Let The Decorating Begin!

You might remember awhile back, I told you I wanted to decorate our kitchen/dining/ & living area. I haven't been totally happy with it since moving in four years ago. It has always just felt so blah to me. There wasn't much color and what color was there was very matchy matchy.

Friends, blah is no more! We are moving in the direction of color. Due to budget it will be a gradual move, but that is okay. I'm so indecisive about all this that it would probably still be a gradual move even if our budget was limitless.

The color began with three paintings that I found online. I loved them right away. Then I wasn't sure. Then I loved them. Then I wasn't sure.

Told you I was indecisive. :)

Finally after much debate I bought three canvases for the project. The ones online are out of my price range, but I have a dear friend who is going to recreate them for me at a much more affordable price. Don't you just love good friends!

I can't wait to see how they turn out. I'm going to wait until then to reveal the design to you.


I have been wanting to wait on the living room because I knew we would be putting a TV in there soon and that would change the whole dynamic of the room. Friday night the husband and I were discussing said TV and how we would display it. I didn't want it hanging on the wall. I wanted a good substantial piece of furniture to put it on. I wanted something that could be a focal point in our living room. We discussed our visions for the TV and quickly discovered, we had very different ideas.

Saturday afternoon we wondered into Pier 1 as a way of killing time while my car was being taken care of next door. We NEVER go into Pier 1. Some time ago, I deemed it as one of those stores I couldn't afford to even browse in, which was probably true during our first few years of marriage. But there we were browsing Pier 1. And that is when it happened. We stumbled across the perfect compromise of a TV stand. It was different. Not like anything either one of pictured, yet we both instantly loved it. Then a saleslady informs us that she has one in the back that she can discount because it was a return due to a small scratch on the back left corner. We are not opposed to scratches. We knew if it was in our house long enough, it would be scratched anyways. When we saw it and the scratch, we both agreed that that scratch didn't bother us in the least little bit.

We mulled it over for a few minutes and decided to go for it. What do you think? Isn't it a beautiful piece of furniture?



These pictures make it look much brighter than it really is. There is black paint that shows through the red, so it actually a darker piece.

I love it!! But I was a bit concerned about how it would look. Our living room is predominately blue, green, & brown. I knew it would look okay with our furniture, but I was concerned about our rug. Maybe that is silly, but remember I'm knew to this decorating. The rug is a huge part of what makes it predominately blue, green, & brown. It's not even a year old so we really don't want to get rid of it.

Rug ain't cheap!

We discussed other ways to bring in more color such as pillows. I wandered over to look at the pillows in Pier 1 while the husband paid for the TV stand. I found this pillow that I thought was perfect.

The husband liked it too when he saw it, but it was more than I was willing to pay for a pillow. So the birds stayed behind. I looked at pillows every where we went for the rest of the afternoon, but nothing came close to my bird pillow.

The TV stand actually stayed behind as well because it wouldn't fit in my car. The husband and nephew went to pick it up Sunday afternoon. When they returned home they had the TV stand and the bird pillow.

Talk about excited!! Can I just say I have the best husband. Later I told him I couldn't believe he paid that for a pillow, and he just said, "You wanted it." :)

Seriously!! He's the best!

When we bought the stand we knew it would be without a TV for a few weeks. We weren't planning on purchasing a TV until next month. However, the husband couldn't resist.

Sunday night we bought a new TV for the living room. 50" of HD bliss. I cannot wait for football season to start. Hog Party at our house! All are invited. :)

Today the husband was looking at our TV online and discovered that if you buy it online you get a free flat screen 19" TV. So tonight he returned our TV without returning the actual TV, ordered it online, had it shipped to the store, paid for it again and got a free TV. The baby TV will go in my scrapbook room. SCORE!!


So we've been rearranging our furniture and rearranging it again trying to decide where to put everything. I think we have finally made a decision for now. :) It may all be different in a week.

Decorating still stresses me out, but I'm learning more about what I like. I'm figuring out what my taste is and the more I do that the less stressful it becomes.

Walk This Way

Though I'm not sure at what age I took my first steps, I never thought I would have to learn to walk a second time in my life. I really thought when I mastered it as a toddler that would be it.

I was wrong. I went an entire month without walking, at least without walking in my normal fashion. I hobbled all over the place, just didn't really walk. There were times in that month when I would be hobbling through the store with the husband and tell him my left hip hurt. I was putting all my weight on that hip because of my bum right foot.

Now that I'm back in tennis shoes, I'm wondering if I didn't seriously mess up my hip. It's a concern that grows more into an overwhelming fear with each day. I literally think about EVERY step I take. I try so hard to walk "normal". It seems no matter what I do I still come down strong on my left foot. My walking looks very clunky!

Today the husband and I were out shopping and he kept telling me to walk normal. It is frustrating because I can't.

