Saddle Up!

January is an awesome month to score some sweet deals on linens (of course) and furniture. The saddle stools I've had my eye on for several years were on sale at a local store...normally around $75, I got them for $28 apiece. So I got four: three for the kitchen counter and one for the computer station.

I even put one of them together. Then I looked at it. And looked at it. It is an improvement over the old stools:

But it is a little high. I decided I like it for the kitchen counter, but not so much for the computer station.

So I took one of those high stools back and got a three-pack of a padded saddle stool that was a little lower. These are comfortable, let me tell you. Even better: $80 for three (original price: $200). So about the same as the others, ha! These I put together with Jack and Sophie. They were actually quite helpful, holding the assembly together while I put the screws in place. I was very proud of them.

Sadly, I was too busy with the drill and coordinating the actions of two small people to take pictures. But, here is one of the completed stools!

Fun, huh? A little '90's, perhaps, but it does fit my kitchen (maybe, someday, if Doug lets me paint those cabinets...then we'll refinish the stools, too!). And they're comfortable, which means Doug isn't squawking about the price. Maybe that's also because I didn't mention the price? Whatever, I told him I got a great deal. And that's all that matters.

Seed Catalogs, Take Me Away!

Every January, the seed catalogs start coming by the handful. Dreams of happy gardening ensue. It's been a few months, so I don't really remember the back-breaking work (it's all fun in the sun, isn't it?) and all I see is a lush garden outside my front door.

This year, I've ventured outside to take measurements and to start planning. Planning, not planting - it is still January! Here's what I have to show for myself:

The herb bed and the east gardening bed, just outside the master bedroom:

The large flower bed south of the herb bed:

The front four planting beds:

Sophia helped me out by tearing them out of my graph notebook and crumpling them. At least they weren't ripped to shreds! This last one isn't quite finished, but it's a start.

There are several plants that need transplanting, and a few that still need purchasing. There's also the tilling, weeding and mulching...but if I take it bed by bed, I should be able to accomplish this. In maybe a few years.

In other news, I'm finally finished with patching/sanding/priming the basement hallway!

It has taken a long time, due to many of the kids being sick...and let me tell you, I don't get a lot of sleep when they're sick. Didn't help that Doug started the year off with pneumonia, either. Last week it was so bad that Doug actually took off from work at lunch to give me a nap. Isn't that the sweetest thing ever?

So hopefully, you'll see pictures of painting happening downstairs this week (jump of joy!).

Journey or Destination?

It's an age-old question: is it the journey that matters, or the destination? Some say one, some say the other.

This question plagues me, especially whenever I consider a hallway. Should I care what it looks like? After all, it just gets you from one place to another. But I have seen some lovely hallways (thank you, Pinterest) and I just know my hallways would not be satisfied with boring. I'm also not satisfied with the artwork the kids have graced it with so far:

I also have been looking for a place to put a chalkboard. Why not solve all the problems at once? Especially since my kids seem to gravitate towards the basement hallway as a place to express themselves anyway. That hallway is always covered in artwork.

So here's what I decided: a good five feet of chalkboard, the length of the hallway, both sides. Lots of room, one kid can take a wall, another can take the opposing wall. Above that, I'll use a percentage of the same paint used upstairs - I don't really want the hallway to be oppressive.

Chalk art can help dispel the gloom, right?

So I started with patching and sanding...then priming...then patching and sanding again...

And that's where I am now. I still need to paint the top, then mark the line where the two paints will meet, then paint in the chalkboard. Oh boy. Nothing like a big project, huh?

Watch What You Say

Doug installed this pine beaded wallboard a while ago, and it just sat.

It's been great, honestly. Even when the kids tried out their new Christmas sleds on the stairs (while I had visions of ER visits), no one went through the wall. Or even nicked it. Super cool.

However, the light brown of the pine wasn't thrilling me. Since it was knotty pine, Doug wasn't thrilled with the idea of painting it.

And thus begins the staredown. Who can blink first? This time, it wasn't me. I mentioned, in passing, that I thought I should prime that wood. And...

He agreed! I had to hide my triumphant grin. The next day, while his approval was still hanging in the air, I primed that wall.

You gotta strike while the iron is hot. Who knows, he might have changed his mind again if it wasn't painted right away.

I was proved right when he looked it over after work, disapproval written all over his face. "Okay, then, just don't paint it white."

