I Smell Spring aka Projects in the Air!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.  I am so ready for it.... even if we have had the mildest winter I have had here in MN so far... seriously hardly any snow!

Spring.

Yes I love spring, nothing compares.  Yes Summer is fun, but Spring brings newness and I love it!

Also, my dad has a bit of vacation time to burn... and he has offered to help us with our many many half finished projects.

I have chosen the kitchen.

Why you ask?  Because I have a yellow table that is begging for a beautiful background to pop against...

Something like this:

Yup I love the gray with the big bright white trim and the white cabinets.  I also think I love the wood floors but we are not going that far with this kitchen face lift.  We are talking about:

1.  Painting the cabinets.
2. Sand and paint the kitchen walls (gray).
3. Trim the kitchen (big bright and white).
4.  Did I mention that we will be mudding and taping the hole that Bryan created last summer taking out the old in-wall air conditioner that didn't work... that he didn't patch correctly?
5. And finally wiring the chandelier so I have light in my kitchen!

All this magic will be happening at the end of April - whoot whoot.

And this time my dad will have an extra pair of hands (besides mine) since I will make sure that Bryan takes some of his vacation time at the same time.

I am so excited. To say the least.

Having two kids... and having laundry... and having toys everywhere... and having no time ... tends to get me down a bit ... but this will help me reclaim a bit of my house as my own... and make me feel proud again!

And I am already planning the art that will be on my kitchen walls:

I love this, even though I never drink coffee (hate the smell hate the taste - never been my thing) but B loves coffee and I love the lines and the crispness of this piece ( by Tom Pappaiardo on Etsy).  It will eventually find its way onto my walls...

But for now my goal is to continue to sand my cabinets and prime them so they are ready to go when my dad arrives so this can go go go and go fast!

I am really excited.  I don't know if you can tell.

And if I am lucky, maybe we can paint the living room a very saturated blue.  Which I am also very excited about.

Till then.

I will keep you posted!

Shoe Karma

So short story, I have been in love with these boots forever (okay okay, since the beginning of Fall/End of Summer when Nordstrom set their boots):

However, with two kids, a house in remodel mode they never made it home with me .... sad face.  (And yes that is a suede inset under all the laces... drool).

So on Wednesday, after a so so day at work I was going to meet Bryan and the kids at the Mall of America to visit the sharks at Underwater Sea Adventure (yes there is an aquarium at the mall and we have season passes).  We honestly visit at least 2-3 times a month when we switch kid duty when Bryan has a late shift.  We avoid tears and it becomes something fun that way.

Well, this time was a bit different.... I am setting you up for a big story here can you tell?

I got there a few minutes early and had a moment or two to check out Nordstrom's Rack.  I went straight to the designer shoe area and scavenged.... nada.  So they I went to the regular clearance rack of shoes and started to browse not expecting to find much of anything.

Then it happened.  I looked at the top shelf, and saw the laces.  I couldn't believe it... Could it be?!?!?  I was so sure it was a knock off until I turned the shoe over....

BAM!  It was my shoe!!!!

I ran straight to the end of the isle and ripped off the boot I was wearing all the while praying, I swear I was praying out loud that this shoe would fit.

Let's just say these boots will not be worn with thick socks, or socks at all... it is nylons all the way but the sucker fit!!!!!!

And it was the only one in the store.

I started to text Bryan like a man woman.  He wouldn't pick up - didn't he understand that the shoe gods were looking down on me saying "we know you have had a shit 2 1/2 weeks and here is your break?"

So when he called to have me come help him get the kids out of the car,  I hid the shoe in the size 9 area (I wear a 7) and ran, seriously ran to the car.... Bryan would later point out that I could have just put the shoe on hold, and how if someone had found the shoe how devastated would I have been... he has a point but I wasn't thinking clearly at that point.

I tired to explain the shoe karma that was happening to me, but Bryan had had a shit day too so he wasn't really sharing in my exuberance... but he let me buy the shoes anyways.

