High Cotton

I chose that title because I did something today that makes me feel like I am grown up and sitting in high cotton. I replaced that stupid (spray painted- we were on a budget and it was pink!) tension shower rod in our master bath with one that is bolted to the wall. I threw those stupid plastic rings that hold the curtain on in the trash and put up new pretty metal hook ones. I also removed the plastic shower curtain liner thing and I'm just gonna use the pretty cotton one from now on. When we moved here 5 years ago, the bathroom was soooo ugly. I had to do alot of digging, but here's a pic of what it looked like when we moved in.

Things that you can't see in this pic:

• The tile that boarders the floor is almost pink
• The tile on the floor is sort of a dark beige
• The wallpaper has this grass like pattern on it (which honestly was the best wallpaper in the house)

Before I show you the after pic, I'll just say that we have painted the wallpaper because it was adhered directly to the drywall with no primer under it!!!! so we couldn't take it off and had no choice but to paint over it. We have also painted the vanity and trim, put up a made by me roman shade of sorts, and I spray painted the pinkish wall trim tile white because every shade of paint swatch that we held up next to it just looked like garbage. We've also replaced the toilet seat (we did that immediately when we moved in), and replaced the light in the center of the room. We just recently put up a new multi-level swivel towel bar. WOOT! So without further adieu, here's the pic today.

The bathroom still isn't fabulous by any means, but it has come a long way. I really want to repaint the trim and vanity again, probably white. I have the paint to do it , I just haven't made it that far yet. I also want to replace the "clown lights" over the vanity. Eventually I'd like to gut the bathroom and start over but that's a pipe dream for when the kids are gone or we win the lottery, but you have to play to win so, you know. Some of you will think that it's ridiculous that a shower rod makes me giddy, but it just means that we are getting to the point with the house that we can think about details and upgrades. The toilet paper holder and the towel holder by the sink are still the original brass fixtures that have been spray painted black. They are next to go because I think this brushed nickel is nice. After they are replaced, the faucet and vanity light fixture are in danger. Their days are numbered as I am sick of looking at them and all of the other sink faucets in the house have been replaced already. I'm not sure I've ever been to the details phase in any house of my own so this is a big step. I am seriously looking forward to a shower with the extra 5" of elbow room that the box promised due to the fact that this is one of those fancy curved rods. I'd better get it too or, oh hell who am I kidding, I'm just glad that it's up there. Oh, before I go I want to add that I may never want to drill into tile again. Ever. That junk is slick and you can't get the bit to bite in and it wanted to slide all over the place (yes I used tape) and it took seemingly forever to get the holes drilled, and even after they were in the stupid anchors didn't fit and I had to wallow the holes out to get the anchors to fit, oh for the love of crap I'm just glad the darned thing is up!!! My hubby so owes me for putting this up, it was a pain. Yep, today I feel a little more grown up and a little less poor. ~Kellie~

Trade-offs

I like dogs. I've had at least one dog at a time most of my life, There have been brief exceptions for one reason or another, but I always wind up with a dog again because I like dogs. They fill a void like nothing else. When Henry and I got together I was in a dog-less phase but he had a dog so it all worked out. When that dog died unexpectedly, we were all heart-broken. I had thought that when he was gone I would be finished with dogs because he was a drooly one and he was inside all the time so there was fur floating around. Honestly those were the only two things that I didn't like about the dog. Oh, he had gas alot so that makes three. Anyway, aside from those things he was awesome. He was super affectionate but not in an annoying way and he loved to cuddle. He'd hang out with you on the couch until he was so hot that he had to force himself to get down. We all loved that dog. About a year after he died I finally convinced Henry to get another one. We talked about the options and decided to get the same breed because it just sort of fit with out lifestyle. I've mentioned it before, but he was not the same at all. He kinda looked the same, but his personality was way different. He drooled less but shed more. He was really friendly, but sometimes overly so. He wanted to play, but usually at the wrong time for us. He ate crumbs off the floor, but more times than not he left a huge slime line that was slippery and we all slipped in it more than once. He drove us nuts, but we loved him. We finally admitted that we didn't have the time to give him the attention that he deserved and that it would be better for everyone if we found him another home. We found a great couple with another dog which was the perfect scenario for him. He has a good time but I'm kinda miserable about half the time when I think about him. I don't have to deal with all of the annoying thing like the fur and the drool and the barking, but when things are quiet and you just need something to love on he's not here. Nothing is as relaxing as rubbing a dog. I've tried petting the kids, but they don't like it. I'm still glad that we found him another home because it was better for him. I keep reminding myself of the negatives when I think about him. I do it to talk myself off the ledge and to try to stop feeling bad. I still feel like we failed him, mostly me because he was my idea to get and my idea to relocate. Just when I think I'm ok I see one like him or I find myself in a cuddly mood when the little kids are asleep and everyone else is gone. The house is free from fur and drool but there are so many crumbs. I remembered the first dog and how lonely I felt without him, and that helped me be thankful for the second dog, but everything is a trade-off and sometime you just have to choose which thing you're willing to deal with. ~Kellie~

