Happy First Day of Spring!

When we moved into our rental, the first thing we noticed was our backyard was more dirt than grass. You may recall my previous post that touched on this.

Well, when Clark was home we decided we needed to change a few things. I told him I needed something to do since Michael and I were spending countless hours outside. So to Lowe's we went. We got a lime tree to plant, some flowers, and then my sister gave me sunflower seeds from her own harvest to plant. We also designated an area for Michael's garden. He picked out strawberries and lettuce to grow. (I'm doubting he'll even eat the lettuce.)






But the first evening after planting Clark experimented with our sprinkler system, and we were a bit afraid he had drowned everything. The waiting has been rather horrible. BUT GUESS WHAT?! The lettuce is beginning to grow in Michael's garden, and five of my sunflowers have broken ground. Still no sign of the strawberries, or the rest of my sunflowers... I'm staying hopeful!




I never thought I had a green thumb, but I love having the task of taking care of my garden daily. Michael won't let me forget, either, seeing as how his favorite thing to do every day is get his watering can (thanks, Target) and water his little garden.


The great thing about Arizona (WOO HOO, a positive!) is that we can keep our plants going all year round. The hibiscus can be planted in the ground and, odds are, by the time my sunflowers actually start to bloom, I can keep them blooming year round.

Oh. In case you were wondering. Our grass situation is still on the dirt side of things. We should be planting grass in about a month, something I am looking forward to very impatiently!

I should mention that when my mom was here, she said, "You need flowers."

Yeah. She was right.

These were so easy and fun to make. I hope you get a chance! I can't wait to use them to bedazzle (like that word? bedazzzzzzle) some gifts, not to mention our Christmas tree! I imagine these would have been extra fun if Michael was old enough to help me. These days I have to wait until he's asleep to do crafts/baking.

Here's what you need:

- 1.5 C cinnamon (I bought a large container at our local Sam's, but you should check dollar stores as well!)
- 1 C unsweetened applesauce
- 3 tsp (1 tbsp) ground cloves (or more... and this is *optional*)

Directions:

- Preheat your oven to 200.
- Mix together 1 C applesauce and 1 C of cinnamon. You really have to push and fold the mix to get it all together. Feel free to use your hands. Prepare that they will smell like a candle for a while if you do, no matter how much you wash them!

- Once the two cups are thoroughly mixed, add your next 1/2 C of Cinnamon and ground cloves.
*Note: Pictured is me adding the cloves with the initial first mix. I think it would work either way, but I have a feeling if I had waited to add the cloves their smell would have been a little more noticeable.*

- Next, sprinkle cinnamon over a surface (as you would flour, and I put wax paper down to help with the mess). Roll out your dough until it's about 1/4 inch thick or so.
*Add cinnamon or applesauce to reach the right texture. You don't want it too dry or too damp. It should be just right!*

- Use the cookie cutters that you would like to make your ornaments!


- Use a skewer to poke a hole in the ornaments, very carefully. Make SURE it goes all the way through. If it doesn't, that will make it rather difficult to string them up!

- Bake in the oven for at least an hour. I checked on mine and they seemed to be in excellent condition, but yours may need to bake longer depending on the climate of your home. It's also suggested to just leave them in the oven overnight (so... it's easiest if you make them at night), just to be safe and make sure they completely dry out.

- String works best, but ribbon works, too! Make your ornaments a little more glamorous by adding decorative string/ribbon!



Some of mine did come out a little cracked. I think my dough may have been just a TINY bit dry. Luckily, I only made about 1/3 to 1/2 of the mix, so I have some left over to fix! I would suggest doing this... unless you're doing this as an activity with kids... in which case, make them ALL!

The original idea for these came from the fabulous mind of: Katy Elliot.

And don't forget to enter the fabulous giveaways going on from Exquisite Crafts and Atkinson Drive! Only a couple days left! Don't miss out.

I admit, Clark and I are pretty awful when it comes to grocery shopping. We're those people who the cashiers know by name because we're in there five times a week.

I'll make a list. I'll make a meal plan. Yet somehow we end up always straying from what I write down.

This is how it happens.

Take, for example, I planned this:

Monday: Stuffed Peppers (no meat)
Tuesday: Chicken Lo Mein (new recipe)
Wednesday: Enchiladas
Thursday: Left Overs
Friday: Chicken Taquitos with Black Beans
Saturday: Eat Out
Sunday: Firecracker Burgers

Here's how it happens:

Monday: Rough day. Don't feel like cooking. We get Chinese (Veggie Lo Mein, no meat).
Tuesday: Enchiladas
Wednesday: Left Overs.
Thursday: Don't feel like cooking something new. Something quick from the store.
Friday: Firecracker Burgers
Saturday: Left Overs.
Sunday: Chicken Taquitos with Black Beans and Rice.

See what I mean? Within that time we'll run to the store for new stuff to eat, stuff for Michael to eat, snacks because we're craving something.

We are terrible dreadful ridiculously awful the worst when it comes to sticking to plans.

But this time we had to.

We joined a Sam's Club. I wasn't too sure about it, but my older sister really talked it up. And then I read Mrs. Healthy Ever After's post about being a budget meal beast, which included a list of key items to keep stalked. I thought, "I can totally do this."

So, I made a list to go by. We went to the store... and we were overwhelmed.

I had a list, though. I was pretty determined to stick to the guidelines of the list.

So, here's what we bought (most of it, anyway).

1. A large box of Penne Pasta.
Our favorite and easy to whip out quick and easy recipes when people were coming or when last minute I didn't REALLY feel like cooking.

2. A large container of multiple tomato sauces.
To go with the above pasta, and to have in the house for last minute easy recipes (which always seem to require tomato sauce).

3. A pack of cracker packs as well as a large box of granola bars.
To have for Clark to take to class and work as snacks.

