Preparing for the Cold in October

 October is one of my favorite months!    We are finally having cooler weather. Ever since we have moved to Iowa the summers have been really really hot.  More hot than a normal Iowa summer.  I must say for months I thought we moved further south in stead of north. And this girl can only go so far south.  It's funny because some can only go so far north....I guess your blood is either warm or cold.....so call me a vampire, I like it cold!  But we are now having nice cool mornings and comfortably warm afternoons, then cool evenings. I'm in LOVE!

I usually go all out for Halloween but this year I feel like we have so many projects going on I just didn't want to take the time to decorate.  But I thought I can do a little something outside so I got a mum, pumpkins and set out my dad's spiders he welded. It took like 5 seconds to throw them out. William just loves it, he's my little festive boy when it comes to decorating!

Scotty found this little nest in one of our gutters....

 Scotty worked with my dad and found some rocks on a job.  We lined them up around the garden to keep the mulch in.....it took like 5 seconds too.  I want to get started outside so bad but we have to finish our inside 1st.  Or we will be chickens with our heads cut off for Halloween!

 So I need to focus on the inside for sure, but when Lowes has bushes on sale for 3.99 it's hard....might have to get a little sidetracked one weekend before the winter comes :)

 For this weekend we are getting dirty in the mudroom.  I started taking the tile out and lifted up the plywood to check and see if the floor was insulated.  The floor is cold since the mudroom is on a concrete slab.  I was so happy to see there was insulation and that we didn't have to insulated the floor.  
I'm happy to report that the door opens normally now.  When the concrete board and tile was put in, it made the door stick because it raised the floor too much and allowed it to open only half way.  So it made it hard to use the door when you have 2 kids and groceries and a dog at the door.  Talk about a door jam!  And you know how I almost cuss when things get jammed!   Having it completely open will make it a lot more useful!  
We plan to put in a vinyl tile you can grout.  This will keep the door higher than the floor.  And I think the floor will be warmer since the tile won't be sticking outside the other side of the door into the ice cold garage.  The floor was always the coldest right by the door.  And that door was leaking air out bad so we plan to either seal it up good or just replace the whole thing! Oh Practical Joy!!!:)

 a little fun part of the mudroom is going to be this wallpaper. I've been looking at this sample for months and I just have to have it.  I love it!  So I ordered it the other day and I can't wait!

 I know some say to never wallpaper, I've always lived on the edge a little when it comes to decorating.  I plan to only put it 3/4 up the wall around from the ceiling and then trim it out.  I've got so many decorating plans but I have to focus on the practical stuff.
I told my husband I just can't wait until I'm back to just managing our home and doing a few decorating projects here and there.  But for now it's all about finishing and getting the practical stuff done!  Like making our mudroom warmer!  And I think this wallpaper is going to make this mudroom so warm and inviting!
What about you, have you used wallpaper?  Do you like wallpaper?