I think I can handle that! When I get around to painting, that is...

Opportunity Strikes

The front bathroom has been a low priority. It's been sitting there. And sitting.

The problem? Well, there's more than one: the blue bathtub (and blue sink); the vanity is too small for the countertop; the closet doesn't have a door.

We did already replace the toilet, since the enormous toilet that came with the house just wasn't cutting it with small children.

Oh, the flooring is terrible, too...

Okay, honestly, the entire thing needs to be redone. And when there's a major overhaul needed, but the room is functional, it tends to get bumped to lower on the list. But I've had it with that room. So, I've decided this room needs to be done in phases.

Phase I: Remove the cabinet over the toilet and paint the walls.

Personally, I think cabinets over the toilets only have a place in small bathrooms without any storage. They are horrible places to store things that you use in the bathroom - any one of those items could accidentally fall in the toilet with an "oops". Then comes the really fun language, as you contemplate how to retrieve said item and then replace said item.

So off it goes. I asked Doug if he wanted the extra cabinet for the garage, but I think the flowery design was a little off-putting. He agreed I could donate it.

 Woot! Off it goes, and here is the champion of the day:

Love handheld drills. So it's gone.

Now, I just need to paint. Then we can decide to do more exciting things, like replacing the tile surround in the tub. Doug will be thrilled with that idea.

What Do You Do With Your Christmas Tree?

There are many people who have recycled their tree already...some who will let the tree disintegrate in their living room...and then, there is Doug. He took the tree outside the day after Christmas. He was actually the driving factor in getting the tree down this year - usually it's me.

Then he "planted" it. No, it won't actually grow, but it will look interesting. At least until the snow melts and it topples over. I wonder what the neighbors make of this new landscaping idea...

Looking out towards the street

Looking towards the town

In our town, we have until January 10th to recycle a Christmas tree for free. I guess that means we only have two days to get around to that...although the toppled tree would be funny.

Actually, I think it's funny as is - and it gives me hope that when our crabapple tree grows, it will be very nice to have a tree in that spot.

Living with Bears

And for once, I am not talking about the state of my house, but rather the mental state of my family.

Doug is Sick Bear. He has had the flu this week.

Let's compare me being sick with him being sick. When I am sick, I often look for my symptoms online, calmed by the fact that other people have also experienced the pain I am going through. Most importantly, so that I know that it will Go Away. When Doug is sick, he doesn't look at his symptoms online. Because No One has Ever felt This Bad.

So I looked up his symptoms for him. 9 out of 9 hits on the flu. "No, no," he said, "This is much worse than Just The Flu." So I read him the symptoms. He didn't respond, just looked stonily at the TV. He hasn't talked much since. Mostly just growled. Could be the cough, but I think he's disappointed and frustrated that he has something typical, that anyone could get.

Bonnie has morphed from Sleepy Bear (Don't wake her up! You'll be sorry!) to Braces Bear. She got her braces on yesterday, and spent the first hour telling me that it didn't hurt, it was no big deal.

Of course, I had bought her off: Sonic before, donuts afterwards. And a promise for a door that has a doorknob in the near future. I'm actually not sure why she doesn't have a doorknob, but I do know that the boys kicked her door into pieces a few months ago. So a door would be a luxury for her.

Reality set in with nightfall, though. A wire started poking her cheek. And this morning, It. Hurt. She yanked the Tylenol out of her sister's hand with a vengeance and proudly announced that her breakfast took an entire half hour to eat. Proud that she had a Reason to be Angry.

Then there's Malena, our Bored Bear. This is humorous, because Bored Bear goes into hibernation whenever Sick Bear is prowling the house. Whenever Sick Bear is in his room, though, Bored Bear could be confused with Shadow Bear. And Broken Record Bear. "I'm bored, I'm bored, I'm bored!" This particular Bear turns me into...

Headache Bear. And boy, Headache Bear has a snappy bite. Gotta watch out for her.

Luckily, the three youngest have decided to hide out in Lego Land (alternately, Jack's or Collin's bedroom). They are trying to ignore the growling and snapping in the main rooms, hoping that by the time they are done with their legos, all bears will have returned to their human state.

I'm thinking it might take a few more days. Maybe til Monday. Because on Monday, everyone will be back to work and school. Ah, the end is in sight!