Show Me Your Tree

Duuuuude! I want to see your house all decorated up for Christmas! So what are you waiting for? Show. it. to. me!

First, I should show you my house all decorated up, right? Well I would, if it was done. We do not have the bottom piece to our tree. Maybe it got gone with the 3 truck and trailer loads of stuff we donated from our old house? Seriously, I do not know how we got so much stuff.

Anyway, yesterday morning at the crack of 8:00 I took the puppy outside for a squat and saw my neighbor donating a huge tree to Salvation Army. If I knew they were getting rid of a tree I would have asked to use it. Alas, I was too late and just a tiny bit too proud and bad breathy to go chase down the Salvation army truck guys. So I did the next best thing, and stopped by the store. Oh boy do they have trees! I got a lovely tree for... $14.99. If you are feeling sad and treeless go to a Salvation Army store. You can turn your frown upside down. I also got wreaths for 1.99 each! I never would have thought to go there had the truck not been out front yesterday morning. So there's my Christmas miracle. (Now, I would still take an any-other-day miracle and be so super glad to see my wedding rings again.)

Since my house is in a state of upheaval, and items are being moved every few hours/minutes/seconds, depending on the time, what better time to share, right? 

Here, in whatever order blogger decides, are some photos of my grand decorating skills. Or whatever.  

This morning things looked like this

Now it looks like this

Does it make me a bad person if I offered my neighbor's dog a cookie if he would stop barking?

Even if he didn't stop, so got no cookie? Just curious.

Now it's your turn. Share your photos with us! Let your friends come and vote for your photos (all in fun, everyone likes to vote for their friends, right? The prize is bragging rights. Also up for grabs is a $25 Amazon gift card, drawn from everyone who leaves a comment on this post. *Unless we win powerball. If we do, the prize is ridiculous awesome. Like iPad minis for you and your spouse and all your kids!  And A laptop computers, too! Why not? It's five hundred million dollars, people! 

*Giveaway will end Dec 12th  - linky will still be open. 

Click the blue linky button - or else!



  *To read more about our Ryan Homes Ravenna click the "Our House" button at the top of the page.  

Reality - What Is Wrong With This Picture?

      Reality is rarely exactly as I had planned things would be. Part of the reason for me is I plan all of these projects, I dream them up in my mind, and they are so pretty. Then I do them, look at them, and think 'Aw shucks, this isn't what I thought it would be like. Everyone else's stuff seems so polished and perfect.' I feel like the kid in art class who never quite got it. This could be because I was always the kid in art class who never quite gets it. You might be thinking I am just too hard on myself, but if you get a super close look, you will see what I mean: 

Exhibit 1: Bookshelf trim not caulked or painted. See how nicely it lines up?  

Exhibit 2: Although the shelves were made deeper in the appliance garage, I still haven't painted and prettied it up at all.
I am afraid I will never get my embossed "Grown Up" card.
You guys have those, right?

Exhibit 3: What the heck happened to my stoop? I dunno!? It was like this yesterday.

Exhibit 4: All those rocks were what we dug up in lieu of dirt when the azaleas were planted too close together and never moved.
Ignore the non-existent upgraded lawn. Thanks for nothing on that one, Ryan Homes. 

The drop cloth I bought for curtains, still in the washer.
This would be no big deal if I had not failed to remove it for four days straight.
That's right folks, it's on it's FIFTH wash cycle right now.
I'm sure my Grown Up card is just lost in the mail, right?

blurry photo of the marks made on the wall just hours after I did touch up painting all over the house. 

The dog toy, leaves (other dog toys) and a different, already washed and dry drop cloth.
I am using it to make a screen the dogs can not penetrate so we can put the tree in the front room.
What? Don't judge me. 

Dining room. Someone needs to come and make my stuff look magically delicious.
 Marian? Miss Mustard Seed? Sarah? Thrifty Decor Chick?

Ann? Can I get a "No Doy"? Anyone? Ferris?

  *To read more about our Ryan Homes Ravenna click the "Our House" button at the top of the page.  

   

DIY Mammogram

     While out shopping with my dearest, most elderly  old friend the other day we came across this:

A DIY Mammogram:

Health care reform, anyone?

Foyer Party!

