Keeping it real: the garden

We have days when we feel that our house is falling apart. Some days, we think our yard is falling apart.

This year, we decided to expand our garden from from one box to two boxes. But in order to expand, we needed to have a tree stump and a pole removed.

Carl from A New Leaf Tree Service quoted us $175 for the job.

Little did we know that the pole would be near-impossible to remove (it was grounded in cement).

Five minutes after arriving at our home, the stump was removed.

Four hours later, the pole was not removed. Rather, Carl did his best--he was able to turn it a bury it deep enough so that our garden could be planted on top of it.

Carl said that he earned every penny. We agree.

Keeping it real: the bathrooms

Our least favorite rooms in the house to clean--ick! At least they look pretty clean; it's so hard to maintain the clutter on a daily basis. The eyeglasses, the water cups...I hate how things pile up. I'm constantly reminded of the OHIO concept (Only Handle It Once).

Keeping it real: the family room

We recently re-decorated the family room by lightening the fireplace and rearranging furniture. Check out the favorite toys! As you can see, we're a little cluttered as it is. I started to rotate toys a few weeks ago, and I've weeded out their closets a couple of times already.

Keeping it real: the kitchen

Life with a toddler and a newborn can be overwhelming and exhausting. My friend Beth is encouraging me to let the housework go on the backburner. At least for a while. Here's what our kitchen looks like on any given Monday. Better Homes and Gardens better not show up anytime soon to do a photo shoot!


Our little organizer!