Or at least lately I do LOL! I’ve been in a baking/cooking mood. I don’t want to do the part of the job that requires cleaning and laundry though. Susie can keep that part herself. So, maybe this means I wanna be Martha Stewart?

I made the applesauce for Thanksgiving, and served both hot and cold. Yesterday I made chocolate chip cookies, and tonight I’ve decided to make Baked Potato Soup for dinner! I originally wanted to make Homemade Strawberry Freezer Jam (mom said it’s easier to make than regular jam). Alas, it looks like when you live in the North, canning jars are seasonal. WTH! Target has the jars, so I’ll have to pop in at lunch on Monday to check them out.

I still have a pumpkin pie that I need to make sometime soon, and then eventually my family will be begging me to make holiday cookies. Last time I made them from bagged Betty Crocker mix… And the time before that I spent 8 hours in my kitchen making them from scratch. I have no idea what I’ll decide to do this year, but I might make them from scratch since I have a Kitchen-aid mixer now!

Maybe I’ll take pics of my cooking escapades since I got a new camera yesterday… We’ll see! I’m off to bake the potatoes for tonight’s soup! Yum-o!

I really miss being a SAHM a lot.  I really do.  Especially now that I’ve met someone who is approximately the same age as I am, and our kids are all the same ages for the most part.

I miss making a nice yummy dinner that’s ready when my husband walks in the door.  I miss knowing my house was ALWAYS clean, and now just for a matter of a few hours on a Saturday.  Knowing I didn’t have laundry looming over me on the weekend before I had to start getting ready for work.

But, I do enjoy working at the same time.  Maybe that’s because of my job and the people I work with, or maybe because it’s a sense of feeling like an “adult” while I’m at work.  I dunno!  If you asked me if I could work my current position from home, would I be happier?  HELL YEAH!  I’d be over the moon with joy!

Not gonna happen, I know… Sucks, but it’s the reality of my job.  It’s the reality of being a working mother of two.  Not to mention being a wife.  Some days I feel I have no energy to make the PB&J sandwich for lunch… Or take a shower before bed.  Alas, it comes with the new territory I have.  Can I be a SAHM part-time at least and still make the same money and keep my benefits?!  That would be a second best option LOL!

Man, this year feels like it’s just buzzed right on by!  Doesn’t it?  Seems only yesterday we were celebrating my youngest daughter’s 4th birthday!  Now we have Thanksgiving in like 2 weeks, and Christmas is only 42 days away!  42 days!  Sheesh!  Time to start getting wishlists in order!

It’s funny, because it seems to be November 1st on the dot that stores have their Christmas stuff out, and you hear Christmas songs in the stores.  Okay, maybe you see decorations before Halloween, but the music starts promptly on November 1st!

I remember I hated Christmas decorating growing up.  My mom made a HUGE deal out of the tree and the outside decorations.  Now, I miss it all.  I’d love to start doing things somewhat moreso like how my mom did.  And in a round-about way, I do.  I’m just not as fanatical about it as she was.  

So, are we ready people?  Ready to start spreading Holiday cheer?  I am… I most definitely am!  I just want to make it through Thanksgiving successfully since I have to make the turkey!  Eek!  I’ve only made two before, but they both tasted awesome, so I shouldn’t worry LOL!  Wish me luck anyway, just to be safe!!!

While black is my fave color, I’ve REALLY like the whole brown/blue color themes a lot lately.  Thankfully, John could care less if the bedroom is floral or just a solid color!  Alas, I’m not big on a floral room, so no worries there even if he cared.

I give to you the Bancroft 8-pc. Bedroom Set… Love it!  So sleek and clean looking!  Silver hardware… Bingo!
 

And to complete the look, I think this lovely bedding ensemble would just about do it, no?
 

Obviously the master bathroom would have to be something similar… So, how about this?
 

(Sorry the pics of the bedroom gear are small… They don’t wanna cooperate and be bigger!)

So, if you’re anything like me, or you’re at least a dreamer, then you have an idea of what your dream home would look like.  Or maybe just a certain room.  As for me, I really would love a 5 bedroom 3 bathroom house complete with a formal dining room AND eat-in kitchen.  Less I forget, it must also have a home office, fitness room and a playroom for the kids.  A decent sized yard would be good, and a 4 car garage.  I know, I know!  Sounds extreme!  I can’t help it, which is why it’s called “dream living!”

All of my furniture would be from places like Ethan Allen, Crate & Barrel and Pottery Barn.  I used to want a nice country themed house, but lately I’m really like a lot of the modern items I’m seeing for the house.  And in an effort to completely bore you, I figured I’d post some pics of things I’m really lovin’ ATM… In separate posts per room of course

Yes, my favorite color is black and I have to bring that color into play somewhere!  So, here is a PERFECT dinnerware set: Laura Gates Anna Dinnerware (available at Macy’s for $120 for a 16-piece set).  There’s also cute accessories to purchase along with the set, such as a 3-piece cannister set, rectangular platter and serving bowl.  

And given my love of black, my dining room set would be lovely if it looked something like this:
 

I’d obviously have a nice greyish-white granite countertop to set off white cabinets.  But not just any cabinets, I want open cabinets with glass doors.  I love the look!  Here’s an example of an almost perfect kitchen design for me.