The Thankful Project: Weekend Edition 6-9

Day 1: End of Football
Day 2: Gilmore Girls
Day 3: Mascara
Day 4: The Smiles
Day 5: Coffee

The Thankful Project: Day 6-9

Day 6: Sleep
 ... no explanation required.

Day 7: Chalkboard Paint

Yes, i am thankful for chalkboard paint.  It's easy artwork for the walls that can change...and i love change...i thrive off of change...

I make this Thursday night.  Ruthie already is in the habit of taking her shoes off and hanging her coat up right when she walks in.  AWESOME!

Day 8: No pants Saturdays

Shortly after Nathan and I got married, I was introduced to this...and it's everything it's cracked up to be (no pun intended).  It is sometimes literal, yes...(if it's T.M.I. sorry), but it's more so the idea that we got nothin' to do and MAN am i thankful for THOSE Saturdays.  I don't believe one is in our future again for a very long time.

Day 9: Mom

It's Mom's birthday today!  She's turning.....drum roll please.....into an even younger looking person than she looked last year!  *psh...I'm no dumbie.*

10 Reason's I'm Thankful for my mom in just this Past Month

1. She came over and helped me clean up my house.
2. She helps watch the girls every Wednesday so I can be a part of the church Christmas Choir.
3. She offered to take the girls while Nathan and I go on vacation in December.
4. She made a valiant effort along with Dad to come to Nathan's football games.
5. She went on the Spoon River Drive with Brittany and I ...and Tes and Bells.
6. She encouraged me on my Apple week blog post.
7. She watched the girls last weekend and church while I had to be at a meeting and so Nathan could hunt. 
8. She's committed to helping paint my kitchen cabinets when I finally get the go ahead from my darling husband to do so.
9. She is letting me host Thanksgiving.
10. She still gives me hugs and kisses everything I see her!

Happy **muffle**th Birthday Mom!  Love you to the moon!

Ruthie put on a birthday hat and starting singing Happy Brif - day!  I'll see if I can snag a recording!

Favorite Things Friday: Happy Halloween!

When it comes to Halloween decor, I'm not one for cheesy stuff, and I'm not one for over the top scary stuff either.  I like subtle ideas that you almost have to do a double-take before you realize it's Halloween.

I also have to be able to do them, so they have to be fairly simple.  Now, did I do any of these this year?  Ummm... no.  I handed my trick-or-treaters fruit snacks, granola bars and bags of chips last night because i forgot candy for that whole day-before thing is our small towns.

So, here goes....

1. Window Spider Web

...that's electrical tape...awesome. 

2. "Watch your back..."

...now I just think this is funny! 

3. Swarm of Bats

I think this just looks brilliant.  Construction paper and tape. 

4. Aged/Bloody Mirror

I would probably avoid the blood.  That's saran wrap and black paint. 

5. Pumpkin Mouse House

Now, If I saw this, I would probably need to go change my pants.  Thus the reason I feel it would be an ideal Halloween Pumpkin on my porch. 

6. Mummy Door

4 rolls of crepe paper.  Easy Peezy...

7. Patterned Pumpkins

Yup, you guessed it...those are knee highs.

8. Painted Pumpkins

I like the idea of getting those fake pumpkins and painting them.
That way you have them every year. 

9. Snake Wreath

I'm a big fan of this one too.  You dont really realize that it's snakes until you look at if for a while.  

10. Witches Parking

AND you can get those cinnamon brooms and it can SMELL good too! 

The Act of Nesting...Who knew...

This concept is new to me.  I never had this before, and it happened this week...like BAAAAM!

I've been looking at some things to do while feeling the nesting bug, but i should prob stop because they're adding to my list of things to get done:

• Pad the Pantry- snacks, soups for casseroles, pasta, staples...DONE
• Cook in quantity- when browning hamburger, thaw 2 lb and brown one for later and stick it in the freezer, grill extra chicken and put in freezer, make twice the pasta cassaroles and store, etc...NEED TO DO
•  Wash the Other stuff- Duvey covers, curtains, spare sets of sheets, blankets, anything that needs to be washed... DOING
• Deep Clean- blinds, windows, registers, wipe down chairs, clean the car REALLY well...NEED TO DO!
• (I don't know about this one) Finish your birth announcements on all but pictures and stats so that all the printer needs in numbers.  Address your envelopes and get them ready....We'll see.
•  The Hospital bag- this would have been helpful with Ruthie.  This is its own blog post about the do's and dont's of the hospital bag, but needless to say, I need to do it. 
• Stay ahead of bills- *if Tes arrives when she's supposed to* I will be in the hospital over a "Bills Due" date.  

