No we aren't renters and our house isn't in forclosure...

I know. I have "that" yard. Its embarrassing. I realized this summer that even though I LOVE gardening, and I love working in my yard, I DO NOT love the heat, so even though the year started out right--well...I now have weed patches where my flowers are. The flowers are still there for the most part--just truly overshadowed by all the weeds. Its sad. This month I am spending an hour out in my yard every day. My goal is that by my anniversary on the 24th of this month (so 20 days from now) I won't have "that" yard anymore. It won't be perfect but it will be pretty and on its way. I will after that spend time prepping the yard for the winter. Next spring it will be easy again to get going, and then next summer I am hiring someone to come and maintain it throughout the summer. I've learned this year that the heat is too much for me. And that is ok. Its good to know and understand that. So for June, July, and August I will have someone coming to help maintain my yard so that my minimal time I can spend out there is enough.
Having made this decision I am not so overwhelmed thinking, its just going to get like this again next year--why bother? pave the whole thing over. haha...--Instead I am thinking ok. I can get this back--and then it won't get like this again. And that feels good.
I'm sure my neighbors will be thrilled next summer when they don't see my yard turn into a weed patch. And maybe we will stop getting realtor letters in the mail saying we can help you sell your home right now as is...because when they drive through the neighborhoods--it won't be my house that sticks out like a sore thumb.
Instead it will stick out for all the right reasons.

Jilly's Room Check.

Another room Yay! Each time we accomplish one of these big todo's off the list it is just relieving, and mind boggling at how there always seems to be a million more projects to do in the house. Especially now--we've been here 8.5 years. Paint colors are ready to be changed. Chips in walls need to be fixed...the blasted NEW range is having problems...it just never stops. So what makes it home? that we don't wait for it to be perfect to LIVE in it. and lived in my home definitely is!
I'll share a few photos of the latest project now before I'm off to see what needs to be done next.

Korey worked hard with the help of my brother Jay (not picture)

Since by time I got home he had left.
I don't have the whole gruesome tear apart pictures but here are some from as it was being finished up. Terrance is Jilly's Puppy and man he was confused

Looks like he adapted pretty quick though!

The room looks awesome! And Jilly has a nice new room to sleep comfortably in. She's even been hanging out in there during the day the past few days, which never happened before. (and if you had seen the carpet you would completely understand why)

 One more room down at the Christensen House. Just need to get her chair rail put up between the peach and the stripes. Quick and easy project though. :) The best part for me is that this means we have started working on the bedrooms! I know mine isn't next (too much square footage) but I think this winter we will get to tile the bathrooms upstairs and maybe even get the art studio done! By the end of next year though the upstairs will be like we moved into a new house. YAY! without boxing it all up and going through that whole process. Which is great because the truth of it is, I love my home. I love this house, and I love making it home. I never had that before. Its really rewarding to see it coming together into not just a house but truly into our home. Our dream home.

Organizing those dang grocery bags...

If I could completely have it my way I'd never have these grocery bags--but hubby's good sense and economics prevail...so now and then instead of using my reusable grocery bags (or when I forget to take them with me to the store--or even sometimes take them to the store and then leave them in the car...ever done that?) I get groceries in plastic bags that we reuse for garbage bags in the bathrooms, bedrooms and for quick trash cleanups around the house.

 Well I had purchased a couple of these wire baskets to help give me more storage in my pantry.
Unfortunately plastic bags are like rabbits, I think they make more and more as they sit places...







so now now my basket looked like this...and it was never even intended to be the home for the bags.

 

 So tonight I decided enough is enough I need that space. I want the snack area to be easily accessible so you don't really have to think. Just grab a snack and go. I've worked hard to make sure that there are snacks on hand that are healthy, and give good energy. So dried fruits, nuts and healthy bars. But if we can't find them in chaos then what's the point of having gone to that trouble?

So I emptied the basket.

 Now what to do with the bags?












