I'm Back!

Well it has been two very long weeks here. I haven't had time to do much computer stuff with all the projects, sickness, and school work. So here is a review of what I have been up to. The first major project was the painting of the foyer. I wish I has pictures of this but hey will have to wait, I still haven't taken any. I spent Valentine's Day weekend painting the upstairs and downstairs portions and then on Monday we had someone come in ans paint the three 20 foot walls. It looks beautiful! I love the color and wish we had done it years ago. Added a hall table and a new fern in the corner and it is so welcoming. If your in the area come sit a spell.

I spent the rest of the week preparing for my Mom's arrival, my scrapbook getaway weekend and taking care of sick children. Time just flew by! My weekend was so nice and a wonderful break to just create without interruption,
Then it was back to real life. Mom and I continued to take care of sick children and our big project- organize the basement! I have been wanting to do this forever! I knew it would take a while because of all the canning items. We took 2 van loads to the thrift shop, donated a pile of clothes to some friends going to Africa, and gave numerous things to friends who could use them. The amount of recycling was also pretty impressive! It looks SO nice down there and you can find everything quickly. I just need to add the labels as I got sick too. Thankfully it was just one day but it did postpone our drive back to Blacksburg.

This is the pantry side of the basement before or in progress. We had to take everything off the shelves so we could change the configuration. I wanted to have more shelves where the canning things are and less on the decoration/storage end.

Here is is all finished. There is a small potting bench(old changing table) at the end with the grow lights. All the canning things are together and waiting to be filled this coming summer. Can't wait for fresh food!

Sorry these pictures are so dark, there isn't much light down there and I was in a hurry. This is the children's play area on the other side and part of our ever growing library.


This is where I currently store the items waiting to be sold at consignment, our guest bed, and holiday decor. Someday it will be a bathroom. David's old desk also sits here because he never uses it but I can't get him to part with it.

So that's where I have been covered in paint and down in the basement.

Updates

Things have settled down a bit here in out waiting game. We are having some work done next week to spruce up the house and I will be painting the hallways and washing light fixtures and windows soon. We have chosen to put the sign in the yard on the first monday in March. That gives us plenty of time to get all the little things done. My mom will be coming up the last week of this month to help out so we don't get behind with our school. We just don't know how many days we might miss due to this move. David is waiting on 4 different possibilities and we really won't know anything for a couple of weeks and then he will probally begin the interview process. Mostly he has just been submitting resumes and introduction phone interviews trying to get some leads. I am still sorting and purging and organizing in preperation for moving. Here are some pictures of my progress. Its mostly in the scrapbook room right now, that seems to have the least amount of order, probally due to the fact that I never had much time to spend in there before. Now that Gwen is almost three I can find a few minutes here and there to get something done, and I knoe how hard it was the last time to move a disorganized space. I ended up not scrapbooking for almost a year. That put me so far behind and completely overwhelmed. I don't want that to happen again. This time there are labels on everything!

Everything has a home and all like things are together. I went with one floss drawer instead of three boxes. I have one drawer for each child. It has their first pair of shoes, coming home outfit, hospital bands, measurements and other such inportant stuff.
My desk is now clean so when I do work it is easy to put it all away and all the things I use the most are close at hand.
This is my new sign for my room, I had the letters for over a year, just finishing projects is getting rid of some of the disorganization.
This is my stamp, and ribbon corner. All within reach and easy to see and use. This is my glitter and stickles storage, I read somewhere that storing them upside down would help keep them from getting clogged so I used velcro dots to attach them to the shelves. This sits to the right of my desk also within reach.
I just love going in there now its so peaceful and inspiring. To bad I have to take it all apart and move it. Isn't that the way it always goes as soon as you get something just right.

Gwen

I was sitting here reading an e-mail when baby chick started crying. I quickly turned around only to hear. "Mommy, the chair stepped on my toe!" She wasn't hurt just mad at the chair. LOL.