Where do pandas come from?

Well, sometimes they just appear out of necessity. Here's the story (with little to no back story). Thursday afternoon we went costume shopping for the kids. Not quite last minute but whatever. The short version of the boys' costumes is that they decided to be soldiers so we just bought them some camouflage pants and a shirt that they can just keep on wearing to play in after Halloween. Winning! We also got them a few little accessories, that I had to spray paint flat black, but after that they were taken care of. Henry and I already had most of our costumes and just had to get some little things to finish them out. Pics of that coming soon, the party is tonight. Kinsley decided to be a princess. Again. She has a whole closet of attire to choose from so, done. I couldn't decide what the baby was going to be and I got an idea after we had already left Wal-Mart and I was gonna have to go back and blah blah blah because I'm not spending alot of money on a costume for an infant. I'm just too cheap and I didn't like any of them anyway. Friday morning I'm contemplating dragging the kids to the store to get stuff for his costume. I ask myself if I really want to do that, and if I do that will I be able to find what I want in the correct size, and will I be happy with the result, and will I end up just making something anyway since I probably won't find what I want, and the list goes on. I decide that I will take a peek in my stash to see if I have what I need. I'm pretty sure I do, but it's still hit and miss. I first look for a pattern, 3 to choose from, 1 of them is exactly what I need. Sweet. I know that I for sure have enough of one fabric that I need and I look for the other one. I'm gonna be short. DANG IT!! But wait, what's this, another box to check? SCORE crap tons of what I need. I'm gonna need a zipper. I check my box. A couple to choose from in the right color. Awesome, one of them is the length I need plus a little extra. Now this is the point where I start feeling like a crazy cat lady fabric hoarder. Who has this stuff?? I console myself by saying that sewing and such is my hobby and myjob and that it's ok to have random things hanging around. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. So here's his costume for this year.

I have to say that I only have a few hours in this including the searching and the pondering and the modifications that I had to make in order for the legs to be a different color and the hood not to have a huge point on the back. I also do not want any of you to become haters at this moment because "well aren't you just crafty". I repeat that sewing related things are my job and I do them all the time so this was super easy for me. I do admit that I was lazy and did not serge the seams but they are fleece so they won't ravel, and by the time I trim them a bit you won't notice anyway. Those of you who know Henry and I know that pandas hold a special place for us so this seemed totally fitting. The costume wasn't a long planned thing, it just sorta happened last minute but I think it's cool. I don't think it's too shabby for something I "just pulled together". I am proud of myself for how this turned out. Stay tuned for pics of everyone in their Halloween attire. ~Kellie~

Sneak Peeks and Revelations

I'm not going to have time today to do any office projects because I have too many work projects to do, but I thought I'd take a second and do a little sneak peak. I've been collecting a little eye candy for my office. First we did the faux bead board and that worked out so well that I thought I'd keep the vibe going. Now I'm the first to admit that "country charm" or "cottage-y" isn't usually the feel I gravitate for. Those who know me know of my dislike of burlap which seems to be the new poster child for all things country. I'm not going that far, though I am seriously considering ONE piece of visible burlap in my office ONLY because it has sewing machines on it. We'll see if I can hack that another day. For today though, here are a few sneak peaks of things that will go on said bead board wall.

I'm blaming too many episodes of American Pickers for my recent purchases. The knob thing will go near my desk and I'll hang my bag on it so that I don't keep losing it. The key is actually a knob, will become a hook as well. The brown-ish hooks are for my hoops and possibly other things. I love that it's a combination of hooks and a hinge.












