Welcome to 2012!

I know. I know. I'm a few days late on that one. But better late than never, right?!

Let's start the new year right but setting a few goals for the blog, the house, and life in general... sound good?



I'll start with the easy one which is.... the HOUSE.

Back in September, I actually gave you a pretty detailed list of items we accomplished around the house in 2011 (see post here), and listed a few other items to possibly tackle by the end of 2011. The one (main) item we accomplished was pouring the patio in the backyard. I did several blog posts on it in September as we were working through the process, but the final results can be seen here.

After September, our world became a blur of life events and holidays. The house took a back seat, and to be honest, we needed the break. But now it's January, and my rear is in gear to get crackin' on the house projects. Here are a few items that (Lord willing) WILL be done in 2012:

1. Window treatments for almost everyone room of the house except the Master Bedroom, which were done last year. (hint: we've already gotten started on this one)


2. Carpeting for the stairs and hallways and maybe guest bedroom (tax return money may fund this project)


3. Complete ALL interior painting (walls/trim/cabinets) that is complete-able (I make up words) without any needed renovations


4. Move the guest room from the upstairs bedroom to the 1st floor bedroom to make way for a some-day nursery upstairs (key word: some-day)


5. Overhaul of our tiny front entry which has non-painted plaster walls with cracks showing, old terracotta tile, and a rickety storm door


6. More landscaping of all varieties (this never ends)


7. New light fixture in downstairs hall


8. Finish building the cedar steps that lead from the newly poured patio up to the back porch.


9. Install some new plumbing and pipes in the basement in preps for a future 3/4 bath (no fun for me, but it's on Joey's to-do list)

There are a lot of other items I would LIKE to happen in 2012, but I'm not necessarily counting on them (especially given budget concerns). Even ONE of the items below would be great (and astonishing) to accomplish...

1. Vaulting our Master Bedroom ceiling, which would include adding wood planks, exposed-rafters, new vents for heating/cooling, and new lighting (big messy project)


2. Creating a small and versatile built-in office in our Master Bedroom


3. Replacing the 82 year old windows in the Dining Room, Full and Half Bathrooms, and at least one bedroom


4. New siding and gutters on the garage and back porch and new garage doors

Whew! Sooo much work ahead of us.

Next item on the list.... the BLOG.

In case you didn't notice, my number of blog posts per month diminished greatly during October, November, and December. Part of this was just due to the fact that we were SUPER DUPER busy during these months, which means not only a lack of time to blog, but also lack of time to do projects and things to blog about. Just like we needed a house break, I needed a blog break.

I love blogging. I really do. But it can take away from family, friends, work, and other things that are also important in my life. So, my word of the year is PRIORITIZE, which means that the blog may move down a few notches on my "must do" list each day. No worries though. I will certainly keep you up-to-date on the latest adventures at the homestead and well as any other items that I think may spark your interest (PINTEREST, anyone?!). I just may not post every single day (or even every single week) like I was attempting to do some of last year - it's about quality not quantity!

Speaking of quality, I hope to make a few improvements to the site this year, including adding a "Before and After" section to show each room of the house so that you can easily see a snapshot of the changes that are occurring. I'd also like to include a floor plan of the house so that you can get a better picture of the overall space (gotta figure out how to best create this ... any suggestions???). I may also switch blog hosts and go through a blog redesign. We shall see...

Last on my list of "goals" for the year.... LIFE.

This one is tricky to talk about. I'll likely share more on the subject at a later point, BUT Joey and I are in the baby-planning stages. Some of you know that we have been working through fertility treatments and such. So, we're hoping and praying that 2012 will bring us a baby. Only the Lord knows what will happen, but I'm sure this will shake up our life if it occurs. Oh how much I can blog about once it's eventually baby time (and nursery decorating time). Joey is also thinking about starting his own business, taking classes, and things of that sort.

So, this is what I imagine 2012 will look like for us. I'm sure some things will happen as planned and many won't. But at least you get to hear about the journey along the way!