What I'm Up to Wednesday

It's time to share another room with you guys...but first, I must whine a bit.  You see, I'm going to share with you our master bathroom and if there is one thing I truly, truly miss about our old house, it is the master bathroom.  Our old bathroom was HUGE.  There was an insane amount of storage, plus a jacuzzi tub and tons of space.  OMG!  Oh, how I do miss that bathroom every day.

But I digress...our new master bathroom is really just a normal bathroom.  The storage is minuscule, but we've made it work as best we can.  It's not my favorite room, but I'm pleasantly pleased with how the decorating has turned out.

All of the decor has been reused from the old house with added paint to make it match the color scheme.

The paintings in this picture are what Tony and I did at Wine&Palette.  The pictures needed some coral, so I made some a few adjustments to brighten it up a bit.

BEFORE

AFTER

We have a cute cabinet above the toilet.  I still have changes I want to make to it, like...I can't stand the mirrors...so they will be going away once I figure out what I'm going to do instead.  But the storage is nice and the baskets are cute.

The metal art work was actually in our entry at the old house.  I added the sky blue and coral paint to make it match and I think it turned out great.  

The cross in this picture was actually brown.  I decided it needed to "pop!" 

The added color and decorating make this room much more enjoyable.  Eventually I'll forget about my past life with a jacuzzi tub...right?  

What I'm Up to Wednesday

It's time for another room share with you guys!  Our master bedroom is considerably smaller in our new home, so we've had to get creative.  But I love how it has turned out.  The before pics are from the listing, but you'll be able to get the idea of what we had to work with.

 

You'll see that we put our bed on the full wall instead of the wall with the windows.  It just seemed like a better use of the space.  I initially struggled with the window coverings...if you'll notice the windows are right in the corner.  So, to make the windows look properly spaced, I hung the curtains off center.  This makes the windows look larger than they actually are.

 

 

We don't have room for a bookcase, so I decided an upside down shelf above the door would great!  Tony made the shelves and the shelf brackets serve as the bookends.  I love, love, love how it turned out. 

All of the decorative elements are from our other house.  But I painted a lot of them to give them a fresh new look.

This candle holder was spray painted blue....

 

We found this frame in the attic...I painted it coral and added the vinyl for some sweet & simple art...

 

My bracelets are hung on a painted mug holder that I got off amazon....

 

And my earrings are hung on a frame that I hung chicken wire inside....the frame is hung from shower curtain brackets.  The brackets are also holding my necklaces...

I love how our bedroom has turned out.  I catch myself lying in bed and just looking around the room.  It is such a comfy peaceful place!

What I'm Up to Wednesday

It's time for me to share our new house with you guys.  There are still a few remaining projects, but overall we are completely moved in!  I love our little house and am beyond thankful for it.  Aside from the 50% cut in our house payment, the smaller house brings us together more frequently than the larger house did. 

For the reveal, I'm going to share a room each week and why not start with one of my favorites...the laundry room.  Yep!  I just said the laundry room.  I've always wanted a decorated laundry room.  We walk through it multiple times a day so why not make it fun and inviting.

Here is what it looked like before....

 

Pretty boring, huh?  And it was seriously lacking in storage space.

 

(***I need to throw in a quick disclaimer...anywhere I say "we", I really mean Tony.  I may have had most of the ideas, but he was the muscle behind each one.***)

 

The first thing we did was rip out the shelf and put in a cabinet.  The cabinet was in my craft room at the old house.  It was originally part of my grandparents china hutch too.  So this cabinet has been re-purposed on several occasions.  We added a bar for hanging clothes and additional shelving on either side of the cabinet as well.

 

The metal canisters were my great grandmother's and they are great for holding our dryer sheets and laundry pods. 

 

Behind the laundry room door was an empty nook.  There were no shelves or anything.  Just an empty cut out space.  So, Tony re-purposed the wood from the livingroom wall hanging that I had made for the old house.  He painted it and gave us more storage shelves.