4. A large container of Goldfish and a pack of Gerber Squeezables.
For Michael.

5. A large thing of Chicken breasts packaged per pound.
We eat a lot of chicken, and it ended up costing like $1 per pound. So, we can stick it in the freezer and pull out a pack come dinner or lunch time, even.

6. A large bag of potatoes.
While I don't normally buy potatoes, I thought they'd be easy to have for lunch or dinner if I don't completely feel like cooking. Plus, there's a lot you can do with potatoes. They're also good for when company is visiting and you need something easy yet delicious (prepared in numerous ways).

7. Fruit
While I normally don't buy fruit in bul;k because it could go by, we promised to eat some every day. This was an excellent idea because we are determined to eat a healthy snack so we didn't waste money on it.

8. Yogurt
Greek Yogurts, to be exact. I LOVE Greek Yogurt. At the store the brand I like never seems to be 10 for $10, and plus this pack was a lot cheaper.

9. Cheese
Those Bonbel mini cheese wheels? Clark and I love to have those for snacks or with lunch.

10. Bread
We always go through bread so quickly, and this way we were getting two packs that would last but not go bad. With this we also included tortillas for wraps, quesadillas, and so forth.

There you have it! Those are my top ten for "buying in bulk" at the moment. Thus far they have really proved to be worth it!

Hello from Kansas!

Visiting family is always a joy to me. It's a little bittersweet that Clark couldn't travel with us, but everything went smoothly for the most part!

When I step away from one safety-zone into another, it always makes me ponder. I feel just as much at home in my parents' house as I do at my own. This means more when you take into account just how much they've moved since I last lived with them.

My last home under thier roof was in North Carolina. Since then they've lived in Germany, South Carolina, Georgia, and Kansas. My poor little sister has been at a new school every year of high school. It makes me that much prouder to be here for her graduation.

When I was younger I used to imagine the perfect house, especially when Clark and I were first married. I would go over and over the details in my head, just thinking of all the things that would make this house my "dream home". As I've gotten older, however, I've realized something rather profound.

My dream home is where ever my family is.

My mom has shown me that it doesn't matter precisely where you are. You can make any house your home. You can make any town your town. It just takes patience and time. I think growing up in a family that followed God's call in the ministry and the military, we learned that slowly but surely. Now that I'm older, it's even clearer. She has moved so much and always dreamsed of a house, but to me she made every house we lived in a true home.

It's hard sometimes when you live in an apartment or live somewhere that doesn't exactly feel homely to remember how blessed you are. Sometimes God sends some challenges your way that you just don't think are ever going to turn around and be in your favor... but you get there.

The more Clark and I talk about the future, the more I remember to enjoy the present. I may be thinking about having a home someday with a fenced in back yard and a treehouse for Michael (like my parents have at the moment), but then I remember that the duplex we live in now will be full of memories and stories alike to share with fondness. And if for some reason we find our dream home and then have to move... I hope at that moment I can remind myself that it wouldn't be home without my family.

Michael's seperation anxiety has been pretty terrible the past couple of days. From plane rides to car rides to realizing that dada is nowhere to be found, I can imagine why. I know when he's older the grandparents' houses will be an adventure all on its own, and I hope he'll realize at that point as well that home really is where the heart is.

So, although we're missing dada, and although it's a little rough being away from all of our things, we're feeling so blessed to be spending time with family. Home is not a place. A house is a place. Home is family and love.

Some housework doesn't bother me. I don't mind washing and folding laundry. I don't mind vacuuming. I don't mind cleaning the bathroom.

In fact, some of those things are relaxing to me.

But there's one thing that I absolutely hate doing.

Ironing.

Clark makes fun of me because since the first day we were married, he's the one who wanted the ironing board. He picked it out, along with the iron, and even some starch. I suppose it's the military side of him. He is an excellent ironer.

Me?

I'm terrible.

I don't know why. It's not like I never learned. Having a military-man for a father as well, and a mother who insisted on most things being wrinkle free, I grew up around ironing. But for some reason I just hate to do it.

The other day it was necessary. I was working on a new craft project (which you'll soon see) and needed to iron a small piece of fabric. Cotton. Easy breezy.

Michael was in his bouncer so I pulled out the ironing board from our little laundry closet.

I couldn't unfold it.

It's not like it was rocket science. There was a little lever which clearly needed to be manipulated and then it needed to be set to the correct level.

The stupid lever would not budge. I tried pulling out, pushing in, pushing down, pushing up... it would not move.

I didn't want to ask Clark for help.

He was in the other room working on studying for his final exams. I didn't want to call him in the room and get some snide comments or jokes made at my expense because of the ironing board.

So I kept trying.

Clearly I was making a racket (at this point I was shaking the ironing board hoping it would just pop into the right position), because Clark emerged from the office and stood there with his arms crossed.

"Ironing something?"

"Yes," I said hesitantly.

"Well this is a miracle."

This is the part where I imagine steam was coming out of my ears

"Are you going to help me or not?"

"Help you what?"

As if he didn't know.

"I can't get the stupid thing to open."

"Maybe you should use it more." He was laughing.

So... I took a deep breath... and smiled.

Once it was set in position (and I still honestly don't know how he did it), I got the iron, added some water, set it to cotton, and did my thing.

He said I should blog about it. So here I am. Blogging about it.

I hate ironing. Clark will be the one that teaches our son how to crease his pants and flatten his collar. I just can't stand it. I'm not sure why. Maybe because it's time consuming in a way that isn't relaxing. Maybe it's because I'm afraid of leaving a big iron print in the middle of something. I don't know.

There's only one thing I do know.

We need a new ironing board. A fool-proof ironing board.

