Oh decorating, how I love loathe you!

Remember when I said I could get the basics done.  The paint, the larger pieces of furniture...you know...the boring, easy stuff?  The accessorizing... not so much!

So the problem I'm dealing with is curtains.  Or, lack of curtains.  I need some curtains.  When we moved in there were some funky, nasty, straight from the '70's curtains with sheers.  We tore down the heavy curtains immediately and lived with just sheers until I could no longer stand it.  I wanted matchstick blinds with curtains.  After we scraped the shiny, striped, straight from the '70's wallpaper off and painted I nabbed some cheapo matchstick blinds from Menards to "tide us over".  They were literally $7.  They are fabulous, no?  I realize that they are way to small for the windows...but it was just "for now", remember?  Two years later I still cannot figure out what to do here.  Pathetic, I know.

Sorry, bad picture....but you can see what I'm talking about...

I've decided to make this my next goal.  I should be able to find something to work here, yes?  So I've begun my hunt.  I love the curtains in the family room on this blog.  It was featured on YHL on their last house crashing.  I was so stoked because they said the panels were JCPenny and I thought maybe they'd work...probably too yellow...but definitely discontinued! so it didn't matter anyway.

So here are two I'm considering.  Feedback please.  Our walls are close to the blue color on the bottom there and our couch is a chocolate brown {scroll up and check it out}...so, I was considering either the pebble or latte...but, maybe too modern looking?

Then, I'm liking these too.  They are similar to the striped ones I liked in that one family room...but, could be too shiny looking, therefore more formal...I cannot tell for sure.

So, what do you think?  Am I way off?  Too boring?  Too ugly?  On track?  Really cool :)?  

I'm scared... :)

Hooray!  Spring is officially here and even though those meteorologists said it would be below seasonal temperatures this week   I   DON'T   CARE!   They cannot change the fact that spring has officially arrived...the calendar said so!

I can see the buds on the trees.  I can hear the birds.  I can almost smell the campfire.  BRING IT!

*one other small thing.  I have not given up on my blog.  Only, it has become increasingly more difficult to find the time to sneak away to write.  I've somewhat forgotten how challenging 12-18 months can be.  Heck...I've somehow forgotten how challenging parenting in general can be!  Every age brings something new!  I'm trying to navigate it without loosing total confidence in myself...not an easy task!  So bear with me...I may only eek out one post a week...that's my goal...I'll hope for more.!

Have a wonderful week!

It's fair to say that I've been a little busy with life.  Two out of five of us had a flu shot this year.  Guess which two have been the most sick?  Coincidence?  Eden is the ear infection queen.  She still hasn't had her 12 month immunizations because every time she is scheduled to see the Dr. she gets another ear infection!  Ty will not stop coughing, and was just diagnosed with influenza A { a lot of good the flu shot did} and took a trip to the ER on Friday morning due to that cough that just won't quit.  He came home with Amoxicillin and an ear infection of his own along with cough medicine containing codeine {which we never used!}.  We will be scheduling appointments with an ENT for both... Eden for her ears and Ty for his tonsils/adenoids.  Thank God for health savings accounts, that's all I have to say.

So, here's hoping the rest of us can stay healthy because I've had it with this sick stuff!  Common Spring!  *8 more days*!


And, a big THANK YOU to my cute husband for doing the Costco and Target run for me this weekend {because he knew it just might put me over the edge} and because he got me these beautiful flowers because he knew that the many Dr. visits and sleepless nights were wearing on me.  
Isn't it the always the grocery store bouquets bought "just because" that make a girl feel the most loved?

no title

It's March.  I now have a 1-year old, a 5- year old, and I'm days away from an 8- year old.

We've been sick.  We are tired.  We need to re-coop before another birthday celebration.  Cake anyone?

If I was better organized or well-rested I might have pictures to share of Ty's birthday celebration.  But...I'm not either of those things.  So, the pictures will stay on my camera for now as I attempt to become well-rested.  Wish me luck.

Happy March!  We're days away from spring!!  Hooray!!!!!

hello. my name is Rebecca and I have a problem.

 I'm certifiably insane.

exhibit A

exhibit B

exhibit C {that's a.m. people}

Oh, but how I love to do it!  Happy Birthday sweet Ty...

Goodnight.