I'm honestly worried that I may never walk normally again. I just keep praying that as time goes by I won't have to think about walking anymore. It will come naturally again.

"How's the foot?"

I have been asked that question more times than I can count in the past few days. It amazes me the number of people who are praying for me and my foot. It has truly been a blessing and I absolutely appreciate every one's prayers and concern.

I have to tell you the past few days have not been easy. In fact, they have been down right hard. Everyone told me the third and fourth day after surgery would be the worst, but that hasn't been the case at all. The first few days after being back in a tennis shoe have been the worst.

Thursday I got a little crazy and acted like I was instantly healed just because I put a tennis shoe on my foot. I started the day early by going to Mardel for the Educator's Sale. I wasn't in there very long, but I was in there long enough. When I finished there I drove out to school to see how the new building was coming along.

I went home after that, but I didn't stay down very much at home. I was so caught up in trying to walk like a normal human being again. I have never thought so much about every step I'm taking. I felt like I was learning to walk all over again. I figured to master walking normal again I need to practice so I walked all over our house. Thursday night I was off to Bible Study which means I spent a huge part of my day in my tennis shoes walking around.

By the time I got home from Bible Study my right calf muscle was cramping like something fierce. It would not stop cramping and I finally just lost it. I was bawling! I mean absolutely sobbing. My leg hurt but I was crying more out of tiredness and frustration. Up until this point everything about my surgery has been so easy. Andrew would just laugh at me and my hysterics which would only cause me to cry more. He finally managed to get me calmed down enough so he could do my toe stretches.

Friday I was the same way. My leg was still cramping, my foot was ugly, and I was just ready for it to be all better again.

After no sleep Friday night and cramping all day Saturday, I finally made a trip to Wal-Mart for some icyhot. Let me just tell you I think I've become an icyhot addict. I might not smell so good these days, but my legs sure feels better.

I also bought a new pair of tennis shoes today. Andrew and I decided I needed some wide shoes. I had no idea how hard it was to find a pair of shoes in wide. Lady Foot Locker and Champs don't even carry wide sizes. How crazy is that!! It was a frustrating process. I started just trying on every wide pair of shoes in my size regardless of how ugly they were. It seemed like every pair I tried on had no cushion. I ended up with a pair of nikes that are very comfortable.



So I had a few rough days but things are starting to turn around. The foot is good and the leg is feeling a little better each day. I just have to remember it doesn't heal overnight. :)

Mudbath & Tennis Shoes

I have never had a mudbath. Have you? I personally do not know what is so relaxing about laying in a tub of mud, but maybe that is because I've never experienced it.

Liam Bailey, however, has apparently really taken a liking to mudbaths. Monday the little guy had two normal baths. These followed the bath he got Sunday night. He looked like someone dipped him in brown paint. I tried to describe just how dirty he was to the husband. I had never seen him this dirty. He was absolutely FILTHY.

Last night when the husband and I got home from a Lowes & Wal-Mart run I opened the back door to let them in. Liberty came right in, but Liam didn't even come when I called for him. I hobbled around the house to look for him and I found him taking one of his glorious mudbaths. He had squeezed himself between the air conditioner unit and the house. I guess it nice and cool there.

He was again covered in mud.

I don't think this picture does the filth justice. HA!!

As soon as the husband put him in the water, it instantly turned brown.


He obviously like mudbaths. Maybe I should give them a try.

Now on to the tennis shoes. I'm officially back in them as of today. I had my 4th post-op visit this morning.

It started off just like the last three visits with x-rays and cleaning the foot. After that things got bad...at least for me.

The assistant was to show me how to do my toe exercises. These are to help me with range of motion and to keep my big toe from turning up.

He grabbed my toe just above my scare with one hand and the my foot just below my scar with the other hand. He holds the bone still in my foot and then bends my toe forward and holds it for 10 seconds. I instantly felt sick. I really hoped that was it, but no such luck. He then did the same thing but this time he bent my toe back.

It hurt so bad! It felt like if had pushed my toe even just a little more, it would have popped off. He and Drew both said I was turning green.

After he showed me my exercises, I was to put my tennis shoe on. I got my sock on no problem, but the tennis shoe was a different story. It hurts my big toe. I ended up having Drew put my shoe on for me. I just couldn't inflict that my pain on myself.

I had to sit there a few minutes before I could try to stand up. I really believe that if I had been standing I would have passed out. I got very hot very quickly and was feeling like I was going to throw up. Not good. I felt bad for not handling all this better. I knew I was being ridiculous, but I couldn't help it.

I finally hobbled out of there still on my heel only. I was scared to try to walk any other way. The husband brought me home and put me to bed. He offered me everything under the sun before he left for work. He wanted to make sure I was comfortable. Before he left, he told me I did good today. I instantly started crying. Here I was feeling like a big baby and feeling guilty because of it and he was telling me I did good.

