BTW

I remembered what I 'gave up' for Lent last year....it wasn't Soda...it was Coffee and believe you me it was HARD...but I did it! With one small slip up..at a friends house after dinner she offered Coffee with Dessert and I accepted ..I was halfway thru my cup before I realized what I had done! But I decided to go ahead and enjoy the rest of my cup that night and vowed to be more careful for the rest of the Season and I didn't make THAT mistake again. Of course eventually after Lent was over I started back to drinking Coffee and now have as much of a habit with it as I ever did(which isn't really THAT much of a habit...I DO like my cup every morning..but most days that's ALL I have.. the one cup..and some days I don't even have that..)

A Good Day

Here are some things that are making me happy today....I know yesterday I posted about wanting to be less materialistic and not so concerned with fashion and fads...but the truth is...sometimes 'things' can lift your spirits and help you to be happy. Like today....I just needed a little pick me up and so I decided to wear a few things that 'make me happy" ...Now , none of these things are new, they are things I had hanging around for the last year or so. I don't think I've ever even worn the shoes before!! Pink has really been on my mind and in my thoughts a LOT lately..I don't know why but lately it makes me 'Happy" so I've been finding all my old pink stuff and revisiting it.....

Tonight we are going into Appleton to Celebrate my Nieces Birthday with family. I did shop today, as I wanted to get a little something for her....I can't tell you how tempted I was to buy some little thing for myself but I stuck to my guns and ONLY bought for her. I also considered gettin g some lunch while I was out but then decided against it and ate at home before heading out. We'll be eating out tonight as part of her Birthday Celebration so I really didn't need to eat out again for lunch. Especially during Lent, on a Friday, when I'm supposed to be fasting....tonight I'll try to order something simple and meatless....

The Lenten Season....

has begun and I'm really excited about it this year. I have so many things I want to accomplish during Lent and hopefully beyond. Every year I have a hard time deciding what to 'give up' ( mostly because I'm weak and my good intentions never pan out) but this year I'm determined . I can't remember what I gave up last year...but I'm pretty sure I was sucessful. I think it was Soda....but just can't remember( how bad is that..LOL). So, this year I'm actually going to give up unnecessary shopping. No new clothes, shoes, accessories, decor, magazines,books....etc. I will only purchase things we need. I 've always wanted to do this...but my selfishness always got in the way...but I'm feeling different this year. I don't know...my satisfaction in shopping really hasn't been that great these days....and I think I'm really ready to conquer the Shopaholic Monster in me.

I also have been thinking of my 'Word of the Year" ...LOVE? So far it hasn't been a very "Loving" year.....it started out with CDR and I bickering and hasn't really stopped...Valentine's was pretty much a flop as well....I know a LOT of the Problem is me and my attitude( although HE could definitely use an "attitude adjustment" too!)but, the fact is I can only change myself and that is something I'd like to work on this Lenten Season. How can "I" be more loving? How can I share it?etc. etc.

And although this may sound 'selfish" ( I know I have a bad habit of using 'quotes" too much...LOL and "LOL" too much ...sue me!) but I need to really focus on taking care of ME...not to become "self -centered" or anything...but to maybe lessen the demand for others to have to take care of me....If I can LOVE myself instead of trying to force it from others...If I can find MY OWN happiness instead of making others responsible for it? That kind of thing.

And the biggest thing I need to focus on God more. Turn to him for help.. Be thankful for all he gives me. I really want to spend this time meditating and reflecting on what it is to follow Christ?What role can prayer have in my life? I think this is the thing I have a really hard time with....leaving it all to God? Trusting him? Why can't I? It's like I KNOW I would be happier and more content if I just trusted God with everything and stopped worrying who 'loves" me or 'cares' about me...or what I can 'get' from other people...just let God BE all that for me....but then I worry that IF I do that then I'll never actually GET what I want from others(love, caring, etc etc.) Which is silly because if I HAD all that in God...why would it matter if I didn't get it from them? and I KNOW that chances are I probably even WOULD get it from them because I wouldn't be such a needy, grasping, shrew....and they then COULD give me what I so desperately WANT from them.

Anyway, I really want to make a lot of changes in my life...it's something I've been thinking about for a long time....I've mentioned many times in the past my desire to be more Green, Simplify, be less materialistic, be more Natural....self sustainable..more relaxed... etc..and I think NOW is the time to start....it's a struggle ..part of me would really like to just live a simple, farm type life...not worry about the latest fads and fashions...etc.

Of course with CDR building us our very own McMansion it seems to condradict everything I claim to want...but I need to find a way to make it work...

