Friday.

While I was showering, Eve "wiped baby Benny."

I love her.  And this cute guy...

(See his blurry legs-- he's a mover.)

I'm always impressed with my kids.  They are really good at things.  Jakob watched a you tube and just carved this swan out of an apple.  Isn't that fun?!

My head is swimming with plans for thanksgiving and Christmas.

Today I want to clean and decorate my whole house, mop  and organize my garage (yes, really), finish organizing my toy room, finishing pulling all the dead flowers out of my outside flowerpots, and then start cutting out a quilt with my girls after school.  We'll see how that goes...  (Please don't remind me of all the posts I wrote about keeping my To Do list small.  Thank you.)

Someday I will blog about all the things I love about my new house.  I really love it here.  The previous owners were good people and you can feel their touch all around.  I'm so grateful for them.

Just a few things I love...

Can you see that cute bridge?  I want to paint it white, and I love it.

Do you know what this is?

It's a cup holder- for little plastic mouth rinsing cups.

The previous owners left one in every bathroom.  At first I thought they were too country for me.  But, I have grown to love them.  My little ones drink all day long!  I need to fill them back up today because they are so well used.  

I smile every time I see 20 plastic cups deliberately arranged around my sink.

Know what that is?

My new favorite...

Built in ironing board.  Love it.

(I had Eve all dressed and it looks like she has changed into her Christmas pjs.)

Every bathroom has built-in blow driers.

Pretty neat.

And, I am loving these hooks in every closet.  There are two hooks on either side of Anna and Ellie's closet.  They can hang their towels and pjs there.

We have hooks in our closet too.  It is so nice to hang my pajamas really fast in the morning.  She used a lot of hooks and they're handy I tell you.

This is my needing to be mopped and organized garage.  It is beautiful and I love it.  I actually use some of those shelves for food because we don't have a walk-in pantry.  This house has great storage.  

Love this stained glass window in my kitchen bathroom.  (Perfect place for Leah to store her favorite toothpaste and toothbrush.)

See- another empty cup holder.  My kids love these things.

See that?  

It's a central vacuum.  I love it- although I still haven't figured out how to empty it.  I even have a vacuum port in my garage!

Don't love my fireplace mantel... I think this is ugly.  I want to build something beautiful here someday.  Short term I want to move the clock over our piano and redecorate the fireplace part...  This is one of my many To Do's.

See.  I think I want to move the clock to the left so we can see it from the kitchen and so the kids can see it while they practice.  This is a hard wall to figure out.

I LOVE this print that my friend sent me (thanks heather)!  I want it huge on top of the fireplace- I think.

Maybe I'll add, build a new mantel to today's To Do.  Ha!

Ok- last one, I promise.

See this little door?  It's in my master bedroom next to Ben's changing table.  Yes, Ben us with us too, for now.

There are at least four of these little storage rooms hidden around my house. They all have drywall and carpet scraps and slanted roofs.  They are wonderful!  I store all my fabric and individual file boxes of special things I save for each kid each year in this one, extra picture frames and decorating stuff in another, extra blankets and pillows for movie nights or company in another...  Love these!

And, the last thing I love is my own brilliant idea.  It is funny how much I love this silly thing.

When I get done shopping, I throw a bag of bags into my little storage area in my bedroom.  Every morning I grab a plastic bag and Eve and I empty all the trash upstairs before we come down.  I love it.

My trashcans are almost always empty and clean.  It's easy and starts my day with one small accomplishment.  Why do I find joy in empty trashcans, storage space and country cup dispensers?  I just don't know.

Time to start my day!!

Try to empty your trash cans first thing in the morning, see if it makes you happy.

Empty trash cans, shiny mirrors, clean sheets and vacuum lines are a few of my favorite things.

Ha!  Maybe you're weird like me.

Happy Friday!

(I know... Yucky iPhone pictures.  Just read this post on your phone and they will look crystal clear.  Ha!)