So now you see where my head is right now...how is it that pregger brain has the ability to forget EVERYTHING, and yet thing of ALL this STUFF that has to happen?!?!

Sunday night/Monday morning, 2am actually, i was overwhelmed with EVERYTHING that needed to happen by July.  i.e. a banister so that my children don't plummet to their death down the stairs...cleaning junk out, my last blog post which was getting rid of TONS of stuff.  Monday was that day.  By the end of the day, I couldn't move anything but the smile on my face when i had taken TWO carloads to salvation army, filled all our giant trash cans outside, had a burn pile ready, and laundry loads left were in the single digits.  I felt accomplished...

Is that even nesting?  Or just me freaking out that I'm behind, b/c Wednesday was the start of my third trimester, and I am feeling every day of it!

My mom-in-law wanted to throw me a "Sprinkle" or a diaper shower, or something for the arrival of Miss Tes, but I have been is such freak out mode of what needs to get done, we have turned that day into a "Spackle" instead of a "Sprinkle."  We are inviting people to come over that day and DO WORK in exchange for an awesome cook out that I'm throwing afterward to thank EVERYONE for their help.  It will feel soooo good to have some of this stuff done.

A Few Planned Projects:

• Banister @ the top of the steps
• Wood floor the kitchen and dining room
• put together and get Ruthie transitioned into a new room
• Revamp nursery for Tes
• Organize clothes by size
• Paint/put together some furniture

There's a few things I'm forgetting, but by July, they will be monumental!  

Right now, this calm Sunday afternoon, i am debating between sleep of working...I know what will win, but i feel that Nesting-ness pulling hard....but this bed feels soooo good...

Spring Cleaning...TAKE IT!!!

So, I've begun spring cleaning/nesting/GET THIS STUFF OUT OF MY HOUSE-ing!  Nathan had a dump trailer at the house a few weeks ago, and i just pointed and he took.  If it was his choice, he would have just burned all this stuff, but I know some people might want it, and it was given to me, so I want to make sure it gets up-cycled!

If you see it and want it, leave a comment, or tell me on FB!  I will either do my best to bring it to you, or set up a time where we can make the exchange.  Obviously the sooner the better! And I will travel :)  

**Please, PLEASE don't be offended if you gave me some of this stuff, and now I'm giving it away...It has served its purposes in the many houses I've been in, I'm just at a place in life & home where i need the space.**  

So here we go... 

*CALLED*

I painted this white (semi-gloss) and i have white/red/teal glass handles that i bought to put on the fronts...but never have.  

A black decor piece i had above my bed when i lived in Peoria.  It has a wall hanger thing on the back.

*CALLED*

A twin bed head and foot board.  can be painted.

*CALLED*

TV works great...we just don't need it.

*CALLED*

The reason why I am giving this away, is because it will probably take some money to get new pads and whatnot put on it.  I LOVED this thing.  It's great for middle schoolers wanting to try it for the first time.  

Shoe rack that goes over the door. 

We got two of these as a wedding present.  Never been out of the box.

*CALLED*

Works great, but we are getting out of the desktop stage.  No use for it now...

I'M NOT GIVING FORREST AWAY...although, Nathan might want me to... the lamp shades.  If you want measurements, let me know.  I used the small one on a small decorative lamp and the large one on a swivel lamp.  

There is a sewing machine inside of this.  Beautiful finish..nice antique piece.

*CALLED*

Big ole' heavy mirror.  I painted the frame black...it was also in my bedroom in Peoria. The back cardboard is coming off, but could be easily secured. 

We acquired these with the house, but we don't have a pool table.  I'm not even sure if they are good...no clue.

This is an old washboard I bought at a garage sale for $5.

*CALLED*

I will wipe this off for you...just a black shelf thing.

Yup...you guessed it...a vase. 

This i bought for the back of my honda...it's a bike rack...I took my bike to and from school.  It wont work on the back of my SUV now.  

I have two of these chairs.  Again...i will wipe them off for you. :)  Nice...just don't match anything i have. 

A Scent thing..Christmas/Winter.  I got it as a gift and used it once. 

CD rack...don't need it anymore.

My college ladies will remember this... :) The thirst extinguisher...I broke Cousin Amy's so I got her a new one...so this one doesnt have that center column, but we discovered that if you put ice in bags and duct tape it to the sides it works!  HAHAHA! :)

I bought this desk on Craigslist 2 years ago.  But this is going to be Ruthie's room and we dont really need a desktop anymore.  Please take it and use it to your hearts content...

