Ever heard of Houzz? If not, then you should check it out. That is, if you like tons and tons of home design and decorating inspiration.

Houzz offers a huge compilation of photos from professionals, designers and architects alike. You can search through the database by style, space {wine cellars, anyone?} or keyword.

If you create an account {free of charge}, you can save images that spark your interest in Ideabooks to look back on for inspiration when decorating your own home. You can write up little notes attached to your saved Ideabook images to specify what exactly about the space caught your eye.

If you have heard of Houzz before now then you probably knew all that. But there’s more. Product Picks Ideabooks.

I’ve been an avid Houzz follower for over a year now and didn’t know a thing about the Product Picks…that is until Houzz contacted me and asked me to create my own Product Picks Ideabooks. Basically, Product Picks feature items {instead of entire room shots} that can be incorporated into the design of spaces. Of course, I jumped at the chance to become a member of the Houzz contributing team! How couldn’t I?

You may have already noticed the link on H*T’s side bar to my first Product Picks Ideabook, A Gender-Neutral Nursery. It’s a selection of products that I put together that would be appropriate for a boy or girl. Not only is it relevant to parents who choose not to find out the gender of their baby prior to the birth but also to families who plan on reusing nursery items from one child to the next. I wasn’t given a budget to work with and a few of the items reflect that {i.e. crib and chair}, so it’s more of a ‘dream’ nursery to me. Still, it’s meant to inspire an overall look.

And, yes, I do plan on referring to my gender-neutral Ideabook for our own nursery. Maybe not item-for-item but as a loose reference. So, for those of you who have been wondering and asking how I would approach the design of our unborn baby’s {boy or girl??} nursery, there you go! I definitely want to incorporate pieces that can follow baby through to his/her older years, and I want to avoid a theme of any kind. I really want the nursery to fit into the rest of our home but be sweet and warm and cozy too. Of course, our nursery will have to be completed on a budget. As much as I looooove that freakin’ awesome chair, it’s not going to happen. Neither is the modern crib. I’ll be working with what I’ve got to tweak an old crib {already on hand…the only baby thing we have leftover from our boys} and secondhand chair {hint} into affordable, stylish options for us. Stay tuned…

I’m set to create a Houzz Ideabook monthly and I’ll be linking to them on my sidebar and probably giving you a heads up about them in blog posts. You can follow me over on Houzz too if you want. I’m crazy excited about this newest venture. It’s fun. I have free reign – no forced themes. I find it way more fulfilling than I probably should.

So now that I’ve spilled the beans about my newest gig, I have a quick question for ya. Any requests for future Ideabooks? It could be as specific as ‘striped rugs’ or as broad as ‘family living.’ Have at it, peeps.

images: Houzz

Okay, I’m doing it. I’m answering the ‘How do you stay fit while pregnant?‘ question. As an added *bonus* {i.e. comedic relief} I’m including real life photos…of me…7 months pregnant…working out…in our blah apartment…with my three-year-old assistant. I’m embarrassed already.

First up, my supplies. Contrary to popular belief, they don’t include a pricey gym membership, a hot personal trainer, fancy exercise machines or a nanny to watch the kids.

1 – Two supportive pillows to prop my head higher than my heart for certain exercises.

2 – A pair of Embark 5-lb weights I bought at Target.

3 – The Perfect Pregnancy Workout {TPPW} Volume 1: Sculpting video I bought on Amazon.

4 – A step stool borrowed from my kids’ bathroom.

5 – A chair – not shown.

In all, my supplies cost me less than $30 {free weights + video} about 4 months ago. That’s right. What I’m about to show you is what I’ve been doing three times per week since the end of my first trimester. Before then, I was working out at a local gym ~2 times per week, mostly strength training and a little cardio. But with baby #3 on the way unexpectedly, a renovation in the works, and, hopefully, a career change in my future, I figured now was as good a time as any to cut my gym membership from the budget and find a more affordable way to exercise.

I work out in our ~980 sq ft apartment. No home gym here.

I play the video on my laptop in the middle of the living room floor. I prefer to workout in the morning after I get Layne off to school and it’s just me and Everett. But sometimes, I will wake up early on a Saturday or Sunday to squeeze in a session. It just depends what’s going on that week.

{step ups on the stool}

Oh, and I workout barefoot. It’s my personal preference. I just feel more grounded, balanced without socks and shoes on.

I love TPPW. I read reviews on a bunch of prenatal exercise videos on Amazon and this one appealed to me most. I was looking for a workout to maintain muscle tone, stamina and strength during my pregnancy. I want to be strong for labor and delivery this time around.

