Hallway rehab

Most people wouldn't consider a hallway a significant project.  However, the hallway leading to the master bedroom/bath and den/Lincoln's room needed a major make-over.  So we decided to kick-off a new round of home renovations with a cheap, but labor-intensive project.

The hallway was the epitome of "blah".  Everything had been painted the same color as the rest of the house.  The picture doesn't even show the horrid gold prism light fixture with only half of the bulb sockets that worked. :op  We also had already scraped the popcorn ceiling before moving in.

The reason this project was a lot of work is because of all the steps involved.  The ceiling needed to be primed and then painted.  There is crown moulding, chair rail and baseboard trim in addition to six doors and a total of eight doorways/door frames that all needed to be primed and then painted.  We knew the original hardwood floors were underneath the yucky carpet.  However, we also knew based on the rest of the house that everything had been painted after the carpet was installed, so the bottom 1/2" of the baseboards had never been painted, and where the carpet met the baseboards there were strands of carpet stuck to it with a paint line that had to be sanded down.

 

Austin did most of the painting last weekend.  While he was gone during the week I got the carpet ripped up and worked on the baseboards.  Then we tag-teamed the wall color on Saturday.  I think it turned out great!  The floors are in really good shape and we already had the runner rugs.

The only problem with finishing a project like this is that it makes the rest of the unfinished projects look that much worse.  I guess that's called motivation. ;o)

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Austin's mom tipped us off that it was Dr. Seuss' 107th birthday today.  I also found out later about the "Read Across America" campaign that went with it.  I absolutely love Dr. Seuss, so we had a little party today to celebrate!

Of course, Emily's first request was to make a cake.  I happily obliged because I had been dreaming about my grandma's Pistachio Pudding Cake and recently discovered several of the key ingredients were at or just past their expiration dates in my pantry.  It even had Valentine sprinkles.  This cake also turned out MUCH better than the last sprinkle cake attempt. ;o)  Emily decided we should have nine candles.  Lincoln absolutely loved the cake and as a result, he learned a new word: "cake!"

Even though it was Dr. Seuss' birthday, Emily said it was her imaginary friend's birthday.  This one is named Dirs (pronounced "dye-rus") and she made a sign.  I thought the outline font was pretty fun.  Emily said Dirs was turning 12 because she was sick of being 11.  Okay then.

In the true spirit of the day, Emily & I set out to read as many Dr. Seuss stories as we could.  We kind of cheated and started last night.  However, we made it through 18 of the 27 stories that we own.  We have everything from abbreviated board books to single hard-covers and a 13-story treasury book with many of the classics.  My voice is tired, but happy. :o)

If I were a real over-achiever we would have made cat-in-the-hat hats, had green eggs & ham for supper (which we have done before) and this entire blog post would have been in Seussian-style rhyme.  But I'm way too tired for that.  :op

Three cheers for Dr. Seuss!

4 years + 4 months

 

Emily is now 4 1/3 years old.  In this picture she is modeling her new "purple heart" outfit from Wal-Mart.  She was so excited when she saw it on the rack because they studied the color purple and the heart shape at preschool during February.  Preschool continues to be the highlight of the week for Emily.  She was devastated when she had to stay home one day last week because of a hacking cough and runny nose.  We also had parent-teacher conferences last week, and Emily got perfect marks in almost everything.  We are so proud of her in all the ways she has grown since the beginning of the school year!

It's hard to believe, but there honestly isn't much else to report.  The only other noticeable change in Emily has been a sharp increase in whininess and petty fighting with Lincoln, but I chalk that up mostly to being sick of winter.  It was a pretty slow month, which is obvious by the below-average number of blog posts and the fact that we didn't take a single video during February.  Oops!  I'll try to do better next month!

Some ideas I've had...

I'm always looking for creative ideas for solving everyday problems, so I thought I'd share a few I've had.  Some of them have worked better than others.  Some of them sound like something that would be in a Family Fun or Parenting magazine.  But since I don't read any of those types of publications, I can claim them as purely my own. :o)

I've shared about the Art Cart before when I was on my organizing binge last fall.  It has been a pretty good way to attempt to corral and organize all of Emily's papers and other "projects".  It doesn't stay super organized, and really needs a good sorting at least once a month, but Emily does know where things are supposed to go and where to start looking for things she wants.  It also sort of works as a motivational tool.  We've said on more than one occasion at pick-up time, "If it doesn't fit in your art cart it needs to go into the recycling or trash."  Emily also has another shelf on a nearby bookcase to keep containers of art supplies and binders of print-outs and other acquired coloring pages.  There is also still a container of "controlled art supplies" on top of the fridge. ;o)

What do you do with the birthday cards your child(ren) receive?  Do you put them in a scrapbook?  Do put a rubberband around them and throw them in a box to save for them to decide what to do when they're older?  I've found a way to let Emily enjoy them year-round.  We put all her birthday cards in a picture tree holder (I don't know if that's the technical term) and put them in her room.  She often takes them off, looks at them and rearranges them.  By the time her next birthday rolls around they have been enjoyed enough that it's easier to discard them to make way for the new ones.

