Projects I want done in 2015

I really need to write these thoughts down somewhere. So far the ole' blog has been a great "hey, we're actually doing the projected goals I wrote down on my blog" source sooooo here I go:

(HORRIBLE quality pictures of everything - a disclaimer.When it's a rainy day and the kids are asleep, one does  not worry about how hideous flash photography can sometimes be. I'm also not trying to hate on our space, I really do love everything in here! These pictures make it all look worse than it really is. But hey, what can a gal do? You've gotsto make things your own!)

1. Re-doing the long entry way dresser thing. EEK. Modernization needs to happen to this solid ole' hand-me-down. 

2. Figuring out a more ideal place for this here computer. At first I wanted it in the garage because there literally was no place for it in these here 1350 square feet, but then realized I was freezing my butt off while trying to upload pictures. It now sits in our bedroom...

3. Re-doing a piece of furniture to hide or pretty-up the computer. Maybe put it in the closet? Pinterest gods be with me!

 ^^^Will this be it? (Another solid wood hand-me-down with potential.)

4. Get a new rug for the living room. My "light and bright" vision is sort of annoying me now with the existing "light and bright" tile floors. Oh yeah, and the massive white fluffy rug Chad and I were obsessed with from our bachelor friend's townhouse looks slightly more mouse-colored in our kid-home. 

5. Get our beautiful Craigslist-found ottoman reupholstered in the family room. (Even though for reasons unbeknownst to me I find the dragon fly and lime green a little character-y? It's not going to stay this way but...) ^^^

6. Figure out the entire dining room space. Chairs are needed. I'm not a huge fan of my wall set up anymore - too busy (and it contains a Parisian canvas thing so everybody thinks I poorly executed a Paris themed room - hahaha). Do I do a rug in there? With all of the neutrals going on, I want some pop-y.

7. Re-doing the enclave thing in the hallway. I like the tall mirror I put up there but have predictably tired of the weird, "I just need to fill this space because it's driving me crazy before Thanksgiving," hanging plate thing. I want a cross collection there. I think.

8. Better execute the wall behind the couch. Either I need to finish the Pinterest project I started up there or I just need to take it down and do something else.

9. Weirdly, I want a piano. Like an up-against-the-wall piano. I don't know. That's not going to happen in 2015, but for some weird reason I want one.

^^^This is from The Rockstar Diaries. I love them and I love this piano but something tells me this perfection would end up sadly butchered if I attempted such awesomeness.

10. Fabulously execute these two mounted animal heads Chad got me for Christmas. I'm obsessed with them, but he thinks they're totally weird. He got them for me because he kept saying "NOOOO" when I'd mention them, so I can't just throw those things up on the wall and hope for the best. I really think I need to call an interior designer girlfriend of mine who I barely knew in sorority and ask her to come over to take a look at everything. I'm trying to channel my friend's house in Scottsdale, but every idea I throw out there Chad kind of looks at me like.... "yeeeeahh I know that works in Liz's house, but in this house we have a track record of things not looking so cool....." Crap. Lord help me in this wild thing called "attempting to enjoy your own decor!"

^^^It's this but what Chad got me is prettier and golden. Oh, the thousands of ways this could go wrong!

11. Come to a peaceful solution with these weirdo valance window things. They're these built in, crown molding type window valances on every window in the house. I never understood them and actually don't really like them, but everyone keeps saying how expensive they are so we shouldn't take them down. Well guess what? Going to Dubai is expensive but that does not mean I want to go to Dubai. However, Chad is semi thinking of resale: what if they actually are valuable? EEEEEK. They remind me of an old Asian lady's house or of a colonial home. 

12. DEFINITELY do the master bedroom. It's hard to make it a priority, but it really should be. ^^^

Bottom line is this: I wish I trusted my inner design goddess, but alas, I don't! This is not without due reasoning - save for Lake Forest, pretty much every place we've lived in we had to re-do a few weeks after living there because I start to really loathe whatever it is I fought so hard to put up. It's a vicious cycle! We'll see, we'll see. 

Yearly planner fill-in

Last night I filled in my planner for 2015 - a yearly task I get way too excited for. As I sat there and cross examined January - December with Chadly, I realized just how much happens in one year's time. All of the birthdays between our two families, plans on how we're going to save up for this and that, Christmas and birthday thoughts, weddings, kids' birthday parties for our close friends, dance classes, hockey programs, spring soccer, football in the fall, preschool and kindergarten registration coming up in March. The overall view of it all is pretty amazing, if not a tad bit overwhelming. About half way through my inner thoughts on operation dog: just how much per week should I put away to make this thing happen, I started to think of what an undertaking it is to operate a wonderful family life. We are in it! Totally immersed in what we're told is the best time of our lives. Play dates, brunches, entertaining. Weekend getaways, watching movies on the couch, rough-housing with daddy. Praying before meals, constructing tricycles, organizing tools on peg board in the garage. Researching dogs for our family of four (with one boy and one girl!) - a Norman Rockwell painting, we have become! How on earth?! It's thrilling!

