Mission Organization

Ok, I think I start off every year (like many other folks) very excited about getting organized for the New Year. I always make plans, lists and get busy pinning on Pinterest. Now I made major strides last year, remember these beauties?

Turned an old TV armoire into a baking center.
Still looks this good!

Cleaned up the spice cabinet.

Found a home for our transient items!

Finally got the organization for my closet I wanted!

The hall closet now makes sense and it is easy to find what you are looking for.

But then I have this lovely sight.
(Note, all those plastic bags in the background are now gone
as those were items for the Winter Store at my daughter's school.)

My little butler pantry definitely needs some love.

Holiday and regular storage totally needs to be reorganized.

So my plan for my house for the new year is simple, I am going to go to each room, sit there, and just look at the room with fresh eyes. I will come up with a list of things that need to be done . . . replace curtains, touch-up trim, fill frames . . . and then I am going to create a master list for each room. I will then assign a week to each room and that will be my main focus for the week. I already have a long list for my GTG (Go To Guy) to give me quotes for some home improvements I can't do, so hoping to finally get over that organization hump.

It may just be in my head but I swear my home (meaning the people who live in it) is more balanced when the house is organized. When it's messy (like right now for instance!!), there is more arguing, running late and basic chaos. My new plans will test my theory but that will be for another post!

Happy New Year . . . Part Deux

Ok, time to finish December and FINALLY face facts that it is January 8th!

My youngest made this at school.
They had to do blueprints first, then figure out all the building supplies they would need.
Next they had to add up all the costs and then construct it.
I think the finished product just looks great!
(No comment about the items laying behind the reindeer on the top -
they fell out when I moved him for the photo!!) 

Next on our holiday plans was my annual cookie exchange.
I did not take ONE picture of that night because I always have too much fun
catching up with all my friends!
I do however have photos of my containers for my cookies.
I took Dollar Tree glass jars, sprayed them with frosted sealer, painted glue
on the side and sprinkled the glue with Martha Stewart glitter
(I have a slight addiction to that stuff!!). I then hot glued a snowflake
ornament to the front and I think they look great!
Truth be told, the containers were better than my cookies!!

Our Christmas Eve tradition is the early service at church,
then we look at lights on the way to visit one of our favorite families in the whole world
(The Griffins), after a quick visit,
we head home and the girls get to open one gift that is always cute holiday jammies,
we eat dinner by the fire and watch the Christmas Story.
I just love Christmas Eve!

First gifts of the morning are always stockings.

Being silly!

We have always done colored lights on our family tree and when I mentioned
to the girls I wanted to do white lights, they both protested!

Our last big event of the year was that I had to go into the hospital
for a hysterectomy. I know, big fun, right?
I have really been uncomfortable for the past couple
of months so it was something that needed to be done.
I am still sore and on strict restrictions from the doctor but go Friday
for my first follow-up and will hopefully be able to resume
some sort of regularity!
Now do you understand while Christmas is still up?

So that basically catches you up with my family. We have a long list of things we want to have done around the house. We are planning a few small vacations this year as we are taking a VERY big one the summer of 2014 but I will fill you in on our goals for the year but that is for another post!

Happy New Year . . . Finally!

Well yes, I am ashamed to admit it but it has been seven weeks since my last post (not a Catholic but totally sounds like a confession, doesn't it?!?).  This holiday season is truly a blur (thanks to some really good drugs - prescription of course - but back to subject). I will give you half a quick catch-up and then start fresh in 2013.

We ate turkey (fried by my husband and delicious), I took the girls to the So You Can Think You Can Dance show, and let me stop there for a minute. I have seen some of the best dancers perform, The Joffrey Ballet (with Ron Reagan, Jr., LOL!), Alvin Ailey, The London Royal Ballet, but the SYTYCD show was hands-down, one of the best I have ever seen!! The girls and I got into the TV show during the summer and it is the only show I have ever voted for . . . like ever! We loved Cyrus and was bummed when he lost but understood that Cheon was a better dancer. What we really loved was that they performed some dances from the show and some new ones. It was a nice evening with the girls and we are excited for the next season.