Dont judge me by my messy house...we're cleaning/arranging (and these pics were taken RIGHT after i got my new carpet).  Again, I will clean what you want me to clean, and bring you what you want.  Just message/comment!!!

I am Becoming a Royal Red Eaglebird...

Holy cow, do I feel like the world is flying by!  I have a 2 mo old AND a husband again (aka football is over on Monday). The Princes weren't so charming this year so I think Nathan's secretly glad to be done. But I guess I just gave his secret away... Ruthie's better than ever.  We're getting a few smiles out of her here and there.  Now over 6 lb, she looks like a normal baby...not a 2 mo old, but people aren't commenting on her size as much.  And for the record, she is a farting machine!  We have her on gas medicine to make it easier on her, but it makes her even more musical. She will appreciate me blogging about that later on in life. I just know it. (Picture was taken yesterday night...that's a 6 mo. onsie, but had to put it on for support and a picture:)


The house is just about the same. I could use a day or 2 to decorate and rearrange. I still have to finish the nursery...argh.  There's no excuse now though because she would have totally been here more than a week. I also have kids from a choir staying at the house next weekend, so hopefully that will motivate me to finish the guest room. WEEKEND PROJECT!  

In other news I got a new job!  It's bittersweet really.  I had no real desire to leave my current job, but I just couldn't pass up the offer.  I will be that admin assistant to the athletic director at Dunlap high school.  I applied because it was a little better pay and I got full benefits for the family.  But, when D. Joseph heard, they matched it...yet another reason making it hard to leave.  It was one of the hardest decisions of my life, but the main reasons I switched with because of the benefits and vacation days and holidays.  It will help us save tons of money in the long run by not having to pay for childcare in the summers.  And come on!  Who doesn't want a summer break. I mean really!  This will also make it possible for Nathan and I to go on family mission trip every year. And that's something that we both decided is going to be priority in our family.  

So I'm pretty excited but I have a lot of work in store for me.  The director hasn't had an assistant yet since he took the position a year ago July and the previous person had the position for over 20 years with a pretty extensive paper system. We've got to make that athletic department computerized!  Not to mention the massive amounts of sports Dunlap has...football, volleyball, girl's track, boy's track, girl's tennis, boy's tennis, softball, baseball, girl's soccer, boy's soccer, swimming, diving, and I'm sure I missing something...ohh cross country. I think that's it.  So, I guess this makes me a Royal Red Eaglebird.  i.e. I hold true to my Metamora Redbird roots, I married a Prince, and my daughter will be a Princeville Lady Prince (why not a Princess, no one knows...), and now I am an Eagle.  I'm picturing an all red eagle with a crown on it's head...it's in the same animal kingdom as Napolian Dynamite's liger...pretty much my favorite animal, ever!  

I am pretty excited to be working at Dunlap though.  For those of you not from Ptown, Dunlap is the closest city to Peoria that isn't apart of the Peoria school district, which is currently less than desirable   And most of the families that go there just happened to be loaded!  I'm not knocking them at all! I've had many friends from Dunlap. But it's encouraging to know that the district is doing well and will continue to do well.  There are lots of teachers on my mom's side of the family, and I decided that if I were to ever be a teacher I'd always want to be a high school teacher.  I feel like you could have way more fun with the kids.  And the passion of a teenager is just immeasurable. Even if they say they don't care.  They just have to focus their passion off of parties and booze and each other... yet another reason why I'm pretty pumped about working at the high school.  This is the long term now. I thought last time was a long term but it wasn't. Now that I have a kid, this job is perfect. Well, I'll let all ya'll know a week from now how things are going with a new job and a new niece.  It's crazy how much life changes soooo quickly...Blows my mind sometimes.  

Brittany is days away from baby #2.  Layla Anne Marie almost came today, but the doctor wanted to give her a little bit more time. I think she'll definitely be here by Wednesday. She's going to be a pretty large and in charge baby.  This is going to be interesting. Bella's 13.5 months and a very jealous little girl.  She does love Ruthie though. She reaches out and pets her head as if she were petting Jack the cat...soft and sweet and she whispers so she "doesn't wake the baby" Brittany says. She whispers gibberish, but still very quietly.  Andy was holding Ruthie once and not paying attention to Bella, and that wasn't to pretty.  Only time will tell really.  

