Purple Progress

Hey there.  I was sick today and couldn't go into work so I pretty much feel like a unproductive shlup.  (I guess shlup isn't a really word, who knew?  Oh well, I am keeping it.  It's my blog.)  I hate being sick and hate missing school.  I just knew I couldn't give my kids my best if my head and body were aching.  Still though, I worried all day and imagined what they were doing every hour.  And worse, I couldn't go running which means 0 miles in 2013 since this head cold started on New Years Eve.  I think I am getting to be a little obsessive about this running thing.

I thought my productive thing for today could be an update on that dreaded purple wall.  I had already taken pictures so I can type from my horizontal position on the couch.  Here we go!

Remember that horrible purple accent wall mistake?  Remember how I cried and sobbed over $30 of wasted paint?  Remember how my sweet dad tried to comfort me but to no avail?

Dad starting to paint the wall.  

He stopped at this point because I was SOBBING.

I don't think these pictures even do the purple justice.  Seriously it was like MAGENTA.  We have all heard of hot pink right?  This was like hot magenta!  But it really just looked like a hot mess.

So it was back to the drawing board.  I considered just painting everything grey to match the rest of the walls in the living room.  But that made me sad.  I love grey but I really wanted an accent wall/hallway that was bright and different.  Grey is not different.  Grey was the color of the rest of the room!  

I looked into like 400 different paint samples and a very nice lady at the local Ace Hardware tried to help me.  Eventually I settled on another purple that was actually the purple I originally wanted to go with.  I thought it would be too dark originally.  So I took the risk.  It's Expressive Plum from Sherwin Williams but its Behr Eggshell finish from Home Depot.  (You should know that when I got to the store, I STILL looked at colors for like 35 minutes just to make sure I was totally sure.  THEN I talked to the paint ladies for another 25 minutes about what I wanted to do.  THEN my dad talked to the paint ladies for another 5.  THEN they started to mix the paint.)  

Home Depot can match any color.  It's also a little cheaper than Sherwin Williams.  (Not that I don't love Sherwin Williams, but I had a gift card to Home Depot from my cousin Nina---thanks Nina! so that's what I used it for!)  So I brought in the Expressive Plum sample from Sherwin (my dad keeps calling them Shermin, so funny!).  

Here is Home Depot's first attempt.

The first time the Home Depot lady tried it, she and I were in agreement that it wasn't quite right.  At first she had just used the computer to match it.  On the second try, she scanned my color card from Shermin :) in her color match system.  This worked better.  

Second attempt.  You can see the difference already.
Less of that BRIGHT red.  

I wasn't totally sure it was right.  But then the paint lady stuck her finger in the paint and painted it on my paint sample.  She then dried it with a hair dryer and it looked exactly like it was supposed.  (Paint ladies are SUCH risk takers.  I never would have stuck my finger in a gallon of paint!)

So then my dad painted the purple on the wall.  (He doesn't let me paint....)  At first I wasn't too sure about it.  (I know again....)  But I googled purple paint and it said it deepens over a whole week.  It's been like a month now and I LOVE it.  It did deepen slightly.  Or maybe I just got used to it.  Whatever.  

Purple wall!!  And some artwork by me.  

Looking down the hall.  At first I was worried that the purple would be too dark.
But I took this picture at night, and I don't think it's too dark!  

Here's a sneak peek to what we are working on now.  My dad is still working on painting the rest of the living room grey.  Since he's been sick it's kind of on hold, which is okay since I just want him better.  He is also working on painting the trim and the doors white.  They are all a medium wood tone right now and very '60s-ish.  

I'll give you a glance at the before so you can remember what the living room looked like......

Before.  It was a tan color.

In progress.....but looking good!  (Note, this is not the same wall but it is the same room.)

The white trim makes a huge difference.  I can't wait until the rest of the house has it too!  But I think I'll be waiting a while!  

One more picture....because I am just a little obsessed.  

