Emily: That’s amazing. What did you use?
Rory: I don’t know. We got it from one of those late night tv-ads. Apparently it also gets rust off nails and hinges, waxes your car perfectly and weather-proofs windows and doors. -Gilmore Girls

I’ve actually knocked out quite a few things on my 2012 to do list. Thank you 2nd trimester energy burst! One task that I thought would take forever ended up only taking one day, and I’m pretty happy with the result. Instead going out and buying new hinges for our cabinets, I decided to spray paint them. They don’t look perfect if you look super close, but I think they look pretty nice.

Before

I know it’s hard to tell-but the old hinges were this bronze color, and they didn’t match our stainless steel appliances.

After:

It’s a very subtle change, but I like the effect. Of course doing this project made me hate the color of our cabinets even more. I would love to paint them white, or stain them a dark espresso. If I went with espresso I think it would make the kitchen feel too small. Once we update the lighting and add granite counter tops, hopefully I’ll be happier about the cabinet color.

We also finally finished the lighting in the downstairs bathroom. Once we get the frame added to the mirror, and replace the paper blinds with real ones, that room will be DONE. I love how much the lighting brightened up the half bath and made it look bigger.

Before:

Ugh, I still can’t believe they put that fake “stain glass” sticker on the window. It smelled like chemicals and it was peeling. That was the first thing to go! Now it smells like eucalyptus essential oil and soap, thank you very much.

After:

Match replaced the light and I painted the vanity a nice espresso color to match the other bathrooms. I’m so happy with how it turned out!

I still have a lot left on the list, but I’ve made some headway. I can’t wait to make more progress on the nursery, but it will have to wait until we know if Roo prefers pink or blue. Other than that, we’re just waiting on that money tree to buy the rest of what we need for the house.

2012 to do list: 

1. Replace the lighting in all 3 bathrooms.

2. Replace the hallway light fixtures.

3. Install an overhead light in the master bedroom.

4. Replace the dining room and front entry light fixtures.

5. Install a custom closet organizer.

6. Buy Monkey a new kennel.

7. Paint mural for the nursery

8. Come up with family Halloween costumes

9. Do at least 1 or 2 Halloween Crafts before Roo is born

10. Increase online earnings to pay for all the stuff we need to buy this year

11. Start a savings fund for Roo

12. Sell the Focus

13. Pay off the Subaru

14. Save up a big down payment for a truck

15. Buy a truck

16. Start landscaping the backyard

17. Start landscaping the front yard

18. Get Nursery ready by September

19. Make decorations for Sassy’s bridal shower

18. Host Sassy’s bridal shower

20. Build up savings

21. Buy new couch for family room

22. Buy area rug for family room

23. Buy area rug for great room

23. Get certified in infant CPR

24. walk at least 5 times per week as long as the doctor says I can

25. Buy VHS to DVD converter

26. Convert old home movies to DVD as a present to our parents

27. Have wedding dress cleaned

28. Carve Pumpkins with Match

29. Write up our wills

30. Meet at least one bloggy friend this year

31. Go camping at least once this spring

32. Buy a side table or buffet table for the dining room

33. Learn to light a fire in our firepit

34. Make window seat for the nursery

35. Get at least 100 readers

36. Go on at least one trip with Match this Spring

37. Take prenatal classes

38. Finish pregnancy journal and have it printed or make a homemade book

39. Order mixbook from last year

40. Take pregnancy photo shoot

41. Do something special for our 2 year anniversary

42. Survive labor and delivery and have a healthy bouncing lil Roo.

43. Take Roo to a pumpkin patch

44. Have a family photo shoot

45. Make 2 to 3 handmade Christmas decorations before December

46. Make at least one homemade canvas print from one of my photos

47.  Sew bucilla stocking for Roo

48. Go back to the Christmas tree farm

49. Make Roo a Christmas Ornament

50. Make homemade gifts for Christmas

51. Spray paint kitchen hinges

52. Paint bathroom vanities

Luke: I’m just having a bad day.
Lorelai: Zzz.
Luke: What?
Lorelai: Days. You’ve been stomping around, barking at people for days.
Luke: I have not.
Lorelai: Yes, Cujo, you have.-Gilmore Girls

That I’m so glad it’s Friday. It’s been one hell of a week and I haven’t been sleeping much. When I don’t get enough sleep I can be a little bit snappy.

I confess…

that the house hunt is already frustrating me. I know it’s supposed to be exciting but it’s also a big giant commitment so it makes me all nervous and fretful. This could be why I haven’t been sleeping.

Then we met with our Realtor on Tuesday and she was a total biatch. It was our first meeting and she didn’t even bother to shake my hand or Match’s. She was rude and short with us and acted as if she were doing us a favor by showing us homes. She even told us she has a day job and then asked if we could schedule viewings around her schedule. I went home that night, emailed her and fired that bitch. BOOM.

