The current living room carpet

I’ve had this beautiful wool rug from Capel for 8 years now. When I first decorated my new house 8 years ago I was really into sage green {I still really like sage, I’ve just moved on to some other colors too!} . This is a great carpet and we paid dearly for it. It is high quality and still looks almost brand new. It has seen quite a lot of action over the years with 2 babies and now the Fuggles. So, what is my beef? I’m over the dark color and the green and the heaviness of this carpet in this room. I feel ungrateful saying that. Every magazine and catalog is showing the natural fiber rugs and I LOVE THIS LOOK!!!! I WANT THIS LOOK! I am however wondering about the durability and washability of the natural fibers.  I think I’m going for it since I’ve got a little birthday money burning a hole in my pocket.

I’ve narrowed it down to 3 and I’d love your opinions.

Choice #1

Pottery Barn

show in a room

This is the Flat-Braided Jute Rug from Pottery Barn and the 8 X 10 is on sale for $249. I can drive about 30 miles to the closest Pottery Barn if I want to save on shipping. There is an extra $20 charge for shipping. Pottery Barn claims it to be fully reversible for twice the wear (true?). I would also need to purchase a rug pad.

Choice #2

Home Decorators

Another view

This is the Annandale Jute Area Rug from Home Decorators. Home Decorators is currently having free shipping for Labor Day. An 8 x 11 is $279.  Downside, it is not in stock until 11/1. I would also need to purchase a rug pad.

Choice #3

Ballard Designs Rug

Ballard Designs Jute Rug

The Ballard Designs Braided Jute Rug.  It looks like it would be softer to me and looks so great in almost every room in the new catalog.  Downside, I’m worried about the fringe on the ends.  I envision them getting dirty and having little puppies chew on them. Anyone have an experience with fringe on a carpet?  I guess I could cut them off if they got to be a problem.

from the Ballard website:

“A bit dressier than traditional jutes, our Braided Jute Rug is extra thick and feels surprisingly soft, even on bare feet. Handwoven of golden 100% jute and finished with thick, hand knotted 3″ fringe. Slip resistant latex; no rug pad needed. Allow for 3/4″ door clearance. Braided Jute Rug sizes are approximate and do not include fringe. Imported. Use of a Rug Pad is recommended. $339″

Do I need a rug pad or not???

I did consider consigning my beautiful and expensive rug.  I showed a picture one of my contacts and he said he would sell it for $599, which means I would not get that amount.  But, since my best bud Life to the T has the most amazing attic you have ever seen {many of you have attended her famous attic sale!} she has graciously agreed that I can roll up my rug and store it there just in case i would ever want it back.  Tempting.

Do you get my confusion?  Can you help a girl out?  What is your pick – 1, 2 or 3?

Today I thought I would change things up a bit and just tell you a few random facts about me….so here it goes…

Books I am currently reading:

I read The Shack {I very much likes it, I refused to read it until the hype was over} on our beach trip in June. I miss reading books. I have not really read many this past year. I actually took my kids to the library this week. I was used to just checking out children’s book from the bins of books. The boys have progressed to chapter books now and they usually get them from the school library. OK, I felt like the stupidest person ever and the librarian pretty much confirmed my status. I had no idea how to find a book in the library! I asked a few questions, did not understand her answers and the proceeded just to wander until I found something. I did check out 3 Fodor’s guides on The Carribean, The Bahamas and Hawaii. Planning a 10 year anniversary trip if anyone has any suggestions.

TV Shows I am watching:

The Next Food Network Star. I just discovered Boston Medical! WOW! It is real life Grey’s Anatomy! It totally fulfills the medical want a be in me! This week I discovered Glee. I kept seeing everyone on Twitter talking Glee. In 2 days time I watched 5 episodes on Fox.com. Enjoyable. I totally have the hots for the mowhawk guy.  Oh yes, I do love me some Hoarders on A&E.

Shows I won’t watch:

I’m sorry I just can’t do the Bachelor or Bachelorette and the Bachelor Pad looks even worse. It does not bother me if you watch it though.

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor this summer:

I’ve discovered Ben and Jerry’s Willie Nelson Peach Cobbler. Bliss!  Only 11 grams of fat which is really not to bad for B&J.

