So remember when we were on that landscaping kick? When my can do husband fix all the flowerbeds I destroyed... and then he decided to tear up my driveway and pile up all the asphalt?
Yeah those piles stayed around a little too long and didn't add to the beautification process of the neighborhood.
But that all changed this weekend... CAUSE IT WAS PARENTS TO THE RESCUE WEEKEND!!!!
Dad & Mom rolled in around 11:30 on Saturday with a wheelbarrow, chainsaw, shop broom, and Round-Up in the back of the truck... when mom mentioned that dad was bringing the chainsaw I got all giddy inside, like Christmas morning giddy.
So I had to do the tour of shame...also known as the tour of half finished projects. Talk about embarrassing... mom at least has seen what I have done... this was dad's first introduction to my messes. Gah. It is one thing to have my mother lecture me about projects, but a whole other level when it is my dad.
"You need to focus"... "You need to start and finish one project at a time" and my favorite "Why exactly did you do this" where all bits and pieces to the conversations I had with my dad....but the best was when my dad walked into our garage and exclaimed "Oh my god, Bryan does have a tool box".
So then after the tour we got down to business, and our "focus" was the outside aka. demoed driveway. Dad and I tossed so many loads of broken asphalt I swear I almost lost all of the baby weight on Saturday (I did go and weigh myself after - no such luck). Then after the closest pile to the large dumpster was done, my dad pulled out his man genius and found discarded wood on the side of our back garage and made a ramp to run the wheelbarrow up into the dumpster - yeah he impressed me with that one. Two more piles of black top/asphalt down.
Then after a small beer break, dad whipped out the chainsaw... doesn't seem like the logical order but hey it worked for us :) Then down went the two trees/over grown bushes that Bryan tried to cut down and kill 6 weeks ago... chainsaw always wins. Remember that.
Boom another finished project.
Then we turned our sights on the garage. Yikes to say the least. It was a mess made up of the previous owners stuff, all of our half finished project stuff and just crap to say the least.
I can now park another car in there, or have a huge area to work on projects such as my kitchen table. YAY.
And then we quit for the day. I don't think I could feel my feet that night. Or my arms.
My lovely mother was super kind enough to deal with the two little ones. Eli gave her a run for her money and cried for the first 3 hours she was there - a milk coma had to be put into action - and then he slept for the rest of the afternoon :).
Mom thought a magic green chalk line would keep Emily from getting in the way of flying chunks of asphalt - yeah... she told her not to go past the line...my daughter seriously drew her own line. Take that Grandma Mimi. I just had to laugh.
My parents are wonderful. They saved my sanity this weekend. Sometimes (all the time) Bryan and I bite off more than we can chew and get ourselves into these type of projects that seem too large to conquer so we just kind of stall out. Luckily my dad saved our asses this weekend and I am no longer the neighborhood eyesore.
Did we get to the basement - nope - but I am starting to haul some drywall out and some paneling slowly but surely since we have the dumpster a few more days... but seriously to at least have that done in one day was just amazing.
Sunday, Emily got to swim in her first big girl pool at the hotel with Grandma Mimi. For a daredevil of a child that she is, she was very cautious at first, sitting on the stairs and not wanting to go far out with grandma... but once she saw a little toddler boy looking at her (okay, he was seriously googly eyeing her down) she knew she was on show and that is when she got brave enough to jump into Grandma's arms and swim with her in the deeper area.
All it took was an audience - go figure.
So it was a great weekend, even better when my dad asked me what our next project to tackle was cause he wanted to be prepared with the right tools to get the job done when he comes down next... which means we didn't scare him off!!!!
I love my dad, even though talking to him on the phone is the most awkward thing in the world, and we both are super stubborn and have tempers like no other... he is my dad and saves me in a pickle or two like when your car is acting up, and your husband doesn't have a clue what it could be. He is also great to make fun of with your sister (we mock him any time we are around him- it is just so easy sometimes), so basically he is a great dad with a chainsaw.
Love you Mom & Dad.
And in case you are wondering - our next project is the bathroom. We will get this room done. I swear!
August 15, 2011
August 11, 2011
Karma Hates Me
After Emily played in Mom's car... and forgot to turn off all the gadgets...Mom's car was dead.