{pulls and extensions using free weights and a chair for balance}

You see, my last labor {nearly 4 years ago with Everett} was insane. 48 minutes from first contraction to baby’s arrival. That might sound nice but let me tell you it wasn’t. It was 15 hours worth of labor and pain crammed into a very intense, very scary 48 minutes. We barely made it to a hospital and I was completely not in control of the pain, my body or the situation. Not to mention that serious complications – for mother or baby – can arise due to such a short labor. We were quite lucky. Everett and I made it through without any complications. My doctor says it’s likely I will experience precipitous labor and delivery again, so I want to be as strong as possible to endure another natural, non-medicated childbirth.

{extensions with free weights}

TPPW is about 45 minutes long including the warm up and cool down sessions. The pregnant instructor is a former Cirque du Soleil acrobat who comes across as kind and calm – not in your face. The workout is not easy but it’s not impossible either. Because my body is changing so much, so rapidly, each workout gets a little more difficult for me. But in a good way. There are different options {beginner, intermediate, advanced} for certain exercises depending on your level of athleticism. I’ve yet to master the advanced versions of shoulder dips and side crunches. Oh, the side crunches. I think they’re my least favorite thing on the entire video.

So, where is Everett during all of this? Here’s my lovely assistant now…

{reverse lunges using the chair for balance}

Notice Everett is still in his pj’s. I get about 5-10 minutes of uninterrupted workout time before Everett wants in on the action. I don’t mind though. I think it’s important for kids to see their parents being active. Plus, I end up laughing and smiling a lot more during my workout than I would otherwise. Yes, every once in a while I do have to pause the video to get Everett a snack or something but he’s usually pretty good at waiting until I’m done. Like I said, no nanny.

{propped up on pillows for small ab movements}

I love it when he gets right down with me and mimics my movements.

{warm up stretching}

He always lets me know when I don’t do a movement exactly like the woman on the video. By far, my favorite exercises are the shoulder dips. I swear I’m gonna conquer the advanced version of the shoulder dips before this baby is born. It’s a personal goal.

{shoulder dips}

One more thing I’d like to mention. Kegels. I think they’re important and this video makes you do ‘em. And so, yes, there are moments when you are staring the instructor in the face as she practices her Kegels and you practice yours. At first, it’s slightly uncomfortable {assuming you’ve never stared a complete stranger in the face whilst knowingly doing Kegels simultaneously} then it’s comical for a while. Eventually, it becomes just another part of the workout but sometimes I do find myself thinking, ‘Doesn’t she find it odd that lots of people are watching her while she contracts and relaxes her vaginal muscles?’ But 6 seconds later I’m thinking, ‘Her lip gloss looks nice.’ That’s how my pregnancy brain works nowadays. I’m easily distracted.

{Hello. These are our muscles and the faces we make when we flex them. Welcome to the gun show.}

Anyhow, doing this workout three times weekly does make me feel stronger and give me some confidence going into what I’m assuming will be another intense, non-medicated childbirth experience. I wish I would have found it 7 years ago when I was prego with our first child. I did prenatal water aerobics 2 times per week throughout my first pregnancy which I liked but, honestly, it was a little too easy for me. During my second pregnancy I skipped working out all together. During that pregnancy we were selling our house in Illinois by owner and moving {sound familiar??} across state lines. I thought things were too hectic to worry about exercising. Whew. Little did I know…

Now, I have two kids, a blog, a house under renovation + an apartment, am working more hours at my real job than I ever have since having kids {more on that later} and was told by my OB just today that I’m anemic {so that’s why I’ve been so freakishly exhausted the past few weeks!} BUT…I’m making prenatal exercise a priority. Because it’s important to me. I always feel better after I complete a workout. And, surprisingly, I end up getting more stuff done on the days I work out. It’s funny how putting aside one hour for working out can produce hours of productivity later. No joke.

So here’s my question for you. I think I’ve got the physical strength under my belt for labor and delivery but I’d like to add some visualization techniques to my coping-with-drug-free-childbirth bag. I practiced HypBirth during my other two pregnancies but wasn’t able to utilize any of the methods during my precipitous labor. Things just progressed waaaaay too quickly for me to even get in the HypBirth mindset. Any suggestions for childbirth visualization techniques that could be implemented during a precipitous labor? I’d love to hear ‘em.

I guess if all else fails, Everett could always be my labor coach. Ha!

FYI – I was not compensated in any way to mention the products above. I’m just sharing what works for me! Please seek approval from your doctor before trying any form of prenatal exercise.

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

What did we do on New Year’s Day to celebrate a fresh start? Why, slap some fresh paint on the Underdog of course. After sampling several different paint colors on foam board and moving them around the house for a few days, I decided on a color scheme…with Handy Hubby’s approval.

