Weekend Projects Galore & The Bears Are Back!!

Well after the LONGEST winter on record, it looks like spring may finally be making its way to the mountain top starting tomorrow!

May I just say IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Making A List And Checking It Twice

At the end of a very busy wedding season I started compiling a list of things that needed to be done around the house. 

The crazy thing is, every time I crossed one thing off the list I added two or three more!

A New Door and Decisions To Be Made

It seems forever since I've been here with all of you wonderful readers. 

I miss you and always wish I could spend more time posting here and also visiting all my sweet friends around Blogland. 

Life gets in the way, no doubt. 

This & That

It's hard to believe the summer has come and gone, isn't it? 

For many, that means the kiddos are heading back to school. 

I kind of miss those days.

Sweetie Strikes Again!

Remember earlier in the week I told you there was another project going on at my house?

Well, it's nearly complete....as in, phase 1 is complete. 

Disappointment & More Projects

Remember how excited I was in my last post about the treasure that was coming to my home?

Well, I'm still not sure what quite happened, but apparently when my mom and sister went the next day to pick up the piece it had been sold to someone else.

What??? How does that happen? 

What I've Been Up To

You know when I go missing for a while I'm usually crazy busy. Not only at home, but also at work. 

Yup, I'm one of those bloggers who has a full time job. 

I miss being here, but there are only so many hours in the day. 

Busy as a Bee

I'm sure you've guessed that things have been pretty darned busy around my little house recently....thus the lack of blog posts! 

There's so much I want to tell you and show you, and yet I don't have the time to get frequent posts written these days. 

No Spend Month - Week One Recap

What a difference a day makes!!  Yesterday the rains poured out of the heavens all day long, leaving behind raging creeks and flooded areas in the low spots on my property. Temps were unseasonably warm (once again) and the snow was melting off the deck. 

This morning, we were back into the frigid temps expected in January and the snow squalls were fierce!

Can you see the snow out the window? 

Just a few minutes later the sun was beaming through the same windows - so bizarre!!

I'm not complaining - I love it all!

As you know I got off to a little bit of a late start on my no-spend-month so I'm keeping on track with my actual start day of Monday, January 4th. 

That means I've officially made it through the first week of my first ever no spend month - woo hoo!!

For the most part the first week wasn't too tough. I had taken the time to plan and prepare so I was in good shape to start the challenge. 

I think the part I did not take into account were the variables in my life. In my house. 

And by variables, I mean my daughters. 

For instance, I bought a giant package of baby spinach so I would have it to make a few salads or omelets. 

And when I went to use it? Gone. Into a smoothie. 

Also, I knew I had a well stocked wine stash downstairs. I collected it for about a year before I moved here and had a nice collection going. 

So I'll be all set on wine for the month for sure.....right? 

Nope. Apparently many of my white wines got up and walked away....now when I feel like a glass of white wine what happens? 

Mommy was NOT happy. 

Other than that, the no spend challenge is going well. 

The fresh fruit and veggie tower isn't empty yet. When it is, I will revert to frozen fruits and veggies. 

And my daughters can also replenish the tower which is only fair. After all, they are in their mid twenties and working full time. 

Ahem. 

I've been jotting down things as needed, just as I always do. The only difference being this time I'm trying to hold off as long as possible before going to the market. 

This little guy is sure happy I stocked up on seeds and nuts. They go through the seeds so quickly in these cold temps and I'm so glad I can help them out. Hopefully I'll make it through the month with the supply I have stored in a metal bin in the garage. 

I still managed to get a few projects done, without spending anything. 

My sister gave me a beautiful family portrait for Christmas and I've been trying it out here and there, trying to find the right spot. 

When tidying up my utility room this past weekend I came across these other two black frames I had bought last winter. 

Insert free online printables of Parisian scenes and I finally have something hanging in my hallway! And, of course, I can change out the printables on a whim, which I love. 

I've been looking for something for that wall for 9 months now so I'm very happy with the result. The hallway feels finished now.....finally!

Across from the black frames I hung this wreath I got ages ago from Thistlewood Farm's collection at Painted Fox - it's made from the bark from a birch tree and I just love it! It's been in the shipping box, in the Big Green Monster, for months now. Every now and again I would take it out, hold it up on different walls, and put it back in the box. 

Now it has a home.  And my hallway looks fresh and new and I didn't spend a dime!

Another project that was completed this week was swapping out the microwave. And let me tell you something, it's about time!

When I bought the house, the microwave had a crack in the frame of the door. My sweetie glued it and we touched it up with paint and it was ok for a while. 

But over Christmas it became this:

The crack became a full fledged break and the glass inside the door was falling down. Glue wasn't going to work this time! Duct tape to the rescue....temporarily. 

I ordered a new microwave online and my daughter picked it up the very next day. 

And then it sat in the guest room for a couple of weeks until we could get it installed. 

(Did you notice a pattern here? The guest room seems to be the dumping ground for everything that's temporarily displaced!)

Anyway, the new microwave is finally in and the old one went for a trip to the dump. A one way trip. 

So, despite not spending money this week things are getting done, which makes me happy. 

Almost as happy as the sunshine that was pouring into the dining room when I was packing my lunch for work. 

Isn't that just the sweetest sight on a Monday morning? 

What brought a smile to your face today?