ROOM FOR NINE(+): I was bit by an early spring cleaning bug.

after a pan of ham and scalloped potatoes bubbled over in the oven a couple of weeks ago, it was the subsequent stench that permeated the air every time I turned the oven on as the spill continued to blacken and burn that finally drove me to run the self-cleaning cycle and scrub the dickens out of the stove top.

most people would probably quit there, calling it "good enough." but oh no. not me. the neat freak in me piped up. it said rather obnoxiously, "look, Jessica. you can't have a sparkly clean oven while your cupboards sit in disarray. that just wouldn't be acceptable." sigh. yeah, I guess you're right. fast forward through an entire afternoon spent scrubbing and purging and voila! much to my inner neat freak's delight, the cupboards and drawers are once again all neat and organized.

RIP, inner neat freak.

now if I was smart, I would've stopped right there. BUT. as evidenced by the few marbles left rolling around in my head, I'm not. basically, I'm like one notch above a box of rocks. and so, it was while I was busy admiring my clean kitchen that I heard a tiny voice whisper in my ear. and lemme tell you. as tiny as it is, there is no mistaking it. yep, the oniomaniac in me had come to call, and boy was it ever pushy.

"psst, Jessica," it pestered. "now that your kitchen is all glistening clean and everything, you really should update the decor on that open shelving, you know, to freshen it up a bit. I mean, how long have you had that stuff? seven months already?" gulp. don't remind me. "heavens, that's waaay too long. you better go shopping!"

let's just say there was no arm twisting involved.

and so, one shopping trip later, my inner oniomaniac was once again smiling. the hubby's inner conservatism, however, was not. oops.