Project organize the kitchen

This weekend was a bear.  It was my first full weekend back at work.  Granted I only worked two eight hour shifts (and both days were fairly easy as far as patient load goes), it was tough to be away from Austin and Nate all day.  This is one of the big reasons we have our house on the market: so that we have the opportunity to spend more time together as a family.  Maternity leave was amazing!  We had so much family time that we have never had before.

Speaking of, our house is still on the market if you are interested.  We did have two showings and 5 groups show up at our open house this past week, so you better get in gear and put an offer in.

No, but seriously, do it.

Since our house has been on the market things have been pretty darn clean but I am kind of an organizing mad-woman and am taking addiction to "a place for everything and everything in it's place" a little too far.  I have signed up for weekly home organization challenge emails.  Last weeks challenge: countertops and sink.

Become a organization mad-woman like me

Now, let me just say I pretty much skipped this challenge because our counters are clean.  I mean clean, clean.  There are two towels, a coffeemaker, toaster, knife block and kitchen aid mixer on the sink.  And that is it.  And I keep my kitchen sink pretty well cleared of dishes.

Although I am already ahead of the game, there was one point that made me think: "we need to consider how we currently use our kitchen-either intentionally or unintentionally."  The blogger at home storage solutions 101 listed several different functions of a kitchen and I pretty much use the kitchen for food prep and storage and family control and planning center (AKA: calendar!).  My husband, on the other hand, uses the kitchen as a dumping ground-he drops papers, keys, books...just about anything and everything on the first horizontal surface he can find after entering the house and this happens to be the kitchen counter.

So, since I have identified that (unintentional) function of my kitchen (which happens to drive me crazy), I am going to do something about it.  I'm not sure what, but perhaps I will create a dish or a bowl or a drawer for this purpose: anything to get the junk off the counter!

Another thing that I have taken away from this weeks challenge is to declutter by getting rid of all of the things that are either old, broken, are duplicates or that I haven't used in the past year.  I have not gotten to this yet, but I plan to.  Decluttering always makes me feel wonderful!  For some reason it's freeing.

Well, I don't have a picture for this post and I feel like its super lame to have a post without a picture.  Because, let's be honest...you really just want to see another picture of Nate:

Nate's first time in the johnny jump up!  What a big boy!

Thrifty Thursday

I had such great plans for today.  

It was gorgeous outside.  Definitely not your typical Iowa winter weather.  But then again, Iowa is anything but typical.  Tomorrow may be below freezing, who knows!  (Although it sounds like it is suppose to stay fairly mild this week).  I was excited to get outside for another run (I am hoping to run a half-marathon this May, so I need to get serious about training...) and I had projects that I wanted to start on during Nate's nap time.  But then came the phone call. 

When your house is on the market, it's kind of like it's not your house.  It's your realtor's house.  When they call requesting a showing-even if it's only an hour before the desired showing time-you kind of have to "go with the flow."  So, Austin and I power-cleaned the house in an hour-and-a-half.  It was intense.  We hadn't really picked up the house much since having all of our family over, so it wasn't a light cleaning.  It was an all-out, get-your-booty-in-gear, don't-stop, let-Nate-cry, clean-fest.  But we got it done and our realtor said "it showed great."  Now, if only that meant, "the buyers would like to make an offer," or even better, "the buyers would like to pay more than your asking price because they love the house so much and because your house is so clean..."

But at least now my house is clean.

On to the topic of today's post: "Thirfty Thursday."  At the beginning of the New Year, Austin and I reviewed our budget.  If you don't have one, definitely create one.  Reviewing the way you spend your money is a very useful-and sometimes painful-exercise.  It's painful because it's helped me realize that I spend way more money on "wants" than I thought I did. 

Here's a link to the Monthly Family Budget Worksheet that I use.  There are many out their on the web.  Find one that works for you and your family and give it a try!

After reviewing and making changes to our budget, I printed off these cash envelopes.  

Austin and I have always tried to withdraw cash each week and use it for all of our gas, household, grocery and "fun money."  I've found that this helps me spend less because I don't want to part with my cash and because I can see how much money I have left for the week.  It really cuts down on impulse buys at the grocery store because it's really embarrassing when you don't have enough cash to pay for your bill.  (Ok, I'm not that intense.  If I happen to go over a little, I debit it and make sure to note it and withdraw less cash the following week). 

Well, if you want to know, I am already over budget...and it's only 5 days into the New Year.  But that's okay.  I'd rather know that I am over budget so that I can make some changes for the next week than to continue making the same choices.  If you make the same choices you will continue to see the same results.

So make a change, it's not too late: it's only 5 days into the New Year!

Weekend of open houses

I'm already failing in my resolution to blog everyday, but this weekend has been super busy.  We had an open house on Saturday and Sunday and although no one came to the Saturday open house (it was last-minute AND advertised incorrectly), we did have one potential interested person at the open house on Sunday.  Tomorrow we are having a realtor's open house (where realtors can go through the house to see it), so I guess we can't trash the house yet!

Here is a picture of the house with the For Sale sign up:

A little out of focus, but I took it from the car quick as we were leaving...  

During the open houses, Austin, Nate and I camped out at Austin's parents' house, watching football.  Nate got LOTS of attention.  Here are a few pictures:

Checking Grandma Oates out

"Talking" and smiling at Grandma Oates

Well, it's time for Nate and I to head out and run some errands.  We have to get a few things (a card for daddy's birthday tomorrow and groceries to make snacks for the hungry realtors who will be going through our house tomorrow) and maybe make a stop at Barnes and Nobel to pick up a chapter book for Nate.  Haha.  Yes, my child is very advanced.

