Slow But Steady

It's been about 6 months since we moved in here. We've been slowly tackling each decorating challenge.
Here are some peeks... sadly... nothing is 100% complete... and we have yet to hang ANYTHING on the walls.
Soon.

Master Bedroom BEFORE:



(Please forgive the state of the room... we had literally just moved in!)

Master Bedroom IN PROGRESS:



Remember when I said I was going to recover my headboard?... Well I did... $12 total.

New sitting area curtesy of Ikea. Those are also Ikea curtains.

Remember this vintage chandelier we scored at the antique market.

Things that still need to happen... hang mirror & pictures, get another bedside table, get another chair, place dresser (this is all along the long wall of the room in line with the door). I kind of also want (and when I say kind of... I mean REALLY) an electric fireplace on that wall as well. It is a really big room (by our standards) and right now it's awkwardly filled. So I'm going for a half cozy sitting room vibe.... eventually.

Hallway color and lights BEFORE:
(Let's be clear... those are not our nicknacks... this is pre-move in)
AFTER:
I'll let you in on a little secret... I don't love that hallway chandelier... it was cheap... but it's not 100% my aesthetic. I'm thinking on it. The more craftsman we take this space (see below) the more likely (and when I say likely... I mean... It is going to happen!) that this will be replaced and hung in the guest bedroom instead. I still love the school house lights, though!

Right now we're tackling the not so small task of replacing our interior doors. This was a pretty big investment, but one we think will take the interior of our 60s ranch from blah to TA-DA! How long do you think it will take Mr F?... 1 year?... 2?

From this:

To this:

One down...
Six to go.
And little things...

Like this:

To this:

And this:

To this:

And, yes, eventually we'll switch the actual switch out for a brown one... that's how hardcore we are, peeps.

Can You Believe It?!!!

Straight Up Awesome

I'm Pretty Sure You Didn't Have To Be There....

"When I grow up I might want to study cats." Kid announces this morning while playing with Tiger.

"In particular male and female cats." She adds.

"Especially males because I find their penises extremely interesting." She clarifies.

"In fact, I find all penises extremely interesting." She concludes.

The Mother Load

Things You Missed

And just because blue is her color (and because she deserves a mention too for surviving a day full of honoring her younger sister...ahh the torture!)...

It's Her Birthday, Yo!

The absolute first thing she did this morning was tear off her PJs and put on something a bit more fitting for the occasion...

Last night, after Baby was in bed, Kid and I worked our decorating magic...
We put streamers and balloons all over the house, starting with Baby's doorway and leading all the way to the table.



We bought this monkey cupcake fabric to top our table and some cute reusable plates and cups for the table.

She seemed to enjoy it...

First gift of the day...


And now we're off to see Tangled!

Oh and this is what happens when you let your 4 year old design their own cake...

It wasn't easy to incorporate the requested angel, bride, roses and Kit Kats... but I did it.

Oh, and it's strawberry cake inside... so... high potential for nasty I'm guessing.

First thing she said when she saw it?...

"Where is the teddy bear?"

I'm sorry, folks, but I pretended not to hear the "teddy bear" request the first time round.

I mean... angel, bride, roses, and Kit Kats posed enough of challenge without the bear.

So I said "Oh...I'm sorry... I'll have to put that on your next cake."

Thankfully, she is easily distracted.

Joy Giveaway Part 3

aka.... At Long Last... SUCCESS!

Things have definitely gotten off to a rocky start with this whole project. I have spent more than a little time questioning my mission and whether or not giving $5 away every week is actually going to accomplish it.

We're supposed to be more joyful.

Not annoyed and slightly pissed off.

Which I 100% was after the first giveaway.

And just frustrated after the 2nd.

Well, you know what they say...

Third time is the charm?

I still had another $5 Target card I had purchased when I gave Mariah Carey hers (or tried to). Kid and I had to go to Target today for some b'day goods for Baby anyway, and I thought no time like the present. But, truth be told, after 2 failed Target missions I was feeling pretty leery about it.

We stopped into Famous Footwear, in the same plaza, since my boots are leaking water now. And it was empty.

And I'm figuring... Famous Footwear girl... you make minimum wage. You are nice and friendly... and there is no one here to tell you you can't keep a gift card. Plus Target is next door... and you can definitely spend this. I'm sure you go over to get your snack at break anyway. (Yes all that was said in my head).

And so, after a failed try of boots, I gave it to her. This time NO envelope. Just the card on it's little card stock where I wrote in the amount and on the To/From lines I just wrote "Happy Happy". I asked her if she could keep it, and she said "Yep!". She was really excited and happy. She thanked us several times. I could tell it totally made her day.

So that was great.

Finally a successful transaction!


I'm still one week behind... but I'm taking care of that tonight.

I've got an idea.

Stay tuned.


Oh and while brushing her teeth, Baby leaned her head into the hallway and yelled...