I'm thankful for a little perspective. 2015 is going to be a rad year with these thoughts. I'm praying to maintain this viewpoint and to remember to take things slow. If I ever get a tattoo in my life it would read simply, "be still." I've been practicing that sentiment and I think it's what's responsible for said perspective. Very thankful, up in herre!

Other things I'm thankful for from 2014:

- Chad and my 5th anniversary trip to San Diego where we made our "before 30 bucket lists."

- Actually realizing how much freakin' fun kids are at this age in the most awesome way: Knott's Berry Farm rollercoasters, watch out for us!

- Chad's work life!

- Me feeling like I've checked the boxes I wanted to check in my twenties in regards to work and feeling completely ready and great about becoming a full time stay-at-homer.

- The house!

- Chad and I "pulling the trigger" on several areas of life and having the support of families at the same time!

- Our Dave Ramsey ways hitting the official 1 year mark and still going.

- Friends who we love dearly.

- The Paplia brother being awesome: the dude has been dedicated to going into the Marines. A year ago, we had been going on about year 3 of praying insanely hard for him. Prayers are answered, we know that now more than ever. Perseverance, a great attitude and just an overall wonderful force he is in our family is what we have to be thankful for, all of which began in 2014.

- The Paplia sister being a badass pushing out child number 3! Goooooooo Gina!!!!

- Cisneros brother finding fulfillment in flight school - woohoooo!

- And of course, all of our family members!!! (And sushi!)

New house DIY: our farmhouse table!

Well folks, nice crap is expensive. You want a cute little tabletop to feed family and friends when they come over? Okay, that will be $2,500!!!!!!! Oh, a complimentary bench to go with your good taste? An extra $500!!!! WHAT THE HECK. Not exactly cohesive with two people who just want to keep it simple and not file for bankruptcy. He he he he ho ho ho ho. No but really, things are way too expensive out there. 

When we decided to devote what probably was meant to be the formal living room into a full on dining room, we knew a large table was needed. The idea of having an awesome, big space for tons and tons of people to come over and enjoy good food seemed more awesome than two separate sitting areas, even though I do sort of want an additional space away from the kiddos sometimes when friends visit (she says after everything is said and done). After deciding that we certainly were not okay with spending our childrens' college tuitions on a table and chairs, we got to scouring Pinterest. Chad, the self proclaimed hater of all things country and everything that falls under the category of "farm," actually was totally excited to build a farmhouse table! I think our kitchen makeover was a confidence booster - we were rarin' to go. We found an awesome tutorial and went to work. 

First we went to IKEA and got two small table things, then we headed to Home Depot to get all of our pine cut. Next, Chad laid a "sub floor" type thing, then we got to lying the boards together and using more nails than we thought humanly possible. The thing really is a death trap underneath. There are rogue nails just poking out everywhere under there! The kids have been told that they ARE NOT ALLOWED UNDER THE DINING ROOM TABLE many times, and in a really nice tone of voice too. ;)

Anyhoo, the construction took us about a day and a half, then we went for the stain. That part was quick of course, but was stressful! Did I want it light or dark? Was one side a heavier hue than the other? Ahhh, it was freaky. Thankfully, we were done in just a few days, again with trooper children hanging close by. 

We hosted one dinner party a week for family up until Thanksgiving to break the ole' girl in. Happily that gosh darn thing stayed up and sturdy - I was really nervous to give it a spin with each new family that rolled through! 

The most awesome part of all was the price tag: $275 for the whole darn thing. Once we get chairs, it will be the most expensive part! Again, we are happy we just busted through and got this thing done. Wooohooooo for really enjoying DIYing! Who the heck have we turned into??!

^^^Thanksgiving 2014!!!

^^^I know this is the worst picture of all time, but I'm just too lazy to find the nice picture of the ole' girl all done and pretty! I swear, our computer ate the "nice camera" farmhouse table pics. Waaaah! Love this thing! 

New house DIY: kitchen makeover!