I also got this desk organizer for Henry. I hope that he can find the bills easier now. I have to admit that I love that he has a real work space in the office area now. It doesn't feel weird or crammed in, it just works. :)














 OK, so those are my reveals, now time for the revelation. This is less about the doll (which I love and made yesterday for Colin) and more about the backdrop. I've been seeing people post these awesome pictures of their stuff and I'm just blown away sometimes. I mean who has this awesome stuff hanging around? I finally asked someone about it. I was expecting something crazy or hard or expensive. Nope, it's just scrap book paper. Now, granted it's probably not as fabulous as the real thing would be, but it's much better than lots of other things that could be lurking back there! It's also super easy to change it based on the item you're photographing. The knobs in picture one are also on paper. Who knew they had scrapbook paper that looked like that? Anyway, that's about all I've got for today. Later Taters! ~Kellie~

Craft Fairs vs. Toddlers & Tiaras

Many of you know that I attended a craft fair last Saturday, and some of you have asked how it went. Here's the break down of how things went.

• For starters, I have been out of the craft fair circuit for quite some time since I did no fairs last year because I was huge preggo with Henry. That being said, I have been looking at a page on facebook that is for craft fair displays and such and I felt ok about my set-up. 
• I had never attended this event so I didn't really know what to expect. 
• The event was outside and I didn't have a tent. Now I thought about buying one, but that's a big expense and I already had to shell out the money for tables and table cloths and a really cool display stand so I thought I'd chance it. This sort of worked out I guess. More on that later. 
• I really wasn't prepared with product for this craft fair. This year has been off on the whole creating thing due to said baby and trying to figure out my new normal. I spent the day before the show running the machine, enlisted the help of my fabulous hubby, and we worked until 11 p.m. that night. 
• I also somehow failed to tag things and/or make pricing signs. 

