"Mac"-nificent!!

My husband bought me a Mac Book...and I am having SO MUCH FUN!! Look how cute my kids are...









I'm so lucky...

Peaceful Space

Although I loved my past home, I always felt cramped...and we even lived on a half acre!! My house felt crowded, my cupboard smooshed, the city streets always under construction and chaotic. I felt like I was in a vice-grip, and the walls were closing in upon me.

Compare to now...Wide open spaces, clear streets, calm rolling hills, winding side roads to run, walk or bike on, the wind blowing in waves the tall grass that grows intermittently on the neighboring golf course, the solitude of the country and space which buffer our area...What a difference! (Not to mention the fact that our rental is a new home with up-to-date fixtures and "extras", more square footage, and a basement for storage!)

As I was driving to run errands, I was thinking of the extra time it will now take to run those errands...that I will have to "plan" my time and trips more efficiently...but you know what?..I felt that the calm and tranquility I feel from the area make it all worth the extra driving!

I am in love with the beauty and peaceful space surrounding me...and this is from a "city" gal, who loves the mall, the hustle and bustle, the constant ebb-and-flow of change, and owns way too many shoes!! It's amazing how you can change your view of the same world.

Empty yet Full

My house is all packed. (Thanks in part to the FOUR people who came to help us pack it onto the truck...yes, FOUR...We've been in our ward/neighborhood for 10 YEARS (do you know how many people my husband has helped move in/out?!) and only FOUR people came to help...All I can say is, to those FOUR people, may charma bless you abundantly!!

Our house is empty, save for the outlines of where furniture or pictures once hung. We have been blessed to have this home, and many memories will place us back here, in our minds.

We close in an hour...No more mortgage (for now!), no more debt, no more familiarity! I am excited for this change, and am looking forward to the joy and chaos in this adventure! I will be moving closer to my sister, but further away from dear friends (except Amy!) and those relationships will forever leave a mark on the person I am. I tend to be somewhat of a "loner..." I have always been fiercely independent, and at times like these, I am grateful for this trait...But at the same time, I worry about how (new) people will perceive me...Will they think I am "stand-off-ish?", rude?, snobby?, for the mere fact I tend to "take care of business" and not call a lot of attention to myself? I feel I am GREATLY misunderstood!!

Well...It's hot, my kids are bored (no TV, no music, no toys...YIPES!) and I still need to do a million things. Life truly, goes on!

This Week's Theme Song

I Like To Move It Move It - Madagascar

Add to My Profile | More Videos


We are loading, shaking, taping, and MOVING this week!! Rental, here we come...New house, see you in 6-7 months!! My "denial high" is beginning to wear off, as I realize all that needs to be done...

Hopefully...I will return soon...

Homemaking...

Another Meme from Melissa...

aprons- y/n? if y, what does your favorite look like?
When I remember I have them...I have matching ones for me and my children, should the urge come around!
~
baking- favorite thing to bake:
Cookies or my Brown Sugar cake.
~
clothesline- y/n?
No...I envision my children making a game of it...
~
donuts- have you ever made them?
Yes--and they never taste like the "real" thing!
~
everyday- one homemaking thing you do every day.
Clean fingerprints off the kitchen appliances...stainless steel is nice, but attracts a lot of smudges!
~
freezer- do you have a separate deep freeze?
Yes--We have a second refrigerator/freezer in our garage...Great for drinks, watermelons, birthday cakes, etc...
~
garbage disposal- y/n?
yes--and ours is EXTRA loud!
~
handbook- what is your favorite homemaking resource?
Paint, a sander, stain, old wood, old furniture...anything with "potential!'
~
ironing- love it or hate it?
I still have yet to find a true "wrinkle-free" fabric!
~
junk drawer- y/n? where is it?
I have one in each major room...although, my second pantry has turned into my junk "drawer" in the kitchen...The best was when my friend came over one day, and went to go and get a fork out of my utensil drawer, and, holding up a hammer said, "You are the only person I know who has a hammer in her utensil drawer!!" My motto: "Be prepared?!"
~
kitchen- color and decorating scheme?
Rustic--I remodeled the cabinets and drawers with wood b-board, and stained, and painted, and antiqued them. The wall color is called "paper bag," and my accent color is red. I have weathered, stone tile on my floor. (See picture in a previous blog...)
~
love- what is your favorite part of homemaking?
Renovating, and remodeling. I have done things in EVERY room of my home...But I am DEFINITELY looking forward to building our new home, where it is EXACTLY what I want, in the first place!!
~
mop- y/n?
Yes--It is one of those spongey, "squeezes out the water for you" models...
~
nylons- wash by hand or in the washing machine?
YUCK! I'm usually "au naturale"...but I will don a pair of fish-nets if needed...
~
oven- do you use the window or open the oven door to check?
Before the new oven...no choice/no window...After the new oven...BOTH!
~
pizza- what do you put on yours?
Artichokes, dried red peppers, lots of cheese, mushrooms, onions, olives, tomatoes,...and some alfredo sauce for dipping!
~
quiet- what do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
Breathe. Read. Blog. Think. Eat strawberries out of my garden. Dream of my new home...
~
recipe card box- y/n? what does it look like?
Yes--Crammed full, no order, TOTAL CHAOS...But I can always find what I'm looking for!
~
style of house- what style is your house?
Tri-level...Rustic...Basic...
~
tablecloths and napkins- y/n?
What?
~
under the kitchen sink- organized or toxic wasteland?
Organized...only because when we replaced our sink and countertop, we cleaned out everything!
~
vacuum- how many times per week?
EVERY DAY...I'm selling my home...
~
wash- how many loads of laundry do you do per week?
When I DO the laundry, it's usually about 4-6 loads at a time, about once a week...I don't mind doing the washing part...it's the folding part I hate!
~
x's- do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off?
Yes...If I don't write it down, it is nothing but a distant memory...
~
yard- y/n? who does what?
Yes...A half acre...We all participate. I plant the flowers, put in new bark, plant and cultivate the garden, and do some of the mowing every year.
~
zzz's- what is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?
Making sure everyone has clean underwear for the next day.

Tagged: Carrie...She makes Martha Stewart look totally old-school!!