Change & Disarray

Happy Monday everyone! Kyle and I were SUPER busy on Sunday. We are getting new carpet installed on Wednesday this week and with the Iowa game on Tuesday we figure we need to get as much done to prepare for it before hand as we can!
We cleared out the “room formerly known as the office” (we don’t know what we call it now) & the guest room. And we also took everything out of our bedroom except our mattress (yep we’re sleeping on just the mattress on the floor…like one of those low, modern beds!) and the TV. Where did all that stuff go you ask? Our living room! It’s jam packed! I’m so glad it’s only temporary…I couldn’t handle all that stuff around me while I’m trying to relax on the couch!
Since the rooms were cleared and it didn’t matter what we got on the carpet, we decided this would be the perfect time to paint! The “room formerly known as the office” has never been painted since we moved in. We picked out a darker tan for that room. We also wanted to put a fresh coat (same color of blue) in our bedroom. So after we got all three rooms cleared out we taped the trim and got to painting! It went really smooth and fairly quick. Kyle “cut in” and I did the big jobs with the roller.

So here is the result after we finished our paint job in the “room formerly known as the office” .  (Ignore the “work bench”,aka our desk, in the middle!) What do you think? I’m anxious to see what it looks like with our new carpet because I’m sure it will have a much different look then!

BEFORE

AFTER

Well I’ve put in about 11 hours of work today (8 @ the office and 3 @ home). It was my first day back after my 12 day break. I’m ready to hit the hay! I’m going to wake my sleeping hubby from the couch (he was watching the Fiesta Bowl…btw, tomorrow’s the Iowa game!!!) and go to bed.
Good-nite all!

Organized!

This is what I spent my Saturday afternoon doing, organizing my craft room! Like I said yesterday it looked like a tornado had went through and you can tell from the before pictures that I wasn’t kidding!

BEFORE

AFTER

I also moved our printer to my craft room. I think it makes most sense to have it there because the majority of the printing we do is for “crafty” purposes. Eventually we won’t use one of the bedrooms as an office (one will be a nursery and one will have to be the guest room!) so I’ve been trying to ponder on how to incorporate the office into another part of the house. I think I still have some organizing to do, but should be able to make it work. And don’t get any ideas for the mention of “nursery”…there aren’t any buns in this oven! ;) Just trying to plan for whenever that day does come!
Once I got the craft room all organized I had a splendid idea while I was trying to shove all my wrapping paper & bows into a tote that would never come close to fitting it all….instead of storing all of our gift wrap supplies in a 2 totes why don’t I create a “gift wrap station”. And that is just what I did! So if you are looking at the oak table w/2 lamps on it and turn 180 degrees you will be right at the gift wrap station!
Now I know the furnace and water heater make a great background to the area…but this is what I have to work with! {we would eventually like to put up a wall around those 2 things, but it really isn’t priority right now}
I am super pumped about this little $0 “make over”! Yep you read that right, I spent zero, zip, zilch, nada on the project! I used a spare metal waste basket to store all the wrapping paper {left}, found a cloth basket to keep the gift bags in {middle}, and used an old bookshelf we were thinking about selling to hold bows & a basket of gift boxes {right}. The table {came w/4 chairs} was a Christmas gift from Mom & Dad B.
Side-note: Notice we have our router and other internet box thingy {i’m not too techy!} on the bottom shelf. Since we were transferring the office to the basement, this place worked perfect for those two little guys because it was right by the internet cable. Perfect!
Too bad I didn’t get this whipped up before Christmas so it could get some good use! I know it’ll $ave us since now we can see everything we have instead of re-buying stuff that we can never seem to find.
And I finished my day by moving everything that was “office-y” {is that a word?!?!} to the basement and organized in this perfect little cubby, behind the bar, that I think was made just for our stuff! It’s hard to believe that almost all the things from our office can fit there. I did go through and re-organize everything and throw out a few things and moved other things to more “sensible” places. This was completely unused space before {maybe a picture frame or two}. Overall I am quite happy with the result.

Whew, what a day!! Feels good to be productive! Kyle had to go to work so I am going to finish up a few things in the office and hit the hay! One more day of my “Christmas” break and I don’t want to be too tired to enjoy it!
G’nite all!

new year thoughts & hopes

With a new year many choose to make “resolutions” to better themselves and have a better year than the one past. I have done this in years past, but usually by May or June it isn’t sticking so well anymore. I was reading a favorite blog of mine yesterday and had a thought. Just because the “resolution” won’t stick all year long doesn’t mean I can’t at least strive to do better in a certain area(s). It can only make me a better, well rounded person.

One year I joined “Lighten Up Iowa” to get myself in better shape and I’m pretty sure it only worked for about a month or so. Even though it was short lived I know learned important things about being healthier.

Another year I said I was going to talk to God every morning on the way to work, this was a perfect time when nothing else could interrupt me. But I know I didn’t do it for the whole year, but it is something I often do now…no not everyday, but it is something that, if I’m not leaving the house 7 minutes before I’m supposed to be at work, I just do because for a few good months it was a habit of mine.

