Our House "To Do" List (& would like to do)

So a long while back, I made a house "to do" list. I wrote down a bunch of the things the Mr. and I needed to do and some things that we would like to do. I also broke them down into price categories: cheap, modest, and expensive because that's how I roll I figured it would help us prioritize things correctly. Things in progress are highlighted. Things already done are in red and are crossed out. Anything in black is left to do. So, without further ado, here is the list:

	Things to Do in House:
Free	·      Prime & Paint doors/trim in house
Free	·      Paint & Put down shoe molding where needed
Free	·      Hang rest of pics in house (yes, we’re very late on this)
Free	·      Sand & Paint stools
Free	·      Sand & Paint window panes
Free	·      Paint garage (use leftover paint?)
Free	·      Keep siding clean with Clorox spray and water hose (Spring)
Free	·      Spray paint bathroom fixtures
Free	·      Fix closet doors so they don’t stick
Cheap	·      Finish fixing gate (both sides – they’re wompy jawed)
Cheap	·      Print wedding pic (8x10 – bc we still don’t have one up)
Cheap	·      Print 4x6 pics for window panes & hang in house
Cheap	·      Make a shelf over the washer/dryer to give some counter space
Cheap	·      Put light fixture in laundry room
Cheap	·      BASKETS, BASKETS, BASKETS! (Ikea?)
Cheap	·      Paint front door and shutters black
Cheap	·      Get 2 tall buffet lamps for buffet
Cheap	·      Paint desk and chair for sewing table
Modest	·      Make coffee table into bench (make pad, paint, wood)
Modest	·      Stain end tables
Modest	·      Build Shelf for TV
Modest	·      Backsplash in kitchen
Modest	·      Get cheap frames and prints for Gallery Wall
Modest	·      Paint living room/rooms/bathrooms
Modest	·      Get electrician – wiring for wall switches is wacky
Modest	·      Get white electrical outlets and switches – currently a cream color
Modest	·      DIY Headboard for our bed
Modest	·      Thrift 2 chairs for living room
Modest	·      Slipcover other furniture in living room?
Modest	·      Thrift & Paint one more dresser
Modest	·      Get another bookcase?
Expensive	·      Get/Build 2 pub stools for bar
Expensive	·      Change out bathroom faucets in both bathrooms (to nickel)
Expensive	·      New carpet?
Expensive	·      Put fans in house
Expensive	·      Vinyl Tiles in kitchen and bathrooms
Expensive	·      Refinish hardwood floors? (way off in future)

So, like I said... there's some things we NEED to do on the list, and there's a whole lot of things we WOULD LIKE to do. Obviously, this list is constantly evolving. We'd love for you guys to follow along with us as we attempt to mark things off our list.

Tootles!

On the road again...

Okay, okay... so I'm a horrible blogger. I haven't done very well lately keeping everybody updated. The truth is... I'm worn slap out. I feel like the Mr. and I are constantly on the go. Our schedules have been evolving over the last month or so since the Mr. got a new job. Don't get me wrong... I'm not complaining -- I feel so blessed that the Mr. is gainfully employed... I'm just worn out. Since the Mr. got a job closer to where I work (which is at least 30 minutes away from home when there's zero traffic), we're trying to save gas money by riding to work together when we can. Now, we have to LEAVE the house at 6:30am in order to get the Mr. to work by 8:00am (durn traffic!), and then I drive to work from there (which only takes about 10 minutes). Phew. Then I try to leave work by 4:45pm to pick up the Mr. at 5:00pm, and it takes us until 6:00pm or so before we're home. What a day. I'm sure this is a normal commute for a lot of people who live in bigger cities, but this guy and gal from smaller towns just aren't used to it. Needless to say, by the time we get home, cook dinner, and get everything ready for the next day , I'm pooped. I don't even have kids -- I just don't know how parents do it. They must summon some incredible amount of energy from somewhere deep down, or they're just tired all the time (my guess is the latter). I can't imagine having to throw baths, homework, and putting kids to bed into my already tight schedule. Props to all the parents out there. I don't know how y'all do it.

Just when we get used to this crazy schedule, it'll change again since the Mr. will be starting seminary. Instead of me dropping him off at work and then picking him up, he'll have to drop me off -- which means I'll be at work from like 7:30 to 5:30. Crazy, huh? Let's hope the change goes smoothly.

Also, the Mr. and I have been traveling quite a bit on the weekends the last two months. With Easter, Mother's Day, and the Mr.'s first sermon (he did great -- but I'm probably definitely prejudiced), we've been hitting the roads hard. As a matter of fact, due to an accident, we spent 7 hours in a car one way the Friday before last -- the trip should only take about 3.5 hours. BLAH! I haven't had much time to work on the house or anything else for that matter. The only project I've devoted any time to is couponing, which is coming along slowly. It's saving us money -- but I'm sure I've got a ton more tricks/tips to learn.

Even though we've been spending countless hours in the car, it's always great to see family. They're so encouraging, and seeing them gives me that little boost of energy that I need to get through the next week. Even though it's a short week, it's also a busy week for so many -- including us Hightowers! Here's hoping you guys have a wonderful rest of the week!!