 

 

I love the yellow and grey and am so glad I spent the time to decorate this room.  I actually enjoy doing laundry a little bit more now.

What I'm Up to Wednesday

Man, the last three months have been eventful in our lives.  If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, then you are fully up to date.  If not, this will be news to you.

WE'VE MOVED!

So, my existence since the move on Dec 13, has been unpacking and organizing.  This has not been easy.  Not only did we move, but we downsized.  We went from 1900+ sq ft to a little over 1200.  We reduced our garage from a three car to a two car and I no longer have a scrapbook room. So, to say it has been challenging is putting it mildly.  There are still unpacked boxes and random piles of stuff all of over the house.  I just haven't figured out where to put it all yet (or which items we need to just give to charity).

I have a list of ongoing projects and I'm sad to say I haven't been very good at taking before pictures.  I'll do my best to get some pictures up during the weeks to come so you can see our new abode.  Surprisingly, we've only been here for 3 weeks and it has felt like home since that first night.

Tomorrow's post will go into the "why" of the move in more detail.  Until then.....

What I'm Up to Wednesday

I don't know about you, but that summer bikini body wasn't something I achieved this year.  But I guess it is better late than never on trying to get my body in a little better condition.  To do this, I've been following the suggestions of my friend Nicole in her Sizzlin' Summer Slimdown.  

We are into her third week of suggestions and motivation to help us all live and eat healthier, but it is never too late to start.  You can follow along on the Sizzling Summer Slimdown by clicking on the image above.  You can also click HERE to follow Nicole's blog.

What I'm Up to Wednesday

I've come back from vacation energized...recharged...and motivated once again.  What do I do when I get motivated?  I make a list.  Ya I know...just a bit OCD.  The list contains the things that I can impact and change.  There is so much going on around me that I have no control over.  No more wasting energy on those things.

With all of that said...here is my list.

1)  Get the 15 lbs off that have lingered for the last year....so far, I've lost 4!  I'm off to a great start.

2)  Start eating right and pre-plan meals.  This weekend I pre-made my lunches and breakfast so it could be a grab and go thing.

3)  Get up off the couch.  With the health issues, I'm gonna have to start slow.  So, I've started with two 10-minute walks each day.  And I've brought Ali and the family along for the walks too.  Getting my blood pumping feels pretty darn good!

4)  Apply for 5 jobs a day.  This one has been harder.  I've stayed busy all day at work and been busy every evening.  I've not completely ignored the need to search though.  I've updated my LinkedIn profile and applied for about 7 jobs this week.  Now I just need someone to call me in for an interview...but that is one of things I can't control.

On top of getting recharged and focused, I've officially started the countdown to unemployment.  I was officially extended to July 31 so I could be there for End of Quarter book close.  So, I have 35 days until I am officially unemployed.  My hope is to walk into a new job shortly thereafter.

Keep me in your prayers.  I am feeling confident (for now) and I want to stay in this mental space.

What I'm Up to Wednesday

When I'm stressed, it becomes extremely important for me to use the creative side of my brain.  Out of sheer coincidence, the morning of the tornado, I had booked a night for Ashton and I to do Wine and Palette again.  And last Monday was our girls date night!

It makes laugh when Ashton and I paint together.  I'm an extremely quiet crafter.  I don't talk much and I usually get into a zone.  Ashton, on the other hand, wants to jabber away the entire time.  We are quite a pair.

But in the end, we both enjoy creating and we enjoy doing it together. 

Book Talk Tuesday on What I'm Up to Wednesday

I am a bad, bad, bad blogger as of late.  Goodness, I just can't get back in the swing of things.  I'm doing a combined post today for both Book Talk Tuesday and What I'm Up to Wednesday....chock full of books that I haven't reviewed for you guys.

