It's hot

I'm a wimp. I wanted to get my butterfly garden planted today, but it's just too hot. The heat index is only 95, which is 17 degrees lower than yesterday. The problem is the only tools I have are hand tools. I've been using a hand-sized garden hoe to pull up the grass where my garden will be. I bought my flowers last weekend, and they're not looking too happy in their pots. I need to get them in the ground. We have plans tonight, so I won't be able to get them in until tomorrow if I don't do it now. I'm probably about halfway there. I've done preliminary hoeing on about six of my eight feet of length. I still need to dig and put soil down. My soil is kind of clay-like, not-so-good for growing pretty things. I did manage to weed my herb garden. I have cute little sprouts of lavender, basil, and thyme popping out. I think the basil may take over the whole yard if I'm not careful!

The butterflies are loving the flowers, as are some hummingbirds. I bought a hummingbird feeder last night that I plan to hang off the back of the house this weekend.

In other news, a bone marrow donor has been found for my baby niece. He's a FULL MATCH.

Tonight's plans include a cookout at Nick's school and possibly a late movie if time allows.

Checking it twice

I think tomorrow will be a Holly day. I'm going to take the day to take care of things I need to do for myself. I think I'll start by running. I've been meaning to get into the habit for awhile, and since we have so many new beginnings right now, it seems like a good time to do it. I need to get organized to get things off my mind. I have a list of things nagging at me, and if I can get that list down, I can start checking off the things that are standing in the way of my peaceful mind.

I started the list. Today was Nick's first day of orientation, and I'm spent. There has been so much excitement already this week, and it's only Tuesday.

Sunday, busy Sunday

Yesterday we bought phlox, butterfly bush, and black eyed susans to start my butterfly garden. I also picked up a glass jar with a dispenser to make sun tea. The Morristown TJMaxx is awesome. It has lots of Home Goods items. Nick was able to find three pairs of dress pants to fit him, each for under $20. Morristown, itself, is kind of dumpy. Actually, it's a strange juxtaposition of old and new. Just be careful driving on those streets. I don't think they've been paved in my lifetime.

Our meet 'n greet with Nick's classmates was fun. We met some nice people (and a nice pup) and look forward to getting to know them better. We stayed late into the night and slept in today. It's been a lazy Sunday, but we're getting things done.

Soon, we'll take a trip to the grocery store. I'm going to tackle the windows in my kitchen and bathroom. When it cools off later, I'll plant my flowers.

Tomorrow's a busy day - my interview and another gathering with Nick's classmates in the evening. Tuesday is our orientation. Then he's orienting the rest of the week without me.

Productive day

I finished the main panel for my pantry today. I had enough fabric left over to make cushions for my bistro chairs. I'm going to add covered buttons to them but not tonight. I also made a curtain for my kitchen. It's temporary. I used fabric recycled from my fireplace panels I made for our last place.

Our lawn service came tonight - finally. Our yard looks quite nice. I'm guessing I can expect them every other Friday evening. They had a riding mower, so it didn't seem to take them long at all.

We had plans to go to town today, but my husband's been so productive that I haven't been motivated to leave. He's finally working on the media - his - room. I have a project to do in there once he's done, so that's his motivation. Plus, he has some textbooks coming his way next week and needs to make room for them.

I've been productive, too. In addition to the sewing, I did some laundry. I haven't done any cooking, though. I'll need to get some groceries to do that. And, although we resigned to a late-night trip to Wal-mart in lieu of our plans to paint the town, my hot husband is still working in the media room, and Julie and Julia came on the TV. I'm a big Amy Adams fan, so here I am, blogging in front of the TV. :)

The pantry

I'm earning my Girl Scout pantry building badge this week. I bought this shelving unit ($30) from Ikea and painted it with four cans of black RustOleum lacquer ($16 for 4 cans). After spray painting all the slats and shelves, I put it together in my dining room while Rollo supervised. Nick tightened all the bolts for me and installed the crossbar. I'm thinking about how I want to hang the fabric I bought for panels. I don't want my pantry contents on display in my dining room, so panels are a must.

Tonight, I'm going to start my herb garden. I'll need to start most of the seeds indoors. I also bought the items I need to start my gardens. I'm deciding where to place my butterfly garden and my herbs. I've decided I don't want them near each other, as one is intended to draw insects and the other I'm hoping to shield from the 6-legged critters.