Midnight ramblings

Well here it is midnight again. I don't remember the last time I went to bed at a decent hour. There is so much to do I hardly have time to think. I guess that could be a good thing considering the circumstances. At least the work is done. I managed to purge the main living areas of every unwanted item and organize it all. If anyone opens the closets there will be no suprises. I even hung a few pictures to try and make it look more attractice in certian areas. Still need to touch up paint in spots and go through the basement. I am dreading that job so much down there even thought I cleaned it out for the consignment sale last fall. I still never did the pantry side, I always thought there would be time.

We have only been here for 3 years and I had so many plans. I love this house and sometimes wish we could take it with us. But then there is the excitement of finding something new, something a little bit older, with some character, with land, and with tress. There are so many possibilites, the big question is where. Moving can be an adventure if you let it. So I am off to turn the page and see what God has in store for us in the coming months, and yes I can't help it but I am a bit excited.

And so it begins...

Pfizer buys Wyeth and all hell breaks loose. You can feel it in the air and even the clerk at the pretzel store knows someting BIG is happening.

Yes, we are probally moving again. This stay in PA has been rather short or etremely long depending on the mood I am in. I have made a handful of good friends and I will miss them, I will miss the history, I will miss the Amish country, and I will miss my house, after all I did design it and pour sweat and blood into it. Its sad to look at my list as see how short it is.

Of course we could end up with a job here but our primary goal is to get to North Carolina. We have always wanted to get as close to family as possible and be back in our homeland again. I will ultimately just be happy to KNOW! But I am trusting God with this one its just to much for me to think about.

Oh but the work involved to get there! I am all ready dreading putting the house up on the market and keeping it clean every second of every day. I tell you its enough to drive one mad! Then there are so many little things that need to be done, let alone finish the laundry room that I never got to enjoy. I know that sounds rather silly but do you know how mich time one spends in their laundry room with 4 children?! There are days I feel I could get lostin there and never come out.

On the other hand we learned a lot when we moved from Illinois to here and so it will be eaiser this time around and I am not pregnant and can acomplish so much more. My scrapbook suplies are organized, there is no more baby equipment and no more diapers. It will be so much easier to set everything back up and find all the things we need. I am trying to stay positive and upbeat and trust through this unknown time. Someday soon there will be answers.

I am waiting...

Organized

So it's been almost two weeks since my last post. I guess I have been busier than I thought. I finally tackled the mess in the children's rooms. If you know anything about children and their hoarding tendencies you will understand how you can get lost in there for days! I started with the boys room first. The lego collection was taking over the closet. I went to Walmart and purchased these wonderful storage containers. Fourteen drawers of happiness! Each one is labeled with a type of lego and they can all be put away in minutes by someone besides myself. Still more to do in there but I need to purchase dressers first. Just having the legos under control makes a huge difference.

In the girls room I took the storage I wasn't using anymore in the boys room and created a tower of Bitty Baby. A drawer for everything, shoes hair accessories, diapers, blankets, toys, and clothes. Who knew dolls could have so much? Then they have deep drawers for everything else, legos, ponies, pet shop, purses, etc. Now they can pick up and put away themselves also. The goal of every kids room project. I love being able to tell them to "go clean you room" and it actually happen!

Sweet sucess!

First haircut

Today I took Gwen to get her hair cut. She has been needing it for a while but I know that the baby curls will be gone forever.

After bathing her this morning and pulling lint out of the ringlets I decided it was time. She wasn't to sure about sitting still but the promise of the lollipop at the end helped. Unfortunately she ate it so fast I didn't get a picture. I think she likes her new style as it dosen't get so tangled. Hopefully it will help it grow more evenly and fill in.

Last picture before cutting !

I'm not so sure about this, thankfully the hairstylist worked fast!
Her new style. She is pouting because she was done with me taking pictures. It looks so cute though and there are still some curls.