Possible Problem....and a big one.

Happy Summer to everyone!  I've never questioned my choice of career, but I certainly am glad I chose education right now!  Summer break is the best thing about being a teacher...and I'm thankful.

Here's the problem- I'm very allergic to cats.  I can usually manage to be in a room with them and survive if I don't touch them.  I was aware when I bought my house that the previous owners had a cat.  Now I've learned that there's a good chance there were two here.  I took every precaution I knew to take before moving in.  I had the carpet (every inch of it) cleaned and we painted every single square inch of this house also...I mean baseboards, doors, and walls.  I'm hoping it's just coincidence, but my allergies have been worse than ever lately.  I always have a short period of time during spring when they get bad, but it usually doesn't last too long.  It's just not getting any better.  I tried Zyrtec and it does nothing.  I've moved to Claritin and it may be a little better, but I'm still struggling.  My eyes itch SO bad and they always feel like there's something in them.  They look blood shot and they swell.  My nose runs and I even wheeze at times.  It's miserable!  What do I do?  I'm going tomorrow to get a new air filter.  Other than that, I'm at a loss.  I can't exactly move and insurance doesn't pay for allergy shots.  Solution please. :)

Before and After Part 2

Sorry it's taken so long, but moving is a process!  I, just this week, finished putting everything away and finished hanging things on the wall.  It's by no means complete, but for now it's my little house...and I love it!  (Minus the snake....another post.)  Here are the kitchen and master bedroom before and afters.  I'll get to the bathrooms and guest bedroom next.

Kitchen Before and after:

Master Bedroom Before and After:

Be a Follower!

Ashley and I have decided that it's time to move foward....in the painting business.  We are premeiring our new blog, Pro-CRAFT-ination today!  On display is personlized wall art and other great gift ideas.  Visit it here.  Let us know if you'd like to order!  Comment on the blog or if you know us personally, feel free to email or call!  We ask for your patience as we continue the process of building the blog.  We will be adding more items daily.  Thank you!

Before and After

My house needed A LOT of work.  If I had known exaxtly how much and what all would go into getting everything done, I might have thought twice about purchasing.  It's still not finished, but I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I'm really loving it and having such a fun time decorating it and making it my own.  Here's the before and after of the living room.  It's the room that's closest to being done.  Enjoy!

                                      BEFORE:

AFTER:

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!!!!!

See it here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He STILL amazes me..........

I am so incredibly blessed.  I have been reminded over and over again in the last few weeks how faithful and how amazing my God is.  Not because He's given me a house or because He's done wonderful things in my life, but because His love is perfect for me and I am in awe of who He is. 

My friends are incredible.  I was given a surprise housewarming party at school on my closing day, where my friends showered me with items to stock my pantry and a beautiful patio set!  I got a super cute table and chairs with a lime green umbrella!  Tomorrow night, I have more amazing friends that are giving me a housewarming party.  My mom, sister, and brother in law have been wonderful in their generosity, also.  They are simply irreplacable.  I don't quite know how to act or what to say.  I've never been so thankful for people in my life and I am finding it very difficult to express my gratitude.  I say all this not to boast but to honestly share with you the overwhelming feeling of thankfulness I've felt lately.  God is SO great and has so richly blessed me.  So to my friends and family reading that have been a part of all this, THANK YOU-for being God to me and for being an earthly example of His love.  I could never tell you what it means to me.

P.S.  Before and after picture are coming SOON!  It's getting there, but I want to have things a little more put together before I post.  I can't wait for you to see the difference!!!

Thankful and Exhausted

Coming to you straight from the corner of Exhausted Avenue and Thankful Lane, it's me!  I am still here, but barely.  I've been attempting to settle into my new house and get everything unpacked.  I LOVE my house and am so incredibly thankful that God blessed me with it.  Having said that, it's been way more stressful than I thought, as far as getting everything done to move in.  I planned to have all the painting and cleaning completely done before I moved anything in.  Boy, was I wrong on that one.  God showed me again that my life isn't according to my plan, but His.  I've been reminding myself that everything will get done eventually and to just enjoy the journey.  There have defnitely been hurdles in this process to overcome though.

The paint was/is an absolute mess.  I went back and forth on whether to paint myself or hire it done.  I eventually chose to hire someone because I enjoy painting for the first 30 minutes, then I'm ready to scream.  I thought I'd save some frustration and not do it myself.  Again, I was way wrong......The people that painted before me put water-based paint on top of oil-based.  I didn't know anything about paint until last week, but that is trouble!  If you do this, the paint won't stick and will chip off easily.  So, the painters had to go over every single inch of the trim with oil-based paint, which is like painting with thick cheese dip.  It's so hard!  Also, it takes about 24 hours for it to dry before you can put on a second coat.  That may not seem like a big deal, but throw in the fact that all the trim was either an UGLY brown color or hunter green, and that makes for a HUGE deal!  Since the painters charge by the hour and it has taken them double the time they thought to paint, my painting budget has been exhausted.  I can't keep paying for their time, so you guessed it- I've had to paint.  I've painted stairways, baseboards, trim, closet doors, and I'm currently on coat four of the front door and it could probably stand another one.  That puts unpacking boxes on the backburner.  It's getting close though, so hopefully things will be normal soon.  I'll be very glad not to smell paint fumes every time I go home. :)

Before and after pictures are coming soon.  I can't wait for you to see the difference.  I'm super excited!!!