Tuesday, January 31, 2012

There's Something About Mary

There are so many beautiful things about the Catholic Church that it feels silly to say, really, "The beautiful thing about the Catholic Church is....", but I'm going to say it anyway.  The beautiful thing about the Catholic Church is that she is for everyone.  Or rather, everyone is for her.

Do you have a bad a temper?  There's a saint for that.  Did you have a lot of money growing up?  Did you have no money growing up?  Do you like to engage in lengthy, potentially annoying (hey, let's face it) philosophical discussions?  Do you avoid lengthy, potentially annoying philosophical discussions and find the Lord in your small, daily tasks?  There's a saint for that and that and that and that and, yes, that.

Monday, January 30, 2012

How to Redo a Room for $250- Part 2

Remember I redid our bedroom so that our soon-to-be-born baby won't have to be born in a hovel?  And because I had a $250 Amazon Christmas gift card from An Old Friend (Old Friend, I sure hope you read these and see what a difference you made in our lives!) I could do it essentially for free?  Free!  I love free.

Friday, January 27, 2012

7 Quick Takes Friday: The Gross Edition (mice? diapers? barf? yep.)

(1)
For the love of all that is holy and good, please tell me that one of you has a) had mice make their home in your vehicle during the winter months and b) you found a way to get rid of them.  

It.

Is.

Disgusting.

Seriously, we have cleaned and wiped and vacuumed every inch of that dang van and still we go to climb in and there are TURDS in the cup holders.  Real TURDS.  Not just the synonym for "jerk", which would still be weird, but way less gross.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

This is When it's Worth It

My kids fight.  They argue and whine and plan ways to instigate fights with each other.  It's that intentional sometimes, it really is.  I can see it brewing in their eyes and I can read it on their faces and sometimes I nip it in the bud, but other times I wait.  I wait and hope that I'm wrong.  That I've "lost my touch" and really everything is as it should be.

But I'm never wrong.  About those things at least.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Webby Wednesday- Trees of the Field (with discount!)



Before I started this blog, going to the mailbox was never that exciting.  In fact, for the most part, it was one of the things that we bickered about not doing.  Kind of like the way we are about answering the phone.  Someone's gotta do it eventually, but so help us if it's gonna be me!

But now I sometimes get real, honest to goodness, lovely things from lovely bloggy friends.  And those are the very best days.

Monday, January 23, 2012

How to Redo a Room for $250- Part 1

When you watch those HGTV one-day room redo shows, they're always repainting some totally normal room.  You know, just putting one color on top of another.  A one day project!  And for only the cost of a gallon of paint!  Those liars!

'Cause nothing in this house is simple.  The freaks humans who built it just slapped stuff together ya know.  Cut corners, rarely bothered to measure or level anything, and had no concept of "attention to detail".  All sorts of things that make me want to throw rotten food at them when we're in the throes of fixin'.

Friday, January 20, 2012

7 Quick Takes Friday: Homemade Laundry Soap and THANK YOU!

(1)
Last night when I wrote this mostly depressing post, I was having having one of those pregnant lady moments, those tired mom days, one of those will-he-ever-get-a-job weeks, and it all came tumbling out like that.  It's sometimes kinda stressful loving a baby you've never met and can't see, ya know?  Your brain does crazy things and then Satan is all "Pssssst...you haven't really worried about things in a while.  I can totally help you out.  Because I'm generous like that."  What a jerk.  

Thursday, January 19, 2012

What I'm Afraid of

When I was growing up, I was taught that good things happened to you if you did good things and that bad things happened to you if you did bad things.  Full stop.  We subscribed to a strict karma philosophy.  So strict that we often had to identify suffering as punishment for things done in previous lives.  Because could a child really do so much wrong in this life as to "deserve" cancer?  My frustration with this part of the philosophy played a huge role in my eventual conversion to the Catholicism.  But that's not what I'm thinking about today.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Happy 1 Year Bloggiversary to Me!

One year ago today I clicked "publish post" on my very first entry on this blog.

I had a plan.  A very small, one dimensional plan.  I was going to tell our friends and family about fixing up this house.  Making it livable and not getting electrocuted in the process.  Because when they found out that we discovered snakes in the walls of our kitchen, they thought for sure that we, and our children, were thisclose to death by venom.



Monday, January 16, 2012

Bedroom Renovation- the After edition!

You guys, I almost can't bring myself to write this because it means I'm not in my room which is the ONLY room I want to be in.  Mostly because it's the only room that's clean because I've completely neglected all my other household duties over the last 10 days or so, but also because it looks so faaaaaaaaaaaaabulous in there and kinda makes me feel a little like a movie star.  But without the pressure to wear make-up every day.

But you guys have been so patient, so I'm buckling down and doing what a good diy-er should: posting my after pics!

In case you've forgotten, you can look at all the before pictures here, but I'll share one of the gems here so you can get into the same this-has-got-to-go mood that I was in when I embarked on this crazy journey.

*shudder*


Sunday, January 15, 2012

Exhausted Ramblings and what the Fam is Saying

Y'all, I'm that kind of tired.  You know the kind.  With the tingly skin and the dry eye balls and the losing of the balance just a little bit.  As it turns out, doing an itty bitty bedroom redo with four kids in the house is....well, ridonkulous.

Speaking of said redo though, I just looked at the before pictures again and HOLY SCHLAMOLIANS does it look different.  In fact, I think my arm might get a little sore from all this self-back-patting I've got going on over here.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Homemade Goodness is always Gooder Goodness

When our grouch-tastic mail lady dropped two boxes out of her vehicle onto the ground at the base of our driveway yesterday, I was sure it was just things for our (never ending) bedroom redo.  And one box was.  But in the OTHER box was a surprise!

Or really five surprises.

A big thank-you to my wonderful sister in law Paula (she and her husband own Aquinas and More, did you know?  So if you're about to order some Catholic-y stuff, you know where to shop...) and her sweet, helpful children for these delicious homemade treats.

Monday, January 09, 2012

Prego Pic and Bedroom Update

Yesterday, I posted this photo on the facebook page...


because I am feeling exactly like a torpedo has been strapped to my torso. Oh my goodness, the comment thread that followed was SO FUN.  Good times.

Friday, January 06, 2012

7 Quick Takes Friday: Priming and Cravings and a 2nd Christmas

(1)
Holy mackerel, folks.  It is a sunny 50 degrees in southwest Michigan today.  In January!  I even have the windows cracked in the bedroom where I'm painting.  If I wasn't pregnant, I'd be rockin' an ice cold beer right about now for sure.  It's practically the tropics 'round these parts.

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Job Interview- take 2

For those of you who follow me on twitter or hang out on the blog's facebook page, you probably know that Tommy had another interview this morning.  Thank you, everyone, for all your prayers and sweet words.  Knowing all of you are out there pulling for us is just so stinking uplifting.  You guys are amazing!

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Bedroom Renovation- the Before edition

As promised on Friday, it's time for another installment of This Dilapidated House.

According to Tommy, this was the least ugly room in the house when we moved in.  And he's right.  Which should tell you a little bit about the state of the rest of it.  
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