New Digs...

I just know that some of you are DYING to know what has become of us since the big move from East to Midwest. Oh...you weren't dying to know? Just mildly curious....well today I have a super informative post for you on what I've been doing and how I've been doing it without my head exploding.
How to live comfortably (and crazy organized) in 900 square feet of living space. Impossible you say? NO! Now granted...my crew is decisively smaller more compact fiercer easier to cram smaller than most...just me, the Hubster, and the Small. Oh, and two slightly needy and neurotic weenie dogs. And...let me be completely honest...Hubster is MALE and Small is TEEN...so the majority of the time they are slobby. So it's HARD. But it CAN be done. It's tricky and challenging-it involves a little scaling back, a lot of letting go, and a pinch of creativity-but the results are worth it.
Sure it's not what we dreamed of. But finances being what they are, we are putting home-ownership on the back burner and focusing on whats important...being together. We are in a place we love, with people we love, living lives we love....and isn't THAT the happy ending we all hope for. SURE IT IS! Everything is temporary...I can ride this wave too.
So back to the home front. Once I got past the "I'm evidently taking on the role of maid around here"..I decided to dig around in the smart part of my brain socket and come up with some solutions to make all our lives a little easier. And more functional. And a heck of a lot cuter. Pinterest helped a ton. So did countless calls to the bestie for "advice". I have learned that the hardest thing about living in a restricted amount of space is myself....my OCD tendencies are all in overdrive...and open concept is...well...a little too OPEN for me. But I am getting better. Not that you needed to know that..but if you are thinking about downsizing...keep that in mind.

Remember...it's still a work in progress..we haven't been here long. So be nice.

 Living Room from the front door.

Living Room from the hallway.

 Entertainment (Hubsters) Wall.

 View from Living Room into Kitchen. (So embarrassed...lamp with no lamp shade hanging out on the kitchen counter. Please ignore.)

 From Living Room to Bedrooms.

 From back of Kitchen in. (There's a better view of errant lamp.)

 Creative Storage. (More on that below.)

 Teeniney Bathroom.

 And Turn. Done.

 Master Bedroom from doorway. (Roving non shaded lamp has appeared as nightstand accessory. Again, please ignore. *hangs head in shame*)

 Another view.

 Last one.

 Super small work area. Carved out of bedroom corner.

Hahaha...notice there are no pictures of Smalls bedroom. Wanna know why? 'Cause it's a MESS...and I could NOT in good conscience show it to all of you. Especially after the whole I'm the maid convo above. I promise she HAS a room...a very nice one (when it's clean). With a bed (unmade) and a TV even. And cable. Basically she lives better than most prisoners.
One of the best things about living in a small space (other than the CONSTANT closeness with those you love hate tolerate want to kill love)..is the chance to be totally creative. Not only with decorating, but also with everyday life. I am pretty proud of some of the solutions I have come up with and think that they are serving our family quite well....or so I say. Take a looksie.

 No front coat closet? No problem! Some hooks on the wall and a boot tray are all you need!

 Daily (multiple) coffee is a MUST! Coffee stuff on (minimal) counters...not so much. Make a coffee bar! Supplies in drawer. Extras in bottom. Plus storage. Cute! WINNING!

 Another look. Just noticed that my handles are wonky...kinda like my life!

 Family of board gamers? Us too! Put 'em on a cute bookshelf in the corner. Decorate around with the things you love..PRESTO!

 We live in Weatherville...snow, ice, rain. I got pretty sick of mopping the wet off the tile entry floor nine gazillion times a day (plus all the puppy walking times!)...so, my solution? 1 rubber boot mat (ugly by itself), add some river rocks...water drains down through and I like the way it looks! Inexpensive and totally functional!

 Here it is...with my puppy walking boots!!

 Smalls N wall....little things make a big impact. (And cut WAY back on echo.o.o.o...)

 The "artwork" above our bed. My own creation. All the items were bought separately and hung together. I have more plans for that wall...but it's a start!

 The wall above the couch. Reminds me of good times and laughter!

