2014 Goals

I'm starting 2014 today.  Why?

1. Because my New Year up to this point has been lame.  I backed Nate's car into the garage and busted his driver's side rear view mirror. (Thankfully, that is all.)  I then proceeded to get that awesome stomach virus that the rest of the world had before me.  Awesome.  

2. Who starts a new year on a Wednesday?  The only thing I am ready for on Wednesday is a nap.  I'm totally not ready for a whole new year.

Happy 2014!  Since it's the new year today I'm totally not behind on the 2013 recap and 2014 goals.  (Don't tell me otherwise.)

I was going to do a round up of our best posts from 2013.  That seemed like a lot of work (and I was bored with my Feedly last week) so I HIGHLY encourage you to check out the new archives tab at the top of the blog.  From there you can select 2013 and choose your own favorite.  There is also now an archive for all blog posts.  We lost that in the transfer and now it's back!  I've also updated a few of the other tabs and I added a "pin it" button that actually works.  Wait.  I'm killing it in 2014.

Now that the extended 2013 is behind us.  It's time to focus on our home and life goals for 2014.

Goal 1. Take down the Christmas decor.  Our house still looks like this (minus the presents under the tree).  It's January 6th.  I'm hoping to complete this by... February.  Let's not rush things.  That tree is large.  

Goal 2. Fix Nate's car window.  I want to DIY this but suppose I should take it to a professional.

Goal 3. Add built-ins to the the living room and spruce up the mantel.  This will be our first major project for 2014.  We are still trying to figure out what we want to do for the fireplace/mantel.  The book shelves are designed.  I am wanting to do more in terms of actual furniture building this year.  Nate and I are just deciding if it's worth the potential ER costs.  (See above Goal 1 for photo.  See goal 2 for concerns about me touching power tools.)

Goal 4. Finish the office.  You may remember that the office was on my list of house plans for 2013.  Zero progress has been made in this room.  It actually wish it looked this orderly now.  We have plans to purchase a sectional and paint the walls.  Any color suggestions?  I'm torn between light and dark.  We'll also need some new curtains and some art work.  This room continues to baffle me on how to make it presentable.

Goal 5. Update our living room decor/furniture.  Goal 3 will more than likely spawn more changes in the living room so I'm going to go ahead and include them.  We have a couple of ideas for DIY coffee tables/end tables.  I'll probably find a new rug. I want something  a little more neutral.  I'll wait to tell Nate until I sell this one on Craigslist.  The living room just doesn't have that modern yet antiquey farmhouse feel that the rest of the first floor is sporting.  It still looks very JcPenney catalog to me.  The couches will stay because they are molded to our hineys.  I would love a leather side chair if I can find one for the right price.

6. Clean up the mudroom ceiling.  Nate and I have weekly arguments about updating the mudroom ceiling.  I think it needs beadboard, crown molding and a school house light.  He thinks it's just fine.

Gross.  There goes my blog resolution of not posting crappy photos.

Goal 7. Build a work bench in the garage.  We need a place to work, yo.  

Extra lofty goals: Add crown molding to the master bedroom and powder room.   Rip up the carpet and install wood floors in the bedroom.  Work on our mess of a basement.

As for personal goals, Nate has none.  He doesn't make goals.  Until I told him mine.  

My New Year's resolution/goal is to stop putting little things off that end up making me feel all stressed and wigged out.  For example, I am going to stop walking over those boxes in the garage and thinking that I should do something about them and just take them to the stupid recycling.  I will not let our pantry become a mess because it is the product of 1000 "I'll do it laters."  I feel like this doable.  Annoying.  But doable.

Ike has decided to bark more at the poodle across the street and relax more. He's totally showing 2014 who is boss.

Are you a resolution maker?  Are your Christmas decorations still up?  

Back At It

Hi, everybody!  Long time, no blog!

How were your holidays?  Nate, Ike and I had a fabulous Christmas and New Year's Eve.

We were able to enjoy time with both of our families.  There was a shortage of gifts at each location.  Can anyone guess what my dad (on the right) got?  We so tricky. 

Ike loves opening gifts.  He loves to help each person open until he realizes that the gift is not a dog bone or dog toy.

Speaking of Ike, he was looking quite fashionable during the holidays.  On Christmas he sported a red plaid jacket and his Charlie Be Good tie.

We went for a snowy hike on New Year's day and he threw on a scarf.  Because it was chilly.  He's always prepared.

This is turning into one of those crazy animal blogs, isn't it?  Someone call an intervention once Ike starts writing the posts. I feel like we're just steps away from that happening.  Seriously. Intervention.  I need to put someone in charge.

Squirrel. 

Speaking of being in charge, Nate and I spent a good chunk of time unplugged this past week.  I felt like the internet was controlling my me.  I have control issues.  So I kicked the interwebs to the curb.  (Except for Instagram.  Instagram is basically like electricity.  A necessity.)  We completed a puzzle.  We watched movies.  We took walks in the snow.  I became obsessed with crochet (more on that later).

Blogland is sucking me back in but I'm back to being in charge.  Look out.  We'll be back next week with quick recap of 2013 and new goals and projects for ol' 2014.

How were your holidays?  Let's get all first world and tell us about your favorite gift (given or received).

Peppermint Oreo Truffles

Merry Christmas Eve!  It's frigid here in Iowa. As in below zero frigid.   After I finish this post I am going to research real estate in Key West.  I think decorating a beach house would be fun.  Ike would love the year round walks.  Now if only we can get Nate on board.

We spent a lovely few days at my parents' house. We did some baking. I love baking. I mentioned earlier that I decided to actually record some of our favorites so I can easily find the recipes next year!

I whipped up these peppermint Oreo truffles.  

As I was photographing them, my dad wanted me to be sure to mention that I didn't make the Oreos or the candy canes.  Always helpful.  So just so we're clear, I didn't make the Oreos. Or candy canes.  But I totally made all of the truffles.  And I ate all of the truffles.

This recipe is adapted from Kraft.

Enjoy!

We hope you all have a fantastic holiday!  We'll be back sometime next week!