Rebrand

I'm so excited to introduce to you the new look!  How do you like it?  It's simple and clean.

I'm totally in love with the new logo!

Please know that I am doing 100% of all of the design work myself, and that I am not trained or anything, so if you find something off, PLEASE let me know so I can try and fix it.

I am also excited to have a new water mark for all of my photo's I take for the blog, ignore the adorable toddler, and check out the bottom left corner of the photo...

I'm so excited!!!

It is going to be super nice to have things uniform, and organized on the blog.

Please bear with me, there will still be some more adjustments over the next week as I tweak some things to make them better for all of my readers.

This new branding is also a fresh start for me in a way.  

I did have another blog (or three) where I posted about specific topics.  It was far to much for me to handle with the return to my more than full time position at work.  I will be slowly adding new topics and ideas (all still within the homemaking realm) to the blog.

Also if you noticed, I am now blogging at http://www.homemakingchallenged.com  instead of http://www.homemakingchallenged.blogspot.com.  Don't worry if you forget, you should get redirected!

Thanks for sticking with me, I have some big and fun plans coming up for this blog, so stay tuned!

Cheers!

Ashley

Master Home Project/Re-do List

We have been in our new home for over a year now.  Things are not as I had hoped they would be at this point.  While we have tackled some thing, most have been left undone.  So I am going to compile a master list so that we can actually see our progress and hopefully check things off a bit faster.  According to my hubby, no master list exists (we have had one written down for months) but if it is on my blog for the world to see then he can't say otherwise!

Entry Area
Create a "drop zone"
Paint and replace closet doors
Create storage solution for closet
Paint current furniture piece there
Create space for stroller

Living Room
Decorate credenza
Create gallery wall
Fix blinds
Get curtains
Re-do TV center
New storage solution for DVD's
Re-do electrical
New lighting solution
Create better toy storage

Dinning room
Recover chairs
Darker stain on chairs and table
paint
hang pictures on wall
create scripture vese on wall
Add doggy door to sliding glass door
New curtains for sliding glass door
Light fixture over table

Kitchen
Create more storage in pantry
Add a "command center"
Fix hole next to dishwasher with shelves
paint cabinets
replace handles
paint walls
add backsplash
new curtains for window
replace sink/disposal
light fixtures
EVENTUALLY - new cabinets and counters

Kid's Room
Get rid of baby furniture (few more months)
paint dressers for kids
hang valence
Create better toy storage
Organize closet better
Get swamp cooler working
paint fun color
new laundry hamper
paint door

Hall bath
paint decorative border
replace sink/cabinet
new towel hangers for kids
Replace bath fixtures
Repair wall next to shower
paint door

Master bedroom
clean out
organize
paint
hang curtains (x2)
rearrange furniture
create custom craft/desk area
area rug
reading area w/ chair
new lighting
ceiling fan

Master closet
paint
new shelves in closet
built in drawers
storage area
scrape ceiling
new lighting

Master bath
get rid of ugly wall paper
demo shower/toilet area
move shower & toielt
add new double sink & vanity
new flooring
new fixtures
paint pretty color
better storage for beauty products
new towel hangers

Laundry room
clean out
demo current shelving
new shelving
move dryer
add sink
fix wall
paint
new storage
Stain floor

Garage
Clean out
create storage
organize
new garage door

Front
Add side gate and higher wall next to garge
claim that space for garden
move pots there
plant vines on side
paint door
add rocks to under window area & around post
fix porch
fresh paint

Sun Room
Clear out
add furniture and toy storage

Back yard
New fence
level yard
add trees to fence line
add grass area
demo wall
add walking path
redo fire pit
build dog run on side

This list I'm sure will add/change as things in our life happen, but for now, this is where we are.  I'm so excited to have this here so that I can cross it off and you all can see our lack of progress.  There will be progress!  Even if it is at a snails pace!


Curious as to why some of these things need to happen?  Well check out these posts here, here, and here from when we first got our home.

Menu Monday

Here is what we plan to eat this week:

Monday - From the freezer - Crock Pot Potato Soup
Tuesday - Pizza Bunt (recipe coming soon, still tweaking)
Wednesday - Rice & Beans
Thursday - Pasta
Friday - with my parents @ the beach!  We, well the Kids and I (hubby has to work :( ), are heading to the beach to hang out with my parents Friday & Saturday!  Can't wait to get out of the heat!

Hope you all have a GREAT week!!!

Cheers!
Ashley


PS Check out OrgJunkie's Weekly link up for tons of great ideas!

Flowers

Several weeks ago, we got rid of this horrible desert tree/weed.  And cleared out the flower bed so that we could have flowers!  I was SUPER excited because I have always wanted to have pretty flowers in my front yard!


On the 1st Saturday of the month we went to Home Depot and to my son's delight discovered that they do a FREE craft project on the 1st Saturday of every month and you get special "treats" afterwards, plus a cool apron.  Lets just say, my son was a FAN.  We can no longer go there with out him trying to do a project or look at the flowers.  He was a big helper in picking out the flowers though!

We purchased and loaded up some soil and pretty flowers that would be able to survive full sun in the heat of the day here in the desert.

I started with basically what looked like a sand box...

Put out the soil and planted the pretty flowers.

 I got really messy in the process.

However, several weeks later... check out the amazing results!  They look amazing and bring a smile to my face every time I come home.

I think I'm actually going to try my green thumb at some vegetables soon!  It also helps to have some free (and cute) labor in the watering department.

Cheers!

Ashley

Outside clean up

We had a bad wind storm and the side of our front area picked up tons of stray debris.  Also some weeds had been pooping up that we wanted to take care of.

 I went to work on the side, while hubby tacked this desert tree, that is more like and INSANE weed.

 It had grown a good 3 feet the last few months and had to go.

 Digging out the roots turned out to be a problem, so we did the best we could.

We hacked it down to a nub, then sprayed some weed killer on it and let it dry out in the sun for a week.

Then we coved it up.  Probably not the "right way" to do it, but easy and so far effective!

At least the side cleaned up nice!

Next project: FLOWERS in the bed!!!  :)

Cheers!

Ashley

New fan in the Kid's Room

With summer here if full swing and temperatures passing 110 here in the desert, we (ok, hubby did all the work and I took pictures) installed a celling fan in the kids room to help keep them cool.

They were on sale at Home Depot several weeks back, and we snagged one for a good price.  We let it run for the kids at night so they stay cool.  Our son INSISTS on sleeping with his "comfy" (comforter) on him at all times.  Even when it is still 99+ outside when he goes to bed.  This fan has helped my little cuddle buddy stay cooler and no wake up in a pool of sweat every morning.

My hubby is such a hard worker!  Love that he does these projects for me with out (too much) complaining.  If you live in a hot place, even if you have an ac a ceiling fan like this one, can make ALL the difference in the world.  Stay cool everyone!

Cheers!

Ashley

Menu Monday

Here is what our family hopes to eat this week:

Monday: Chicken Parm
Tuesday: Pasta with Alfredo
Wednesday: Orange Chicken and Rice
Thursday: Pizza Bake (recipe coming next week, I'm still experimenting a bit)
Friday: Mustgo Night (aka- Leftovers or everything "must go")

Hope that you guys have a fabulous week.  I'm looking forward to returning to bloging soon.  I have been working on several projects and can't wait to share them!

Cheers!

Ashley