• BM Tapestry Beige – great room {family room & kitchen}, hallway to bedrooms, master bedroom, master bathroom
• BM White Dove – trim, ceilings {including the great room}, interior doors
• SW Contented – boys’ bedroom
• BM Camouflage – mudroom/dining room, laundry nook, nursery

{Word is still out on the kid/guest bathroom…either Tapestry Beige or White Dove. I’m waiting until the claw foot tub is painted to decide.}

The collage comes across as pretty ‘blah’ but the colors are light and airy with gray undertones in real life. In fact, now that I’m looking at the collage none of the colors look true to life. Still, hopefully, you get the idea and at least have a reference for what’s to come. When choosing paint colors, it’s easy to want to pick a different color for each room but I’ve found that makes me feel like I’m living in a schizophrenic home. Homes – especially smaller ones like our Underdog – flow better and feel better to me when there are slight variations of color throughout. I know how difficult it can be to limit your palette when there are so many great colors to choose from but, for me, it works.

We’ve tried many different brands of paint in the past and decided to have all paint colors matched at Home Depot with Behr’s low VOC primer and paint in one. Since the majority of the interior walls/ceilings are new absorbent drywall, we thought going with the primer and paint in one would help cut down on the number of coats we’d need.

As I mentioned weeks ago, HH was away on business for three straight weeks leading up to the holidays. Things were slow going. Luckily, HH has had the past two weeks off from work and has spent every single day {minus Christmas…the boys were so excited their Dada didn’t have to work on the house Christmas Day…they kept asking ‘Do you have to go work on the new house?’} prepping, priming and painting. First up was the great room ceiling. If you’ll remember it was pine tongue and groove and we decided to paint it {which went against a lot of friends’ and family members’ opinions}. We liked the raw pine but felt it wouldn’t have looked right once medium-dark hardwood floors, black and white cabinetry and other finishes were installed. Over the years, HH and I have realized that going against popular opinion is sometimes necessary {albeit a tad disconcerting} when it comes to making a house really feel like our home.

So once that was decided, HH did a bunch of research on priming/painting raw pine. Turns out those natural knots can cause bleeding problems down the road if not sealed and primed correctly. HH ended up using Zinsser B-I-N Shellac-Base Primer. HH brushed a single coat of the shellac primer into the grooves and knots of the pine then rolled it onto the flatter surfaces. {The primer dried waaaay too fast for HH to spray it on using his new paint sprayer.} He wore a respirator while applying it.

HH applied one coat of BM White Dove in a satin finish to the primed tongue and groove ceiling, two coats of BM Tapestry Beige in an eggshell finish to the great room’s walls and one coat of BM White Dove in a flat finish to all other ceilings using the paint sprayer. He wore a respirator and painter’s suit while using the paint sprayer. Of course, this small paragraph totally undermines the amount of time that all this took. For instance, it took HH one whole day just to prep the areas to be sprayed…wipe down, tape off, move drop cloths around, etc. Painting is the easy part. It’s the prepping and clean up that take for.ev.er.

This is what the great room looks like now…

{I finally scraped off the homemade soot-removing recipe of baking powder + dish soap from the mantel. It still needs more drying time and probably more rinsing but I think it worked well enough for what we’ll need. And HH and I agreed that even if it doesn’t clean up spotlessly, we sort of like a taste of the used look…imperfect perfection. We’ve decided to leave the mantel unpainted and in its original condition because we like the contrast. Should we tire of it later, we can always paint it.}

The great room gets so much natural light during daylight hours that it’s sometimes difficult to tell the difference between the white ceiling and ivory-gray walls. {In photos, it reads all white.} I was a little nervous about going all white in the great room because we have kids but most of my inspiration photos are white-on-white rooms. So, I compromised and decided to go with the ivory-gray Tapestry Beige. It’s not pure white but it’s still very much light and airy. If you’re not diggin’ the light envelope of the room, please don’t write it off just yet. Remember we still have medium-dark hardwood flooring and black and white kitchen cabinets to add to the mix…along with many other contrasting furnishings.

Here’s a better image of the contrast between the ceiling and walls…

At night under artificial light, the walls have a warmer feel. The white ceiling is my favorite. I know it’s not for everyone but I love it. I can’t stop looking up when I’m in the room. Layne described it best. He said it looks like a cottage. While the white paint gives the tongue and groove a fresh look, there are all these little nooks and crannies that run throughout the ceiling that give it more of that imperfect perfection we like.

HH and I discussed what color to paint the ridge beam. We decided on white {BM White Dove} but HH forgot during his painting escapades and painted it the same color as the walls {BM Tapestry Beige}. I would have preferred it white but I don’t detest the mess-up and HH was not repainting, so it’s staying as is. No biggie.

Can’t wait to install some modern ceiling fans and track lighting along the beam!

HH and I tackled the trim last week {we still have some to add after the flooring install} and HH knocked out the hallway. The walls are requiring two coats of the primer and paint in one.

Painting a house with no flooring is pretty sweet. We don’t have to put down drop cloths or worry about little drips on the floor here and there. We removed all the interior doors prior to painting the trim and walls. You may have noticed them leaning against a wall in the great room above. The plan is to paint the doors the same as the trim. Nope, we’re not getting new doors.

