We've Moved!

States, not blogs. Thus the lack of posts, despite the hundreds of things I've wanted to post about.

We now have . . . .

a house under contract...yippee!!!!
- an apartment in Stockbridge, GA
- a swimming pool!!!
- a van
- a tablet (our computer died while Seth was in NC :( )
- a super cozy lay-z-boy (thanks M and A!!! it's made H such a happy girl! and me too!)
- a new haircut (not one pictured above)
- a new blog picture (5th anniversary...went backward in time...prev was 3 yrs ago...ah, well. It was better than the bedragled one H took of me while Seth was out of town. ;) )
- a new LDS congregation
- a new family to play with every couple weeks (kids aged 6, 4, 2, 2wks)
- a new elementary school
- an awesome 2nd grade teacher for H,
- and H successfully falling asleep WITHOUT melatonin!!!!!

I'm feeling really spoiled, which is good, because we could still use....

- a washer and dryer (EEK!)
- a keyboard for my tablet
- an unpacked apartment

- a husband available to help unpack and declutter (just teasing here, I know that isn't happening)
two potty trained boys (scary)
a housekeeper/mommy's helper so that someday the two above items might actually occur
vinyl in apt's eating area so we can allow our kids outside our tiny kitchen
kitchen table and chairs
a toddler who doesn't scream hysterically when we try to put him in his car seat because he wants to sit in his brother's forward-facing seat...or his sister's....when his head is so huge that it can't possibly be safe to let him sit forward-facing until he's like 10.
a mother who goes to bed before 12 or 3 a.m.
drs, dentists, pediatric versions of the same, and a speech therapist
and last but not least, a health screening/form that will allow H to go to school Monday....hoping to get that tomorrow!!!!

DIY Ah-Ha!

Skim coating!!!  That's what we can do to salvage our bathroom walls!  Skim coating!!!

There really is hope for our bathroom!

Now to find a permanent solution for keeping grass and weeds from taking over my new gravel driveway.  I consider it my unproductive garden. . . . My mom had a chemical suggestion.  I think I'm about ready to take it on, much as I'd prefer a gentler method.

DIY - Ta Da!!!

someday we'll paint a jungle mural in the panels

How do you eat a whole elephant?  

One bite at a time.

DIY Photos

Day 3

First a tour of our sad-looking bathroom, thanks to our photo-taking cell phone.  Our camera was MIA.

cute shower hooks I used for color inspiration

the fated cabinet

trashy looking wall previously decorated with lotion by a certain unnamed child (the cheap paint absorbs everything and comes off the wall if you try to clean it)

close-up of nasty, previous paint job and rusty, old electric heater

sad-looking vanity area and the hanging storage that I love my husband for hanging up for me at the start of this project!

ugly but functional closet

cute little H taping the wall where we hang our towels

love the house...not exactly what I was looking for, but had to keep it ;)

She's very proud of that house, as am I. 

After work comes play!

ok, so it wasn't much work, but, ya know . . .

newest game: tug-of-war!

Day 4

we're done!!!

with coat #1 of blue paint, that is. . . .

;)

S took over for me when N needed to eat, and I sent H in with the cell phone to take pictures :)

after the kids were in bed I painted the final layers

sorry, no picts of me

someday I'll post the "after" picts!

;)

DIY, Day 4

We painted the cabinet doors!  Yippee!

We also painted the shapes on the wall where the towel hooks are.

I forwent the decision to return both of the Home Depot synthetic brushes in order to simply get the dumb project completed--or closer to completion, that is, more on that in a moment.  I decided to keep the 2" brush and use it, so we'll just return the $10, 2.5" brush.  (They're not even that great of brushes!  Am I just a cheapskate!?)

