeah....sadly I had the hard lesson as well but it was a quick learn!
Papa gets up early and goes to work and is home in the late afternoon most days. This relieves a lot of my stress because this begins the downhill spiral towards bedtime that many parents of toddlers are well aware of.
Supper is hit or miss on how well the toddler behaves.
After supper is a crazy blur of anything from snuggles with a movie, downstairs playtime (tea anyone?), or meltdown modes over animal torture punishments. Any combination of those can be found around here on any given day of course. Thank goodness I've got at least a few months before I have to start scolding Wyatt for chasing the poor dog!
Any recommendations on a good toddler/doggy relationship therapist?
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Baby #2...We Aren't Ready!!
Here we go! We are in the last couple days before the new guy finally gets here and my physical body is the only thing actually ready for it.
The house is still in general chaos (what can I really expect having moved in roughly a week before Baby Boy joins us?). The crib isn't even assembled!! We don't have a crib mattress yet! Most of the baby stuff is in storage four hours away. The clothes that I have for him--admittedly sparse still--are still in the apartment along with the car seat (thankfully that isn't four hours away!). We just bought the first bottles for him Wednesday night (less than a week before he gets here remember and one of the first things you need for a bottle feeding baby!)...Can we say UNPREPARED, people??
While I am mostly concerning myself with the baby prep and the related house things that will make my life easier coming home from a c-section which I'm sure I'm working up into a much more horrific recovery than I need to-hopefully...My husband is dealing with the rest of our lives. He is basically a rock and even rocks can show cracks now and then. Between work (he is the first and only IT guy at his company and they are hitting major renovations pretty much RIGHT NOW), school (he is going for his BA, or maybe it'd be a BS in computer stuffs..yeah, I suck at technology), moving a family, and welcoming a baby and a recovering wuss of a wife home...well, let's just say that he deserves some kind of reward! Like something massive IMO...I figure I'm not "pushing" this time so maybe he needs the "Push Present" that I heard tales of last time.
So just to clarify...I am literally days (DAYS) away from delivery. We are still in moving process. My hubby is AMAZING. Oh, and he has drill just under an hour out of town this weekend...don't we have such wonderful timing? At least we made it past Christmas...wish us luck! Please?
The house is still in general chaos (what can I really expect having moved in roughly a week before Baby Boy joins us?). The crib isn't even assembled!! We don't have a crib mattress yet! Most of the baby stuff is in storage four hours away. The clothes that I have for him--admittedly sparse still--are still in the apartment along with the car seat (thankfully that isn't four hours away!). We just bought the first bottles for him Wednesday night (less than a week before he gets here remember and one of the first things you need for a bottle feeding baby!)...Can we say UNPREPARED, people??
While I am mostly concerning myself with the baby prep and the related house things that will make my life easier coming home from a c-section which I'm sure I'm working up into a much more horrific recovery than I need to-hopefully...My husband is dealing with the rest of our lives. He is basically a rock and even rocks can show cracks now and then. Between work (he is the first and only IT guy at his company and they are hitting major renovations pretty much RIGHT NOW), school (he is going for his BA, or maybe it'd be a BS in computer stuffs..yeah, I suck at technology), moving a family, and welcoming a baby and a recovering wuss of a wife home...well, let's just say that he deserves some kind of reward! Like something massive IMO...I figure I'm not "pushing" this time so maybe he needs the "Push Present" that I heard tales of last time.
So just to clarify...I am literally days (DAYS) away from delivery. We are still in moving process. My hubby is AMAZING. Oh, and he has drill just under an hour out of town this weekend...don't we have such wonderful timing? At least we made it past Christmas...wish us luck! Please?
Friday, January 11, 2013
Excited About Garbage?!
What? Did you see that??
Yeah, I saw that! There are some PINK garbage cans around our new city! Y'all may not know this but I love pink...Specifically, I love Pink things that donate to cancer research. Whoever thought up a garbage service that gives you that option is FREAKING AWESOME in my opinion!!!
So yes, I am excited about our garbage service now too...Does your local garbage service offer anything like this? Do you have a charity or research that you love to support?
*Photo Credit (and a way to see if you might have this option available in your area!): Pink Cart
Monday, January 7, 2013
Get Ready to MOVE! (with another sneak peek!)
Folks, I'm giddy.
Yes, between the euphoric high of finally having closed on our house, the painting, the project planning, AND furniture shopping because we now have two living spaces (living room and downstairs family room--soon to be overran with toys) with only one couch to our names, well, I have been in a planning/decorating state of giddy joy! Let's not forget that I am just eight days from having a son in the outside world rather than bouncing on my bladder on top of all this. (Oh shit...only 8?!)
