April Goals...

Working on lots of projects around these parts. Now that I'm no longer babysitting my friend's daughter daily, I have a lot more free time on my hands. Less time in the car (YAY!) equals more time to occupy myself. I hope to take full advantage of this time and finish up some long awaited projects.

On the to dos:

• Finish bar cart shelves
• attach trim, fill holes, stain
• attach brackets and wine glass holders
• hang on wall!!
• Follow weekly cleaning schedule
• Organize craft desk & shelf
• fabric
• paper
• ESC
• planner supplies
• buy ikea cart??
• buy new office chair
• Drill cord hole in desk top
• Reorganize Garage
• move tool cabinet
• move pet supplies
• build ikea cabinet
• breakdown boxes
• breakdown pallets
• Pallet photo board for friends new baby
• Clean out 2nd spare room closet
• Remove towel bars (Those HATED towel bars)
• Remove from wall
• patch holes in wall
• spackle, sand and texture spray
• paint - new colors?
• Research patio enclosure companies - ask neighbor?

Weekly Planning Recap...Weekend Planning...

Last night, Hubby & I finally watched Lone Survivor. I may be the last person in America to watch this, but I knew it was going to be hard to watch. I knew I would be very emotional. And I was right. It was an amazing film, but I cried most of the way through it. God Bless the men and women who willingly sacrifice and put their lives on the line to fight for freedom, for us and for others.

Tuesday:
Nutrition: Follow meal plan
Workout: PIYO Define Lower
Daily Chores:

• LDF: Tans/Blues
• Empty Dishwasher
• RDF: Kitchen
• Brush Dogs
• Vacuum Stairs
• Scoop Litter Box
• Walk Dogs/Check mail
• Check Payments, transfers and bills
• Clean up dog poo in backyard
• Shiny Sink (Kitchen) (Bath)

Follow Morning Routine & Bedtime Routine
Place 2nd call to Finance coordinator at Fertility clinic

Wednesday:
Nutrition: Follow meal plan
Workout: PIYO Define Upper
Daily Chores:

• LDF: Reds
• Empty Dishwasher
• RDF: Living Room: Dust furniture, blinds, fan, vacuum furniture, wash windows (in), polish wood furniture
• Change litter
• Vacuum Upstairs
• Walk Dogs/Check mail
• Balance checkbook
• Clean up dog poo in backyard (Mowing Day!)
• Shiny Sink (Kitchen) (Bath)
• Trash & Recycling

Follow Morning Routine & Bedtime Routine
Set up miter saw to cut trim for projects

Thursday:
Nutrition: Follow meal plan
Workout: PIYO Sweat
Daily Chores:

• LDF: Whites/Bath Mats (Bleach)
• Empty Dishwasher
• RDF: Outside/Garage hose off patio and garage door, spray for bugs, tidy garage
• Brush Dogs
• Vacuum SW
• Scoop Litter Box
• Walk Dogs/Check mail
• Clean up dog poo in backyard
• Shiny Sink (Kitchen) (Bath)

Follow Morning Routine & Bedtime Routine
The beginning of the week went pretty well as far as following my plan. Thursday, Hubby was off work, so we went downtown to the Aquarium and had a late lunch with a friend. After that, we came home and took a nap, then watched a movie and some TV. I have to get better following my daily plan.

This weekend's Weekend Planning.



source

Friday: Happy Independence Day!
Nutrition: Follow meal plan - having dinner with friend before fireworks.
Workout: PIYO Define Lower & Day 3 Squat Challenge
Daily Chores:

• LDF: Darks
• Empty Dishwasher
• RDF: Office/Craft Room: Dust blinds, furniture, fan/light fixture, empty trash, vacuum, file paperwork/bills
• Vacuum Downstairs
• Scoop Litter Box
• Walk Dogs/Check mail
• Clean up dog poo in backyard
• Shiny Sink (Kitchen) (Bath)

Follow Morning Routine & Bedtime Routine
Fireworks at a friend's condo downtown.

Saturday:
Nutrition: Follow meal plan
Workout: PIYO Core & Day 4 Squat Challenge
Daily Chores:

LDF: Sheets

Empty Dishwasher

RDF: Master Bedroom: dust: fan, blinds, furniture, strip and remake bed, vacuum, tidy closet

Vacuum Upstairs

Scoop Litter Box

Walk Dogs/Check mail

Clean up dog poo in backyard

Shiny Sink (Kitchen) (Bath)

Meal Plan

Follow Morning Routine & Bedtime Routine
Heading to the zoo today, I think, but I won't feel badly if we skip. We'll be out late Friday night.

