Room by room - master bedroom

Tucked in the corner of the new house, in the furthest spot from everyone, is our retreat.  

First up, the furniture.  We've owned the bedroom set for nearly our whole marriage.  It was a cheap one in 1997, and frankly I am surprised it's still holding up.  Strider expressed interest in swapping it for something else but I like the classic look of it, and while it's showing a bit of wear, it's doing alright.

Here is my dresser/mirror.  I no longer do makeup in here, so it should stay less cluttered than in the last house.

I found the necklace hanger (acrylic knobs on a board) for $5. It organizes my jewelry nicely, and was already the perfect color.

  With a tiny closet I needed to get creative for shoe storage.  I love my shoes.  At Ross I got this telescoping tiered shoe rack for a fraction of the Amazon price.    I think I paid $15?  Brilliant, I tell you.

So, yeah.  I didn't think we could have a smaller closet than at the last house but I was wrong.  Most of what you see here is Strider's stuff.  Starting at the yellow shirt on the right, my clothes hang in about 2 feet of space.  He has the front-of-the-closet-because-I-dress-for-work-in-the-morning part.  I have the back-of-the-closet-so-I-can't-really-reach-it part.  It's a royal pain.  C'est la vie.

 This dresser is for hubs.  We re-purposed some hooks and made a spot for robes behind the door.  

The room has hints of gray, teal and apple green.  The throw pillow and floral shades were from Target clearance and add a little bit of interest to the plain cherrywood bed & white comforter.

I love the old windows and didn't want to make custom curtains and all that jazz.  After two months of wondering who might get a glimpse of us changing clothes or something, I bought this window film, which gives privacy but still lets in light.

I've decided to keep our bags for attending the temple right by the door.  I'm hoping it will be a reminder to go often?

This guy is the best thing to ever happen to me.  We're forever newlyweds.  I put our picture with a gorgeous  $7 teal owl from Ross here on my dresser along with a candle I've had forever, and dollar store dogwood flowers in a thrift store vase.    

Sheesh, after getting this room all ready for photos, it's too nice to sleep in tonight :)  Maybe I'll lay on top of the covers.

I'd still love some updates in here.

1.  I'd like to add some pillows.

source

Wonder if I could make that?

source

These look just like my lampshades

source

Love these patterns.

2. Add wall art?

source: Pinterest

Wedding song

source

Framed words

3. And we definitely need to change the light fixture

source: Pinterest

For now, it's not hip or fancy (fitting, cuz we aren't either), but it's one of my favorite spaces in the house.  

It's quiet. 

The kids really NEVER come in (our previous master bedroom was a major gathering place).  

The a/c blasts this room super cold (LOVE).  

We finally have privacy glass so that we don't feel conspicuous.

  

We downsized some stuff before moving, so even though it's small, it's fairly easy to keep clean.  

And here's a big one - we decided to dump the tv.  

Peaceful.  

The phrase I look at every day when I open my eyes.  

Boy, is it ever.

Linking to: Not Just a Housewife

To-do today

Photo by Chacee

I was making my list (done and yet to-do) for today and felt like sharing it.

++++++++++++++++++
up at 5:50
read scriptures
Pizzazz choir carpool (6:20)
regular jr high carpool (7:20)
elementary safety patrol (8:15)
call in one kid sick and coughing
start crockpot with salsa and chicken breasts
empty dishwasher instead of the sick kid doing it (yuck)
not make the bed - Strider did it!
clean hall and clear hobby/craft desk area
get papers out of the kitchen - file the pile
fill out permission forms for ski trips and spring play try-outs
upload Rosebud birthday pics
do 2 loads laundry
clean out microwave
schedule dentist appts
write 3 thank you notes
clean out purse
get my planner up-to-date
order jr high yearbook (finally!)
get ready to do taxes
ask Jedi's teacher what activities she wants planned for Valentine's Day
read over some merit badge requirements so I can help Potter & Bugs
decide FHE tonight
blog (hee hee)
stop wrestling with the decision to Pintrest or not
finally watch Tangled with my daughter

+++++++++++++++++
Phew.  I love Mondays.

Last two weeks

Well, I broke down and ordered another $3 camera cord, but in the meantime I will share a few recent things based on pictures I have on my cell phone.