The Wineinger Calendar Countdown

• 56 days until Ruthie’s due date (10/3) 
• But of course there is that chance that she could come before or after that…I also haven’t had a shower yet so I’m slightly freaking out about what I still need. - 
•  31 days until my sweet cousin, Kelsey’s wedding (9/8) 
• Slightly humorous happening…my sister who will be 8 mo preg and myself who will be 9 mo preg are cutting the cake. Good luck on getting your hands on a slice! Hehehe 
• 29 days until Bella’s 1st birthday! (9/6) 
• Her b-day party is hot pink and zebra! Pretty much the cutest thing ever! 
• 24 days until we move into our house (9/1) 
• I can’t write too much about this yet, b/c I don’t want to jinx it, but don’t worry! I will fill you all in with pictures very soon! 
• Take note: we have to DEEP CLEAN, de-nail, clean the carpets, paint, and install a fence before this day, too. AHHH!
• 16 days until Princeville’s first football game. (8/26) 
• Against Stark County…their biggest rivals. They are nervous but they are high school big boys so they won’t lead you to believe they’re nervous. So they’re tough and they’re gonna do great and this coach’s wife will hoot and howler for them! 
• 10 days until the weekend of showers (Kelsey’s bridal- 8/18, My baby- 8/19) 
• Super excited to celebrate with Kels! I’m in charge of games which is one of my favorite parts! And my shower… I will finally have a little peace of mind once I have some baby items. 
• 1 day until Pville football HELL WEEK! (Tomorrow) 
• I have already become somewhat of what we call a “coach’s widow” what with weight lifting and some practices. But come tomorrow, the next time I will see my husband will be…well…not sure…maybe the day Ruthie’s born???

Pinterest Project COMPLETE!

I just love when I can check things off the ever growing list of thing I must get done before October and this week I accomplished 2!  TWO!  That's huge!!

About 2 months ago, Mom gave me a stroller and car seat that she bought when Bella arrived that was in pretty great shape and the stroller is a jogging stroller which is what I REALLY wanted.  Downfall...Jack the Cat, my sister's cat, who has a peeing problem, found it first.  But, I was determined to majorly clean it, get the cat pee smell out, and make it work!  I soaked the seat in mild yet "you better get the heck out" chemicals and then washed it twice, and then let it dry in the sun.  I had to replace a piece of particle board which was the biggest feat but we survived and now, I HAVE A STROLLER & AND A CAR SEAT!  (No pictures, but come on.  You know what a stroller looks like.)  

NOW FOR THE MAIN EVENT!

I finished a Pinterest Project!!!!!  YAY!  This was also on the list of projects to get done, so last night while I slightly moped, while my family was playing volleyball and I wished I could have played, I stayed home and created.  

This was my inspiration...

I know that it's been pinned about a gazillion times, but I was determined to make it with my own twist.  It's taken me a REALLY long time.  I've had my canvases covered for MONTHS!  But, here is the final project!

I think I will still look at it and touch up with a marker here and there, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.  (Please disregard terrible picture.)  Not sure where it will go yet, but I like.  

Now for my next projects to finish...

The Ornament wreath I started before LAST Christmas for my front door.  

This sweater I saved so I can turn into leg warmers.  I think Ruthie with LOVE them!  

I think I am going to glue the letters together and screw hooks into the bottom of them for the wall to hang bows, or jackets, or ANYTHING.  

This is supposed to be a large rug that I started crocheting out of T-shirts.  I have the t-shirts, it's just cutting them up that's the hard part which I still have to do.  Ugh.  

So, craft on, I MUST!  I also have to refinish a cedar chest for a toy box, and paint/assemble a coffee table that I have, and I am determined to make another print with the quote that says, "Let her sleep, for when she wakes, she will move mountains."  that I will put above her crib.  Not to mention, I would like to have some new tree skirts done to sell before Christmas.  Why am i still typing?!?!

Shag Carpet, Radon, & Answered prayers...

God gave me one of those, “I told you so…” moments today. 

So the house Nathan and I live in is pretty stinkin’ awesome.  It is a flip house that his parents bought, flipped the upstairs and are slowly flipping the down stairs as they have time.  We moved in to help them with payments and to get us out of Peoria.  We love it, but we obviously know it’s temporary.  In it’s final form, the house will be a 2-story, 5 bedroom, 2.5 bath masterpiece, sitting on just over an acre with two out buildings, a 2 car garage, amazing sunrise and sunset views out in the beautiful cornfields of IL…and out of our price range. 

So, we’ve been looking…nothing urgent.  Just keeping an eye on things to come and go on the market.  So there’s this house.  In the school district we want, in the general price we want.  We understand that the resale may not be great, but we could rent it when the time comes for a profit and really make this place work.  It’s also VERY outdated.  There are oh…5 different colors of carpet throughout the house; green & blue & black shag in the master, brown & white & pink-ish upstairs, brown throughout the living and dinning room, blue in the kitchen…yes there’s carpet in the kitchen.  It was a very stylish kitchen in the 70s!  But yeah… we would have to work on it. 

