One Garage Sale Coming Up!

Well, how the heck are ya? I’m particularly awesome today, as I started a new workout and all around getting healthier plan this week. Aside from not being able to move my arms or legs, it is all good. Seriously, I just had to fling my arms up on the keyboard and I am only moving my fingers....

Also, this weekend, I started getting ready for a garage sale that we are planning to have on March 2nd. This is part of our cleaning out and cleaning up chapter and it will be a doozy! I peeked up in the attic last week to see what needed to go and just had to go away again. It’s ridiculous how much stuff is up there!

Yes, it's a little blurry-I was balancing on one 
knee and holding the camera out!

"Love" In Our Home

When friends enter our home I want them to feel comfortable and a sense of love.  One of my prayers has been that our home would be a blessing to others and they will feel welcomed.  

To me that means using warm, rustic furnishings and handmade items.  I collect items that are worn and have a history, or I create things that I love.  

In our entry there is a sign that says, "love".

If you have visited the Our Home page, you may have seen it.  

I really do love this sign and it is the first thing that anyone sees when they enter through the front door.  It sits on a bench that runs the entire length of the entry wall. 

Here is how we made it:

DIYables, Anthro Edition

With the tightening of the purse strings comes a need to be crafty and able to replicate some things that you see around the web and on Pinterest.  It’s a great idea to create things from scratch for gifts and for your own home, as we all know.  

But, sometimes, it’s a little overwhelming! All the “stuff” on Pinterest! Where to start and what to try.  I have sifted through some images and picked out some things that would be pretty simple to DIY and you would have a great show piece or gift.

And, the best part? When anyone asks, “Where did you get that?” Your response, “I made it.” Then watch their mouths drop open.

Anthropologie was my first stop to choose some things and they did not disappoint. There is a wealth of items there that could totally be DIY’ed very easily.  Some of their stuff is just weird, some is amazing.  I steered clear of the weird....I think.

A Mini Drop Zone Project

In the midst of our changing priorities over the past year, I have recently felt the need to clean out, clean up, and get organized.  I am definitely not there yet, but I am making a pretty good stab at it.  

I have organized my meal planning and food shopping process. 

AND

I cleaned out our hallway closet that looked a little like this:

This is not my closet (because I forgot to take a picture of the before!), but, it's pretty dang close to what mine looked like.  

I kept the vacuum in there, and I had to push it in as far as I could and then shove the door closed to keep it from being pushed back out by all the junk.  It was seriously ridiculous!

The Week in Pictures

Our Princess on her throne-Dot

Homework is hard work!

Making Homemade Valentine Card for his friends

Have a great Weekend!

Goodbye Satellite Provider,Get Outta My House

Oh boy! This is a big deal, friends.  Seriously a big deal.

On our journey to create a haven in our home, where outside influences have as little impact as possible, we have made a decision. We are ditching satellite.

EEEEEEEEEEEKKKKK!

You may be asking yourself,”Why is that such a big deal?”

Well.....because!

We are a television watching family!

The hubs is a serious sports nut, the biggest loves car shows, and the little loves SpongeBob, of course. The middle ‘un loves movies, so we can accomodate him without satellite.

I do love HGTV, but it’s usually on, just to be on. I don’t have to really

it. And, I can get my Downton Abbey fix on Amazon Prime.

Why did we come to this decision? It’s all about simplifying our lives, creating breathing room, being good stewards, and creating an environment of calm.

Try it.  Turn off that television for an evening and see how you feel.  Listen to the quiet.  It’s pretty awesome.

A big part of our decision making was the cost.  

Liebster Award!

Jennifer at Simply At Home Mom honored me last week with a nomination for the Liebster award. That is precious! It really is an honor when other new bloggers notice you! The award must go to blogs with less than 200 followers and is a way to help blogs get new followers.  

So, there are rules to this whole deal and they are as follows:

1. Each blogger should post 11 random facts about themselves.

2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you, then create 11 new questions for the bloggers you pass the award to.

3. Choose 11 new bloggers (with less than 200 followers) to pass the award to and link them in your post.

4. Go to their page and tell them about the award.

5. No tag backs.

So, here are 11 random facts about me:

This House Is Our Home-Kitchen

Ok, so once school started this year, I needed a project.  Yes, I know, a year like we had and I want a project?? I needed change. I needed to make something new. So, we went big and decided to remodel our kitchen.  WHAT?!?!

It was just a mini remodel.  We didn’t replace any appliances and didn’t change the arrangement at all.  We didn’t even have to re-do our flooring.  

I know you’re wondering, so what DID you do?

We took down a wall. This was pretty much a DIY sitch, and we took down a wall.

Here is a before:

 

There was a whole lotta country going on in this kitchen!

Life Is A Trip, Part 2

You know, we all have our own rulers we use every day. We measure everything, and everyone, including ourselves.

"Did I do well enough? How does my hair look? Do you think that she wears a smaller size than I do? Wow, she has a nice car."

Why do we do that? So few of us are truly comfortable in our own skin, with our place in life, our status at work. I really do strive and long for the peace that would come with just accepting myself.  I try to get closer every day.

Mirrors can be our enemy, but we should make them our friend

I know that my family and husband love me just the way that I am.  I don't have to earn their love.  It's unconditional, just like the love of Jesus Christ.

My Daddy was very proud of me and thought I could do anything.  He was the rock of our family.  And, he passed away this past summer. 

Let me pick up my story where I left off last time.