praying for daylight

I don’t know about you, but about this time every year I fall into a little ‘funk’… most likely due to a plethora of cold, windy days and a paucity of sunshine.

No comments from those of you who live up north, where there is actually snow on top of more snow and ice on the ground for long periods of time….I know you deal with way more in the ‘winter’ department than we do here in south-eastern Virginia, but  hey – it’s still chilly and gloomy here!!!

Right around the time change (er…spring forward?) I start to accomplish more in the evenings. On most days in the winter, after working a 10 hour day and getting home around 6:30 or 6:45, there seems like very little time between stepping in the front door and laying my head on the pillow (keep in mind my bedtime is about 9 or 9:30). Now that there is still a bit of sunlight in the sky when I leave work, I feel rejuvenated. I accomplish much more in that same three hours after coming home.

If you are like me, and slowly coming out of your winter funk, then your house might look a bit like mine….

Spring Explosion!

Here’s a tour of some of my favorite spring things

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The pedestal table was actually a curb-side find while on my way home from work one day. I had left early because of some really terrible tummy issues and thought I would just barely be able to make it home. Of course, that would be the day that I see this beauty at the curb, with the nuts and screws taped nicely together, ready for someone just like me to drive by. Talk about poor timing. I was in so much pain, but I wanted this table SO badly….I actually scraped some of the paint off of my car trying to cram load the table in the back seat of my little compact.

Of course I prefer real flowers over fake ones, but with my work schedule (and my lacking green thumb), fake ones will have to do.

Plus, they start out cheerful…. and they stay cheerful!

The green floral chair was my first purchase for our new home (way back in June of last year) from World Market

It is actually the piece that I designed our entire living room around

Well, that and all of the other wonderful furniture pieces gifted to us by Chris’ parents. Without the furniture they loaned/gave us before their move to Germany we would have…um, the green chair pictured above….and, um the tables I rescued out of the trash.

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I have had these green and blue striped pillows with the buttons since college, and they seem to roam around the house in various places throughout the year. 

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Can you tell I love green?

Here our the wonderful built-ins that I have become spoiled by.

Where else would I display all of my pretty green things?

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These are two linen paintings that I fell in love with from a consignment store.

Unfortunately, Chris does not share my affinity for them; not for lack of trying – I have even quizzed him and demanded that he tell me what he doesn’t like about them and, in turn, I have proudly described all of the things I do love about them, to no avail.

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I’m not sure how much this giant framed mirror would have cost me at full price/brand new, but I found it buried behind hideous pictures of pastel teddy bears at a thrift store for a measly $10.

Chris wasn’t too happy about this one either, not because he doesn’t like it, but because I purchased it before we even had a home.

Hey, when you find it at a thrift store, you’ve gotta make a quick executive decision!

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Our ‘entry-way’, which is really just the beginning of the big great-room.

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The mirror is a thrift store find, the candle holders and candles (complete with ribbon) are from our wedding – I didn’t even change a thing, and Push-up Duck (an explanation on his name might come at a later date) is from… I don’t remember where.

Dear Spring, Come on already!

Here’s a direct injection of spring into your brain

(thanks to a recent trip to the ever-inspiring,

but sometimes over the top [even for me] – Pier 1 Imports)

I absolutely love these purple pom-pom flowers (don’t hold me to that ‘technical’ name)

IMG_3968 …and I so badly wish I had patio furniture so I could fluff it up with

these razzle-dazzle pillows and cushions. IMG_3967

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IMG_3971 Chris tested out some crazy dangle-y swing while I wandered around.

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I accidentally deleted the photo of him pretending to be an evil, maniacal super villain while turning around slowly in the chair, tapping his fingers in a teepee shape…

sad day….but you can get the mental imagery, right?

Decisions, Decisions…

My husband has been out of town all week.

This is the first time since our wedding day that we have been apart this long….

It’s crazy how fast you become dependent on someone.

I was nearly late to work every day this past week, simply because my hubby wasn’t there to:

set the alarm before bed

put the coffee on (I don’t even know the scoop-to-water ratio)

make sure I only hit the snooze button twice in the morning

bring me my breakfast bagel with cream cheese and a side of gummy vitamins with just a bit of juice

place my lunch in a nice little stack in the fridge (sandwich, cheese stick, yogurt, crackers) – ready to be put into my lunch box

place my coffee mug next to the coffee pot, ready for steaming hot DD coffee and creamer

then reminds me what time it is before gently shoving me out the door.

 

actually, as I’m typing this, I’m realizing how completely spoiled I am.

Here’s a shout out to my completely wonderful husband.

I’m pretty sure there is no-one else quite like him.

(in my defense, I DO have to be at work an hour before he does….

..but mostly, he’s just wonderful)

How do I get so side-tracked?

My point was, he is out of town for the first time, and I’m not sure what has happened to me, but I have been on a DIY-Remodel frenzy!

I don’t want him to think this will be a habit (he leaves, I pull out the tools).

I found this adorable roll-top desk at a consignment shop for $10!!!!

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I want your opinion. What should I do with it?

I was thinking two-toned (white sides with a stained dark roll top)?

What do you think?