:)

Two-in-a-row!

Wow...I'm actually making a post everyday so far.  Ok, I know, it's only day number 2, but it's progress.  Especially considering how busy I've been.  Cleaning, sorting, organizing, washing windows, scrubbing grout and going crazy while I'm at it.

It's a little nerve-wracking to know that complete strangers (and maybe some not-so-complete strangers) will be coming into your home and scrutinizing everything from your color choices and decor to the dirty laundry sitting in baskets in the laundry room.  (Actually right now I am trying to finish up the last of the laundry in the basement...).  I am an avid HGTV-watcher and during the day they play TONS of episodes of house-hunters and there are a lot of really, really picky home-hunters.  They complain about EVERYTHING!  It makes me look at my house and wonder what people are going to complain about when they get here.  We have painted cabinets in the kitchen and the painting on the trim in the house isn't perfect.  The backyard isn't as beautiful as it used to be when everything was green and flowering and some of the trees need trimming.

But I love our house.  I fell in love with it the first time I toured it.  In fact, I brought my mom back that day and toured it again.  So I trust that there is a family out there that will fall in love with this house.  Maybe at tomorrow's open house, maybe on Sunday.  Maybe in two weeks or maybe next spring.  And I'm sure that there will be people who don't like our house at all, and I have to be ok with that.  I probably wouldn't like their house (So there!).

Here are a few more pictures of the inside (sorry about the small pictures, they are from the realtor's website):

Dining room

Kitchen

Family Room

During my quiet time I prayed about the journey the Lord is taking our family on and I read a passage from 1 Timothy 6 that it meant a lot to me.  The Lord has blessed us in so many ways and I want to be sure that we are not so concerned with material treasures but things that really matter, like investing in our family, serving and sharing.  It also makes me realize that when the Lord blesses you, he gives you the responsibility to be a good steward of those things.  I want to make sure that my family is a good steward of what he has blessed us with, creating a firm foundation for the future.

 ¹⁷ Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. ¹⁸ Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. ¹⁹ In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

On another note, here is a picture of Nate from the other day.  Austin always talks about what a strong boy Nate is (even the NP was amazed when he was three days old and fighting to hold himself up the day we got discharged from the hospital).  In this picture Austin is holding him and commenting on his big biceps.

Nate and daddy "flexing" for the camera.  Don't tell Austin this, but I'm pretty sure Nate is sleeping, not flexing!

I'm not seeing the muscles.  I say, "let's count the rolls!" (Oh and check out that sweet little double chin.  Love it!)

Trusting in the Lord

So...after spending a few hours exploring the blogs of other women, I've been encouraged to make my blogging a more regular thing.  I'd really like to carve some time out every day to blog a little.  But at the same time I find myself so busy that I have a hard time finding time for my quiet time (which should definitely come first) or even a  quick shower.  (Just in case you were wondering, I have showered today!  In fact, I even did my makeup and hair.)

So the reason for my blog today (in addition to becoming a more regular blogger.  On a side note: although I said I wanted to be a more regular blogger, I don't want to blog just to blog.  I want to actually be saying something.  Something important.  Something that matters and will maybe resonate with one of my few readers.  And let's be honest, I may not even have a few readers.  Not many people know this exists.  But whether they do or don't it doesn't matter.  Even if I am writing this just for myself, I want what I say to matter).

Now that we've got that explanation out of the way:

So the reason for my blog today is to say "it's official."  There is a "For Sale" sign up in the front yard.  We have open houses scheduled for Saturday 1pm-2:30pm and Sunday 2pm-4pm.  It's hard to believe.  Here is a picture of the house sans "For Sale" sign.  (It's too dreary out to run out and take a picture of the house with the sign up, but you can imagine)

Isn't it pretty?  We did a lot of clean-up this past weekend.

Back of the house. 

Wow, looking at those pictures make it hard to believe that we really put a "For Sale" sign up in the front yard.  We really love the place BUT...

I love this guy way more:

My precious baby boy!

So the reason the sign is up is because Austin and I would like for me to have the option to stay at home and only work PRN.  When I go back to work, Austin and I will be working opposite shifts.  He will work evening shifts Monday through Friday and I will work night shifts Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  And although this works out GREAT for childcare (we will only need someone to watch Nate for 6 hours a week), we won't have a lot of family time and that is really important to us.  We have LOVED these past 10 weeks when we have been able to spend time together as a family any time that Austin is not at work.  It has been great.  Even though having a newborn can be stressful and frustrating at times, these 10 weeks have probably been the best 10 weeks when it comes to family-togetherness.

The sign is up and the listing is on-line, but we don't have another house that we are looking at right now.  We are trusting in the Lord and in his plan for us.  If our house sells soon, great.  If it doesn't, that's okay too.  I will just return to work and continue working until something changes.  The Lord is good and his plans for us are too.  He desires to bless us.  And he has.  Big time.  We desire to be good stewards of all the gifts that He has given to us.  And when I think of the gifts that He has given to us, I think immediately of Nathaniel.  He is such a wonderful, amazing gift and I want to be able to spend as much time with him as possible. I want to do the job the Lord has blessed me with (being a mom) to the best of my ability, and to me that means being able to spend as much time with him as possible; doing my best to raise him in a way that honors the Lord.

So, the sign is up and we are trusting in the Lord.  His plans for us are good and we look forward to the journey the Lord is taking us on.