After thinking my battery was charged Eli and I went to Target. Car was dead when we walked out with ice cream sandwiches. Yay for roadside assistance... an hour later :(
New battery needed. No man around to install it at the moment. Karma hates me today.
However, I did get new nail polish to make my nails pretty for tomorrow's interview... and my toes match my nails now. Small things in life. This has to get me the job, I am sure of it (please know that I am being sarcastic as hell).
Hope Karma is liking you a little bit more than me today :)
After thinking my battery was charged Eli and I went to Target. Car was dead when we walked out with ice cream sandwiches. Yay for roadside assistance... an hour later :(
New battery needed. No man around to install it at the moment. Karma hates me today.
However, I did get new nail polish to make my nails pretty for tomorrow's interview... and my toes match my nails now. Small things in life. This has to get me the job, I am sure of it (please know that I am being sarcastic as hell).
Hope Karma is liking you a little bit more than me today :)
August 10, 2011
Working on my Karma
So our grass has gotten out of control and we finally got our mower guy out to start mowing ....
Except my garage (the way back one that is the squirrel love nest) was still open and is an eye sore and huge embarrassment.
So as I was running outside to shut the portal to hell with my shoe laces still untied I saw this thin flutter beside the garage in the grass. I of course go to check it out cause I am as curious as a cat...
It was a little injured sparrow who could slightly get into the air but looks to either have a floppy neck or a broken/sprained wing. And to build up the drama in this story - our guy was just turning the corner on his riding lawn mower right where the bird tired to fly.... but I being the animal lover dove in front of this machine of doom and scooped up the little bird (okay it took me 3 or 4 attempts to "scoop" up the bird since I didn't want to hurt it more or send it into shock... but that is a minor detail).
So after the dramatic rescue, I found last year's Easter basket and put the tiny thing in it with a towel over the top to help it "relax". I called my husband to tell him all about it - since this is the highlight of the day (TV between 11- 2 is less than thrilling).
He was less than impressed. And wasn't thrilled that I put the basket in Eli's room since the bird could carry infectious diseases etc. Someone has watched that damn monkey movie Outbreak a little too much... He told me to go put the bird back in the way back of our yard that still resembles a jungle and let the "survival of the fittest" take its course...
Don't worry Grandma Barb, I did move the bird to the office/storage room... you and B can now rest at ease...
He does not understand Karma... and I need all the Karma I can get right about now - second round of interviews is scheduled for Friday at 2. I want this job - and need all the help I can get - and if saving a little bird from a terrible and ugly mower death tips me just over the top of good vibes - I am so going to take it.
However, I did try this once when I was a younger person in high school.... which Bryan kindly reminded me of. The bird's name was Bubba and he was found at the high school track fallen out of his nest... of course I took him home too and he did quite well - until I left his cage right next to an open window on a cold day. Yeah, pretty sure he died of phenomena... Karma did not like me so much then.
Update: My mother, kindly informed me that my bird did not die of phenomena but pneumonia ...laughing at myself right now and embarrassed as hell ... hope this all makes you aware that spell check can fail you - majorly.
But I have had success with Hawks - didn't name that one but he flew off into the sunset and that is not a metaphor for death - he actually survived my "rescue".
So I am hoping a little rest will help this guy and my rescue track record can improve....
Bryan also said to let Thomas the man cat in and to see who won... but I told him that Thomas had already brought home a mouse and that he does not need to be spoon fed. I love my cat, I really do... he brings me gifts of love.
Update 2: The bird f'in died on me. Where am I going to get my karma now?! However, the bird did die fashionably well in a pink gingham Easter basket... if you have to go not a bad way...okay I am just trying to make myself feel better :(
Except my garage (the way back one that is the squirrel love nest) was still open and is an eye sore and huge embarrassment.
So as I was running outside to shut the portal to hell with my shoe laces still untied I saw this thin flutter beside the garage in the grass. I of course go to check it out cause I am as curious as a cat...