I was getting ready to throw out an empty disinfectant wipes container when I had an epiphany. I could up-cycle, utilize wasted space and still keep the bags that I'd worked so hard to collect (haha)

So I stripped the lid till it looked like this--I took the flap part of the lid and attached it to the bottom of the container because I like the color and wanted to see a little peek of it on the soon to be top.


I printed out a free stencil pattern that I liked,
and wrapped it around the jar.

I placed the bags in the container pulled the top
bag through the hole and secured the lid

Looking Good!!!

Next I cut a hole in the back. I just used a pair of scissors and made a stab. Nothing pretty...you'll also notice my wrap doesn't go all the way around. I figured it would be against the wall, why print out two sheets and try to line them up etc. etc. I may use fabric to cover my next one (I'll be making these for each of the bathrooms and bedrooms!)


I used a basic 3M hook and put it on the wall in the pantry making sure I wasn't blocking my access to anything.

 Finished Product--What do you think?

 Even better? I've now reclaimed my baskets for their intended purpose.
Healthy snacks. Check.
Easy to find. Check.

Not bad for a few minutes work.
(took longer to make this post than it did to complete the project!)

Cleaning Indoor Air with Plants

I've come across this amazing article of some of the best plants to help keep the air in our homes clean! Enjoy!!
Cleaning Indoor Air with Plants

The Paintings Were Hung By Korey With Care...

If I could tell you how many times I heard today..."You know I love you right? Or I would never..."

And as I watched my husband scale a ladder over and over--I knew he loved me. (I've always known...but what a manifestation of that love!!)

I painted these panels specifically for this spot in my kitchen that has sat blank for the entire 7 years we've owned our home. Waiting for something--I wasn't going to hang anything up there unless I LOVED it.

For me the key to decorating is if you don't LOVE it--don't waste your time with it. When you truly LOVE something then it has meaning and purpose in your decorating. It isn't saying that down the road you won't decide you love something more, but I no longer buy things if I like them. I have to truly love the item and also KNOW where I am going to put it. It does me no good to love something if it is going to be clutter. If it doesn't have a home, I leave it alone.

 As I started out with these paintings I knew I wanted Yellow. Yellow to me is a happy cheerful color. When I was 13 my family lived in Vernal. We had been renting and had started looking for a home to buy. I went with my mom and dad one day to look at a home out in Maeser. There were 3 things I fell in love with as we were looking at that home. The kitchen was a cheerful yellow color and I could picture myself cooking in it, being happy and excited to be in that kitchen! (With at the time 11 kids in the family, I had years and babies earlier learned that if I cooked someone else got to do the dishes)  At first it was practical. I hated doing dishes so I'd rather cook. I found rather quickly that I really enjoyed the creativity of cooking and baking. I had fun finding ways to cook what food we had on hand in  new ways. There were successful dishes...and some rather awful failures...The other two things I loved about the house were it had a greenhouse just off the kitchen, and there was a reading nook in the middle landing of the stairs complete with built in bookcases and a shelf that was carpeted and big enough for sitting right there under the window.

When I picked Yellow as my main kitchen color 6 years ago, I didn't consciously think about that Maeser house. (which we did not end up buying, in fact didn't buy a house at all but left Vernal that next year)

But I LOVE the color Yellow. Blue and Yellow have always been my 2 favorite colors. My wedding dress was Yellow with light blue accents. I knew putting a color I loved would help me feel at home every day in our kitchen, and I think its no coincidence that our kitchen is the heart of our home.

Korey worked hard getting everything just so--the paintings level, just the right distance apart, with me down below dictating. :)
He is such a good sport.

My creativity and vision with his detail orientation makes a really good combo. Our projects always turn out great...except if you ask him they are MY projects that he gets called in to help finish.

Well...there is some truth to that. I love you Babe!!!

And the finished product. 

I think it is absolutely stunning.

