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1.29.2013

dear vine app,

i think you are so much fun. i love taking short videos of what i am doing. i feel like hip and indy.

so does jude.


so does lucy.



however, i have deleted all my videos until you all figure out how to make the app less creeper friendly. perhaps some privacy settings?

best,
katie

1.28.2013

winter blues

Do you ever get the winter blues?

I normally do. Off and on at least. I usually feel like post Christmas it is so long until its warm again and February and March drag on with their cold depressing weather. Last year, I didn't feel like that. Partially I think because everything was new and exciting with Judah last year (still love him, but the excitement of those early mornings are wearing off ). Annnnd the weather was crazy warm. I do love some snow and cold, but it was wonderful to be able to go on walks all year with him, especially with my neighbor who had had a baby a month after us.

Also, starbucks was within walking distance.

We've had a lot of transition lately. Moving to a new area. New job for Philip. A temporary house and then finally in a place of our own. And while I love house projects. Planning them and having a husband willing to do the hard work. Home projects exhaust me. I would much rather spend my weekend touring the area, watching netflix, drinking lots of coffee. I love it when they are done and I know I need to remember that feeling, but in the midst of it - no me gusta.

So much of the time I feel defeated on weekends where we have so much to do. When Jude is running around like a crazy man, into everything he can possibly think to get into except his own toys. The main rub is not that I mind chasing him around, but that I like to sit still occasionally. Homeboy does not like sitting.

Two speeds - sleep or go. And occasionally, I like to get some house work done so I don't feel like I am living in a pig sty. And by naptime, I am wiped. (Sidebar - have you seen the vine app? what do you think?)

This is turning into a whiney post. I'm sorry - its about to turn a corner.

A thought occurred to me Saturday in the midst of this, just do the next thing.

Have you heard this expression? I tried to find a cool quote with it online to cite. I have heard it places and could have sworn I had seen cool prints that say it. Maybe I'll make one for myself to remind myself of that truth.

Apparently Elisabeth Eliot wrote a poem about it that saying. Brilliant woman. I should read more of her stuff.

As most of my posts, this has become somewhat of a stream of consciousness. I am not much of a writer. But this is my encouragement for you and for me. When you don't know what to do, just do the next thing. Sometimes its baby steps towards something you need to get finished. Sometimes the next thing is to pour yourself another cup of coffee and rest for a few. A lot of times I have not made my to do list for the day and then I flounder for a bit thinking....what should I do? just do the next thing. For me a lot of times, that means, praying, Lord, what do you have for me today? And start from there.

I am wondering if I am making sense. It makes sense to me.

oh wells. I need to go do the next thing...

happy monday




1.23.2013

wiww + a video

these past few weeks i have been trying to do a what i wore wednesday post. 

i think i need to buy a full length camera and start taking pictures myself. 

philip snapped this of me and j this weekend at a very frozen lake champion. you can't tell what i am wearing. 
its a forever 21 flannel, minnetonka moc/slippers, h&m jeans, forever21 hat, and patagonia fleece.
but seriously. you can't see it. jude is wear some super cute minnetonka moccs too.

pleated poppy
so since that is a lousy shot. i am including a video from this weekend of the little boo bear. man, he is cute. and he loves the microphone.


1.21.2013

diy// laundry detergent


just made this again so i wanted to share one of my favorite diys.

what you need//
1 bar (or 4.5 ounces) of shaved bar soap // i have used zote or fels naptha 
1 cup of borax
1 cup of super washing soda 

steps//
stir ingredients throughly unless mixed well. i keep it in a mason jar in the laundry room. 


here's on the of the awesome parts. just need one tbsp per load and works for HE washing machines. here's one of the annoying parts: i had a really hard time finding super washing soda and finally purchased it on amazon.
peace out girl scouts

1.17.2013

feeling settled.

what does it take for you to feel settled somewhere?

i have moved quite a few times in my life, like most people in their twenties i would guess. college, post-college at least allows for a few moves. at times i feel fairly settled in our new place, but then sometimes i get really irritated that i am using a cardboard box as my night stand.

i am not sure how bloggers like young house love live with a portion of their house feeling not like you want it to feel and just having to wait until you have time to do the next thing.

we are making progress. yes. remind me that.

our living room. rug still not staying. just something old to fill the space for now. still to do: add a mantle, mount tv above mantle. figure out what to do with the fabric on the chair.


ugh. this will change within the next month i think. finish the hardwoods on the stairs. table the discussion on putting in a real railing for now. we also have a nice coat closet, but honestly, i don't like having to hang up coats all the time. we may consider opening it up and doing a bench and cubbies and hooks.


dining room is feeling a little better. still need a buffet or china cabinet, but i think we have settled on a rug. it is thin, but cute. from here









started to feel settled, but certainly not there yet. hopefully i will find some settledness in the progress we have made. craft room pics coming soon!

xo

1.09.2013

what i wore wednesday

let me preface this...

i have been listening to tsh's simple mom podcasts, which i love. and she mentioned the what i wore wed posts. i thought, i should do that. it will help me get dressed for the day in something besides yoga pants. so i had my boo snap a photo of me, but i just want to let you know i sort of feel ridiculous doing this so it may be my first + last wiww post. 

ann taylor sweater
red target jean pants
target leopard print shoes (from over 5 years ago)
fossil watch

linking up with other wiww at the pleated poppy

1.08.2013

house update. first floor.

hello old friend...it has felt like a while since i have blogged. we have been so consumed by out house - it has been exhausting, but i wanted to share what we have done so far. i think we are coming out of the exhausting renovation stage, but not out of the dark yet.

so the background on our house - or townhouse, rather. 3 story townhouse - short sale (which went surprsingly quick!) we started work at the end of november. the house was filthy from not being kept up by renters, but the entire house was gutted in 2004 - so most everything was up to date, just not clean. 

the first thing that had to go was the carpets. but first we painted. or my sweet, hard working husband and some friends painted while i chased around the crazy baby man. 

after painting, we ripped up the carpets, and installed unfinished oak floors. i want to say 3 1/4inch. 
loft room
 here are the floors finished. we worked fast. or let me say again, philip worked fast.
floor stain: minwax  honey
 for the past week we have been living in a mess. while we left for christmas, the floors set. when we arrived back from virginia, we (and fabulous friends) moved everything into their proper rooms. however, we got rid of a lot of things we no longer wanted so there is just some settling, purchasing, decorating that needs to happen.

this weekend we started to make some decisions. finally hung some pictures in the kitchen. my weekly food menu is on the board. hopefully this will help me plan food wise for the week. i made the print.
we will eventually replace these counters. not that i don't love the "i already look like i have stuff spilled on the counter already so you can't tell when you spill something" look
these are the stairs heading up from the living room. so we did not do the floors on the main floor yet because we may alter the floor plan. but i also might want to put a real bannister in. however. i am not really fond of looking at the old dirty carpet.
wall color: benjamin moore :  moonshine
living room pic. the changes we still plan to make are: covering the built-in and installing a real fireplace mantel (hopefully old mantel), and then mount the tv above the fireplace. 

please note that i purchased the couch in the picture on craiglist for $20. please note that it is a restoration hardware couch in great condition. insert happy dance. most of the things in our living room probably are not staying there. we are just sorting it all out. 

below is the kitchen - dining room. do you like our boxspring that we could not get up the staircase? also, that lovely chair is a side of the road find. i am going to reupholster it. i may have to do the same fabric though because that orange is really growing on me.

that's all for now - i'll share more pictures soon!