home again, home again

Nothing like driving in the rain for 7 hours with a migraine.

It was really good to see my hubby again and I missed my house. This was the first time I had left it since we moved in and I wasn't sure if it would feel like home when I returned. I guess that's why I still refer to my parents house as "home" as well. When you move around a bit you start to get confused. That's also why I can never remember my phone number or my zip code half the time.

We had a good visit even though the kids were sick. We got to see all the local family and I returned with 4 scrapbooks to scan and archive as best I can. One of them was my Great Grandmother's and the others were my Grandma's.

I also have many culinary specialties to show you, but that may have to wait till nap time. Please contain yourselves.

vocabulary word

Ava enters the kitchen where Daddy is doing dishes (like every husband should). She is clearly frustrated, arms are crossed and pout on her face. She sighs.

Daddy: What's up kiddo?

Ava: Daddy can you help me do this puzzle, it's too hard for me. It's freaking me out.

so much to do, so much to do

We're in for a busy weekend and an even busier week.

Saturday we have some running around to do, hopefully including ordering tile for the bathroom remodel. Buying any last minute Easter junk (batteries for the Leapster) and maybe the plug in adapter thing (thoughts on that?) for the Leapsters the ladies will be receiving from the Big Bunny.

Sunday we have all of our Easter festivities, including a big breakfast, an egg hunt, and hopefully a picnic or hike (providing the weather cooperates). At the end of the day we'll sit around and stuff ourselves and eat chocolate.

Monday morning the ladies and I are headed to WI to visit Grandma and Grandpa and the rest of the family. I am looking forward to a Ponza Rotta and some apple pie baked in a brown paper bag from the Elegant Farmer. I plan on going to John's Root Beer at least once for cheese fries and a medium frosty mug of root beer, I will return with a cooler full of cheese curds and cheddarwurst sausage.

For your viewing pleasure I'll keep you updated via photographs.

the Easter bunny is out of control

Let's just face the fact that I should never be allowed into Target by myself. Ever. I don't think I should even be allowed to go in without money because surely I'd jump on their ever presant offer to save $21.49 by opening a Target card.

Alas, yesterday we were bored and needed to get out. I also needed to do the Easter bunny shopping. So off we went to the giant red bullseye.

It started well enough. We got some things we actually needed. Four pairs of shoes (2 for each kid, play and dress) and some bins to organize the art cabinet that makes me crazy. It started to go down hill as soon as the Easter bunny shopping started... The girls were completely in love with a cute little jewelry box that even has a dancing ballerina and music - into the cart. Oh look, the jewlery box has a matching vanity set - into the cart. Wow, these little princess notebooks are cute - into the cart. Oh, that fishing game is on sale for $5 - into the cart. Leapsters on sale for $29! Seriously! - into the cart. Well, I suppose we need 2 games - into the cart. Elmo's World Springtime, that'll keep them entertained on the way to Grandma's house - into the cart. Madagascar 2, I heard that was kind of funny - into the cart.

I should not be trusted, but Easter will be a lot of fun!

bathroom reno time is almost upon us

When we moved in we had projects in mind for our house. Most of them were on the "someday" list. This included the upstairs bathroom. It's an odd room. You walk down a hallway when you enter and everything is squished in at the end. But, our house was built is 1869 so the bathroom was an after thought. It's mostly functional but doesn't have a shower, only a tub which is surrounded by some very unattractive linoleum.

A couple weeks after we moved in we were feeling particularly brave and or stupid, and we decided that we should test our theories that the upstairs tub was actually a claw foot that had been covered up in order to modernize the room. Guess what? We were right, yippee! The euphoria was short lived though when we realized that we would have to put the bathroom together again at some point and this would cost lots and lots of money.

We've settled on a contractor and construction should begin the last week in April. Hopefully it'll be done by Mother's Day. We're knocking down a false wall and stealing a closet to make it bigger and more useful. All of the plumbing will be reworked as well as the electrical. Now I have embarked on the quest of choosing finishes, fixtures, colors, tile, accessories, towels, etc.

