Playing catch up with ya'll

Happy Thursday all you happy homemakers!!!!

I know three post in row...wow, can you believe it? Today, I want to try to put myself back onto some kind a schedule with this blog. I love blogging, but for various reasons over the last several(more than that) months real life has been kicking me in the behind. I hate it when that happens. But I am hopeful and optimistic that that is changing. So I basically want to jump in and share all kinds of stuff with you.

As most of you know, I work full time with a hefty commute on top of everything...and back in the fall my work hours changed and drastically effected my home life as well as my physical being. I just never could seem to get caught up or energized and motivated. But in the last week, my work hours have changed again, and I am feeling more like my old self and life is starting to spring back into my step. Praise God!!!! Hence, that is why I am hoping that my "blogging life" will be a bit better. Still not perfect, but much better than it was.

Before I get started I want to share with you one of my favorite new hangouts. I am telling you that it is addicting, so if you don't want to "lose more time in your day" then my all means DO NOT check it out. But if you WANT to, let me take you there. Just click on the image and it will take you to Aunt Ruthie's place. The women are great and I just love reading all the topics.

Now on to "HOUSE STUFF"

If you read a few post ago about all the renovations that my hubby and I are doing then you know that we have been busy. We finally got the wood floors down in the living room and the walls repainted. It looks great. My hubby is such a wonderful handyman. Now he has moved into the family room/kitchen. We aren't doing alot of work other than painting in there , but he is repainting the walls (Boston Creme) so therefore we MOVED ALL the furniture out of the room so that he didn't have to paint around things. Boy what a big difference this color choice is. My walls were a green color, which I really liked, but this color is so light and it makes the room look much bigger. Now, let me state that I really didn't want to paint this room, because there wasn't anything wrong with the color that was in there. Even though it was a dark color it works with many different palettes. But hubby wanted too, and I am GLAD he stuck to his guns on this, because it does look better. Once it is done, I will have to do some before and after shots for you. Also we are touching up all the cabinets. Over time there are a few little chips of paint. Overall though it looks much better. Our goal is to be able to move furniture back into the room by the weekend and box up our goodies that we don't want to have out when we get ready to put the house on the market. I have spent alot of time reading up on "staging the house". Nester did a whole series on staging your home for sale and had some great ideas that I am taking to heart.

Also, I have been doing a little shopping. Last fall, Michael's mom (whom was terminally ill at the time) gave all her children and their spouses money for Christmas, as she knew she wouldn't be here by Christmas time (she passed away in early November) she wanted us to buy something with the money she gave us as her Christmas present to us. So needless to say, I have been holding onto my money because I wanted my present from Betty to be something that I would truly enjoy and wasn't "trendy" or "wasteful". I wanted a gift that I could pass down or get a long time of use from it. As my reminder of this special lady. Before I tell you what I spent my money on, I will tell you that Michael got himself a Barrister bookcase. He had wanted one for a long time and he found a great deal on one in a local antique shop so now it resides in his office. He loves it and so do I. Now, for me, I bought a 12 placesetting of Longaberger pottery dishes (Ivory) and accessory pieces. I can't wait for them to come in. Michael and I didn't buy china when we married, but I wanted something new and nice but it has to go with all my decorating styles and colors...so I chose something that would accomplish all that. :) I have a farmhouse style hutch, open shelves, etc....and I think I am going to put them in there. If anyone has any great idea for decorating my hutch or some great resources, please let me know. Just leave me a note in the comment section.

For now, I think I am going to wrap this up.

Have a blessed rest of the week.

Hugs!

Cindy