Life At Home Archives - Page 4 of 8

Category: Life At Home

Our Home Tour

Posted on October 22, 2013October 17, 2013 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

It’s been a full two months since we moved into our new home. We have unpacked all of the boxes, hung some pictures in the main rooms, found a place for everything, and have even had some friends over for a BBQ. This little place of ours has finally started to feel like home. Even Maggie and Tiny are comfortable, which is apparent by the destroyed toys all over the house, their hiding spots from one another, and the obstacle course to go to the bedroom … er, I mean stairs.
Slowly I will give a little preview of our house. Our office is more of a wedding storage room at the moment from all of the items that we have to take for the wedding and the wonderful gifts that we have received from our friends and family. That room is going to take us some time to get it back into office shape.

I think the next room up will be the guest bedroom. I do have a few more projects to get through in there and then it will be ready. I love the idea of having a tranquil room for friends and family to stay when the visit. I want people to visit us and I think the best way to do that is having a space ready for them at a moment’s notice.
Sometimes it’s nice to sit back and just enjoy the present.

Cheers!

A Little Bit About Me

Posted on October 4, 2013October 3, 2013 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

So, here i sit trying to think of something to write about. I have ideas, but no pictures to go with the ideas or I have pictures and have no idea what to write about. It’s a vicious circle I live in. As I get older (and closer to my wedding) I have been thinking a lot about who I am and how I got to be this awesome lady. I thought there would be nothing more fun to read or talk about then a post about myself… okay, I’m really stretching it here and just need to finish a few other topics.

Here we go interesting tid-bits about yours truly:

– my first word was cookie, which is what I am blaming my food problems on
– I love black licorice so much that I named my first do Licorice. She was a black lab, so it seemed fitting.
– I am absolutely terrified of clowns, people in face paint, masks, or fully body costumes and hate wigs. Pretty much anything that can completely disguise how a person looks freaks me out.
– I love sweets and probably have the biggest sweet tooth known to man
– I do not like to go into our basement at night. Something about it creeps me out, perhaps it’s the glow in the dark stick-on stars that are all over our unfinished basement that screams this was a child’s playroom or bedroom; and it’s an unfinished basement
– I enjoy working around the house on projects. When I was little I used to help my dad wire lights around our patio fence, install speakers on our back patio, etc. I am actually pretty handy

– My favorite dog breed is a Rottweiler. I had one growing up that would walk with me every morning to the bus stop and meet me when I was dropped off. That dog saved me from a pretty horrible person one morning and at that moment I decided my children would have a Rottweiler to protect them just as I did
– My guilty reality tv show is Dog and Beth On the Hunt, which replaced Dog The Bounty Hunter. A little strange, but I do love them and may have waited hours in line for their autograph at a Borders once
– My favorite color is blue and my last 2 cars have been blue

– My favorite season is fall, which had something to do with why we decided to get married in November

– My dream is to be able to provide a refuge for stray or neglected dogs that need a forever home

Cheers!

A Life Lived

Posted on September 26, 2013September 25, 2013 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Last night I had one of those down moments. Where everything just seemed to be going wrong. There is not enough time to get the details done, I haven’t found time to finish thank you cards for a shower, J could not do anything right, the dogs were driving me crazy, and I just needed to sleep. It was a mountain to climb and I just did not have the strength to even try.

Those nights it is just best to call it a night and lay down to sleep. I woke up this morning in a much better mood, realizing that things aren’t as overwhelming as I tend to make it. Surprise! I have a clearer outlook for today and spent time to make a list of what needs to get done. I do love a good to-do list more than most things.

Life lately has been one big, fun ride with trips to see family, friends, and outings with some pretty fun people. There are times when it hits me that this really is a great part of my life. I am getting ready to marry by best my friend in less than 2 months. Even though I get stressed out with wedding details, all the car rides for work and to see family – I am truly blessed.

Counting my blessings.

marrying J
two sweet, sweet dogs that truly love me unconditionally
a nice place to call home
a job that lets me have flexibility
great friends that have been there for me through so much
new friends that really make me feel like myself
family that has always supported me
J’s family that is there for us
the desire to be healthier and cook more at home

Life is good.