My mom and aunt came down this weekend and tore through the house with rollers and brushes in hand and what we thought would be months of us working around furniture and kids became a project in the DONE list instead!! I had to run out and buy the paint for the other rooms when they got here because they tore through what we happened to have purchased for the two kids' rooms so FAST! Original plan was that Chris would be painting Alyssa's room this past weekend and we would be lucky to get that much done before moving everything tomorrow (Tuesday). In actuality, those two women showed up 3-4 hours from their homes and got Alyssa's room, Baby's room's base color, our room, dining room, hallway, and living room ALL painted! My contribution was sadly just taping what I could reach without use of a ladder/step stool, keeping a toddler as out-of-the-way as possible, and I got to help with the dots in her room too. So useless when you can barely catch your breath standing still!
Last night we went furniture shopping for the main living room so that we have seating for the various people that are already trying to plan trips down here to meet the little guy--yay...hostessing while fresh into recovery in a new place...Gah!-- Anyways, we found a great setup that I am loving! My husband loves that I stayed very much under budget (30-40% depending on if you consider taxes and delivery in the budget which he usually does not when he gives me a number to stick to) and still got him a recliner in the mix.
I'll get pictures up once we get them delivered and set up in the new house (and have internet over there!). I'd add the recliner in here but the pictures online are kind of awful and I can't find one that shows how well the 'leather' matches the other 'leathers' of these pieces...so y'all will have to wait with the baited breath I know you've got going. (HA)
In the meantime, bear with what will likely be a very sporadic next couple of weeks. I'll post updates as possible on the house. I'll certainly introduce y'all to our boy next week and hopefully it will be coherent while I'm on the lovely pain meds that I'm told accompany a c-section. Otherwise you may find a small craft post mixed in here and there from my folder of to-be-posted stuff just waiting to be shared with y'all. The big move begins tomorrow so the next few days will be CRAZY HECTIC and hopefully super fun too! I'll see y'all when I get internet up at the house!
*Photo credit: Love seat and Sofa
*Photo credit: Coffee Table
**We got all our pieces at Ashley but their site didn't have all of them pictured for me to share directly from them. I have not been asked by anyone at any company to share their products with my audience and do so only because of my own excitement at a new home purchase and love of decorating!
Yes, between the euphoric high of finally having closed on our house, the painting, the project planning, AND furniture shopping because we now have two living spaces (living room and downstairs family room--soon to be overran with toys) with only one couch to our names, well, I have been in a planning/decorating state of giddy joy! Let's not forget that I am just eight days from having a son in the outside world rather than bouncing on my bladder on top of all this. (Oh shit...only 8?!)
My mom and aunt came down this weekend and tore through the house with rollers and brushes in hand and what we thought would be months of us working around furniture and kids became a project in the DONE list instead!! I had to run out and buy the paint for the other rooms when they got here because they tore through what we happened to have purchased for the two kids' rooms so FAST! Original plan was that Chris would be painting Alyssa's room this past weekend and we would be lucky to get that much done before moving everything tomorrow (Tuesday). In actuality, those two women showed up 3-4 hours from their homes and got Alyssa's room, Baby's room's base color, our room, dining room, hallway, and living room ALL painted! My contribution was sadly just taping what I could reach without use of a ladder/step stool, keeping a toddler as out-of-the-way as possible, and I got to help with the dots in her room too. So useless when you can barely catch your breath standing still!
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| I don't think the living room will ever photograph right...so trust me when I say I LOVE how it turned out. Legacy UL250-22 (Behr) |
Last night we went furniture shopping for the main living room so that we have seating for the various people that are already trying to plan trips down here to meet the little guy--yay...hostessing while fresh into recovery in a new place...Gah!-- Anyways, we found a great setup that I am loving! My husband loves that I stayed very much under budget (30-40% depending on if you consider taxes and delivery in the budget which he usually does not when he gives me a number to stick to) and still got him a recliner in the mix.
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| Couch |
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| Love seat |
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| Hubby's favorite: Coffee table with 4 stools (extra seating!) |
In the meantime, bear with what will likely be a very sporadic next couple of weeks. I'll post updates as possible on the house. I'll certainly introduce y'all to our boy next week and hopefully it will be coherent while I'm on the lovely pain meds that I'm told accompany a c-section. Otherwise you may find a small craft post mixed in here and there from my folder of to-be-posted stuff just waiting to be shared with y'all. The big move begins tomorrow so the next few days will be CRAZY HECTIC and hopefully super fun too! I'll see y'all when I get internet up at the house!