"Tomorrow's my birthday, Yo!"

Nom De Plume

Yesterday the kids sat down to write out some Christmas Thank You notes.

Baby was getting frustrated trying to write out her name (9 letters is a bit much), so I tried to suggest some shortened variations.

"Do you want to try to write your name "Cha Cha" instead?" I offered.

"No! I want to write my name "Peachy 'Panzee"!" Baby said emphatically.

"Okay... but that isn't going to be any easier." I cautioned.

I stand corrected.

Loot

On Thursdays Kid goes to her electives homeschool program. That leaves Baby and I some awkward time to fill in Ann Arbor. With the weather being what it is... we opted to head to the Mall (a newly discovered adventure to Baby after xmas shopping there). We got a smoothie and she played on the indoor play structure.

But the real lure was jewels...

I discovered this Christmas, while searching for gifts for my three teenaged nieces, that Forever 21 was a dress up loving three year old's Mecca. It took her breath away... all of those diamonds in one place. On hooks low enough to reach, no less.

Fabulous jewels, and bobbles, and hair accessories... for practically NO MONEY.

I mean, ridiculously cheap.

Cheaper than children's jewelry from Target.

And

These are REAL.

See...

Long And Short Of It

I'm having another migraine.

This is really starting to affect our quality of life.

The last two days (before the headache) are almost worse than the ensuing head pain (which is incredibly bad).

I just feel like complete shit, physically and emotionally.

Light headed, exhausted, irritable and depressed.

Then it magically lifts and in it's place is a searing, aching, compression in my brain.

Continuous.

And nearly unbearable nausea.

I actually find myself fantasizing about that scene in Grey's Anatomy when Izzy drills into a trapped guys head with a cordless drill.

Really.

And the head pain is actually better than the two days of aura.

So that's kind of saying something.

The headache will last anywhere from 24 to 72 hours.

And this has been happening to me EVERY OTHER WEEK.

Every other freaking week.

For the past 5 months.




The thing I'm thankful for?... that this shit didn't start happening until we moved from Asheville. If this had been going on down there... I'd probably have killed myself.

Or developed a really bad drinking habit.

One or the other.

The Sick Bed

"You do know you can use Kleenexes more than once?" Mrs F says after surveying the scene.

"Oh." replies Kid with a guilty laugh.


But why bother, really, when it makes such a nice fluffy background for this...

Highbrow Lowbrow

Mr F and I have been really enjoying the current Masterpiece Classic miniseries on PBS.

You can watch the first couple of episodes of Downton Abbey HERE.

It really is fantastic.

I mean it.




In other news, I made my first home shopping network purchase.

I never thought I'd see the day.

But due to an inappropriately sexual commercial I was forced to quickly change the channel.

Fate led me to view Debbie Meyer's Green Boxes on HSN.

I debated it for a few minutes, but when I saw the fruit & veggie side by side shot... well... I was sold.

I mean it was AMAZING.

Joy Giveaway Part 2

(lest you think we forgot)

Last Thursday was supposed to be our 2nd giveaway of the year. Unfortunately, I had a raging migraine... so this week we're doubling up.

Today I purchased 2 $5 giftcards to Target (I was there).

Then I immediately handed one over to our cashier. I just had the feeling she was the person.

In fact, I think she may have been the employee I had noticed the 1st week and debated giving it to.

Well, she was very grateful.

But not 30 seconds later I was approached by the floor manager saying that she couldn't except it.

And I could fill out an employee recognition form to send to corporate instead.

Hmm... not exactly what I had had in mind.

Of course I did.

While this is going on there is much hullaballo at the customer service desk about all of this.

It seems they all agree my cashier is VERY DESERVING. One of their best employees.

And so sweet.

The customer service manager said she wouldn't have taken it away.

They pointed out that that is just how great the cashier is... she is too nice to break the rules.

They all wished she just hadn't told anyone; then she could have kept it.

So I said "If I give this back to her, and you aren't looking, will that be alright."

They all agreed.

So I marched back over to her and put it on her register.

I'm not sure she knew what to make of it.

I do hope she keeps it.


(She's the cashier, with her back to us, all the way on the end)

Maybe my next mission will go better?

12:40 PM

Tiger quietly observing the birds (he's been at this all morning)...


Tea for me...
Baby playing in her bath...
Kid at work...

Sweet Pea actually chewing on something she's supposed to...

laundry...again; I had left it in there wet since Saturday. Maybe today I'll remember to put it in the dryer...
Workout shirt... I guess I'm feeling optimistic...

10:30 AM

This is one of the pillows Baby & I made last year in Asheville. This kill was actually devastating to her. She came running & screaming out of the playroom. (Why didn't she just take it away?!... we're still working on that with both girls). Making those pillows was a big deal for her. A very special memory. It made me realize that I need to carve out some more time to sew with her. Plus, now we need another pillow...