New Year….New Stuff.

First on the agenda.  New hair, priorities you know.

The First Born helped me pick a word yesterday, RELAX is the word.  I love watching Ali Edward’s blog and seeing how everyone stays focused on their words and uses that “one little word” to change their lives.  Let’s see if I learn how to RELAX!

I love this project!  I had a big ole blank wall and couldn’t find the “perfect” solution.  I asked Mr. Wonderful to find me some old barn wood.  He found the barn wood and make the backdrop, BUT then I had nothing to finish it off.  Along came Christmas and I received a gift from this great Etsy shop.  The rest is history.  Thanks Mr. Wonderful another great project complete.

I am already looking for my next project!  Oh what will it be?

I am going to “Link Up” to a little party over at One Letter Cottage.

I am getting involved LifeCenter here in Cincinnati, during my hiatus from blogging my sister, Marsha passed away.  As a family we found a lot of peace in Marsha’s decision to be an organ donor.

I have decided that instead of talking about hives, hormones, death, grief and organ donation I’d start new blogs for those topics….I’ll share more information about that soon.  I do want to ask if you are a reader and you aren’t an organ donor please register, I have set a goal of getting 100 donors in my sister’s memory….I have three so far.  Just leave me a comment here or an email at mich_chasteen@yahoo.com.

Just wanted everyone to know I’m alive with a bunch of “stuff” going on, but have promised myself at least one blog post a week….blogging always made me feel good and right now I need something in that department.

When I saw this beauty I knew I had to have it.  I bid and I bid and finally she was all mine for the low low price of $25.  Mr. Wonderful says he spent another $25 driving to pick her up.  I couldn’t wait to show him how well spent his time and money were.

Isn’t she pretty?  See the black on the sides?  That is someone’s hand prints.  I love vintage finds like this I just wish they could talk and tell “their story”.  I spent some time “prettying her up” today and then it was time to figure out what her purpose would be.  Maybe you can help me decide.

I think both of these ideas would be great for my Memorial Day cookout.

I love it on top of my new green cabinet holding a few of my favorite cookbooks.  (the light just wouldn’t let me get a great picture.

Who doesn’t love fresh flowers and arranging these were so much fun.  If you look to the left of this picture you see another project we finished today and one I’ll be starting tomorrow.  I am a multi-tasking girl these days.

We are concentrating a lot of energy on our backyard right now getting ready for summer, but I let myself get sidetracked today with a few projects.  I am so glad I did.  I love this new treasure and I think Mr. Wonderful would agree money well spent.  After all “Happy Wife, Happy Life”.

So tell me what should “her” purpose be?

All this fun made me start googling.

Found you can make old spaghetti jars look like vintage mason jars……….

…who would have thought?  Get the details right here.

Then I saw House of Smith pop up in my search, have I mentioned lately I love that blog.  You can see one of her vinyls in the background of one of my pics from today.  She shows you how to make your own vintage box.  While over at her blog I had to stop by her store and I will say I have found another vinyl I will be ordering (keep in my mind I have my own Cricut I just love her stuff).  You wanna see what I found?  Ok.

I must say I might have spent hours looking at Mason Jars, I might even admit I have edited this four times because I continue to find just down right cuteness….and tons of ideas…I mean check all of this “Mason Jar Goodness”.

So with the two tutorials I found I’m thinking you could recreate my treasure for less then $25, please don’t tell Mr. Wonderful.

I’ll be linking this to some other blogs this week.

<center><a href=”http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/&#8221; target=”_blank”><img border=”0″ alt=”Funky Junk’s Saturday Nite Special” src=”http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b243/signmakergirl/satnitenew150w-1.jpg&#8221; /></a></center>

I’ve learned that I can survive ANYTHING, I am stronger then I ever dreamed and I love my kids with everything I am. 

I may not be “the best mom”, I’ve even wondered recently what I’ve done right.  I still haven’t figured out the answer, but I do know I’ve done the best that I was capable of doing at that very minute.  Do I have regrets?  Is the sky blue?  Would I like a “do over”, you betcha.

I have actually sit in the dark this week reflecting on motherhood and laughed out loud at the irony.  I have four children, three here on earth.  I have been a different mom to each of them for many different reasons and I am pretty sure the one I disappointed and let down the most is at this time the biggest blessing I have.  Will that change, I sure hope so.  Wait I want that to change, yeap I do.  I want to have three children who appreciate me, love me in spite of my screw ups, and check in every now and then.  Right now that just isn’t my reality and I’m not sure how to let go of the hurt, the anger and the disappointment.

I appreciate my first born and am pretty sure I don’t tell her often enough.  I happen to know she is a reader of the old blog and I hope this post put a smile on her face.  Love you beautiful girl!  (We need a new picture ASAP this one was taken prior to a 30 lb. weight loss…another example of a Mother’s Love, this is awful of me and adorable of her….but then I don’t think she has ever taken a bad picture…..as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside…..)

I had a huge blow last week, it shouldn’t have been I should be use to BUT I’m not.  The rejection, the disappointment, the hurt have finally all turned to down right ANGER.  It’s an ugly anger, the kind that makes the pit of your stomach feel like you want to throw up.  It’s the type of anger that tells me it’s time to cut bait.  I’m spent.  I’m exhausted.  I’ve had all I can take.

I of course was told, “there’s more to it”.  Well there isn’t.  It’s 40 years of feeling “not good enough”, “not loved”, “not looked out for”, “not protected” and it’s a 45 year old woman saying, “Wait a minute, I deserve more then this.”  I deserve to be a priority.  I deserve respect and I deserve to be protected. 

