I just got back from SNAP and it was INCREDIBLE!! I loved every single second of it! I will be posting a recap soon (because I didn’t bring a camera and am at the mercy of everyone else to post their pictures!!)
One thing that I think gets us down a bunch as wives and mothers and bloggers and humans is that we feel like everyone else has their crap together and we are the only ones with lives that are not as we imagined.
So this week I am going to give you a peek into my life. And you should be warned that you might not think I am as legit as you did before you started this post.
And guess what? I am 10000000000% fine with that.
So lets get on with it shall we? Also you should notice that I am starting this series on Wed. not on Mon. because….my life is crazy.
When you think of my living room you probably think of this image:
![DSCN4780[3][1]](https://lh5.ggpht.com/-CI6lBwHfEGM/T5gaeuG--2I/AAAAAAAAG5M/njakYtXvjCk/DSCN4780%25255B3%25255D%25255B1%25255D%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800 "DSCN4780[3][1]")
Right now I am in the middle of an overhaul. ANd when I say in the middle I mean that I have had it planned out in my mind for 9 months and moved all of the old stuff out but havent been able to get it going because guess what? It’s a little daunting. When I start painting in here it has to extend into all of the hallways and my kitchen. Sounds fun right? Especially the 12 foot ceilings…
So.
This is what my living room looks like today:
Oh yes. Just soak that up for a minute.
Notice the gray wall paint? That’s because I never painted behind the faux fireplace when I was in the time crunch for Nate.
Also please notice the dust on the fan, the ladder that has been there for 2 weeks, the paint on the wall and the banana peel on the rug. Who wants to come and live with me now?
Be back tomorrow with more (I hope your stomachs can take it.)
Love Your Guts, Mandi
I still love you, friend!
Yep…
Most of our homes do not look like “show rooms”.
Maybe because we live in them ;~)
Thanks for being real.
Nancy
Mandi, you still rock. You were one of my FAVORITE speakers at SNAP. You have so much talent and passion for what you do. AND you rocked those blue heels!! We’ve all been here and I just wish I had an ounce of your creativity and “knack” for seeing the beauty in things. Can’t wait to see your Southwest living room. Only wish I had had a chance at SNAP to say hi and introduce myself. :)_
Looks just like my living room. Seriously. I am going to paint the ceiling today, though.
I should get going… Just one more blog. Just one.
Oh my gosh, I love it. Thank you for sharing that.
I love it! It’s real life not TV. Room changes and updates do not happen overnight, they take a lot of hard work and that is why they are awesome!
Hi Mandi,
I discovered your blog this week and love it! Was very excited to read my first ‘new’ post on your blog. You inspire me to quit my job and do this all day long.. hahaha someday I will (when I win the lottery). Your living room keeps it real for us, thanks for that!
Mandi,
I love “real life” shots of designers homes, even of those that are just traditional DIYers and not phenomenons like you 🙂 But here’s the thing, once you do get everything in order again and your overhaul is complete, I know you’re room will be knock out amazing just like the remainder of your home!
Pamela
I can’t WAIT for your new living room theme… The name was cracking me up all of SNAP!
Love it! Haha! I always wonder what the wide angle is on some people’s homes… And how they look when not staging for pictures. Most of us live in the real (messy) world. 🙂
I’m still ready to move in with you….. that picture doesn’t scare me even one tiny bit!
To make something awesome you usually have to make a mess first. I’ve been spring cleaning my cupboards and kitchen and EVERYTHING that was in the cupboards is on the counter and table. My son said it looks like we are trying out for the show hoarders. Can’t wait to see the room changes.
Haha Oh my gosh thats awesome!! It’s good to know that I’m not the only one that can have a messy living room every now and then;) And I totally feel ya – mid project, my home is always in disaster mode. Regardless, your home is just beautiful!! Thanks for sharing:)
What’s your address again? It still looks great!
Dang! Love your honesty. It’s good to know that not everything is perfectly beautiful all of the time. 🙂
Oh I love you MORE now…..it is nice to see that I’m not the only one who can’t keep life neat and orderly. You see I live in the neighborhood with women who do….but then they are not creative types either. Bless you and thank you for posting this. I needed it!
