Remember back in February when I wrote about my cousins and my aunt and uncle coming to live with us from California? (If not they did, on Super Bowl Sunday they arrived) They have moved out. The grand exodus was not under the best of circumstances. Nothing terribly ugly, but not any hugs and kisses either. In fact, only my uncle said good-bye and thank you to Tony and I.

I learned a lot about hospitality, boundaries, and what I consider important to run a smooth home. There were a few things but two instances stood out and became the turning point.

First, we had great weather one weekend and we asked the boys to help move some of the stumps leftover from the 2007 ice storm. They asked if they could do it on Monday or Tuesday because they didn't want to do anything on the weekend. They worked all week and wanted to be lazy on the weekends. Uh, let's just say that did not go over too well with me. I said something along the lines of, you worked all week, you? After a few choice words, they helped Tony move the trunks.

The second instance, a week later, and the one that spurred the decision for them to all move out and go to my mother's 800 square foot home, happened the next Saturday morning. Our kids had no milk for breakfast. I had made it very clear the weekend before, the tree stump weekend, that they were to supply their own food and use the full size fridge in the garage. I even set up a pantry for them. Our grocery bill went from$350-$400 per month to $750 and instead of giving me money for food I asked that they just supply their own. If I made dinner I would still make enough for them but other than that they were on their own.

So when our kids went pour milk over their cereal and there was no said milk, I put my foot down. It was not ugly, at all, but I was very clear that I was upset and that they had crossed the line. The next morning, Sunday, my uncle came to me while I was having my first cup of coffee and told me they were moving to my mom's. They quickly packed up their stuff and left, very yucky-I can't think of the right words to use.

BUT....

Our living room got painted.

Wow! BooMama's Christmas Tour of Homes 2008 has a TON and I mean a TON of participants. I got so many ideas last year and throughout this month of reading other blogs. This is so much fun almost like driving through neighborhoods at dusk when homeowners, that I covet, have just turned on the lamps but they haven't lowered the shades yet. I love peeking in.

See all those spindles? All 48 of them? We painted each and every one of them. By hand. And guess what?! We get to do that again, two more times! That is just the primer. I think it looks fine, what do you think?



This is what our house looked like late afternoon on the 17th. I could get a real sense of the color combination and was anxious to have all the brown painted white the next Saturday.

Well, that Saturday came and went and the brown is still there, but I don't care (well just a little) because they were able to finish the south side of the house that had extensive damage and needed a lot of TLC. They were, however, able to prime my front door. I painted the first coat of red on it last night, just two more coats to go and then it will get a black glaze finish. See the brackets? We ordered them last year and my husband put them up. We will finish the spindles and put up the second story railing this week. Then we will start on the black shutters. They get three coats of paint too.

Oh! and if you are wondering about my toe. It no longer hurts. Now it just completely grosses me out.

That is not polish. How in the world am I going to cut it? Oh man it makes me cringe just thinking about it. Blech!

The guys didn't leave until 3:30 this afternoon. I was amazed that they could stand the heat for that long. But look what they accomplished today on our house.

That's Paul, he is from Argentina. He moved his family here so his wife could live by her sister who moved here with her husband in the early 90's. Isn't that sweet? Actually, all the husbands moved here from Argentina so the five sisters could live near each other. My dad has hired all of the brother-in-laws at one time or another, and some of them have gone on to create their own businesses. Paul has worked for my dad since 1996. During that time he has painted all of our houses: my parents, three of mine, three of my middle sister's houses, and two of my youngest sister's houses. He is the best! He used to be really impressed that I listened to the Gypsy Kings and knew a little Spanglish.


The guys will be back next weekend unless one of my dad's other jobs starts falling behind schedule. Remember, cross your fingers, rub a rabbit's foot, hold up one leg, and say the Lord's Prayer. I am on cloud nine. My dad has actually been able to make this happen and I am slowing letting my expectations rise. I cannot thank him enough. If I can get him to stay for dinner I might just make his favorite, Hungarian Goulash.

My dad's foreman, Paul, has just arrived with two other men. It is 8:20 a.m. and they brought a power washer and they will also use ours. The prep work might go pretty fast. I am so excited but trying to restrain myself so I don't drive anyone, my husband, absolutely bonkers.

I will take pictures and updates as the day goes on but right now I need another cup of coffee and a shower. Talk to you soon.

Our House, what a very, very, very fine house. It's in the middle of the street, our house. I have been holding my breath all week and on Saturday morning I will be able to slowly let out some air. Slowly, very slowly because on Saturday morning my dad is sending over some of his crew to prep and paint (cross your fingers, rub a rabbit's foot, hold up one leg, and say the Lord's Prayer) our house.


This is pretty much what our house looked like when we bought it in February '07. We had seven trees in our front yard. The picture does not reveal my husband's broken vertebrae that he lost while pulling the English Ivy from every single inch of the front yard and even on the trees. The green stuff in the trees? It's not leaves, that's ivy. We tried to send the kids up into the tree to help pull it down. They didn't go for it, slackers.