I wish I was hurt, I could deal with the hurt because it doesn’t scare me like the anger.  Tonight I actually thought of knocking on this person’s door and just letting her know exactly how evil she is.  Of course she’s a “good Christian woman”.  Dear Lord help us if that is Christianity.  But instead I went and did a little RAK for my sweet daughter and decided I will not stoop to the ugliness I have been subjected to.  I will just politely throw in the towel and once the dust settles I will try to learn whatever I was suppose to learn and chalk it up to a life experience.

Consider how hard it is to change yourself and you’ll understand what little chance you have in trying to change others.  ~Jacob M. Braude

I ran to my sister this weekend, it was the best thing I could have done for my head and my heart.  Why you might wonder.  Well, she reminded me I am a great person, I have a lot to offer and I have given a lot if that isn’t enough to get me the love, the respect and the protection I have begged for what more can I do.  There comes a time when enough is enough, where you just can’t make any more excuses.

You can kid the world.  But not your sister.  ~Charlotte Gray

We had a girls weekend and when it’s all said and done I know that I’m loved…I might not know what tomorrow brings, but I know that whatever it brings I will have my sister by my side and we’ll laugh even thru the tears. 

Where there is anger, there is always pain underneath.  ~Eckhart Tolle

I wonder when it’s all said and done how many people will be affected by one person’s inability to see things for what they really are and do something about it.  How long can you ignore evil and at what point do you then become part of that evil?  How can you let your life blow up in your face because you can’t stand up for what is right?

One does evil enough when one does nothing good.  ~German Proverb

The saddest part for me as I watch my life as I know it fall apart around me I’m not in a panic.  I keep thinking, “I’ll be ok.”  This person who has caused so much hurt, anger and down right hostility will be gone from my life.  The sad part is she will continue her games, there will just be new faces and new victims…the outcome will be the same and all the while the person allowing it all to take place…the only person capable to stop the cycle will be sitting back pretending it all isn’t happening.

Denial is more then a river in Egypt.

I’m not sure who I have more anger at my monster-in-law or my husband who doesn’t care enough about me, my daughter, himself, his children or our marriage to put this ugly woman in her place.  Pitiful.

It is what it is.

Yes that’s a birthday hat, crazy straws and a big huge bow….did I mention 90 balloons?

I love the big wooden 90….did you notice the little forks?

It was quite simple…..

90 balloons

foam wreath

big bow

wooden numbers

party favors

stapler

hot glue

AND A LOT OF LOVE!!!!!

So this year we have a new dining room table, alright I admit it.  Not new, just saved from ending up at the dump.  I wish I had some before pictures, you’d be in awe of Mr. Wonderful if you could see how different it is.  We think it’s a “Walton’s Table” and we love it.  Keeping in mind the personality of the table I changed my centerpiece this year.

My view from my favorite spot in the living room.

A little closer look.  Don’t you love the “tree”, you would have really loved the look on Mr. Wonderful’s face when I requested a “tree” for my centerpiece.  I must say he is now happy with it, ok he’s not happy with the “tree” he’s happy that I’m happy.  As it should be.

Along with the new table and new centerpiece we also have a new tree.  I love my new skinny, flocked tree.  My son isn’t as impressed, but what does a 21 year old know about Christmas trees?

I love words on my tree, I have a few but never pass one up when I find a new one.

My motto is, “If you don’t believe, you don’t receive.”  The bell beside this ornament was my grandmother’s she gave it to me the Christmas before she passed away.  I cherish it.

The first ornament I put on the tree each year, Baby James’ one and only ornament.

One of my favorite gifts last year, a squirrel ornament from the bestie.  Classic!

I always bring out The Baby Girl’s first Christmas photo, I must say this year I’m asking where does time go?

A few years ago we started putting a tree in her bedroom.

Well, of course it’s pink and has zebra ornaments on it.  Don’t you have a tree like this?  She refused to put all of her ornaments on it.  I quote, “Mom I don’t want too many ornaments.”  Kids these days, like there is such a thing.  She’s 12 there is time to learn.

I changed the china cabinet this year, it’s usually filled with red.  I may keep it this way after Christmas I like the white.  I just want more.  Of course.

Last year I bought a box of Christmas “stuff” at the thrift store and these four vintage ornaments were part of the loot.  I want more!  My goal is to have a tree full of vintage next year, keep your fingers crossed.

Join the party over at The Inspired Room.

I bought a flocked tree this year and my son is not impressed, but I love!

My table is going to be so pretty, Mr. Wonderful found me wood while we were “home” for Thanksgiving so it makes my table even more special.

Isn’t the wood, gorgeous?

I changed the china cabinet this week and am pretty sure when Christmas is over I will keep it with all white dishes.

I love just the little touches of red.

Hope you are having fun getting ready for Santa!  The kids and Mr. Wonderful think I’m crazy but I sure am having fun.  I am still not finished, well maybe I am I have more that I could do but I’m enjoying the simplicity of what I have accomplished, we’ll see.

Going to link to some blog parties so I can see what some other “Crazy Ladies” have come up with.

I am pretty sure I have decided on the colors I am going to use.  I have found the base for room, please take a peek and tell me what you think.

I like the thought of teal and green together.

We have decided on leather furniture, brown is the color.  I like the set I found yesterday, but we were leaning towards a sectional so we’ll see.

I’m not sure what Mr. Wonderful is dreading most, but for whatever reason he isn’t excited about taking down the vertical blinds that I hate and replacing them with some other type of window cover.

I can’t wait to work on hanging fun stuff.

I think I might go with something a little more organized like this.

I have looked at lamps and pillows until I feel a little crazy.

I always thought I would have red in my living room because of the green hutch but I am really leaning towards teal and green.

I’m excited to get a new look now if I could just make some decisions.