Here’s an image of what BM Tapestry Beige looks like under artificial lighting…in this case, under shop lights…

That’s the view from the master bedroom looking into the hallway. Today HH and I knocked out the master bedroom and bathroom – figuratively speaking – and various closets. The ivory-gray looks much different in the north facing bedroom versus the bright great room which we knew it would.

It feels cozier. It’s amazing what paint can do for old, dingy walls. I did feel a wee bit sad painting over one particular wall…

I know it looks awful but this wall had been stained over the years with the previous homeowner’s various art paints. {The previous owner was an artist. We bought two of her paintings at the estate sale to keep with the house.} From what we can tell, the owner/painter used this bedroom as her studio. There was no bed in this room…just stacks and stacks of original canvas paintings.

{No maternity painting clothes here! The bump cannot be contained.}

My pregnancy emotions got the best of me when I rolled this wall and all I could think was that I was getting rid of a part of the woman’s life…a woman who is now deceased. For someone who enjoys all things design, this wall told a great story and I covered it up. But, let’s be honest, it had to be repainted.

Where were the boys while all of this was going on? If you scroll up to the first pic of the painted great room, you’ll seem them hanging out in the bottom right corner. I set them up with blankets, snacks and a movie on the Mac.

Well, movies plural, I guess. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was Layne’s choice and Spiderman was Everett’s. That should give you a good idea of how different our two boys are. After weeks of racing around for various Christmas parties {we had five Christmases over a span of three days, yikes!}, they were happy to chill out in front of the computer for an afternoon…with old clothes on in case they decided to brush up against any freshly painted walls…which did happen with Everett.

The boys and I took off around 6:00 p.m. to head back to the apartment for dinner and baths. HH stayed behind to finish up one coat on the boys’ bedroom. I saw one wall complete before I left and loved it. That means only the mudroom/dining room and nursery remain unpainted. We’re getting there!

And after paint comes flooring. I think that’s going to be one of the biggest improvements we make.

FYI – I was not compensated in any way to mention the products we used above. I just love sharing good stuff!

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

The oversized leather sectional that we had in our previous home was too large for the Underdog’s family room.

Technically, it would have fit but it would have taken up nearly all of the floor space in the downsized space and engulfed our future family room. So, we decided to sell it and put the money towards a more appropriately sized version for the Underdog.

Since Handy Hubby liked the previous sectional so much, he had a few stipulations for our next sofa.

• No loose back cushions. The leather sectional we’d owned before had attached back pillows and HH really liked not having to adjust them every time he sat down and got up. From a design standpoint, I liked this characteristic as well. Loose back cushions can start to look frumpy or lumpy over time. This meant we were on the hunt for either a couch with attached back cushions or a tight back.
• No microfiber. HH doesn’t particularly like the feel or texture of microfiber. I was okay with this requirement too since microfiber tends to look differently if the fibers are pushed one way or the other. I.e., you get the famous butt print effect after someone gets up from sitting. Not that I haven’t seen some good microfiber pieces out there – I have – but if HH didn’t want it, then I was willing to toss it out of the search.
• Kid-friendly. We have kids – two boys ages 6 and 3. And a baby on the way. The sofa will serve as main seating in the family room, so it has to hold up to bouncy, rowdy kids. And even though we don’t allow food or drinks {except for water and the occasional bowl of popcorn} outside the kitchen/dining area, upholstery fabric had to be durable and easy to clean. That meant we were looking at either leather {like we’d had before}, faux leather or slipcovered pieces. Microfiber would have fit the kid-friendly bill but, again, neither of us really wanted it.
• Long-term investment. HH and I were both willing to spend a little more moolah on a quality piece that would stand the test of time as opposed to shelling out hundreds of dollars only to replace a couch of lesser quality in a few short years. This is not our stand on every piece of furniture. But for a sofa that would see regular daily use and be somewhat of a centerpiece for the great room, we felt this would be a good ‘splurge’ item. $2,000 was the max limit we felt comfortable spending. {Again, it helped that we were selling a bunch of the furniture from our previous home to invest in fewer, higher quality items for the Underdog.}
• Comfortable. Not too soft that we’d sink while watching TV. Not too firm that we couldn’t lounge or nap. Not too shallow that we couldn’t curl up with a book and our kiddos. Not too deep that we’d have to install one of those lift mechanisms just to get up from a sitting position.

Our future couch had to meet a few requirements to say the least. Maybe one other requirement for me was that it have a good aesthetic. Naturally. I didn’t want an expensive, comfy, kid-friendly, non-microfiber sofa with a tight back that stood out like the black sheep of the Underdog! I wasn’t exactly sure what specific aesthetic I was looking for but I knew I wanted something with clean lines and not too high of a back since I planned on floating the sofa in the middle of the family room, facing the fireplace.