Sunday:
Nutrition: Follow meal plan
Workout: PIYO: Define Upper & Day 5 Squat Challenge
Daily Chores:

Write out grocery list: coupons?

Empty Dishwasher

Scoop Litter Box

Walk Dogs

Clean up dog poo in backyard

Shiny Sink (Kitchen) (Bath)

Follow Morning & Bedtime Routine

Wish me luck! LOL My main goal for July is simply to get this routine down into a habit so I don't have to think about it so much. *sigh* I would have hoped by 31, I'd be better at this.

Weekly Planning 7/1 - 7/4 2014

My weekly goals and to do lists for this week July 1 - July 4 2014

Tuesday:
Nutrition: Follow meal plan
Workout: PIYO Define Lower
Daily Chores:

• LDF: Tans/Blues
• Empty Dishwasher
• RDF: Kitchen
• Brush Dogs
• Vacuum Stairs
• Scoop Litter Box
• Walk Dogs/Check mail
• Check Payments, transfers and bills
• Clean up dog poo in backyard
• Shiny Sink (Kitchen) (Bath)

Follow Morning Routine & Bedtime Routine
Place 2nd call to Finance coordinator at Fertility clinic

Wednesday:
Nutrition: Follow meal plan
Workout: PIYO Define Upper
Daily Chores:

• LDF: Reds
• Empty Dishwasher
• RDF: Living Room: Dust furniture, blinds, fan, vacuum furniture, wash windows (in), polish wood furniture
• Change litter
• Vacuum Upstairs
• Walk Dogs/Check mail
• Balance checkbook
• Clean up dog poo in backyard (Mowing Day!)
• Shiny Sink (Kitchen) (Bath)
• Trash & Recycling

Follow Morning Routine & Bedtime Routine
Set up miter saw to cut trim for projects


Thursday:
Nutrition: Follow meal plan
Workout: PIYO Sweat
Daily Chores:

• LDF: Whites/Bath Mats (Bleach)
• Empty Dishwasher
• RDF: Outside/Garage hose off patio and garage door, spray for bugs, tidy garage
• Brush Dogs
• Vacuum SW
• Scoop Litter Box
• Walk Dogs/Check mail
• Clean up dog poo in backyard
• Shiny Sink (Kitchen) (Bath)

Follow Morning Routine & Bedtime Routine



source

Friday: Happy Independence Day!
Nutrition: Follow meal plan
Workout: PIYO Define Lower
Daily Chores:

• LDF: Darks
• Empty Dishwasher
• RDF: Office/Craft Room: Dust blinds, furniture, fan/light fixture, empty trash, vacuum, file paperwork/bills
• Vacuum Downstairs
• Scoop Litter Box
• Walk Dogs/Check mail
• Clean up dog poo in backyard
• Shiny Sink (Kitchen) (Bath)

Follow Morning Routine & Bedtime Routine
Fireworks with friends! Can't wait to see what my new city has to offer!

 

 I'll update on Friday and I'll be posting my weekend planning!
                      

Weekend Planning Recap...

This past weekend, I attempted to revisit planning my weekend and following up with how I did. I need to become accountable, for myself and maybe this is a great way to do so.

Here is how I did.
Red = Fail           Blue = Half credit        Green = Hooray for me!!
Friday:
Pathfinder Game Night - This was a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Hubby may turn me toward the nerd yet!
Dinner: Grilled Chicken legs, butternut squash lasagna, fruit salad --Ended up with baked sweet potatoes.
Vacuum downstairs
Workout: PIYO- Define Lower Body

