So, you may have noticed a bit of silence on the blog here….sorry, it wasn’t intentional!  Apparently, I have the winter blogging blues.  I looked back in my archives and discovered it hit me last year too.  Last year, I was lucky that we had the bar tiling to work  on, but I also wrote about Spring Dreams, so I know I felt the same as I do now.  I just don’t like winter!!

Not only do I not like the cold, but we are getting our fair share of snow in PA this year too, and I’m just tired of it.  I think it makes me lazy too.  I come home from work and just cuddle up under the blankets on the couch….you may have noticed if you follow on Facebook or Instagram….there’s lots of Puddy couch pictures and that means I’m right there with him. 🙂  I’d really like to be somewhere beautiful and warm instead.

I know I can’t have the beauty of St. Maarten all the time though, but that’s a great reason to vacation.  This year, we are going back to Mexico for our winter escape, but we are venturing to Cabo for part of our trip which will be new for us.

But, while I am living in the reality of winter in Pennsylvania, I am trying my best to just go with it and still focus on thriving like I promised myself I would.  Besides the lack of blogging, I have been working on staying true to my word for the year.  Even though I haven’t posted anything, I have spent plenty of time on researching blogging aspects and even trying to work on some things behind the scenes.  Hopefully over the next few months you will see a difference.  Personally, I’m working on eating better.   I made one big change (at least for me its big) and am working to reduce my added sugar intake.   Drinking coffee without sweetener was quite a change, but I’m surviving and amazingly I’m starting to enjoy the taste.  I think not starting my day with so much sugar is helping…I’m not craving sweets like I would before.  I am still indulging in a sweet treat for special occasions though, couldn’t pass up dessert on our anniversary!

Ahh, the great outdoors.  I long for the green grass and sitting on the patio.  And, I’m also ready to be able to work on projects outside again.  The winter weather does limit my project space.   The garage is even too cold to work in right now.  I have a great dresser sitting out there waiting for its great makeover.  I also have a paint sprayer waiting to be used…..come on Spring!  To tide me over, and also to have some projects to blog about, I have started working on a pair of chairs.  They used to live in the odd corner of our living room.  But, our living room is getting some upgrades.  We got the new sectional last Spring, and I was searching for a new rug too.  Unfortunately, makeovers and upgrades don’t always happen quickly.  We still don’t have a new rug!!  We did finally order one, but its not here yet.  The rug turned into a huge ordeal for us.  We couldn’t find what we wanted at all.  Fortunately, through our struggle we went to the local furniture store and they sensed our struggle, so they told us about their free design service with purchase.  So, we ended up working with the interior designer to redo our living room.  And, soon we will get to see it.  We ordered several pieces of furniture and have been waiting for months, but in early February we should get it and I’ll be able to share our new living room look.  In the meantime, I took the chairs out of the living room, because we will not have room for them anymore, and also because Bob affectionately refers to them as the “ugly chairs.”

The chairs have become my first step into new adventures for me and Puddy’s House.  They are getting a makeover and I am going to sell them.  So far,  I have removed the fabric and gave them a fresh coat of paint.  I have pretty new fabric and trim waiting to reupholster them.  I should get the chairs done soon and I will share them.  But, the most exciting part for me is that I hope to be able to buy other furniture that I can give makeovers and sell too.  Our house is only so big and I can’t keep buying furniture to makeover and have somewhere to put it.  So, this way, I’ll have projects to work on and blog about and Bob can remove me from my chair buying probation that he has me on! 🙂

Hopefully, I didn’t lose you over my blogging hiatus, and I hope you understand if content is lacking because I really am trying to maintain my balance and thrive this year!

So, have any of you been to Cabo?  I’m looking for any tips or places to check out so that I can continue to dream about nice warm weather and a great escape of winter.