So, the search was on.

On a trip to IKEA over the summer {before we’d even sold our previous sectional}, we stumbled upon the Klippan four-seater sofa. It was comfy and slipcovered with straight lines and a low tight back. It wasn’t microfiber and while it would have been kid-friendly with its removable, washable slipcover, I started to wonder if the low, low price tag {less than $500} wasn’t an indication of its long-term durability. Still, I envisioned it with a linen-like custom slipcover and kept that idea on the back burner for a while.

I didn’t get a chance to try it out because once we sold our sectional, the Klippan four-seater had already been discontinued. Boo. I even called the nearest IKEA store to make sure they didn’t have any stragglers sitting in stock but they were completely out. The loveseat version was {and is} still available but it was smaller than what we were needing. I took it as a sign. A sign to move on.

What I moved onto was Crate & Barrel’s Aris sofa.

Again, it had nice lines, a non-microfiber slipcover, tight back and down cushions that screamed ‘comfy!’ The only things that had me questioning ‘Is it the one?’ were the slightly curved back and dry-clean only hemp slipcover. At $1,600, it wasn’t cheap and if I couldn’t throw the cover into the wash every time one of the kids accidentally marked it up then it didn’t sound perfect. So, I decided it wasn’t. Good thing, too. Because it turned up discontinued right when I decided it wasn’t for us.

I was slowly discovering that whatever ‘perfect’ sofa came along, I’d jump at buying it after watching the two above be discontinued. I was starting to think all the good ones were gone. I scoured Craigslist for vintage sofas with modern lines that could be reupholstered…to no avail. I hit up consignment stores and outlets all around the area…to no avail.

That’s when I discovered this bad boy.

He’s leather with straight lines and attached back cushions. He’s much like the sectional we had previously with three notably different qualities:

1) He’s not an oversized sectional. This 90″ long sofa is big enough to fit our entire family but modest enough to fit our downsized family room. I taped out his footprint onto the family room floor for good measure. Literally.

2) His back is lower. While the high back of our previous sectional was helpful in delineating the family room from the adjacent open dining area, it would have been too high for the Underdog’s much smaller space.

3) He’s not chocolate brown. This cognac-like sofa is a bit lighter on the eyes than our darker sectional. The color makes me think of saddles and boots.

I immediately showed him to HH who approved whole-heartedly and was a bit surprised by my masculine choice. As much as I adore slipcovered pieces {they’re so airy and cottage-y, aren’t they?}, I really did like how easy it was to keep our last leather sectional clean and how durable it was. Seriously, after 3.5 years of kids jumping on it, it looked exactly like it did the day we originally bought it. Not a tear or stain to be found. I knew this top grain sofa would stand the test of time as well.

I stalked him for a while until he popped up with a free shipping special. I called and talked to a salesperson and was able to get him for $1,800 flat – shipping and taxes included – which was about $200 off the listed price. Not exactly cheap by any means but he was within our budget and I was already picturing him in the Underdog, so I knew this was ‘the one.’

He was delivered to the Underdog last week. HH was away on business, so I had the delivery guys shove him {completely boxed and packaged} into the crowded garage. I haven’t even had a chance to open him up yet. Maybe I’ll do that tomorrow. I hope he’s as sexy and rich as I imagine him to be. I’ve already named him Nate after Nate Berkus. Doesn’t he feel very ‘Nate’ to you?

The plan is to float him in the family room facing the fireplace. The two linen-like upholstered chairs I already showed you will sit opposite him to round out a nice, comfy casual seating area. At some point I need to hunt down a rug to ground the floating furniture arrangement and I’m playing around with the idea of using a console behind the sofa. But I think I’ll wait and see how the space feels once we’re moved in before I start scoping out consoles. I want to make sure things won’t feel cramped.

So, there you go. Our latest furniture purchase. I can’t wait to test him out. The petite sofa we have in our apartment {which I plan to use as a dining settee in the future} is soooo not for lounging. It has more of an upright seat and isn’t even long enough for my 5’3″ body to stretch out on completely.

What about you? What characteristics do/are you look/looking for in a sofa? Or maybe you call it a couch. I went back and forth in this post because sofa sounds better but I typically say couch due to my rural upbringing.

FYI – Good news for you! Just found the exact sofa for cheaper than I paid here if you’re interested. Looks like quantities are limited.

images: 1) IKEA  2) Crate & Barrel 3) Elements Fine Home Furnishings

Handy Hubby has been on two business trips in the last two weeks and has yet another one coming up. {All three trips were last minute job requirements and have thrown quite the wrench into the renovation, figuratively speaking.} Needless to say, progress has been slow at the Underdog. My priority has been entertaining the kids in between working and growing a baby. Again, kudos to all the single moms out there. I’m doing it short-term and I can’t imagine how challenging it must be to do it day in and day out. Single moms in every form, you’re amazing.