Project updates

A few days ago I posted this:
1. Finish/paint the pantry shelving unit. Finish the edges on the fabric panel, and hang it over the pantry. I have a pretty black and white French scroll fabric for it.
2. Make Nick's desk cover.
3. Coffee table conversion to a padded foot-of-the-bed bench for Rollo. I need to pick up the right fabric for this job. I found a discount fabric outlet about 15 minutes away that I'm dying to check out!
4. Stain the rocking chair with outdoor paint, and repair the cracks with wood glue. I'm also going to eventually make tie-on cushions for the rocker, in an outdoor-friendly fabric. Nick said the only way I can keep the chair is if we put it on our porch. I haven't decided what color to stain it. I have a feeling I'll make this decision while I'm at the store.
5. Make a slipcover for our orange rocker. I'll have to find the right black and/or white fabric for this one. I'm planning on getting some nursery use out of it.

Here are my updates:
1. I've almost finished painting the pantry. I've been spray painting it, and I've had to plan my coats around the rain, as I'm doing it outside. It looks good so far, but I need one more can of lacquer to fill in the last unpainted spots. Once we get it painted and dried, we can put it together and I'll work on the fabric panel. I'm so ready to have a pantry. I've had to work around my food that's just sitting on the kitchen counters.

2. We've mostly unpacked the media room, but Nick's desk is still covered in stuff that isn't going to stay there. I have to find more places to put stuff, because I refuse to stuff boxes of junk into the closets. It's a decision that's making the last of the unpacking slow, but I hope it will pay off. Everything is unpacked except for media stuff. I just don't know what to do with it.

3. I found the perfect light blue, flannel fabric for Rollo's bench. I used an old mattress pad to make the cushion. I'm going to attach strips of velcro to the bottom of the table and the edges of the fabric so it can be removed and washed. For now, it's positioned, just unattached. Rollo enjoys it.

4. Since I had already started sanding the rocker, and it rains every day here, and the rocker is on the porch, more damage has been done. The arms have cracked even more, and I'm beginning to wonder if the chair is salvageable.

5. I'm starting to think the ugly orange chair has found its home in our bedroom. It definitely needs a makeover.

Note to self

Find what it is you love to do - what you live to do - and do it for all mankind. This is the key to a happy life - living with purpose and living fully.

Oh, baby

I've been away from the internet for four days and now I can't shut up. I had to share this awesomeness that my Rachel friend posted.

Most of the info isn't news to me. I took an awesome Sociology of the Family course when I was an undergrad that provided me with most of this info. In a nutshell - children don't add to our happiness, contrary to popular belief. Married couples who have children see their happiness levels diminish with each child. Marital satisfaction rises when the last children leaves the nest. However, they never return to pre-birth levels.

Thanks to this article, I've found my next must read.

It's no secret that I've had a bad case of baby lust for the past several years, even being aware of this information. It doesn't help that sooooo many of my friends are popping out kids. However, we're in the group that sees a right and wrong way (for us) to do things. For us, it would be wrong to have a baby before we are financially ready. For us, that means one of us finishes a graduate program before our baby cries. For us, that means it could happen in the next couple years. We have a checklist. We're not to the (not-so) baby step yet.

I've always been excited about starting a family. I know Nick wants to be a dad, too. I know though, and have known since he made the decision to go to medical school, that I will be waaay more active in raising the kidlings than he will. It's why I've felt so much pressure in making my career/education choices. Nick's career will be a demanding one. His career will come first.

We have put A LOT of thought into this baby thing. So much so that I believe sweet irony will inevitably resolve the issue for us.

House living

I am loving this new house. The last time I lived in a house (besides that six-month-nightmare in my inlaws' basement) was when I was in high school. My entire adult life has been spent in dorm/apartment/townhouse/basement/condo living.

Taking out the garbage is easy as cherry pie. I walk out the side door, go down three steps, and turn the corner to my garbage can. It's on wheels and super easy to put out on Wednesday nights.

Mailbox. I have one. I got to put up the little red flag today to send out my graduate school application. I watched the mailman put it down. The sweet simplicity made me happy. I don't think I've EVER had the opportunity to behold this seemingly mundane event.

We have a back porch for a sunnin' Ro.