He's Been Busy....

lately too....by HE, I mean CDR! It's been a while since I've put an update about the 7 Lakes Property. A few other bloggers have been doing 'Home Tours" so I figured I'd do one of my own..Welcome to our Home in Cato Wisconsin!
We are still at least a couple of months from being able to move in. As you can see the Wallboard is up and plastering will be starting soon. The heating has just been installed so now CDR and his Lil'Bro can work more comfortably.( The heat was also needed before plastering could start)We plan to hire someone to do the plastering. We've gotten a few estimates and should be making our choice sometime this week....So .....come on in.. here we are at the garage entrance.....you are looking into the dining area with the living room just beyond. Immediately to your left will be our Laundry Room...Once you walk all the way in...to the far left is the Kitchen...The opening to the left is my pantry closet. Around the corner to the left will be my fridge and a built in wall oven and microwave..a desk in the corner...on the far wall will be our stove and in the alcove to the right will be the sink. There will also be an island right about where that scaffolding is standing. You can see some plumbing tubes sticking up for the island prep sink...there will also be another 'bar' coming off that wall on the far right. here we have a better of view of the pantry. That space to the right is where the fridge will go...Now we are standing in the kitchen and looking into the Dining Area...and the small hallway where we came in from the garage...that little doorway in the hall is a coat closet...now you are looking directly into the Dining Area and on into the Living Room. There is an updated pic of the Living Room below this one.. The french doors on the left will go out to a deck...

Looking into the Living Room from the Dining Area...Fireplace insert ..with alcoves for built in shelving....Looking around the corner into the Entry...around the corner to the right is the guest bath and then a Library Area( It was supposed to be a Formal Dining...but I'd rather use it as a Library /Sitting area)....then to the left of the Entry Door ..you see the entry to another small room...that is CDR's Office...Guest Bath...Library/Sitting Area....I plan to have built in shelves along most of that long wall...and it's hard to see but to the right ..perpendicular to the back wall will be another small wall...I plan to have shelving on that one too...Entry to the Master Bedroom Suite.....

Master Bedroom....Looking into the Master Bath....Whirlpool tub? I think...or Jacuzzi...can't remember...LOL

Counter and Sinks will go along that wall to the left of the tub...

CDR wanted the toilet in it's own seperate area.....Looking into the shower...linen closet to the right...Master Bedroom Closet...Stairs going down to the Walkout Basement....
Spare Bedroom #1

Looking into the guest bath downstairs...it is shared by the two bedrooms downstairs....there is also access to it from the back yard ...we have a pond we plan to use for swimming in the summer and this way people can swim and have access to the bathroom without traipsing thru the rest of the house dripping wet.....

Bedroom #2 ..looking into it from the shared
Bathroom...

This is the main area downstairs....the Family/ Party/ Game Room...CDR wants to have a pool table and ping pong and such here....Entry to the Workshop/ Garden Tool storage area....this area will be left relative unfinished... Another guest bath for the Basement area....


Looking at the Stairwell area again..

And finally this will the our Theatre/Bar area....It's hard to tell but directly in from there is a space for a Huge Big Screen TV or for a Projector Screen....we haven't decided which route to go yet....and then around the corner to the right will be a full bar...for parties...This area is open to the Game Room behind me..

So there you go.....Our 7 Lakes House so far....like I said we are probably at least a couple months away from moving in.....plastering comes next.....then we'll be able to get the flooring in and cabinetry....etc. I'll be glad once it's fininshed and we can get into it...

I've Been Busy...

..lately. The last few weeks I've been Crocheting up a storm. I've been in a Crocheted Potholder Craze for a bit. They are fun and quick to make. Not sure WHAT I'm going to DO with them all! A few will get used in my own kitchen... a few will be given away to family and friends...and I think I will put some up for sale in an Etsy Shop. Most are made with Woolblend Sockyarn...a few are made with Cotton..

I've also been able to add a few more squares to my long forgotten "Deployment Blanket"...that blanket I was working on WAY back when....when CDR was deployed to the Med.? There's still not a WHOLE lot of progress on it as I want each square to be a different yarn from a different project.Origionally the idea was to hopefully get some sockyarn scraps from other knitters and crocheters out in blogland but that never panned out. I got a few scraps from one or two people way back when but that was it.

the "new' squares are each one all the way to the left of each row.....

Loving the Pink and Red lately...

I don't know what is is, but lately I've really been feelin' the Red and Pink! Maybe it's because Valentine's is just around the corner and so Red and Pink are the colors of choice in most of the stores and I'm 'feeling the love" ? or maybe it's just that they are so bright and cheery and and in these grey and cold days they are refreshing? I don't know , but right now it's my favorite color combination! Felt a little 'domestic' today so I decided to bake some cupcakes!

Valentine's socks on my feet make me Happy!!