Cheers!

The Perfect Gallery Wall

Posted on September 20, 2013September 13, 2013 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

I love a good gallery wall, they are eclectic and a good way to express my personality. Which obviously consists of a whole lot of mis-match items that when combined create something beautiful.

Now that we are FINALLY in our new place and most of the boxes are unpacked, it was time to hang some pictures. I promised J that I would keep his beloved fish that was caught by grandpa and passed down the family. I needed items that can balance out the fish and make it look like it belongs on the wall. Not like I just stuck it in the corner, behind a door to say that I was good partner because it was on a wall.

Here are some tips for creating a gallery wall that is perfect:

1) find pictures that are unlike each other – either having different frame types, coloring, or are pictures of landscape, sculptures, and people.
2) lay your arrangement on the floor. Play with it and make sure you love it. It took me awhile to get it just right. A lot of frames came in and out of this arrangement.
3) get someone’s opinion. I asked J what he thought before putting one nail into the wall. Not that he actually cared what it looks like, but it was nice to have that affirmation.
4) start nailing it! We measured out the wall space to find the middle, then measured out the arrangement to find the midpoint. Match those two up and start hanging.
5) stand in awe of your awesome gallery wall.

Cheers!

Tips to Simplify Your Life

Posted on August 23, 2013August 16, 2013 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

I am always drawn to articles, books, and readings about simplifying my life. I run around all day like a chicken with its head cut off. I’ve always hated that saying because I literally imagine a cartoon type chicken running around without a head in the middle of the desert. Why the desert you might ask? I have no idea, perhaps too many episodes of Bugs Bunny and the Road Runner as a kid. Anyway back to what I was saying. An article that promises to calm my life with just a few simple steps is like a magnet to my A-type personality.

I have learned through college, working, and then family life a few tricks that always work for me. Now that I’m getting older I have found that these tricks are even listed on most of those fancy-shmancy articles. I’d like to think I’m that smart, but it’s probably because I’ve read so many of them.

Here we go my top 5 tips to simplify your life and enjoy your life more:

1) Prioritize – sounds simple right? You need to pick 1-3 tasks per day to complete each day. Spend a few minutes each morning or when you arrive at your desk to think about your whole day and what all needs be accomplished. Highlight 1-3 tasks depending on the time you have and the time you assume each one will take.

I keep a running to-do list of items at work, for my Etsy shop, for the home, and for this little blog. I then pick 1-3 things that I need to do. Usually the days I work I pick 1-3 to do the 8 hours I’m there and then maybe only 1 to do from home, Etsy or blog for when my work day ends. I’m not saying pick a hobby task over your actual job – you gotta make that money, honey.

2) Pick What Makes You Happy – it is super easy to get swallowed whole by work; try not to let that happen. Select 1-2 things each day that make you happy and fulfilled.

A few months ago I switched up my job to work at a local retailer. Most days I would not get home until 9:30 and I realized that I missed having dinner with J. Now I make it a point to have dinner with J every night. Also, I chose Crossfit. I’m new at it, it will always be challenging, but I am absolutely enthralled by it.

3) Block Out Distractions – get your environment ready to crank out your top priorities. For me, it’s not only turning my phone on silent but turning it over and popping in my earbuds to listen to some Pandora.

4) Just Say No – remember that drug prevention club in middle school? Just Say No to Drugs… Okay, well maybe your school wasn’t as cool as mine, but anway you get the point. Say no to things that are not a priority. Keep yourself single-minded when it comes to tackling. Don’t take on too much.

5) Breathe – I have a habit of running around like a crazy woman when I get stressed so I am still working on this one. Every once in awhile remind yourself to breathe. The world will still be here tomorrow even if you do not get everything done on your list. It’s okay, be forgiving to yourself.

Now, I think this post might be more for me then it is for anyone else. It’s a simple reminder to simplify ~~your~~ my life so that ~~you~~ I can enjoy more and stress less.

Cheers!