It was a little injured sparrow who could slightly get into the air but looks to either have a floppy neck or a broken/sprained wing. And to build up the drama in this story - our guy was just turning the corner on his riding lawn mower right where the bird tired to fly.... but I being the animal lover dove in front of this machine of doom and scooped up the little bird (okay it took me 3 or 4 attempts to "scoop" up the bird since I didn't want to hurt it more or send it into shock... but that is a minor detail).
So after the dramatic rescue, I found last year's Easter basket and put the tiny thing in it with a towel over the top to help it "relax". I called my husband to tell him all about it - since this is the highlight of the day (TV between 11- 2 is less than thrilling).
He was less than impressed. And wasn't thrilled that I put the basket in Eli's room since the bird could carry infectious diseases etc. Someone has watched that damn monkey movie Outbreak a little too much... He told me to go put the bird back in the way back of our yard that still resembles a jungle and let the "survival of the fittest" take its course...
Don't worry Grandma Barb, I did move the bird to the office/storage room... you and B can now rest at ease...
He does not understand Karma... and I need all the Karma I can get right about now - second round of interviews is scheduled for Friday at 2. I want this job - and need all the help I can get - and if saving a little bird from a terrible and ugly mower death tips me just over the top of good vibes - I am so going to take it.
However, I did try this once when I was a younger person in high school.... which Bryan kindly reminded me of. The bird's name was Bubba and he was found at the high school track fallen out of his nest... of course I took him home too and he did quite well - until I left his cage right next to an open window on a cold day. Yeah, pretty sure he died of phenomena... Karma did not like me so much then.
Update: My mother, kindly informed me that my bird did not die of phenomena but pneumonia ...laughing at myself right now and embarrassed as hell ... hope this all makes you aware that spell check can fail you - majorly.
But I have had success with Hawks - didn't name that one but he flew off into the sunset and that is not a metaphor for death - he actually survived my "rescue".
So I am hoping a little rest will help this guy and my rescue track record can improve....
Bryan also said to let Thomas the man cat in and to see who won... but I told him that Thomas had already brought home a mouse and that he does not need to be spoon fed. I love my cat, I really do... he brings me gifts of love.
Update 2: The bird f'in died on me. Where am I going to get my karma now?! However, the bird did die fashionably well in a pink gingham Easter basket... if you have to go not a bad way...okay I am just trying to make myself feel better :(
August 8, 2011
Sanding off Insanity
Okay, I have an issue with confidence...
One moment I can think I am the total shit - the bomb - no one can compete.
The next moment I am calling in all reinforcements, needing pep talks from the hubby, from my mom, from anyone who will give me positive reinforcement.
Obviously this is something I need to work on. I need to know that I do good work, people appreciate it, and that I can do anything I want to do and put my mind to. I am not sure where this self doubt comes from but I am always waiting for the next shoe to drop.
So today, as I wait for a call for either the next round of interviews or the "we went with another candidate" call I am freaking. I really am. My husband is going to be thrilled when this whole process is over. And the thing is - I am at home taking care of Eli with nothing else to distract myself. So of course I am over analyzing every aspect of my interview... was that smile a good indication or not... did I stumble over my words too much? Ugh. Time to turn off the brain and turn on the creative outlet for my insanity.
So I have decided to start sanding my kitchen walls. I will distract myself by destroying my house one wall at a time!!! I think this is a genius plan. Good call.
P.S. Mom is coming this weekend so don't worry too much - okay worry a little bit :)
One moment I can think I am the total shit - the bomb - no one can compete.
The next moment I am calling in all reinforcements, needing pep talks from the hubby, from my mom, from anyone who will give me positive reinforcement.
Obviously this is something I need to work on. I need to know that I do good work, people appreciate it, and that I can do anything I want to do and put my mind to. I am not sure where this self doubt comes from but I am always waiting for the next shoe to drop.
So today, as I wait for a call for either the next round of interviews or the "we went with another candidate" call I am freaking. I really am. My husband is going to be thrilled when this whole process is over. And the thing is - I am at home taking care of Eli with nothing else to distract myself. So of course I am over analyzing every aspect of my interview... was that smile a good indication or not... did I stumble over my words too much? Ugh. Time to turn off the brain and turn on the creative outlet for my insanity.
