On the up and up :)

OK, I'm trying...really, I am.

I had a VERY difficult time coming back to Michigan after our trip home for Christmas. I miss my niece and nephews so very much and seeing them only once or twice a year really weighs on my heart. I enjoy the area where my in-laws live SO much - it's where B and I got married and it's where Will was born. I would love to move back to the area, but it's not in the cards for us right now. I spent a great deal of time (to me) depressed about that, but I'm trying to change my outlook. I'm trying to bloom where I've been planted - the ridiculous amounts of snow make it difficult to bloom, but I'll get there. I suffer from seasonal affective disorder and it gets worse every year (probably because the winters seem to get worse here). Our electric bills are sky high in the winter because I turn EVERY light on in the house - I can't stand dark and gloomy for several days in a row....adds to the depression.

So, here I am. I'm looking at my glass half full. My family is here, happy and healthy - I have a nice, warm house to live in and enough food to feed all of us, plus some. We have warm clothes and safe transportation. We're blessed.

I'm doing a bit of redecorating around here - all suggested by my husband! We bought this house 2 years ago - we negotiated 2 rooms of furniture when we purchased it and they even left some bathroom accessories, etc. when they moved out. It was nice in the beginning, but it's starting to feel like we're living in someone else's house - again, that adds to my depression. I know that sounds dumb, but it bothers me. I want it to feel like MINE.

So, we've purchased new living room furniture - LOVE it! Now, I need to redo the window treatments - that will come eventually. I've purchased some new candles and picture frames for the living room - I want to surround myself with things AND people that I love - I have my little family here, so I'm going to put pictures up of our parents, etc. etc. At this point, it's the only way I can be close to them often. I will be purchasing some new collage picture frames this week - they might be cheesy to some, but I love them :)

We have a built in desk in our breakfast nook - it was always a disastrous mess. B suggested that we stop using it as a desk and start using it for pictures! So, I cleaned it yesterday and now it holds pictures of family - it just makes me smile :)

I got a killer deal on a comforter set at Macy's the other day, so I'll be redoing the stuff in the guest room. My dad is coming to visit next week, so I want to have it ready for him. I'm quite excited :)

I'll be sure to take pictures of finished projects :)