Saturday:
Spray outside the house for bugs-- this was a hubby job, instead he was assisting a co-worker with some home entertainment set up.
Wash the windows - In & Out
Strip bed, Wash sheets & dust/vacuum bedroom
Scoop litter box
Workout: PIYO - Define Upper Body
Breakfast: Eggs, bacon, fruit
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: CP Beef Roast, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts -- hubby brought home Mellow Mushroom! Yummo!!
Sunday:
Workout: PIYO Rest - run 30 minutes with dogs & hubby -- slept in instead
Breakfast: eggs, bacon, fruit
Lunch: Out
Seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark at the historic theatre in town. Loved the experience!
Dinner: Leftovers - CP Beef Roast, squash and fruit salad.
I typically rest from housework on Sundays, but I want to sweep and tidy up the garage a bit.
Scoop litter box
Trash night
Monday:
Breakfast: Shakeology -- Had Oatmeal with raisins instead
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Refrigerator dump-- had pork chops, mac and cheese and corn. not the healthiest
Workout: PIYO- Sweat
Scoop litter box
Pay bills
Clean bathrooms
Wash Towels
Soak hubby's work shirts
Vacuum downstairs
Green = I counted 19 accomplished, hooray for me's!  Red: I counted 12 fails.
I call that a WIN! 

Weekend Planning...6/27-30/14

I started weekend planning back when I discovered the blog My Happy House. Her organization style appealed to me. I fell off the wagon as I so usually do, since I haven't quite discovered the full joy of following through with a task. Self-motivation isn't one of my strong suits. Since becoming a housewife, I have struggled with my dislike of cleaning and my laziness (to put it bluntly.) So, I devised schedules, routines and organizational lists for myself that have all failed. The failure isn't on the part of the schedules, lists or routines, but strictly falls into the "user-error" category. haha 

I thought I'd bring back weekend and weekly planning to try to keep me more on track and accountable. I include Monday so I already have a plan for Monday in my mind over the weekend, I also included Friday this week to get started, even though it is already Friday afternoon.

So this weekend, we don't have a lot on the schedule.
Friday:
Pathfinder Game Night - Hubby convinced me to try out this role playing game, so we are headed to the local game store for the weekly meet-up.
Dinner: Grilled Chicken legs, butternut squash lasagna, fruit salad --Check out this post regarding our attempt at a Whole30.
Vacuum downstairs
Workout: PIYO- Define Lower Body

Saturday:
Spray outside the house for bugs (a monthly task in FL)
Wash the windows - In & Out
Strip bed, Wash sheets & dust/vacuum bedroom
Scoop litter box
Workout: PIYO - Define Upper Body
Breakfast: Eggs, bacon, fruit
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: CP Beef Roast, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts

Sunday:
Workout: PIYO Rest - run 30 minutes with dogs & hubby
Breakfast: eggs, bacon, fruit
Lunch: Out
Seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark at the historic theatre in town.
Dinner: Leftovers
I typically rest from housework on Sundays, but I want to sweep and tidy up the garage a bit.
Scoop litter box
Trash night

Monday:
Breakfast: Shakeology (My sister is a coach, swears by this, and since I have packets, I'll use them.)
Lunch: Leftovers
Dinner: Refrigerator dump
Workout: PIYO- Sweat
Scoop litter box
Pay bills
Clean bathrooms
Wash Towels
Soak hubby's work shirts
Vacuum downstairs

 I'll check back in on Monday to update you on what happened/didn't happen!

It's March Already...

Today is Thursday, March 6. Yesterday was Ash Wednesday and for Lent (even though I am not Catholic) I have chosen to give up Facebook. Not all of social media, but I am eliminating Facebook from my daily life.

We moved 1500 miles to Florida back in November. It's amazing how much time as passed, it feels like yesterday and so long ago at the same time. We celebrated our first Thanksgiving in the new house, our first Christmas and our first houseguests in January.

I tell you, moving is no joke. It is hard, stressful and painful. It feels exciting and new in the moment, but it truly is one big life change. Added to that is my change from worker bee to homemaker. Both hubby and I are still adjusting to this new dynamic in our relationship. I have to be honest, I can't be certain this is the path for me. I am an introvert by nature and not having the avenue of meeting people through work (either in home or outside of the home) has been devastating. It's a mind game I play with myself, but I really don't find myself all that interesting and therefore can't imagine too many others will either, haha. I have never been one to easily make friends, and truth to tell, I don't know where to start. It is rather intimidating and scary at the same time. And yes, as a 31 year old woman, I understand that is probably very silly and childish.

Some things I have been focused on since moving:
Setting up the house
Buying new furniture
Creating a cleaning and home maintenance routine
Keeping the newly created routine plan
Searching my heart regarding work/school/staying at home
Returning to routine exercise
Good nutrition
Opening my heart to the Lord
Accepting my current place in life and the path God has for me
Beginning steps in our infertility journey here in Florida
Finding a purpose
Meeting new people and making new friends

I haven't decided fully which, how much, or when yet, but I hope to share some more in depth focus on these items in the near future.