So I have decided to start sanding my kitchen walls. I will distract myself by destroying my house one wall at a time!!! I think this is a genius plan. Good call.
P.S. Mom is coming this weekend so don't worry too much - okay worry a little bit :)
August 7, 2011
Lusting aka. Dreaming
I want, but my wallet/bank account/husband wants to say ouch:
$400 on Etsy...
Now you may be thinking... come on Meg, they are just glass... why yes they are... but they are Murano glass from the 60's and I have a feeling they would be amazing in my soon to be blue living room...
Now, how to raise the funds? I am currently taking donations to the Let's Avoid Megan Going Bankrupt Redecorating Her House Foundation... also known as Keep Megan Out of Trouble with Her Husband Foundation...
Totally joking but wishing this is how life worked...
Now you may be thinking... come on Meg, they are just glass... why yes they are... but they are Murano glass from the 60's and I have a feeling they would be amazing in my soon to be blue living room...
Now, how to raise the funds? I am currently taking donations to the Let's Avoid Megan Going Bankrupt Redecorating Her House Foundation... also known as Keep Megan Out of Trouble with Her Husband Foundation...
Totally joking but wishing this is how life worked...
August 6, 2011
Kitchen Kick (Again)
So now that my hubby has a part time gig at Ikea ... my project man is back .... not that he has time but he definitely has gotten the bug
He also is loving the "how much can we save" game.... did I mention our latest score?
At first wanted something similar to this:
My need for projects is obviously back... I need a bit of a change from sweeping up crush goldfish, mopping up spilled juice since my daughter now opens up the fridge and helps herself to anything she wants... and Kraft Cheese Singles are awful to try and scrape off your hardwood floors... oil and yuckiness - so over it and need something to make me happy again.
He also is loving the "how much can we save" game.... did I mention our latest score?
$300 Sink for a cool $17. I love that he works in the as is section... It had a small chip on the corner that needs a little cosmetic love and if we can't give it that love we are only out $17. I call that a score.
So now he is keeping an eye out for cabinets, I am feeling confident in my man. And in all honesty if we can get the kitchen up and running, I think I might be the happiest woman alive. Not that I cook at all - however I can boil a mean pot of raviolis and that is about it.
But my main challenge right now is what I want to do with the walls. I know I want to do a stencil (not into the challenge of wallpaper or the price of wallpaper) but what stencil do I want to use?
But I am seeing it everywhere!!! And if Target has it on their pillows you know it is about to see it's end days on the trend curve (Yes!!! I just used a retail term I learned in my trend analysis class - college degree well spent - glad my college loan payments are still worth something!).
Then I stumbled on this great idea!
Stolen from Sabbe Interior Design
And since she couldn't paint the walls in her apartment she used contact paper!!! Genius - however she does warn that her walls are plaster vs. dry wall - and dry wall doesn't love contact paper as much (if and when you want to remove the pattern). Still gotta love the ingenuity (did I just surprise you with my word selection? Cause I totally just impressed myself).
My only concern is the husband veto. Chevron might be too "loud" for my man... but if I do a tone on tone or a flat with a high gloss I might just get away with it. And all I would need is a large ruler - and angle thingy and scissors to make my own stencil... a little cheaper than ordering one online and I can adjust the size and width to work in my space. I am so convincing.
I wonder if this a project that my "Mom is Coming to Save my Ass" weekend could manage? I could prime during the week since I will have daycare back (oh Nae Nae you do not know how much I value daycare now!!! don't ever go away again!!!).
And another fabulous thing I just ran across:
Normally I f'in hate glitter... my hatred being derived from teaching Sunday School with my mom (yes, this heathen actually taught Sunday School - okay I just loved to do the crafts and make the rooms super cute- I didn't really teach all that much). But my mom once made the mistake of letting kindergartners have free reign with the glitter. Clean up from hell to say the least. But I might just break out some glitter for this project - and I bet it would be super easy and add some whimsy to my empty vases ;)
My need for projects is obviously back... I need a bit of a change from sweeping up crush goldfish, mopping up spilled juice since my daughter now opens up the fridge and helps herself to anything she wants... and Kraft Cheese Singles are awful to try and scrape off your hardwood floors... oil and yuckiness - so over it and need something to make me happy again.