By now you can tell that things are not working in my favor. This is all my own fault, but still it's a cluster in the making. Henry can't go with me because he has to watch the kids, Joy is far far away, so I have to go alone. I get my directions, load up my car, and head out. The drive isn't bad, but I miss two turns and have to turn around. No biggie. I get there and start to set up. This is where I see the serious need for a tent. Everyone else has one. I feel a little like a gypsy. I look like a rookie. I am, but I don't wanna look like one. It's a small town, and everyone is saying hi to each other. Now I feel really alone. I get half way through setting up and the check-in people come by my spot. They can't find my application. Great. One of them remembers talking to me through email and I keep setting up. Now the weather starts to get a little windy, and it looks a little cloudier. I'm a little concerned due to this whole lack of a tent thing.
The booth/tent next to me is selling rugs, wooden signs, and some wreaths and such. That's nice, I won't be competing with them. Then the booth on the other side of me shows up. They had "requested the corner", which I didn't think was a big deal until they showed up. They apparently had a little boutique store in town and started unpacking their pretty striped tent and all their grids and such from the store. Then they roll out their wholesale purchased (likely made in China) stuff. It's super cute and I'm not really bothered by this. I admit that when you have custom made things next to commercial things it does make you feel like a schmuck sometimes, or at least it does me. I start wondering if my stuff is good enough and does it look like crap, and honestly lots of people gravitate to the big flashy booth and skip yours but anyway, I try to keep my chin up.
This is where the T&T comparison comes in from the title. In the past I have thought of craft fairs as sort of like glorified yard sales. People bring their creations and display them in a pleasing manner in an effort to sell them and make a little cash, nothing wrong with that. Friends, (and others) this is simply not the case anymore. It's no more like that than putting little girls in a pretty Sunday dress to take them to a pageant. Those days are GONE ! You have to have them in frilly dresses with petticoats and their hair all curled and make-up on them that makes them look like a twenty something girl going to a party. The same is true of craft fair booths/displays. Gone are the days of tables covered in sheets and handmade stuff spread out on them. I will add here that I feel a little bad about having machine embroidered items since they are not technically hand made. Anyway, you have to have fitted table cloths and grid walls and tents and shelving and sometimes lighting and rugs on the ground so that you appear to be a retail store that sprang up in the middle of a field! The owner of the store sounds like typical, how do I put this nicely, she sounds really southern and frou frou and a little snotty. She's talking to her partner's husband about how her "little hourly employee" is at the store working so that they can attend the fair, etc. Whatever. 
After we get all set up she comes over and looks at my pitiful booth. She's looking down and she should, I am so in over my head and totally out of place. She checks out my stuff and looks at my embroidered kitchen towels and makes the following statement, "Aww, are these your little crafty things? Those are cute." Now I'm not sure if she meant to sound like a condescending ass when she made that comment, but it bothered me for about .001 seconds. At first I was a little hurt by the fact that she thought I was so basic that I had to make things to sell at a craft fair. I really wanted to say "Those are cute items you have over there, did you get those wholesale to resell? That's some talent you have there, I tell you what!". I also wanted to say that I do what I do because I want to and because I'm creative and have skills and because my husband makes good money that allows me to stay at home with my children instead of sending them to some daycare while I pretend to be somebody at my store. I wanted to tell her that I have ten thousand dollars worth of equipment that is paid for in my home that I use to "be crafty". I wanted to say that I'm not in debt for any of my stuff, and I wanted to ask her if she could say the same. I know that makes me sound condescending and I'm not even sure if any of my assumptions are true, and we all know what they say about assuming. Like I said, these are the things that went through my mind in the moments after her comment, and they allowed me to not feel totally defeated.
Now the wind starts gusting. Lots of products from different booths start blowing around and people are clinging to their tents like squirrels to a bird feeder to keep them from toppling over. Great. Some of my stuff blows around and I go get it. This gusting and retrieving happened about 3 more times before I made the executive decision to pack it in. People had to lower their tents over their products to keep them from blowing away. You can't sell your stuff if it's in someone else's booth, or if you have to lower your tent over it to keep everything put. I tell the booths next to me that I'm just not that hard core and I'm packing it up. I'll spare you the drama of how I had to drive like 2 miles to get back to the booth that I parked 100 yards from due to one-way traffic since the show opened, and how I had to force myself to abide by the directions of some little ROTC boys and make that drive instead of just hauling across grass to avoid said drive. Anyway, I get back to my booth and start packing my stuff up. I drive a mini-van, and I have my shelving unit in one piece to avoid having to assemble and disassemble it at the show. This thing is big and takes up the entire back of my van with all of the back seats either removed or stowed, but it's lightweight and I can totally pick it up by myself. The snotty girl is watching this and says to her husband, "see, we need to think about getting a van so that I can haul my stuff to shows". Who's the schmuck now? mwahaha! He says something like he'd rather be hit by a car than drive a mini-van but he'll consider a big SUV. I'm not sure what they drove there, seems like it was a small suv or van, but I obviously don't remember. The show coordinators come over and apologize for me wanting to leave. I tell them that it's totally not their fault and that I was really not prepared for the show and I thank them for the opportunity. She says she'd love for me to come back next year and I promise to do so. She was so sweet. I tell her that I hope that weather improves and that they get lots of visitors. As I drive off in my van full of hastily packed cargo, I wave to the snotty corner booth people who are sitting huddled and cold from the wind in their chairs outside their tent lowered over their stuff and think "suckeeeer".
On the way home, warm in my car, I thought about what I learned that day. First off I will likely never do a show, any show, alone again. I will also cough up the money for a good tent with sides. I will be contacting my neighbor who used to do the staging for Kirkland's and get her to help me up my display game yet again, since obviously what I originally thought looked pretty good was not. I'm also not sad about the booth fee that I paid since it went to support those ROTC boys that I almost hit with my car. I'm a little sad that the weather sucked since the show had huge potential. Next year I'll probably take the whole family because I think there was something for everyone. They had giant inflatables to play on, a classic car show, a chili cook off, and for Pete's sake, there was a little petting zoo right across from my booth! I so wanted to pet the alpaca to soothe my soul after the defeat, but I was too disgusted and he'd have made my allergies flare up and I'd have had to drive home feeling like I had sand in my eyes. Next year I'm definitely requesting to be near the petting zoo again so that the littles will be mesmerized for hours. I might even request to be on a corner if I can get my act together. I called my mom and my bff from high school on the way home to tell them that I was a quitter but felt like a winner for not subjecting myself to that since I was ill prepared. They said "good call" and I drove home to be with my family. Yup, it was a pretty good day. ~Kellie~

Like the liiiight of the suuuun!!

