Finding Gratitude, House Updates + Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello friends! I keep saying that I’m going to write — and then I don’t. So many of my words come to me while I am driving. It’s the time when I am thinking the most which is awesome and dangerous (because I really get into my own head and it’s sometimes scary in there). I need to figure out how to save up all of those thoughts and transfer them to paper. Suggestions welcome 😉

I thought I’d do a little update on our house projects, my thoughts on not being okay but finding joy in-between the emotions that come with 2020 and my Thanksgiving wishes for all of you! Prepare for a brain dump 😉

H O U S E   U P D A T E S 

Things are moving along over here in our fixed up fixer upper. If you recall, we moved into a home that had some renovations. It also needed a lot so here we are, doing the DIY thing. To be honest, my hubby is the king of DIY and I am just hanging out and waiting to decorate. That’s my contribution. I love making things pretty!

This house is over 40 years old and there have been some odd additions. There are also so many things that weren’t done right so we are fixing things as we go. I have to say, seeing the list below makes me feel accomplished although it feels like crazy town in here with the array of power tools in every corner, the walls that are waiting to be sheetrocked, and the lack of storage that has us living out of Rubbermaid Bins.

I also know that at some point, this big stuff will be a thing of the past. We have so many good plans in the works and that includes some great storage solutions.

So what’s happening around here you ask? So.Many.Things. Aside from a remodel that we are planning on doing, these are some of the other things happening around here.

• Some walls came down. Just a few with more to go. My husband likes #demoday a lot.
• The entryway was painted which made it feel bright and cheery instead of yellow and dreary.
• I also stained the wood beams in the entryway and they look SO good!
• We ordered a new dining table and chairs as well as new kitchen barstools.
• We added furnishings to our ‘treehouse room’. This is a room that is all wood so my husband named it the treehouse room. It also has amazing views.
• We have a garage going in. The concrete gets poured today and the garage will be installed in December.
• We ordered new blinds for the family room, kitchen and great room. Those are actually at Lowes awaiting pick up. Then we have to put them up.
• We’ve talked to contractors about our big master bed and bath remodel. We are currently waiting on bids but working on picking out finishes so that when it’s go time, we will be ready to roll.
• I picked out a beautiful vanity for the master bedroom on Etsy.
• I also scooped one up for the guest bath on Wayfair.
• Our french door is being replaced. This has been quite the project and I am so glad that we hired someone to do it. The old one was so old and definitely not installed correctly.
• I started the project of repainting our trim. We went from brown to black. I painted the shutters and some trim already. Some of the trim isn’t really trim at all! It was painted to look that way. #weird
• Our front door got a makeover. We painted it green but it was bright blue. It also got a new door lock and handle.
• We ordered a beautiful metal address plate for the house.
• We bought and put up a metal wall coat rack from Etsy. The joke as of late is that Etsy is my Bestie. Cute, right?
• We swapped out the door pulls in the kitchen to something that was more our taste.
• We rented a storage unit to hide our stuff (visual clutter makes me crazy) until we get through the remodel.
• We ordered the flooring for our stairs and they are being installed on the 1st.
• We bought a bank of cabinets as our new pantry and moved the original cabinets to the dining room.
• We visited a local hardwood store for some beautiful walnut wood to create a countertop, shelves and it’ll get used on our new stair rails too.
• We are flipping a coat closet by using an existing closet from the bedroom to the entryway. The hole has been cut, the door is prehung and just waiting to be installed.
• We planned out and ordered the cables for our stairs.
• New bifold doors have been ordered for the laundry room although apparently ‘everything in stock’ was false advertising as they are on backorder till mid-December so we are looking for an alternative place to order from.

The next projects are:

• Master bed and bath remodel using mostly the existing layout but taking out some walls and switching some doors.
• Remodeling the current tiny ‘master bath’ to make it a guest bathroom.
• Creating a guestroom that has lots of closet space for storage.
• Extending our second driveway so that we can bring our trailer home from storage.
• Working with the existing laundry room to make it more user friendly. This will include installing the new bifold doors after we remove a wall and installing deep cabinets for better storage.
• Change up some of the current landscaping but that’ll come in the spring.

It’s a work in progress but we sure did land in a charming little town and I love this house — even in its current state of chaos. It’ll feel so good to have it wrapped up and the pride that will exist, because we did so much work ourselves, will always be there. This house feels like home in such a different way than our last home in the best way. I miss our old town for the conveniences and our dear friends but I don’t miss much else.

F I N D I N G   G R A T I T U D E

With all that is happening in this world, it’s important to press pause and find gratitude. It is also important to let yourself feel all of your feelings. Really. I think it’s easy to feel guilty when feeling frustrated if you know that you have it pretty good. Insert raised hand here. But no matter how easily you are breezing through this, it sucks. It’s not natural and honestly, things are so messy. Between the election and Covid, it feels like we all just got flipped upside down and it sucks. Honestly, I kind of feel like one of those roly poly bugs that I played with as a kid. Where I end up on my back and just curl into a ball because it feels safe! Can you relate?

Sometimes it feels good to just let go and feel all the things. Let go of whatever guilt you are holding. It’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to unpack your shit and cry/yell/scream into a pillow. It’s cathartic and we are all feeling things in different ways. My only request, be kind. Don’t unpack your shit on someone else. I’m seeing that too. Frustrations are being misdirected which is just causing more unsettled feelings.

As much as things are oh so hard on so so many levels, I think we can all find gratitude somewhere. They might be big or they might be small. This week I am grateful for so much.

B I G   J O Y S

• A social distanced Thanksgiving with my husband’s parents, brothers, and their families.
• My niece’s adoption being finalized and hearing her say her full name in her sweet 4-year-old voice.
• Becoming a great aunt – again! Welcome to this crazy world sweet baby boy.
• Catching up with my brother on the phone today. My siblings are a huge part of my life and I am so grateful for them and their significant others.
• A husband who is incredibly handy and gets things done.
• My boys. This holds so much for me. I love their beautiful faces, big laughs, and healthy bodies under my roof. This holds a lot of weight as last year, my oldest wasn’t here for Thanksgiving
• Receiving a sweet message from my oldest son’s friend telling me how grateful he is to our family for loving him.
• Crisp morning walks surrounded by the beauty of fall.
• My new home and the charming town that we live in.
• My beautiful friends that fill me with love and laughter.

Maybe your list is even more simple. These are some simple joys of mine that are subtle yet powerful.

S I M P L E   J O Y S

• The smell of a fall candle
• Baking anything pumpkin for the season
• Cozy blankets
• Watching TV with my husband
• A hug from my kids
• The warm sun on my face
• The smell of fresh lumber
• The horses that come to my back fence
• A newly discovered playlist on Spotify (Magnolia Table if you are interested)

I challenge you today to write down 5 big and 5 small things that you are grateful for. Sometimes just acknowledging these things can really give them the life that they deserve.

H A P P Y   T H A N K S G I V I N G 

Although this year is looking different for most of us, I hope that you can find snippets of joy and enjoy your Thanksgiving. With that, I shall close this message with a happy Thanksgiving wish to all of you! May your bellies and hearts be full.