     Before you say anything... I know I have already posted these photos on this blog in other places. But! Sarah over at Thrifty Decor Chick is having a "Show us your house" party and I always post too soon or too late to join in the fun. Doggone it I want to do it this time, so I'm posting the photos again. Please find it adorable rather than annoying. Embrace my neediness, Lord knows I seem to embrace it. So, here goes.

     This one is about Foyers and Mudrooms. Since I have no mudroom, and I attend the gnashing of teeth event about this fact each and every day I will be sharing my front door entry. It's warm and embracing with plenty of room to come in and take off your shoes. 

Come on in!

Welcome Home.  

Have a seat on the pew and take off your shoes. 

Gratuitous picture of the same thing for no other reason than I like it. 

     As you can see I haven't done anything fancy yet. My big floppy hat is there to save me from ruin when I walk the dogs. I snagged the old windows from my grandparent's house when they replaced them last winter, so they will go on the wall above the pew. One day. When I get to it. There is so much to do in a brand new house to make it really ours. 

     I hope you like it! I hope you leave me gushing comments telling me how charming it is! I hope you go over and see some more at Sarah's par-tay!

       *To read more about our Ryan Homes Ravenna click the "Our House" button at the top of the page.    

Progress Report

     A couple of weeks ago I told you about some projects I am working on around the house. Lest any of you realize what a total slacker I am, here is a report of some progress:

Built in Bookshelves in Office. We need more bookshelves!

They are not completed, but they are coming along, right?

Now for the closet by the garage door. The previously useless closet:

Coat closet turned appliance closet. 

 Also unfinished, but coming along. We are going to extend the shelves so they are deeper. Yes, we do need three ice cream makers. We are a big family!

  *To read more about our Ryan Homes Ravenna click the "Our House" button at the top of the page.    

The Wings Of An Angel

     I simply do not know how long I have wanted these angel wings. I had seen them around but my gosh, they were expen$ive! I started following Decor Steals when it was newish (I think it was, anyway) and it was called WUSLU. They would bring them out and the timing wouldn't be right for me, or they would all be gone before I got to them. But last time was my lucky day and I was able to get them!

     They arrived yesterday and they are everything I had hoped they would be and more. I absolutely adore them. All you new house gang - I know we are all looking for things to decorate our new, bigger homes. Decor Steals has a new fabulous deal every day - and a sister site, Antique Farm House, where there are more deals going on all the time. Don't let the name fool you - I'm sure someone with any decor style can find things they love. 

Welcome Home!

 Same picture, but different edits. I took this with my phone pressed up on the window from outside. I guess because of the double paned windows(?) I got some inside and some outside. I thought it was a neat surprise!

  *To read more about our Ryan Homes Ravenna click the "Our House" button at the top of the page.  

A Week's Worth Of Thanks

     This week I am thankful for:

• A husband who is understanding, kind and loving. I'm so proud of him.
• Children who fill my heart with love and inspire me in new ways all the time. I'm so proud of them.
• My kids have grown up knowing my grandparents- two amazing role models.
• All the women who took me to Sunday School when I was little. 
• Our new lovely home filled with the people we love. (and dogs we love)
• All of our friends, who are such a great gift to us. Good friends keep me sane.
• Being blessed enough to be born into the United States where our freedom rings!

Big Fat Bummer

     Today while I was out running errands my wedding set fell off my hand. I have no idea when or where. I've called each place and they've looked and taken my number in case it shows up later.  My husband has gone to look for it himself.  am positive  I wore it today because I was looking at it while I was at the car dealer waiting on my oil change. Of course, that was my first stop today. 

    This wasn't just any old ring to me. It had so much special significance.  The diamond was mined in South Africa, cut in Belgium, and then purchased by a South American jeweler, who sold it to my husband and set it. The most beautifully cut diamond, really. Jewelers who looked at it would admire the skill with which it was cut. 

     A few years ago my husband had trilliants placed on either side of the solitaire. I would go back and forth about getting them removed because while they diffused even more light into the stone, they were not as great as the solitaire and somehow detracted from the overall perfection of the ring. 

     There's just no replacing it. I feel so guilty. I feel so stupid. I feel so frustrated. It's just not possible to replace all the history and sentiment. I pray it shows up and I'm afraid someone will just keep it. I love that little ring. 

  

Please Remember To Vote on Tuesday

Please take the time to go vote. Your one vote matters. It is your chance to stand up and be counted, even if it doesn't go your way. Vote your conscience, vote your heart. Decide what you think is best and do not worry about who might not agree with you.