What We’ve Been Working On

I’ve been cracking the whip more than usual lately. What’s new right?

Here’s some photos of what we’ve accomplished so far:

The duck wallborder that went around the middle of the entire living room was removed (horrible task) and the ceiling and walls were painted. Most of the stuff shown in the photos was already on the walls or in the room with the exception of the new console table, pillows, runners, black and white tree print, collage frame, all electrical covers and switches (they were the standard beige type), thermostat and drapes. I also moved the girls school photos into the living room. They replaced the tree prints that I moved into the kitchen (last photo). I also need to paint the window sill and the closet door. Dan will be stuck with the task of spray painting the outside door.

Living Room 1

Living Room 2

Living Room 3

Living Room 4

Living Room 5

The dining room, ceiling and hall were painted and the chair rail and half tongue and groove wall behind the table were torn out.

I transferred the mirror, floor lamp and arched mirror from the living room. I transferred the fake greenery from the downstairs family room. I transferred the two black collage frames from the kitchen. New things include: the light over the table, the Pergo flooring, the green area rug, the wine table, the drapes, the clock, all electrical covers and switches, radiator enclosure and the gallery frames that need photos instead of the stock artwork. I also need to paint the pantry door and patio doors white. There is also a wall ledge that needs to be put up. And, yeah, the previous owners did not center the ceiling light fixture. Slight PITA. It’s on the “to do” list.

The dining room table clashes terribly with the room color and decor. Dan has forbidden me to buy another until the kids are older. He’s right, but I cannot stand looking at it. Maybe I should start buying some scratch off tickets.

Dining Room 1

Dining Room 2

Dining Room 3

Kitchen

Overall I’m pretty happy with everything. I even managed to order 9 5x7s for the new collage frame. I actually put photos into a frame within one month of purchasing it. Shocking considering Morgan’s frame in her room still has the stock images from 5 years ago 🙂

 

Ashley’s Room

Here are photos of Ashley’s room makeover:

One:

Two:

Three:

Four:

Here are the before photos:

One:

Two:

Three:

Four:

Five:

Six:

That was her nursery wallborder, way before I embraced the color pink.

 

Painting, Projects & Parenting

I still need to write about Easter Sunday and Monday.  Don’t know when.

I would like to post more, but I’m actually swamped with work at work and at home.  My boss showed up at 9:30 a.m. yesterday and almost gave me a heart attack.  He never gets there before 10:30 a.m.  Clients all day long and WORK.  Made the hours fly by.  I have so many estates to work on that I contemplate quitting at times.  I hate estates.  I can’t say it enough.  People need to have their shit in order.  If you are over 70 and don’t have your stuff together, you are just mean and selfish and in denial. 

Currently Dan is working on the living room.  He’s finished painting except for the touch-ups here and there.  I usually get stuck with that.  We both painted the moulding and trim.  Between us, we will both have a couple coats under our belts.  Dan asked, “Don’t you want to be able to say that you helped this time?”  Yeah, like I care about that.  I pick everything out and do the directing – that works for me.  I can’t wait to have all the frames, shelves, etc. put back in place.  Have to steam clean the carpet.  For not wearing shoes in the house, it sure got filthy. 

We were supposed to take my parents out to lunch today for my father’s 73rd birthday, but he’s sick.  Had to take a raincheck.  Big bummer.  This was the perfect day for it.  Morgan wailed for 30 minutes when she found out we weren’t going.  My ears are still ringing.  I don’t blame her.  It is definitely boring around here.

The kids really, really need to be in school.  The days are long.  I’m torn between housework that has been piling up and mindless kid games.  I know, I’m not a good mother in that regard.  I had two kids so that they could amuse themselves.  Didn’t work out as planned. 

Ooops, time is up.  Dan just came in to see what I was doing.  Seeing me on the laptop during the middle of the day gets his panties in a wad.

 

Pergo Project

Finally, after 10+ years, the vinyl is gone. 

Dan replaced the old vinyl floor with Pergo.  He did the hallway, the dining room and the kitchen.  He did a pretty good job for a novice.  Saved a lot of coin too.  He can be a huge pain in the butt, but he is handy.

 

Wordless Wednesday – First Day of School

Today Ashley started first grade and Morgan started PreK.  Big day for both girls.

 

Wordless Wednesday – The Cherry Bandit

Remember the cherry photo from two weeks ago?  I thought I just had to worry about the birds.  They had competition this year.

 

Wordless Wednesday – From Year to Year

June 14, 2006

June 18, 2007

I’m dreading it, but I guess I will be shuffling things around next year.  Plants are like children – manageable in infancy only 🙂

 

Wordless Wednesday – Family Time

These photos are from last Saturday.

 

 

Wordless Wednesday – Smuggling A Torpedo

July 2003 – 8 months preggers with Morgan.  I was gargantuan! 

It’s okay, feel free to comment on my substantial girth 🙂

Click here for more Wordless Wednesday participants.

 

Overscheduled & Overwhelmed

There has been no let up these past few days.  I need a break dear Lord!

Last Friday, Ashley invited me to her school for a Mother’s Day Tea.  I left work early and drove to her school.  They had pictures for us and cookies and iced tea.  Lemonade for the kiddos.  They also had made cards and handprint poems.  We also got to choose carnations to take home.  It was nice for the most part.  I want to remember that instead of the meltdown that inevitably occured at one point.  I will do my best to forget that part.

Saturday we had to attend a graduation party an hour from home.  We rushed around and got everyone ready.  After dropping the kids off at my mother-in-law’s house, we headed out. 

I was dreading it a little bit because it was Dan’s friend and I wouldn’t know many people.  I shouldn’t have worried.  I have the gift of gab and got along fine.  We played volleyball.  That was on Saturday and I still feel like I was run over by something.  I have bruises all over my arms.  Those damn volleyballs are hard.  Whatever happened to Nerf anyway?  It was really fun though.  I’m way too competitive for my own good.  I broke a nail, a vein and I got grass stains all over my jeans.  Now I know why old people just sit on the sidelines and watch 🙂  Just like drinking, it’s fun today, but hellish tomorrow.

Sunday was Mother’s Day.  I guess this day does not apply to me.  I think there should be a day called Wives’ Day.  I always get the s@#t end of the stick.  Sounds selfish, but read on. 

Instead of taking it easy, relaxing and doing what I want, I had to run around and clean and scrub so that I could have my parents over.  Then I was supposed to go with Dan to see his mom and grandma.  I said no way, no how.  I made him take the kids away.  Did I finally have some time to myself?  You bet.  What did I do?  I did laundry, dishes, spring cleaning and rearranged the basement.  The same damn thing I did last year.  Maybe I’ll get to relax on Mother’s Day when I have grandchildren.