*Photo credit: Love seat and Sofa
*Photo credit: Coffee Table
**We got all our pieces at Ashley but their site didn't have all of them pictured for me to share directly from them. I have not been asked by anyone at any company to share their products with my audience and do so only because of my own excitement at a new home purchase and love of decorating!
Sunday, January 6, 2013
I'm still here...now with a house!
So in the interest of not disappearing on y'all...We have closed on our house finally!
This process was a long thing and very stressful but now we have our new home to fix up while we settle in (with a mere eleven days before Baby is supposed to arrive--and this is a no-later-than time frame). We were lucky that even with the delays between banks, underwriters, and the general "short sale" process that we actually got to sign before Baby came. That fact gave us time to paint this weekend! People...you will not believe the amount of painting that got done just yesterday. Seriously! My mom and aunt made a last minute choice to make the four hour drive to paint with my husband. We both were blown away by the tornado of accomplishment that they brought with them! Chris and I figured we would get Alyssa's room done and MAYBE a base coat in Baby's room...My mom and aunt were able to get through Alyssa's room, most of the living room, the dining area and are tackling two more rooms this morning before heading back. I can't believe how much the place improves just with paint.
I actually had to go buy the living room paint when they got here to make their trip worth it...Crazy, right? So today we are headed back to the house to get Alyssa's POLKA DOTS (pink, purple, teal, and bright green) up on two of her walls, along with other rooms' finishing coats/touches and possibly some painting in the other two rooms of the upstairs.
I swear I'll get some pictures up soon! (I hope)
This process was a long thing and very stressful but now we have our new home to fix up while we settle in (with a mere eleven days before Baby is supposed to arrive--and this is a no-later-than time frame). We were lucky that even with the delays between banks, underwriters, and the general "short sale" process that we actually got to sign before Baby came. That fact gave us time to paint this weekend! People...you will not believe the amount of painting that got done just yesterday. Seriously! My mom and aunt made a last minute choice to make the four hour drive to paint with my husband. We both were blown away by the tornado of accomplishment that they brought with them! Chris and I figured we would get Alyssa's room done and MAYBE a base coat in Baby's room...My mom and aunt were able to get through Alyssa's room, most of the living room, the dining area and are tackling two more rooms this morning before heading back. I can't believe how much the place improves just with paint.
I actually had to go buy the living room paint when they got here to make their trip worth it...Crazy, right? So today we are headed back to the house to get Alyssa's POLKA DOTS (pink, purple, teal, and bright green) up on two of her walls, along with other rooms' finishing coats/touches and possibly some painting in the other two rooms of the upstairs.
I swear I'll get some pictures up soon! (I hope)
Friday, November 30, 2012
30 Days of Thankfulness: Day Thirty!
The final day in November and we are still in our month by month apartment. With a close date finally settled and contracted we have an end in sight to the expensive apartment contract! We will be done and out of the apartment by the end of January (actually we are aiming for mid January so we are settled into the house before Baby Brother joins us but we have to pay through January). I am so thankful for all the things that have allowed us to do this monthly apartment and be together. Chris' job, pet sitters (!!), (sadly) our savings, friends who let Chris couch-surf for months, the sale of our other house, family that gave Alyssa and I a space for a little more than a week to live, and so many other things that eventually fell into place. Of course we didn't escape completely unscathed (see savings....) but we were able to live together for the last 3 months (and the next month and half that we wouldn't have if we didn't have the apartment). It has been a blessing for our family albeit an expensive one. I guess it isn't officially over but the light is visible and we are excited!
(On a completely side note: I never thought I'd actually make it through the month without missing at least one Thankfulness post! Yay me!!)
(On a completely side note: I never thought I'd actually make it through the month without missing at least one Thankfulness post! Yay me!!)
Thursday, November 22, 2012
30 Days of Thankfulness: Day Twenty-two
Today is Thanksgiving in the U.S. and across the nation families are gathering around shared meals, football games, or other traditions that they cherish. We are doing the same and are also prepping for the shopping madness that is Black Friday (now starting on Thanksgiving night).
