Sneak Peek

This only primer, and only a photo emailed from Art's phone, but it gives you a peek at what the final product will look like...so exciting

Here you go Dad...

You know you've been a slacker when your Dad (who needs you to resend the link every time he visits) asks when you're going to update the blog. So here goes (however, he was here this weekend so really this isn't necessary, maybe I'll skip... ok, I won't)

The kitchen is 95% finished (it would be 100%, but we've moved to work in the living room so we can get carpet and move in - you know the kind of thing you do when you buy a new house).

 We still need to put up the crown around the other upper cabinets; add the last fillers; and finish the doors under the sink. Oh, and drawers, we need to get drawers.

Meanwhile Art has been in the land of trim work. He has finished out the columns, built the railing, built the book case, and add about a million feet of corner molding. I would try to describe the delicacy and perfection necessary for him to do this job, but there just aren't words. Let's just say - I've pretty much been banned from helping.

This weekend he Bondo'd and sanded, then speckled and sanded, then sanded some more. Today he's ripping out the carpet and prepping for paint. By this weekend he will have sprayed all this lovely trim to a wonderful shiny gloss, and then we'll be ready for carpet!

Speaking of wonderful things...after such a battle with the sellers of our home over the undisclosed issues in the basement we had to get a lawyer involved. Since we're poor, I contacted the Dad of my old students who runs the firm The Advocates. Well, to make the story short, with one letter from a lawyer we got a check from the sellers with full payment for all the estimates and we are getting the basement repaired!!!!!

We will move in soon!!

Indecision 2012....

(BEFORE - Green and Black...)

Paint is not a problem for us. We love color - we pick one - then we go for it. We're not afraid of different - the bedroom is blue, the office shades of gray, one bathroom yellow, the other sky blue, the kitchen is green....but the living room...hmmm??




It has been the source of quite of bit of indecision. First we wanted dark - but then we had to scratch the wainscoting until later so we thought we better go light. We love green, but couldn't settle on a shade. We thought we'd go big and choose blue. Great, let's paint!
(Our color inspiration...)

I got everything cut in and one one wall painted when Art said, "well, I hope it grows on me" and I responded, "it won't".

So I primed over it. We scratched the blue idea.

We looked at a million paint samples (I could open my own paint sample display case.) We hung them on the wall and analyzed from every direction. We talked about yellow and gray. We settled on either Down Comforter Yellow or Gray Dawn Gray - I went to the paint store with both samples. Wisely - and indecisively - I got samples of both.

I came home and painted swatches on three walls. We analyzed, we opened the curtains, we closed the curtains. Art swears the gray on one wall is a different color than the gray on another wall. The lighting is in our living room is great...too great....color changing great.

I primed over them both.

We lined up more paint samples. Art said he wanted a "Bright, thick, warm white - but not white, cause white would be stark." Perfect, I'll get that color.

But actually, I did. It's sort-of gray, sort-of brown, sometimes white, and a little bit taupe. (and none of the samples so beautifully selected above...)

It's painted, ALL the walls. And we both like it. 

On a separate note:
The kitchen is coming along!!! We got doors and fillers and face frames and they are all coming together. We had to resize 6 of the doors - remember 1/32 is a mile in my house. So here's a sneak peak of the kitchen cabinets.

 (Yes, my dogs match my cabinets...we planned it that way - ok we didn't. They just happen to be the color of Pacific Coast maple)

We're still waiting on drawer boxes to arrive so Art can assemble and finish them. We are waiting on our poplar trim to arrive so we can dress the columns. We have a few fillers and returns to tweak and finish. But it looks like a kitchen...and it's so exciting. 

On ANOTHER separate note:

I am headed to conference in Phoenix this week. Which means Art is on his own to tend dogs, tend house, finish projects, go to school and feed himself. It could be a tough week. But secretly I'm hoping it's like those HGTV shows where they kick you out at the end of the project and then you come back 3 days later and it's magically done!! 

I'm really hoping...

In Honor of Valentine's Day

My class made this last year in response to a discussion about what kids think about Love... it was hilarious to create as they all got to do the interviews and try to keep the cameras under control as they filmed... I sure do miss these kids...

Would you like to hear my opinion on the Super Bowl?

Probably not... but here it is. Read it or not.
I love football. Daughter of a football coach - in the first 24 years of my life I missed only 2 games. There is nothing like the sound of cleats on cement, or the joy in a high school kid running on the field for the first time. I've sat through rain, sleet, heat and snow accumulation on my blanket as the game progressed. And it was worth it.
But I hate the Super Bowl - well really I hate all Professional Football (I can hear Belinda's blood boiling -we're all entitled to our own opinions.)
Football is a sport driven from childhood by the love of the game. Kids who work hard get scholarships and continue to play in college. Or work even harder and walk on, only to spend months on the bench - but still sitting there waiting patiently for their turn. They play because they love the game. I'm sure there are plenty of kids who play to pay for school, and many who play because parents encouraged them all along. But they play for the sport - not for the paycheck.

The average salary of a NFL player is 1.9 million dollars.

That's 11 times the average salary of a nurse.
12 times the average salary of a cop.
And over 13 times the average salary of a teacher.
To PLAY A GAME!!!!

They go to work and a personal trainer helps them get a daily exercise regimen. Then maybe a team meeting where they talk strategy. Perhaps some practice time, run some drills, polish some plays. Maybe back to the team room for a little more time in the gym and then settling down to watch some films.
Sounds rough.

