Wednesday, October 31, 2012

When Scout arrived

Oh, boy!  
A 9.5 pound treat just after midnight on Halloween 1995.
 We had a "birthday party" and invited Big Bro and Big Sis.
 ...and they got the presents - no Trick or Treating that year!
 
 Firstborn got a hands-on lesson in how to hold his little brother.
 
 
 
 Our first "family of five" portrait 
 
Happy Birthday, Dylan Conner!  
We were so excited to welcome you, and so glad you are part of our family!


Gina

When Scout arrived

Oh, boy!  
A 9.5 pound treat just after midnight on Halloween 1995.
 We had a "birthday party" and invited Big Bro and Big Sis.
 ...and they got the presents - no Trick or Treating that year!
 
 Firstborn got a hands-on lesson in how to hold his little brother.
 
 
 
 Our first "family of five" portrait 
 
Happy Birthday, Dylan Conner!  
We were so excited to welcome you, and so glad you are part of our family!


Gina

Monday, October 29, 2012

Mealplan Monday #32 with a basket at the sink

I wish all projects were as simple as taking one thing from somewhere in your house, sprucing it up with spray paint, and using it somewhere else. 

Monday - Pot Roast, mashed potatoes, peas
Tuesday - Bean and Bacon Mac, cheesy olive bread
Wednesday - Scout's Birthday!  Pizza, salad, cupcakes, munchies, fun
Thursday Chicken Tikka Masala, couscous, carrots
Friday - Smokey Turkey and Black Bean Soup, cornbread
Saturday - Dad grill
Sunday - Lasagna Hamburger Helper, corn (Bubbie cooks)


Gina

Mealplan Monday #32 with a cute basket at the sink

I wish all projects were as simple as taking one thing from somewhere in your house, sprucing it up with spray paint, and using it somewhere else. Like this old metal Easter basket turned into a soap, sponge, and lotion basket by the kitchen sink.  
Cute.  Helpful, even.

******
Monday - Pot Roast, mashed potatoes, peas
Tuesday - Bean and Bacon Mac, cheesey olive bread
Wednesday - Scout's Birthday!  Pizza, salad, cupcakes, munchies, fun
Thursday Chicken Tikka Masala, couscous, carrots
Friday - Smokey Turkey and Black Bean Soup, cornbread
Saturday - Dad grill
Sunday - Lasagna Hamburger Helper, corn (Bubbie cooks)
******
It's the second week of driver's ed for Scout, his birthday on Halloween, and there are many items still on my To Do list.  I was hoping to have it whittled down a bit before the holidays, but I am moving at a snail's pace...





Friday, October 26, 2012

Bathroom blinds

Wednesday dawned and I still had not gone to Home Depot, purchased those blinds, and hung them.  I had a bad case of The Lazies.
 I think I was just avoiding the inevitable - me taking all day to do what hubby could have done in an hour. 
What started the whole process was this broken pull string.  These blinds are 15 plus years old - it was bound to happen.  There's a broken one in the den, too.  But at least when I order those, they will snap onto the hooks we already have and I will hang them the same.  Not these.
 
 I started by removing the old blinds and cleaning the walls.
Taking the hardware out of the walls carefully was a pain.  I had to stand on the ledges around the tub and I made a big mess with bits of drywall falling.  Sugar admired the view afterwards.  Hanging outside the windows is fabric sunshade - that will have to be moved a bit closer in to the windows. 
I have no scrap wallpaper leftover from the builders.  So I was careful to patch the holes and repair seams that had loosened.  I think I did good on that - Hubby couldn't even tell where they'd been.  I also used seam sealer to repair some paper that was pulling away from the walls.
I know the color looks dark here, but it's really pretty.  A version of what's painted in the master bedroom, and with a sand color tile in here it will be so much more relaxing, less jarring than all that white.
There's a long story that goes with the color I chose.  Just believe me when I said my choices were limited.  Actually, this color, "Truffle" by Bali, is growing on me.  And the bonus is it won't look nasty quite as fast as those white ones.
Another slight problem - this lip from the tile around the tub.  No wonder the previous owner chose to hang the blinds outside of the window boxes. 
 See?  So much white.
I took the opportunity to freshen up my glass vase with some silver paint.  It dried in a flash.  And did you know Windex will remove spray paint dust off glass just fine?  Yup. 

I also spruced up a little wire basket and whittled down my bath supplies to the essentials.  
Its dark in here so you will have to imagine it:  
a clean fresh, elegant bathroom. 
Procrastination managed.


Gina

Bathroom blinds

Wednesday dawned and I still had not gone to Home Depot, purchased those blinds, and hung them.  I had a bad case of The Lazies.
 I think I was just avoiding the inevitable - me taking all day to do what hubby could have done in an hour. 
What started the whole process was this broken pull string.  These blinds are 15 plus years old - it was bound to happen.  There's a broken one in the den, too.  But at least when I order those, they will snap onto the hooks we already have and I will hang them the same.  Not these.
 
 I started by removing the old blinds and cleaning the walls.
Taking the hardware out of the walls carefully was a pain.  I had to stand on the ledges around the tub and I made a big mess with bits of drywall falling.  Sugar admired the view afterwards.  Hanging outside the windows is fabric sunshade - that will have to be moved a bit closer in to the windows. 
I have no scrap wallpaper leftover from the builders.  So I was careful to patch the holes and repair seams that had loosened.  I think I did good on that - Hubby couldn't even tell where they'd been.  I also used seam sealer to repair some paper that was pulling away from the walls.
I know the color looks dark here, but it's really pretty.  A version of what's painted in the master bedroom, and with a sand color tile in here it will be so much more relaxing, less jarring than all that white.
There's a long story that goes with the color I chose.  Just believe me when I said my choices were limited.  Actually, this color, "Truffle" by Bali, is growing on me.  And the bonus is it won't look nasty quite as fast as those white ones.
Another slight problem - this lip from the tile around the tub.  No wonder the previous owner chose to hang the blinds outside of the window boxes. 
 See?  So much white.
I took the opportunity to freshen up my glass vase with some silver paint.  It dried in a flash.  And did you know Windex will remove spray paint dust off glass just fine?  Yup. 

I also spruced up a little wire basket and whittled down my bath supplies to the essentials.  
Its dark in here so you will have to imagine it:  
a clean fresh, elegant bathroom. 
Procrastination managed.


Gina

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Halloween front door

I took the Fall wreath down and moved the potted plants to make room for a little spookiness at the front door:
I used the same wreath from last year - mylar garland wrapped around a grapevine wreath with a wired-on sign from Joann's.
 I spray painted an old terra cotta pot with orb, stuck a pumpkin on it, tucked in some preserved leaves and tied on some burlap ribbon.  My version of a pumpkin topiary!
 Added the hairy spider and some mini pumpkins.

 I set a small pot of mums in a skull head - we have used it for years this way.
 The small pot got sprayed with orb, too and some creepy excelsior "hair" hides the top of the plastic mum pot.
This Halloween will be Scout's 17th birthday, so I have quite a bit more decorating to do on the back patio where he will hang out with his friends eating pizza and listening to music while the grown folk pass out candy and sip spiced cocoa.
What are the plans at your house?