Behold the naked house. We had four trees cut down when this picture was taken. The tree on the left, it passed away during the ice storm. In other words, our house is now exposed! She lost her camouflage and is showing herself in all of her luscious fecal brown glory. Her banister is exposed for all to see her rotten and decrepit railing.

Our neighbors tell us on an almost daily basis what a good job we are doing fixing up the yard. We get to hear about how disappointed they were when the President of the Garden Club (seriously, she was) terraced her yard and gave up grass for ivy. But now we are getting asked, so subtly, what color are we going to paint it? Oh? she needs paint? I guess no one wants to be reminded of a bowel movement when they drive pass our house.

I kid, I kid, think about all those people that are homeless? They would love to live in a poop colored house. Another man's shit is another man's treasure, right?

So annnywayyy, after much hoping but not pressing, and dreaming but not expecting, my dad is actually going to start the process of painting this weekend. And I am so incredibly grateful. When he called yesterday to tell me, I about started to cry while on the phone. But I held back because that would put too much pressure on my dad and it might postpone the job. (Yes, I have issues, big major issues but that is not what this post is about)

Saturday morning they will power wash and prep. My dad has instructed them to start painting the upper half above the garage and go around the back if they have time Saturday. They will have to come back next weekend (cross your fingers, rub a rabbit's foot, hold up one leg, and say the Lord's Prayer) to finish. The colors will be a sagey green on the bottom half brick, a creamy whitish beige on the top half, off white enamel on the trim. All Benjamin Moore colors just not sure which because we are getting leftover paint from some of his jobs. The shutters will be black. Don't you see the shutters? well they are going to be there. Board and Batten shutters that we thought we had time to build or buy because I refused to get my hopes up in case it didn't happen this year.

I am so excited! I am going to Sam's to get a case of water because it is suppose to be 110 with the heat index. Lovely.

Looks like we might have to really decorate for Halloween this year in order to have the scariest house in the neighborhood.
We'll have a beautiful house in the neighborhood, a beautiful house in the neighborhood....

I love to find good deals. But, I am not a huge shopper. Ever since being a buyer and repeatedly walking the markets here in the US and overseas, the idea of randomly shopping without a specific target killed my shopping bug. Too bad because my shopping bug was finally coming out of the larvae stage after working retail and every Christmas for ten years. However, I occasionally get out and zero in on certain stores and items. My husband tells me that I seem to get a little high/tipsy/buzzed when I buy something I find fantastic. The degree of euphoria increases with the more money I am able to save.

Therefore, I was literally walking on air the other weekend when we stumbled onto this headboard while seeking air conditioning in a furniture store. This headboard was in the "As-Is" section marked down to $29.95 from $595.00! It came in an unopened box since it was not damaged just discontinued. The footboard was only $19.95 but I left that at the store. I figured I could cover up the fact we have a queen size bed with a king size headboard. I just don't think covering the foot of the bed in pillows and leaning the footboard against the bed will work.

Because the headboard has not moved from in front of the piano since we brought it home, I get to have a good little buzz every time I walk into my family room. Just imagine what it will be like when it actually gets put into the bedroom.

I did the best I could with what I had. I didn't take a sledgehammer and knock out my patio; but, as sore as my back is I might as well have. Can you see the crumbling cobblestone wall? With the lovely re-bar showing through and the metal frame taunting me with a tetanus shot? But this is as good as I can make it without being on Landscapers Challenge.

We did have a landscaping design company come out for an estimate two months ago. The first comment out of the estimator's mouth? "We will definitely use this for our before and afters". Except to get to the 'after' would cost us a mere $40,000! and that does not include a poolboy pool.

7:30 a.m. Saturday morning I was outside pulling weeds and water grass out of this flower bed.

Saturday afternoon I had transformed the shallow planting bed into something I could look at without griping about stupid it is to have a planter 12 inches deep. My husband helped me spread the mulch. The lady we bought the house from was so completely ripped off by the concrete crew that laid her patio, walls, and flower beds. It all literally crumbles and your feet hurt when you walk barefoot on it.

Sunday afternoon I tackled this lovely portion of our backyard. Such an inviting area to relax by the small pond no? See the huge hosta? I tried to replant it but my spaghetti arms would have nothing to do with a shovel so the man of the house stepped in and planted it next to our shed.

Look at that! I actually might sit and relax in my own backyard. But it is really just for show unless you are immune to mosquitoes. Still, it at least looks tranquil.

This is a view from the tranquil side of the yard looking at the "Watch Me!" area the kids play in. I even put a comfy chair facing the trampoline so I can comfortably be astounded by how high the kids can jump and push each other. Have I mentioned the crumbling patio yet and how much I hate it?

I did leave the mosquito breeding ground alone. But my husband poured bleach into the water and put one of those mosquito deterrent poison rings in the bottom clam. Hopefully, the birds won't be thirsty for a while.

But you know what I did NOT tackle? What I just cannot wrap my head around on how huge this pile has gotten but am so incredibly thankful it is not in the front yard?