The red buffet stand was an auction find ($45), as are most of the accessories.
The stained glass window was from my parents' basement.  They bought it years ago and never used it.

The kitchen is almost finished too!  But I'll make you wait on those pics!  

Goodnight!  It's 8:46 and I am off to bed!

2013 Resolutions

I know some people think that having resolutions is dumb and that "no one ever keeps them."  But I don't think it's dumb.  I think it's very important to set goals for oneself and to reassess them and see how that goal is going.  I consider resolutions to be goals and I like setting goals.

Last year my resolution was to not eat from the school cafeteria.  I accomplished that!  No more unhealthy foods!  It saves me calories and money!

So here are my 2013 resolutions/goals for myself.

2013 Goals & Resolutions
1.  Run a half-marathon.
I am already working on training for this goal.  I don't have a "dream time" either.  I just want to finish.  Who knows, maybe one day I'll run more than 13.1?
2.  Be more positive about my life.  
I know sometimes I can be negative and grouchy.  And I know that that really comes across in my blog at times.  BUT I am making a conscious effort to be more positive.  Positive thoughts.  Positive life.  Each day is precious and a gift and I need to take advantage of that day!  I'm trying!
3.  Go one day a week with NO SWEETS.  
I have the biggest sweet tooth ever.  It's horrible.  It's to the point where I feel like each meal needs to end with something sweet.  I need to get a handle on this.  So this is my attempt....
4.  Work on my abs and legs.  
Last year I worked really hard on my arms and there is still some work to do.  But this year is the year for abs and legs.
5.  Lose 5 pounds.
The vet said that Khloe is just a little overweight and that she needs to lose about 5 pounds.  She will be eating less food, less treats, and more walks.  Maybe I'll lose 5 pounds too!
6.  Pay off my Sears credit card.  
I really try to live debt free but I had to buy a washer and dryer and the only way to do that was to use my Sears credit card.  My goal is to pay it off by May.
7.  Continue to live in and enjoy my home.
There are many projects to do on my house but I want it to be fun and cost-effective!
8.  Try new things.
This is ALWAYS my goal.  Every year, but I like to put it in writing.  I want to try new foods, meet new people, travel to new places, and just have amazing new experiences.

Here's to 2013!  It has to be a wonderful year!

Weekend 1: Cobwebs NOT included in the price of the house!

I got possession of the house this past Thursday.  Since then, IT HAS BEEN NUTS.  For all those moving into a new house, I ask you: ARE YOU CRAZY?!  Just move into a nice, clean hotel where the maid comes daily to clean and wash the sheets.  Seriously, consider it.

Below is a list of our projects so far that have been started by the team.  The team consists of the whole family.
Dad--project manager
Mom--cleaning extraordinaire & future reupholster/sewing expert
Ajay--(22 yr. old brother)--providing humor, odd jobs, and his ability to lift heavy objects
Patrick--(19 yr. old brother)-providing a sense of reality, odd jobs, and his 6 ft. height helps to touch all the places the rest of us can't.
Me--providing opinions, bossy-ness, and apparently I am now an ATM where money just keeps leaving my hands

Day 1 (Thursday night): 
Team members:  Dad & me
Tasks:
-Vacuumed and shampooed carpets (me)
-Vacuumed cobwebs out of windows, tops of ceiling, corners of walls, etc.  My new vacuum is phenomenal.  (me)
-Cabinet cleaning--with the vacuum of-course (me)
-Installation of  in-cabinet trash can (Dad)
-Took off cabinet doors and started sanding process (Dad)

HERE IS MY BEAUTIFUL KITCHEN!!  Fireworks to be set off later!  :)  

Cabinet doors OFF!  See ya later red, white, and blue! 













Day 2 (Friday):
Team members:  Dad, Mom, and me
Guest team member:  Taylor, co-worker with a truck from school
Tasks:
-Put together IKEA bed (Dad & Mom)
-Started to paint bedroom (Dad)
-Painted cabinet drawers (Dad)
-Delivered bed & set up (Taylor-----THANK YOU! and me....though I just provided the conversation!)
-Went to El Mariachis and had a Corona (me)

Bedroom being prepped for painting.  It was a lovely mauve

color.  Notice how the homeowners painted the trim.  :(  Now, 

we have to paint it white which is more work. 