this is me

I don't really "get" Facebook.  I love coffee.  I'm not a morning person although I do try a lot harder than I used to.  I swear I'm solar powered because when the sun is shining I get motivated and write extensive to-do lists and have the energy to tackle them.  If I'm not smiling my face looks mad even though I'm not.  When I concentrate really hard I chew the inside of my lip.  I love to be home.  I always have the best intentions but have a very tough time finding the time to get things done.  My children are my world.  I love to read.  We haven't really been on vacation since our honeymoon 11 years ago.  I love my job, but would really love to be able to stay home full time.  I don't like to hurt people and I don't like to be hurt.  I'm sensitive.  I'm hard to get to know.  If you want me to be "real" there must be trust.  If you loose my trust it's hard to win it back.  I only like to spend my downtime with people who I can have fun with.  I respect hard work.  I don't have patience for people who don't try.  I could eat my weight in chocolate {probably more actually}.  I hate feet...except for my children's.  I love a good, hot bath.  I L-O-V-E to organize, but my home isn't as organized as I'd like it.  I love Twilight.  I'm not particularly fond of Celine Dion.  I don't like dishonesty.  I'm scared about the future.  I like gold stars.  I appreciate teachers, a lot.  If I could, I'd have 5 kids.  I love dogs but am not too fond of cats.  I believe you're never too old to learn.  I hope I'm not finished growing.  I enjoy writing.  I have too many grey hairs.  I have a cabinet full of pictures and thousands of pictures on my computer, but have never made one scrapbook.  My heart aches for the moments that have flown by way too fast.  I blog to capture moments.  My best friend lives in Tennessee.  I believe it's better to have quality friendships vs. quantity friendships.  I collect quotes.  I talk on the phone too much.   I love deeply.  I've lost.  I'm here.  This is me.

Jamie, one of my favorite photogs, took this photo.  I didn't buy this digital print, which is why it says Boomberry Photography on it :).  Maybe it'll get her some business!

not much...but something

Here I sit at 9am in front of my computer with all sorts of thoughts swirling around my head.  Lots and lots of post material, only the kind that I should leave in the "edit" stage never to see the actual pages of my blog...

I didn't grocery shop on Sunday.  Couldn't make myself go.  I was visiting with my sister-in-law and, darn it, I didn't want to quit!  I reasoned to myself that I had scheduled a day off {today} and I would go while Colin and Ty were in school.  Then Colin got sick.  Poor kid, high fever and headache...his sweet little rosy cheeks and droopy eyes...

Anyways...isn't that how life is?  Nothing good comes from procrastination!

New topic.

New topic being that I have nothing to blog about.  Do you ever get really discouraged?  Like when you really put yourself out there and the result is less than you hoped for?

The best I have to offer today is not much...just...today, if you're out and about, smile at a stranger...say hello.

That smile...that hello...well, it may just turn someones day around.  It may just make them feel noticed...like they matter...like they exist.  We all need a little smile sometimes, a "shout out"...

If you knew you could make that kind of a difference to someones day, wouldn't you do it?

Virtual Valentines S.W.A.K.

I just finished helping my Colin make his valentine mailbox.  Remember those?  Oh...so.much.fun!

I want to make one for me!

I want to sort through a box of little love notes ...all the cute, little rhymes and happy well wishes...kids have it so great don't they?...sigh...

Here's to  Valentine's Day!  Sending love to all my readers...you are in a very small but very important 
{to me} group!  Thanks for stopping by!

And...

To my BFF {visit her blog here}:
So many of my smiles begin with you!  Happy Heart Day!


To my first true blog buddy {visit her blog here}:
Happy Valentine's Day
{and now I'm going to say something that will make you feel ecstatic}
You have a chocolate deficiency :)  -- (virtual Hershey kiss to you!!!)

hi there

Just a quick hello!  I cannot seem to pull myself away from our newly turned one-year-old...could be the double ear infection...

Also all the prep for Valentine's Day, and both Ty and Colin's birthdays coming up, has left me feeling a bit overwhelmed and at a complete loss of creativity for my little blog {whose birthday is also this month...2 years!}...

Hopefully I'll be able to relieve my brain of some hyperactivity long enough to write something...until then have a fun Friday and restful weekend...

 Was this not just yesterday?  {sigh...}

You've filled my life with such joy...Happy 1st Birthday Eden Arabella!

things that make you say hmmm, some favorites, and a little help

I've had a couple of productive days...snow days, in fact.  Thank goodness for snow days... I mean, for a working Mom having a couple of days at home is helpful...except for the kids being home from school...

And, thank goodness for birthday parties... because without them I might never get motivated to clean places like the top of my fridge.  Which brings me to this...


Things that make you go hmmm....
This is my fridge after I used 1/4 of a bottle of Mrs. Meyers cleaning it.  This is the way my husband wants our fridge to look all the time.  {Sorry, I don't have a before picture} You can imagine with 3 kids what it looked like before, I'm sure.  Pictures, notes, homework, magnets, etc...the way I think it should look.  This looks sterile.  Remember, Chris wants it like this...

however, this pile of stuff that he crammed on top of the fridge...well, that doesn't bother him at all.  Hmmmm...

And please tell me who {probably a man} decided that we need no-slip surface handles on the fridge?  Hmmm...  
It took a whole lotta elbow grease to scrub the dirt and grime that only two little boys and a grown man can cram into all those little bumps and grooves...gross!

Let's move on, shall we?

Some {February} favorites...

bubble baths

yummy, burst-of-sunshine clementines

my snugly bed {Eden likes it too}

homemade Valentines {the BEST!}

and last...

A little help...

My decorating is much like my wardrobe...I can get the basics, it's the accessories I have trouble with.  So, I tend to be safe and boring.  Our hallway here needs to be painted to match the walls in the foreground.  I've had the first picture hanging there for a long time, but I love the Mark Rothko...it's obviously bigger...I cannot decide which I prefer there...after hanging the Rothko there for a while the first almost seems too small... 


Help, please... this will require comments people :)!!!