What to do, what to do....

With the Hubby's deployment this Spring getting closer and closer, little projects that we have been meaning to do since moving into our house keep popping into my mind.

Like:

• Installing our smoke & carbon monoxide alarms (still in the protective hard plastic just like they were when we unwrapped them...Christmas 2010)

• Installing the ceiling fan the Hubby and I picked up the 1st week after we closed on our house. (April 2010)

• Doing something with our little bathroom.  Pretty sure the wall is rotting away behind the tub/shower.  The plastic blue w/coordinating maroon tiles need to go!  In my dream world so would the blue sink, stool, and tub.  Maybe we could take down the tile, put up new sheetrock, a new stool and would it be hard to paint the tub?....Okay before I get carried away, I may need to have my BIL who is the Assistant Manager of Pro-Build and King of DIY House Remodels come take a look and give me some advice.

• Okay back to the Bathroom, I really want to be able to wash my hands with warm water without the use of a wrench. The hot water knob fell off and the bolt is stripped. To do list item...To-DONE! Thanks honey :)

• Install new curtain rods and window treatments. Okay maybe not really pressing due to the deployment...but so bugging me lately.

• Make a budget for the year.  I want to focus on save $, save$, save $.  To do list item...To-DONE! 

• Make sure I have grass seed and fertilizer on hand to get a lawn going. (I have the grass seed...now the motivation)

• Spring Tree Planting Party!  We need to plant some fast growing shade trees, as the hubby cut down all our mature trees when we had to dig out the basement to stop the flooding.  Also why we need a lawn again.

• I need to buff up so I can start the lawn mower...yes its embarrassing but I am really not strong enough.  Pull-starts just aren't my thing....maybe I could hire a neighborhood teeny bopper to do it for me?

• I would love to have a raised garden, that will need to be built...and I will need to miraculously get over being the black thumb of death to all things meant to be green and leafy.

• Shooting lessons for the handgun the Hubby bought me for an early Christmas present.  I want to get a concealed weapon permit, but although I'm good with a rifle, I am just not comfortable with a pistol yet. And lets face it, I would look pretty silly walking around with the kidlets AND a rifle strapped on.  Bet no one would want to mug us though....hmmm

• Insulate the garage and get shelving up.  Okay FIRST...I really need to finish unpacking and clean the garage but I am convinced that the shelving would help with that. (We moved into our house July-August 2010, should I be embarrassed I haven't actually finished unpacking?) It would also help make our little home gym corner more inviting.  Hmmm...maybe I could mount my old TV over the elliptical?

• I also would like to replace the shiny brass fan above our dining room table with a chandelier...but the hubby says no.  So I'm wondering, can you spray paint the gaudy dated shiny brass finish? 

For some reason, and I know it is dumb, so bear with me I just want our home to be well....homey.  I want everything to be perfect, our check list of to dos...to-done. I want everything finally unpacked and put away.  I want every room decorated and organized.  I want my husband to know that everything is in order, and that when he comes home he can walk through the door and feel 'at ease'.

We will still have projects to do, stuff we can do together.  That is just part of making a house a home.  I really want all the little and mainly cosmetic stuff done.  I think it will make me feel better, which hopefully in turn makes him feel better. I realize most of the list I can do by myself, for some reason it just seems important to have it done together.

Be honest now....have I lost it?