Favorite thing to do if I have some free alone time outside my house

Sit in Barnes and Noble with a stack of magazines, usually decorating. I also think it is very funny that they have big signs on the bathroom doors prohibiting any reading material be taken into the bathroom!

Morning Coffee:

I have a Keurig because I only drink one cup of coffee in the morning. My favorite coffee for my Keurig is Green Mountain and I love the Wild Blueberry and the Island Coconut right now.

What I order at Starbucks:

Tall, Skim, No Whip, Cinnamon Dolce Latte

Cities I’ve lived in

Detroit, Washington DC, Seattle, Chicago and now Greensboro, NC.

I’d love to know a random fact about you as well!  If you can’t think of anything tell me what you had for breakfast this morning!

I’m short on time for projects lately. I seem to accomplish next to nothing. I know, I know….don’t wish your play time with kids away. Deal with the moment.

I settled with a smallish project of tweaking the board and batten entry wall. Of course you can see the hooks are already jam packed with all our stuff!

A hook for everyone!

I added the metal letters from Micahel’s.  The “d” is for “dogs”!  I use their hook for their leashes and will use it for their jackets in the fall. {yes, I just talked about dressing my dogs!} The “e” and “g” is for the boys.  Of course the “mj” is me.  I had to paint mine blue!  I also framed the big starfish with the same blue.

Lettered

It is working out great at keeping all the clutter off the floor. Of course the true test will be when the boys are wearing jackets and using backpacks!

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It seems from the comments on my last post {Does Your Husband Read Your Blog} that our husbands do not read our blogs. I did e-mail him the link and he left me a funny and beautiful comment:

“Let’s see, I have to admit that this is the first time I’ve read your blog…or anyone else’s blog for that matter. I appreciate the post (but could have done without the beach photo) and while things are not always paradise (though it frequently is), you are a wonderful and loving wife and it is an honor to be your husband. I love you and will forever!!”

Weekend challenge: Write a post/love letter to your man, send him the link. I’ll be having my Be Still Linky Party on Monday so you can link up your love letter posts if you want!

Having Fun in the Life

My quest for glimpses of stillness in the race of life is an ongoing struggle. It does not just happen. It is something I have to be intentional about. Something I will always struggle with. I’m missing my quiet time in the morning with my precious Lord. I’m struggling with out it. I’m struggling without much stillness in my summer days.

Enjoy the small moments

I love how I got to enjoy this precious moment with my nephew a few weeks ago. I got to just stop as life raced around me and just hold a sleeping baby. It reminded me I need to enjoy the place I am in, embrace it and just have fun!

This week I strive to enjoy life a little bit more than I did last week.

How many times have older, wiser and seasoned women and moms told us to stop looking at the next phase of life and enjoy the one you are in?

Please link up with your Be Still Moments, struggles or anything else you would like to share.  I just ask that you add my Be Still link {grab the button on the sidebar} to your post.  I love hearing from you!

Laughter is so good for us!

I love laughing!

I love being silly!

Today I choose to laugh!

I was thinking when was the last time I just busted a gut laughing? It was a few weeks ago when I had the privilege of attending the Juice Plus Convention in Phoenix, AZ. Our entertainment one evening was Mike Rayburn. He was hilarious, inspiring and sooo talented! He cracked us up for sure!

Another good laugh? Check out this website forwarded to me the other day….It is called Shit My Kids Ruined, or or otherwise made filthy, distasteful, gross or painful! OK, who doesn’t have a few ones that could get posted on that site?

Just another day in my life

Here is a snapshot from a typical day in my house. I don’t find these things until I load pictures onto my laptop!

Amidst our crazy chaotic lives God gave us laughter. What a blessing!

When was the last time you just had a really good laugh? Share something funny today!

I have a quirky confession to make. I have hated chalk all my life. Hated the way it felt in my hands as a child and still do. Hate the dust. Hate the sound it makes when you write with it. Just plain hate it! So, I was Over The Moon when a reader told me about Chalk Ink after my post on Organizing With Cracker Jars.

Slate Tags With Chalk

Here are my Cracker Jars {I bought them at Wally World} when I used plain white chalk.

The After

Here they are after I re wrote the tags with the incredible Chalk Ink! Gone was the horrid feeling I had just holding the chalk in my hand! Plus, my handwriting is so much better!

