the sweetest thing

If you haven’t read my post below, read it and then go read Derek’s blog. Good stuff.

I made it to Lowe’s today to find new hardware for the dresser and table, and when I could not find hardware that would fit into the existing holes on the dresser, I decided I would get some curtain rods. I love them. The are black and have a little swirly flourish on the end, and they are going to look great with whatever sheer curtains I pick out. At first, I decided it would be wise to wait and let Derek install them. But, as always, I got excited and decided to do it myself. I read the instructions and gather the tools called for-a drill, a level, a pencil, and a screwdriver. I put in the first call to Derek-where are the drill bits? And he, with skepticism in his voice, wants to know what I am drilling. He informs me that I don’t need a drill to put a screw in the wall, that our handy electric screwdriver will do the job just fine. Even if I am putting the screw into a stud. So I measure, level, remeasure, and level again. The moment of truth. My heart starts to race, my face flushes with pride, and I feel so independent and handy. And, before I even realize what’s happening, the screw head is falling to the ground, leaving about 1/2 inch of screw body sticking out of the wall. I put in another call to Derek. Use pliers, he says, or just wait until he gets home. I decide the second option is the better one.

But, there are two more windows. And, I can be handy, I know it! I start on the second window. I get all 4 screws in the wall, just like the instructions say. I attach the hardware. I get the regular screwdriver to tighten and finish up the job. And two more screw heads fall to the ground. I put in yet another call to Derek. He chuckles good-naturedly (because, let’s just be honest. Pretty much any time I try to build or install something, I screw it up somehow.) At this point I decide for real to wait for Derek to fix it.

But I think I learned an important lesson today. When the instructions call for a drilled hole, it’s probably a good idea to just go with it. Despite what big, strong, handy hubby says.

House projects. Once I get started on one, my mind starts racing with a million things. It’s both good and bad. It’s good because of all the ideas floating around in my head. It’s bad because I know that it won’t last forever. I have to slow down, do a little at a time, or I get burned out. I painted my room all week, one wall at a time. I learned something about myself. In the past, I paint, paint, paint all in a day or two. And after about an hour, maybe two at the most, I start to do a really bad job. But if I just do a little bit at a time, then every detail looks pretty good, I don’t get burned out, and I actually enjoy it. I think this is backwards from most people. Most of my friends who I have talked to in the past week about this are the opposite-they want to get it done. Which way are you? Get it done, or enjoy the process? I think I am just all around an enjoy the process kind of girl. I am like that with scrapbooking. It’s more about enjoying the process and the creativity than about getting it done or being caught up. Anyway, I digress.

House projects. More specifically, the bedroom project. It’s painted (thanks Cindi and Denise for the color idea-I went with Sherwin Williams Blonde. I highly recommend it!) I bought a cool thing for over the bed, which I think I am going to expand from eventually. I revamped and revitalized the dresser. I wanted to wait until I had the whole thing put together to share pictures, but we all know I don’t have the patience for that. When I get excited about something, I have to share right that second! Plus, this is going to take me the next month or two to completely finish up. I have to hit Hobby Lobby each week for sale items.

Here is the wall behind the bed:
(Sidenote…these were taken at night and don’t really do the color justice. I promise it’s not the same as the old color, despite the way it might look in these pictures.)

And here is my favorite part so far (ok, the only other part that is done…) The dresser. Remember this:

Now it’s this:

I LOVE it! I told Derek we were not allowed to stack our junk up on the dresser anymore. We aren’t kids! We are grown ups, and grown ups don’t clutter up their dressers. (I pretty much guarantee that we will clutter it up, but it’s still a nice thought.)

Tomorrow I am headed back to Hobby Lobby for one more look around, and to Lowe’s to look for new hardware for the dresser and to scope out curtain rods. My mind is racing with fun ideas for Connor’s room. It’s going to need to be redone since he ripped down the border I so lovingly put up…I want to paint the living room an earthy, not too dark, green, but first I need to do something with the forest green fireplace…not to mention the forest green backsplash in the kitchen that needs to go…and maybe, just maybe in the future a cute, new nursery…so many ideas!

I’m giddy. I love my house.

Most of you got it! Connor’s masterpiece is an airplane-a propeller plane with lots of windows. I’m not sure what is written underneath…he can write his name, so I don’t think that’s what it is. It’s probably the name of his airplane, which would be something like B356 coo-coo.

You might think the beautiful flowers are from Valentine’s Day, but they aren’t. They are from my birthday, and I just remembered that I never posted a picture of them. Aren’t they beautiful! D had them delivered to me at my parents’ house. It was the first time I have ever had flowers delivered. So fun to get these in the mail. Love him.

You might think this beautiful blooming jasmine is from Valentine’s day. Nope. It’s from Patrick and Noel’s wedding. I transplanted it and look how good it’s blooming! I don’t have a good history with flowers, but I am really going to work on actually watering this one. But I can grow cucumbers. Which reminds me that I should get started on my veggie garden soon.

Valentine’s day did not go unnoticed. D left a card and some candy. I had a yummy meal planned, but it had to get rescheduled, since I ended up babysitting Justin and Kayla, and i wasn’t about to take 4 little kids to the grocery store. But I made it tonight, and it was SO good. To quote Derek, “This is restaurant good!” It was a Rachael Ray 30 Minute Meal, so it wasn’t even super difficult. It was spaghetti with sausage and peppers. I am sure some of you will want to make this, so here is a link to the spaghetti recipe, and here is the link to the peppers and sausage. I didn’t serve the sausage and peppers over the bread like the recipe says-I just served it with the spaghetti. It was so yummy!

How cute are these? I love Connor’s artwork so much. This one he did at school. My favorite part is Derek’s beard. Love that he draws those little details in!

And this one he did at rest time one day. It is the first time that he has ever drawn something and I could tell what it was without an explanation. Can you tell what it is? Or is it just because I am his mom and I know what is on his mind?

Happy Friday!