One Day at a Time: November 2011

Projects...

Well I have done more to my house these past few weeks than I have since I lived here. And now I am all crafted out! Anyway here are some of the things I have done while Aaron has been gone. You might notice that apparently I like painting everything my favorite shade of white right now : )

This was how my kitchen looked a year ago. I am still kind of amazed at my carpentry skills that produced these cabinets.

Don't they look better white! And the blue back splash is actually raised wallpaper. It looks really good, but the picture doesn't show the details. My kitchen is always a work in progress... my whole house is. I want to replace the window curtain with roman shades, do something different under the sink, but like I said I am all crafted out.

I don't have a before picture for the bed. The wall used to be brown, the bed spread green, no headboard, and the night stands were wood with a Navajo flair. This a work in progress too. I think the wall needs to be different, its too bare. I also have some picture frames that will go above the bed with that YOU&ME I saw on pinterest. The bed needs more pillows and maybe a throw blanket. And the lamps need new shades. I got the bed spread at HomeGoods, its a little girly and different colors than I usually like, but I liked this one. I got the headboard for free it just needed a coat of paint and some crafty love. My mom found the night stands at St. Vincent's a few years ago and made a gift of them to me. I finally redid them and they turned out way good. Thanks Mom for thinking of my newly wed furnitureless house. I also got bed raisers from Walmart and I love having the bed farther from the ground, its like it fills up the space better.

This chest of draws was a 20 dollar Goodwill find. Lately Goodwill has been way over priced, just saying. Anyway I had this out in our front room until my Mom's piano needed a home there. So this got moved to our bedroom.

And now its yellow! I really like the way this turned out. I don't normally branch out from the colors I am used to decorating with, but the bed spread I got had a fun yellow in it so I decided to paint the dresser to match. It added a fun pop of color to our bedroom.

I like doing stuff to my house and making mine. Sometimes I get caught up in looking at all the beautiful homes and rooms in those homes that creative women decorate so beautifully, and trying to copy them. But when it comes down to it I like what I have and feel blessed to have what I have. Even if sometimes I wish that my house looked exactly like every room in Country Living Magazine. Maybe someday it will... but until that day I will keep painting and trying to make my house a home in more ways than just decorating it.

Halloween!

I have to be honest, I was not very enthused about Halloween this year. Most years I can at least summon up the spirit to carve a pumpkin, but not this year. I didn't even want to make Daisy a costume, but I knew if I didn't I would regret it. I saw some cute costume ideas on pinterest, my new favorite thing. I was going to make her a little witch, but I never found a hat. I also wanted to avoid the inevitable costume of being a Daisy. But as the day drew closer my sister convinced me to just make her a Daisy and I am so glad I did. She was a perfect Daisy and the costume was extremely easy to make and cheap, the best kind of costume. I was also bummed that Aaron wasn't here to see in person how cute she was. This was the first Halloween in the past three years Aaron and I weren't together. Our fist Halloween was the night my volleyball team lost in the region tournament my freshman year. After the last game Aaron took me to a tiny little pizza place near GCC. I remember having so much fun that night. I popped a bag of ice I had for my knee on Aaron's lap. He didn't think I would do it, but I did. I guess I was testing him to see if he would stick with the girl who poured freezing water on his lap : ) He did and even bought me pizza. That was the first night he mentioned wanting to do something in the military. Little did I know. The next Halloween we had been married for a few months. I made pork chops that night. I also asked Aaron to come look at the pumpkin I had carved. But while looking at the pumpkin, we locked ourselves out without phones or spare keys. So there we were locked outside with all the trick or treaters, while my pork chops cooked on the stove. Luckily one window was unlocked and we got back inside before the house caught on fire. We finished the night with My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Last Halloween I was very pregnant. We watched all the Halloween town movies per Aaron's request. It was a fun night we handed out candy and then when the trick or treaters stopped coming, we went for a walk in an attempt to kick start labor. This year was fun to have Daisy to dress up, but we missed our Dad. I loved Daisy's costume, but I have to say my favorite was one of a little boy who was dressed like Russel from UP! He was in his wilderness attire with balloons. Definitely made me smile.

October Ramblings...

This past month went by way fast, which I prefer because that means we are one month closer to having Aaron home. The days go by slow but the weeks fly by, as my Mom put it. The begining of the month began with my 22nd birthday. It was a good day. I got a pedicure (thanks Rena!) and to do a little birthday shopping. I bought boots. I have always wanted a pair to wear with skirts and jeans. I like being twenty-two because now I am not twenty-one. This month has been better than the past few months because I get to talk with Aaron everyday. He is no longer at boot camp so he has actual free time to call every evening. It has been such a relief to be able to talk to my husband even if there is nothing new to report. I also get to send videos and pictures of Daisy talking, crawling, climbing and whatever else she is up too. Aaron will be home the week of Christmas. We are getting closer! Yay! My sister Heidi also had her newest little girl Piper Jane this month. I love holding a newborn. It is weird to think that Daisy was that small less than a year ago, now she tries to stick her fingers up my nose : ) Daisy is eleven months old. She is longer, faster, stronger and smarter. And her two top teeth popped through this past week. I am glad to get rid of the vampire smile even if it was the cutest thing ever. She is losing her baby feel more and more. It makes me sad, but I love how much she is growing. I just got back from Pinetop this past Sunday. I am glad that I made it up there this past month. October up there is real fall, where leaves change and you wear sweaters because you have to, not just because you want to.