HH did make it back for a two-day stint. Not that I saw him. He was busy working on the tongue and groove ceiling in the Underdog’s great room. With the help of some very selfless friends, he was able to finish up the other {kitchen} side of the vaulted ceiling.

HH cut 1″x8″ pine boards to line the skylight insets.

He still has to frame them out with a little trim.

We’re lovin’ the plank ceiling. And, yep, while the unfinished pine isn’t a bad look, we’re planning on priming and painting it white. We think the white will keep things bright and airy and not fight with the other wood finishes that will be in the great room {black and white cabinets, medium hued hardwoods, etc.}.

Looking up at the ceiling, it almost seems as if you’re looking at a pine floor…if it weren’t for the ridge beam breaking things up. In fact, installing the tongue and groove on the ceiling was much like installing it on a floor – except HH was doing a lot of looking up instead of looking down.

The room as a whole is starting to shape up. In fact, it’s looking more new than old, so that feels good even though progress is stagnant.

Don’t mind the white on the brick fireplace surround. That’s just my natural home remedy for removing soot from the brick before we prime and paint it. It’s a baking powder + dish soap paste {I’m trying to avoid chemicals if possible} and I think it’s been up for 3 weeks now because I haven’t had a kid-free moment to scrape and rinse it off. Oh, life.

Everett loves ‘working’ on the Underdog. Basically, that consists of him walking around with a toy hammer and pounding on random surfaces. He likes to wear his black winter gloves while he does it because they get all dusty…proof that he’s been ‘working.’ Five minutes later, he’s done.

Here’s the newest view looking from the mudroom/dining room into the great room. And to think that it used to look like this…

Slow and steady wins the race, right?

images: all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Last night as Handy Hubby and I were getting ready for bed we realized that today was our anniversary.

HH said, “Let’s see. We got married in 2002.  It’s 2011.  That means we’ve been married for nine years.”  Pause.  ”HOLY S@&*!”

I reminded HH that we actually started dating when I was 19 which means we’ve been together for 14 years total. {You do the math.} The serious adultness of our relationship set in.

Honestly, though, I don’t feel like it’s been that long.  I’m having more fun with HH now than I did in our early years.  I told him that.  He agreed.

Fact is, 9 wedding anniversaries, 3 houses, 2.5 kids and lots of laughs later, we’re happier than we were a mere 14 years ago. I think the best advice I can give married people is to not act like married people.  Well, other than the monogamous part. Don’t fall into the trap of playing roles day-in and day-out…mom, dad, wife, husband, employee, blogger…whatever various parts you take on in life.  Always bring a piece of your original self to the relationship.  That’s how it began after all. You can still be responsible and respectful without taking yourselves too seriously.

Happy One-Year-Away-From-a-Decade Anniversary, HH!  So grateful for where we are…

…and where we’re going…

Love you.

images:  Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Along with the ominous task of downsizing from a 2,700 sq ft builder home to a less than 1,700 sq ft fixer-upper comes the even more challenging task of editing down our belongings {clothing, toys, furniture, decor, tools, etc.}.  That’s right.  By choosing to downsize we’re losing ~1,000 sq ft of living space – not mention a third garage stall, an outdoor shed, and more than 1,200 sq ft of unfinished basement space.

In preparation for the big move, I went through ALL of our stuff and donated/sold whatever I knew we could live without or whatever wasn’t going to fit in our future house. {That included ALL our infant/toddler necessities…before I knew we would be unexpectedly expecting a third kiddo. Whoops.  But that’s a whole ‘nother story.}  For selling power, some of our decor and furniture stayed with the sale of our home as agreed upon in the sales contract.

I thought you might be interested in seeing which larger decor items we no longer possess as a result of our decision to downsize. Here goes.  I’ve labeled ‘sold’ stuff with a magenta X and ‘stayed’ stuff with a teal X.

As you can see, that’s a lot of stuff g-o-n-e.  Most of the area rugs stayed with the sale of the home along with all secured lighting fixtures, the dining table and the desk in the guest room.  The other items we sold via Craigslist and word of mouth.  We still have two of the white slipcovered chairs from the sunroom that we’re using in the apartment for now, but we’ll be selling those as well when we move into the Underdog.  We sold our big family room sectional sofa and matching ottoman since they would have been too large for our future family room.  Right now we’re using the petite sofa from our former living room {see the first image} in the apartment.  I’d like to keep the petite sofa and use it as a type of informal banquette seating in our future mudroom/dining room.  The guest bed {see the last image} is sitting in storage waiting for Handy Hubby’s parents to come rescue it and use it in their own home.