My husband and I have been unpacking, storing, tossing, and setting aside. While this obviously isn't our first move, it's the first place we've moved where a Yard Sale is in our future and our last move until our *fingers crossed* final move. Or at least out last move before our first move across the country *fingers still crossed*.

Within this move, we've come to a few startling conclusions.

First, it gets on my husband's nerves that I'm a pack rat.

Second, it gets on my nerves that my husband is a piler.

Third, it gets on both of our nerves that we're not sure if we're both pack rats and pilers, or if one label is specific to each one of us.

So, what's the difference?

Here are some examples.

I have at least ten empty jewelry boxes. You know, the kind that the jewelry actually comes in when it's presented to you. Maybe not ten. That might be an exaggeration. But I had the one from my engagement ring, my opal ring, my sapphire ring, a pair of earrings, a necklace, the Murano glass my parents/sisters brought me from Italy, a Tiffany's box....

These boxes, to me, all represent memories. The thing is, I have an actual jewelry box that the jewelry was transferred to. The other boxes were just taking up space in my top dresser drawer. So... I suppose that's a little pack-rattish.

My husband makes piles. There was a pile in our room of his Marine Corps uniforms that had yet to be folded and put away. A pile of his clean clothes he hadn't put in his closet. There was a pile of books that he didn't know where they went. There was a pile of receipts on the desk that he was "going to file"... so he said a month ago even before we moved.

There is a pile of things that still need to be hung. There is a pile of things that were on the desk and he's clearly deemed they don't belong there. There's a pile of Michael's toys that we have yet to put away. There's a pile of documents that need to be sorted through. There's a pile of my things that he's moved from where I've had them dispersed to somewhere that he thinks is more convenient. Piles. He's a piled.

Now, here's the fine line.

I have a pile of things: my One Year Bible, my journal, my prayer journal, and my planner. However, these are all a part of my morning... or afternoon... we'll say daily routine. I visit each of these things at some point during the day, which is why they are all together. I have a pile of books that I want to read. These books are not put away on a book shelf, but are in a pile because there isn't room for them on the book shelf. I have a mess of a pile that is my scrapbook stuff. But... my piles have a purpose to me. Clark's piles just seem to be a mess.

Clark saves things. He has a letter from a previous employer in a bag of letters and documents he hasn't decided if he's going to keep or toss. He has some clothes he refuses to get rid of that he's had since sometime before high school, but they still fit (even though they have multiple holes and stains), so he's keeping them. He has boxes of things that he hasn't used yet but may use someday, or things that he used in the past but may use again (not likely). He HAD (he finally got rid of them) a pair of hiking boots that he had, I'm pretty sure, since 8th grade that he finally got rid of due tot he fact that they'd been falling apart for at least three or four years and it was clear that they weren't going to do the job anymore. So, his stuff is more reasonably sentimental to him and therefore not pack-rattish.

(By the way, I do realize that I have made up the words "piler" and "rattish" for this blog.)

Today we found a way to compromise.

Clark finally got rid of most of his piles, and I went through and tossed some of the empty jewelry boxes and other things that I was holding on to. There are still piles, and I'm sure I still have some things that Clark thinks I should get rid of (like the bedding to my dorm room bed... since we don't have a little girl or a twin bed).

The point is we're working on it.

We're doing our best to put our house together as our house.

The thing is, whether you're a pack rat or a piler... every now and then you have to go through what's yours and put it away, toss it, sell it, or store it. It's a part of life, after all. And I don't just mean around the house.

Do you have something you need to put away, toss, sell, or store? I'm all ears!

Oh, yes we did.

We moved... again!

Needless to say this past week + one day has been hectic. We were moving into our new place, Clark started classes again, Michael had a doctor's appointment... the works.

And we're still living in a state of turmoil.

A lot of people I know are still going through moving changes. Two of our dearest friends (who just happen to be married) just moved to Washington State and are attempting to unload all of their things. My older sister told me that she and her husband still don't have all their things together in their house that they've now lived in for, I believe, a year or more.

Moving is hard. It doesn't matter who you are.

My husband and I kept playing off this move like it was no big deal. We literally moved right around the corner, so we kept saying we could walk boxes and things over and it wouldn't take longer than a day.

We were wrong.

I also thought it would be a lot easier to help move with Michael than it was when I was pregnant.

I was wrong.

We didn't pack things up enough so when the time came Clark kept making trips back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, loading and unloading, loading and unloading, loading and unloading.

Where was I, you ask? I was where ever the most furniture was sitting with Michael, lying with Michael, playing with Michael, walking with Michael. I was taking care of Michael.

I was of NO use.

I mean, I kept the baby entertained and happy, but I was of no use helping with the back and forth or loading and unloading. At least when I was pregnant I could do some light lifting and could easily unpack boxes. Clark was just needed to move the heavy stuff like furniture. This time? It's been an even bigger challenge.

So, our house is still packed with boxes. It's still a matter of shuffling piles from one room to the next until they dwindle down and you realize everything has been strategically placed in the right room, and then you can move forward in arranging, organizing, and cleaning.

I have to give my husband props. He's been doing 90% of the moving work. I have been doing 90% of the baby work. A fair trade, I'd say.

Michael is a little high maintenance. When I say this I am referring to his need and desire to be held. When it comes to life, he seems to be completely laid back and easy going (something he definitely gets from his father). He just goes with the flow.

But if you try to put him down when he's asleep, or when he's almost asleep, or when he wants to play-- WATCH OUT! The boy has lungs.

Both of our families have observed that it would be hard to have a baby that just won't be put down. At first he would be put down in his swing. He LOVED his swing. But ever since we returned from our Christmas vacation, it hasn't been the biggest hit.