Why "closer to completion"?  Well, I thought it'd be fun (and probably outta my league) to paint a jungle motiff on the door panels:  a palm tree in each one with a tiger in one and a monkey in the other that match the style of the shower hooks.  It was either that or let H go at it with some colored paints.  The shapes we just did with the towel hooks won't exactly go along with the jungle theme, unless I figure out some crazy way to make them fit in, but I don't think I'll be able to pull that off, especially considering that one of H's "shapes" is actually a house.  Oh, yeah, we have yet to paint on the door and window, but Monday's another day--and H's out of school then still.

Someday I'll get pictures up.  Someday!  Right now it's time to feed a munchkin . . . a very cute, very hungry munchkin.

DIY, Day 3

Okay, so, really it's Days 2-3. . . .

Continuation of Day 2
Find out how much money your husband spent on the stuff you asked him to get at Home Depot during trip #2 (polyester/nylon brushes, $18; painters tape, $5; polycritic protective finish--bad idea--$18; grand total: $43!!!!) and make a plan to return everything but the painter's tape on the next trip that direction. (Gotta save time and gas, folks--especially gas when it's $4 a gallon!!)
Take pictures of bathroom for blog while I brush my teeth.  Brainstorm design ideas while lying in bed, waiting to fall asleep.

Plan for Day 3
Pack the kids into the car around 9 a.m. and drive the 20 min. to the nearest craft store.  (There's gotta be one closer than that, seriously here.  Well, I guess I don't live in Idaho anymore, huh. . . .)  Pick up cheap-o foam brushes.  Paint the cabinet doors during nap time.

What actually happened on Day 3
Woke around 8 a.m. (thank you, children!), realized I couldn't follow plan for Day 3 with S having taken the car to get to the dentist for a broken filling before the man leaves town, sent H to get dressed, fed kids, snacked on the gingerbread book sitting on my kitchen counter (that book is another post), and retreated to the bedroom to get dressed.  Just as I finished getting dressed, I heard a knock on the door.  Who in the world could that be?  Oh!  Lil'S's language therapist.  Guess it's good S took the car, eh?  Wipe Lil'S's gushing nose, sanitize his hands--poor kid still has his pink eye cold that I really don't want to share with anyone--and sit back to nurse baby boy while observing Lil'S's therapy session.

Progress did still occur on the project, however.  Once Lil'S and N were down for their naps, I worked on prepping to paint around the towel hooks.  (No, that's not exactly moving the cabinet project forward, but, hey, this is impulsive DIY, remember?  And what else was I supposed to do, not having a car?)  Removed hanging towels, removed 2 hooks, finally got H into the bathroom (she was finishing her lunch), showed her how to unscrew a hook, helped her unscrew a hook.  Showed H how to wash the wall afterward, and let her wash her area of the wall.  Put H and myself down for naps!   After naps: feed everyone, show H how to tape wall, tend to toddler and infant, check out H's performance, take pictures of H's fantastic job with her posing alongside. (Sorry, you'll just have to wait to see them until S gets them loaded to our computer.)  Endlessly debate the whole foam brushes / expensive brushes thing.  Hmm . . . I wonder if I could borrow some. . . . And, of course, blab forever about the mundane details of those whole, eternal endeavor!

Plan for Day 4

Get brushes (Does Walmart carry foam ones?  What about Target?  I know it has simple roller ones.) and paint shapes taped onto the wall and front of cabinet doors.

Can you see why I don't typically even attempt to tackle anything that could be termed a "project"?
;)

So, WHEN can I move back to Idaho???

Someday I'll have to write a post about why I love North Carolina, just to make up for this, but I need to embrace a weak moment. (Okay, so, really I want to embrace it.) Maybe I'll do both since I actually do have pros on NC in mind and I may never have another spare moment for this again. ;)

Why I miss Idaho

- I can walk out my front door and not get bitten by mosquitos

- the sun shines the majority of the year (this one is vs. Ann Arbor, MI)

- it snows when I want it to

- my husband doesn't have to cut thru clay in order for me to have a garden

- I don't have to worry about being eaten alive if I actually want garden

- I can actually go outside--period.

