Here we are flying right through October. This is my most favorite time of year, and it always flies right by! Despite a few record-breaking days of heat this week (102 yesterday), we are finally easing into more pleasant weather. The Arizona weather I love is on its way, and I am reminded of why I put up with the ridiculous summer heat. Just last weekend we returned from Indiana after a week with family...and it rained, and rained, and rained some more. We had a good time overall, but wished we could have enjoyed some nicer weather. I guess we are just spoiled by our regular doses of sunshine out here in "the valley of the sun".
So...we are doing pretty well with our budget still. It's not easy, but we are working hard to really watch where our money goes and avoid unnecessary purchases. It feels good to have better control over our finances, and I hope that by the time spring roles around we will be in a better position to do some things I have been dying to do around the house. I just have to get these ideas out...so here goes my wish list...
1) We NEED a real dining room table...okay, maybe we don't "NEED" it, but I really, really want one. Our current table is from IKEA, purchased for about 100 bucks when we had the apartment, and it barely seats 4. It looks so tiny in our dining area...and when family comes out to visit, or friends come over, it can get rather crowded.
2) Curtains...I have yet to do any kind of window treatments (other than the blinds that came with the house). I would really love some simple panel curtains...but man they can be expensive! Especially since we have 5 windows just in our living/dining area. Any suggestions on where I can find inexpensive window treatments and and curtain rods?
3) Paint...okay, we painted our master bedroom over a year ago when we moved in...and I will admit the paint color was not the best choice. I always wanted a chocolate brown room, but with dark bedroom furniture it's too much. Our master bath is a sort of teal color, and I would like to do the whole bedroom in a lighter version of that color. Santi wants to kill me for even saying I want to repaint:) Anyone up for helping me out some Saturday when he is working?
4) New comforter in the master bedroom....I love our current comforter from Crate and Barrel, but we purchased it from the outlet and don't have the whole matching set, plus I ruined one of the throw pillows in the washer...so it looks like a hodge podge bed set now. Oh yeah, and our dog's dirty paws on the white comforter don't help...no matter how many times I wash it. Nothing expensive..I have been looking at Overstock.com
5) Next would be something I know we won't be purchasing anytime soon, but I can dream can't I? I would really like to have a sectional sofa with a pull out bed rather than our little love seat and sofa. We need more space for guests, plus I love sectionals. The only reason we didn't get one at first was because we were still in the apartment and it wouldn't fit.
6) Mexican fan palms. Our poor little Queen palms in the backyard didn't survive monsoon season. Now we have two big holes in the backyard. I love palm trees...they are one of the best parts of living in the southwest! I would like to fill those holes with some sturdy Mexican fan palms that will NOT blow over during a monsoon storm!
7) Area rug. Although I LOVE having tile throughout our house...I would love to feel a little carpet under my feet in the living room. I would love a big beautiful area rug for the living room.