Right after that, the girls played hooky from school and we headed to NYC for our first NYC Christmas ever. We had the absolute best time and would love to make it an annual trip so here's a quick recap -

Saw our first Broadway show ever (mine included) and we chose Wicked.
It was fantastic and the fact that I was able to get a double wine made me love it even more!!

After the show we had to check out all the city lights.

Love the big ornaments!

The whole family at the famous Rockefeller Center tree.
It was big and beautiful (kind of like me?). 

Caitlin acting like Elf on the Macy's OLD escalator.
That store was SO crowded, we bought one ornament and got out.

Enjoying our first real holiday windows. They were truly worth it.

Of course, we HAD to visit One Direction World.
For those not in the know (which was me a couple of months ago)
One Direction is an all boy band put together by Simon Cowell.
My youngest has a major crush on Harry Styles,
one of the members, so here she is signing the wall at 1DW.

This was a window at Sak's. The whole display constantly turns so the snow globes
were always in motion. We all agreed they had the best windows
(and not just because I know someone who works there!).

Later that night, one of our gifts to the girls was the Z100 Jingle Ball Concert
The had an impressive line-up this year - One Direction, Taylor Swift, Olly Murs,
Cher Loyd, Ed Sheeran, The Wanted, Ne-Yo, B.O.B., Jason Mraz, Justin Beiber, and my
personal favorite FUN. It was the best way to see a lot of acts and hear all their hit songs.
Basically the band came out, sang their hits and they were gone.
I knew every song that was sung! 

Taylor Swift performing. We were super close to the stage but had the seats behind it.
I loved those seats as we were able to see everyone getting ready to go out and perform.

We met up with one of my husband's college buddies and his family for a great brunch
at Sarabeth's. The food was fantastic. We then all walked through the park and
watched the ice skaters and played on the rocks. A really nice was to spend the day.

After that, we met up with one of my husband's colleagues and his partner.
They were staying at the beautiful Dream hotel so we all had drinks
and then got to see Times Square from their room (the only balcony room in the entire hotel).
I will add that picture when we get it.
We left them and ran (practically) to Smith and Wollensky's for a great steak dinner.
We always have a great meal there.

We decided to see one more show before heading home and we chose Mamma Mia.
Now us getting from S&W was quite an adventure. NYC during the holidays is always busy.
The valet could not get us a cab but did get us a hired car. This driver was the
craziest driver I have ever ridden with. He went around an ambulance with it's lights on,
got into a yelling match with a traffic cop (according to him, no real power) and
got us to the theater on time! My heart is still racing!
The show was wonderful and you can't help but tap your toes and singalong!

One last stop with all the lights.

Once home, I was full steam for my youngest daughter's school's Winter Store. This has always been a favorite event of mine and will be my last one ever so I decided to be in charge of this year's. I had been busy shopping for the past year - I had a garage full of merchandise and couldn't wait to get rid of it!

I always tell everyone my Winter Store story so I will share with you - real quick - why it's important to me. During my oldest daughter's first year at Lakeview, she went shopping at the Winter Store and bought me a pink ring. My real wedding ring had been stolen a couple of years before (by a house painter) and we were saving up to buy me a new one. When I opened the ring, my daughter said it was because I was a great mommy and I deserved to have a wedding ring. I immediately burst into tears, put the ring on and did not take it off for at least a year. My finger turned green and some of the stones fell out but I still wore it.

Isn't it a beaute?

Well ok, that takes us to the middle of the month so I will stop here for right now! I am beat recapping and really need to go start taking down our Christmas. Yeah, I know it's the 7th, no judgement!

The second half of December to come but that is for another post!

Back at It . . .

Well, heeeeeeeellllllllllooooooooo there! Miss me? I missed you all!! The past six weeks have just been a pain-in-my-neck, and I totally mean that literally!

