Ah, January, the time the blogging world takes its collective, “le sigh”, amid round-up posts, words of the year, goal setting, and big, fat, shiny hopes.

But, I missed the boat.  It’s March, and I have been so busy with the kids and my other site, The Classroom Creative, that this draft has slept in my to-do list since the new year.

Nonetheless, 2013 is going to be a BIG life changing year for my family and for my business ventures.

Before I delve into the new year’s tabula rasa, allow me to indulge in what did get accomplished here at the our crumbling money pit.

Interested in the 2012 Energy Vampires post?…It’s here.

Energy Vampire Academy Award Winner from 2012:

Hideous, right?  Otherwise known as the “honey-do-list don’t get done” or the gaping hole.

5 years.  It took the King five whole years to fix this bad boy.  A mere 5 years for Le King to beg his carpenter-in-crime, Joe, whom he swaps work with to come by and help.  It took them an hour.  The King fixes his heating/HVAC issues, and Joe, is our bartering wood-chuck.

Five years of misery, gone.

Joe, I love you. Thanks for making my dreams come true.

I present to you…the after.:

This back entryway takes a beating from my boys, and has been repainted every spring. And given that spring is a few weeks again, these walls are crying for a new face.

Other Vampires Slayed:

Home Goal #1.1:  Riding of the white beast.

We ran out of funds when remodeling our kitchen after the epic disaster of 2008, so our white beast stayed.  Which drove me mad each time I walked in my kitchen…the Sesame Street song, “One of These Things Looks Not Like The Other” replayed on repeat in my head over the past few years.

We finally purchased a stainless refrigerator on Black Friday, because my God, the deals! Frankly, we never eat out and cook more than you can imagine, so our bitty white beast was way too small for our ravenous family.

To the tune of $1200 to Home Depot.  Hooray for 0% financing!

The beast began freezing food in the fridge, so the King told me to “get over my cheap attack” and just buy the damn fridge already.

So, yeah.  I kiss it nightly.  Not a day goes by that I don’t want to clean it.  And it’s been three months.

Home Goal #4

Recreate a functional gallery wall for my kitchen/dining area:

Here’s a sneak peek…

Home Goal #6:

Repaint front room in a grey tone- DONE!

Bye peanut butter walls! Want to see the before? Stop here. 

Snort.

Goals half-baked:

Home Goal #1:Make a big boy room for the gremlins

Yeah, I repainted it.  But it looks as sparse as a Montessori classroom.  Two beds with their mismatched blankies.  A dresser.  A bean bag.  Two bins of books.  No toys.  All toys will go in toy closet downstairs.  It needs TLC, but Moose’s ABA therapy is in there 5 days a week so working on it is impossible.

I find Monkey sleeping on the floor most nights.  Apparently, he’s ready for college.

How about you?  Any energy vampires driving you mad in your home? Life? Career?

Do tell.

Stay tuned for the belated 2013 list of energy vampires deferred from 2012, and new goals,

Nicolette

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