Saving Older Homes

I love history and especially old architecture.  If I had a deep enough pocket book, I would save and restore every old house I ever found!

I was surfing a little online tonight and found these fun photos of downtown Salt Lake City.  Then I realized, HEY...I lived here - in that very spot!

South Temple in 1909

South Temple today - Brigham Apartments

 

South Temple 1909 with the Newhouse mansion 

 Same view today.

I loved living here when I was a single girl going to the University of Utah.  I had a fantastic one bedroom apartment, no roommates and life was good.  

(Sometimes I tell Dan I wish I could go live there again for a few days at a time, kids come with a lot of messes and clutter I never had then!) 

It seems like downtown is treated like a big playground for building and re-building.  As much as I loved that apartment it makes me so sad to see those amazing old homes that  could have still been there today had someone stood up for restoring and saving them!

 

Downton Abbey

Who is watching Downton Abbey? 

I started it a few days ago (only seven episodes so far) and I love it!  It's pretty much a soap opera with starched collars and button up shoes but I love it.  The newest episode starts on Sunday night and I can hardly wait! 

 If you haven't checked this series out, you should.  It's SO good!  Even if Dan says he can't understand a word of it.  Maggie Smith is perfect in her character as Dowager Countess Lady Grantham:

Lady Grantham: "You are quite wonderful the way you see room for improvement wherever you look. I never knew such reforming zeal."
Mrs. Crawley: "I take that as a compliment."
Lady Grantham: "I must've said it wrong."

I just found that a book has been written about the actual inhabitants of the real Downton Abbey or Highclere Castle.  It might be on my list for book club...

I'm also, thanks to my new mandatory treadmill time, finally all caught up on my other guilty pleasure - The Vampire Diaries.  I was all for Stefan but now I'm hoping Damon and Elena get together, even more fun since they are dating in real life.

What are you watching these days? 

Family Movie Night

First I need to tell you that posting awful pictures of your home really works.  I spent HOURS in my office and I am almost ready to post "after" pictures tomorrow.  It feels SO good to have it clean again!  

We were excited to host a family movie night to watch "Cars 2" with all of the cousins last night.  

At your house, this might mean asking 5 people over.  

At our house, however, it is asking 50 people over.

My boys really got into the spirit of things by handing out tickets, making signs and being ushers.

 Front door

 Greg ready at the ticket office

Ready to hand out tickets.

I found cute little tickets at Hobby Lobby a while ago, perfect for a night like this.

We had every one come and get a drink in the kitchen and then Graham took their tickets on the stairs.  Lauren had her flashlight ready and escorted people to their seats.  

It sounds way more organized than it actually was.  But FUN!

I had a table with bowls of popcorn and other treats.  It was also the first time Dan's Great Nanny has ever been to our home so that was a real treat too!  

It was so much fun that we are hoping to do this with everyone once every few months.  We love it when our kids can spends time with their cute cousins!  All 20 something of them!

Home Office

There are a lot of pros and cons to having a home office.  My biggest con is that mine is right when you walk in the front door.  

 

 What you see when you are standing in my entry way. See?  EMBARRASSING! 

The plus?  

I am on the main floor where I can hear and see everything going on and if my boys want to use the computer, I have full vision and hearing of that activity.  

I am not at all a trendy person - but I am considering myself as much because I doing what everyone else and their dog/cats/and children are doing this week - cleaning and organizing!

 

Master Bedroom done - this is the bag of trash to prove it! 

I have ZERO motivation today.  Not sure why.  My only thought of this mess is "Well, this is embarrassing.  I should pick this up."

And so that has led me to posting some pictures.

 Coupon binder and mess of coupons.  I am actually NOT couponing any longer.  It's just too much for me right now.  I needed a break. 

 Paper piles and clothes to list in my ebay store today.

 Bookshelves.  I see all these pretty blogs with their perfect offices.  WHERE do they put their STUFF?  Do they not have any?  Where do the printer labels, extra paper, and things go?  Am I the ONLY one alive who has things?  Or do I just have too much? 

 Archaic attempts to become organized.  I love the idea of this.  I just stink at it. 

 This gorgeousness belongs to the a la mode maven, Shelli.  I can't really get rid of my black desk at this point, but I LOVE this room.  It's just beautiful.  

I never said MY blog was one to make you envious!

If nothing else I hope you read this and leave feeling a spring in your step and better about your own situation since you are not in mine today!  

I'll report back later... 

Wishing you...

A very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year to you and your families!  

We are busy wrapping, baking and giggling...I am cherishing this time with my sweet family and hope you are able to do the same! 

Ellie the Elf

 Lauren had her very first dance recital last Saturday.  She performed to the song "Ellie the Elf."  Such a cute song.  

The first 10 times you hear it. 

 

She has been taking ballet and tap for the last 3 months and seems to like it.  

She was MOST excited about getting a costume to wear and putting on the makeup though. 

I wasn't sure how she would do performing at the packed high school auditorium - but she was great!  

She got right up on stage, singing and dancing her little heart out. 

 The best part was right afterwards when Greg gave her some flowers from him, Graham and daddy. She took them in her arms like the 1000's of princess shows she watches. 

It was like she was thinking.."Of COURSE you would give me flowers!"  

We got a good laugh out of that!

 

The boys were miraculously patient with watching this program - especially since I had taken them the night before to go see "The Nutcracker."  I insisted Dan do something very "boyish" with them that day to even out all the ballerina-ness they had been subjected to!

Santa Baby

I've been MIA for awhile I know. I don't really feel like I had anything to say. Or anything I did have to say would be negative or sad. And I don't want to project that "out there." I've been really hard on myself the past few weeks and I need to make a few changes in my life. One involves a total gutting of the junk in my home - that is well underway and I am already feeling better and a lot happier. Baby steps and positive thinking - right?!

I took my three littles to see Santa a few weeks ago. We like to see Santa early to beat the Christmas rush and get lists to him so he doesn't have to shop last minute for us. ;) My friend Emilie of Photos by Emilie takes them and it is a GLORIOUS experience. I take the kids to her studio that is all decorated for Christmas - the kids meet with Santa and it is stress FREE for moi. Love love love.

Here is the proof of Santa cuteness....