before and after, paint jobs!

I'm making progress! Half of my living room is done (the faster half!) I still need to bring a ladder in and do the top trim, but I'll wait until the weekend when Fred is around and awake. I've fallen off of ladders before.

BEFORE
My sis said it looked beautiful, classic, "like a hotel lobby." Heh, heh. Nice description. Who doesn't love hotel lobbies??

But I have four kids. Small house. I need vibrant color, shapes, fun and cheerful dots, and joyful swirls. It's like a circus in here, so we might as well have the same FUN!

AFTER

And next is the side wall that leads into the hallway. Plate display from my aunt. The ones in the kitchen are from Dollar Tree. The black iron one in my dining room was a yard sale find. Total cost of two iron plate holders and five single ones: $6 The color is a little off in this picture. The actual color is a bit more vibrant, light and bright, not at all sage.
Next Up--the rug!

Check it out!!! I went shopping today, for last minute birthday stuff for The Artist. This rug beckoned to me. All of the rugs around it were marked down, hundreds of dollars less than other beautiful ones I've looked at. Anyway, this one looked like someone had scrawled "44" on the back. Might as well ask for a price, right? The guy came back, looked puzzled and said there were none of these rugs in stock. It was just a display, and it was misprinted. So they rolled it up and gave it to me for $44!!!!!!!! -- it's about 6 x 8 feet. Love it. :-) The swirls almost look yellowish in my living room, which is awesome for my "spring glow" paint.
Excuse the sideway picture in cluttery living room. Baby was grabbing for the camera. ;-)

It's all coming together. But tomorrow we'll take a break from interior design to celebrate my daughter's 9th birthday!!! NINE YEARS OLD. I don't know whether to laugh or cry (or both!)

Mistreating the walls...and windows...and furniture!

Well, my sister Amy bought me a gorgeous print a couple weeks ago. I'd been pining for it, as it is to be the inspiration for my living room makeover. The darling gal set me afloat. How wonderful it is to have interior design-y people in the family. Today I had a scheduled consultation with her, to pick out paint colors, curtains, and a color for my furniture. Yes, I plan to sail into uncharted territory and recover my sofa and love seat by myself. Of course, it does help that my husband builds furniture for a living.

Where was I? Ah, yes. We picked "Spring Glow" for the walls, "Garden Sprout" for the accent, and a bright reddish orange "Paprika" for the furniture color. Curtains are also "spring glow" with yellow sheers behind them. This. Makes. Me. Happy. COLOR. My phrase for the room is "Simply Cheerful." Not too far-fetched a dream, eh?

I did just redo my living room (in fact, ALL the rooms) when I was pregnant, but that was more of a nesting thing, in my defense. And it was springtime. So I thought that dark, deep, intense shades would be great. You know sophisticated or something. It turns out that deep and dark, although gorgeous, is rather depressing to me during the cold wintry months when I 'm stuck in a small house with four small children.

Neither of my sisters have ever designed a room that didn't turn out stunning, so I have total confidence in them. Me? Well, I'm crafty and all, but I just don't know how to put colors together. Hence my signature "squiggly eye" handmade cards.

I love Nester's philosophy. It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful. Why get your panties in a bunch, when something might look just as phenomenal with a quick color coat? I'm hoping that my couches look fabulous, but I'm not gonna sweat it if there are some crinkles or wrinkles. I'll just pretend that I intended it to look that way. Just hoping for no stray nails poking out! I may sleep on them before I invite any of y'all over again. Unless you think it's worth the risk. You could always just sit on the floor. Did I mention that I'm going to save for a rug, too? Oh yeah, baby!

So, anyway, I am VERY excited! Especially because I found so many great deals. You know me, I'm all about saving money!-- you know, since I have none. :-)

In other news, my Dad and hubby headed to the Naturals game tonight. Fred caught a ball. It would have hit my Dad in the face. (Way to pay attention, Dad.) Fred is totally psyched! He wrote the game info on the ball and then announced that it's going "in the bathroom." Yeah, poor guy just gets a bathroom. Hey, I think it's a pretty great arrangement. I decorate the whole house, and he just worries about one measly bathroom. He can do whatever he wants to that room (within reason, I mean, come on!) There are football figures, Chicago Bears colors, old action heroes, and now a famous baseball. No wonder he spends so much time in there. ;-)

Now, must get to bed. I won't be able to paint again until the kids go to bed tomorrow night.

So tomorrow we will dance and sing and jump around in our new half-way painted living room. And the kids can help me make more plans. Maybe we'll play Twister again while we discuss it.

Before and After

The Artist donated 13 inches of hair to Locks of Love today. :-)

Before

After

PS On Tuesday night I will post before and after...and after...pictures of me, too!! :-)

Photo Idea

My friend, Miss Jenny posted a link to this fun photo idea, and I thought I'd try it out. We just cut the letters out of craft foam. I'll get some wooden letters next time around. I was short on time, though, as my Mimi's birthday is Monday. Happy Birthday, Mimi!!
(Don't ya just love how LittleLad bit the letter I? So cute!
My Mom's birthday is the 27th. Don't worry, she doesn't know how to work computers, so there's no chance of her seeing this early. ;-) The kids call her "Noni." Little Lad was not cooperating that day, so I went with a sleeping picture!! Heh.

