A {To-Do} List a Mile Long

No more Goodwill or Ross for me.
I swear.
Or Hobby Lobby.
Egads.

I have a to-do list a mile long. And I keep adding to it each time I visit one of the aforementioned stores.
Must. Stop.

Here are a few of the things I need to work on pronto:

Sand and Stain my living room table ($12 Goodwill find)
Sand {err? maybe prime?!) and paint the side table ($9 Goodwill find)

Sand and paint the small radio cabinet (another Goodwill find) - which may or may not be staying in its current location.

Refinish these bad boys and find a home for them (Goodwill, a buck a piece). They are candle holders. They are not wood, but metal. I love them!

I found two of these at Goodwill...  I know I am going to paint them an Espresso color, but beyond that I have no idea what to do with them. I do not collect nick-knacks, and would hate to start now. But they were a pair that I couldn't pass up.

I got these super cheap - and just for the frames. I am going to use pretty fabric and do something fun for Isabel's room.

I am sure there are more things to list, then I am remembering...

But before I forget - I wanted to show you something that I am currently working on...
The front of my house!
Alex has been replanting plants, etc. And I have been working on my wreath and front porch.
I bought a canvas drop cloth at Home Depot this past weekend and started playing wit it - I wanted to make some bows. Such a cheap and easy way to make a statement.

 

Oh wait. What's that?!?!

I've been working on that wreath since before Christmas. And truth be told, it's hanging on my door already, but it's missing a very important element... just because I am waiting for said element to dry. Once it's complete - complete, I will get a good picture of it to share.

What I can share... is the beautiful teal (aqua?!) aronda-dock-dock-dock chairs I have on my porch.
I am sorry - I've never been able to pronounce that word.
And look at my lovely new pillows. Kohl's, $9 a piece.

So there you have it. So much to do. So much to finish. A list a mile long.

Fall Break

It's been a few days since I've posted... Not on purpose, I promise.
It's just that we've been so busy getting things moved/cleaned/set-up around here, that the days appear to be flying.  Before we knew it, Fall Break started. The kids have been off of school since the 11th; Isabel goes back tomorrow and Alex goes back on Tuesday. 

The husband and I also decided to observe Fall Break; we each took a week of vacation.

We cleaned our hearts out at the old place and turned in the keys on Thursday (a day early).

We did some more IKEA shopping. And dining room table shopping (can't wait to share - must take pictures).

We had a little get-together with some of my family here at the house today. My grandparents came to see it for the first time, along with my aunts and uncles, and my mom and dad.  We had lunch and visited -- it was nice.

Now that things appear to be settled... I cannot wait to enjoy this new chapter in our life.

Up next... Alex's birthday. He will be 15 on Halloween. We are having his party on the 29th - in the evening.
I am going to spend some time this week planning and prepping for that.

Also, I have two dressers to refinish AND we will be repainting Isabel's room.

Wow... so much for relaxing and easing back into routines. Our to-do list is still quite long.
I guess we will tackle each thing, one at a time.

Bugs & Grass

Two items on my to-do list today....

I need to schedule a pest control company to come out. After seeing not one, but two black widows hanging around the garage area of the house... I want to make sure we get our bug spray service set up asap.

And oh my gosh - after watching a Billy the Exterminator marathon on A&E (couldn't avert my eyes, it was hypnotic), I am even more convinced that the money is well worth it.

Photo Credit: A&E

Me no likey bugs and spiders.

The second thing on my list is to find a landscaper to meet us out at the house to talk front yard landscaping. There is a recommended tree list for the front yard - I've been glued to Google over the past few days trying to determine the one that will give us the least trouble.

I've come to the conclusion that we will be putting in a fake Christmas tree (sans the lights, of course - that would be tacky for a year long, front yard tree, right?).

Look! We even get three models to choose from.


P.S. We get the keys tomorrow!

I'm too Excited to Sleep

Things I can't wait for.... Of course, it's all dependent on the loan going through.