The most important jar in the house!

Are you loving the slate tags? I got them in Melissa’s Open Sky Shop at The Inspired Room!

black board

Be Thankful!

The Chalk Ink Markers are not just for chalk boards. You can write on glass, mirrors {I use my bathroom mirror and my ah ha moment place} and plastic. They wipe right off with water too! I got mine at Michaels.

Have you heard about these or are they new to you too?

I’m fessing up that I have an addiction to Realtor.com. We just got back from visiting my husbands parents who live in the Nashville, TN area. We had a fabulous time. On friday The Man and I stole away alone and spent the day in Historic Franklin Tennessee. I fell in love with this town! So of course I had to go to realtor.com to find out what kind of houses where there.  I like to picture in my mind what I would buy if I moved there…weird I know, but I someone else out there does it too!

Front porch!

Well I am just smitten with this house I found in Franklin. It is Circa 1810! Not only is it blue, but it has a front porch.  Was I just not talking about blue and front porches the other day right here?

View on 3.2 acres

Oh what a view on 3.2 acres! I could deal with waking up to this each day for sure! What about you?

feeling it!

What a delightful entry way.  I’m already envisioning how I would decorate this!

Look at this fireplace in the kitchen. Would this be worth the sacrifice for a total modern kitchen? I’m thinking it might.

Now I will admit this modernness crammed in the other side of the room is a bit strange. I do love to cook and could see some challenges arising here.

I think this formal dining room would make a fabulous office…for me!

I can picture my two boys sharing this fabulous sunny room!

There are a lot more pictures and a virtual tour on realtor.com so click here for more. I don’t think the price tag is too bad either. It is $429,000. A little out of my range, but a girl can dream right?

I do wonder why these people are moving?  Is the house falling apart, too much upkeep?  Do things break all the time?  My Man says it might be haunted!

Feeling a little bored? Click on a city or town and find yourself a day dreamy place. Fantasy life can be fun!

I was over at My First Kitchen’s house the other day, yah know just hanging out eating her to die for Lemon Blueberry Scones, and I fell in love with her jars of ingredients! Well I am the first to admit that I can be the biggest copy cat out there, but I always give the rightful owner credit! Anyway, I’ve got ingredients galore so I immediately knew I could fill a few of these stylish and reasonably priced cracker jars from Walmart with out a problem.

I purchased all 12 cracker jars my Walmart had in stock in 3 different sizes. I tackled my organic section first, the ones that everything in plastic bags from the bulk bin spilling out everywhere. Goodbye bags!

Coffee Corner

Then I organized the K-cups for the “I can’t live without” Keurig! I have my tea in the bottom jar and the coffee on top!  I’m running low on K-cups, just ordered more today!

organized with style

Just as I was finishing up the big jars, I wondered to myself how would I label everything. I do not have a label maker {gasp!}. But, then the man in the Big Brown Truck came today. He brought me my Slate Tags I ordered from Melissa’s {The Inspired Room} Open Sky Shop! I almost hugged him! You know seconds later I was making these cute little tags for the jars!

love these slate tags!

read the chalkboard!

So now my kitchen is adorned with pretty jars of all my precious baking and cooking ingredients!  My pictures are not so good because the room is very sunny, but trust me, it is much better than it looks!

Spring has sprung and I’m totally in a bright and cheery turquoise kind of mood. I just can’t get enough of this color! I’ve trolled some of my favorite internet sites and pulled some inspiring photos for you to enjoy!

photo courtesy of Coastal Living

I’d so love to have a bedroom like this!  I love how the bed is painted in this fabulous blue!

photo courtesy of Coastal Living

How about the painted blue floors?

photo courtesy of Coastal Living

Now this is turquoise commitment at its best!

Does anyone have any favorite blue or turquoise like blue paint colors they would like to share?

I came back from Brooklyn yesterday afternoon. I hated to leave. We got lots of work done in the newly renovated loft, but I had family at home that needed me too. So, even though he had not made his appearance, I sadly had to go.

Well, as you can see I just barely missed him! He made a grand entrance at 9:25 this morning, a mere 25 minutes after they got to the hospital! I’m so missing my brother, his wife, and now 2 nephews!

This is short and sweet today, I’ve got mountains of stuff to do!