I confess…

That Match isn’t making the house hunt any easier by suggesting multiple towns to look in. Finding a home in one town is hard enough, but now we’re branching our search to two…and they are in completely different places. In different counties. My head hurts.

I confess…

That after our meeting with BitchFace Realtor we went to Sassy Couple’s house where Sassy Guy got Match drunk on the drink Skinny Bitch. It’s some weird diet drink that is basically all vodka. This was actually really funny to watch. We played outdoor bean bags (sort of like horse shoes) for hours and it looked a little something like this when the boys would beat us:

It then ended with Match in the fetus position on our bathroom floor. The next morning he told me he was very grateful for my housekeeping prowess and the fact that he knew he was puking into a clean toilet. At least he can see the silver lining!

I confess…

That Thursday I got lost while running errands and spent an hour driving around wasting gas. It was one of those days I really wished I had a smartphone so I could just GPS my way out of there.

I confess…

That I called Match and told him so. He just laughed at my ability to get myself as lost as I had. “How did you end up two towns away?!” Then I hit every red light when I finally did find my way back. And all of the crazy drivers were on the road, and I almost got side swipped twice! Luckily I made it home in one piece.

I confess…

That I almost lost it in the grocery store later that day. The express lane is for FAST people Miss WhotheFStillWritesACheckTheseDays! And she had the nerve to ask for help out with her one bag of groceries. She was not elderly. She was in excellent shape, just whiney. I wanted to punch her. The girl in front of her forgot her pin number and smelled like stale cigars. At least the checker was nice!

I confess…

That the only good part about yesterday was my volunteer interview. I applied to be a volunteer at a crisis nursery. It’s a place where families in need can bring their little ones, ages 0-5 years. The family has to be in real crisis: newly homeless, domestic violence, and so on. My job as a volunteer would be to simply play with the kids and make their time enjoyable. The nursery is their happy place and it would be my job to help them forget what’s going on in their lives and just be a buddy. I cannot wait to start.

I confess…

That after this crazy week I’m SO ready for Geeky’s Bachelorette party this weekend. A little escape and a night out with the woo girls is exactly what I need!

Now, in planning our traditional first dance, I gave a lot of thought to the song that would represent the next phase in our marriage. The best phase in our marriage, I believe. -Gilmore Girls

Logan: I don’t understand why you won’t just believe me. I’m tired, I just want a mellow evening with my girlfriend.
Rory: Last time you were mellow you had a hundred and four temperature and even then, we were bar-hopping for an hour before you fainted. -Gilmore Girls

New Year’s day Match and I went to Sassy Couple’s house for a bbq and to watch the UFC fight. It was a really mellow evening and we had a great time. I feel like Match is just so much more comfortable around this new group of friends. Maybe it is because his co-recruits know what he’s going through in academy, or maybe it is because most of the couples are in the same place in life that we are. Married or engaged, kids or kids on the way, careers, or working towards them, and just past that college party phase.

I met one woman who was thinking of going to bsn online for her nursing degree, and another who runs a fitness business with her husband. Everyone there was just relaxed and mellow, sipping on beers and wine and just chatting. No one was there to get drunk or trashed. It felt nice to have an evening with grown ups. As much as I love our group of friends, there are times when we hang out that I feel there is a huge gap between us in terms of where we are in life. Sometimes I love partying and acting like I’m still 23, but most of the time I prefer the smaller, mellow parties. Plus my waistline likes not having a beer gut!!

Darren: Stars Hollow is charming. The last time we drove through there, there was a pumpkin patch.

Lorelai: Sounds like us.

Darren: In March.

Lorelai: Oh, that would be the year the pumpkins arrived late. -Gilmore Girls

The air is crisper, the vineyards are turning a beautiful golden, and sweaters are a necessary part of my outfit. I LOVE the fall. I’ve been a little pouty this month because I know Match and I won’t have the time to do the typical fall things I love, like going on weekend hikes, or visiting a pumpkin patch and corn maze. I’m sure I can convince him to take a break from studying at least once during the season, but it won’t be like last year where we hiked almost every weekend, and took an evening stroll every night.

I’m also loving curling up on our couch with a throw wrapped around my legs, sipped hot apple cider and watching a brainless sitcom. It’s the perfect way to unwind after a long day.
I did get some happy news with regards to Match’s busy schedule. It looks like he gets Thanksgiving Day and the day after off from academy. That means we’ll get a real break to enjoy one of my favorite holidays. I am so looking forward to it! My first Thanksgiving as a Mrs and an official member of Match’s family. I feel so grown up.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I can’t believe it’s right around the corner. That means Christmas is close on it’s heels! Thank you all for the savings suggestions for Christmas. I just may do some holiday baking to add to my homemade gifts of printed wedding pictures for family. I also think I’m going to keep an eye out for deals on Cyber Monday, the first day of crazy internet specials Thanksgiving week. Maybe I can find something fun for Match that won’t break the bank.

Are you enjoying fall? What are your favorite fall activities?