Taking out Rollo is cake. I have three doors leading to three different directions from which to choose. He won't go off the back porch unless I walk out to the grass with him. I was hoping I could just clip the cable on him and let him go, but oh no. Baby Ro is afwaid. He must have heard the snake rumors, too.

Garden. It's happening.

Late night vacuuming, which I've yet to do. My vacuum was the last thing packed, and since we were at capacity at that point, it got sent home with my bro-in-law (to be delivered tomorrow.)

My own bathroom. And vanity. And closet large enough to bed a small rhino.

Better quality everything. Real walls. Decent light fixtures. A ceiling fan - did I ever tell you that one tried to kill me once? No? Another story for another day.

A driveway. It's incredible to be able to step out of my car, walk 5 or 10 steps, and be inside my door. It made for seamless unloading of the moving truck.

Cute, little neighbors doing cute, little neighborly things, like watering their flowers and mowing their lawns. Except for the morons driving up and down the street all evening on their four-wheelers. These were adults, I'm sorry to say.

An open front door (and closed storm door) to let the sun in, in the morning and open blinds on our back glass door to do the same in the afternoon. We have a happy canine.

BRAND NEW REFRIGERATOR. It's huge-ish. And a BRAND NEW OVEN. And BRAND NEW LINOLEUM.

Tons o'cabinet space in the kitchen.

A real street address with no Apt./Unit #.

Lots of storage space, overall. I can't put a value on this. It rocks my world.

Commitment

You won't know what commitment is until it is called into question. You won't know what it is on your wedding day, when you're asked if you promise your fidelity to your spouse for the rest of your lives. You won't know what it is on your first anniversary when you're still beaming with new love's glow. You won't know what it is through the death of your parents, when it's easy to cling to the nearest body. You won't know what it is until you find yourself questioning it.

That tinge of doubt - that lingering question, "What if?" will clue you in. It may be, "What if I were with him/her instead?" Or it might be less specific, "What if I weren't married?" Or it may be even more specific, like a remembrance of the way an ex lover responded in a similar situation. Perhaps you'll start wondering if you made a mistake, if the grass could be greener.

The truth is that you would likely feel this way regardless who you were married to, or if you were married at all. Your memories are best left where they are. If you're feeling this way, there may be something bigger bothering you. Are you unhappy with your marriage? What is it specifically that is bothering you? Do you feel like you're having the same arguments again and again? Maybe it's not your marriage but another area of your life that is causing you upset. Do you have other functional relationships in your life? Do you have outside hobbies, interests, activities?

Commitment doesn't have value until you have to answer it. It's a question that requires a decision. It's a matter of saying, "Yes," every time your mind asks for your continued fidelity. It's a checkpoint, and it requires action on your part. It comes easily when things are good and wrestles with us when we're unsure. Commitment is a choice we'll make over and over again.

For me, it's a matter of faith in myself. On my wedding day, I made a promise. I see myself as a person who sticks to her word. I am responsible for the promises I make, not because of my religious beliefs, and not exclusively because of my respect for those receiving my word; I am faithful to my word because I respect myself. Because I respect myself, I know that there are times when keeping my word would not be the right thing to do. But I will not place my fleeting desires before my word. If ever I find myself unhappy in my marriage, I know I must examine why.

My first Kentucky post

It's been a busy week. We finally got here late Sunday night - 11:30ish. We unpacked about a third of the truck so we could get to a mattress. We finished up Monday morning. Since we only have three steps from our driveway into our dining room, we were able to fully unload the truck ourselves. Nick got a few things set up, including the washer and dryer, and we left to return our truck (over an hour away). When we got back, Nick set up TVs in two different rooms so I could play DVDs while I was here alone all week. It wasn't until tonight that I realized I could pick up internet. Ours will be installed tomorrow morning.

The only room left to be unpacked is the media room. I'm saving that for after Nick returns, since that's really his room. I'm really excited about our bedroom. It's HUGE. I set up a table to use as a vanity along one of our bedroom walls. It's next to MY bathroom. It really only took me two days to unpack most everything. Packing is another story. I've decided I really don't want to move things I don't need ever again, so I've been seriously downsizing during this move. I got rid of a bunch of Christmas stuff that we never put out. We also got rid of lots of clothes and some kitchen stuff. I'm not allowing cardboard anywhere in my home. If we don't have a place for it, it goes.

