Living off the grid

I’ve been living the last few weeks without a list. It feels weird. Not gonna lie. I pretty much wake up every day, look to see what commitments I have, hope I have something to make for dinner, accomplish anything I see that needs done in the “free” time I have, have a small panic attack trying to figure out dinner, throw something together, put the kids in bed and start all over again the next day. I can’t say that I love it and I can’t say that I hate it. I can say that things that should be getting done are not. And things that can wait til another day are getting done (because I can see them!). Ha.

I planted 3 rug junipers and 3 dwarf holly-bush things on the top tier of the hill. Half the hill is weeded, the other isn’t… because I was taking out a ground cover – – weed or not – – that is holding the soil in place. I’m waiting for the russian sage, lavender, and black-eyed susans to hit stores in the next few weeks. Once that happens, I’ll plant them and bring in some mulch to prevent erosion. Until then, the weedy ground cover will have to stay.

I also wrestled a vine that was killing the mature rug juniper in my front flower bed — I’d love that 2 hours of my life back. I hope the little section that’s brown will green up now that it can see the sun. I also hope I got it all so it doesn’t come back.

I finished recovering a set of antique chairs I started two years ago. It was time. They’ve been sitting unfinished in the corner of my bedroom for a long, long while. I can’t believe I didn’t do it earlier. So glad they’re done… (now to figure out where to put them)

I painted the verse canvases for Ainsley’s room and got them on the walls. These were important to her and I’m glad to have them up in time for summer (I will never be able to say or type summer again without hearing it with Olaf’s singing voice.. sum—merrrrrr).

And I finally got Ryan and Piper’s room somewhat decorated.

This started the whole thing…

Two years ago, before Piper was ever a speck in her father’s eye, I was trying to come up with a way to decorate Ryan’s room without spending a ton of money. I had several Pinterest pins, but they involved buying a bunch of decor or painting stripes or doing things that just aren’t going to happen in this house – especially now that there’s an infant involved. Then I saw this sign for $15 at Marshall’s or some such place. I remembered I had burlap curtains with a black accent ribbon stored in a box in the basement. I couldn’t bear parting with them when we moved even though we didn’t use them in the last two houses. I searched for them FOREVER to go with a color scheme in our townhouse and actually bought them from an expensive store. I hardly ever do that. I realized they would go perfectly with this little rustic sign and the black and taupe striped bedspread I also had stored in a trunk. Love it, love it. So I bought it, and it and the curtains were the only thing in his bedroom for quite some time… and then even more time when I realized a little girl would be sharing his space….

Right before Thanksgiving I bought two little matching lamps at Home Goods for super cheap to flank his dresser and to light up the map I bought on Amazon to fit onto a cork board I had sitting around. I painted the white frame black to match the room and pinned the map to it.

To define Piper’s space, I paper-covered letters with my sisters during our girls’ weekend. I love how they turned out… (see my little Sweet P taking her afternoon cat nap?)

For Ryan’s side, I hung old license plates in a grid. I’d love to add another row and column but we’ll see. For now, it works.

Today I’m going back to a list. I’m thrilled all these items got checked off, but I think I have some serious paperwork that needs done and shouldn’t be ignored any longer, and I’m sick of not knowing what to cook for dinner. Menu planning is good. Swim team deadline is coming up. Bills need paid.

See already starting a list!