Jedi did a very cute poem about diversity for the PTA Reflections contest and it won the top award at the school level and is headed on to district competition.  He got a real trophy with his name printed on the plate and everything.

His entry talked about being black/white not mattering and that what counts is how we live our lives.  I love it.  I should have scanned it before he submitted it.  I will try to remember to share it once we get it back.

Here is Rosebud, moments after her ear piercing and as soon as she finished crying.  She has been asking about them for a while.  And as my "girlier" girl, she had a much easier time with it than Princess did. She looks so pretty with shiny, gleaming little ears.  Big thanks to my mom who took her and her baby cousin to the mall together to get pierced.

Strider and I were asked to give a special talk on "marriage that endures the test of time" for our Relief Society Super Saturday just before Thanksgiving.  It was a humbling experience but was a total blast.  We have never collaborated on a project of that caliber and it was a ton of fun to compare notes/outlines and then take turns giving our portions of the talk.  We grew closer together just as a result of the preparation, and then as I heard him speak about me/us it made my heart swell.  What a neat opportunity!  Maybe sometime I can share the outline we used.  Gosh, I love him!

After I upload pics I will share things happening with the older boys. :)

Wedding gift

Maybe it's just my little corner over here, but we have been SWAMPED with wedding and shower invitations this summer. I saw The Dating Divas feature this Can 'O Dates gift and I knew I had to give it a try.

You start with a gallon size craft pail like this:

I got mine at Michaels and it was a little less than $4 with my 40% off coupon.

The original idea has files for you to print out to decorate the cans.  My printer ink is about a billion dollars, so I decided to use my scrapbook paper stash instead.  I measured the inside height of the can and cut paper to fit the inside.  This was easy since the can is clear.  If you had a solid can, you could just adhere your paper to the outside.

Since I used my own paper and color scheme, I also had to design my own title for the can and lid.

Next you need to cut out the ideas to fill the can with.

Here is the file of dating ideas to print out.

I didn't use all of them.  I stopped printing at 50, and then put that on the lid.

Then I went to town using up ribbon scraps for the handle

At this particular shower, I was going with my mother in law and helping her present a gift card.

I made a gift card holder out of the excess paper I cut off.

Isn't it cute?!

I think it's the perfect wedding or bridal shower gift - with or without a gift card.  It's basically enough ideas to help newlyweds with their first year of weekly date nights. 
Even if you don't use this idea for a gift, look at the file of dating ideas.  There are several fun things I want to plan with Strider!

So close, and yet so far

So the hubs and I needed to blow this town.  In a really big way.  The pressures of school, the kids/summer/heat/stress/trials were overwhelming.  I made a last minute decision to whisk him away for a night. I called siblings.  I arranged care for the kiddos.  And we took off.

How wonderful it was to drive a mere hour and feel worlds away. We went to The Homestead Resort and it was just perfect. 

Pool? check.

Hot tub? check. 

Private balcony? Golf? Food included? check, check, check.

Look how gorgeous this place is

We loved strolling the shady walkways

The flower arrangements were seriously 10 feet high

360' views from the crater we climbed

The coolest thing was sharing a little in his love of golf.  I have wanted to try a driving range for a while now so I told him to bring his clubs along.  They have a gorgeous course there, and while I know he would have loved to do 9 or 18, he was perfectly happy to show me how to swing.

I might have been a decent softball player back in the day, but for the life of me, I can't do much with a club.  I had about 5 balls out of 30 or so that went in the general direction they were supposed to.  But it was tons of fun. 

After about 15 minutes, I didn't know where to even put the ball because my whole spot was full of divots.

Look at the same area on his side. 

Um, I think they might not ask me to come back any time soon.

Gosh, he's cute.

We had breakfast on a deck over a stream and watched the ducks, fish, and hummingbirds go by.

 We played air hockey and ping pong like little kids.

We even had the pool to ourselves about half the time.

If you live here, check out the hot deals part of the website for their specials.  I recommend it!  Even if you don't live here, please don't forget that any time or money you invest in your marriage will be returned to you tenfold.  What a great 24 hours - close to home but SO far away.

Fourteen Years

I'm the luckiest woman in the world.  I have had this guy by my side since I was 17.

That's half my life!

Fourteen years ago we knelt at the altar and both said "Yes".

We've never looked back, and life is bliss.  Truly.

Happy Anniversary, hon!