It has been a lesson for me, this new life. I miss my friends, I miss my house and yard for the dogs, I greatly missed seeing and experiencing all the snow that happened back home. I still feel like I'm on vacation. It's such a disconnect between what is happening to my friends and family and what I experience here.
I miss my job at the daycare so very much. I miss seeing the little ones grow and learn every day. I miss sharing the daily milestones with my co-teachers and mentors at the center, I miss having an outlet to share my heart, I miss having a daily purpose. Not that keeping a clean and pleasant home for my husband and animals isn't a purpose, but I am not sure it is the only purpose I am called by God to do in my life.

One week to go...

Monday marks the first day of my last week of work before our move to Florida. It is bittersweet. I will miss my amazing kiddos and their families so much. I will miss my Donna (my awesome and amazing co-teacher), my mentor and employer, Amy, and all the girls at my center so so very much. I feel at home there. I feel like I belong. I feel a little lost that I am leaving. I know my babies will be well taken care of. Their new teacher is amazing and has settled in nicely. She is a center employee of 5 years and has worked with the older classes, but this is the first time she is with such a young group. But, the kiddos seem to love her, and she seems to genuinely enjoy them as well. That is essential for taking care of that particular age-group.

Sunday is my very first Half-Marathon! I am so excited to be here so close to this race, but scared to actually run it. I must be very vigilant with my food and water intake today so that I give myself the best chance possible at running a great race! The only competition I have is with the woman in the mirror tomorrow morning.

Our home closing (for the house I just bought, eek!) is set for 10/30, and I am excited to do a walk-through and see the actual home! Last time I was there it was in framing, which is hard to look at and envision.

The only constant in life is change...

Things are about to change in our lives.

We are moving. Moving states away. I just bought a house states away, and it's feels official now. We are moving.

My wonderful hubby, the awesome man that he is has gotten a new job and we are moving to Florida. I traveled down this past weekend, along with my mother in law, because my dear hubby is away for work, and we bought a house.

As long as everything goes as planned, we close on 10/31. Just a few weeks away!

I am excited, nervous, sad and thankful. Can't wait for him to get home so we can move!!

More on that to come.

Weekly Planning...

I've got 6 weeks until my vacation, 7 weeks until my first 10k race, 9 weeks until my first mud run/obstacle course, 13 weeks until my first Tough Mudder, and 14 weeks until the baby shower a friend and I are hosting for friends. There are a lot of things to get together, get done and work on before then. These things include: running and strength workouts, birthday parties, house de-clutter, some household projects, work, organization, etc. Lots to do and only a finite amount of time to get schtuffs done. Solution for attacking this to do list and potential procrastination problem?
Weekly planning.

Today is Sunday, so I will start here.

Sunday:
Laundry
Workout: Strength This is normally my day off, but I have been slacking, so I must gets my butt in gear.
Lesson Planning: Dr. Seuss week, prep lesson needs for next day
Sweep & Mop kitchen floor
Vacuum carpets
1 hour work in former daycare room
Make lunch salads for the week
Dinner: Cod, rice & veggie

Monday:
Workout: Strength
1 hour work in Spare Room.
Prepare lesson needs for next day & Wednesday
15 minute maintenance clean: bedroom
Dinner: Chicken stir-fry & rice

Tuesday:
Work meeting
15 minute maintenance clean: upstairs bathroom
Dinner: Quick Meal

Wednesday:
Workout: Strength
1 hour work in "Nursery" Room
15 minute maintenance clean: kitchen
Prepare lesson needs for next day
15 minute maintenance clean
Dinner: Beef Stroganoff, noodles & veg

Thursday:
Workout: Run: 3 miles, intervals
Trash night
15 minute maintenance clean: laundry room
1 hour work in "Nursery" Room
Prepare lesson needs for next day
15 minute maintenance clean
Dinner: Chicken Quesadillas

Friday:
Workout: Strength
1 hour work in Garage
15 minute maintenance clean: living room
Prepare meal plan for next week & grocery list
15 minute maintenance clean
Dinner: Chili & rice

Saturday:
Workout: Outside run: Long run, 4 miles
Meet with contractor friend to determine materials needs and purchase.
15 minute maintenance clean: office (bills/paperwork)
Grocery shop
Mail birthday & Christmas gifts (Ack...yes I am way, way behind!)
Dinner: Tuna Noodle Casserole

Weekend Planning...