And that’s just the big stuff.  I donated a bunch of other items to Goodwill or gave them away to friends and family.  We should get a pretty nice kickback come tax time since I saved all the Goodwill receipts!  I have a feeling that once we move into the Underdog and I start unpacking boxes from storage, I’ll find even more things to be sold or given away.

So other than thinking you may be curious to see what we left behind and sold, I also wanted you to know what we have on hand because I’ll soon be sharing our quest to find new furnishings for the Underdog.  The money we made by selling off numerous pieces of furniture will be used to purchase a few main pieces for the Underdog.  Namely, we’re on the hunt for a new family room sofa, accent chairs, a dining table {which we’ve already acquired!} and area rugs.

We’ve had many family members and friends have pity on us when we answer their question, “So what all did you have to get rid of in order to downsize?”  But we really don’t want or need their pity. We don’t feel sad or resentful about giving up any of that stuff.  After all, it’s just stuff.  While some of it was nice and we enjoyed it, it didn’t define who we are or make us truly happy.

Plus, now that I’m discovering and learning more and more about design everyday, my style is evolving and I’m looking forward to choosing items that reflect that.  Of course, the pieces we incorporate into our home must stand up to our kids too.  They can’t be simply stunning aesthetically.  They’ve gotta be comfortable, easy-to-clean and durable.  That makes the hunt a little more difficult but not impossible.  And that’s something else I’m looking forward to sharing. There’s no reason why a house with kids living in it can’t be stylish yet practical.  Gone are the days of impeccable, special occasion only, kid-free rooms.  It’s just wasted space if you ask me.  If I’m paying for it, I want to use it…frequently.

Don’t cry for me Argentina.  I’m very much looking forward to the challenges and sacrifices that come with downsizing.  Yes, we’re losing square footage.  But we’re gaining so much more.  An affordable home that is nothing more than we need.  A non-superfluous environment in which to raise our children.  The opportunity to turn a neglected, run-down, underdog house into a living and breathing fun family home.  And maybe even the financial freedom to chase life dreams.

So, don’t feel bad for us.  We feel extremely lucky and grateful for this new experience.

images:  all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

Do you like practical style?  You know, stuff that not only looks great but actually works for you?  I do.  So when Scout by Bungalow contacted me I was more than willing to pass on their freakishly fab and functional goods to you.

{Doesn’t their Atlanta, GA showroom look like a fun place?}

The Scout collection features stylish tote bags, collapsible storage bins, insulated coolers, picnic and party coolers, travel bags, travel accessories and wedding favors.  The best part?  They’re totally wipeable!  That’s right.  With a durable water-resistant surface, any item will have you on your way to Easy Cleaning Street.

Here are a few of my favorites…

1 –  The Stiff One is a modestly sized insulated cooler.  Think picnics for two or BYOB.

2 – Little Draw is a drawstring backpack that keeps your {possibly smelly and dirty} tennies or cleats separate from your clothes.  I’ll admit.  It might even persuade me to workout at times when I’m really not feeling like it.

3 – The Original Deano is a generously sized carry-all perfect for trips to the pool or beach.  For you moms of school-aged children, I could see this bag making its rounds to holiday school parties and toting around all those classroom treats.

4 – This Megah Lil’ Slim fits laptops with a screen size {measured diagonally} of up to 13″.  The water resistant shell keeps your PC safe from spills and rain drops.

5 – How tough would this Junque Trunk look in a boy’s room?  Store Legos, blocks, cars, books and train tracks out of sight and in high style.

6 – If I had to pick one item, the Hilary Duffle would be it for me.  Small enough to fit in the overhead on a flight but large enough for a weekend getaway, this multifunctional travel bag fits the ‘does everything’ bill.

7 – Don’t let the name fool you, this Doggie Bag isn’t brown and boring.  It’s insulated, wipeable, reusable and available in an assortment of colors and patterns.  Eating leftovers for lunch has never looked so good!

But don’t let my picks sway you.  Click over to Scout to find your favorite product in the perfect pattern and color to keep your days feeling cool, colorful and collected.  And maybe if you’re lucky you’ll be able to put a $50 credit towards your purchase!  Here are all the details you need to enter the giveaway:

• PRIZE:  $50 worth of goods from Scout by Bungalow
• RULES:  You must be at least 18 years old and have a street mailing address {no P.O. boxes} within the U.S.  One entry per email address.
• HOW TO ENTER:  Leave a comment on this post proclaiming “SCOUT ME OUT!”
• DEADLINE:  Enter before Thursday, October 27th at 9:00 p.m. EST.  One winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced on Friday, October 28th.
• WHILE YOU’RE AT IT:  Tell me your pet’s/pets’ name/names and how they got their moniker. ‘Scout’ is actually a real mascot in the flesh for Scout by Bungalow.  See his cuteness here.

images:  Scout by Bungalow

Thanks to everyone who entered to win the Children Inspire Design giveaway!  I really enjoyed reading all the great parenting advice you guys offered up.  As a mother, I tend to overthink little things when it comes to parenting and your comments reminded me that I should see those things for exactly what they are…little things…and focus more on living in the present. And that’s great advice for anyone – not just parents!