But as we all settle into our various family activities I'd like to remember with y'all that not everyone is able to 'come home' for the holidays. There are those who don't have traditional homes to go back to (hurricane victims, homeless, orphans, etc). There are those who are out there protecting the rest of us as we celebrate (cops, firefighters, ER staff, soldiers, and more). Can we take at least a minute to be thankful to all those who try to make these holidays special for all of these people? I am thankful for the volunteers, the coworkers, the adopt-a-soldier families and classrooms, and anyone else who takes the time to do something to recognize these people during the holidays.
I don't have any Thanksgiving pictures from any of the deployments but the Christmas and New Years ones give you a pretty good idea of what our group did to keep the happy times going. I also happen to not have pictures of those volunteers who sent packages full of holiday goodies to soldiers, or of soup kitchen workers, but I'm sure y'all can find someone you know who has been that heart of kindness previously.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Climb or Fall out of Bed
So there are days that you just don't want to leave your bed. You think that the world could keep spinning if you slept through just one 24 hour period. Well, you'd be right...but then there are those things that wouldn't get done if you didn't drag your butt from under your covers and brave the world that you have no interest in facing. I mean, there are the pets to feed, meals to cook, diapers to change, hugs to give and books and toys to use-abuse-and clean up after. There are owies to kiss, noses to wipe, hair to brush and baths to prepare. We can't forget of course the myriad of basic housekeeping chores such as dishes, floors, laundry, tables, beds, etc. While some of those things can easily be put on the back burner (and I encourage this be done when you need to), it can't be that way every day. It's a good thing that my daughter gets me to drag my butt out of bed every single day. She makes me smile even mere seconds after she has me ripping at my hair in not-as-silent-as-I-wish frustration. She brings me a book to read to her and then runs off for another one only 3 pages in. She takes every.single.toy out to play with before going back to the first couple options for the remainder of the messy day. Then she throws a fit that resembles a 'you stole my favorite snack and I'll never have another one!' epicness whenever a commercial interrupts a beloved cartoon (Max and Ruby, Kai Lan, Bubble Guppies, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse). She offers me a seat on the couch to watch a movie with her and even cleans her toys away to make room. She snuggles in and throws herself across my lap fondly smiling and declaring 'Momma!' because I might have forgotten who I am in the last couple minutes.
She is a great reason to leave the warm covers of my bed behind on cold winter days when you just don't want to face the dishes (clean or dirty!) or the mountain of laundry needing to be washed, dried and *grrr* folded.... She is a great reason to smile through the day even if you are screaming in your head that you can't give one more lecture on not pulling the cats' hair off their stomachs or that a commercial just means that the show will come back in 2 minutes! (Remind me often of that last one please...every 10 minutes or so...)
Just because we have those days, and most everyone does, doesn't mean we can't enjoy the day outside of our bed. I might have to work a little harder to do so, but Morning Hugs and a beautiful 'you're my hero' smile make it a lot easier.
So those days you just don't want to face the world, climb out of bed--or fall if you need to. Paste a fake smile on and find that reason to exchange the fake smile for a real one. You don't need a great day, just don't let it be horrible either. And when you get to that breaking point (I have, I admit) where even falling out of bed doesn't do it, pick a day, get some help with your responsibilities and stay in bed. Take that day off that you need. Close your eyes when you pass the sink full of dishes or the basket of laundry. Good luck to us all on those days that start so tough. I hope you have a great reason to get out of bed.
She is a great reason to leave the warm covers of my bed behind on cold winter days when you just don't want to face the dishes (clean or dirty!) or the mountain of laundry needing to be washed, dried and *grrr* folded.... She is a great reason to smile through the day even if you are screaming in your head that you can't give one more lecture on not pulling the cats' hair off their stomachs or that a commercial just means that the show will come back in 2 minutes! (Remind me often of that last one please...every 10 minutes or so...)
Just because we have those days, and most everyone does, doesn't mean we can't enjoy the day outside of our bed. I might have to work a little harder to do so, but Morning Hugs and a beautiful 'you're my hero' smile make it a lot easier.
So those days you just don't want to face the world, climb out of bed--or fall if you need to. Paste a fake smile on and find that reason to exchange the fake smile for a real one. You don't need a great day, just don't let it be horrible either. And when you get to that breaking point (I have, I admit) where even falling out of bed doesn't do it, pick a day, get some help with your responsibilities and stay in bed. Take that day off that you need. Close your eyes when you pass the sink full of dishes or the basket of laundry. Good luck to us all on those days that start so tough. I hope you have a great reason to get out of bed.
Monday, October 17, 2011
A Military Family
Some days are amazing. Some days make you realize that your family is much bigger than what you think it is. Yesterday was one of those days.
