I Can't Stand the Rain

Today's ditty on the soundtrack of life is Ann Peebles "I Can't Stand the Rain". There are a couple of reasons. First off its just a great song that makes me want to belt out like I had an amazing voice. Secondly, last night we had some crazy thunderstorms. Very LOUD thunderstorms. Thunderstorms that kept me from falling asleep at a decent hour last night. Thunderstorms that have me too tired to write the blog that I intended to write tonight.

This morning Kraut had to get up uber early to catch a flight to Dallas for work, and inadvertently woke me up in the process. So not only did I go to sleep late, I got up early. Then I went to work, and got a billion calls that had my head spinning. Then I came home and took J.J. for a much needed walk (for both of us) and then ran like 5 errands, cooked myself some dinner, and finished my homework for photography class. Now I think its bedtime and I need to say good night. Thanks for understanding!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5Rjo_imHDE

Crawfish

2012 Resolutions

Since ringing in the New Year, I have been doing a little reflecting on what Kraut and I accomplished and didn't accomplish in 2011. Kraut and I made a list in January of 2011 of house projects we wanted to complete before the year was up, and though it was a photo finish at the end we managed to get our list done just in time. I don't think I've shared with you yet that right before Thanksgiving we began to paint the hallway, master bedroom, and master bath. Then after Thanksgiving we ripped up carpet and had the floors refinished, we painted trim, and then we moved in new bedroom furniture. Its amazing how much better it looks when everything matches! There were several other projects mixed in as well, but that was the big one. Check out the before and after:

Hallway midway through priming

Hallway midway through painting....you can see the pretty new color. Its called porpoise!

Here is the big change. Notice the hideous mustard color on the wall and the ugly Berber carpet that was stained and very messed up thanks to J.J.

Yay! The after! We painted three walls a very light color called snow ballet and the back wall is just a tad darker shade called hyacinth tint. We used the hyacinth tint in the bathroom as well. Before Kraut and I each had a night stand but neither matched each other or the bed and we didn't have bedside lamps. Also, check out the pretty floors. Why in the world would someone cover that with Berber?

I took a picture with the lamps off so you could see them too. We picked them out on Overstock, but my parents bought them for us for Christmas. We love them (my parents and the lamps)!

Here is the new dresser we got at a close out sale at Samuel's along with the night stands. We have so much more space now! Also, check out the new TV we got on black Friday. Before we had an old tube TV mounted on one of those wall stands you would see at a hospital. ick! We are so happy to have a much more adult room.

Anyway, so its the start of 2012 and we are all looking forward to a clean slate and a fresh start. I've made a mental list of some resolutions I have this year. It occurred to me that maybe I should share them with the online community to keep me honest! Here is my list:

1- Take more pictures- I love to have pictures of all the fun people we've hung out with, places we've been, and food we've eaten, but a lot of times I bring my camera places and never even take it out of the case.

2-Learn to use my camera better- I realize that maybe these two items seem as though they should be in reverse, but here is why it's #2 instead of #1. Kraut just got me my first digital SLR for Christmas. I'm very excited to be leaving the old point and shoot behind because now I can post better pictures for you to look at. I've even enrolled in a photography class at the Memphis College of Art, so I'll be sure to give you some updates on my progress with this new baby:

3-Blog MORE- Kraut and I started this blog with the intention of sharing lots of our adventures with you, but we have missed out on a lot of opportunities to share some fun stories. I made good on my goal to jump in and get started, now its time for me to be more consistent.

4- Send birthday cards- This has been a resolution on my list for the past 2 years. I've done OK, but I still need to do better. If you are reading this and are thinking, how come I didn't get a card on my birthday? Please don't hold it against me, I've only done OK, that's why this continues to be on my list of resolutions for the 3rd year in a row.

5- Send 2012 Christmas cards- In 2010 I was on the ball and sent out some cards (again please don't hold it against me if you didn't get one, I started small and sent a few). In 2011 I sent zero Christmas cards. This goes back to #1, take more pictures. Despite all of our travels, I really didn't have a picture this year that I was crazy enough about to put on a card. Also, as I mentioned, we had home projects going in November and December, which killed a lot of my aspirations for Christmastime projects like baking, card writing, and blogging about all the good food!

6- Toning up- Now I know everyone and their brother makes a goal to lose weight. I would like to clarify that this is NOT a weight loss goal. This a very specific goal of building up arm strength (side note: I typed improving arm strength and then realized I had none so switched to building up). I started doing some circuit training in October. My goal is to be able to do 30 real push ups. Right now I can only do girly push ups and I think its high time I graduated to grown up push ups.

7-Get up 15 minutes earlier on work days. I feel like I'm always rushing around like a crazy person in the mornings. I'm a morning person in that I do my best work in the morning once I'm at the office, but its that whole getting out of bed thing that is a daily struggle.

8-Read more- This is on my list every year. I think I could read 50 books in a year and still feel like I needed to do better. I think reading makes us all more well rounded. I need to come up with a good list of books to tackle this year, any suggestions are definitely appreciated!

Happy 2012!!!!
Crawfish