Idea-less Tuesday

Posted on August 13, 2013August 12, 2013 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Once upon a time there was this girl who had a little blog. This girl loves to talk, share stories, and create all day long. She loves to spend time with her two dogs, her fiance and family. Most days this girl has no trouble coming up with stories and DIY projects or tips to share with people. However, then there was a Tuesday where she had no idea what to talk about. That has never happened before.

If you cannot tell this girl is me and the little blog is this one. And I really am idea-less on what to talk about. I thought I would share some pictures of the past few days instead of being creative.

wedding makeup — Trial run for the wedding!

Cardinals Game — J and I at the Cards v. Cubs game.

That Thing You Do!
One of the best movies ever made.

Cheers!

A Life Update in Pictures

Posted on July 26, 2013 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Alright, I’ve been a little absent this past week and so I am going to share a life update in pictures.

My absence has been for good reason, I promise. I will update once the storm has calmed down and life gets a bit more settled. I will tell you that it will all turn out great and I am so pumped up about all the changes coming our way. The next week is going to be a wee bit bumpy, stressful and tiring; however, in the end it will all be worth it.

Until I can go way into detail – here are a few snap shots and a life update without words.

Here’s to change! Whether it’s expected or unexpected – it happens.

Cheers!

Planting Lavender and Mint

Posted on June 27, 2013 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Nothing better than adding a little bit of greenery around the back patio. J and I took a trip to the local nursery and found some plants to add to our yard.

First, lavender, which is probably some of my favorite. Then we added some mint. After some research we found that mint was great to repel insects because of the odor it puts off.

Of course these plants didn’t seem to be too time consuming for me. Both needs to be watered every other day and the plants crave sunshine, which we have ample amounts of.

Here’s what you need:

1) planters – I used one for each plant, a 12″ for lavender and 8″ for the mint. You want the mint to have more of a shallow pot because of their roots.
2) gravel
3) potting soil
4) gloves

The project took about 30 minutes to finish.

First, fill the bottom portion of each pot with gravel. This addition will help with drainage.

That’s it. Pretty simple and makes a great addition to any backyard. I can’t wait to keep adding plants and flowers to make our yard a little more homier.

Cheers!

Perfect Summer Evening

Posted on June 26, 2013 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

Sometimes you have just a perfect evening. Earlier this week J and I had one of those evenings. We grilled, sat outside on our new patio set and played with the dogs. I think Maggie is used to me taking pictures of her… Tiny doesn’t sit still long enough for too many pictures, but little Maggie doesn’t mind a photo or two …or three.

Here’s to more of these perfect evenings.

Cheers!

Prioritizing

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Meredith Rines, MBA, CFP®

photo by DColeman Photography.

Priorities. I’ve given it a lot of thought. I know what makes me happy in life from work-life to home-life. I know what I need to succeed and go to bed each night knowing that I have accomplished something that day. Whether my accomplishment is big or small.

For me, it’s pretty simple (at least I like to think so). I need:
– the love of my fiance, J
– cuddles from two rowdy pups, Maggie and Tiny
– a job that not only pays the bills, but one that I feel I am truly helping someone else
– a roof over my head
– something to be working towards
– my friends
– my family
– being creative

A lot of these parts intermingle with each other. For instance, being creative, having a job, and something to works towards can all be combined. I believe that if I find a passion that combines all three then I will have found my dream job.

Having something to work towards is something that I’ve recently struggled with. I graduated with my undergraduate degree. One year later, I started pursuing my Masters. Now, I’ve graduated and … now what? It’s hard for someone who has always been working towards some sort of degree to know where to go to next. I know that I need to find a career that I am passionate about; however, I am wanting to move out of Springfield within the next few years. So, for me this time needs to be spent finding out what qualities of a job make me the happiest, what qualities I want to avoid at all costs, and where J and I want to end up.

It’s a process. A deep process with quite a bit of thought and time. I cannot rush and I have to go with the flow.

For someone who is as Type A as I am, this time can be challenging. Here’s to hoping that I can take a deep breath.

Cheers!

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I love a good gallery wall, they are eclectic and a good way to express my personality. Which obviously consists of a whole lot of mis-match items that when combined create something beautiful.

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