So buckle up....this a long list....

from barnesandnoble.com

Written in 1948, 1984 was George Orwell’s chilling prophecy about the future. And while 1984 has come and gone, Orwell’s narrative is timelier than ever. 1984 presents a startling and haunting vision of the world, so powerful that it is completely convincing from start to finish. No one can deny the power of this novel, its hold on the imaginations of multiple generations of readers, or the resiliency of its admonitions—a legacy that seems only to grow with the passage of time.

Examines different aspects of Orwell's anti-utopian classic, with a biographical sketch of the author and critical essays on this work.

I wish I could say that I loved this book.  After all, Orwell is the father of distopian classics.  But alas (hehehe, alas) I just didn't love it.  I'm listened to this in audio form and am grateful for that.  Cause I don't think I would've made it through the whole book without someone reading to me.  But I can totally see how this book is a classic.  Seriously, in 1948, this was a stretch and a complete leap of faith for Orwell.

frombarnesandnoble.com

Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten.

Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning-author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

I thought this story was beautiful and emotionally impactful.  It's a YA book, so the writing is not complex, but I don't think a story has to be complex to be good or even wonderful!  I dare to say that I thought this story was wonderful!  I was completed drawn in by Hazel and Augustus.

from barnesandnoble.com
An internationally bestselling phenomenon: the darkly suspenseful, highly controversial tale of two families struggling to make the hardest decision of their lives — all over the course of one meal.

It's a summer's evening in Amsterdam, and two couples meet at a fashionable restaurant for dinner. Between mouthfuls of food and over the polite scrapings of cutlery, the conversation remains a gentle hum of polite discourse — the banality of work, the triviality of the holidays. But behind the empty words, terrible things need to be said, and with every forced smile and every new course, the knives are being sharpened.
     Each couple has a fifteen-year-old son. The two boys are united by their accountability for a single horrific act; an act that has triggered a police investigation and shattered the comfortable, insulated worlds of their families. As the dinner reaches its culinary climax, the conversation finally touches on their children. As civility and friendship disintegrate, each couple show just how far they are prepared to go to protect those they love.
     Tautly written, incredibly gripping, and told by an unforgettable narrator, The Dinner promises to be the topic of countless dinner party debates. Skewering everything from parenting values to pretentious menus to political convictions, this novel reveals the dark side of genteel society and asks what each of us would do in the face of unimaginable tragedy.

Mediocre.  That is really the best I can say about The Dinner.  It is touted as being the European Gone Girl, but I didn't like it near as much as I liked Gone Girl.  I didn't feel connected to the characters and thought the story was lacking.

from barnesandnoble.com

An Invisible Thread tells of the life-long friendship between a busy sales executive and a disadvantaged young boy, and how both of their lives were changed by what began as one small gesture of kindness.

When Laura Schroff brushed by a young panhandler on a New York City corner one rainy afternoon, something made her stop and turn back. She took the boy to lunch at the McDonald’s across the street that day. And she continued to go back, again and again for the next four years until both their lives had changed dramatically. Nearly thirty years later, that young boy, Maurice, is married and has his own family. Now he works to change the lives of disadvantaged kids, just like the boy he used to be.

An Invisible Thread is the true story of the bond between a harried sales executive and an eleven-year-old boy who seemed destined for a life of poverty. It is the heartwarming story of a friendship that has spanned three decades and brought meaning to an over-scheduled professional and hope to a hungry and desperate boy living on the streets.

I listened to this in audio and thought it was a very touching story.  It reminded me of Same Kind of Different as Me and I liked it just as much (you can read my review of Same Kind of Different as Me by clicking HERE).

from barnesandnoble.com

An emotionally complex, heart-wrenching novel about love, motherhood, loss, and new beginnings, Fly Away reminds us that where there is life, there is hope, and where there is love, there is forgiveness. Told with her trademark powerful storytelling and illuminating prose, Kristin Hannah reveals why she is one of the most beloved writers of our day.