- it snows in the winter (in normal years)

Why I love NC

- my tomato plants really did grow six feet tall like the garden center guy said they would!

- it's beautiful--everything grows a plenty! (if only there weren't mosquitos, ticks, 90-100 degrees plus humidity, etc.)

- I don't have to scrape ice off my car (although I guess I do have to wipe "dew" off my car, not as bad, but rarely expected)

- it snowed lots last winter!

p.s. shhh! don't tell S about this post!

p.p.s. S was looking at real estate in ID a month ago during his weak moment. ;)

Late Night & Golden Nuggets

I want to read more of these. It's 1:13 a.m., however, so now is obviously not the time, especially when H is up. (nightmare again, sigh) But, at least I now know exactly what I want to do with my kitchen and living room windows! (My dear mother-in-law even sent me curtains for the kitchen, but they sadly just don't seem to fit. . . .)

Emotional Intelligence and Parenting

First, I just have to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!

It's SO NICE to come across another thinking individual!!!

(Okay, so not to say that just because you haven't thought about this kind of thing you're not a thinking individual. I guess I'm just so tired of this topic NOT being covered when it's SO totally ESSENTIAL to BASIC LIVING. . . . And maybe I need to stop using all-caps when I'm trying to emphasize something. I guess it shows that I'm tired! . . . . I have to point out, though, that it was my Child & Family classes at BYU-I that pointed these concepts out. And, I was just thinking yesterday it was past time for me to start "owning" my own feelings and teaching that to H after she said "You are frustrating me!!!!" Yes, I've been talking to her about ways she can help Mommy not be so frustrated!)

http://eqi.org/pare.htm

In my review of the parenting literature I find very little mention of feelings. The emphasis is generally on behavior. But as psychologist John Gottman says, we are attempting to control the children's behavior without looking at the emotions which underly that behavior. (Links to the authors I mention are found at the bottom of this section)

I believe if we focus our efforts on trying to create the right kinds of feelings in children, the behavior will take care of itself. It is not only the feelings of the child which I believe we need to look at, but the parents' feelings as well. This is an area which is even more neglected than the child's feelings. Few psychologists or writers of parents literature ever mention the feelings of the parents. Thomas Gordon is the notable exception which comes to mind.

Gordon talks about the "window of acceptance." He says when the parent is feeling good, more things are acceptable. The more negative their overall mood, the fewer things are acceptable. Gordon also tells parents, "It is essential that you learn what you are feeling." In effect, Gordon recommends that parents "own" their feelings by using "I messsages." His work supports my recommendation that belief parents take responsibility for their own feelings, rather raising children to feel responsible for the moods and happiness of their parents. While my views are similar to Gordon's in many ways, I go into more detail about the importance of respect, and describe how it is earned and how it is often confused with fear and obedience.

The Simple Living Maven

OH, so THIS is where S got those things he's shared with me!

http://zenhabits.net/a-guide-to-creating-a-minimalist-home/

http://zenhabits.net/21-tips-on-keeping-a-simple-home-with-kids/

http://zenhabits.net/handle-chores-house-cleaning-and-errands-with-simple-systems/

HE DID IT! HE DID IT! HE DID IT!!!

Yay!!!

S installed the dishwasher!!!

Before Baby Boy arrived, too!!!

Yippee!!!

Doesn't it look great?!?

doesn't he look great?

I'm so proud of my Love!

I have a dishwasher!!!

Okay, so a dish washer I'm not married to. . . . S has spent many loyal hours standing at that sink for me these past nine months, for which I am truly grateful!

H's pict of the dishwasher box

we spent some of the morning decorating.

It was the happiest she'd been all day--okay, so, really, it was probably the longest she was happy for the entire morning. Let's just say it was one long morning for the both of us. . . .

