Hey you guys!!! I hope you had a great holiday season. I enjoyed my little break although it did not go as planned. Usually I spend the break doing little projects from my to do list so I can have projects to share right away in the new year. This year I spent a good chunk of it in the hospital with my son. He had his appendix burst and had emergency surgery. He spent a full week there and then another week on the couch recovering. He was there over Christmas so we had our celebration in the waiting room on the pediatric floor.
At first I was really disappointed that we would still be in the hospital for Christmas but my attitude soon changed as I witnessed little acts of service that reminded me of the true meaning of the season. Little things that added up like a group that brought mini lit trees to all the kids so they could have a the glow of a Christmas tree in their rooms, the couple who brought therapy dogs, and the Santa's workshop that the nurses set up. Even just the good attitude all of the nurses and doctors had when they could have been grumpy about not being able to spend the day with their own families, made me thankful.
Because of that unexpected adventure, I am behind on so many things. My Christmas is even still up and I am usually a "take it down the day after" kind of girl. Normally in January I get that feeling that I can only compare to nesting. I have the urge to purge! I want to clean all the things and organize my heart out. For the first time in my life I don't have that feeling. Maybe in February? Maybe I am just a month behind.
And maybe it is because it won't stop snowing....
BUT, the good news is that I have a lot of big projects lined up for this year. Our upstairs bathroom just might get finished this year. You know the one that we tore apart years ago and then stalled? We will be working on the basement in a big way too and of course I will have tons of outdoor projects come spring.
It is funny because we are coming up on our 10 year anniversary of living in this house and when we moved in we totally thought we would have our house done in 5 years. It has been double that and we are not even close. Unemployment and other hiccups have made things go a little slower than we would like and I have been tempted to just get a big loan and get it all done at once. I know it will get done eventually though. It has been a fun journey even if it has been hard to be patient.
My Project Goals for 2017
Upstairs Bathroom
Paint Kitchen Cabinets
New Couch and finish all the little details in the Family Room
New flooring in basement
Move our bedroom to unfinished part of the basement
Move boys into two rooms instead of just one and redecorate both spaces
Finish fencing the backyard
Add a patio and possibly a pergola
Add a shed or playhouse to cement pad in backyard
Help more friends and family with more room makeovers
I know that seems ambitious. Most of the time I don't get to all of the items but it is nice to make a list to work off of during the year.
What are your project goals this year?
We kind of unexpectedly bought a new house in Sept, which closed Nov 1. We had a 1928 house that I had renovated pretty much all the rooms by the time we sold it on Dec 1 since we bought it 3 yrs prior. I learned SO much in that house and it had so much character and more that I put back in - along with so much insulation :) ! So I expected to miss it much more than I do. This house feel way more right for our family for many reasons. But it has way less character and many weird things and I've been banned from any renovations at least until all boxes are unpacked (fair enough) and for at least 6 months (I don't think that can last). But a forced delay is actually proving a good time to settle in, discover the priority order (ie NEW WINDOWS) that might be different from my original thoughts, and develop our dream list. So all in all, hubby is right. But by the time spring gets here, I'll be itching for my 6 months to be up! I am tempted to start a blog to track it all though. I tracked the last house on fb only and loved being able to look back and see it take shape. Even if no one but me reads it, why not...
One of the good things about us going slow, and having to wait, is it gives us plenty of time to mull things over and not make any rash decisions. Looking back I am glad we didn't have the money to do everything all at once. Good luck waiting! Oh, and I think doing a blog is a GREAT idea!
I'm glad to hear your son is doing well. Last Christmas we were living upstairs (crowded into 2 bedrooms) while the entire downstairs of our house was being renovated due to flooding from a "thousand year rain and flood". We ate at Waffle House on Christmas (the only place we could find that was open) because we had no kitchen. It was different - but we were thankful we were all okay.
It is the Christmases that are different that we end up remembering! I hope you are back to normal after the flood! Yikes!
having a divided branch of the family and having to observe most holidays in nonconventional ways and times has given a very strong belief that whether the time or place it is a matter of the heart. I am so glad your family was able to enjoy a wonderful Christmas despite the unconventional location. I know from your previous blogging that you have that special heart. thanks for reminding us of this since I am sure there are any number of your readers who had a less than a Norman Rockwell Christmas
I agree that as long as you are with the ones you love, it doesn't matter the day or the place :)
So sorry your kiddo was in the hospital over Christmas! We too have spent a holiday or 2 in the hospital and it has warmed my heart. This year we managed to schedule it and have it managed to have surgery after.
I love your ideas and inspiration!
It definitely gave us a new perspective! I am glad you had a nice hospital free Christmas this year :)
Glad to hear your son is doing well. Sorry you had to celebrate Christmas in the Hospital. Prayers to you and your family and a Happy New Year"
Thank you. I wish the same for you and your family :)
This year my goal is to just fix it up. We'll be going through each room to declutter, clean, and fix things. It's amazing how much stuff adds up, how quickly it gets dirty with 3 little kids, and how many little things need just a bit of fixing.
I just made a list an hour ago of each room and everything that needed to be fixed or finished. It is easy when you are in your house every day to overlook little things. And yes, with kids, there are always things to fix!
Wow. What a Christmas you had. I'm glad you were able to notice all the good things around you, that always makes things a little better! Hope your son is totally well by now and that you are rested from the stress of it all.
You just do your projects as you can for 2017!! No worries.