I've started trying to lie down to feed him and leave him there to nap... but he won't have it. He wakes up instantly and starts crying. My sister put it as, "Mummy, I woke up, and you weren't there, and I was frightened, and I didn't know what to do...." The "ands" in his cries refer to his squeaks, which happens to be his nickname my sister gave him as well.

The really upset cries come from when I put him down and he doesn't want to be down, or I'm trying to change his diaper when he clearly wants something to eat, or I'm trying to feed him and he just wants to go to sleep without nursing. Or if I stop walking, thinking he's fallen asleep, and I come to find out he hasn't.

Anyway, what this all is leading back to is the fact that all I have been able to do with our move is small things here and there when a miracle happens and I am able to put our child down for a moment.

And, to answer a question that may be on some of your minds, no, I am not a fan of the "crying out" method. Read this article and this articleif you are or think you are. Perhaps it will help change your mind.

So, here's the big "but".

BUT.

I am SO happy to be in a bigger place.

Michael will have his own room (on the off chance that he actually begins sleeping in his crib), and we have that much more space. We have hardwood floors which will force us to keep them cleaner, not to mention it will be a bit healthier for us because our dog's hair won't shed into carpet. I have a bigger kitchen, room for a bookshelf or two, and so much more.

Another thing we've realized (or at least I have) is that our next move will be close to our final move (we hope). In that case we only intend to bring our good stuff with us, and have a huge yard sale to get rid of the things that we've bought as "filler furniture and accessories" for the multiple apartments, condos, duplexes, and houses we've occupied in our almost five years of marriage.

Well, that's all for now folks. Have any moving stories to share? I'm all ears! I'm hoping my next post will be a new recipe!

(Cartoon fromcitizenmom.net).

I've been struggling with our apartment again.

No joke.

It's hard to feel at home in it. I don't know if it's because it's so small or if it's because many of my possessions are in storage in Clark's grandparent's attic. I'm not sure if it's because I don't know many people here or if it's because I'm homesick for Boone/Banner Elk.

I'm just not sure.

Whatever it is, it's been making me a bit cranky. When my mom was here I got motivated to keep the house clean. I was motivated to organize everything more. I was determined to make the best of our little home.

Now... not so much.

I just feel crowded. The more involved Clark gets with school and climbing, the more of a mess there is. Without him having his own space, it's impossible to convince him that the living room is not his space to spread his gear out to let it dry. It's impossible to get him to keep his school stuff from crowding our "dining area". It's impossible to keep him from throwing his wallet, keys, sunglasses, knife and so forth on my bookshelf right by the door. It's impossible to keep him from using the baby's changing pad/dresser as storage space for his belt and pants when he changes into his pajamas.

He is impossible.

Now, I have to take some blame, too. It's impossible for me not to think of the coffee table as my desk, since the desk Clark made me as my graduation present is currently the only one in our apartment. It's impossible for me to keep my makeup and hair stuff put away in our bathroom. It's impossible for me to not leave things lying around for most of the day before putting them away. It's impossible for me to keep my stuff organized in our closet.

I am impossible.

I used to keep our apartments clean. In our last home it was OK if things got a little out of hand. There was so much space. We had two rooms upstairs, each with a bathroom. We had a large kitchen and living room downstairs with a half bathroom. Our washer and dryer were in a closet near the front door, completely inconspicuous and out of the way.

Now we have one bedroom and you have to go through it to get to the bathroom. Our washer and dryer take up half of our one bedroom closet. The closet in our living room doesn't even have doors. Our kitchen is a closet pretty much. You can't distinguish one area from the other, really. It all runs together.

We were desperate to move. We were temporarily staying with my in-laws and we were ready to go. We needed our own home. Somewhere to call our own and to set up house.

I take the blame.

We had a code word. If I said the apartment was "cute" then it was OK and we could make the deal.

I spoke too quickly.

I was so ready to be out of my in-laws way. Not to mention we had to move because Clark got a job. The apartment was cheap and the landlord seemed genuine and caring. I said the word. We moved.

Oh how wrong I was.

We can never get in touch with our landlord. There are so many things that need to be repaired and none of it has been done. With Michael here, there just seems to be no space. If I need a breather, I have to go in the bathroom and shut the door or go outside. Our cat chases our dog from one end of the apartment to the other... over and over again (when he's feeling well, that is). It's impossible for anyone to have ANY privacy.

I feel like I have cabin fever 24/7.

I keep talking myself down. Telling myself there are others who are in worse circumstances. There are others who live in an apartment this size with two or more kids. People who live in boxes on street corners. People who sleep on benches.

Unfortunately I'm stubborn. I don't even listen to myself when half of me is making more sense than the other half.

I'm sorry I'm whining.

"Homes are for free expression, not good impressions."

This quote comes from the remake of Yours, Mine, & Ours.

I used to not agree.

I would walk into people's disastrous homes with art that didn't match and things that just didn't make sense and inwardly turn up my nose. I want a clean-cut home with flowers on the table, shoes all in a row (where they belong), and not a trace of messiness.

Basically a home that doesn't look like it's lived in, except with family pictures so people know that it is, in fact, a home.

I grew up in a house where beds were made every morning, the bathroom was clean/organized, closets were not places to stuff what you didn't feel like putting away, and your shoes were always put away (or else). At the time I didn't appreciate it. Now? I wish I could hire my parents to come and make my home spotless for me.

It feels impossible with where we're living now.

I'm trying to balance. Trying to understand that we won't always live in this apartment. Trying to just be a little less stressed and go with the flow. Think that other people can think what they want when/if they come over. Think that my home is my home because it's where my family is. Think that things can't get any worse.

My home is an expression of my husband's constant coming and going, my job that is taking care of my son, my ten week old who is already growing too quickly, and my animals that are probably suffering from cabin fever like we are.

Some day I'll have a home that can be for free expression and good impressions. But for now I suppose I'll just have to go with the flow and do what I can when I can.