So there you have it!! What I've been doing...happy to say that we are settled in and loving our new lives. Been a long process....thanks for sharing the road.

Hope that this (incredibly long) post gave you some inspiration, a few laughs, and maybe a little hope. Love doesn't need a lot of space..just a little wiggle room.

XOX

Digging For Truth...

I swear, sometimes my life is so hilarious. The bestie and I were just having a conversation last week about how randomly funny we are...and that SERIOUSLY someone should follow us around with a TV camera. But we would have to be on REALLY late at night...or on one of those channels that didn't mind bleeping out every other word. Because we are mildly inappropriate.
Case in point...today we were discussing the deeply important topic of nose picking. Oh My God...DO NOT sit there all grossified and righteous...you KNOW you do it too. We all do. It's OK...your secret is safe with me. I promise I won't ask you to tell me about it.....AHEM.....OK I MIGHT...but I don't want LOTS of details. Only ONE......
Which brings us to tonight's blog. There has been a...serious...debate happening and I have taken it upon myself to delegate others to do some rather extensive market research (via text messaging.). The question polled: What finger do you use to pick your nose?
That's right....always informative shit happening right here.
So without further adieu....I present to you...the most popular answers as follows. OH....and after being threatened with legal action- some names and identifying information has been changed...you know, to protect the embarrassed. Or something like that.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poller: Doing some research. When picking your nose, which finger is the preferred finger?
Pollee 1: BAHAHAHA, Imma go with Pointer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poller: I am doing some research. When picking your nose, which finger do you use?
Pollee 2: Middle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poller: When you pick your nose, which finger do you like to use?
Pollee 3: HAHAHA. All of them. *Whispered* I don't use my thumb.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poller: When picking your nose, which finger is your go to nose picker?
Pollee 4: OMG, Why?
Poller: Doing some research for a blog post.
Pollee 4: Well, I try to get a tissue or a napkin, but I'll scratch it with my left-not intensely, just till I rub the end of my nose off.
Poller: WHICH FINGER? Pinkie, Pointer, Middle, Thumb, or Ring?
Pollee 4: Lefty Pointer. I'm left handed, maybe that's why.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poller: What finger do you use to pick your nose?
Pollee 5: Your moms. Oh, wait, Yours. No...both thumbs.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poller: When picking your nose, which finger do you use?
Pollee 6: I use my goldfinger.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Me (to Poller): What finger do you, yourself, use?
Poller: I use my pinkie. Pinkie is a good scooper.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poller: Which finger do you use to pick your nose?
Pollee 7: This one. (Finger went up nose.) For the record...it was a pointer.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poller: When you pick your nose, which finger do you use?
Pollee 8: I don't pick my nose. I snort water up my nose and then blow it all out. Why are we talking about this?
Poller: Research.
***It was later revealed that this individual is indeed a pinkie picker...but only when seeking to dislodge the boogies that grow into your eyesockets and wrap around your brain stem.***
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poller: What finger do you pick your nose with?
Pollee 9: Hysterical laughter....Wait. What? Why? I don't.
Poller: You LIE.
Pollee 9: I refuse to answer this question. It's ridiculous.
Poller: I NEED to know....are you a pinkie picker or a pointer picker?
Pollee 9: Laughter...What?
Poller: WELL?
Pollee 9: Pointer I guess. Sheesh.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poller: Are you busy?
Pollee 10: No.
Poller: What finger do you use to pick your nose?
Pollee 10: Giggles. My right Pointer.
Poller: REALLY? You're not a pinkie picker?
Pollee 10: WELL...I guess sometimes. Yeah, I do use my pinkie sometimes. That makes me a twober.
Poller: OK...thanks!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poller: When you pick your nose, which finger do you use?
Pollee 11: Your moms finger.
Poller: Gross.
Pollee 11: You're gross.
Poller: It's for research. I could use your input.
Pollee 11: WTF?
Poller: Research for a blog post.
Pollee 11: OK that's disgusting (*this next portion has been modified from it's original text due to legal precedent...and the fact that I am scared as shit test subject could kick my ass.*) and if you use my name or the fact that I know you I will SUE you. I guess I mostly use the pinkie. It's the least intrusive digit.
Poller: Thanks (name with-held)!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


President Obama is a Pointer.