Our first DIY of the new house HAD to be the kitchen. It was a total cave! Words can't even describe how funky it felt to be in the original - when we first went to look at the house, I didn't even really walk into it. I had no idea what the sink looked like or anything else. I just sort of glanced over in the general direction and decided that I wouldn't enter the black hole that was where one would prepare food. I had to look at the listing online to remind myself what the heck the thing looked like! All I could remember was feeling hellish while in it's presence. Anyhoo, I can wholeheartedly say that tackling this thing head on was the right move - it was so mentally and physically exhausting to get done, we would have been miserable if we tried to do it after moving in.

Our escrow was insanely short - just three weeks! It was supposed to be 30 days, but everything went so smoothly, there was no reason not to just hand over the keys. So on October 2nd Chad got word that we would be closing the next day. That night, he came home and told me that we were in fact going to close early, so let's go to Home Depot "right now," get some paint and start working on the kitchen starting "tomorrow." WHAT? I sort of freaked out that we would be moving WAY sooner than expected - forget about redoing a darn kitchen! That was too much for my brain to handle. But after a night of misdirecting my anxious feelings towards Chad in a not-so-nice way, I felt refreshed and ready to go! Thankfully, we waited until the 3rd (the official day escrow closed) to go to Home Depot, then headed over to the house with two car-fulls on the 4th to start unscrewing the cabinets.

EVERY.SINGLE.DAY we went to the house with carloads. Chad would load his car the night before, then leave for work the next morning at 6:00 am, then go to the house after work where he would find me unloading my car into the garage with the two kids running around. Then the two of us would stay there until 9:30 or 10:00 at night sanding, priming, painting, painting, painting, painting... then finally screwing the whole thing back together again! The total project took from October 4th - October 12th (move in day!).

The kids were such freakin' troopers. I know everybody says that about their kids in the face of adversity, but ours really freakin' were. The whole length of the project, there was no couch, no bed, no TV, no NOTHING for children to do for hours on end. On top of that, the whole thing was dirty. Really, REALLY dirty - the carpets were practically black, the tile had a light dusting of grease or something gross and the walls were sandy to the touch. Oh yeah, and the backyard was filled with dead, pokey weeds. It was insane! Thank goodness for good friends and family coming out with us a few days to play with them! Also, thank goodness for siblings who are little buddies. It was great! Exhausting, but great!

And while we were at it, we redid the entertainment center, too. Soooo worth it just to bang it out! Woohooo now we love it all!

Content

I know this is cheesy, but I am just so gosh darn content living in this here house... NOT in Orange County! What has happened to me? Who am I?! How can this be so?!

I used to think that the label of the "Inland Empire" was pretty, well... gross. I mean, "the Inland Empire???" It sounds like something Darth Vader would like to have under his control. "Orange County" is just so sing-songy and beautiful... the IE? Yuck! But NOW! It's like some foreign being has crawled into my body, making me do things like stay home for 6 days straight - not even turning on the car once! - and gardening and just looooooving doing laundry because it's in OUR garage! I know! What on earth!!!! Things have truly been the best. This was so not us over the last few years while living in rental hell. It used to be as soon as the four of us entered the door we were looking for a reason to leave again. Staying at home was unbearable! Here... it's the opposite and I couldn't be more enthused to say so.

I know that part of the contentment probably has to do with the fact that with the holiday festivities we have plenty of reasons to run to Orange County for a play date or family fun thing, so it will be interesting to see how I feel in say, March, but for now I'm just loving it.

Also, this last weekend our family took a trip down to Phoenix where my two best friends have lived for the last few years. Now, neither one of them live any where near their families. The closest lone member to either one of them lives 2 hours away, and the rest are 6+ hours or a plane ride removed. They just moved there because that's what their lives were calling for at the time (one for a job, another to pursue an awesome dream of hers). Seeing them so entrenched and in love with this entire life they had created out of essentially nothing was so encouraging to me. It made me feel great about actually enjoying living NOT super close to my family (even though, let's be real, it's only about 40 minutes away). Prior to our trip, I would think to myself "man, I love living here! ....but it's not Orange County so I don't want to love it too much because that means that I'm officially okay with not living in Orange County." Of course I will probably have millions more thoughts like those, but I'm pretty darn happy hangin' in these here 1,350 square feet. It's the bomb!

Our house, our home... OURS!!!!

The culmination of our crazy obsession with buying a home came to fruition exactly 2 months and 2 days ago! We are so incredibly freaking thrilled to be in this home of ours. It has been a massive thought in our household for months and months and months - maybe even was pushing the "years" territory. During the middle months of this year, we really got serious. We made the decision to take the leap and move out of Orange County, something we had been wrestling with for a verrrrrrry long time. Back in 2013 and the beginning of '14, there was even a small chunk of time where we were seriously considering Denver, and even more seriously Austin, Texas! Based on my reaction from moving 40 minutes away from my family, I can wholeheartedly say that I'm glad we didn't remove ourselves an entire airplane ride away from them!