Even though I didn’t keep those “resolutions” they are part of what I am today. And for that, I’m thankful. So just because it’s a new year doesn’t mean this is the only time you can choose to make a change for the better. For this new year, new decade, I have decided that anytime, not just January 1st,  is a great time to reflect on what I could do greater and better.

 

so for today, looking forward to 2010 i hope:

to love more {husband, siblings, parents, grandparents, friends, acquaintances, strangers, etc}

to make attempts {even if they are one sided}

to give more {not just monetary, but any other way i can find to help others}

to diligently seek God’s will for me & kyle {in all situations: our jobs, our marriage, our family, our finances, etc}

to do random acts of kindness {paying for one’s meal behind me, putting away someone’s cart for them, simple. kind.things}

to pray more {and not just when i’m rushing to work!}

to be more frugal {spend less. save more.}

to cherish each moment {because you are never guaranteed another one just like it}

to be healthier {exercising and eating}

to live each day to the very fullest.

 

Now I know that is a great list to live up to, but you know when expectations are high is usually when people “perform” their best. And for now, that is my hope. And if/when I don’t meet each one of those things throughout this next year, I know that I didn’t fail, but I get the opportunity to try for it again and again.

 

this is magnet i have on my fridge and try to keep it in mind.

 

what are your hopes/resolutions for 2010?

bbbbrrrrrr!

 

abby and i are thinking warm thoughts today.

she is snuggled in our bed.

i’m sipping on some hot cocoa.

because this is what it is like outside as of 10am today:

New Years Day

Kyle had to open at work this morning so I slept in till 9ish, but when I got up I got right to work! I made Kyle some muffins to munch on when he got home from work and sliced a tray of pepper jack, colby jack, and summer sausage. New Years Day is probably Kyle’s favorite day of the year because of the following:

A whole day of college football!! In Kyle’s  book it doesn’t get too much better than that! I caught a few highlights…but wasn’t about to watch 12 hours of football! So did a few projects around the house! Tuesday I got all the Christmas taken down, but didn’t get my “regular” things put back & do a good clean. So that was my focus today!

I finally got Mel’s wedding pictures printed and put in frames(she got married in June)! 

And added a few other new pictures around too…one of Stef & me from Thanksgiving and one of me & Kyle from Mel’s wedding! And I couldn’t let the “pops” of green be gone when I put the Christmas away, so I purchased some vase filler from Target and it worked out perfect! 

When I took my Christmas decorations down I wasn’t ready to put everything away. I left up a few snowmen, snowflake, and other winter things up since it still is winter in Iowa!

Now hold on to your horses ‘cause this gets pretty exciting…I also organized my sock drawer! I know that sounds crazy, but this way it easier to grab the right pair of socks that I need…ones for work, casual, or working out!

 

If you stop reading now, I understand, ‘cause it doesn’t get too much more exciting!  One of my goals over my time off from work was to organize the front closet and that turned into a little more, I also organized my purses & bags. Before our bags & purses were stored in multiple places and now they are all neatly together in 2 separate labeled totes in the basement.

My next “to-do” is to attack my craft room. It looks like a tornado went through! We also need to start clearing out the 3 bedrooms because we are getting new carpet installed on Wednesday. We want to paint 2 of the rooms before the new carpet is put in, so those are a few big projects on the horizon!

New Year’s Eve

Our friends, Robbye & Mel, hosted a party at a local restaurant here in town for New Years. It was a fun night with friends! We ate some yummy Mexican food, played games, danced, and chatted the night away! 

Mel and the HUGE burrito she ordered!!  

I think this is when Kyle stole the camera and was taking random pictures! This is quite deceiving…Robbeye is never serious! 

It was a formal party, fun to get all dressed up! 

Not only our neighbors, but also our friends! 

My favorite guy!!     

This was Kyle’s spot the majority of the night. Ever since losing all the weight he is ALWAYS cold. So he was planted under the vent rubbing his hands together to keep warm!!

By the way, don’t you love his vest?!?!

   Like our hats??? :)

 

We even had a disco ball!!  

Happy New Year!!!

A Quick Visit w/Emma & Sara

My friend Sara  had her husbands family Christmas at a hotel here in town. So I stopped by to say hi! I miss the days when I worked with Sara and saw her every day! Now with a 1+ hour drive we don’t get to see each other too often.

Emma went for her first swim and by the looks of it, I think she liked it! The water was a little cold though, so it was a quick one. She is 10 months old!

 

Mommy got her dresses and all warm again! Emma is “talking” away and making such cute faces! She sure is one happy little girl! 

Emma got a little wagon for Christmas, so we took her for a stroll around the hotel. I know the pictures aren’t good quality, but I just love all the faces she makes! The center one is what she does when you say “So Big”!

         I just love this cute little girl!!!