I've actually left a lot off the description from B&N...this book is the continuation of Firefly Lane and if you haven't read it yet, I don't want to give anything away.  But let me say first....I loved Firefly Lane.  It brought out so many emotions and I can truly see myself reading it again someday.  Now for Fly Away....Yep!  I loved it too.  It was a beautiful continuation to the story and I think it perfectly brought us back in the world of TullyandKate.  (You can my read my review of Firefly Lane by clicking HERE.)

What I'm Up to Wednesday

I'm sorry I've left you hanging for the last two weeks.  Initially, I wasn't in a position to tell you what was happening.  Then when I could, I still hadn't processed it enough to know what to say.  I'm still not sure, but I'm gonna give it a shot.

About a month ago, my boss told us that there would be a forced headcount reduction across our company.  At the time, we weren't sure if our team would be impacted.  However, the hives that I broke out into that night told a different story.  I really just felt like it was gonna be me.  Then two weeks ago, I got the individual call from my boss.  Effective June 30, I will no longer be working for the company that has employed me for the last 15+ years. 

I've gone through a myriad of emotions.  Sometimes I would rather just sleep...cause when I am sleeping, this isn't really happening.  I go through moments where not a thing has changed and moments where I am so down I'm not sure if it is possible for even more tears to continue to flow.

Things have changed so much since I last looked for a job.  Seriously...the last job I applied for was a hand written application and I actually got to shake some one's hand.  I've probably applied for about 15 or so jobs and been rejected for 1/3 of those already.  I can't start over at an entry level job.  I'm overqualified and need more money than entry level has to offer.  But my degree is in elementary education and I work in the business field.   

Tony and I have discussed where cuts will be made if it comes to that.  I have a month and half to hopefully find something so I can walk out of this job and right into the next one.  Pray that my job search will be swift and I will find something that makes me happy!  Cause if I really want to be honest, I haven't been happy in this job for about the last 4'ish years.  Maybe this is the swift kick in the butt that I need to make a change.  

What I'm Up to Wednesday

I know I've been MIA the past week.  And I have a good excuse....but unfortunately, I can't discuss it on my blog yet.  I'll try to get a book review on here for you later today.  I miss you guys!

What I'm Up to Wednesday

With all of the stress at work, I've found that I need to use the creative side of my brain to relieve some of the "pressure".  So, a few weeks ago, I buckled down and cleaned my craft room.  It was a pit too.  And the biggest problem was just my lack of putting things back when I'm done.

But now that it is clean, I've been able to stretch my creative side some.  I could find no better use of my creativity than making things for Nicole's birthday.  Have you heard of Happy Mail?  If not, click HERE...basically anything less than 13oz can be mailed through the USPS.  You wouldn't believe the stuff that can be mailed.  So, I got busy and sent her several fun packages throughout the week of her birthday.  Of course, I didn't take pics...ugh!  But here are some that inspired me.

I am most excited about her "main" present though.  You know that Nicole and I share a passion for books, so when I came across booksi by Rich Neeley Designs on Etsy, I knew I would eventually have to get one for her.  While I was at her house visiting, I noticed that she charges her cell phone in the kitchen, so the books needed to be yellow.  I worked with the Neeley's and this is what we came up with.....

I like it, but it just didn't have that "wow" factor like some of their other books.  But because of wanting the bright yellow, I was pretty limited.  So I had it shipped to my house and I gussied it up a bit.  I love how it turned out and can't wait to see it in action.

Rich Neeley Designs offered a discount code for you guys...if you use the link below and enter my email address in the notes section of your order than you'll get 15% off your booksi.  You have to use the link and the discount code displayed...and for me to get referral credit you have to put my email in the note.

http://richneeleydesigns.refr.cc/SQ27NHM

Here are some pictures of my other favorites designs that they have.  It's gonna be hard to decide when I finally make my order.

Anyways...back to the reason for the post.  It has been wonderful to be creative and to let myself feel the energy that can flow.  Now I just need to keep it up so I don't get over stressed. 

