Backyard Envy

So the other morning I woke up to a giant ice cube that was my car thanks to a night of freezing rain. Getting to it involved skating on ice that was on top of snow. Needless to say, as much as I hate the work hours during the summer, I'm super excited for the weather. Especially since we're really thinking about adding a fence to our growing list of "resale projects". It'll add value to the house, and allow us to enjoy the amazing yard this corner lot gives us. Duke can't wait.
Here are some backyards to drool over and imagine ourselves in.

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Check out my Outdoor Livin Board on Pinterest for more Backyard Envy!

Monday Motivation

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It is important to stand up for yourself.
Continue to work hard and be yourself (and a lady) - do not be intimidated.

Wise Words

I adore Maggie Smith and her character on the award winning series Downton Abbey. We can certainly learn a lot from her.

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Happy Weekend!

Walking Workouts

As cliche as it may be, I've recently gotten back into working out. It may be because I have some free time that I can only dream about during the summer months. It may be because I might be getting a free treadmill (I offered to pay for it). Or maybe because a ton of health and fitness stuff is on sale this time of year. Whatever the reason may be, I like it. I walked one and a half miles at a speed of 3-4 mph the other day and it felt amazing! I wish I could do it everyday, or every other day. I was hoping to be able to run more during this time but the weather hasn't been cooperating - we got another three inches of snow overnight. Hopefully by getting this treadmill, I can stick to more of a workout plan. Here are some walking workout plans that can help you reach various goals (including mood boosting and brain power!) and target different parts of your body. Who knew?

Walking Workouts

Puppy Therapy

My brother shared this video with me the other night and I have to say, I've watched it more than once...okay, more than four times. Sometimes all you need is a cute puppy video to cheer you up.

Monday Motivation

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Whether we have the extra time or not, we should all strive to make some time for these little things. I can't tell you how nice it has been to get things organized around the house. And it's always healthy to regroup. And enjoy a nice cup of coffee. And paint our nails. And smile. And be thankful.

Snow Forts

With this unseasonably warm weather, almost all of our snow is gone. Which is great for walking, not so much for playing. Duke turned into a bunny when he got in a good amount of snow, bouncing through feet of it with a face full of snow. He and best friend Charlie loved it. They ate it, they threw it with their little noses, they ran through it as fast as they could. It was adorable and hilarious. But now it's gone and feels like spring. Which means we can probably go for a jog again finally. But I wanna build forts with Duke and Charlie.

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I'm sure we'll have plenty of snow soon enough. And then I'll be ready for summer.
Happy Weekend!

Monday Motivation

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So get out there & create it!

Office Organization

Our would-be office/guest room that I talked about for ages (here, here, here, aaand here) has become a record size junk drawer. And it makes me nuts. Luckily, it has two doors that I can close and pretend the mess doesn't exist. This has worked since we moved in. But, in the interest of making some resolutions for myself, keeping a more organized home (and life) has become a priority. And what better time to do it than now?
I've collected tons of inspiration of what I'd love it to look like. While I don't intend on spending a whole lot more money on this particular house, that doesn't mean we shouldn't live in it while we're here for who knows how much longer. I need to stop wishing acting like we're moving tomorrow. I think it'll be best for everyone.
My plans include organizing the crap that has made it's way in there and put it away, which includes installing some closet shelving, but that's a selling feature, right? I've also started a home organization binder, full of charts and checklists that make me smile and sane. Here's where I got most of my inspiration.
And here are some more pictures of offices I just adore. Check out my Pinterest board dedicated to offices too! (Ya, it's about time.)

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