goal-oriented

We're almost 2 months away from the anniversary of our first house project. It will have been three years. Three years! That's incredible to me. It's also motivating. We've had a very laid back year in house terms, as Baby and an eventful (is that the best word?) pregnancy took center stage. Now, I'm feeling like I would really like to get a few items marked off the list here at the end of our third full year. Or our Year In Review is going to be a very short post.

I remember back in college, learning about the difference between goal-oriented and goal-driven people. I've spent plenty of time being goal-driven. But, this is a stage where that's just maddening. Making a detailed list... being driven to complete that list... I learned years ago that it makes for a bunch of miserable little people and a miserable mommy. I can't mother well, wife well, and have a bunch of bulleted items that I absolutely must accomplish in a specified amount of time. I get bonkers. However, goal-oriented? Goal-oriented I can do. It means I'm very aware of what I hope to get done... probably far less in a far longer period of time than my goal-driven self would prefer... but, even with adjusted expectations, I realize it doesn't really need to happen. There is no must beyond caring for my family and, as second priority, my basic home tasks. I would like to get to the lists. I hope to get to the lists. I'm oriented that direction, but my loving Father may have different assignments for me that day. Being goal-oriented instead of driven is a good thing for me.

Even though I want to get a bunch done before the middle of March and even though I know circumstances are not likely to be in favor of that happening, it is nice to see some progress quickly with little changes that don't take much time. (Doesn't it seem like it's either time or money? If you have lots of time, you can do things inexpensively... but if you spend some dough, you can do things in just a short time?)

One little change that took next to no time at all, but took some cash, was purchasing Baby's crib. It arrived this weekend, and, at 5 months old, she graduated out of her bassinet! Just under the weight limit for that thing :)



I had to rearrange the master bedroom a bit. We're borrowing the chair from Bedroom 3 while Baby is sleeping in here because it's a rocker. I needed it to be on the other side of the room to make sure there was enough space for a crib.



It's not going to make the cover of Better Homes & Gardens or anything, but our master bedroom is getting better. Enlarging the windows was the best thing I think we could've possibly done. It's made such a difference. The sun has agreed to shine this week, too, so you know that's a HUGE DEAL!



I needed to put the crib in the corner where the chair had been... vacuumed all of the baseboard edges. Don't you love to do that? To get out the long, angled attachment and vacuum where the baseboard meets the floor. Seriously. It makes my day.



The color of the chair looks vintagey when it's in bedroom 3. In this room, though, it just looked mustardy brown. Not attractive. I embraced my inner college student and threw a blanket over it. And propped some IKEA storaged boxes (waiting to go back into the Bedroom 4 closet) beside it for a table. Very dorm room chic, don't you think?



My grandmother made that quilt as a young woman. I believe she made it with my great-grandmother. Judging from the fabrics... probably in the 30s. Instant happy.



A crib and a quilt. And the feel of the whole room is changed. It's not ideal to have Baby in here for a long time... we like to have the master bedroom to ourselves generally speaking ;) But, I don't mind having her in here with us. I don't know if it's the sunshine or what, but I like the room much, much more after this weekend. Obviously, the crib still needs a few things. She has brother's crib sheets, for one. I have a plan for a skirt...



it's on the list!