Day 183/365--Running

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



This morning was lovely. It was a quiet morning, the hubby still asleep, the only noise the pitter patter of the rain on the roof and the hum of the washer. Outside the culvert was full and running quickly. This is one of my favorite things about the house. We are still in suburbia (fire and police services, close shopping, actual neighbors!) but we get the quiet, the trees, and the close to nature feeling of a cabin in the woods. When I look out in the backyard, I can forget that there is anyone else around.

Day 182/365--Legacy

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



This Nintendo cart was my husband's as a child. It's meant to hold a NES system (ie: the original Nintendo) and games, controllers, etc. When his mom wanted to know if we wanted it, I said Heck Yea! It was a happy home for our game systems at the last house and now it sits patiently in the spare room. Some day, after we buy a new TV, the plan is to move the Wii and the current TV onto the cart in the spare room. Voila! Home gym. : )

Skip Day

Today's skip day is brought to you by the need for a good nap. About the only thing I accomplished tonight was getting out to dinner with the hubby for our Friday night date night.



(See that look? That's the "why-in-the-heck-are-you-taking-my-picture" look. It's because he's cute. And he forgives me for incessantly taking pictures. That's love folks.)

Day 181/365--Dumbwaiter Wanted

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



I love and adore having a two story house. When we were house shopping one story houses just didn't feel like "home" (despite having grown up in them). I like that we have public space and private space. I like the way the house looks from the outside. I like imagining all the memories those stairs will be involved in. The only teeny tiny downside? Our dishes seem to follow a migratory pattern upstairs. And then they stack up. On our desks. In the bathroom. On the end tables. Scattered on coasters throughout. Or, as I found them tonight when I looked over, on top of the bookcase. My darling husband decided to clear off our desks by stacking the dishes safely out of the way of the cats. You can clearly see why we need a dumbwaiter. (Even better would be a robot to pick up the dishes, take them downstairs, wash them, and put them away but! one step at a time).

Day 180/365--NewB(unny)

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



Secret agent bunny joins the art wall line up. As I told the hubby, clearly this means we need to buy more art, because his is the only frame that doesn't match. We need some more to mix it up. : D Another awesome piece of art from another awesome Etsy seller. We seem to have accidentally stumbled on a theme of rabbits, so when I saw this print, I knew...we had to have it. : )

Aweigh Challenge

Heather, over at Cool Zebras is running an Aweigh Challenge. The idea is simple: each week you decide on a small action to take to try to lose weight. Once a week, you weigh in and there is a drawing for a prize. Here's some photos of me as of yesterday, as a point of reference:



Now, I'm not a dieter. And I don't really care what number the scale reads (in fact I had to buy one so I could participate). But I do care about feeling good and being in shape and starting last summer I decided things had to change. I've had a desk job for nearly three years and while, for awhile, a group of us were walking over lunch, that has long since fallen apart. And I'm sick and tired of getting winded going up stairs at any decent clip.

So, in September I took the first step. I cut soda (mostly) out of my diet. Going from a can/glass a day to one a week. And I've stuck to that fairly well. I did have a few more over the holidays, but for the most part unsweetened iced tea and I are becoming quite chummy.

Then, for Christmas, the hubby bought me a Wii! My parents (who were in on this whole thing) bought me a couple of work out games--My Fitness Coach and Your Shape--which I have been diligently using since New Years.

In that time, I've gone from 164.2 lbs (on November 15th) to 159.6 lbs (on January 17).



My overall goal for this challenge is to keep making progress towards a healthier, sustainable lifestyle. Each Sunday, I'll post the results of my weigh in and discuss my overall philosophy and my goals for the upcoming week. (Yes, official weigh ins are on Friday, but I've been weighing in on Sundays and I have more time to take pictures of the scale when I'm not running out the door for work).

Day 179/365--Cave

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



Continuing on with the quest to fill in the gapping holes in my house coverage...more of the guest room! Specifically, the closet. Which is pretty awesome. I mean, it's a walk in closet in a regular ole bedroom. It makes me want to grab blankets and boxes and build a fort. I'd even be gracious enough to build a little kitty fort on the shelves and let Jack and Abby join me. For now, it's storage--some things to give away, a currently unused dresser, more art to frame and hang, empty frames, a couple of floor lamps, and a random laundry basket (which, come to think of it, I should reclaim).

Skip Day

Today's skip day brought to you by hanging out with my dad, listening to stories of my grandparents, reminiscing, and talking shop.

Can you tell we're related?

Simply Joy Sunday # 35

The things that made me happy this week. Check out Cool Zebras for other's joys.

