New Year, Almost 1/12 Over

I'm kind of freaking out about how close we are to the end of January. (I've made zero progress on my working out and photo organizing resolutions, and I've also taken very few photos this month even though my children are continuing a streak started at birth of being totally adorable, and I can't even remember what my other resolutions were at the moment, so I need to get myself in gear.)

Soon I will take some pictures of the new carpet and closet, but of course we didn't really take before pics, so that doesn't make for nearly as satisfying a blog post. I will go ahead and say that we got the super squishy carpet pad put in our bedroom and it's amazing, but also it's kind of over the top. Like walking on memory foam. I feel like I should be doing front hand springs or something.

I used to be able to do front hand springs. I know I could in college. Possibly in grad school also. I don't think I could do one now... Hmm. Is this something I want to work on? Maybe when the weather gets warmer. Yes, let's say that. Right now my motivation for activity extends to boiling water for tea.

The start of the semester is upon me (we had a January term that just ended) and I'm in that treading-water mentality. So many things I want to be doing and never enough time to get them done. 

This weekend I have to finish my syllabus for the poetry class I'm teaching, and also put our whole house back together. The entire upstairs is in complete disarray, and I want to really organize the girls' closets and not just throw things behind a closed door. Which means I really need more than a weekend!

We are in the process of selling David's grandma's house and auctioning off much of the contents. It's not easy, emotionally or organizationally. But, in a much-needed moment of hilarity, when we cleaned out the attic, we discovered a nude painting.

(David wants to clarify it is not a painting of anyone we know, least of all his grandmother.)

Whoever she is, she's currently part of our Valentine's Day decor. I texted a photo to David's aunt to show her we had displayed the priceless work of art and she wrote back, "I can't believe you took that home!"

As though I would consider NOT taking home a nude painting that had been hidden in an attic? Does she know me at all?

Go ahead--you know you want to click on the photo and zoom in on the painting.

My mantle (and the terrible lighting in this photo) will not win a blogger styling award, but the hodge podge of grandparent wedding photos, baby prints, thrift store treasures, and nudity just makes me feel happy. 

In other news, David is starting a doctoral program to get his EdD. Guess someone has degree envy! Hardy har har. It means that I'll be missing him while he's in class on Monday nights, but we will make it work.

Oh man I'm ready to have the house put back together. I give D a hard time about being rigid when it comes to tidiness, but living in this messy, mixed up house for the week and a half we had floors refinished and new carpet put in has been driving me bonkers.

Also driving me bonkers? We are three episodes in to Making a Murderer and haven't had time to watch more. Hoping we can manage to stay awake after the girls go to bed and get some serious tv-watching done.