These amazing people are a larger part of our family. This is part of Chris' unit and our local FRG leaders. They showed up at my house on Sunday around 2:30pm on drill weekend and put some of our lives back together.
They cleaned up the remaining pine tree debris from last week's adventure.
Some of them started in on the fence right away.
There was so much going on that I don't have pictures of everything. A couple people unhooked my outdoor water hoses to avoid winter issues. They also fixed my yard's front gate so that it would swing close easily and not require my shoulder's weight into the fence!
All of this was an immense list of things I had to figure out how to get fixed and done. It took them less than one hour...The teamwork was incredible and I was overwhelmed by everything being done for us. It took less than an hour to have my yard back, my fence back, the gate working, water being winterized, and a mowed backyard! None of this was expected and what was suggested by the FRG was the pine debris removed and the fence fixed. These little extras were amazing and thoughtful and everything was wonderful.
I was able to post pictures to FB and Chris was moved to (he admits to only one in his eye) tears over the outpouring of support for our family from his military family.
So thank you, to our military and FRG family. Thank you for something that may have seemed easy to you but means the world to me.
These amazing people are a larger part of our family. This is part of Chris' unit and our local FRG leaders. They showed up at my house on Sunday around 2:30pm on drill weekend and put some of our lives back together.
They cleaned up the remaining pine tree debris from last week's adventure.
 |
| The guy on the right is using a jack to pull a branch out of the ground. It was buried at least 2' deep! |
Some of them started in on the fence right away.
 |
| H. even mowed my backyard to try and get more needles up using the bagger. |
There was so much going on that I don't have pictures of everything. A couple people unhooked my outdoor water hoses to avoid winter issues. They also fixed my yard's front gate so that it would swing close easily and not require my shoulder's weight into the fence!
All of this was an immense list of things I had to figure out how to get fixed and done. It took them less than one hour...The teamwork was incredible and I was overwhelmed by everything being done for us. It took less than an hour to have my yard back, my fence back, the gate working, water being winterized, and a mowed backyard! None of this was expected and what was suggested by the FRG was the pine debris removed and the fence fixed. These little extras were amazing and thoughtful and everything was wonderful.
I was able to post pictures to FB and Chris was moved to (he admits to only one in his eye) tears over the outpouring of support for our family from his military family.
So thank you, to our military and FRG family. Thank you for something that may have seemed easy to you but means the world to me.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
When God is mad at your yard....
If nature is full of acts of God...then God really did not like my neighbor's trees and clearly disliked my yard as well.
We have had two occasions this year where a pine tree ended up being thrown into our backyard, through our fence. This second time happened last evening as I was gone picking up my daughter from daycare. I happened to get a Facebook notice on my phone saying
We get home and we had power still, we had cable still, and we had a 40 foot pine tree spanning the width of our backyard. Here are some lovely views from my kitchen window...
My neighbor had called our energy company and they made sure to tell him if he sees any smoke before they get out there, that he should call the fire department. (Aren't those dispatchers so helpful?)
The energy company guys came, they unhooked our power (at supper time...with a hungry toddler and all electric appliances) and told me I'd need an electrician so they could continue with the work of getting my power back up and running. Where in the world am I going to find an electrician at 6pm on a Friday?!?!? This is where I develop some mushy hero worship of the older gentleman on the energy company crew. He not only called the electrician he uses for his house, but while we waited for them to come over (and yes, it was only about 20 minutes!) he took those shingles you see attached to the mast and put them back on my roof for me! Not that it fixes my overall issue but it sure does help keep some of the rain from going inside instead of on the ground...He did this all after asking if I knew any handy people. Sure I do! My main one is overseas, my dad is an hour away, and I have a couple in the Twin Cities (4hrs) and one more in the general area of us whose number I do not have....Does that help? Not a bit... (I don't mind pity when it comes in the form of pounding a couple nails into shingles on my roof!)
Under that tree is the sandbox in which I was planning on playing in with Alyssa after coming home that day. Glad we weren't half hour early! O_O
The electrical being fixed and back up in the air, we had a massive tree in the yard, a cable line still down (but power obviously was a little more important to me still so cable would wait) and no idea as to how much of an issue my exposed attic would pose over the weekend.
My parents finally chose to come up and take a look at my roof. I was relieved because at first my dad didn't seem inclined to drive the hour up and back over this...I was mentally wracking my brain for people I knew in the area who would know how to look at it, determine how long it'd be okay, and if there was anything that needed to be done ASAP--that they'd be able to do it. Yeah...like I said, I had one name in my head and no numbers to call (oh, and no power or internet to FB). So yes, I was greatly relieved that my dad was on his way.