I'm not an NFL expert, but I'm guessing that after the Super Bowl and an all-expense paid trip to Disneyland they take a few months off, not worrying about much but maybe a little exercise. Maybe do a few commercials, talk contracts for the next year, and just chill.
Sounds real rough.

Ok, yeah I'm a teacher. These boys make 13 times what I do playing a game they love. They'll definitely have more injuries than me but what exactly are they doing for humanity? Causing us to overeat for a day? Causing us to spend ridiculous amount of money the day before? Causing companies to spend an average of $3.5 million dollars for a commercial?
I don't know about you - but that's wrong to me.

If they want to play football - great, but pay them a realistic comparable salary. It's a GAME! And don't give me the crap about how they are role models - outside of a few players - I see tattoos, multiple women, lack of educational drive, bad language - is this really the role model you want for your kids? Not to mention the number of kids who tell me they don't need to go to college because they're going to become pro football players.
Steven told me last week that learning math wasn't important as long as he could count to 11 to get the right number of guys on the field. He's a 5th grader.

So yes I am sitting here by my husband as he watches the game. I'm casually watching a commercial here or there, but mostly I'm irritated that this is the day our society celebrates. The day when boys get paid ridiculous amounts of money to play a game they love while hardworking nurses, cops, teachers (and many others) go to work only to scrape by.
I'm sorry to those of you who just got back from a great SuperBowl party and had a great time watching the Big Game... it's not you I'm mad at, it's the NFL.
And THAT is my opinion on the Super Bowl.

Progress!!!

Remember this??

Oh it was bad, and dark, and tight, and ugly. Well it's not done, but it's also not dark, tight, or ugly... it's much much better....

We had our countertops installed this week. They are HEAVENLY  - and white. Lovely, shiny, quartz-y white. Thanks to connections through Fetzers and willingness to work with a remnant we got quite a deal and we're stoked. The only problem is that every time Art sets something on it; you know - like his tape, or his water bottle I quickly have to move it and polish the spot. I think I'm a little counter overprotective.

 But isn't it lovely - you would be too.

 We also got all the appliances installed and working. They're pretty and shiny, but I'm not pulling the plastic protective coat off yet, or maybe ever, I really don't like fingerprints - I really don't want my pretty new appliances to get dirty - you can't tell they still have a plastic cover.

 Art also got the hardware installed, we're ready for drawers and doors - hopefully by next weekend...We still need some trim work around the windows and doors, but we're getting closer... Oh yeah, and we need to hang the uppers, they're just being a pain...we'll overcome them.

 The columns are also nearly covered. They too need trim, but seeing them framed out to size is fantastic. We have to add two last pieces and the plugs that go behind them...then we're (by we, I really mean Art - I don't do finish work like this) going to add the framing pieces so it looks all pretty.

The paint color has been chosen, the plans are made, hopefully the dollars stretch - we are just SO CLOSE!!

The Work Continues...

Well I sent my boy off to school last week and it's been fun learning how to be a student again. I do feel a little  bit like the Kindergartener moms who pack up lunch the first day and then worry as he heads from class to class. But he's settling into classes and does his homework every night. It is a bit strange that Art is now the one sitting in front of his computer all night and I'm watching HGTV... I'm okay with a little role reversal.
Despite now having to allot time for studying, homework, classes, review sessions, and just general life (I do occasionally forget to grocery shop, I'm trying to remedy that) we are still making progress on the house.

The drywall was all patched and textured, which meant that it was my turn to paint - 5 coats on the ceiling - yup, five coats of paint... don't even get me started.
Then I painted the walls...a much easier two coats. Oh how I prefer walls over ceilings.

 We installed a few new lights, primarily because we had taken out so many of the old ones, and it gets pretty dark.

 The cabinets are all installed, except the last uppers that are awaiting a few measurements in conjunction with the countertops (you know 1/32 is a mile in our house).

 The tiling is done in the kitchen. It's lovely... and such a vast improvement from the linoleum that was here before...

 This is my pantry wall, cleverly disguised as a tool storage area. And no, that is not where the microwave will permanently reside, but it's doing the trick while measurements are needed so frequently.

 Today Art set the sink in order for our countertop template to be made tomorrow. This was our biggest splurge in the kitchen remodel (think splurge on a student and teacher budget - and yes we bought it on the internet so we could find the best deal)... It's very industrial and contemporary, I totally love it! Can't wait to have a kitchen sink again, but I don't think I'll be cleaning any paint brushes or grout sponges in it.

 Up next:

• Countertop template
• Trim painting
• Building out and covering the columns and beams
• Painting the living room
• trim
• Finding a dining room light
• This is starting to get depressing... (and I'm not mentioning the basement - that just makes me cringe and cry)

 I think I'll refocus on the things that are good. See, these are our lovely new pendants we found on clearance online. I love clearance.

This is my nicely painted hallway - I love being rid of the horrid dingy paint - and the new light fixture that I found on clearance. Art has turned over basic electrical to me (light fixtures, replacing plugs, etc.) thus electrical is getting done that isn't quite at the top of the to do list yet - I don't care though, I just like getting things done.

This week has been a bit of a chore in getting anything done because it's assessment week at school. Test every student; test every student below grade level again; organize all tests into massive spreadsheets; organize data on spreadsheets such that it can be useful to teachers; meet with all teachers; redo all intervention groups; go over progress of every student; summarize it all in a nutshell to the principal tomorrow morning. Let's just say that painting the kitchen ceiling was a nice reprieve tonight.