The Queen Mum is too.

And based on my *completely unbiased and non technical results*....Pointers are the majority. But stand tall Pinkies....you fought a hard battle.

Fun times in my world today...fun times.
Here to offer up not just enlightenment, logic, peace, love, and understanding.....but, occasionally, to throw in a little chaos and madness and insanity and laughter...and maybe, just maybe, some messy indulgence.
Thanks everyone for playing along and being good sports. I've got the lawyer on speed dial. Just in case.


XOX

Currently..In My World..

Hello All!!! Just a little look into my daily routine here in the #Epic13....gettin' real!!

XOX!!

35 With Miles To Go...OR...Holy Crap You're Old!..

Today my best friend turns 35. She has been on this planet for THIRTY FIVE amazing years...years that none of us can ever get back! Kidding aside...I am ever thankful to her parents for blessing us with such a glorious woman. And while I haven't had the pleasure of knowing her all 35 of her years...I have been blessed to know her the last 2 of mine. She has taught me a great deal about life, and love, and heartbreak, and truth. She has cried with me and for me. She has laughed with me and at me. She has rescued me, sheltered me, scared me, and kicked my ass more times than I care to speak of.
In honor of her today and because I am *SIGH* slightly older....I wish to share the lessons I have learned upon turning 35. She will thank me for it later. And so....AHEM....

35 is just a number. A higher number, yes, so you should be respectful. You are no longer in your 'early 30's'...you have reached 'mid-30's'. I know...it's a shock at first. The only reason that you need to know this is as follows....you can no longer party like a rock star. Well you CAN....but recuperation is a total bitch. And it hurts like HELL. No more Raves, or late night rock concerts (sitting on the lawn), or closing bars down at 3am. Now it's Opera in the Park, wine tastings, and museums. That said....when it's YOUR day...you put that tiara on your head and you party your ass off. You were wild once...don't let them tame you. Hang on to your inner bad ass. Forever. Or at least once a year.

You can't change anyone but yourself. Stop trying. Also, you can't please them either...so knock that self defeating shit off too. Say what you want to say, do what you want to do, be who you are. What others think of you doesn't matter-so stop letting it define you. People will love you or hate you---either way they are thinking of you---and nothing you do or say will make a difference. The only opinions that matter are YOURS and JESUS'. Get right with what you choose....and stick to it. Jesus has got the rest covered...OK?

You are BEAUTIFUL....inside and out. Do not be defined by what your brain determines your waistline should look like. You don't need cremes and lotions and magic to change your face, your skin, your figure, whatever. Your heart, your soul, your mind, your laugh....those are the reasons you are loved. We all got shit we want to change...anyone who tells you otherwise is lying! Go..look in the mirror...and instead of focusing on the lines and the grey and the things that you wish weren't there...try to remember the reasons those things ARE there. The life you have lived....and SURVIVED...and give thanks for the battle scars carried in order to celebrate your daily successes. So get off the Beauty Bus and hop on over here to the Fun Fatty Pier....we have cookies.

Be awesome. Be legendary. Do epic shit. Give yourself permission to do what makes you happy and tell everyone else to Fuck Off. Provide yourself memories to look back on....and tell the stories! Because they will be classics. Get your tattoo....commemorate your life. Join a club. Write a book. Develop a new passion...focus on yourself and your future....pour yourself into YOU. Do all the things you've been telling yourself "..when I'm older..." GUESS WHAT? YOU'RE OLDER!!!

Let go of hurt and anger and contempt and distrust. Let new people in. Dump old people who no longer serve a purpose for you. Surround yourself only with the people you intend to carry with you forever....for life is too long (and already sucks enough) to have anyone along for the ride that you don't find hilarious, engaged, present, and loyal. Even if you are the only one that feels that way. It hurts...and it's really hard. And your circle will get rather small.....but knowing who is there...and trusting your heart...is a better life in any playbook.

