Taking a break....

So when I started... this whole blog thing sounded really fun. Well... as you can see, I never got "really" into it. I love to write... I love to share... but taking the time to upload pics, think of something to chat about... I don't know. It has kind of lost it's *shimmer* to me.

So, I'm taking a break.

I'll still be reading YOUR blogs though... maybe I'll find some inspiration... :)

So much for the BIG REVEAL....

Yeah... totally should've borrowed this book from the library...

I'm stuck on the drywall part of my job. Seriously... it looks TERRIBLE. I'm done with the painting - accessories are on their way... but this drywall spot. It's becoming the thorn in my flesh.

YEARS ago after buying our first house in Fort Wayne.... we decided we could "easily" finish the basement ourselves. We had NO experience whatsoever with drywall... but it sure did look easy. HA HA HA HA HA... I'm still laughing at that one. We did finish it... tossed some sand mixed with paint on the walls for texture (to cover the CRAPPY drywall job) and called it a day. Only problem... everytime we accidentally bumped into the wall... we tore skin off our arms. YUCK!

SO.... we hired someone to come in, sand off the sand and completely refinish the basement. Should've been lesson learned, right?

Oh no....

We had the brilliant idea to finish a room in the unfinished basement of our current house. We were smarter this time - we hung the drywall... the hired the finishing out to a drywall dude. It's still not perfect... but it's the basement.

Now for my little drywall conundrum. If I leave it the way it is (finish sanding then prime... paint) I'll know it looks HORRIBLE for the rest of my days. OR... I could find a GREAT picture to hang over the spot - but I'll still know it's horrible. OR... I could just not care.

Any suggestions? :)

Hopefully by Friday I'll have it finished. Hopefully....

Projects, projects, projects....

Well... I can mark one thing off my list - WAHOOOOOO!!! Over the last week I've completely purged our basement of all the *stuff* we had. Seriously... it was pretty ridiculous. We've been in this house for just over 4 years - and I found pictures still wrapped in newspaper from our move. Needless to say, they've been unwrapped... and repacked. *HA*! This summer when it's FINALLY warm again... I'm planning to spray paint the frames black... then start another project. Don't you just LOVE how that works??.....

Here is a sneak peak at my next project. I'm about 3/4's of the way done... so hopefully by the end of this week, I'll have it DONE and will be able to share it with you!

Bet you're just DYING to see what I'm up to now... (ha ha ha ha).....

Don't you just hate when....

The big bug of JEALOUSY settles in? Personally makes me kind of bonkers. :)

I've been dealing with this lately... not sure why... I think it might be Satan attacking. I've been trying already in this new year to focus more on my walk with Christ. To really find Him again... to get in that place where all things are amazing because of Christ. Yet... as soon as I start to get into that groove...

YOWCH!!!!!

I get bit. Bad....

Maybe the first thing I REALLY need to work on is contentment. Contentment on where we're at - financially, in our home, with the relationships I have. For the things I feel I'm "lacking"... instead of feeling BLAH about them... use Christ to fill those voids.

Reminds me of a favorite verse... Isaiah 58:11 (NIV):

"The Lord will guide you always;

he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land

and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well watered garden,

like a spring whose waters never fail."

Time to get back into HIS word... and stop letting the things of this world control my heart.

Thought I'd give this a try....

I've decided to try this out for a few weeks to see if we can do it. Our pantry and "schwadmart" (stash in the basement) have gotten a bit out of control over the last several months. Along with the half cow we split with family members.... we have enough food to feed an army in our house.

Yet.... I find myself hitting the grocery store for more EVERY week... ususally several times.

Well....

NO MORE!! I will not make useless trips to the grocery store. I will not buy just to buy. I will not buy 10 Betty Crocker mini microwave brownie things just because they're 50cents and I WANT THEM. :) They sure are good though... with just a little scoop of ice cream... mmmmm.... bliss!

Anyway -

I started this challenge out last night. We had chili (homemade... NOT from a can... stuff is too mushy!), cheese and crackers, and fresh fruit. Tonight it's fish sticks (nasty... but the kids like them), applesauce (canned this fall), and goldfish crackers. Tomorrow I need to take stock of what we have and make a plan for the rest of the month.

Any groceries I need will be coming from Aldi (have you been? The place rocks! I spent $24 today and walked out with oj, milk, eggs, guava/mango juice, snacks for kids classes - which means buying for 25 little mouths, green peppers, cauliflower, avocados, yogurt...etc... I'll spare you the rest... but seriously... the place saves so much $$ and the food is GOOD!). This should only include milk, juice, fruit, and veggies.

So we'll see. Should be an interesting challenge. We'll be eating LOTS of oatmeal, waffles, and cereal by the last week in January :)....

Wanna join the challenge?? Link up with us here.... should be fun!!

First day of the NEW YEAR... life is delicious!

After partying like a crazy woman last night (HA HA HA... went to bed at 10)... it's been the PERFECT day for some football. I LOVE college football... especially when this team plays....

If you know anything about college ball... it's that Ohio State and Michigan have a FIERCE rivalry... (well they used to... Michigan kind of rots now... but that's besides the point...). I grew up in MI and now live in OH... and have been transformed into a die hard BUCKEYE. Not only are the chocolates delicious (some know them as chocolate dipped peanut butter balls.... LAME... they're known around here as BUCKEYES).... but the team spirit around the city ROCKS on game day. It's kind of strange... but really fun.

So tonight (as in right now as I type this lovely diddy), Ohio State takes on the Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl. We've been waiting all day for this game... getting revved up to watch our team play to victory (a girl can hope.... right??)! We were missing one miniscule thing...

OH YEAH BABY!! Life is great in this new year... pizza is here (the start for losing 20lbs this year will have to wait until tomorrow).... football is on (and we're ahead presently)! So... no matter how you spend this first day of this new year... remember one VERY important thing...

GO BUCKEYES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)