Is your home a free expression or good impression?

For the past two weeks my mom was staying with us helping in whatever way she could. One of the main things she did was help me realize how much stuff we've had just lying around. With a new baby in the apartment, and everything that comes with him, this was not ok. So, we went on a trip to Target and a trip to Walmart to help us de-clutter and make life much easier.

We started with our closet.

Itso Cube in White from Target
These cubes stack and store things in a wonderful fashion. You can buy a shelf to go in it also if you want to organize your things even more. I bought two of these (thus far) to go on my closet shelf. One contains purses and scarves, the other summer shoes and belts I presently don't need. But I don't just put things in the bins.

Itso Large Polka Dot Bin from Target
I bought two of these to go in the bins to make my organizers even cuter. They also come in different colors and sizes to accommodate your taste and needs!

From Walmart we got a step stool so I could get to the bins with ease! We also bought pants hangers that hold about five pairs each to clear some of the shelf space, and a hanging shoe holder for the back of the closet door.

Now I can actually find what I need, reach things without jumping or climbing onto our washer or dryer, and walk into the closet without tripping on shoes!

Of course... we've had problems beyond the closet, but I'll write about that later.

I don't know how to express how grateful I am that I was matched up with a handy-man. I am not exactly tool or fixer-upper oriented. I've never been good at fixing things if they've broken beyond simple glue and tape, or been good at figuring out just who to call if there is a problem with something needing repairs.

Clark, on the other hand, is magnificent. He is very determined to be able to do just about anything. If he doesn't know how to fix it, he'll research it and do everything possible so he DOES know. If he still can't figure it out, he'll shadow whoever does fix it so he knows precisely what to do if it happens again. He does not like not knowing how to fix something. You name it, he's investigated it: cars, drains, pipes, lights, walls, windows, furniture, landscaping-- he does it all just about.

Now that we're about three weeks away from the "official" due date of our first child, Clark has been even more adamant when it comes to being Mr. Fix-It. As previously mentioned in Yard Sale Steals, we found a crib that needed to be refinished. We started by sanding it down so the dark wood finish was no longer, and then Clark took it from there. Here's how it's turned out!


After finishing this lovely masterpiece, Clark thought he would finish the dresser he began for the nursery (also mentioned in Yard Sale Steals). Unfortunately, he learned the hard way that there are some things he doesn't have the patience for.

Clark has built some furniture for our home before the attempted-baby-dresser. He built our fabulous coffee table, and a writing desk for me as my graduation present. So, having done pieces with drawers before, he didn't think anything of the dresser. Then he started actually putting the drawers together. Let's just say impatience got the best of Clark and he has developed an absolute hatred for drawers of a more-than-averagely-small-size. So, the dresser was forsaken. He did the right thing. Had he attempted to continue building it, and continued to lose his patience, it would have cost more for him to build it than it would have for us to buy a ready-to-assemble one, which was one of the reasons he was building the dresser in the first place. So, Clark put together a new project: a dresser bought from Target for around $120.

(Sorry so crooked... I couldn't get a straight shot.)

As previously mentioned, though, Clark has multiple gifts. After finishing his goals with the furniture (the nursery is now intact), he moved on to matters around the house. He completely redid the tiling in the kitchen, since it used to be this grotesque linoleum stuff. Unfortunately I only got an after picture, not before. However, he still is going to do the bathroom since it's the same nasty flooring that we used to have in the kitchen. I promise to post before and after pictures of that once he completely finishes. But, just so you can get an idea, here's Clark's tiling-masterpiece.

Men have different ways of expressing themselves. I have no doubt that Clark doing all this work around the house and for the nursery is his way of showing excitement for the baby. He has other ways of showing it, of course, but being the man of the house helps him feel like he is ready to be a dad. After all, men don't feel manly if they're not providing for their family in some way. I am so thankful that my husband chooses to feel "manly" and show it by being handy.

It's amazing how when you move you have no idea how you've collected so much stuff. You have your childhood memories crammed into a box next to your kitchen linens. However, when you get to the new place, whether it be from an apartment to a house, house to house, house to an apartment... you have no idea how there's so much that you need.

When we were moving we tried to downsize. We realized we were moving from a two-story condo to a one-story apartment. We knew all of our stuff wouldn't fit. Also, we realized how many things we had been holding onto that probably should have been replaced years (meaning at least two years) ago, or things that just really didn't matter anymore. For example, we got rid of a cutting board that should have been replaced because it was wooden and after awhile the lovely juices of everything you cut up seeps into the wood. You know what I'm talking about. Then, there were some things within our childhood keepsake boxes that we had no earthly idea why we had held onto them.

Now, moving into our new apartment, it's amazing how much I think we need. A lot of it is to deal with the quirks of the new place. For example, the bathroom is a lot smaller so we want one of those metal or wooden stands to go over the toilet to hold towels and such. Our kitchen pantry has no shelves whatsoever, so we need a "baker's rack" sort of deal so all of our food doesn't have to sit on the floor. Not to mention it'd be nice to use one of the shelves, or part of one of the shelves, for my pots and some of my pans. Needless to say my cabinet space is limited.

Thinking about all these improvements we want to do, or rather necessary evils we need to spend money on so I don't go insane, it makes me feel a little glum. I never realized that this new place would be as much work to put together as our last place was to pull apart.

Then I thought of something else.

This happens to everyone.

Everyone at some point goes through a move in their life where they just want to lay down the credit card and go to town with fixing up the new house. It's hard not to, after all. The society we live in puts so much pressure on your home appearing perfect, along with your nice car and fancy accessories. While most of the things I feel I need really are things that would help my sanity, there are many that I can deal without and come up with a sort of system and it won't drive me crazy.