Rundown:

-White subway tile on the walls, white grout

-White octagon tile on the floor with a light grey square in the middle, grey grout

-Claw foot tub stays and will be refinished (white) and the outside will be repainted (gunmetal), new fixture with a hand shower

-Chrome fixtures with porcelain accents

-Pedestal sink

-Double light over the vanity, two single sconces over the tub

-Walls will be painted a medium grey blue

How about some before pictures?

This is the false wall we're removing. It runs the whole width of the bathroom and hides the plumbing behind the toilet. The tub will be turned parallel to the back wall instead of perpendicular as it is now.

This sink will be gone and so will the little wall next to it. The sink will be in the corner under the window and the toilet will be directly under the window.

Hallway shot. That wall was put up with square nails, I kept them cause they're just cool, no idea what to do with them though.
Ooooo pretty! Or at least it will be when I'm done with it.

the mattress has landed

We did it. And when I say "we" I mean two delivery guys, my husband, and Keith. The mattress is in the bedroom. Of course the sheets we have don't fit on the darn thing but we can deal with that later. They had to take out the window in the bedroom and I'm pretty sure there was a whole lot of unsafe use of ladders, but hey, the job is complete.

I'm so glad we don't have to change our names to Lucy and Ricky.

I thought it would be easy

When we bought this house we bought some of the previous owners furniture, including the furniture in the master bedroom. Since we previously had a queen size bed and the one in the house was a king we asked if we could also have the mattress. That way we didn't have to run out and buy a mattress and box spring the minute we got here.

After three months sleeping on an uncomfortable bed we had had enough. I set out yesterday to change all that. First of course I shopped online, cause anybody with rugrats knows you can actually think when you shop online. I quickly dismissed the online idea when I realized we'd be dealing with a truck driver to deliver the thing. I am not a fan of truck driver delivery guys. Every one I've ever dealt with has had poor hygiene and an even worse attitude.

So, I loaded up the youngin's and headed to Piqua, OH. Good times let me tell you. I stopped in a bedroom store and luckily had a friendly and helpful sales guy, big plus in my book, who didn't mind that my kids were climbing on everything. As I was test laying I noticed some burly guys loading a truck. I inquired about delivery and sales guy said if you choose one I may be able to work you in as the last delivery today. And then the angels starting singing and the skies parted and a ray of sunlight shown... anyway, I picked a bed (Stearns and Foster if you care) and paid the nice man and went home to strip the old one and clean all the panties off the floor. (the girls panties, not mine, they apparently need to change them every 45 minutes and throw them everywhere, at least it's not poop on the wall)

The delivery guys came and I showed them where they had to go. This was the hard part. When they saw our staircase one of them shook his head and the other guy had a "I'm a gonna make this here mattress go up them there stairs" kinda look. First they took off the railing. Then they tested the outside stairs up to the landing to make sure they were sturdy. Then they grabbed the old mattress and started shoving. This was not good. In order to make the mattress go down the stairs they would have to fold it in half, or take the roof off. Of course that meant folding my brand new mattress in half to get it in.

That will be enough of that boys. What other options do we have?

So "shakes head guy" was still shaking his head. I could see in his eyes that, "you're screwed lady" look. But the other guy starts walking around and assessing other options. Options that kind of terrify me but he seems completely ok with.

Option 1. Take the railing off of our second floor balcony, get the mattress on top of the truck, back the truck up to the balcony, heave the mattress to awaiting men on balcony, then heave it through the office to the master bedroom

Option 2. Get the mattress on top of the truck, take out a window in the master bedroom, back the truck up to the front porch, heave mattress onto porch roof, heave mattress through window into master bedroom.

Option 3. Change our names to Lucy and Ricky and go the twin bed route.

Tonight at 6 we'll hopefully have a comfy new bed to sleep on and no one will have gone to the emergency room. Stay tuned...