Happenin's in the flower gardens

 Finally the snow is over! The fear of frost is gone. The rain has been a bugger--and the weeds have just grown and grown. Last year I didn't do much in the gardens and the weeds were taking over. I spent a lot of time away from home visiting my mom. And then she died, and there was the funeral and my emotions, well I wasn't in a place where I cared what my gardens looked like. Then this spring has come and the rain inspires me.

This is my russian sage that Jilly and I trimmed and used some of the trimmings to make our lamp.

It doesn't look like much, but it grows into a beautiful fragrant bush. I love, love, love my russian sage.

Well this year I wanted to add color and depth and interesting pieces to my garden. I also know that if I put plants in planters there is much less of the weeding to be done.






 The first planter I got this year was actually a plastic bucket. It was flexible and advertised it could be used for laundry, garden supplies, anywhere you would need a bucket. I fell in love with the vibrant yellow (its the color I want to paint my front door! Hopefully that blog will be in the near future!)

I did the typical planting put a tall plant in the center a mounding plant on the side of it and then a dangling plant. Its already starting to grow, and I am excited to watch it throughout the season.  Jilly helped me pick out all the flowers.

 I drilled some good drain holes in the bottom. Moved one of my stumps, painted the stump white to make it look more aged, and placed the pretty planter on top.

The best part? The sprinklers water the plant for me so minimum care. Just a little dead heading so far.

 

These are my tulips as of last week. 

The next pictures are ones I took tonight after Korey and I finished up a bunch of weeding. I've been going out at least 15 minutes a day this past week. working on getting the weeds under control. I finally feel like I am winning! 

I have also been able to place several planters out with plants. I am so excited for the affect it is having in my garden I wanted to share it.

Now this picture was taken tonight. It may look a lot like the one from last week, except if you look closely you will see less weeds and grass cutting into the area, and the plants in the planter are growing a bit.

move your eyes over and here is a super fun element I found at a local consignment shop . Its an old seed or fertilizer  spreader that had been painted this fun lime green color. I was so excited when I saw it. There wasn't a price tag on it, so I found a gal to find out for me.


She called the vendor, and I was thinking, I can't go over $40. You have to walk away if its over $40. She came back with the price. $19. Inside I was giddy, but I remained calm on the surface. What a steal!! Jilly picked out the purple flowers in it and the pretty contrast is exciting to me. I can't wait till the flowers grow a bit bigger.

  

The same purple flowers are planted here next to one of my stumps. I love the earthy-ness of putting the stumps in the garden. I love that it is natural and visual--and that they were all free. (free is always good) on either side of the stump is an orange plant I put a while ago. They didn't grow very big last year because the weeds were choking out their light. Well this year they will have room to grow and I think it will be visually stunning.

Looking at the other side of the garden past the stump are some more fun planters and my new rose bush. behind the stump is my lavender plant that needs some serious trimming to get it back under control!! And more fun planters

This is a iron wheelbarrow planter that I have had a couple of years. I still want to spray paint it this year, but its still cute and will do for now. The flowers are gerber daisies that were given to me by my boss-lady for Mothers Day. I love the blue planter and how it contrasts with the orange flowers.

Close up of the rose bush and other planters

I've had the teapot planter a few years now. but previously have made the mistake of putting it up on the porch...where I had to water it all the time. I didn't and my plants always died. So this year they too are going in the flower bed where the sprinklers can take care of that for me. I put just some greenery in the top on for this year. The orange pot has pineapple sage in it. It smells and tastes just like pineapple too--I'm excited to add it to my herbs this year!

This Stump is in the flower bed in the front of the yard. I found another red bucket, drilled holes and put a pretty pink perennial in it

These are my tulips this week--I love my tulips

This bed gets my attention next

Quick Lift to the Toy Room

 

 So the latest and greatest...We've been working in the toy room hard core this past month. Its not done, but it is getting so much closer. and I'm very excited about it. I found this cute pink rug at Shopko for $49. It was perfect for the little art table.