Let me break it down for you:

• Regular Retail $548.00 (yeah no way they were coming home at this price with two kids...) 
• Then they were marked down to $300 something 
• Then down to $127.  
• And this is where it gets good.  Bryan gets a discount... ohhhh yeah.
• And he had a $20 gift card there 

THOSE BABIES WHERE MINE FOR A SWEET $89 and not a penny more. BOOOOO YAAAA!

And the story gets better.  Oh so much better.

That night I went home and paraded around in front of my mirror with my new found treasure, and put together a killer outfit to go with my killer boots.

And the next day at work, I got a ton of compliments, jumped up and down in a few cubicles with my coworkers that knew that I wanted these exact boots so bad.  Seriously there was jumping and squealing.

But then, as I was power walking down to my work cafeteria .... I saw her.  My old college roommate from junior year.

To say it very simply, she made that year hell for me.  I didn't want to be in my apartment at all that whole year, and pretty much lived in my room when I had to be there.

Well, thank god the shoe gods had smiled on me, otherwise I might not have had a killer outfit on, killer shoes on and having a great hair day.  Believe me when I say I posed like hell waiting inline for my food (there was a bit of sucking in too... I am not going to lie).

I know she saw me, I know she recognized me and I know that this was the moment I was suppose to be the bigger person.  But I wasn't.  That's not my style.  My style is to hold grudges.  And believe me I am good at it.

Here is the best part (and you are going to think I am so evil, and you are probably right but I don't care) ... the years have not been good to her.... oh no no no no...

And she did not have a killer outfit on, nor did she have cute shoes on .... quite the opposite.

And I ignore the shit out of her!!!!!  And even smiled at everyone else I knew and pretended that I was the most popular friendly girl in the world.

IT FELT SOOOOOOO GOOD.

Now I am pretty sure it wasn't actually god who set me up so royally, cause he probably would not have approved of my behavior ... but I am pretty sure it was the shoe gods who set up this shoe karma, and they were definitely high-fiving me for knocking this one out of the park!

So yeah this week ended on a high note for me.

As for house projects, my yellow table just need a coat of polyurethane and then it is done, and the exciting news is.... I have a chandelier hanging above it now!!!!!

Bryan and I were given a great gift card to Crate and Barrel for a wedding present from our good friends, and bought this chandelier for our new house.... 3 years ago.  But now it is up and just needs a little wiring and it will be ready to go...

Kitchen is slowly but surly coming along! 

Jackson Square Yellow

So I promised a sneak peak:

The table originally was an oak?  table with stickers stuck to the top and the varnish in need of some love... well that started the stripping process ... yuck to say the least... then is was sanding and sanding...

And then that is where I stopped for I want to say almost a year+.... and then a baby and a kitty showed up and my time for projects slightly evaporated...

And then there was the decision on what the hell we were actually going to do with our house.  the living rooms opens right up to the kitchen and would have a direct view of the dinner table... so my table color really was dependent on what we were going to do in the living room.  With the help of Pinterest (you can follow my indecision Here)  I have a plan.

Navy Blue walls in the living room with bold white trim... and a gallery wall above the piano ... and then a Jackson Yellow dinner table that livings in a gray kitchen!

And now on to the referb of the dinning table!

 

My lovely Spackle job... there was a huge gash and then there wasn't!!!   

Primed - many many times to insure no sneaky oil stains can sneak through - and then sanded - and then primed again - and sanded  - and one more time for good measure.

Her legs - this is what caught my eye on Craigslist!!! They are different and I just knew they would look great dressed up in a bold color!  But I am not sure if B trusted me when we first picked it up...

 Another shot - just so you truly understand the awesomeness this table is about to become.  They also got a lot of primer and sanding - I am going to give Karate Kid a run for his money... I got the wax on wax off thing down to a science... Want to sneak up on me bad scary man- I don't think so - I got mad sanding skills you don't want to mess with!!! (Yes I just played this out in my head - and I am planning to sell it as a screen play as we speak).

INTRODUCING JACKSON SQUARE YELLOW (said in the Oprah voice)

I believe this is after probably the 3rd coat of paint - and many many sandings.  I want this sucker smooth and gorgeous!  And yes, that is my Christmas tablecloth... oops.  

And here are the legs once again, told you they would pop.  Bryan is feelin' them now....