He is the ABSOLUTE BEST!! I'm so thankful that he took off work this morning to go with me. God knew how much I was going to need him this morning.

Since being home I've taken my shoe off and put it back on all by myself. I'm put a little more weight on it and walked a little more normal. I know it is just going to take time and practice. Right now it is propped up and iced down. Because it isn't tightly wrapped anymore, swelling is to be expected. We're trying to keep that to a minimum.

She Chose Me!

Okay so I really don't like to brag. I hope people who know me well would agree with me. I'm actually the opposite. I don't feel like there is much I have any room to brag about.

But tonight, my dear friends, I'm going to gloat like I've never gloated before!!

The husband and I went to Journey Church tonight. As we were visiting before service officially started, I was talking to Aunt Sandi who happened to be holding this sweet girl.



After just a minute she reached out her little arms to come to her Aunt E. :) Talk about melting an aunt's heart!!!

She made my day. Guess she was tired of playing with Aunt Sandi necklace and was ready for a new one (mine). HA!!

The Nerd In Me!

Last night I ran into Wal-Mart to pick up a few groceries. I had heard a rumor so made a pit stop on my way to the grocery section. The rumor was true!! I was so excited. Instantaneously giddy!!

What had me so excited?










It's one of my favorite times of the year!! Wal-Mart has officially put out their school supplies.

Nerd. Yes I know. But I can't help it. I have loved these aisles ever since I can remember.

As a kid I loved picking out my supplies, bringing them home, and organizing them. I would like at them every day.

As an adult...Well, I'm still the same way. :)

I LOVE IT!!

I bought composition notebooks and glue last night. So exciting.

Anyone out there understand this feeling?

Just A Swinging...

Admiring My Man

A few weeks ago I stumbled across Courtney's blog Women Living Well. It has since then become one of my favorite blogs. She is a godly woman who gives insight to a variety of subjects that women face in life. When I first found her blog, I spent HOURS going back and reading her old post.

She is hosting the Completely Him Challenge. This challenge is all about becoming the woman your husband needs. While I'm not 100% participating in this challenge, I couldn't resist this week's challenge.

This week focuses on admiring your husband and making sure he knows he is admired. I think that is something we assume our husbands know. Someone challenged me last week to give one compliment a day. They were necessarily talking about to my husband, but it made me thing. It seems like one little compliment a day isn't a big deal. We probably all do that right? Do we? It is something that I've been thinking about lately and taking notice of.

Back to the challenge... Courtney ask us to blog about the qualities we admire in our husbands and then share that post with our husbands. You can read her post here.

Here are a few of the things I admire about my guy. They are in no particular order other than when they popped into my head.

1. He's a genius. :) Seriously, he is probably the smartest person I know. Whenever I have a question about anything he is the first person I think to ask, especially if it is a history question. He spends hours researching things online and his memory is incredible.

2. He makes me laugh. I was just thinking about this the other day when we were in the car. He was doing nothing other than simply singing along with the radio, but it made me giggle. This is one of the things about my husband that I first fell in love with. He isn't afraid to look silly or tell a crazy story just to bring a smile to my face.

3. He works HARD!! This one has really been on my mind lately because of his crazy long hours and time away from home. We don't have kids that my husband is providing for. It is just me. He works so hard to take care of me and provide beyond the basic needs for me.

4. He loves God. The husband has a biblical knowledge that never ceases to amaze me. But he also has more than just the head knowledge. He knows Jesus with his heart.

5. He's a family man. He is the youngest of six. He loves his family. He would do anything for them. He loves my family. He is a big kid at heart and loves to play basketball, soccer, boardgames, golf, or whatever with the kids. I love watching him with them because it reminds me of what a great daddy he will be someday.

6. He cares about me and my needs. He has taken better care of me since my surgery than I could ever have imagined. In fact, it's almost driven me crazy. :) When he is home, he won't let me do anything. He does it for me. Yes, I know I should be taking full advantages of this. HA! He has also made comments in the past few days about relocating and its affects on me that have just been sweet reminders of how much that guy loves his wife.

7.He has musical talents that melt my heart. One of my favorite sounds in the whole world is that of my husband playing his guitar and singing. I could listen to it all day and night.

8. He has a tender heart beneath his strong exterior. I might not see it very often, but it is there. He isn't afraid to cry at a movie with me or let people know when he is deeply touched by something.

9. He's crafty. You've seen the pictures of the scrapbook desk he is building. He has built a headboard and tables to name a few other things. He does my kind of crafts too. He has been known to sit down and help me with some scrapbooking thing.

10. He's a giver and a helper to complete strangers. He has been known to help an older lady to her car at Wal-Mart, help people with broken down cars on the side of the street,, and many other things. I love that I married a guy who doesn't just keep walking by.

What do you admire about your husband? Does he know?