{Minor} Manor Makeover

If there is one thing you can count on at Martin Manor...it's that I cannot leave things alone!  While the laundry is piling up...I can spend hours moving furniture, rugs, pillows and pictures from one room to the next...and then back again...I know my priorities are not where they need to be...!  {It drives Dan a little crazy...but he used to make it a game when he came home from work to see if he could find what was different!}  I just like to know how something will look somewhere else...and I won't rest until I see for myself!

Can you spot the {differences} in these rooms?

The Family Room

{New rug from Target on sale and lamps from TJ Maxx}

{A few of my favorite books...

The Friday Night Knitting Club, although I haven't finished reading it...it reminds me of my love of knitting and the nights I used to get together with some good friends!

HEP Remembered...a great  memory of Coach Terry Hoeppner, who was a close member of Dan's family, but whom we lost to brain cancer over two years ago...such an inspiration to so many!

Breathe...something I need to be reminded to stop and do more often and remember to keep God as my focus...something I need lots of work on!}

The Sun Room

{Minor rearrangement of furniture and a new storage trunk...for the extra junk toys Santa brought}

The Living Room

{New pillows on sale at Target and some accessories I rescued from the basement}

The Entry

{New entry table...from Hobby Lobby on sale...I love distressed furniture that looks as though it's already had a good life!  And picture frame and lamp, both on sale from Hobby Lobby...don't you love that place!  Little bird from Target...love that place too...no better place to grab a Starbucks, shop and run into good friends..guaranteed!}

The Dining Room

{Hung new pictures on the wall from frames I rescued from the basement..."A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words Nails!"  I change the arrangement of pictures so often...do not look at all the holes I've created behind the frames...ahem...

Moved rug that used to be in the family room at one point...to dining room...the rug that was in the dining room is now in our bedroom...see where I'm going with this!}

{Little kitty we rescued from the garden nursery this past summer...my new sidekick...along with Skipper!}

I usually add or rearrange things this time of year because we're stuck inside through the cold months...and after the holidays!  Just a few minor changes...until next time!  It's definitely not important to me to have lots of things or keep my house neat and tidy {especially since it usually isn't!}...but I find joy in decorating in a way that brings me comfort and good thoughts and memories.  That is why I have so many photos on the walls and any place I can find a spot for them...I love taking pictures and I love the feeling each photo brings me whether it's where we went on vacation, or to see how much the kids have changed from season to season, or just to get a smile from seeing their smiling faces!   You can't tell from these photos...but the picture frame/hooks above the entry table is of Alex when we first moved into our house sitting on the brick wall by our basement walkout...he was about 15 months old with the cubbiest cheeks around...I love seeing it every day!

{Do you move things around at your home often...or is that just me?}

I ♥ Faces - Week 3 {We Are Family!}

There's nothing like family...they are always there for you...they make you laugh, cry and sometimes shout! This week I ♥ Faces is celebrating family...either traditional or any idea of what your family means to you! Their only requirement is to include all ages in your photo...not just children!

I chose this picture of Alex and Emily, their cousins, second cousin Kyle, and Great Grandma Martha. This was taken almost a year ago just after Kyle returned home from a two-year mission trip where he spent time in Nepal. He brought back lots of fun jewelry, money and hats native to the country! I love all the kids and Great-grandma Martha wearing their special hats! She will be celebrating her 93rd birthday next month...and she rarely misses a beat!  She is truly amazing!  I love our family and all the many chances we have to get together!

Be sure to check out all the amazing entries over at I ♥ Faces and if you'd like to join us just click here! It's easy to enter, not so easy to win {so many great photos}! But lots of fun!

"Not Me!" Monday

It's not Monday...it's not almost the end of January already...and I do not have a one-year Blogoversary coming up! I did not even know what that meant {seriously!} a year ago...but here I am...not about to celebrate one!