This weekend is already started, but here's what I'm planning on accomplishing.

Friday:
Gym
Chicken Enchiladas
Put out Valentine's Day


Saturday:
Work (3 hours)
Hem the curtains for classroom
Take down the Christmas decorations
Vacuum Carpet
Bowling with friends

Sunday:
Walk outside (to become acclimated to the outside temp)
Laundry
Lesson Planning

Monday:
Daycare Inservice
Lesson Planning

Weekend Planning - Check-In...

Happy New Year to you all!

Here's how my weekend shaped up. Green means that I accomplished said task...red = no go.

Friday:
Work
??Girl's Night?? -- We will see how I feel after a day's work.

Saturday:
Laundry, laundry, laundry
Clean and organize Master bedroom closet -- purge and donate
Mop the kitchen floor
Dinner & Game night with friends

Sunday:
More laundry, laundry, laundry
Strip and remake the bed (master and spare)
Clean the upstairs bathroom
Grocery shopping
Start packing up the toys from the daycare.

Monday: Day off for me!! Woot woot
More daycare toy purging
Organize daycare craft supplies
Sort paperwork/bills/mail
NYE out and about with friends

Tuesday: New Year's Day
Recover from NYE festivities
Lesson Planning
 -- Yeah, that sounds like about all I want to do that day.
??Maybe some Christmas decorations will get put away....maybe...if I feel like it! LOL

A very ambitious weekend...and I did about half of what I planned. That's about par for the course for me. It is Thursday, though so I'll be back with another round of planning tomorrow. I do have a date with a treadmill this evening though. Wish me luck!

Changes afoot...

I have decided to close my home daycare. I have decided to take a position as a full time Lead Teacher at a local daycare center.

Recently, I was contacted regarding a full time teaching position via an ad I had posted. At first, I disregarded it completely. I wasn't looking for a  new job. I was happy with my business. I had some really great kids and parents. I left the email in my inbox for the weekend, before mentioning it to my husband. He replied, "You should contact her. Maybe this is a sign." A sign of a door opening. A sign of a path to take to help us get to where we want to go. So, I responded and began an email conversation. The position turned out to fit EXACTLY into my experience, my favorite age-group, everything. So, I set up a meeting with her. We met, she described the position and we chatted. I loved her immediately. I liked the center and I felt at home there. She called me later that week and offered me the position.

It was a hard decision to make. There are myriad reasons why I am choosing this path. One includes a recent former daycare parent who chose to take our 2 1/2 year relationship and completely disrespect it, my daycare, the other children and parents, my home, my husband, and me. It's hard to know you put your entire self into a relationship, care for a child and her family and at the end of the day, it means nothing if you aren't able to give a yes to EVERY single request they make no matter if it's appropriate, small or large.

There are some other considerations that have gone into this decision...not the least of which is that
*I will go from working 55-65 hours per week to a 40 hour work week.
*My pay will be consistent. It's not determined by how many kids I do or do not have enrolled. I won't have to worry about having enough kids enrolled or having a restructuring year again. I will be able to rely on my pay and be able to look forward to the future with some financial confidence.
*I will have to someone to go to and ask for help with a problematic behavior problem or disrespectful parent.

The dissolution of my business is hard to think about. I have very mixed emotions regarding all aspects. Telling the parents, saying good-bye to the children, having a commute and having to dress a certain way for work, dealing with a co-worker (who I don't know...will we get along?), these are all on the "cons" side of the list. I think this will take some time to get used to...but I am hopeful for the future!

WE GOT NEW WINDOWS....

This post is a bunch of photos. I'm not going to bore you with a tutorial...cuz to be honest...my contribution to this effort was minimal...more gopher, less worker. Needless to say, I am super pleased and proud of my hubby! Thanks to his step-dad and mom for helping us and giving up two FULL weekends of their time! <3 them!!!

Uh oh there's a hole in my house!

Men at work

Directions help

Peekaboo!

I helped a little!!! Yay me!

 

The "why are you taking MY picture" face



We can do it!

SOOO much better!

Basement Progress...