Anyhoo! It's been so darn nice. The last 2 or 3 years of our renting lives were pretty miserable. Not only did we never achieve that "homey" feel with any of our places after our first apartment in Irvine, but we were constantly PO'ed at the whole renting institution. The thought of our payments going up after a mere 12 months was agonizing, especially after we got down and dirty with our budgets. The fact that we pretty much had to choose between the kids sharing a room and living in a less desirable part of town really was a kicker. Apartment/rented condo living with a man child was slowly beginning to mean soccer balls, tennis rackets and hockey pucks slamming into every possible wall imaginable, including the ceiling. Thinking about neighbors down below us while two toddlers sprinted into the kitchen every other second? No thanks. It was becoming unbearable! Our (my) poor families had to endure our complaints - I was beginning to think that we were becoming the pariahs of the family get-togethers. Sorry guys! 

The "looking" process was pretty speedy. It's like as soon as we gave ourselves over to moving out of the OC, the smoother things went. We put in an offer on one short sale that we later found out was not bank approved, and then we put another offer in on a different home in that same neighborhood, only to find out that the whole tract was not FHA approved. On our 3rd or 4th day out, we found our little home on Autumn Lane! Save for a horrendous kitchen and a little TLC on pretty much every portion of the home, we were in love! Best of all: it's in walking distance to Carter's preschool and the elementary school! LOOOOOOOOOVE! Chad is now 10 minutes away from work - MAJOR HEART EYE EMOJIS. Before we found our house and we were in the "looking" process, I was telling one of my Body Back moms about the trepidation I felt moving out of the OC. She told me that I had no idea how much less stress I would be under with a hubby who works close by, and how, surprisingly, less stress the kids will hold because of it. I thought that I probably wouldn't experience that nice feeling because I really didn't think I was stressed out from any of Chad's commutes in the past. Turns out she was right! We are all so relaxed knowing that the dude is right down the street - I can't explain why. It's just freaking nice! 

I will admit there was one week of pure misery when we first moved. We closed on October 3rd, did a massive kitchen face lift, and then moved in on the 12th. I kept Carter in his preschool in the OC because (wait for it...) I felt really bad pulling him out during the Halloween festivities! There it is! Everyone was making fun of me for spending the night at my parents' house during the last few weeks of October after we just bought a house but I just couldn't handle switching his school during those fun times at school! I was clearly an emotional wreck. Anyway, come the last day of school in Orange County, I truly was a crying mess. I spent the night at home in Corona, then on Thursday morning woke up early, hit the toll road and dropped Carter off at school, all the while trying not to burst into tears because "this was it" regarding our life in Orange County. After the drop off, Kota and I had some time to kill before visiting a friend who had just had a baby, so I took her to get a doughnut and to watch the ducks at the RSM lake. During the picturesque mommy-daughter time, I was straight up crying! Like HUGE tears just coming out of my gosh darn eyes! I must have looked like a crazy woman sitting there with a little girl! Thank goodness for sun glasses, but still, it was weird. When I picked Carter up from preschool, one nice mom asked me where we were moving and I just started crying. Next, all the kids came out of the classroom to tell their parents, "CARTER IS MOVING TO CORONA!" "CARTER IS MOVING TO A DIFFERENT COUNTRY!" Tears, tears, tears, tears, tears. I was semi embarrassed but I truly COULD NOT stop. Then we had a lunch picnic date with our best buddies at the park and even there I really couldn't stop crying! After that I headed home, swiftly hit traffic on the 91 where the kids fell asleep and I was left alone to stew in the misery that was me driving on that damned, traffic-prone freeway. My mom called and I started crying again. That was the last of the hysterical tears, but I assure you, they threatened for a week. During said time, I swiftly began searching "Corona Real Estate Trends" where I learned that I could sell our home, make a profit and high tail it back to the motherland. I was pretty hysterical and was probably making Chad nervous and crazy. Hahaha now it's laughable, but back in those dark days, there was NO laughing going on.. hahahaha!

^^^Carter running some football plays on "his" new drive way.

^^^Kota showing us her moves.

Now we're chill and loving it!!! It's such a wonderful feeling to be settled. It also probably helps that I have the coolest 3 humans on the planet to hang out with everyday so.... YEAH!