2012 Home Goals: Part One

I've been reading everyone's posts on what their resolutions are for the new year, which naturally got me thinking about I would like to accomplish this year....specifically in our home. 2012 will be full of buy-ness and HUGE (and great) changes, but I think we can cross some of these off our to-do list without crossing that fine line into insanity. :)

And so, here is Part One of our 2012 Home Goals:

1. Make the dining room more  "finished".

I discussed this a few weeks ago in this post. The dining room (or dining "corner" as I like to call it) is the first thing we hope to tackle this year. I made several changes to it in 2011, including adding a new pedestal table and bamboo dining chairs, but we still needed a new rug and a few more touches to make it complete. In fact....I'll tell you right now that we've spent this past week working on it.... and you may get to see a few more updated pictures of this space in the near future!


2. Update or buy a new dining room light.

Bleh. It's just so "builder" to me. I'm debating whether or not to make it over or just buy a new fixture....decisions, decisions.


3. Paint the inside of the front and back doors.

I'm thinking something in the green family....we will see.


4. Do SOMETHING interesting in the kitchen.

Say hello to our kitchen! I actually really love how light and bright it is, and we've done a ton of work on it since we moved in, including changing the backsplash (love me some bead board), putting in new counters, a new sink, putting a microwave above the range, putting in a new dishwasher (the old one was siiiiiick), and replacing the nasty florescent light with recessed lighting. (Seriously, why do florescent lights even exist? They do nothing for no one.)

BUT.....it's missing something. I think it's color and accessories. Something "fun". Oh, and FYI, white cabinets are totally, absolutely, impossible to keep clean when you live in a dirty, dusty town. SO annoying....but it makes for pretty pictures, right?



5. Style and "pretty up" our front patio.

Last summer we gave our front door a makeover with some sleek black paint and cute house numbers. I LOVE our front door. It makes the whole outside of the house seem so much more welcoming. But the rest of the patio is a different story. It's just an awkward little space that I usually throw a couple of flower pots on and call it good. No more, I say! I have a plan to make this space into a charming little nook. Can't wait till it warms up!

That's all I'm going to go over today, but I'll post the other half of my list later this week. I tend to get a little long-winded, and didn't want to put you through a rambling fest. ;)

Oh, and just to hold myself accountable, here are my personal resolutions for the the year 2012:

1. Learn how to cut Bryan's hair. (Did it! Boom.)
2. Stay on top of our budget each month. Update it daily (so far so good!)
3. Be on time to work and church.
4. Finally start my Etsy business. (Big things ahead, friends!)
5. Run a half marathon (I dropped out of the first one due to the fact that I got pregnant....but I WILL complete one this year! I was up to 6 miles and really enjoyed it.)
6. Find a routine.
7. Pay off my student loan by next January.....
8. Live life with intention. Read more books, watch less TV. Spend more time with family and friends than sitting at home. Do what makes me happy and energized.
9. Send birthday cards ON TIME. (I am completely horrible at this!)
10. Call my family more often.
11. Go deeper in my faith. Strive to be the woman, wife, MOTHER, daughter, sister, etc. that God wants me to be.



I love the new year. Here's to 2012! Part Two of our 2012 Home Goals will be posted soon. :)

Oh, and P.S. Thank you all for your sweet comments to my first baby letter on Friday! I got a little tear-eyed reading several of them. :) Your excitement for our little one sure makes me happy!