1. My dad coming into town for a visit!



2. Time spent talking far too late with new friends.

3. Shampoo bottles with a perky attitude.



4. Having supportive, concerned people in my life.

5. Short Hair.



6. Parking in the garage.

7. Gorgeous pictures of the most handsome cats in the world.

Day 178/365--Landscape

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



A couple of years ago at Panapoly, the hubby and I purchased this beautiful photograph of a Chinese landscape by a local photographer. His work was absolutely stunning and we had a difficult time picking just one piece. Given the trees and water in our final selection, it seemed a natural fit for the "growing" theme we have in the upstairs bathroom. We've been unable to find a frame for it (it will require a custom frame for it's unusual size, and Hobby Lobby does not carry light frames among their custom selections) but we will. And once we do, it will hang just above where it sits now. Serene and beautiful.

Day 177/365--Sleeping on Air

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



My dad is in town for a visit so we have the guest room "set up". Which means an air mattress on the floor and his luggage in a corner. Someday we will have a guest room with a real bed, some pretty art, and non lavendar walls, but, for now, it works.

Flashback Friday # 6

Take a trip back in time with me every Friday. Continue your journey over at Christopher and Tia's.



2005 was the final year of my undergraduate education. As a capstone course for my degree, I was required to take on a senior design project and for the first six months of the year we lived and breathed that project. "We" being myself and three other of my fellow students. Some I was friends with before, others I became friends with somewhere during the long hours in the lab and the shop, the hours of discussion, the endless writing and rehearsing. For our project we chose to build an educational kit to teach the history and science of historical siege engines to junior high kids. We chose to make a kit that could build either a trebuchet or an onager. We did calcuations to determine what the expected distance would be, build up prototypes, did testing, wrote up assembly instructions, laid out our thoughts on marketing, and generally treated this as though we could walk out the door and pitch the idea to someone. We opted not to, but we were clearly onto something because my the next year Think Geek was selling something very similar. Of course, my heart will always be with ours.

Day 176/365--Tools

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



The counter by the stove is where all of our cooking utensils live. Mashers and spatulas, tongs and spoons--both wooden and serving. Whisks and whatnots. It's hardly unexpected, being the most convenient place, but it's one brimming with possibility. Of dinners and breakfasts and baking. Of muffins.

Day 175/365--Venting

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



The steam from the dryer vents out the back of the house. On cold mornings like today, the stream lends a feeling of coziness to the bleak landscape. It reminds me that today would be a good day to curl up with a blanket, a book, a hot drink, and the hubby. Instead, I finish my breakfast and head to work.

Skip Day

Today's skip day is brought to you by the introvert in me. I took some much needed mental space. Luckily for me I had these two to keep me warm.

Day 174/365--Bedside

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



My nightstand, that catch all place. The alarm clock, glasses cleaning cloths, a coaster, a coupon, and kitty treats. The debris of daily life.

Day 173/365--Comfy Chair

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



My desk chair, bought when I moved into my first apartment. I've replaced several armrests due to my pointy elbows causing the plastic to crack. (I should dig out the final one I have stashed away, the right armrest has begun to crack again.) The quilt, my first quilt ever pieced, second ever quilted. (I learned early never to finish things in the order you start them ; ) Add in a fuzzy robe, a couple of cats, and the hubby typing away next to me and I have all the ingredients necessary to have a very warm, comfortable night of doing absolutely nothing. Bliss.

Simply Joy Sunday #34

The things that made me happy this week. Check out Cool Zebras for other's joys.

1. Lots of good food.



2. Our stubborn cats.



3. Discovering I can take photos with gloves on.



4. Being let out early because of the snow.



5. Rediscovering (and uploading) baby pictures of my honey.



6. Keeping up my Wii Workout schedule and seeing results!



7. Making mad progress on the house!

Day 172/365--Put Away

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



Today the hubby and I, inspired by the below freezing temperatures, snow, ice, and frosty windshields, spent some time cleaning out the garage. Now, bear in mind that it was still below freezing, so we did not do a full cleaning--we're leaving that for spring. But we did get the trash consolidated, the remaining boxes from the move brought in, the floor swept, the scrap wood and tools put up, and the cars pulled in. In short, we now have a usable garage!

Now to just get the garage door openers to function...

Day 171/365--Untangled

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



When we first set up our computers in the rec room, we knew we would have a cable management issue. We wanted to float the desks into the center of the room and that meant running power and internet to the center of the room, and somehow, keeping the rest of the cables from oozing out from behind the computers. Up until now we have dealt with this by simply keeping them shoved between the desks and the couch. The hubby spent ages routing and twist tying everything when we got it set up...but that only helps so far. Then I stumbled across Blue Lounge's Cable Box and I knew we had a solution. Tonight, we spent some time to get everything set up. I also took some of the overly long, but not needing to route through the cable box cables and taped them to the back of the desk (it's unfinished particle board, I'll live.)

It feels awesome to have that checked off the to-do list! Now I don't need to worry about stepping on them. Or the cats eating them.

Flashback Friday # 5

Take a trip back in time with me every Friday. Continue your journey over at Christopher and Tia's.



The summer I turned 14, I was on a mission...a mission to get a dog. My parents had had dogs before they had kids and they had passed away several years before. Plus, the December before, we had just moved to a new house. Clearly we needed a dog.