We have drywall up and mud slapped on the walls!!!! DH worked hard, with the help of our good friend Troy, every day after work to get this together. I helped as I was able, over the weekend, but hubby was so nice to let me focus on the rest of the house and get ready for a new baby to start in the daycare this past week. He knows how anxious I get, and I have to clean, clean, clean. 

The Den/Office

Family Room

Bar wall

The only section that isn't drywalled and mudded is the section in the photo above. This is the area where our sewer pipe exits the house. Unfortunately, we've noticed there is 'something' wrong with the pipe...AFTER it leaves the house. We've had seepage through the block wall down the wall, onto the floor. Luckily we have the wall open & nothing on the floor. Un-luckily, but perhaps to be expected, neither the contractor who did our original renovation (including dig-out, install and re-grade for the door & stairs we added) or the concrete contractor who did our outside patio are being very helpful to determine who might be responsible for possible damage to the pipe. We're getting the run around, kind of typical for the reno-contractor, unfortunately. Hopefully, though we can muster through and get 'er done before too long so we can wrap up this second reno quickly. I have plans, man!

We have decided to continue on in all other parts of the basement. I am excited that next week we can start putting primer on the walls.
Further to do items for our basement living space.

• Finish up sanding & clean up
• Clean the floor
• Seal the cracks in the concrete floor
• Prime the walls
• Paint the walls
• Install new LED lights in office
• Replace new drop-ceiling tiles in office (to match family room)
• Install vinyl floor planks in family room, office, and hallway (only leaving section referenced above bare floor)
• Repair, paint & re-install trim
• Order new rugs
• Bring in FURNITURE!!!!!!!!!!!! (can you tell I can't wait to have my couch back?!)

We aren't positive, but we may have our living space back by the holidays. It all depends on how much we can get done in the next few weeks. Luckily I don't mind painting.

My New Bedding...

We have been working on our master bedroom decor for a looooong time now. I feel like it has been foreva and one day.

The problem lies in the fact that my husband and I while full of ideas lack time, knowledge and some tiny little item called motivation. To put it simply, we're kinda lazy. Yea, I said it. Gotta own your issues, right?
Well, I guess one step at a time...and we're making progress! Right now my handsome-not-so-handy hubby is hard at work installing drywall in our sad basement. ALLLLrighty-then! I can see some mudding and taping in our foreseeable future...not by US of course. Our good friend Troy is going to help us with that step...cuz we've heard that can literally make or break your room.

Anyway...I have made a few more baby steps on the roads to finishing our bedroom. Namely, I have finally found bedding in the colors and style that I wanted. It has taken me forever and a few instances that I almost ordered a boat-load of fabric and tried to diy my own. Whew, crisis averted there...I don't think that would have ended well!

So here it is.  

The throw pillows...which my hubby finds ridiculous...but I find adorable.

I also added two new panels to the window draperies.

PS Please ignore the paint swatches on the wall, our window ac unit, and our dusty nightstands! I'll have to add dusting to my to-be-done list.

Next for this bedroom.
• Install new windows
• Update trim
• fix trim (where dogs decided it looked tasty)
• Mount tv onto wall
• reinstall doors to the closet
• Install ceiling fan.



Pantry Re-vamp...

Saturday morning was very exciting at our house! This GIANT box arrived with all my goodies from The Container Store!!

Even the doggies were excited.

 My loverly organizing items.

 A couple lazy susans, Elfa cabinet pull-out bins, a clear packet bin and two LARGE shelves

Two small mesh stacking shelves and a cabinet door wrap rack.

SUPER EXCITED!!!

My pantry started out like this:

 :( It made me so sad and scared whenever I tried to find anything.

 Everything was pretty much thrown in and un-findable.

 Scary! EEK!

 Door before:

After: Things are placed together by function, shape or size. Bottom shelf (from left)is for potatoes, onions and garlic, vitamins, boxes and packets of soup mix, granola bars and popcorn!

 Very top shelf houses two very large stacking shelves with roughly 16" of space under and between them. This allows me to prioritize items that I want to keep on hand, but rarely use.
(From Top) outdoor party supplies (placemats, napkins, paper plate carriers.
                  cookie cutters, box mixes for fancy biscuits and desserts, plastic forks & knives, extra wraps
                 

Next is room for my canning supplies on right, my breadmaker on left, giant bottles of Italian olive oil, spices & honey...and hubby's protein powder finally has a home. (It used to migrate from shelf to shelf!)