THIS! I see a lattice partition in my future.

I do have a plan and that plan involves an inground pool which would involve excavation. Excavation would mean destroying the patio, walls, and planter. Have I mentioned that I despise my patio?

My high school reunion is next weekend. I didn't go to my ten year reunion because it was the same weekend I moved from Chicago to California. This time I am much closer, just an hour away so I will be going to the Friday night mixer. Finding a babysitter was not easy and I just do not feel like going through the same hassle for an additional night. Besides, can you believe what babysitters charge now days??! I was floored when I called a babysitting service and the prices were around $10-$15 an hour. Come on! There are guys on my shop floor with technical degrees running machinery that could cut their head off and they don't get paid that much when they start.

I think my husband was hoping there wouldn't be an available babysitter to be found but he got the soul crushing news that I found one yesterday. He gets to go to my reunion! He couldn't be happier.

We are going to have some of my old classmates and their families over on Sunday after the reunion wraps up. It should be fun and chaotic with kids way outnumbering the adults. But before then I have some work to do. No, not lose the ten pounds I put on since marrying the love of my life two years ago. Besides that would still make me 15 pounds heavier than what I was in high school. I was an absolute freak. 5'8" and 100 lbs with a spiral perm that was bigger than my whole body. What a nightmare, or as my best friend LouAnn will tell you, "Kim had the longest ugly stage of anyone we knew" uh-huh, thank you may I have another.

Anyway, I will not be working on starving myself instead I need to pick up and tidy the backyard. The same backyard that I would pay a gazillion dollars if someone would just come with a backhoe and tear it ALL out then haul away all the crap the previous owner installed and planted. Seriously, I HATE our backyard. I try not to think about how much I hate it and that is why I have to drink adult beverages anytime we sit out on the patio furniture. Otherwise, I just start listing off the things that have to go. This drives my husband crazy because he will take me serious and start telling me all the other projects we have going inside the house to bring our house from 1970 to 2000, not even 2008, just 2000 in fact I will settle for 1995. See, I went off on the house again.

This weekend will find me sweeping, picking up limbs from the ice and wind storms we had, last winter. Finding forgotten shoes in the underbrush beneath the trampoline. Pouring bleach into the fountain to kill the mosquito nation that made it their breeding ground. Planting the enormous hostas we were given that I jumped on but then was too exhausted and hot to plant. I just can't decide. How long would it take me, wielding a sledgehammer, to take down the patio retaining wall? Can I get it done in a day? Could I put all the debris over the fence where the house is for sale and empty? I need to shut up he is going to kill me.....

Answer: When you find your kids laying on the marble in the entryway and when you walk by they tell you it is so much cooler right here. Our three new pets.

Our air-conditioning went out again. Over a holiday weekend. In July. In Oklahoma. We had to turn the computer off because the fan in the CPU sounded like a small jet engine. Thank goodness we have window units in all the bedrooms. We knew when we bought the house the A/C was pathetic and that one unit could not cool 4000 sq. feet much less upstairs. But when I wished for the A/C to breakdown so we could get a new one with the home warranty and add one more unit? I really wanted that to be when I was at work....need to clarify my wishes.

I thought I had a solution to keep the cat from peeing and crapping in my house plant. I had randomly placed long skewers into the dirt around the plant and the edges of the pot. I also stupidly held her in my arms over the plant and poured a glass of water on her. Understandably she frrreeeaaaked out. Good! A few scratches on my chest and arms were worth it if she would stop her nasty new habit of using my Peace Lily plant as a litter box.

His Our cat is seven years old and has never had any problems before but this winter she started peeing in this particular plant in our dining room. She does use her litter box and she also goes outside whenever she wants through her THREE cat doors. (Well, not at night because a neighborhood cat keeps coming in and hanging out, but that is another story.)

I googled "cat peeing in plants" and most suggestions were for moth balls in the dirt and coffee grinds, which grow green fuzzy mold by the way. I did that. I hated it too. Our dining room started to smell like an old folks home break room. But when she started getting even more comfortable and moved up to doing her #2 business in the plant I wanted a more lethal deterrent.
I finally found a use for those skewers that you have to buy in bulk for that one cookout where you served kabobs? Yea, those. But apparently I didn't use enough skewers. Not anymore. After TD cleaned up all of his cat's our cat's lincoln logs out of the dirt and the two on the floor I went to town.

Welcome to our miniature Viet-Cong deathtrap. Suggestions welcome, especially if they are leaning toward giving his the cat to the ex-wife.

We are finally getting around to this project on our renovation. I have put this off for a year. I think all those summers of working for my dad have made me very wary of ladders. I can't stand them! They freak me out. Almost as much as things with holes in them, like honeycombs or seed pods, just looking at those things makes my skin creepy crawly and sends cold shivers through my body. Anyway, here are some pics of my darling husband in action. My turn is next, washing all the glue off, can't wait......think I am coming down with something, cough-cough.......