When Nick gets back, I'm going to start on my projects.
1. Finish/paint the pantry shelving unit. Finish the edges on the fabric panel, and hang it over the pantry. I have a pretty black and white French scroll fabric for it.
2. Make Nick's desk cover.
3. Coffee table conversion to a padded foot-of-the-bed bench for Rollo. I need to pick up the right fabric for this job. I found a discount fabric outlet about 15 minutes away that I'm dying to check out!
4. Stain the rocking chair with outdoor paint, and repair the cracks with wood glue. I'm also going to eventually make tie-on cushions for the rocker, in an outdoor-friendly fabric. Nick said the only way I can keep the chair is if we put it on our porch. I haven't decided what color to stain it. I have a feeling I'll make this decision while I'm at the store.
5. Make a slipcover for our orange rocker. I'll have to find the right black and/or white fabric for this one. I'm planning on getting some nursery use out of it.

Then I can start planning my gardens! I wonder what I can plant here in late summer.

Home improvements

I've been loving this new blog another blogger tuned me into. It has given me a lot of ideas for the new place. Here are a few:

Make shades out of mini blinds

This metallic spray paint

I plan to use this to make a Rollo-friendly bench out of an ugly coffee table, to put at the foot of our bed.

These would be good for small items on our new Ikea bookshelf, aka the "room divider."

I'm thinking of doing this over our kitchen window - Oh hey, by the way...I get a window in my kitchen!! (I've always wanted one.)

I may use this idea for the long side table I plan to turn into a vanity table in our bedroom.

I'm going to make a slipcover for Nick's ugly burnt orange rocker. I'll have to make some adjustments since it's not stationary.

I'm considering these for our room divider, too. (It's a pdf.)


Since we don't have a pantry, we bought a free-standing shelving unit. It's currently in slats of some kind of unfinished wood. I plan to finish it with a black varnish, then hang some pretty black and white floral fabric I bought. I'm a little afraid that it will turn out too girly looking for a generally androgynous area, so I may use the fabric for a smaller scale project.

I also bought a very girly brown and light blue floral pattern to use with my vanity. I had my six-year-old nephew's permission to pick out the fabric I wanted, since it was for my use. I've decided to give my opinions more* preference when it comes to home decor. Lately, I realized that when it comes to fabric or furniture choices, Nick always chooses a solid color. I looked around my home to find absolutely no patters anywhere. Why is he afraid of patterns? Why have I been afraid of patterns? It's time to shake things up.

I'm on a black and white kick lately. I have a nearly unhealthy love for my new solid white dishes. I opened my kitchen cabinet today and literally cheered. Nick knew exactly why I was clapping my hands together exclaiming, "That makes me so happy!" It's a cheap thrill for the $25, 18-piece set I picked up at, yes, Ikea. I think I'll pick up a few baskets and containers for our room divider and spray paint them white or black if needed.

I'm all about storage in our new place. There will be no cardboard boxes anywhere in my home. Everywhere we've lived, we've had unpacked boxes stuffed away in closets. If there's no place to put something, perhaps we don't need to hang onto it. That's what we have storage containers for. I've made a point to plan places for the little things, as well as the big. Nick seems to think he'll be setting up his drum set since we'll have a house for the first time. They're electric blue. Maybe I can spray paint those...HA!

I've also been planning our nursery. (Don't tell Nick. Okay, he knows, but he doesn't know I'm sharing my crazy with the blog world.) Boy or girl, I have this vision of black and white with green accents. I'm thinking frogs. I think I got my inspiration from my sister's recent wedding - the color scheme, not the frogs. I think green can be a sweet accent color that isn't too boyish or girlish. And I'm sure that whether we have a he or she, we'll have plenty of gender-specific clothing and accessories. Ikea has the cutest frog stuff (and frog storage stuff.) I'm tempted to stock up, but that would be insane.

Okay, so all this nursery talk is premature. We're not expecting. If we were, I'd be more obvious about it. We're not even 100% sure that we will choose to have children. We think it would be irresponsible to have children - you know, on purpose - without at least knowing the results of our genetic carrier tests, since it's very likely that I'm a carrier for MPS I, not to mention it's medically suggested that we test for Tay Sachs, due to our ethnicity.

It's late. I need sleep. Tomorrow is a busy day full of packing, laundry, planning my nephew's surprise treasure hunt, and finishing my grad school application.

*more being relative to the amount of preference I was allowing myself to have before now, not more than him...that's another story for another day.