Friends, I did it.  After not coloring my hair since August in 2019, I decided to color my hair again.  It was growing out and much healthier than it was before, but I didn't like the uneven color.  Now my new goal is to take better care of my hair and I have pledged to invest in better color and stick to one color so I can just updated my roots as it grows out.
 
However, I'm going to confess something that has made many stylists in my life post rants upon rants on Facebook: I color my hair at home.  I don't have the time or money to see a stylist.  I respect stylists---they're professionals and do great at their job.  They also have better hair than me and higher hair expectations than I do.  Shrugs.  I know I get out what I put in.  If this is the reason I'm not a model so be it. 

So given that disclaimer...below are real, everyday results from my average self.

Confession: Changing a light fixture to update a room never crossed my mind as a task I was willing to take on. It seemed to tick two boxes that landed it on my Nope List: complicated and expensive. Then I fell in love with LNC Home Farmhouse Chandeliers and I just knew I had to find a way to make this happen; so I did the first thing I always do when I am about to take on a big goal: I asked my husband to give me a push. Did he think I could do it? Would he be willing to help only if I really needed it? Would he still love me if I messed up and caused us to lose electricity throughout the whole house (I now know that is not  really a risk one takes when replacing a ceiling light, but I still had to quiet my rational and irrational fears). And just as I expected him to do, and part of the reason why I asked him in the first place, he gave me that nudge I needed to click Add to Cart.

Now I have not one, but two new light fixtures in my house. Both lights in my kitchen needed to match after all! You can click here to read about my first adventure.

If you follow me close enough to read this blog you know that I am an average midwestern, teacher mom and I do not specialize in DIYs and home makeover. Basically, if I can do it after 30 minutes on Pinterest and YouTube, you can do it, too! The hardest part of installing the newest light (since I figured out how to purchase light bulbs with the first one) was reaching the fixture comfortably to do the install. If my ladder had one more step I would have been golden, but alas I have three ladders, two are too tall and one is too short. (insert something witty about Goldilocks here-ha!) Forty-five minutes and a few times yelling for my husband to grab something I dropped later I had installed my second light fixture in my dinning room/office area. I honestly cannot get over the amount of character these light fixtures have added to this area. It has been an affordable, simple DIY that has totally transformed our space.

Our home and space may be tiny and littered with toys, but that has not stopped us from making our starter home a beautiful space we are proud of while we save up for our dream home. I know in the world of Instagram it is different to have a decor account without the dream home everyone aspires to own, but my hope is to inspire others to make whatever space and budget they have dreamy. As you can see in our mini reel home tour we have taken atypical approaches to how we use our space and we have to be intentional about every square foot as we have none to spare. However, inside this space is exactly what we need to have a life we love. We have big dreams, but we are also satisfied.