I Hate Stink Bugs - The Bastards!

I actually don't know anyone who doesn't. They are a foreign bug that has been invading our space for almost 20 years now, but recently they are just bad. No one can seem to get rid of them. Why!? When it gets warmer out, the more I see on my kitchen ceiling each morning. I was even told that the other night there was one on my hubby's pillow, but he silently grabbed it and killed it before I even knew it was there. I even felt a slight tingle on my foot and low and behold...a stink bug was making love to my big toe! What are these things and how do we get rid of them? I know I hate them, really don't like killing them because of the smell and I will admit, I make the hubby kill most of them because I am a big baby about them.

I didn't know this, so I did a quick Google, but surprisingly, stink bugs eat leaves, flowers, fruit and crops. They also enjoy snacking on caterpillars. I don't know about you, but I don't have any leaves, flowers or crops in my house at the moment. I do have some clementines on the counter, but I can't say I have ever seen a stink bug near them. But if that is what they are after, I'll quit buying them!

There also really isn't a way to get RID of these annoying critters. It is advised to seal all cracks in your house and replace damaged doors, windows and screens, but I don't have any of those problems. Just like humans, they are slow in the morning, so if you have an over abundance of the bastards, get 'em early! They also don't fly very well, so if one is creeping around on your ceiling, just wait a few minutes to see if it "flies" somewhere closer to you before you waste the energy trying to get it down.

One other note, don't bother making the so called stink bug traps with the pop bottles and light. We tried it, even purposely put a stink bug in there to try to attract its little friend's to come join, but no such luck. For pure enjoyment, I left it in there to see how long it would live, even giving it a good hard shake every once in awhile, and would you believe that it lived for two weeks in that bottle?! Unbelievable. Finally I just killed it myself.

So if you have any home remedies you like to use, that seriously work for you, please let me know because I am sick of them trying to make my house their home.

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I'm OBSESSED!

I’m not that person that goes home after work and jumps on the computer to surf the net.  I use a computer so much for work that the last thing I want to do is strain my pretty, blue eyes after I get home.  With that being said, I’m very out of touch with all the “cool” websites out there.  However, all that has recently changed as my dear friend and fellow blogger, Katie, introduced me to Pintrest.  Have you been to this site yet?!  Most of you reading this are probably shaking your heads yes and thinking to yourself “jeez, this girl isn’t kidding…she really is out of touch with the Internet” but, I don’t mind, I know I’m behind the times. Needless to say, I’ve become OBSESSED with Pintrest.  I’m on it all the time and it’s really sparked my creative juices and I’m finally getting some things accomplished around my house.

Here’s a brief description about some of my fun Pintrest projects that I have going on.

·         I’ve have had two old windows sitting in my dining room for the last four years.  I really like them but I just haven’t been able to figure out what the heck to do with them.  So there they sit.  They have no purpose and no home.  I literally look at them every day and I question whether or not I should keep them because they are just taking up space but, thanks to Pintrest, I now have the perfect idea for them.  I’m using them to create a family photo wall.  I’ve already selected the photos and I’m waiting for just a couple more from my mother-in-law and up they will go.  FINALLY, these fabulous old windows have a purpose!  Can I just tell you how excited I am?!

·         The next project that I’m working on is an arts and crafts project for above my bed.  My husband and I have been living in our house for seven years and for seven years; we’ve looked for something to hang above our bed.  It’s a giant wall and things that we’ve found that we have liked are either the wrong colors or too small.  Now, thanks to ideas on Pintrest, I’m creating my own art piece with canvas boards from Michael's, scrapbook paper, paint and glue.  What’s so great about this is it is allowing me to pick the exact size that we want and the exact colors and honestly, the project couldn’t be easier!  These should be finished up this week and after seven years; we’ll finally have something hanging above our bed! 

·         The last Pintrest project that I’m working on is actually out in my garden.  It seems weird to be talking about gardening when it’s February in Pittsburgh but, with all of the unseasonably warm weather we’ve been having, I’ve been able to get outside and do some serious clean-up in the yard.  I’m currently collecting empty liquor bottles from our bar and I’m using them to line the edge of my flower beds.  This is not only a great way to recycle the bottles but it looks neat and the bottles really catch the sunlight.

So what I’m trying to say is that if you haven’t been to this incredibly amazing site called Pintrest, you are missing out!  It really will give you amazing ideas for your home and garden.  It will give you great recipe ideas and places to travel too.  It will even give you fashion ideas, book ideas and paint colors.  It’s just an amazing site and I’ll be anxious to finish up my projects and show you pictures of them.  Hopefully they will inspire you to get creative! 

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The View From My Window

When my husband and I bought our house, we knew there was a lot that needed to be done to make it our own. The house was built in the 1950's and we were only the second owners. It was just a little old woman (and no my house is not a shoe) that lived in my home before us, so of course, our tastes are very different.

We moved into our house in September and that winter we had a HUGE snowstorm. So the view from my kitchen window was just amazing (and yes, that is the real picture from my kitchen window). Needless to say, I love the view I have, but I don't love my 60+ year old windows.

There really was nothing wrong with our house or the windows, but the whole house really just needed update. It needed a new kitchen, new bathroom, some TLC for the floors and new windows that did not leak any air. Which leads me to my past two months.

Getting bids for new windows is not fun. There are so many companies out there who tell you their windows are the best and they can do it better than the next guy. What bothers me the most is when they slam their competitors and try to trash talk them to my face. I get it, you want the sale, but don't be the sleezy sales person who is rude about other companies. You all have your positives and negatives, just some more than others.

I met with four different window companies: one high-end company to see exactly why they were the more expensive window and to figure out why they charged so much, two middle-priced companies, and then the lowballer. I called another number given to me by a fellow WWB blogger, but never got a return call from them. Odd, you would think they would jump on it when I want windows!

The first thing I learned is that windows are much more expensive than I thought. I needed nine new windows for my house, and they are not the normal size window either. However, the return on investment for new windows will hopefully pay off in the end, so I had to pay the price.

After meeting with the four companies, by myself (my husband really had no part in what I liked to call the window interview process), I finally chose a company - TWO MONTHS LATER!

I asked myself, why did it take me so long to make this decision? I know that I want, and need, to buy new windows, but why did I go back and forth with which company I wanted to go with?
The answer is because I kept thinking there would be a better deal out there. Some company would magically have the same low-e, double paned, yata yata yata windows that I want, but at a price that was AMAZING! Wrong. So I really just had to make a choice.

I am not loyal to any of these companies or brands, so they all came in with a fair "interview". In the end, it came down to the company that had the most honest sales guy (and yes, all males...I would've like to maybe find a female, but whatever). The company was not the lowest priced (because I felt like the lowballer was going to screw me over ten times). This company ended up being a family run, local business, which was a bonus to my husband, a local business owner himself. So in a sense, I have found myself being true to the local business, yet again, and always think I will be that way.

I have not had my windows installed yet, but when they are put in, I will let you know if I am still happy with my choice. Until then, I will still be looking out my 60 year old windows, but hopefully not with snow like the first year.

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