So if you follow my blog you know that I have been having a rather interesting lighting situation in my office. I was going to install a new light to replace the ceiling fan with the broken light, and then after I took it down I realized that I couldn't turn it off and on independently because the light and switch are tied in with the light and switch in the boys's room. My dad is an electrician as is my uncle, let me start off with that. I know very little about electrical stuff. I mean I can replace a plug or a switch, or a light fixture, and I've even been known to install a little wiring to move a light from one place to another like I did with the stairway light, but this three-way switch stuff is beyond me. The short version of what happened to remedy this situation is that I called my dad, sent him some photos, got some information, and then decided to wait until he came for a visit hopefully around Thanksgiving so that he can just fix it. That being said, I realized that with the changing seasons it is darker than usual in here and especially so if it is gloomy and overcast like it was this morning. Yes, I have task lighting, and yes there are lights on the machines, but that only goes so far. So, I reinstalled the switches that I had taken apart and set about making the executive decision to install the new light anyway since the boys aren't in their room most of the time anyway, and when they are they like it dark like a cave so for the meantime I  will decide when the switch is off or on since my light can only be controlled with the switch. mwahahahaha! So here are some pictures, because everyone loooves pictures.

  Here is my sad, lonely, lightless ceiling with a few wires sticking out of the box.

 I wished to install this rather attractive track lighting.

 

Here are a few "suggested tools" that the box said I'd need.

Marching to the beat of my own drum, I chose to use these. 

The baby took a nap, and my lovely daughter assisted me by picking up screws when I dropped them. No, no, look where I'm pointing, it's down there. LOL! This only took like... 30 minutes?

As you can see, I have LOTS of light now. I mean it's like a shoe store up in here! I might not even need task lighting anymore. Ok, I will still need task lighting because I'm sure to stand in the way of the lights, and because these bad boys are really bright, and because they sadly put off heat which I don't like. I installed the included bulbs from the box, but I will be making a return trip to the store very soon to get some overpriced but much desired cfls. The light isn't really totally installed yet as I still have to anchor the ends of the arms, but I want to make sure that I like the locations before I go drilling and hammering anchors into the ceiling which will require a drill, a hammer (maybe) and an allen wrench. I just want to be clear that there will be additional tools needed later even though the allen wrench I think is the only one listed on the box. Anyway, installation went so well that I was able to do another project simultaneously and by the time it was to a point where I was needed, I was finished with the light. Drum roll please....

Tada! I made this set of coasters while I installed the light. Ok, ok, I didn't, the machine did, but whatever. I finished them when I was through. Now don't be a hater. Don't be all "well aren't you skilled and crafty!?!?!?!". I admit that I am a little bit of both and that today was one of those awesome days where I got really cool things done. Not only that, but something that needed to be done, and something for myself. I am proud of myself and that's all that matters. Today I am a winner! ~Kellie~

Flu shots

I have a friend that made a facebook post about the flu vaccine, and I started replying but thought it got kinda long for a facebook reply, but plenty short for a quick blog post, so here goes. I'm sure that there are people out there who seriously benefit from the flu vaccines. They probably really save lives, but in my opinion that's more for the "young and elderly" and the "at risk for some other reason"people. I have never gotten the vaccine, nor have my kids, and we have never been seriously ill from the flu. OK, I admit that there are about two days out of the year where every person in this house is near deathly ill, (sometimes all at once for the win!) but people get sick sometimes even with a normal immune system and vaccinations. My theory is that there are many many strains of the flu and though you get vaccinated for the "most popular one that year", it does not mean that you won't get another milder strain or some mutant strain that results from the popular strain's determination to live and make people miserable. My dad got the flu shot one year many years ago and was the sickest with the flu he'd ever been, and he's one that never gets sick. My mom got the flu shot last year and she still had a touch of the flu. I'm not a medical technologist like my sister, (really, she's the head of the lab in my home town) so I don't know what makes a cold different from the flu, but in my lame attempts to figure it out I have concluded that both are just one of those things that we as humans must endure. Other animals can get the flu, I just wanna point that out. That's how we wound up with this big rabbit cage when I was a kid and.... just go with me here, it really happened. Anyway, every year our pediatrician asks if we want the vaccines and we always say no and he just says ok. I'm pretty sure he thought my explanation that first year was stupid so he just says ok so that he doesn't have to hear my ridiculous conspiracy theory on it, and that's basically what it is. I don't judge people who get the flu shot, that's their choice and it might be the best choice for them and I support that, I'm just saying that I don't get the flu shot because I have this ridiculous theory. ~Kellie~

Friend or Faux?

