I've just about finished, but until then...

My family room is basically all done. Just one more pillow to complete & I will be able to finally check that off my list. Then it'll be on to the bigger job of the living room, but for right now I am just enjoying being done! I love how it's turned out. Pics to follow shortly.

Until then, I was going through the pictures on my camera & found the ones from my trip to Newport last summer. The hotel we stayed at happened to be across from a great shopping center, which also happened to have the store below! It might be my 'happiest place on earth'. I mostly looked, although I did have to try on a couple!




And speaking of shoes, can I quickly just share how amazing I think these shoes are??? If only they weren't almost the price of my mortgage I'd definitely have them in my closet!


Closer view


For right now I just have to settle for a knock off, black pair. I keep hoping I'll miraculously find these for 90% off! :-)

Not a morning person, but...

I am not a morning person. It's not that I'm grumpy when I wake up or that it takes me a while to get going. I am actually pretty pleasant & alert when I wake up (if I say so myself :-)), but I'd much rather be up really late at night than early in the morning, & certainly not while it's still dark, but that's what I've started doing. My family (at least 18 of us) are having a Biggest loser competition & I'm excited about that. I feel ready to be fully committed & successful in eating healthier & exercising & so then losing weight. I know that if I have any chance of being a regular exerciser it has to be in the morning. By the time the end of the day comes around there is no way I am getting myself to the gym, so this has made it necessary to wake up at 5:30 in the morning! Yes it's still dark and today was cold, but I get myself out of bed & head to the gym. I drive down a road that for a few miles is lined with white picket fences & homes facing the street. I love it! While I'd never want to live in one of the homes facing the busy road, I love what it looks like. Then when I am headed back home after my time at the gym I have been getting to see the sun rise, which is beautiful (excuse the poor picture above as it was taken with my cell phone & possibly while I was driving). I'm not sure either of those things actually help me get out of bed that early in the morning, but they at least make it more enjoyable - plus the fact that I, on most days, have the item below for my after workout/breakfast treat. I hate milk, but I looove chocolate milk! And apparently this is a great after workout drink!



It's only been 3 days so far, but I'm 3 for 3 for the gym & eating as I should. I think my mindset must be different this time around as it doesn't feel quite as hard as other times. The competition is for 3 months & I'm excited about how much change can happen in that length of time. Really hoping that at the end I'll be the one that has $360 in my pocket (or the $180 of 2nd place), but as long as I have pants a few sizes smaller I'll be happy!

Who needs grass???

While I've been working & sewing to get the inside of the house done, my poor backyard has been neglected. On the best of days my backyard is only dirt & a couple lonely trees, but it has been sorely neglected. While I should have spent my time off this last week tackling this mess I instead avoided it. It won't be able to go for much longer, but for now I'm just trying to enjoy the 'greenery'.

I'm sorry, we don't take Visa...

Saturday was the first time in my life I think I've ever heard those words uttered. I've used my Visa card everywhere - including Mexico & Peru! I had finally decided I was going to pay the ridiculous amount of money for Giorgio Armani foundation. I had tried it on & was happy with how it looked & decided to just bite the bullet & buy a bottle. As I pull out my Visa card the nice sales associate tells me they don't accept Visa, just cash, check (who still takes checks???), American Express and a Neiman's card. I have never liked Neiman's Marcus as I think the people who work there always seem so snotty & won't give you the time of day. Never really understood that as it's not like they are raking in the dough, but I was forced this day to go there as it's the only place that sells this brand. Well after being turned away for only having Visa & refusing to pay the $5 to withdraw cash from a random ATM I went home empty handed. Probably good in the long run, but I'm still without foundation & not sure where to look next.



On to more successful Scottsdale shopping...

While I still am going to have my family room/kitchen completely done by the end of March, I spent Saturday couch shopping for the living room. I've been lucky enough to use Daniel & Marie's furniture in my living room, but since they are sadly moving to Missouri, they will be taking it with them and I will be back to an empty room. I had several ideas of what to do in the room & had trouble making up my mind, but I've finally decided on grey & cream and came across what I think will be the perfect couch. I knew I wanted a tufted couch, but had had trouble finding a good size & price for what I was looking at. I came across this sofa at Macy's & it has great reviews & came in grey, so decided that was a sign. I went on Saturday to see it in person & loved it. So after dragging my mom and Elise back down to Scottsdale to get their opinions I decided to buy it. It has to be made, so will be a couple months until it gets here, but I can't wait to see it. I'm slightly nervous as the fabric I picked I could only see a sample of, not see on an actual couch. I'm sure it'll be great, but am just anxious to see. Now I just need to find the 2 chairs I'm wanting. I have in mind exactly what I want, now I just have to find them & have them be in my price range!

An update finally!

I've been really lax on my blogging lately, but I'm committed again...hopefully I'll have something interesting to blog about. I decided yesterday that since it's been almost a year since I bought my house it's time to finally get all the little things done & get the house finished. So my goal for March is to have my family room/kitchen area 100% done! This entails making curtains, getting or making pillows for my couches, recovering barstools and a few other little things. I can't wait to finally have it all done.

Here's the color scheme I'm thinking...hoping it all comes together great!

Curtains:



Throw pillows:




Barstools (this isn't the exact fabric, but it's close):


Hoping it all ends up looking how I have envisioned in my mind. Just bought a great entertainment center that's perfect for the room & I'm really excited about the final product. Here's hoping it all goes smoothly - especially the sewing!

‘Tis the Season to Give

A couple weeks ago I came across this blog of a woman I don’t know at all. I’m not sure what I was searching for that led me there, but I saw a post & challenge that she was in the middle of doing(http://kingdomfirstmom.com/category/30-day-giving-challenge). It kind of intrigued me & so I read further into it & knew right away I wanted to be a part. Her challenge was 30 days of giving. Doing something every day to give to someone else. It could be the simplest thing as smiling at someone, taking a dessert or dinner to someone or donating money or items to a cause or anything else you can think of. I started my 30 days a couple weeks ago and it’s been so great. Each day I spend at least a little time thinking of what I can give. A couple days it’s been as simple as just clicking on a website that donates money to causes for clicks (http://www.clicktogive.com/). Other days I’ve done more. As I’ve been looking for ideas I’ve noticed so many opportunities from donating canned foods at any WalMart, rounding up purchases at Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma, to the more common of donating clothes, furniture, etc. I’m only half way through, but already I can notice the change in thinking more of others instead of just me and it’s great. It’s made me excited to give more and look for opportunities to serve. It’s also caused me to be more grateful for all I have been blessed with and how it doesn’t take great effort and doesn’t even have to take any money to give to others and that’s the least I can do to partly show my gratitude to a Heavenly Father who has given me so much.

I wish I was here....

No plans to go anytime soon, but it's been too long!