So, I'm coming to terms with the move. There's a pathway cleared through all of our stuff so I can get around easily and hopefully unpack a lot today while the hubby is at work. He has, after all, been more interested in figuring out what we need to make the apartment work, rather than unpacking what we have, first. Today I really hope I can get a lot done. I'll just have to ignore the presence of the heavy stuff and hope that most things can be lifted/unpacked/organized without needing assistance.

If you're at a point where you're getting ready to move, and perhaps you're upgrading or downsizing, just remember that everything takes time. My mom likes to remind me that she, just now, has gotten this and that for her house and she's ___, (I'm assuming I'm not allowed to share her age here). I just have to keep in mind I have years to go before everything comes together... and even then it may not be precisely what I want... but it will, hopefully, be precisely what I need.

I have never been a fan of yard sales. I always found them to be annoying to go to. After all, there are a bunch of people looking for specific things... or not... walking around bargaining and, in my opinion, just wasting time and money. Who wants to walk around and look at used stuff that you could easily buy when there was a sale?

My mind has been altered.

After feeling rather down about a few things, my husband decided that we were going to go yard-sale-hopping yesterday morning. I wasn't very excited, assuming that we wouldn't find anything worth our while, but I decided to go along because I knew it was important to him.

I definitely deserved a big, "I TOLD YOU SO," after our day.

After a couple of no-success yard sales, we came upon one that had something we desperately need: a crib. Now, it wasn't in the best of shape. It's got scratches from the way it was stored or carried around or whatever, but when it was put together we found that it was completely sturdy, no parts were missing, and the only work it needed was to be refinished or spruced up. Did I mention this was a Graco sleigh crib and they were selling it for $20?! It was probably sold originally around $200, and was probably still worth at least $100 or so considering it really just needed some TLC.

I tried to keep my jaw from dropping.

We walked away with a crib that we knew we could easily work on. It's nice to have a handyman husband who does some fine wood working. Have I mentioned he's building the dresser for the baby's nursery? Here's a sneak peak at that!


And here's some work we did on the crib today. We have to sand it down before we can refinish it. I decided I didn't want it the darker color, which is rather unfortunate because if I did all we'd have to do was fix the specific spots that were a little dinged up. Now we have to sand the whole thing down before we can paint it. Yes, I said paint. I'm somewhat of a traditionalist, I guess, and I want white baby furniture. Call me old fashioned if you like!


(Clark got the easy way out because he got to use the orbital sander...)

(Whereas I did everything by hand. Don't I look lovely?! ;) )

(This is what I accomplished in an hour)

So, I've learned my lesson on yard sales. Another lesson I learned is don't say you'll go back to a yard sale you pass once. The first one we passed there weren't any signs or anything so we weren't sure, but there were three couches amongst other things sitting in someones driveway. At the end of our escapade (around 12:30pm) we drove back and they were still there. We got out. It was a couch/love seat set in good condition (not perfect, but could have easily been fixed up a bit just to get us through a little longer without nice furniture) for $40! However, we missed out. Someone who had already seen the set had left to get money and pulled up right as we were inquiring. So, the lesson? Don't wait. If you see something you may be interested in, stop immediately. Otherwise, chances are, you'll miss the opportunity.

Maybe we should have known that lesson ANYWAY, as it tends to apply to life most of the time...

So, now I'm all about yard sales.

We have a wedding this coming Saturday, but chances are the next one I'll be up and ready to go (day/weather permitting, of course) to set out to find some more things we need!

At 7:39pm mountain time on May 30, 2011 (Memorial Day), my older sister gave birth to Maile (pronounced Miley-- it's the Hawaiian spelling) Elizabeth! She was two weeks early but healthy as can be and the entire family is doing well. My mom was able to make it out there just an hour before Maile came into the world. It was a very special day.

Hearing the story of how Maile came into the world, it got me thinking that I only have a few months to go before I have a story somewhat like it.Now, I sincerely hope I'm not in labor for 24 hours like my sister was, but one can only hope and pray. I am, however, sincerely looking forward to having the admiration and love that my sister and her husband have for their little girl. Only, it will be for mine and my husband's little boy.

Putting everything into perspective, I've just been praying that all will fall into place and everything will be ready for our baby boy. I pray that he'll be healthy, that there will be no complications with delivery, and that he'll come when the time is right. There is a lot going on in our lives right now, but the idea that we're about to have this small human being join us in a matter of months is what really takes the spotlight. The baby is the reason for my strange posts/bursts of worry and concern. After all, there are so many changes that have to take place before he gets here!

My sister told me that every mother understands. That once the baby's "here", you would go through the pains of labor and all the problems in the world again and again just to accomplish the feeling of parenthood and to hold that child in your arms. I can't wait for the feeling. It's what I keep focusing on when things are looking grim or like they're not going to work out.

So, just to make this post seem like it has a little more than a revelation of a mother-to-be and the fabulous news surround my new niece, here's a list of just a couple of things that you will need if your baby arrives early (according to my sister):

- Car Seat (this is a BIG one)/ Stroller (they make those new travel systems that come with the stroller and the car seat if you're interested)
- Bassinet or Crib (basically somewhere for the baby to sleep once you bring him/her home)
- A few onesies (just to start, but I imagine you'll need more than just a few once he/she starts growing)
- Diapers & all that goes with them (I wouldn't suggest getting these until the baby arrives and you know what size he/she needs, but just keep in mind the hubby or whoever you have helping you will need to get them before the little bundle of joy joins you at home)

There are plenty of other things, but these are the bare necessities. You don't need bottles unless you're not going to breast feed, you don't need toys in the very beginning, you don't have to have a swing or seat or anything (even though they may be useful), you just need enough to get the baby settled and then you can go out and get the rest of the things that you feel like you should have for baby!