Let me start off by saying that I know a few people that I consider friends, and a larger number that I consider fauxs. You know the ones, you are forced or expected to be friends with them due to association and not because you really like them. I mean you might really like them, but the real connection just isn't there. I think that in reality, we only really have one or two real friends  and lots of close or not so close acquaintances. I think that a really real friend is someone that you'd drop what you were doing to help, even if it was really inconvenient, far away, and late at night. If you had to hop a plane at 3 a.m., you'd do that if they needed you. I can only honestly think of one person that I'd do that for and that's Henry. I have a few other friends that I'd probably do that for if it was an emergency. Be honest, and you know who you are, would you hop a plane at 3.a.m. for me  if it weren't an emergency? If I was just bent out of shape upset for something other than a death or serious injury, would you come to console me or just talk it out over the phone and wait until morning before another phone call to make absolutely sure that I needed you there? Anyway, after now seeming like a complete ass to several of my friends... I feel the need clarify something here.

*Real Friend... You'd drop everything at any time to be with them no matter what. They are like family without actually being blood related. Honestly I have some family that I'm not even this close to.
*Really Close Friend... You'd help them out anytime depending on what it was, and even then you'd be super likely to just help them out anyway.
*Friend... You'd help them out if it was mostly convenient unless it was an emergency in which case you'd help them out at any time.
*Close Acquaintance... You'd help them out if it was convenient. 
*Acquaintance... You're pretty sure that they have people who fit into one of the above categories so you're not really worried about them.
I'm going to add another category here, and that is...
*Virtual Friend... You care about them from afar, you're concerned about them because they are human (at least you're pretty sure they are), you miss talking to them online, but you may or may not really know this person. If something happened in their life, you probably send an e-card (which might be more than you'd do for that acquaintance above).

Anyway  all of this comes about because I was making a little get together list via facebook, the creator of seriously faux friends, and I noticed that someone that I had previously been "friends" with was no longer a "friend". Now I have my assumptions about this and I almost messaged said person and asked wth, but then I realized that they weren't really a friend at all so why did I care. If I had messaged them, it would have only been to say "I just wanted you to know that I know" and then I'd have probably gotten into some discussion with them and we may or may not have ended up being "friends" again. I have to admit that I was a tiny bit stunned for a split second and then I was over it. I've had to resist the urge to send the above message a lot lately, mostly because of Henry's job change, but whatever.  I have to admit that I have one really close friend that I routinely leave out of "guest lists" because I talk to her so much I just assume that she knows what I'm thinking and she'll just show up anyway. Bahaha, if you're reading this really close friend, I hope you're laughing too.

I suppose that's all of my rant for this morning. I think I'm going to go prune my "friends" list again as I'm still feeling the need to simplify. Before long I'll just be living in a hut in the jungle with only possessions that I can carry on my back or in a rickshaw pulled by my children. ~Kellie~

  

We have a (mostly) finished wall in the office!

It's been a long time coming, but we finally  have a mostly finished wall in the office. It's not really what we originally intended to put up there, but whatever. It was immediate, cheap, clean, mostly pre-finished, and as my neighbor says "Nothing is ever more permanent than that which is meant to be temporary", so I chose something that was pretty while I was at it. :)

Here's what we started with this morning. Now you can see why I just wanted to put something up there. I mean I was thrilled just to have a real wall, but as progress goes it was time to move along. I started out by removing the plastic from the wall, the ceiling strip that held  the plastic up, and then I got to work removing all those staples (why did I put in so many staples?!). I also had to get out a handy little specialty saw and trim some of the shims at the top of the wall.

After all that, here's what I had, a clean, fresh, wall-o-studs. I'm going to add here that I haaaate popcorn ceilings. You may or may not be able to see the little section that is nearly popcorn free, that happened when we put the wall up, but when I took the plastic down little bits of that crap went everywhere. It was all I could do to restrain myself from stripping it all down. I'm pretty sure that that will happen in another month or so or in the spring at the very latest. Baby steps, baby steps. On a side note, see that stupid ceiling fan? Yeah, it's going tomorrow. The light broke and I've hated it since I installed it due to said crappy light.

