Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Michelle Thurber- Dejunk and New Beginnings

...oh and actually post!!!  Let's go way back to my February project.  I posted about painting doors and putting on new door knobs.  I LOVE them!  I couldn't get the pictures to work, so here is a very belated picture of one of my doors.  I haven't painted the trim yet, mostly because my dream of new baseboards may become a reality and maybe I should change the trim around the doors too?  Thoughts?
It's hard to tell, but I have a beige/gray wall paint and bright white door.

My March project, in which I failed to post on, was to do a couple fun things and some academic things with my kids while we were off track all month.  We did a ton of fun things and a little bit of school work.  I put all the "mommy school" books in a basket in on the kitchen table. It helped to have the stuff out to see.  I find it harder to get out the school stuff when we are off track compared to a long summer.  Piano practice and reading went better than when school is going.  We ending up playing a lot of Apples to Apples, which is great for my struggling reader! We also had tons of read aloud time.  My husband is reading the Harry Potter books to us too.  He does all the voices and it is sooooo much fun!  I haven't read the books, so it is as fun for me as it is for the kids!  I promised the kids a St. Patrick's Day party as part of our fun stuff.  I made green pizza and the kids invited their off track friends over to play.  They were in charge of the entertainment and I took care of the food.


Fun thing #2:  The girls, Mr. Baby, and I got to go out to eat while the boys were at preschool and at a friends.  They LOVE Cafe Zupa's, my husband does not.  We had a great time together!
Fun thing #3 The Zoo!  We were supposed to go skiing, but my overprotective husband was worried about me taking the 3 older kids when I haven't been skiing in a million years.  Bahhh!  I have taken all of them to crazier places!!!  So, we went to the Zoo instead with the in laws and cousin Cole.
The kids also helped me put some shelves together that have been sitting in my front room for a month!  Oh- and their rooms are very clean, at least for them :)

Now on to April!  This month as been kind-of a hodge podge.  It was harder to really focus, because I didn't post the month before with a "this is what I am doing next month".  It's amazing what just writing a down a goal helps you focus!  My home is ten years old and we have several neighbors moving to bigger fancier homes.  I am not a jealous person, but I have felt some twinges lately!  Yuck!  I don't need a newer, bigger, or fancier home!  So my goal this month is too dejunk my current wonderful home, so it looks better and so there is more room!  I have only made a dent, but it's great to be in the right frame of mind to get this project going!  I went through my closet and tossed anything that I wouldn't buy at the store.  I have so many hangers now!  I also cleaned out our bookcase and donated a ton of books to Papa Murphy's for free kids pizza kits.  I made a realization that I don't have to clean out stuff and organize at the same time.  I can just toss/donate stuff and later come back (who knows when!) and organize it more.  Have you seen the 40 bags in 40 days on Facebook page?  Sometimes people post personal garbage on there, but mostly it's been nice to have a reminder on my Facebook feed  to go and gather up some stuff that we don't need around the house.

I also had New Beginnings this month, while my councilors were out of town!  Thank goodness for cute young women and advisers!  The YW that planned it chose a DOTS theme (Daughters Obeying the Savior).   It turned out fine, and mostly I am so thankful it is over!  But I did make a dot ring or each of the girls that turned out too cute not to share.  I made 50 for under $22 and in under an hour. The picture will take you to the tutorial I used. 
My goal in May is to weed, mulch, and plant my neglected flower beds.  Donna, I am going to be channeling your awesome landscaping skills!  Any ideas for a tall plant, that doesn't mind it's feet wet, part shade, and will help camouflage a very white fence?

7 comments:

Nora Mair said...

Oh Michelle, I'm very impressed with all that you're doing. And completely endorse any and all decluttering and dejunking. And also thank you for letting us be the recipients of the awesome mini murph pizza kits. The kids loved them!
I'd suggest a flowering pear for a tree, I think they're gorgeous but I'm for sure not an expert.

Michelle said...

We have had the mini-murphs 3 or 4 times! My kids love them! I have a flowering pear there, but it just came down with something, it's all wilty with stunted and dying leaves. After hours on the internet and almost ordering something online, I settled for some dogwoods and a dappled willow. :)

Nora Mair said...

ooohh dappled willow sounds enchanting. I was going to give you feed back with your around the door moldings. I say they don't need to match the floor moldings. And they're probably still in pretty good shape? It would be a ton of work to swap them all out. my .02. Man your Larsen is adorable!

Jennifer said...

Your home looks so nice. I love those metal bar stools. My Kyle works at the Farmington Zupas, so if you see a brown-eyed worker with a shock of gelled brown curly hair on top, that's him!

Your counselors were out of town for New Beginnings? The nerve! I like the DOTS theme. Our ward did Candy Land, likening all the characters on the board game to a YW value. It was ... a stretch, but cute. :)

Holli said...

I have had the same problem lately! --Thinking maybe I need a bigger/nicer home. But, really, I just need to get rid of half of our junk! haha! Thank you for the post. :)

Unknown said...

Love the rings!

Meg said...

Super cute rings! And I love your idea of making your current home nicer and working on what you have.