I have always been a morning person. Ever since I can remember. I've been told stories of me sitting up in my crib just waiting for my mom to come get me in the morning. I don't know if this is really true or not, but I like the story all the same. It makes me think that I was always starting off the day with a positive attitude-- ready to greet it.

My husband, Clark, on the other hand, is not a morning person. While he does get up earlier than some, I think this is just because he knows what kind of a morning person I am and how I can't stand people sleeping until noon when there are things to be done. I know, I'm awful.

We're staying with Clark's family at the moment, and his family is full of night people, aka not morning people. They all stay up until eleven or so during the week and possibly later on the weekends, depending on how busy the week has been. It's hard for me to function this way. Because, I can stay up until eleven every single night, but I get up around 7am anyway.

While this is eight hours of sleep, it doesn't feel like it. I start waking up around 5am and make myself go back to sleep. Then I usually wake up around six. I may doze off again, but usually I just make myself lay in bed until seven rolls around and Clark won't moan and groan (as much) about me getting up so early. These days I get him up by 8am for work. I know, it's actually a pretty easy schedule right now for us. But, still, if there's not coffee ready-- he will not set one foot out of bed.

I remember my grandpa singing, "Oh, the red, red robin goes bop, bop, boppin along. Sweet Song. Oh, the red, red robin, goes bop, bop, boppin along. Sweet Song. Wake up, wake up you sleepy head. Get up, get up, get out of bed. Oh, the red, red, robin goes bop, bop, boppin along." My mom would do this, too, but I distinctly remember my grandpa doing it.

Then, there's the classic from Singing in the Rain, another favorite of my grandpa's. "Good morning, good morning! It's great to stay up late. Good morning, good morning, to you. Good morning, good morning! We talked the whole night through. Good morning, good morning, to you," (this is my annoying way of getting Clark out of bed on the weekends when he sometimes attempts to sleep past 10am).

So, why are some people made to stay up late and others made to rise and shine in the morning? And does this phenomenon have something to do with Breakfast People vs. Not? Perhaps. I LOVE breakfast... but Clark would just rather have a cup of coffee, maybe a piece of toast or the unhealthy things such as Pop-Tarts or Toaster Strudels. I just don't understand it.

So, it's 9:25am and thus far I have: made breakfast, written in my journal, read/ done my devotional, recorded in my food diary, planned my to-do list for today, read my One Year Bible, fed the pets, got Clark out of bed and fed him/ filled him with coffee, called the vet about appointments, and folded some laundry. And the day is just beginning.

Personally, I love being a morning person. Are you one, or not?

If you are a normal family or couple, you've moved at least once. Whether this be into your new apartment, your new home, or from one home to the next, you've experienced moving. There are boxes to be packed, suitcases to be secured, valuables to be titled "FRAGILE" and so many details to account for that sometimes it's hard to breathe while you're doing it all.

My husband and I have experienced moving several times. The first was when we moved out of our respective dorm rooms on campus into our first "starter" apartment. This was interesting. The poor thing has fond memories, but the apartment was definitely one that I would not wish on anyone. It had that classic feel of "first poor married couple's apartment" or "first apartment out of college" or whatever label you want to give it. We lived there for about eight or nine months. From there we moved to "nontraditional student housing" on campus. Unfortunately, pets were not allowed, and I was craving a kitten. We were there for eight months. We then proceeded to move to another apartment, which was really a house. There we had some issues because the realtors couldn't find anyone to rent the "unit" below us that was really the basement re-done. So, unless we wanted to pay twice the rent for the whole place, we had to move. We were there a grand total of six months.

Finally, we moved to our most recent place. It was twenty minutes outside of town, in another town, but it was well worth it. We could have our cat, and the added addition of the puppy, and live happily with amazing realtors who were understanding of every little problem we may encounter. I had to do the move on my own, at least without Clark because he was attending MCT (I believe it stands for Marine Combat Training) for the Marine Corps. I had an army of guys from my then-current-work helping me, as well as Clark's two uncles and one aunt. It was amazing. It went so quickly and I didn't feel too much stress at all. I packed in advance so no one else would have to, and I just felt so successful when it came to a close. We lived there for a year and ten months. We are now moving once again.

This time, everything is up in the air. We stored all of our things and are currently bunking at family's houses (Clark's side, that is). It's stressful, but I have to keep reminding myself that things could be a lot worse. Plus, it's great to have family helping us out and to have time to relax. I'm not sure just yet on how to relax, but I'll let you know once I figure it out.

There will be another moving post when we successfully get everything out of storage and move forward with our next stage in life. We're in an "in-between stage" right now. It's one of the worst and best places to be, depending on how you look at it. I'm just choosing to be thankful, stay positive, and "Just keep swimming," as Dory from Finding Nemo would say.

So, I'm out of class for good and tomorrow if my graduation from college. I had a night to celebrate with a movie and a personal-sized pizza, and then another night to spend with visiting cousins. Both were wonderful. Now, however, I have to have a cleaning day. The family is arriving sometime this evening (along with the hubby) and I have all day to get the house back in order.

I always tend to let things go when I have the house to myself. It doesn't help that I had exams or that I'm exhausted from carrying around a growing baby that is now the size of a cantaloupe. But, anyway, I'm not a clean freak when I don't have to worry about anyone seeing the house looking like a tornado ran through it. Part of the reason I do this is so I can actually have a cleaning day.

I'm one of those strange individuals that finds cleaning soothing. I set aside a whole day and do the laundry, dust, vacuum, clean the bathrooms thoroughly, organize anything that's been a little out of whack, and so forth. I love it. If Clark's home, it doesn't work as well. He's always in the way or trying to do something to "help"
but it's just frustrating because I was planning to do it. Don't worry. He understands. He can't clean when I'm in the house, either. So, we make it work one way or the other.

