A Little Reorganizing for Spring…

Every spring, I get that bug. You know – the one that makes you want to simultaneously send everything but the clothes on your back to the thrift shop…while at the same time buying all new furnishings from someplace schmancy. Like Pottery Barn.

 

*drool*

 

Like I said. Totally nonsensical.

 

So, I appease my inner bugs by rearranging things. These shelves used to hold an assortment of brown and tan glasses and mugs, plus a few tins full of tea. It was a cute idea – a beverage bar! – but it looked so very blah. All that tan, beige, brown and black. And nothing was EVER used.

 

Then one day, when my mother in law was visiting, I overheard her joking with my father in law (as she strained to pull some Chinese serving dishes down from the top shelf in my cupboard), “When we move to town, our daughter in law is going to have to put the Chinese dishes down where they can be used on a regular basis! haha.”

 

 

And I realized…I have 18 cupboards in this kitchen. Why on earth CAN’T I put things like serving dishes down where they can be reached??! (Anything to encourage my MIL to do as much cooking as possible. She’s that good, y’all. Just that good.) And so I did.

 

It’s silly that such a little change could make me so happy, but it’s so nice to just hop over to this set of shelves each night and pull out pretty serving dishes. And you know what they say – when mama’s happy, EVERYONE is happy.

 

Or something like that.

Moving Right Along

 

Christmas 2010 is done. Over. Packed up. (Packed, incidentally, into two red and green tote boxes I found at Freddy’s, 2/$9. Not bad, eh?)

 

How about you? Are you ready to move right along? New Years, for us, has come and gone as well. (But Chinese New Year is right around the corner! Woot!) We celebrated with four sniffly noses, and one really random (and not very fun) stomach thing for me. So, the kidlets were tucked in at 8:30, and Mommy and Daddy followed suit around 10:30. (We’re such party animals, right?!) That’s not even the best part! At 1:50 am, the alarm goes off and it’s time for Lo Gung to drive to the airport to pick up my little sister. Because he’s a rock star like that. (She opted to spend her holidays where there is SNOW this year, in Michigan with friends. Of course, by the time she left Michigan, it was rainy and in the 50’s. And it was snowing in Seattle. Heh.  But she had a great time, and that’s what matters. And hubs and I slept like logs from 3 am until 8:30 am, which is really what mattered for us. So…all’s well that ends well!)

The big girl is over her little New Years Nose Thing, the little dude…isn’t. He isn’t (affectionately) called Prince Snot for nothing! (Well, technically it’s 鼻涕 王子. Bei Taai Wohng Ji. But it means Prince Snot. Heh.)

 

We made up for our lack-luster New Years Eve with a family-wide pancake breakfast, here, on New Years Day. Oh, and we watched Despicable Me. I think we’ve just come up with a new tradition! Besides – these days, I much prefer sleep to watching a ball drop in Times Square, you know what I’m saying?

 

How did y’all celebrate? Wishing you health, happiness, clarity and peace for 2011!

A Blast from the Past, Part I

When I was little, we moved. A lot. Just about every two years, we’d find ourselves in a new city, or state. However, by my freshman year of high school, after three states and nine cities, we finally settled down. By that last move, I was in the eighth grade, and was deemed old enough pack up my own junk stuff. However, when we arrived in our new home, there were a few boxes that my father (wisely) convinced me not to unpack. So they sat, under the house, awaiting the day when I desperately “needed” my junk stuff back.

And now, 15 years later, that day has arrived! (Or so I assume. I found my box of junk stuff on my porch the other day, and was very happy to see it again!)

Here’s the box, freshly opened.

 

Would you like to know how I figured out that the box was packed up 15 years ago? It’s just a hunch….

 

Why hello, ma’am. You’re looking right sassy today.

And now, for the loot!!

Just feast your eyes on the treasure of my 13 year old self…

These are shots from when Aunt Myrnie and I were just wee babes. Can anyone guess who’s who?

And when exactly did Troll dolls go out of fashion? (Answer: Not soon enough!) (This troll bride has hopefully found herself a new home after I donated her to a youth “garage sale” fundraiser.)

I found this lady nestled inside the box. I had forgotten all about her! She is a Native American (Navajo?) dolly. I honestly can’t remember where she came from, but I believe I picked her out during a family vacation to the Grand Canyon region? She’s now a part of my (growing) “dolly” collection.

Come back later to see the rest of the goodies!

To be continued…..

Cleaning Up With LoLo: The Monster Under the Sink

Here's our next challenge, y'all - under the sink.

AAAAAAAH!!!!

No, I don't have any after pictures because...well, these things just aren't that photogenic. Sufficeth to say I left this project with just the one pretty basket full of our extra "stuff", and two bags of stuff to throw away or give away. Lotions with scents I don't like? Gone. Soaps I'm never going to use? Gone. Potions that I don't believe in? Gone!!!

How about you - what can you clear out from under your sink? If you decide to take a long, blog about it and make sure to link up in the comments! I'll round up the posts and highlight you in a later post here, on The-Blog-Currently-Known as Bubba Bubbles. (I'm still gathering up votes, so if you'd like to have your opinion heard on the matter, make sure to head on over and vote! )

Cleanin' Up: Master Bedroom

If you follow me on Facebook, you've heard about my newest project...but in case you haven't heard yet, I'm cleaning. Like, the entire house. I need to purge. Would anyone like to join me?

First up: the Master Bedroom. I had a little extra push last week, as I had agreed to watch a friend's baby. Aaaand, that baby needed to take a nap. In my bedroom. Oy. Can't have my friend seeing my bedroom like this, can I?

I went through the piles of clothes that you can (and can't) see and made piles. I also emptied out my drawers and closet and sorted through those items into piles as well. I made 6 piles.

1. Too small to ever hope to wear again.
2. Stained or worn out. (ie - Scrap pile)
3. Maternity
4. Post-baby Fat Clothes
5. Fits me now/Summer
6. Fits me now/Winter

Once I had moved piles 1 through 5 out of the way, I found room for what I had left.

Here's what I ended up with. (Notice that the pack n' play is now opened up, ready for Miss Stella to come and sleep!)

I'm proud, but would you like to see what I'm most proud of? I have been sleeping in this bed, with this bedspread and set up, for 4 years. I have finally come up with a way of "making the bed" that I like!!!

Your turn. Go ahead - clean up the Master. Go through your clothes. Get rid of everything that doesn't fit, and put everything that's out of season out of the way. Remember to take pictures, before and after! Then, come back and link up in the comments.

Note - Dresser and nightstands from Furniture Direct. Bed frame from West Elm. Blue bedspread is handmade by my Great-Grandma Susie. Brown bed spread and black pillows from Bed Bath & Beyond. Brown pillow cases from a market in Thailand.