All in all, we ordered a pizza for Alyssa and I to eat, got power back up and running, the roof will make it as is until at least Monday when I can find a contractor that works with insurance agencies and also talk to my insurance company to find out what kind of claims process needs to be started. Thank goodness no one was hurt.
We have had two occasions this year where a pine tree ended up being thrown into our backyard, through our fence. This second time happened last evening as I was gone picking up my daughter from daycare. I happened to get a Facebook notice on my phone saying
Yup...Can you guess what I said? Thankfully I was alone in the car. No censorship necessary when no one can hear you!
Dean
We get home and we had power still, we had cable still, and we had a 40 foot pine tree spanning the width of our backyard. Here are some lovely views from my kitchen window...
 |
| Why yes! Those are my power and cable lines! |
 |
| This tree spanned all but 5-6 feet of my yard. Thankfully it didn't quite reach the fence on the other side. |
 | |
| Electrical mast (pipe) hanging at a 90* angle from the electrical box...bringing with it the gutters, shingles, and splintered pieces of fascia and roofing. |
My neighbor had called our energy company and they made sure to tell him if he sees any smoke before they get out there, that he should call the fire department. (Aren't those dispatchers so helpful?)
The energy company guys came, they unhooked our power (at supper time...with a hungry toddler and all electric appliances) and told me I'd need an electrician so they could continue with the work of getting my power back up and running. Where in the world am I going to find an electrician at 6pm on a Friday?!?!? This is where I develop some mushy hero worship of the older gentleman on the energy company crew. He not only called the electrician he uses for his house, but while we waited for them to come over (and yes, it was only about 20 minutes!) he took those shingles you see attached to the mast and put them back on my roof for me! Not that it fixes my overall issue but it sure does help keep some of the rain from going inside instead of on the ground...He did this all after asking if I knew any handy people. Sure I do! My main one is overseas, my dad is an hour away, and I have a couple in the Twin Cities (4hrs) and one more in the general area of us whose number I do not have....Does that help? Not a bit... (I don't mind pity when it comes in the form of pounding a couple nails into shingles on my roof!)
The electrical being fixed and back up in the air, we had a massive tree in the yard, a cable line still down (but power obviously was a little more important to me still so cable would wait) and no idea as to how much of an issue my exposed attic would pose over the weekend.
My parents finally chose to come up and take a look at my roof. I was relieved because at first my dad didn't seem inclined to drive the hour up and back over this...I was mentally wracking my brain for people I knew in the area who would know how to look at it, determine how long it'd be okay, and if there was anything that needed to be done ASAP--that they'd be able to do it. Yeah...like I said, I had one name in my head and no numbers to call (oh, and no power or internet to FB). So yes, I was greatly relieved that my dad was on his way.
All in all, we ordered a pizza for Alyssa and I to eat, got power back up and running, the roof will make it as is until at least Monday when I can find a contractor that works with insurance agencies and also talk to my insurance company to find out what kind of claims process needs to be started. Thank goodness no one was hurt.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Every little bit of help....helps.
For someone who *hates* yard work, I should have thought through the whole large backyard thing....I am not cut out to be a house wife based on the current status of my table top. Dishes are endless, laundry piles into mountains no matter if I do a full load a day--and there are only two of us!!--and on top of this the grass outside keeps growing. What can one do to alleviate these tasks? Wish on the magic dishwasher? Pray to the lawn gods? Maybe the laundry elves will take pity and help out in a way other than stealing socks from the dryer... You don't believe in those? Yeah, you're probably right.
I think we should find a way to automate the lawn care at least. Why can't we have a Roomba for the grass cutting? I suppose there could be an argument made against an automated rotary blade on the loose in a yard. Thankfully there is always help when you need it most. My cousin loves yard work when it isn't required. My lawn and border planters finally have someone who likes to take care of them (and actually will). I think I can handle the dishes and laundry decently and the table top will just have to pile up until I get a cleaning itch.
Now who out there likes to push snow blowers??
I think we should find a way to automate the lawn care at least. Why can't we have a Roomba for the grass cutting? I suppose there could be an argument made against an automated rotary blade on the loose in a yard. Thankfully there is always help when you need it most. My cousin loves yard work when it isn't required. My lawn and border planters finally have someone who likes to take care of them (and actually will). I think I can handle the dishes and laundry decently and the table top will just have to pile up until I get a cleaning itch.
Now who out there likes to push snow blowers??
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