And here is Thomas the man cat - checking out the process.  He gave me the headbutt approval (he is a headbutt lover - never quite got the lovable rub thing down - that is what you get with a stray -unique ways to show affection).

Now the next step is polyurethane ... so Google here I come ... I have never done it in my life!!!! And I really really don't want to mess up the hard work I have already done...

Tips? Tricks? Send them my way!

I am Who I am

I have a hard time with comparing myself to others.  Surprise.  I am not as confident as people may think, and I get jealous quite a bit... and the occasional "why her and not me" tend to slip into my mind and sometimes when I have a moment of verbal vomit.

It isn't pretty.  It isn't helpful.  Bah.  That is how I feel about it.

But in all honesty, it is a problem.

I am pretty awesome, in most cases.  I have my moments of true bitchiness - and when I do I am really really good at it.  But I do have awesome parts of me.

So why can't I just accept that... why do I have to take it to that level and throw all my focus on something I can't control?  It takes so much energy, so much work and so much time to worry about it, when I can take that time a focus on what I can control, what I can do, what I can make better...

I am 28 and still need advice like a 5 year old... gah ... and I thought I had matured?!?!?!

So now, coming to this realization... I am going to try and be better, and focus on me, and be happy being who I am.  I don't promise any spectacular turnarounds but even if I can shake off a tiny bit of this ugliness maybe my life will get a little prettier ...

Speaking of prettier....

I have almost finished a project!!! Gasp.  I know.

Could it be?!!?!! (I bet I am freaking you out right now - reading your mind and all)...

YES!!!!  The dinner table aka. kitchen table aka. the project I started almost 2 years ago!!!

It has 3 coats of primer on it covered by two coats of "Jackson Yellow" and is now drying in my disaster of a basement as we speak.  Tomorrow will come another sand down, and probably one more coat of Jackson Yellow ... and we shall see when I get brave enough to polyurethane it so it can last a 3 year old and a 6 month old!!!

Almost done and once done there will be pictures galore!!!  I am so excited.

Bryan wasn't feeling the yellow at first, but he wasn't really feeling any of the pain chips I brought home (i love paint chips like an addict)... but now he is starting to feel it... starting to jive with the color and I almost want to say he is excited for it!!!!

I do believe Jackson Yellow is brightening up my life!

Hope to post some pictures soon! G-night!

The Ghost Returns

So, today has been a really productive day.  Tonight not so much.

Yesterday, I made a trip to Menards to grab some primer ... some more wire and screws to finish Eli's name in his room and obviously some gummy worms - cause that is what Emily always gets when we go and it was just us two and our lovely car/cart contraption that some genius thought that moms would love to drive around with their kids screaming about going the wrong way... and hitting every corner since they are so easily maneuvered....wow that turned into a mini rant...

But back to yesterday... I started to prime the kitchen table that has been mocking me for almost two years!!! YES!!!

So after a few coats of primer and a lot of sanding ... this morning I woke up to a sick husband.  Boo for getting things done around here... but some how I got in some more sanding and one last coat of primer.... and a coat of primer on my cabinet doors that I took down about 6 & 1/2 months ago...

And yes,  I fell into a black hole that sucked all my desire and will to do projects in timely manner away...

So after that, being the loving wife I am, I ran to target to get Sprite, the lovely pink stuff, and contact solution.... and somewhere between entering the door and walking to the bedroom to give my dying husband some much needed loving, I lost his keys.

I normally put them on the hook by the door, or right by the oven,  or on the piano, or on the dresser in the bedroom... there might be a few more spots I normally leave the keys.... but I checked them ALLL.  Bryan checked them all.

We checked the freezer.
We checked Emily's room.
We checked the bathroom.
We checked the basement.
We checked the toy box.
We checked everywhere.

And then I cleaned as well - thinking they would show up.

And then I did the list again.

No dice.

This is where I think my ghost is back.  Yesterday, I heard one of Eli's nose toys go off that is only set of it someone hits it.  No one was near it. (This is my justification that losing the keys was not truly my fault- so just go with  it).  I think the ghost is F'ing with my mind.... and trying to get me into trouble.

Bryan is not buying it.