Believe. Believe in everything. God. Jesus. The Sun. Mud. Shoes. Coffee. Weenie Dogs. Norway. Sharpie Markers. Penguins. Prayer. Music. Flowers. Anchors. Photography. Zombies. (Sorry...my list. Used purely as an example. Feel free to insert your own...). Just believe. Believe that there is good...and that it outnumbers the bad. Believe that there is hope. And peace. And trust. And promise. Believe that the right wing liberal communists are gonna drink the Kool-Aid (just making a joke here people....no need to get bunched...mmmkay?)...and keep standing tall and loud with your beliefs. Speak out...be heard. Make a difference.....

So in conclusion....all the advice that I share WITH you, I more than likely learned FROM you. Because you are the strongest, bravest, truest, best, most amazingly wonderfully loving person I have ever known. And your next 35 years are bound to exceed ALL possible (and maybe even some impossible) expectations.

KEEP LOVING. KEEP LIVING. KEEP LAUGHING. KEEP HOPING. KEEP QUESTIONING. KEEP FIGHTING. KEEP DREAMING. KEEP GOING. KEEP PUSHING. KEEP PRAYING. KEEP SINGING. KEEP WRITING. 

KEEP BEING AUTHENTICALLY YOU.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LISA!

XOX

Hello January...

2012 was hardly a banner year for me. I am less than proud of some of the decisions that I made, some of the things that I did, and more than some of the things that I said. Sometimes the cold hard facts of life can overwhelm and subdue a person...and unfortunately, my heart is not immune to reality. I allowed anger and bitterness residence...instead of trusting and praying and believing. I sought refuge from a storm that brewed only within my own soul...and therefore was unable to shelter those that I love. And rather than seeking guidance and forgiveness from the one willing and able to provide it...I chose to remain hard and unforgiving. Never have I been more wrong....and more ecstatic to see a year end and a new one begin. 

I have been slow to write a New Years post...because I have been searching for the right words. Or, more exactly, one word. A reflection word for 2013. One word to embody what I want for the upcoming year. (One word to rule them all....no sorry...wrong post.) You know, a word that will define my outlook for the year ahead.

I want 2013 to be about finding myself. Re-inventing myself. Re-discovering myself. I want to remember who I was, who I am, who I want to be, who others see me as. I want to find my purpose...other than being a wife and mother. Yet, I want to be a better wife and mother (neither of them are complaining that I know of.). I want to find patience in the chaos, indulgence in the mess, happy in the journey, good in the outcomes. I want to wake up less angry and more hopeful. I want to heal...mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually.

I want to reconnect with my husband and kiss him like every time is the first time. I want to giggle unexpectedly with my daughter and share secrets and traditions. I want to remember the moments that make us a family...unique and flawed and genuine and beautiful. I want to shoulder the burdens that my bestie carries on her heart. I want to be her counsel and (when necessary) her conscience. I want to grow in faith and acceptance with my step daughters, and (re) build a less fractured foundation with their mother. 

I want to expect..and give...only the best. I want to see the positive in every negative. I want to whine less and pray more. I want to take more photographs and push my creative boundaries. I want to sit down every day and write...even if I have nothing to say. I want to force my own expectations and squash my limitations. I want to chase dreams and figure out new ones.

I want to take in and experience every single moment in the present....BE present. BE open. BE willing. BE hopeful...For the future. By releasing the past. I want to offer and accept forgiveness. I want to reverse hurt and exchange harsh currency. I want to replace hate...with anything else. Joy. Understanding. Acceptance. Respect. Indifference would be a step forward at this point.

In 2013 I want madness, and magic, and creative impulse, and excess, and chaos, and kindness, and mistakes, and faith, and peace, and kissing, and laughter, and strength, and blessings, and genius, and miracles, and muse, and passion, and inspiration, and love. Lots and lots and lots of love.

And just like that....I found a word. Lovely.

Whatever is lovely. My motto for 2013.

XOX