August 4, 2011
Week of Chaos and so Why Don't We Throw an Interview in the Mix?!
My week started off a little rough...
Packed up Emily and Eli to head to daycare, looking for a small break from constant kids (Bryan worked all weekend so I was the single parent- I am so not good at it) so Monday was going to be like a half vacation... just me an Eli till 4:30...
That is until I pulled up and found out that there was no daycare that week...crap. I had thought it was just Thursday and Friday. Nope.
So after I called Bryan to tell him my goof and have a mini meltdown that I had to take care of the two little ones all by myself all week (and I am talking about 6 am to 11 pm) he called back to tell me he reworked his schedule so I would have a partner in crime a few of those days....
Thank god my husband read my mind other wise I might just be a little more nutty than I already am. And because Tuesday I got the call that they wanted to schedule me for a phone interview for the internal position that I had applied to. Fabulous - and Bryan was going to be home at that time - wonderful!!!
And then the call came that they wanted to schedule me for my panel interview for Thursday at 2 pm.... well that wasn't as fabulous since Bryan will be at work all day... but thank god I have a fabulous cousin who is going to be a teacher and loves kids and had made a comment about baby sitting and how she wasn't going to see Em & Eli since she was moving to the other side of town.... Well being the problem solver I am ....(okay okay she saved my ass completely)
Then it was off to my closet to see if any of my professional clothes still fit (big fat no). My suit cut me in half right where I did not need any attention - not even Spanx could save that outfit... then all the skirts came out... no go there. Then the call to Bryan went out... told him the sad state of affairs and he said what every wife wants to hear...
"Well then, we will just have to go to the mall and get you something then. I want you to feel as confident as you can."
Love him sometimes.
So... yesterday we packed up the troops and headed to the mall - and was really successful!!! YAY.
So now I am doing everything you should not do to prepare for an interview - blogging, burping a baby, watching VH1 music videos trying to calm my nerves...
Maybe I will start writing down all my wow stories and a summary of why I am fabulous just to remind myself so I am not going ....ummm...ummm...ummm in my interview....
I hate this process minus the dress up part FYI.
Packed up Emily and Eli to head to daycare, looking for a small break from constant kids (Bryan worked all weekend so I was the single parent- I am so not good at it) so Monday was going to be like a half vacation... just me an Eli till 4:30...
That is until I pulled up and found out that there was no daycare that week...crap. I had thought it was just Thursday and Friday. Nope.
So after I called Bryan to tell him my goof and have a mini meltdown that I had to take care of the two little ones all by myself all week (and I am talking about 6 am to 11 pm) he called back to tell me he reworked his schedule so I would have a partner in crime a few of those days....
Thank god my husband read my mind other wise I might just be a little more nutty than I already am. And because Tuesday I got the call that they wanted to schedule me for a phone interview for the internal position that I had applied to. Fabulous - and Bryan was going to be home at that time - wonderful!!!
And then the call came that they wanted to schedule me for my panel interview for Thursday at 2 pm.... well that wasn't as fabulous since Bryan will be at work all day... but thank god I have a fabulous cousin who is going to be a teacher and loves kids and had made a comment about baby sitting and how she wasn't going to see Em & Eli since she was moving to the other side of town.... Well being the problem solver I am ....(okay okay she saved my ass completely)
Then it was off to my closet to see if any of my professional clothes still fit (big fat no). My suit cut me in half right where I did not need any attention - not even Spanx could save that outfit... then all the skirts came out... no go there. Then the call to Bryan went out... told him the sad state of affairs and he said what every wife wants to hear...
"Well then, we will just have to go to the mall and get you something then. I want you to feel as confident as you can."
Love him sometimes.
So... yesterday we packed up the troops and headed to the mall - and was really successful!!! YAY.
So now I am doing everything you should not do to prepare for an interview - blogging, burping a baby, watching VH1 music videos trying to calm my nerves...
Maybe I will start writing down all my wow stories and a summary of why I am fabulous just to remind myself so I am not going ....ummm...ummm...ummm in my interview....
I hate this process minus the dress up part FYI.
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