A matter of perspective.....

The only bad part about starting house projects is seeing all that really needs to be done. Not a problem if you are a Rockefeller, or a Hilton or Tiger Woods, or anyone of the very wealthy. Unfortunately I am not. And so the projects that I see that need to be done, are expensive. There in lies one of the problems, we lack the financial resources to do any one of the projects, and we don't want to go into debt to do them.

We could really use a new front door. Ours is peeling and looking very shoddy. I'm sure dh could sand it and completely re-do it, but that would take an awful lot of work. But, because we are frugal.... and pretty much re-use whatever we can.... that's what we'll do. Then onto the decks that I just mentioned in the last post. We had a deck up north where we used to live. A huge deck! It was built much better than our current one. Plus, we stained it. These decks have been painted. And they are peeling up in areas. It doesn't look pretty that's for sure. So, that too is going to require a lot of work to re-do the decks, and I'm not sure how we will handle that. Probably a lot of sanding. ugh!

I already mentioned our garage door that is falling apart. And our roof needs to be re-done in a few years as well. That grass in our side yard is soooo not looking good! I mow it each week, and we really really need to re-seed it! We need to fix our playset too... (Oh I could show you a picture of this!) Currently we really don't want the kids using it, as it is unstable. So that will require a big fix as well. A new huge swing beam with A-frame supports cemented into the ground to stabilize it. We will be sanding the fort that is attached and re-staining the whole thing as well.

Have I mentioned I would love to put a fence around our yard to keep stray dogs out, and to have a safe place for my new little ones to play? Or that our central air is one the fritz? How about the windows that were the cheapest ones the previous owners could buy, that have no screens at all? We need to add screens to all the windows!! What a project!

All these projects require time and money. We do have some time.... but certainly not the funds. Even a few hundred to fix the swing set area is not "doable"right now. So, I'm just going to have to choose to look at each of these things is a different light.

We have a porch, and though it is peeling paint in areas, it is clean and bright and inviting. It provides shade on a sunny day and is a roof over our heads. And speaking of the roof that will need to be replaced. Well, it is providing shelter without leaks which is more than can be said of millions around the globe. And the yard and swingset, well I have a yard where my kids can play in safety, not on or near a busy street, or quite frankly no place at all. And my central air does work some of the time. To help cool me off when I come in from washing my deck.

It's all how I look at it... and while those other things still jump out at me, and compete for my attention and focus... I'm going to choose to look at the blessings right now.

There, I already feel a lot better. :)