Drawers for my baking supplies (on left) and my less used appliances: Food processor & blender) Even though I rarely use these two, I still want ready access for when I do want to make a milkshake(YUM!!) or shred up some veggies or puree some baby food for the daycare baby-lets!

Over here are my bulk items: (see those spices again) things like flour, steel cut oats, couscous, cornstarch, 10x sugar, pasta, rice, etc.

 And my piece de resistance: The door rack for my wraps, foil & plastic bags! They like hanging out with my aprons! **The pink one has a picture of a corkscrew and says: "my favorite kitchen utensil"** These used to reside in a drawer, which is now freed up for more useful items.

 

It might not seem like too much change, and that's true...we have tooooo many things stuffed in this tiny space, but I can actually see, and/or touch everything. That in and of itself is MAJOR! 

Hubby's job tonight after work is to sort & purge some of his hot sauces that he never uses and I should really purge some of my entertaining items (or find a new hiding space) but I think I will wait until another day to do that!

Now, I must return to cleaning my kitchen and folding laundry! Hope your weekend is going well!

Basement Progress: Purchases...

Drywall is hard. I mean, it's not that complicated, but it's deceptive. Hubby and I are stalled with putting up the drywall. I mean like 3 two-foot sections in a week. Yeah...we suck :(

I guess there is something to be said for taking it one task at a time doing it right. 

About 13 more sheets of drywall to get through!

Still have tons more to do, but after a not-so-nice argument, we'll be taking it one sheet of drywall day at a time.   

We have purchased new lighting for the office/den. LED recessed lighting. {as well as a third dehumidifier (seen 3 pics up)}

And flooring suitable to a slightly humid basement. TrafficMaster Allure Ultra in Vintage Oak Cinnamon. (I'll be letting you know if it truly is as easy to install as the directions indicate, and eventually, if it is 100% waterproof. They claim it is, so if it really is that would be AWEsome!

Hoping for a bit more progress in the next week. I'm missing my couch, it's a little annoying to only be able to watch tv from my bed.

Spare Room Reveal...

 December of 2008, our spare room looked like this.

I was just starting out with my home daycare, and this was to be our space. We were in this room for 8 months, but outgrew it quickly once I was state-registered and started caring for more than 3 kiddos. After we moved the daycare into the front room, (here & more recently here,) the room looked like this.

This room is the designated dumping ground for all things without a home. Since we rarely have overnight guests (if we do, it's usually my sister & her kiddos) I tend to "hide" things in here. Hoping that decorating and setting the room up as I want to use it would limit this behavior, I chose a color scheme that was to be bright and sunny. Colorful, yet relaxing. I created this design board

for reference and to help me make decisions regarding color palette and online purchases.

1. Duvet Cover & Shams from Target.com

2. Dusty Yellow B13-2 by Valspar from Lowe's-color match to Olympic No VOC paint.

3. Fabric from Fabric.com

(left: Silk Suiting, Herringbone Gabrielle Winter White and right: Waverly Small Talk Blackbird)

4. Pinella Bedroom Suite from Ashley Furniture Homestore (already owned, recycling from Master Bedroom)

5. Small silver & white drum shades, found at Marshall's

6. Black framed art, with black and white/sepia tone photos (these inspiration pieces were found at overstock, I think.)

7. 5x8 rug found at my local Target (couldn't find a link online) I bought two for $49.99 each)

2nd coat, I think, taken at night.

This is a full bed. We are planning to replace this with our queen, once we purchase a new bed for the master.

Draperies DIY'd

I really like how the sunlight comes in through the window here, if only I had the drawers in the dresser!

This photo DH inherited from his grandpa. It's taken near where he grew up.

$8 mirror, I spray painted glossy black. Originally from Marshall's

White & Black ruffled pillow (Marshall's)
Black square pillow (already owned)
Small Square pillow (DIY'd using an old pillow & Leftover drapery fabric.)

Dusty Yellow, color matched to Olympic No -VOC in Satin

This room is obviously a work in progress. Currently, it houses all of our odds and ends from our basement living room, as well as a few end tables and a twin bed.

There are a few things left to do.

1. Sew & install sheer curtains to create a bit more privacy
2. Install closet organization system
3. Find, buy & install ceiling fan
4. Touch-up & paint trim
5. Replace outlet & switch covers with white ones.