I don't remember where I first saw her, if we went to the pound or if we ran into one of those SPCA booths they like to set up at pet supply shops. But she stole my heart at first sight and I was over the moon when we brought her home.

I remember discussing with my Dad that I didn't know what we should name her. It was late, and we were locking up the house as we talked. In the quiet darkness, our discussion seemed to carry more weight. He suggested Waffle (because of her golden color) and Cinderella (because we had rescued her). After more days of thought I went with Waffle.

I was madly in love with her and she clearly knew she was my dog. We spent hours cuddled up, inside or out, playing fetch, or just being. But it was a scary place, because she was not a healthy puppy. The mange was the least of it.

That was the summer I had a scheduled week long trip away with my girl scout troop--my first such adventure. My parents convinced me to go, despite her health, and I spent a good portion of the trip worried about her. When I came back, she barked and barked when she saw me. She no longer remembered me.

We spent some time getting reacquainted, but she continued to get sicker and sicker. I was too young to really understand, despite my parent's gentle suggestions that she really might not get better. She simply had to, I loved her too much.

A month after bringing her home, we had to put her down. I sat with her, bawling, as the vet tech administered the shot.

I only have a handful of photos and a few weeks of memories but Waffle still holds a special place in my heart. She was my first dog, and remains the only dog that was ever "my" dog.

Day 170/365--The Twins

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



We have two trees (bushes shaped like trees?) out front, one on either side of the mailbox. There is nothing more Christmas-y than those two little trees sprinkled with snow. Even if it is January. Next year we must figure out a way to run lights out to them. It would be amazing.

Day 169/365--Snow Day

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



It snowed today. 1"-2" which is not a big deal if you live somewhere where is snows. For somewhere like Huntsville, this is a Very Big Deal. I mean, close all the schools, watch the weather, close offices throughout the day Big Deal. And at 2pm, after both of the major arteries through town had all of their overpasses shut down and the traffic was backing up on the bypass (one of which goes right by our building) our COO came through and shooed us all out. I arrived home to find the hubby home for lunch and a solid 1" blanket of snow covering our yard. Our footsteps were clearly visible on the walkway, the hubby's already starting to fill in, but mine, newer, clear and stark.

Day 168/365--Tower

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



At our family's white elephant gift exchange this year, I played it safe...I snagged my own contribution. And can I just say, I have fabulous taste? ; ) Apparently no one else agreed, becase this little cutie came home with me! And is now a happy addition to our shelves in the rec room. Just the perfect touch of country Christmas year round...and safety out of kitty reach.

Buttons

I'd been seeing variations on this theme for several months before I stumbled across Buttons at Buns in My Oven. But these were clearly the most adorable and tasty sounding version. They are dead simple to make but are absolutely addictive.

Day 167/365--Cat Level

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



Just in case the cat toys, fur dustbunnies, and plaintive mews didn't give it away, our filter would tell our story--we're cat people. Fuzzy, well fed cat people. Cats that like to rub on things to mark them and stand about yea high. "Yea" being approximately the height at which the filter stops being choked with fur and starts looking like a normal filter that is about due for a changing, but who would ever know?

Days 166/365--Exploring

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



There is currently a 15 degree differential between the upstairs and the downstairs. So while it's a nice toasty 75ish upstairs, it's a chilly 59 downstairs. For the last couple of days, this has lead to staying upstairs as much as possible, but today the hubby got froggy! He decided he was going to see if he could hunt down the pilot light (there are separate air systems for upstairs and downstairs) so he headed into...the attic? The pilot light was not there but the opening and closing of the attic door left little bits of attic all over our closet floor. Because what's the use of exploring if you don't get souvenirs?

Simply Joy Sunday # 33

The things that made me happy this week. Check out Cool Zebras for other's joys.

1. This self portrait, taken after a long day of traveling:



2. Being back with our kitty babies!



3. Getting the Wii set up and beginning to work out!



4. Lots of good food!



5. Lots of time spent quilting.



6. Ringing in the new year with a deliciously warm bonfire.



7. Awesome new red shoes! Not only are they awesome but they were on super super sale. It would have been criminal to pass them up.

Day 165/365--Coatrack

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



Clearly we need a coat rack / hooks in the rec room. I never would have believed it myself, but this scene has become the norm (only that *is* a new coat, so we are changing things up). I don't know quite how this evolved, but I do know one thing--it's far better to accommodate these trends than try to fight them. Much less stress and a cleaner house.

Day 164/365--Storage

My daily contribution to my year long "Around the House" photo project. 365 photos. Blogged here.



The closet in the spare room upstairs currently houses all of the random "memorabilia" that we have collected--school work from high school and college, toys from childhood, beloved stuffed animals...all things that we can't let go of, but have no idea what to do with. I hope to, over time, find homes around the house for some of our favorites, and find a better way to store the rest (scrapbooks, shadowboxes, acid free storage containers). Many of my stuffed animals have what looks to be mold, so I need to clean them as well.