Do you ever come home with the sturdy but weird-shaped boxes from Sam's Club that you used to carry your purchases home?  I once had an idea about repurposing them.  I bought a roll of contact paper from Wal-mart and covered a couple.  They turned into instant table.  Or a doll bed.  Or a dog house (complete with a sign and mailbox).  Emily has found multiple uses for them.  Lincoln prefers to use them as stepstools since he is still light enough for them to easily hold him.  I would highly recommend getting a non-descript, non-repeating patterned contact paper, though, because it takes a lot of little pieces to get everything covered and the seams would be impossible to match up.  I picked this one because it reminded me of laminate counter tops. :o) 

After I started allowing Emily to play computer games I felt like I had to come up with some kind of a system to regulate computer time other than my whim and fancy.  I thought up this idea in November.  Emily & I made a little pocket holder to hang on the fridge along with a bag of 15-minute "tickets".  Every morning that Emily got dressed, made her bed and brushed her teeth with little or no prompting, she would earn one ticket to redeem for 15 minutes of computer time.  This seemed to work at first because of the novelty, but it was only a week later that the sound card went out in our old computer and there was no motivation to earn or use tickets.  I've kind of used it off and on since then, although it has morphed into whenever Emily wants to play computer games, she makes sure she did the jobs and lets me know.  Then I let her play for awhile, but not necessarily with a timer.  So this was one of those seemingly brilliant ideas that didn't necessarily pan out as hoped or expected.

My parents were great at coming up with all sorts of creative ideas and motivational tools, but they'll be the first to admit that for every one idea that worked there were probably several that didn't.  Everything has a limited lifespan, too.  So we continually go back to the drawing board.  Maybe I should start reading more magazines. ;o)

What are some creative ideas you've seen/tried?

21 months old

Lincoln is now 21 months old.  He is in full-fledged copycat mode.  Sometimes it's funny (like when Austin is doing his P90X workout).  Sometimes it's annoying (at one point Emily wanted to make a list of all the things Lincoln could do besides what she was doing).  Sometimes it's bordering on dangerous (on more than one occasion I've caught him hauling my hairdryer out of the drawer, unplugging the nightlight in the bathroom and attempting to plug the hairdryer in just like I do every morning).  Sometimes it's actually helpful (Lincoln had refused to sit in the chair for a picture all day until Emily sat down in the chair for 2 seconds.  All of the sudden that's all he wanted to do.).

The biggest copycat example also corresponds with his only new word this month: "poddy" (potty).  Ever since he showed interest that one day, he has been sitting on the toilet at least once a day--usually before & after bathtime when he's undressed anyway.  He thinks he's pretty hot stuff even if he is sitting on a pink Dora potty seat on a peach toilet.  (I don't think he'll be scarred too badly.)  He loves to rip off pieces of toilet paper, wipe his back and front multiple times and then flush.  The only thing left is the minor detail of actually going potty.  I'm pretty sure he has no idea what is really supposed to happen.  But I figure if you humor him long enough you'll eventually get lucky, and he'll be able to start making the connection. 

Lincoln has had a bit of a rough time the last week.  His 4th molar and at least one eye tooth came through.  He has developed a hacking cough--mostly when lying down in his crib.  One day he tripped on something and must have twisted his ankle, because he kind of hobbled around on it for two days.  He has eaten very little--which is very typical when he's teething.  This all adds up to one big bundle of joy. :op

When Lincoln actually is eating he has expanded his fruit repertoire quite a bit this month.  Although he still loves his grapes, he also really likes clementines.  This was a very welcome change considering how unaffordable grapes were earlier this month and the fact that it is peak citrus season.  The other joy Lincoln discovered this month is ketchup.  He loves dipping things in ketchup.  If we go to McDonald's he probably dips and licks off the ketchup on a french fry a couple times for each bite he actually takes.

Before the ankle incident last week, Lincoln had pretty much figured out jumping.  He has also perfected break-your-heart eyelash batting to try and get his way sometimes.

Another skill he is working on is simple board puzzles.  I posted a video last month of his first attempts.  Unfortunately, the really nice chunky animal puzzle from Melissa & Doug in the video is pretty much out of circulation.  One day all the pieces mysteriously disappeared.  After awhile we discovered that Lincoln had shoved them into the opening of the base board radiators, and they have fallen behind the covers.  There is no fire danger because it's a closed hot water heat system.  However, the only way to retrieve the pieces would be to move the entire computer desk and two full filing cabinets, remove the entire radiator cover and pull them out.  That's not going to happen anytime soon.   The only one we were able to rescue was the elephant. :o(  Silly little boy!

