With gratitude - pinning, pinning and more pinning

I guess we'll just have to continue my exercise in gratitude for awhile. I thought of many things I am grateful for each day in November and have since. Unfortunately, there isn't enough time in a day lately to get it all blogged!

A dear friend called one day and asked me if I'd heard of Pinterest. I hadn't! She said I should really check it out. So I did. I checked it out. I requested an invitation. I received said invitation. I spent hours pouring through pins. I became hooked. I may now be addicted!

Pinterest is an online visual scrapbook of the Internet. You can create boards to organize ideas for the home, DIY crafts/projects, clothes, jewelry, etc. Pictures accompany the ideas which are linked back to the original source, such as a blog. It's like your 'favorites' list in pictures. It's awesome!

If you haven't checked out Pinterest.com you really, really should.

Back to a routine

I loved every single, solitary minute of our mostly unscheduled summer. However, all good things must come to an end. For me, new good things will come soon. I'm determined to make it happen.
I'm going to recommit myself to exercise on a regular basis. While my clothes still fit I'm not feeling so 'in shape'. So back to that Physique 57 I've blogged about before. Let see how this goes.

My closet (and pretty much my entire house) has gotten away from me this summer. I've accumulated far too many things and its time to purge, give away and declutter my house. Once all that decluttering is done hopefully cleaning won't be quite such an epic undertaking. This one may prove me wrong but I'm hopeful.

Finally, I'm already thinking about what I'm grateful for. November is just around the corner and I'll be posting every day. Join me - you can cheat and start thinking about what your grateful for now. Trust me, its far easier than you think.

What are you most looking forward to as the fall begins?

An unkept house

I love to look at home design and decorating magazines. I also love Pottery Barn (love may not be strong enough a word!) and miscellaneous other home decorating catalogs that so kindly arrive in my mailbox from time to time. I love to get ideas and dream about what a house I design and build one day would look like. Aren't these beautiful?!?!?!?!!! If you want to see more click here.

Don't misunderstand me, I am fully aware that designing and building my own home may or may not happen...ever. You also have to understand that we have a great house already that has truly become our home. We've painted nearly every room in here and put my own 'stamp' on them. I love most everything about this house and could easily live here for the rest of my life.

When I get these great home magazines and catalogs they have beautiful rooms, fully decorated and completely uncluttered (see above photos). There is no stack of mail sitting on the dining room table, no toys from two lovely daughters on the floor or every other flat surface of the room and no dust in the corners. You can even see the top of the desk. When does that ever happen?

My house, on the contrary, looks that neat only when I'm hosting a birthday party or other such gathering (and only for a small window of time). Most days you will find mail on the counter, toys on the floor, clothes in the living room (from a small girl who has decided to change for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th time that day!) and perhaps even...gasp!...dirty dishes in the sink.  Oh yes, you will probably also find laundry on the floor of the laundry room (dirty) or on top of the washing machine or dryer (clean).

I've come to the conclusion that I like it neat and uncluttered but not enough to devote every waking moment to keeping it that way. When I have a free moment I'd prefer to catch up on email, read a magazine, paint my nails, watch TV or sit quietly without two sweet voices asking questions, telling stories or singing songs. I do not want to follow people around picking up everything, every waking moment of the day. Not my thing although God bless you if that is your thing.

Another thing I often think is that someday the little people of this house will no longer have blocks, dolls and little outfits that they like to try on. Some day they will grow up, move on and I'll wish I had those little fingerprints on my windows. So I leave them around more then I probably should. At a recent art festival I saw a sign that read something like, "Please excuse the mess, my kids are making memories." I love that sentiment. I nearly bought it but decided that it would only add to the clutter around my house. (smile)

So we will always live in our home whether it is this one or a dream home we build someday. There will always be 'stuff' around us. If you stop to visit you won't find a photo-shoot-ready bunch of rooms. You'll find a house that's used and occasionally abused...just as it should be, I guess.

The above quote seems especially fitting and was the inspiration for this post. Gina Sekelsky, Dreamland Designs owner and lettergirl on etsy, wrote it so beautifully. Doesn't she have the best handwriting?!?!!! Check out her blog which is always full of wonderful quotes. If you're in the shopping mood you can check out her etsy shop too. Click here.

Dear Oxy-Clean

Tonight I was ready to relax on the sofa with a DVR full of reality TV. When all of a sudden a lovely child wandered down my stairs. She needed some help before she could nod off to dreamland. Well, as she was sitting on the coffee table to chat she tipped over a glass of RED TROPICAL PUNCH. I may have muttered a word or two as I watched the sweet liquid splatter across my lightly colored carpet. The lovely child returned upstairs. I found you in the laundry room, mixed you with water and started scrubbing and hoping. As I poured a bit more on the currently pink carpet you worked your magic.

My carpet looks like its back to normal (light with flecks of blue, not pink). I have returned to my reality tv and life is good. Thank you for your magic. 

Sincerely,

A tired, but grateful mom

P.S. I'll use a sippy cup next time.