So here's the wall all covered in some lovely faux beadboard. Now I wouldn't usually go for such a thing, but in our tiny little office and given the fact that it's only on one wall, I think it's cute. Yes I know that there is a huge gap at the top and bottom, and yes I see the crack where the panels meet (yes this is paneling) and yes I also see the little nail holes. The crack between the panels actually looks way worse than it is due to the fact that only the front of the panel is white so you see the brown edge. Baby steps, I'm just glad there is something there other than plastic.In due time I will get some putty and fill those holes and some trim to finish it off.

All in all, I don't think it's too shabby. Tomorrow I will replace that stupid ceiling fan with my sweet track lighting, and maybe if I feel particularly motivated, I will sneak off and get some trim to cover that gap at the top because it's gonna drive me nuts, I just know it. I might even start to putty, I dunno. I'm pretty sure that no matter what color I eventually paint the rest of the office (maybe a nice light green?) I'll leave the "beadboard" white because I think it looks better in that color. On a random side note, I also got to use the air nailer today and if I install trim tomorrow I will get to use it again. :) Thinking more on it, I'll probably just wait to add the trim because I need to add trim all the way around the room and I'm just not ready to do that yet. Just try not to look at it if you visit. :) ~Kellie~

Too early starts

At 6:45 this morning I finally made it out of bed to deal with the baby who had been crying since 6:30 when his daddy came into our room to get dressed for work. I have to admit that it's always nice to see him first thing in the morning, even if he is about to leave me with the remainder of this post. :-p So I stumble to the baby's room and feed him, that always makes us happy. We get to snuggle for a few minutes and both wake up a little, then comes the diaper change which is now a trick sometimes as he has become fascinated with the light switch near the changing table. He hasn't managed to turn it on yet and I'm thankful for that, I don't think either of us would be prepared for the shock of it. By the time I get his diaper changed, his sister is creeping into the room. She's cute in the mornings though being a creature of habit, if her routine requirements are not met within a timely manner they become demands.
I make it to the kitchen and realize that the boys have left their door open and are presumably playing a video game with some loud obnoxious music that I'm sure their father would approve of, but it drives me nuts. I close the door and move on. I get the baby set up with some food, get the girl set up with her routine things: her shows, a cup of milk, and this morning, her favorite breakfast food, gummies. Don't judge me, it's still super early and the milk at least is healthy. She still won't eat cereal and the number of things that I view as suitable for early morning that she doesn't turn her nose up at is slim. Anyway, my salvation this morning is a hot cup of yesterday's coffee, some smooth Etta James, and this blog. I can hear the boys making noises that sound like fighting Tasmanian devils through the wall. I really must finish my side soon to offer more of a noise barrier. I'm pretty sure that K is in the living room singing into a microphone, it's sort of garbled so I'm not 100%. I have to go to the grocery store today with at least 1/2 the kids, and I'm hoping that it's just too early for the sun and that it's not really gloomy like rain outside.
I'm moving on to another Etta song and pondering what we're going to eat the remainder of this week. I really want to stay home and work all day since I lost part of yesterday being domestic with cleaning and laundry and such. I still haven't folded it, fail. I remember as a kid I was always an early riser, I mean like before daylight. I was almost always in bed before 8 because I was just plum tuckered out. When I say kid, I mean jr. high/high school age. I'm pretty sure it continued into my mid twenties. I really don't think this dislike of abrupt early morning starts began until I hit 30. I used to think that mornings like this were a myth. At least when I was an early rising kid I was up and quietly out of the house so that my parents could enjoy the morning in peace. I came back in at a suitable hour when my mom would make breakfast and then I was out again until lunch. Obviously these were my Saturday and summer hours as I did go to school despite the fact that we lived on a farm. Maybe that's the problem with my kids, we live in a subdivision, we have cable, there's more than one of them... huh, I've never really thought about that until now.
Since it's been about 20 minutes of Etta and hot coffee, I think I am now ready to face part of my day. I'm still not ready to get out of my pajamas and leave the cave, don't rush me, I'll get there, eventually. ~Kellie~