Maybe I will not have a giveaway {I don't know what, yet...but would love to thank all my wonderful blog friends for sharing in our family fun and providing much inspiration and encouragement along the way!}

I have not been eating tomato soup, applesauce, yogurt, jello, ice-cream, and any other soft, liquid food you can think of for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks all weekend! Mmmmm...! Not because I'm on a diet {although not because I don't need to decrease some sugar intake!} I did not have a gum graft to take care of some receding gums. I did not get my mouth numbed and feel like my airway was closed off while lying back in a dental chair with a little napkin clipped around my neck! I did not leave the periodontist with stitches in my gums and a fat lip...I was not looking lovely! {But I'm doing fine now...although I would not love to eat some Chili's chips and salsa right now!}

I do not have any photos to share on this post...{really}...bummer...

This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and so many others have not been doing this week!

Have a wonderful Monday!

"You're Gonna Miss This...Moment" Show us your Spirit!

Time to join Pam and share the moments we're going to miss one day...because life is so short! Sometimes it's hard to find those moments among our busy schedules, but that's what I love about participating in this...it makes me stop and think about it and appreciate them so much more!

It's been a busy month already...December has just blended right into January and there are moments flying by that I might miss some day!

This week Alex and Emily had two Spirit Days at that school and I love when they match...and I will miss this one day! I think it's too cute...but I know soon enough, they won't think it's so cute anymore!
{Unless they think that already...but let's just say they love it too!}

Today is Blue Friday to celebrate another win for the Colts on Saturday night!



And Wednesday was Green & White day to show their school spirit...I'm so bummed that I don't have a picture to share {Gasp!} They looked so cute in their matching tie-dye school shirts...but we were just too busy that morning to snap a pic. I'm sure there will be another chance!

What will you miss someday? Please be sure to visit Pam and share your moment with us too...before it's gone!

{not really} Wordless Wednesday - Snow N{ice} to be 7 1/2!

Emily's {snow} angel

footprints in the {snow}

icicles {that I photographed quickly from someone's driveway because I thought they were so pretty...and didn't want them to call the police on me for taking pictures in their driveway!}


lonely little icicles on our house

Serious 7 1/2 year-old slurping his Icee

{Today is Alex's 7 1/2 birthday...exciting because he gets to celebrate his half-birthday at school with his friends since his birthday is in the summer!}

I ♥ Faces - Week 2 {Best Face Photo}

It's a new year at I ♥ Faces and they're celebrating with a new logo, a fun theme and even some giveaways! And be sure to stop by and wish them a Happy Birthday today!



This week's theme is Best Face Photo! It should be a photo taken recently from December or January. I chose this picture of Alex from our recent snow day last Thursday{January 7th}! It's my favorite becuase I love his missing teeth...and his big brown eyes! {I'm going to miss that smile soon when his teeth start coming in!}

Be sure to check out all the amazing entries over at I ♥ Faces and if you'd like to join us just click here! It's easy to enter, not so easy to win {so many great photos}! But lots of fun!

"Not Me!" Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and so many others have not been doing this week!

Whew...it's not been a long week trying to get back to our normal routine after being on break...and it's not easy when you start back to school for two days that are not immediately followed by two wonderful snow days!

During one of those snow days...we did not visit the allergy doctor, find some bargains at Old Navy and eat delicious chips and salsa at Chili's...and then come home to realize we had not lost something very special along the way!

{What do all of these pictures have in common?}

Okay two things... if you guessed 1} Emily and 2} her blankie...which has not left her side her whole life...you are right! It was my baby blanket too {sniff, sniff} That's right...we've not had that blankie our whole lives...and it's actually lost! Maybe it will turn up...we've called the authorities...I'm sure they'll be in touch with us soon!

Meanwhile...I did not pull Dan's old baby blankets out of hiding to try and replace what I thought was irreplacable...but apparently Emily did not love them even more!
{I know...she's almost six...time to give up the blankie...but I'm sentimental!}

She did not snuggle right up with them and exclaim "Oh, now I have two blankies...and these are much softer!" She did not lay right down on the couch with me and watch {well...she fell asleep!} Sleepless in Seattle...as it was not the very first time I had ever seen that movie!

Emily did not make Dan a new tool belt so he can work on the basement in style...

...and help get these things cleaned up a little bit faster!
{But he's making tons of progress!}

And...because I'm such a pro at laundry...I certainly did not have to run the rinse cycle three times because I kept forgetting to put the fabric softener in! At least I remembered to put them in the dryer...and not because Emily had to remind me that she was waiting for her new {old} blankie to get dry!