I'm a leper, hear me roar!

The kids have been going to HABC VBS this week. On the first day, The Naturalist came home and told me all about "playing leopard."

He said they put on spot stickers.

And they were sick.

And couldn't see their families.

Aha! Do you mean "leper," Honey?

My sweet Naturalist. It made perfect sense to him that they would have him pretend to be a sick leopard for awhile.

Going Up?

This morning Live Wire ran into the living room completely decked out in prison garb, with a Darth Vader mask, and a cowboy hat on (at least he's clothed, right??) He shouts, "Look at me, Mommy, I'm Elevator!"

By the way, yesterday was a MUCH better day, despite the bad sunburn on the back of my neck. Can't believe I missed getting sunscreen on that much skin! And despite the horrid bee sting on my left foot. On the bright side, I got to spend a couple hours with a dear friend at the pool. And The bee died after stinging me.

(Just so you know, ice and toothpaste are the best remedies for bee sting.)

Wendy and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

I went to sleep in a warm dry bed and woke up on wet sheets with a toddler next to me. I tripped on my husband's size 13 ski-like shoes when I scrambled out of bed. I fell on a dinosaur. I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

At breakfast, the three big kids ate their food, but the baby threw his off of the highchair. A fly landed in my coffee. And I ran out of root beer.

I think I'll move to Blueberry Land.

At VBS drop-off only one child who was old enough would stay. LiveWire wanted to stay, but he isn't old enough. Dang. I had to drag him out of there. I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

The kids fought. The trash leaked. The milk spilled. And there were...ahem...female issues.

LittleLad pulled all the books from the bookcase. Again. And again. Littlelad broke my candle holder. Littlelad knocked the movies down. And Littlelad screamed when I took him out of his highchair. What's up with that? Littlelad is the easy one!

I think I'll move to Blueberry Land. Babies are always happy there, I've heard.

My CD drive won't eject. My car is squealing. Again. My friend is sad. My other friend is out of work. My other friend is angry (not at me, thankfully.) And another friend is in dire need of help. Yeah...you guessed it...I could tell this was gonna be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

And my wonderful husband. Well, he's even getting on my nerves. New position at work. Better position, but I know there's pressure. I'll forgive the...buggerishness of this evening. (What, that's not a word?)

But, you know, some days are just like this. And it could be worse. Much worse.
Even in Blueberry Land.

I'm prepared for tomorrow! New game plan in place. I'm ready to start a new day. Thank You, God, for new days. The sun sets and it comes back up, fresh and ringing with promise.

Tomorrow TWO kids will go to VBS. And one toddler will get "special time" during Littlelad's nap. And Littlelad will be banned from all bookcases. And he will be happy anyway, because we'll play pat-a-cake and he loves pat-a-cake. (So do I!) The big kids won't fight (prayer item here!) and the van won't squeak (I'll drive reeeallly slow.) I'm hoping for A Terrific, Happy, Very Good, Positive Day. :-)

PS Almost forgot two of the GOOD things that happened today. We had ALL debt paid off (except the house) but medical stuff always sneaks up on us. Usually because insurance glitches something up and we end up owing more than they first said we would be required to pay. But...annnyway, I paid off our only debt...a small medical debt and now it's gone. Woo-hoo.

I also met Shan in person!!! At VBS! And, being the dork I am, I didn't realize who on earth it was until about mid-way into our conversation, and at that point I didn't think I should jump up and down and say "IT's YOU!!" because I had...ummm...already kinda pretended to know who on earth I was talking to, and I thought the sudden realization would throw her off a bit. Like I said, this day was just kinda off for me!

Shan, it was nice to meet you!! Tomorrow I'll act more friendly, now that I know who you are. :-)

Oh, and thanks for saying I'm taller than you expected. I'd like to be tall. I wear heels A LOT.

We're Baaaaccckkk! and funnier than ever...heh

So much to write, so little time, as always! First of all, Happy Independence Day!!

I'll share a couple of quick quips, and write more about vacation when I have time! :-)

The Naturalist: "Why is there a cemetery right next to that hospital?"

(as we drive through Johnson)

Daddy says: "I don't know, but that's a baaaaad sign!"

(That happened to be the hospital where I delivered my last baby...)

At Devil's Den State Park today, LiveWire waded into the water, "Mommy! Look, my toes are drowning!"

On the way home from Silver Dollar City on Tuesday, The Artist announces, "I see a guy riding a horse who is wearing a hat!" (She does so love horses!)

LiveWire excitedly looks out the window, "Where's the horse with the hat??"

The Lazy Man's Guide to Cleaning

In case you didn't know, we have pet mice. Don't ask. The favorite one is named Chunky Cheese, because that little bugger loves to eat. As Fred watched him devour an orange slice, he thinks aloud, "Maybe we should let him go in the playroom for awhile each day, to eat up any crumbs."

Uh, no.

Men.