Cleaning requires the right supplies. There have been times in our marriage where we had to improvise one thing for another. Like, we didn't have enough Windex so we added water to the bottle and said it would work. We were out of mop-head covers so we sprayed some bathroom cleaner on the floor and went over it with paper towels. It's been interesting. Luckily, I had all the proper supplies today.

I'm still working, of course, but if you're someone who wants to give the house a thorough clean, here are the supplies I suggest you have ready for use!

Bathroom:

- Sponges
- Broom
- Mop (traditional or a swiffer with wet cloth-covers)
- Paper Towels
- Comet
- Windex or a Clorox bathroom-cleaner spray

Bedrooms/Living Room/Den/ etc.:

- Vacuum
- Pledge + dusting supplies
- Windex (to clean windows, TV screen, etc.)
- Carpet powder (if you have pets and want to get rid of any smells that may be lingering, they spell special powder you can sprinkle on the carpet before vacuuming and I LOVE it)

Kitchen:

- The precise same products as you need for the bathroom!

I'm pretty sure you can figure out what to do with all the supplies, but try to make the cleaning relaxing rather than stressful. Play some loud music, have the TV on, or something that keeps you moving and focused on what you're doing rather than why you're doing it!

I think the dry heat of our house is getting to me. It's at a point in our weather where we need some heat, but not a lot (which is why we've reverted back to using our base board heating).

Every morning I wake up with a stuffy nose and a scratchy throat. For a little while, it's hard to swallow water. Not fun. Nor, I imagine, is it healthy. The last thing I need right now is to get sick!

So, I've been looking into humidifiers. I've never been much of a fan. When I was little and my older sister and I shared a room we used to have one. I hated the noise it made, but it helped my sister at night. As we got older and eventually got our own rooms, I was thankful I didn't have to put up with the noise of the humidifier... but I guess I never realized just how much good it does.

I know absolutely nothing about humidifers, so I'm trying to do research before investing in one. I found this one on Target.com:

The Honeywell QuietCare Humidifier for $49.99. I think it's appealing to me because the name has "Quiet" in it and it promises it's relatively noiseless and can run for up to 24 hours with a clear and clean filter. Not too shabby, hmmm?

We shall see if I actually decide to invest in one. I think ultimately it will be good for my health, which I hope, in turn, means it will help my sleepy nights pass a little more smoothly!

So, moving around the furniture didn't work. Once the TV was moved to a different corner and the couch was facing a differnet way, it just made me more frustrated. It made me realize how atrociously large my couch is and having no complimenting furniture just makes it awkward unless it's facing the ONE WAY we had it to begin with.

I know this makes very little sense without pictures, and I would post pictures if our living room was not a mess.

So, when rearranging the furniture back to it's original state yesterday, I decided we should vacuum in places that more than likely the vacuum doesn't always reach. And, what happens? The vauum broke.

I'm not sure how. Maybe something got jammed, maybe it was just on the outs anyway... who knows. All of a sudden it started making a funny noise, it smelled, and then it just... died. It stopped working. I tried it again to make sure this morning. No luck. Our poor vacuum cleaner is dead... and now that means we have to go get a new one, which I think is more depressing than the death of the one we had.

So, today, with no pilates class to take up some time and no plans with friends, I have decided I'm going to rearrange my office. Hang pictures, move the book shelf... something. I will more than likely post pictures of that later because my office is always the cleanest room in the house. That is, unless you discover me in the middle of a project or some kind of homework where all my books and papers are spread out. Then it's not clean. But today it will be.

I've decided rearranging doesn't really fix anything long-term. It's a quick fix that makes me feel like I've done something. It makes me feel like there's been some change, even if there really hasn't been any. It's okay. At least it gives me something to do.

I would suggest that if you are going to rearrange furniture, find a place for that lamp you just bought, or hang pictures that you've had for awhile and just never got around to, you play some happy-go-lucky music, close the windows to the winter outside, and imagine it's spring time. That may be hard to do if you only have a space heater for a friend, but it's always worth a try.

Ever since I was young I've constantly needed change. I think this developed from moving every six months to three years. It continued when Clark and I married. We have lived in four apartments in three and a half years. It wasn't all by choice, but you get the idea.

So, today, after running several errands and feeling like I got nothing done, I came home and decided to rearrange the living room.

It hasn't happened yet. I've been catching up on homework and Clark's actually taking time to play his video game that he hasn't had time to play since Christmas, but it's going to happen. I'm getting a vision of the couch and TV in completely different areas... and I'm very excited.

I'm sure this is part of my spring fever. If I can't have flowers and warm-weather-clothing, why not change things around to make me feel like spring is going to come faster? No, that probably doesn't make much sense, but it's the attempt to follow my thought process that counts.

I'm sorry I've been sort of MIA. I promise to start posting as much as possible from now on, including many more recipes and tips.

If you're craving change, move some furniture around! Go buy a print, or picture frame, or potted plant... something new to add to your life that will make you smile!

Well, it's official. If my previous post wasn't enough, it's even worse now. A few hours later, I've found bathing suits, shorts, tanks, dresses, and oh so much more that is making the want for spring shopping ridiculous.

So, here's a preview of my desires. For the record, I don't have a fashion section. I think this falls under "Around the Home" because all women need pick-me-ups in the winter. At least, that's what I've been told... and I must say I agree.

Fineline Cami in Deep Coral from JCREW.

Perfect-Fit Mixed-Tape Cardigan in Navy from JCREW.

Gull Wing Dress in Navy from ANTHROPOLOGIE.

Work Week Satchel in Taupe from ANTHROPOLOGIE.

I'm dying inside. Truly. I cannot wait for the weather to be warmer and the clothes to be brighter. Oh, Spring. I'm counting down.