**Pictures thanks to PAAR 

There was that glimmer of hope in Nathan and I as we walked around this house…until the basement.  RADON…I hate you, radon.  The owner is one of Nathan’s friend’s grandmother who’s still well.  When she put the house on the market, she found out that the radon levels in her basement were at a 40.  In order to get a conventional loan or even a rural development loan the radon test has to come back at 3.9… and no, I didn’t misplace that decimal point.  We are looking for a difference here of about 36.1 points.  They put in a mitigation system (somewhat costly which includes drilling a hole in the basement), but still only cut the radon in little more than half to a 17. 

So remember, gimmer, stellar carpet…and radon.  So did Nathan and I want to pursue this?  Is this a battle to fight?  This was when a few weeks ago I posted on facebook, “How do you know when God's wanting you to fight for something vs. God saying, "Give it up already, Linz...I'm trying to close the door, so just let me!"’  So I prayed.  I didn’t pray a lot for a reason; because I didn’t want to convince myself that I should fight for it, which is my natural instinct, but I wanted to say, “If this is what you want for Nate, me, and the Ruth I trust you.  If not, I’ll forget about it.”  Granted I didn’t forget about it, but I talked to Nathan one more time, and said, should we just ask if they’d fix it?  The worst they would say is no, and then we’d move on.

So, about 20 emails and a week later, with LOTs of conditions, they agreed they would accept a certain offer if the stars aligned and they made the radon disappear.  So there was no fighting or  God back-talking me, but this morning on the way in to work, it was made very clear to me that God majorly answered.  Not, “can I have this house?” or “What does everything have to be so difficult?” but “I’ve had the baby and you in Nathan in my mind all along.  Don’t ever doubt that I’ve got things under control.”  And I smiled, and of course slightly teared up…b/c that’s what pregnant women do, and then made it to work peacefully. 

This still isn’t a done deal yet.  There’s still LOTS of stipulations and still a large change that this isn’t THE house.  But,  when God reveals things to you like that,  man, it’s just cool.  

A Big Cheer for God AMAZING Timing!

I got the great news that my house will be done THIS WEEK! I will probably be moving in next weekend! I slightly can't believe it. Mostly because my room isn't packed at all. But also b/c of God timing and all. Here are some pictures of before and half way through. I will have move in pictures up after next week.

Many times when I tell people about my house, I am mostly just really excited about it and don't get to talk about what a great joy it will be.  As much as I want this to be a place to call my own (as much as a renter can call someplace home) I want my home to be a safe place...a place where my church kids can come when they need something to do, a place they feel safe and a place that God can ultimately use for His purposed! I have waited so long for a place like this and God has answered my prayers, and although at times, i may not want to allow God to have my house, it is not mine to withhold.  So, God, here in front of all these bloggers, and everyone that desires to keep me accountable, I promise to glorify you with this house. It is yours.   Just don't drink out of the milk jug and use chip clips!  :) No, but seriously, Thank you for your oh so perfect, but sometimes misunderstood, timing.  I say all this, not to toot my own horn, but so that all of you guys make sure that I don't fall on my promise to God.  

So my new fluffy, black adopted son that is coming to my house on Feb. 25th ish is doing well so far.  His name choices have come down to these 5:

1. Quincy (Thanks Alyssa. (She's three and loves Little Einsteins.))

2. Mac (Apple, fav McD burger, and he will be as big as a mac truck)

3. Zeus (Largeness)

4. Samson (From the Bible; Strength and Size)

5. Back-up (Thanks Tricia! "I need Back-Up!")

I am going to do that crazy, animal lover thing and ask the dog what he wants his name to be.  They say (and don't ask me who they are) that if you say the names to your animal they may respond better to ones over the others.  I have already purchased his collar, leash, and some treats.  Mom said bring towels to rub on the mother for the first few days that he's home, and I also have the "Puppy Raising and Training Diary for Dummies."  I want to do this right.  And if you know me well, you know reading for me is almost non existent.... well.... in lo of the puppy, I feel it necessary to ready Marly and Me... (Thanks for the idea shan!) that and I want to read the book before I see the movie.  Marly and Quincy/Mac/Zeus/Samson/Back-up are basically gonna look the same only one will be black!  Oh goodness.  Ok.  

If you have any other tips, let me know! I'm getting back to reading.