Not at all.  He is so frustrated with me right now that he took my keys and off-roaded it all over our yard to get past his car that was parked right behind mine. To get dinner from Taco Bell, but really I think he was trying to get away from me and my ghost excuse.


Soooo. As i sit here not looking for the keys anymore and going insane from watching Cat in the Hat for the 15th time today... I am secretly hating my ghost.. cause if I said that out loud who knows if my funny, practical- joke playing ghost will turn into something from Paranormal Activity...

Any suggestions on where said ghost might have put the keys?

Update: That sneaky f'n ghost found it funny to hide the keys in my coat pocket so when I draped it over the end of the bed, the keys would magically fall into Bryan's work boots..... which we would find after many angry eyes, giving up, searching the whole house for the 5th time, giving up yet again, and then finally appearing "magically" after scanning my new Do it Yourself Magazine.

I still blame the ghost.  Bryan does not. But I still got a hug out of it ;) mostly out of relief - not love. 

We need to shake this off Stat!!

Oh wow I am glum.

Maybe it is work stress, maybe home life stress... maybe it is the fact that my daughter is clever enough to stack boxes to get to the freezer to get her "freezies".  But I am about done.  I have hit my limit and would like to lock myself in a bathroom with no kids, no husband, no phone or laptop with a bottle of Riesling and forget the world for a bit... or for a long while.

It honestly doesn't feel like the Holidays to me right now (the day before Christmas Eve) and I sometimes wonder if I feel this way, how many others in not such a good spot must feel?  And I have to get over it fast.  But these glums have got to go!

Bryan and I have started our New Year's Resolution a bit early this year out of necessity.  We are trying to be fiscally responsible so that we can start to afford some of our dreams.... and I am going to tell you it is not fun.  Not at all.  But it is doable and we have to, if we want to reach our goals in a timely manner.

This means I have to start cooking (turns out making your own meals can be cheaper than eating out every night - go figure!).  I have mastered the rice cooker... and found some fabulous brow rice that is very very similar to P F Chang's brown rice... now I have got to think of things to go with it - - - That I have the patience to cook and can actually cook.

That is the thing, I hate every part of cooking minus the eating part.  Prep- takes too long, I like my food now... thank you very much.  Cleaning - I really don't need another thing to clean when I have a 3 year old and a 6 month old.  Soooo that leaves me with very little options...

But I am slightly willing to change.  And I think if I can start cooking a bit - I can start managing my weight a little more since I know what is going into my body and there will be a lot less fries making their way in!

Gah - now off to fight these blues - and to fight some more laundry.

And I am Over Christmas a Few Days Too Early

Since finding my new best friend Pinterest, I have been collecting and collecting ideas for my living room/kitchen since they flow into one another.

And today I have hit the moment where I am sure of what I want to do.  And am so ready for a change for the better.  And if you know me,  I have a tendency to be impatient and jump to the next thing as soon as I have a semi firm idea...

If it wouldn't make my husband super mad, and Emily cry a thousand tears ... I would pack up all the Christmas decor and head to the local Home Depo's paint department. 

So this is what I have decided:

(if you have not stumbled on to this site it is a must!)

I love the blue for the living room, with bold white trim to go with my newish white painted fireplace...

Insert two built in bookshelves next to the fireplace (most likely going to be made from Ikea's Billy bookshelves with some extra trim)...

Then imagine a new couch that looks something like this:

and a pair of these on either side of our piano painted yellow since Bryan has vetoed the yellow piano idea multiple times:

 With a tufted coffee table/ottoman like this:

but with swivel wheels like this instead of legs:

And then if we reference the paint colors above we would go with soft grays in the kitchen with a green kitchen table and pink flowers on top! Something like this minus the unpainted area:

Did I mention that the kitchen table is still haunting me?  Yes, I made the request that my lovely husband bring it in from our clean garage (but super cold) into our newly cleaned (and warmer) basement so I can finish it up... and I am going to conquer it once and for all!!!!

So yes... I just have to decide on a stencil design for the kitchen and then we will start (meaning I will start) this massive paint project.  I am excited to finally have a decision made!!!

 I know this one has been used many of  times right now - so maybe not this one but something along this line ;)

Wish me luck!