Home

I always want our home to feel welcoming and inviting. I also want it to feel like us... but also decorated. Apparently I’m succeeding on some level because people do compliment me on our home and how it’s decorated. I think it really comes down the feeling it conveys though, because it’s not all that decorated, though plenty of our stuff is everywhere, the walls are still almost all the same color and sometimes it’s not very clean. But I think the things that make it succeed is when it is tidy, and it feels like you can just plop down anywhere in a comfy seat. I hope you feel at home. Even if the kitchen isn’t spotless (it so rarely is) you can go and get some water from the fridge. You can peruse the bookshelf and find something interesting. You can even take a nap in the giant chair.

I’m so thankful for our home. It really is ours. Our stacks of books crammed into bookcases, our dings in the walls from rearranging, our ridiculously large chair-and-a-half. When we’re away we look forward to coming back, and not just to our comfy bed, but the whole place.

Sometimes I need to remind myself of these things. That we have made this house our home, and that people enjoy coming and hanging out here (or so I’ve been told). I need reminded when I feel antsy to paint a room, or all the kitchen cupboards, or the insides of closets, or any other project lurking in my brain. That’s the problem right now, I’m feeling antsy. Paint is not overly expensive, but time must be considered too. And I may be feeling overly ambitious but I need to focus on the present, the things that need baked for Thanksgiving, the lovely ideas for Christmas presents that need to be attempted (so there’s time to try or get something else), projects already in motion, the things that need a simple cleaning, the daily meals that are so necessary. I’m so good at coming up with ambitious ideas, but there are other important things that need my time right now.

So, the house will wait for its little upgrades. It is doing what it needs to do. Welcoming us and our loved ones in, providing warmth and peace. Thanks, house. Someday maybe we’ll give you a name along with some new colors.

Let the Light Shine!

Hurray! I'm finally off on the weekends! (Officially anyway, still have 1 more weekend to fill in) I've changed library locations and the hours I work. I'm getting used to the location and really enjoying it so far. It's a lot quieter, but we still have plenty of people come through. I do feel busier though, since I'm by myself anything that needs done, I do; or leave for the lady who comes in after me.

The schedule is taking some getting used to. I work 10:30-2:30 most days, so I have plenty of time to do stuff, just as long as I get out of bed. Easier said than done. Also, I've had a hard time taking lunch with me, and even taking time for a break, so when I get home I'm starving and sleepy. But I have goals, things like exercise and projects, so I hope to be more disciplined with my time.

The easiest and best part of the schedule is having a weekend. What?! Two whole days that I can spend with my husband?! Neither of us has to go to work... this is amazing!

So we spent part of our Saturday brushing up on some basic electrical work. Well, mainly Brian did. And we replaced the light fixture in the dining room! (see above) No more ball of cords looking hideous at the top of our fixture. And hey! We can actually see the pictures on the wall from across the room!

I really love to drum fixture too. It's the Eden lamp from cb2.com. I'm not sure how I feel about the plate on the ceiling. Since we converted a lamp it didn't come with anything, so that's something we picked up at Sutherlands. It has gold nobs to cover the screws. They need to be painted. But the white doesn't exactly match the ceiling or the lampshade. So my questions are, Do I just paint the gold white? Or should I paint the whole thing a completely different color? Maybe the same blue as the wall?

Also, we figured while we were switching lights and playing with wires we'd change the kitchen fixture too. So, now it's something brighter and more kitchen, maybe a little more old-fashioned, but I think it fits!