Mission statement

The phrase "mission statement" is a business-y term that can cause many people to roll their eyes--especially if they have had the experience of trying to write one in a group setting. It's usually full of big and/or flowery words and after awhile, most just sound the same.

Have you ever thought about writing a personal mission statement? We discussed this topic and were encouraged to write one at my Mom's Morning Out group at church two years ago. My mom had a personal mission statement when we were growing up, and she shared it with me when the topic came up.  I was sorting/organizing some files on our computer tonight and came across the one I wrote at that time:

It is my mission to love and partner with my husband by encouraging and strengthening him using words of affirmation and joining with him in his mission and calling.

It is my mission to love and nurture my children by caring for their needs, being discerning with their wants and being available to foster the development their characters and souls.

It is my mission to be a loving and faithful friend by being a supportive listener and serving others with joy.

By fulfilling my mission I will be loving and honoring God.

I remember putting a lot of thought and effort into this exercise.  It was a good reminder, because I feel this mission is still true today.  It also comes at a time when I have been thinking a lot about my calling in life.  Dave Bartlett recently gave a message about this entitled "Follow the Leader--Foundations of a Helping Life" featuring a Story of Faith by Ben & Liz Patterson.  You can listen here (message on Feb. 6 on CF campus).

I'd love to hear your thoughts and/or examples of your personal mission statement or calling in life!

Taste of Spring

This whole week has really been a taste of spring with temperatures increasing every day while the amount of snow is quickly decreasing.  Today was the peak with a high of 62 degrees.  I cracked open several windows, and as soon as Emily got home from preschool we headed outside.  The kids were still in winter gear because it is really sloppy if you have any desire to venture into the yard.  However, we started shedding layers and were soon pretty much down to boots.  Emily rediscovered sidewalk chalk.  Lincoln enjoyed actually being able to do something like pick up and throw an object since he wasn't constrained by thumb-less mittens.  We all enjoyed a stroll around the block.  Emily is convinced that it is now officially spring, and it won't snow again until December.  Alas, I'm pretty sure she is mistaken.  It was nice while it lasted!

Valentine's Day

On Valentine's Day morning we hosted another Valentine's play date with some more friends and decorated more cookies.  We still have a lot of sprinkles left.

After everyone left and Lincoln was napping Emily got to make Valentines for the kids in her preschool class, which she took very seriously.  Valentine's Day is like a dream come true for her--a legitimate excuse to send lots of letters!

Her preschool class exchanged Valentines today.  Emily came home with a pretty impressive bag of loot.  I was just excited that she finally decided to wear the cute fleece heart hoodie that has been hanging in her closet all fall and winter without ever being worn!

A snow princess at last

After my mom left we all went outside to enjoy the warmer temperatures and FINALLY make a snowman!  The snow was in perfect condition and we ended up with a snow princess (Emily's dream since August) and her moose (inspired by the stick Emily found that looked like antlers).

Mommy vacation

I was able to take a lovely mommy vacation at the end of last week.  Austin was gone all week and ended his trip in the Twin Cities.  My mom came on Thursday to watch the kids so I could drive up to join him.  The first thing I did was spend over two hours but less than $30 at IKEA, and that included a scrumptious meal of cheese & spinach crepes, lingonberry juice and a giant chocolate bar.  I had never been to IKEA before and had really been looking forward to it.  While the overall style is too modern and contemporary for my tastes, there were some fun things in the kitchen gadgets and home decor departments.

After sleeping in on Friday I drove to the Grand Avenue shopping district of St. Paul.  I spent an hour in a really fun kids' toy shop called Creative Kidstuff.  I got a new puzzle for Emily and a new book for Lincoln.  I remember when my mom & dad would go on weekend getaways to the Twin Cities they'd sometimes bring us back something.  Then I had a lovely meal at Cafe Latte, a highly recommend place from my parents.  I had the salad sampler plate with Honey Pecan Chicken, Wheatberry Broccoli and Shrimp Artichoke with a Focaccia roll.  I also had to try the White Chocolate Strawberry Scone and a slice of their famous Turtle Cake (which took me three different sittings to finish).

On the way home I drove through the neighborhood just south of Grand Avenue and marveled at block after block of gigantic, stately Victorian homes.  I would have loved to see the inside of any of them.  I brought back lunch for Austin, who was working from the hotel room, and then took a nap to sleep off my lunch. ;o)

After Austin was done working for the day we had dinner at a nearby Outback Steakhouse.  Then we went to a theater in Minneapolis I found online that was showing the latest Harry Potter movie, which I hadn't seen yet.  The Riverview Theater is a nice one-screen neighborhood theater that shows older movies for $3.  It was a fairly large theater and it was packed.

We slept in again on Saturday--two days in a row without an alarm or kids waking me up!  On the way home we stopped at Lowe's in Owatonna to look at bathroom countertops.  How's that for exciting?!  The kids did great for Grandma, and it was a nice little break for all of us!