Apparently I pinched a nerve in my neck, between the C2 and C3 vertebrae. My neck muscles did not like it and started spasming like no one's business. I honest-to-God thought I was having contractions in my neck (thank goodness no baby came out because, even though I love them, I do not want another one of those!). When they started, I really thought I would go to the Doctor, get some meds, maybe a shot, and after a weekend of rest, I would be good to go. I won't give you all the gory details but after 12 physical therapy sessions, 11 prescriptions (some really good ones too!), six doctors appointments, three weeks laying on my left side on the couch, two ER visits, two deep tissue massages, one pregnancy test (no worries there) and countless (and I mean countless) ice packs later, I am back to about 90%! Neck is still a bit stiff but very manageable so no complaints here! So that's where I have been and I freaking missed my favorite month of the entire year.

We did manage to pull off a few holiday traditions but since I was looking at them sideways, I will just get you all a little caught up and then we will take it from there.

So here's to Halloween 2012 -

This is seriously how my house looked for most of October. Every time I would walk by this table, I would pick one thing off it and then stick it somewhere. My family also helped (a little) and would let me lay on the couch and tell them where to put the Halloween decoration (I do think I told my husband where to "put it" more than once this past month!). 

I think we managed to pull off some cute decorations. I love the eyeball salt and pepper shakers 

(from Cracker Barrel last year, I think) under glass.

Here's my ode to Edgar Allen Poe - spooky.

I did love how my mantel turned out. The electric candelabras have the flicker light bulbs.
I got those at Target in September. You have to buy holiday stuff when you see it or
it might not be there when you go back (right, mom?)!

These are the shelves in the guest bath. My oldest put the toilet paper in the hand and I just love it. The mercury glass jars were bought this year at Home Goods. I love their bright colors and the birds (being that Ravn is my maiden name, and yes, that is spelled correctly).

Entryway of our house. I like the witch vignette. One of these years, I am going to get a witch cape and shoes. The two set of spell books was a gift from my mom and dad for my birthday. Only I can be really happy to receive Halloween gifts in June!

At the end of the October, we always host my family for a Halloween get together and party. This year was not as fancy (we usually do a sit down dinner for the adults and everyone dresses up). Here are a few photos from that night -

I needed an easy and cheap costume so Rich and I were Forrest Gump and a box of chocolates. This costume did not cost us 1 penny! We were going to buy the Bubba Gump hat but decided to just print off the logo and I stapled it! My oldest is a football player and my youngest is Harry Styles from the boy band One Direction. We had ordered her a costume but it ended up going on back order and never arrived. She was such a good sport and she just grabbed stuff we had (note: the wig is from my husband's Richard Simmons costume from last year!).

See Richard Simmons right in the center? Halloween 2011

This is the whole gang. The camera was on a timer and it took us about 15 minutes to get it to work. If you are wondering about the man with Saran Wrap (yes, really wrapped and no air holes!), that is my uncle dressed like Bruce Jenner (hysterical!) and my aunt is Kris Jenner. My one sister is a Raven (yes, homage to our maiden name), her daughter is the prisoner in orange. My youngest sister and her husband were gender-reversed Publisher Clearinghouse winners. Their kids were a beautiful, tiny princess, a bat and a ninja. My parents were Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head. I think EVERYONE outdid themselves. The costumes were great and we all had a blast even though my oldest niece and her dad couldn't make it, hopefully next year.

My first outing (other than medically related) in almost a month!
We went to out to dinner and then hit our local pumpkin patch.

We encouraged the girls to go BIG on their pumpkins because they were 50% off! They went home and carved them that night but I don't think we ever got a picture of the finished product!

That is a super quick recap of October. November has been a blur and I am trying desperately to get caught up on everything. The girls have all next week off and I couldn't be more excited for some down time. Then we are planning a four day trip to NYC for some holiday fun and a big concert but that is for another post!