Now all we need is Aqua America to come figure out why our water has turned brown, and then we'll be able to wash dishes! ;)

Things that make me SMILE

I'm 40 wks. I look around my house and think, "Am I really ready to have 14+ people come and visit, all at one time? (No, not everyone is staying here! Wouldn't that be crazy???) Then, I sit and the computer and blog some more. It's Sunday. I'm sure I could be doing something better with my time today. But, that's okay. I'm 40 wks. I think I'm just going to enjoy sitting. It's a lot easier than a lot of things I could be doing right now, and I think I'll be plenty busy enough by next week--at least.

So, for your reading pleasure, here are some things that make this 40-wks-along woman happy.

1. What every pregnant woman needs: a pedicure!

Dear A is an amazing friend. She spoiled me with a gift certificate and took care of H last week so I could go get pampered. I was nervous going into it--I've never been one for manicures and the like--but she'd told me about the great massages they gave at this place, so I figured it'd be worth it. IT WAS. And I have to confess . . . I like having metallic blue toenails!

2. Cute, new pajamas!

(pict coming)

My mom mailed these out to me last week. We were both surprised to find they're actually pretty comfy now. (I'm sure they'll still fit post-partum, at least for a while.) Cozy, soft pajamas. Mmmm....just thinking about them makes me want to go lay down and sleep.

3. Springtime!

There are lots of things that come with springtime that make me happy!

My shrubs are blooming.

My violas are blooming.

My basil is sprouting!

I realized while planting it that it'd probably start

coming up around the time baby was due. . . .

I've discovered more flowering bulbs were planted by previous owners. I wonder what they are. . . . (I need to mark these so I can dig them up in the fall. Most of them are actually growing outside the flower bed!)

And last, but CERTAINLY not least. . . .

5. A new dishwasher!!!

S got all the dishwasher connections prepared yesterday! Now we just have to wait till Wednesday when the one we ordered from Home Depot will be delivered. I wonder if I'll still be home to see it. . . .

What is growing in my yard?

It's officially spring, and my yard shows it!

But what is everything?

H having a hard time putting down her apple so I could take a picture. Ironically, this pict turned out cuter than the others. Had to share!

Here's the "better posed" one.

Okay, so it's pretty cute too!

Here's what she was holding.

Is it mint? It's growing all over the place!

(Click any picture to see it larger. My camera doesn't do macro shots.

I need to pull out the camera A lent me.)

The yard is simply carpeted with different colored flowers. These dark purple blossoms (little hard to see in the pict) are growing in the shadiest areas of the yard. Sunny locations are filled with the blue flowers pictured very first in this post, and less lush areas have small, white blossoms.

These are also those blue ones. I don't know why my camera keeps turning them white.

Are these wild onions?

Are they edible?

Where's my Google Search box?

I love Google.

Ah, it could be wild onion (or garlic or leek), or it could be death camas. Hmmm . . . that's exciting. I'm glad an onion (or garlic or leek) smells like an onion (or garlic or leek)! These things grow all over the yard as well. S found larger ones on Friday. The one he picked for me was almost as big as the green onions you'd find in the store. I didn't smell it, though. We should probably do that, huh. . . .

Couch & Nursery Picts

Here's my new sitting room! (front room, living room, whatever you want to call it) Next up, replacing the winter quilt with real blinds for the window behind it and replacing the carpet. . . . or not. . . .

The boxes in the middle are just the last boxes of books to be unpacked once we get a new bookcase. Again, maybe this Saturday?

Next R project:

Or maybe this should be the next R project:

I keep cleaning out this nursery, but it keeps getting dumped on again as we continue on to various other projects around the house. I guess I'll just have to wait until I'm nesting to clean it up if I want it to stay cleaned up!

And here's my Love. He returned some books to the library last night.

Can you tell?

Oh, and how's his project coming? The dishwasher? Well, he's got most of the plumbing in, and last night he picked up parts for the rest of the plumbing he needs to do. The permit for the electrical work is also filled out, turned in, and paid for. Next, it just needs to be done! Well, if it isn't done by the time baby comes, like most of my projects, it's not like he won't be taking time off work anyway, right?