Congrats to Katie who advises parents to go with their instincts since they’re the ones who know their children best.

Now, switching gears completely…

THE UNDERDOG PASSED GAS AND FRAMING INSPECTIONS TODAY!  And Handy Hubby gets all the credit for that. He’s been over at the Underdog every evening after work and spending all weekends there too in preparation for inspection. In fact, last night he drove over directly from work and didn’t get back to the apartment until after 11pm finishing up a few small framing projects.

Not only is this passing grade a huge relief and accomplishment for HH, but it means we’re on schedule for insulation next week!  And insulation leads to drywall and drywall leads to real walls and real walls lead to a real house!  Okay, maybe I’m getting ahead of myself but each little nugget of progress feels like Christmas morning to us. We’re very much looking forward to putting the finishing touches {flooring, tile, kitchen cabinetry, paint, etc.} on our fixer-upper.  She should start looking more like a house and less like the inside of a jail cell soon.

image:  Children Inspire Design

*THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED*

In celebration of last week’s baby news, here’s a family-friendly giveaway!

Children Inspire Design is an eco-conscious product line founded by mom, artist and entrepreneur, Rebecca Peragine. {Whew! I’m tired just thinking about all of that.} The company offers recycled note cards, journals, wall hangings, and art.  The pieces are simple, colorful, modern and whimsical – perfect for a child’s bedroom or play area.  With an emphasis on global responsibility and world cultures, Rebecca seeks to inspire children and change the world.

Just feast your eyes on these cutesy items.  Of note:  All products are created using New Leaf recycled paper and soy ink and are lovingly packaged using eco-friendly materials by a family-run print company in Verona, WI.

Wouldn’t these colorful butterfly cards look oh-so-sweet hanging in a lil’ girl’s nursery or bedroom? They could start out over the crib and then be easily relocated elsewhere in the room as the baby becomes more mobile.  I love the way they’re shown here strung along the wall with just cotton string and wooden clothespins.  For a more polished look, you could frame them up in simple white frames.

For the lil’ man in your life, how about this woodsy vintage alphabet poster?  All you’d need to complement this one is a little guy in a cowboy hat and leather boots.

Check out this inspiring and colorful ‘I am an artist’ print.  Frame it and hang it in a playroom or above a kids’ craft table.  It’s sure to get their creative juices flowing!

CID has also teamed up with mother cooperatives in Mexico and Haiti to support new opportunity and hope for moms globally. Handmade One Mother to Another products are sold on CID’s site as well.

Imagine that vibrant paper bird mobile floating above the changing table or crib in a nursery. Darling.

Check out the rest of the items available for purchase here.  I’m seriously considering this family owl print.

Since baby-on-the-way will make us a family of five, I think this print would be very fitting in our newest addition’s nursery.  Don’t you?

Lucky for you, Children Inspire Design is offering $50 worth of product to one lucky House*Tweaking reader this week.  Here’s how to get some inspiring art of your own:

• PRIZE:  $50 worth of goods from Children Inspire Design
• RULES:  You must be at least 18 years old and have a street mailing address {no P.O. boxes} within the U.S.  One entry per email address.
• HOW TO ENTER:  Leave a comment on this post proclaiming “I’M INSPIRED!”
• DEADLINE:  Enter before Thursday, October 20th at 9:00 p.m. EST.  The winner will be chosen via Random.org and announced Friday, October 21st.
• WHILE YOU’RE AT IT:  Share the best piece of parenting advice anyone has ever given you. I’ll go first… Our first son, Layne, was an extremely colicky baby.  My parents and Handy Hubby’s parents lived hours away and HH was working full-time, so I was going it alone.  After 3 months of up-all-nights and constant crying, I was completely exhausted and overwhelmed. In desperation, I turned to the internet for help.  I’m a reader, so I naturally started searching for a parenting self-help book.  Thank goodness for all the wonderful reviews and recommendations for The Happiest Baby on the Block.  I ordered it, read it cover-to-cover in one day {heck, I wasn’t sleeping anyway!} and started implementing the 5 S’s.  It worked like a charm!  Within just a few days, Layne was sleeping for 6-8 hour stretches at night and taking a few 2-3 hour naps during the day.  That meant I was sleeping again too!  I practiced the 5 S’s with our second baby right off the bat and he had 8 hour nighttime sleeping stretches from day one.  To this day, the book is my favorite baby shower gift to give.

FYI – I was not compensated in any way to mention Children Inspire Design or The Happiest Baby on the Block.  I just love sharing great stuff!

images:  Children Inspire Design