The Table itself Jilly got from Santa 2 Christmases ago. I'm pretty sure Santa picked it up from Korey's best friend Andy since he makes tables exactly like this. :) The top of the table is white board. Its so great to let the kids color to their hearts content. No paper to throw away. we take pictures of the picasso's and the kids enjoy wiping away the art as much as they do drawing it in the first place. It's also a great little table for snacks or lunches/dinners when we have cousins or friends over. The table is just their size and that as you know is very important.

This cute bucket I picked up at Target for a couple of bucks. The fairy on the outside shows us what lives in this home.

Why Fairies of Course!!

 

I should probably start by the front door...I love the set up we finally came up with. there are hooks on the wall for jackets and purses. Permanent homes for Jilly's &

temporary resting places for those of her friends and relatives when they come to play.

We lose less jackets this way.

Next we have the shoe bins. I know it looks kind of messy but its CONTAINED messy. Much better than tripping all over them all over the house. And parents appreciate that there is a place to put kiddo's shoes where they will be found at then end of their visit. I am also happy since I no longer have to keep an eye out for random shoes...well most of the time there is one stray pink sandal that I think belongs to my niece who lives in New Mexico. But it is only one random stray shoe, and that my friends is progress. I'll take it.

Next is the window. We used a storage box that Korey built and turned it into our little faux window seat. I found these awesome pillows at Tai Pan. One had a small defect so it was $12. The other one was $14. I was VERY happy with this find. I had taken pictures of them on my phone and thought about them for 2 days. I went back to get them before this perfect find was gone. I still loved them, and I had Jilly with me this time and she loved them (pink...need I say more?) So we got them. The bins in the slots underneath have the baby dolls and baby doll accessories inside of them.(the fairy bucket hang here by the window)

Now we've come to our big beautiful bookcase that Korey and his BFF Andy built into my wall. LOVE IT! I gave them one crazy design and they made it happen. Thanks guys! perched on one of the outward shelves are Jilly's travel bears. We like to collect them as souvenirs of places she has been.

We don't always find them but when we do 

they have a happy home to rest their weary traveling legs on.

What is a toy room without dress up clothes? (Especially when the primary resident of the room is a little girl...a theatrical little girl and no I have NO idea where she gets that from! ;) You can barely see it in the picture but we have a tote just for dress up shoes that fits nicely in the bottom of the pink dress up chest. Again it looks kind of messy, but controlled messy. Anything that the kids can put away themselves is a good idea in my book!

 

The pink chest slides perfectly under the bookcase. Evey thing has found a bright cheerful home!

Doll set from Christmas this past year has a nice cozy home on the other end of the book case. Complete with swing, highchair, changing table/sink combo. But no, we do NOT put water in the sink. That is a nice for pretend thing.

Under the  bookcase on the right side is one of my absolute favorite homes for some previously homeless items that found their way all over the house--you know the toys that migrate like lemmings--and you find them in the most inopportune times and places..like under your bare feet...or when a visitor gets a strange look on their face and pulls something up out of the crevice of the couch...Yes I'm talking about the lite brite. The marble games, and the play dough. The puzzles and candyland, the 3D version. all those pesky games which are so much fun but a vacuums nightmare. Well say goodbye to that heart sinking crunch as you wonder what you sucked up now...

TADA!!!

These bags are a god send! I was put onto these by my cousin Sarah who is a preschool teacher. She showed me the bags and how she uses them and then she said some wonderful magic words..."I found them at the dollar store" and that is where I found them as well. Now all the play dough as shown above here is all in one place. The lite brite and its little pokey friends have a home where they can all be together! and no more gingerbread men from candy land hiding under my bed!

This fun guy I found at Ikea. His mouth always holds some fun treasure.

 



Storage bins are on the shelves providing homes for the tea sets, the barbies and their accessories as well as all the paper books that just fall all over and get torn to shreds. 

A home for everything and everything in its home...

 for the most part.