Oh, hey, it’s looking better than mine! Mine is full of items and extraneous furniture waiting for an upcoming show. Fortunately, the show is this weekend, so it’ll be adios to the mess….for now. Can’t wait to see the re-do.
Thanks for making me feel good today. 🙂
the banana peel is my favorite!
Excellent.
Thank you. I love it! Glad to know I’m not the only one!! 🙂
love it! and you know i had a blank spot behind my tv for the LONGEST time cause i just painted around it! and all my friends knew about it too!
its nice to see the ‘real’ side of bloggers!
Ha! I feel like the day you came to visit my house, we were in a similar state of disarray. And that bummed me out because I would have wanted you to see it looking its best. But I guess we all have seasons of chaos, don’t we? What a fun series, I love peeking behind the curtain.
super awesome! LOVE this 🙂 Thanks for being real!
Haha! This is awesome! Thanks for the pick me up girl! You’re right, myself and A LOT of other people feel inadequate when we see these amazingly put together homes! Nice to know the real behind the awesome too!
You are always such a delight– one of my favorite reads. Full disclosure is great.I look forward to seeing the process and the result.
https://gosimplysavvy.com/blog
best.post.ever.
Thank you thank you thank you for showing how real life and blog life isn’t always the same!I can’t wait to see your next post.
Oh Mandi, I was just thinking today of doing something like this. Now if I ever do, everyone is going to think I jacked you! Although, I don’t have quite the following you do and it’d probably scare any would be’s off! I always have extra furniture around waiting to be done, receipts everywhere, a paint tray, brushes and paint on the kitchen counters, etc! Great minds think alike! ♥ you!
The only pic I have of you in it is from Kristy/Diary of Dave’s wife and I didn’t bother to have her send me the un-watermarked version. But it’s a bad-ace pic!! 😉 Kelli
I am in LOVE with you for this picture…thanks for being completely real 🙂
I especially love the banana peel on the carpet. Better pick that up so no one slips on it cartoon-style!
Haha this is how I feel about my house constantly! I’m glad you live in real life too!
I think you’ve just answered my question about what bloggers do once they’ve decorated a room to the max–they start over!! 🙂 Anyhow, love the banana peel on the floor. If it were my house, that would have been a poopy diaper. HA!
Serena
Thrift Diving
http://www.ThriftDiving.com
Sooooo nice to know you are human like the rest of us. Oh, wait, nope! You’re still Super Mandi! I love how real you are and how much you get accomplished in your family, home, and life in general!
This is a wonderful post. It managed to make me feel better about myself while also giving me hope….Since I have seen your end results I realize it is an ongoing process and there is hope. The banana is truly the ‘Pièce de résistance’. LOVE IT!
Marry Me!!! Kidding, mu hubby would be mad. Seriously though, thanks for keeping it real. Currently my living room floor is covered in toys, diapers (clean) that my 2 1/2 year old threw everywhere, and about 5 loads of laundry I need to fold. Knowing that your house isn’t perfectly perfect everyday makes me feel a little bit better about mine. Gotta go, my 10 month old is eating something questionable off the floor that needs vacuumed.
Jamie Rowe
yo. keepin it real makes you legit!
you are awesome and kind. thanks!
and THIS is why we all love you….because you ARE so real and yet so cool. Someone we could picture ourselves hanging out with and not being judged, just inspired by 🙂 But I must admit….you made me feel a bit better about my life today by posting this….so thanks for keeping it real 🙂
This is why I read your blog Mandi, because you are like all of us, normal !!! I want to mention that I used your hoarder sale idea this week and it was a huge success. I put an ad in the garage sale section of kijiji but took everything to the flea market and told people where to find me. I had tons of people come by off of me that saw my ad and laughed and said they had to come see what I had. I am trying to clear out the garage and basement to give me more room for furniture restoration and not so much junk lol collecting. Thanks for the inspiration. I will always be a bit of a hoarder, but now I know what to do when I lose the dog and my hubby in the mess. love your guts too
Tobey
Ha! I have a banana peel in my bathroom. Been there for about 3 weeks. When I get over my pregnancy nausea I will clean it up ;0)
Mandi Mandi Mandi, Say it isn’t so. I can’t beleive you would change your living room. It was my favorite. I am so so sad:(