What I'm Up to Wednesday

In a single word ...

Stressed!

I can't go into details, but there are situations here at work that are prompting me to update my resume.  My mind has not stopped turning, so I am not sleeping well either.  I've been doing well at keeping myself busy so my imagination can't run away, but there are always going to be moments when I start listing off the "what-ifs".

I just ask that you all pray that my job is secure and that God will give me peace of mind.

What I'm Up to Wednesday

I am so far behind on my book reviews, so I am going to use my "What I'm Up to Wednesday" to give you two more book reviews.  And surprisingly, these are two more books that I enjoyed!  I've been a roll lately and am really enjoying the books that I've been picking up.   

The first book is One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus.  This is a historical fiction book.  Like all historical fiction, this book takes an actual historical event and melds a fiction story into it.  Some of the reviews on good reads bash it for not being 100% accurate with the dates and references in the story, but honestly, I don't care.  I'm not going to do research and see if a particular lake existed during this time period.  The premise begins with a re-telling of the proposed "Brides for Indians" pact that went on in 1854, when a whole host of Cheyenne Native Americans came into DC and asked for 1000 white women to take back to the prairie. Their idea was that by impregnating the women, they'd put the Native American seed into Caucasian culture and thus assimilate it.

Ok, so that never happened. But for Jim Fergus, he lets his imagination roll with the idea that it did.  The story is set up through the Journals of May Dodd.  May is a woman who fell in love with a guy who worked for her father and was (obviously) below her station in life. Institutionalized for promiscuity after she gives birth to two children, May is eligible for the Brides program because she is obviously fertile.  And May sees this as a way out of the institution.

I would give this one a middle level grade...may 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

from barnesandnoble.com

One Thousand White Women is the story of May Dodd and a colorful assembly of pioneer women who, under the auspices of the U.S. government, travel to the western prairies in 1875 to intermarry among the Cheyenne Indians. The covert and controversial "Brides for Indians" program, launched by the administration of Ulysses S. Grant, is intended to help assimilate the Indians into the white man's world. Toward that end May and her friends embark upon the adventure of their lifetime. Jim Fergus has so vividly depicted the American West that it is as if these diaries are a capsule in time.

The second book is Still Missing by Chevy Stevens.  This book is a thriller.  Can you say cray-cray?  Because this story is definitely that.  I would love to see this made into a movie...it seriously had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.  Besides what is below, there isn't more than I can say, because I don't want to give away too much.

I give this one a 4 out of 5 stars.

from barnesandnoble.com

On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a thirty-two year old realtor, had three goals—sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her ever- patient boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all. Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent as the captive of psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape—her struggle to piece her shattered life back together and the ongoing police investigation into the identity of her captor.

The truth doesn’t always set you free.

What I'm Up to Wednesday

On top of the two days of vacation this week to go see Nicole, I am also being required to take a week of furlough from work.  And what better time to have a week unpaid than Spring Break.  So for the next week and half I will be completely unhooked from my computer.  Not only am I feverishly trying to get the house cleaned and my bags packed but also all of my work caught up.  Cause I will be a week and half behind when I can finally log back in and work.

Today will be my last blog post until March 25, but I know with my trip to visit Nicole and the family things we have planned for Spring Break that I will have lots and lots to catch you guys up on when I'm back.  You can follow me on Instagram if you want to see bits and pieces of what we are up to!  I'll miss you guys!   

What I'm Up to Wednesday

Can you believe we are almost through the first week of March?

Source: google.com via Becky on Pinterest

I know right....Where did February go?  Time is flying. 

And add on that we spring forward this weekend and my mind is officially blown.

For today, I thought I would share my sweet and simple Spring mantel decorations.  I'm not a huge fan of Easter decorations...all the bunnies and eggs don't really do it for me.  So I think I've done a good job at finding a happy medium and still being able to enjoy the brightness of Spring.

How do you decorate for Spring and/or Easter?