Day 3 (Saturday)
Team members:  Dad, Mom, Me
-Cleaning kitchen cabinets (me)
-Taking this annoying contact paper off of the bottom of the cabinets (me)
-Sanding, painting, building in the kitchen (Dad)
-Bathroom & window cleaning (mom)
-Fridge cleaning (me & mom)
-Beginning of taking my things over (Dad & me)
-Trip to Home Depot to purchase wood for the kitchen, new lights because a single girl needs to make sure her lights are bright, and new locks/door handle-thingy-ma-bobs

Here is my dad caulking the gap between the white cabinet and the white ceiling.  It's that yellow stuff!  The gap was small, but happens as a house settles.  He used his finger to slather it on. 

Day 4 (Sunday)
Team members:  Dad, Mom, me, Ajay & Patrick
-Cleaning kitchen cabinets and putting a mesh liner down (no contact paper for me!)--(me)--THIS PROJECT IS DONE
-Major heavy lifting of furniture purchased at auctions out of parent's garage and into house (me, dad, Ajay, Patrick)
    *I did have a major STAR STRENGTH moment where I was able to lift a 20 pound box over my head   to put on a shelf.  Wahoo for working out at the Y! There were a couple of boxes of pictures, grade school/high school/college memorabilia that have been in boxes for years.  I still can't part with it though.  So I just left them in the boxes and moved them to my new house. 
-Oven cleaning (mom)
-Bathroom cleaning (mom)
-Shampooing of carpet (Ajay)
-Put dishes away in new cabinet, although the doors to the cabinet aren't there yet (me)
-Poop patrol of the old owner's dog (Ajay---seriously major points for this brother!)
-Installation of new furnace filters (Patrick---we are hoping he did it right.  He is the only one tall & skinny enough to fit in the small area to do this!)
-Sold microwave & bread box left behind by old owners on local buy-sell-trade FB site  (me)

Current state of the kitchen!  The grey is looking great!  

Bedroom wall painted and trim is being worked on!

Pat and Khloe are exhausted!  (Yes Khloe had to come check out the new house!)

Over the last 4 days there have been a lot of emotions going around in my head.   
Excitement.  Overwhelmed.  Nervousness.  Fear.  Anxiousness. 
There have been some tense moments between team members, especially me and my dad.  He and I are a lot alike.  Neither of us likes to have a voice raised AT us but that is how we both naturally respond when someone does something we don't like.  In trying to get the furnace filters in, I nearly burst into tears because I didn't understand what he was trying to tell me.  I almost melted into the thought of:  WHAT HAVE I SIGNED UP FOR?  I CAN'T DO THIS.  I CAN'T BE A HOMEOWNER.  Somehow I didn't melt down though.  Additionally, he annoyed me a bit when he was trying to bring all of kinds of things in to this house that I don't need.  One thing I love is EMPTY space and it stresses me out to have lots of junk.  He tried to bring in these TV tables that I didn't want/need and I almost flipped out.

A few surprises that we are not sure how we are going to deal with.
1)  There is a 2 ft section of baseboard missing from the living room in the middle of the room.  Lovely.
2)  The border above the tile in the kitchen is not coming off easily.  AND the walls underneath it are not textured the same as the rest of the wall.  We will see how we "fix" that. 

So under the patriotic flags is a lovely '80s swooshy-effect.  I bet you are wondering WHY on earth am I changing it?! 

We have had some beautiful days as far as weather so I have just been itching to run.  I love running without 97 layers of clothes on.  I squeezed in a run before the Home Depot excursion on Saturday.  My dad was tapping his feet to leave when I got back though.  It takes a while to do 7 miles Dad!  Then this morning, I got up early to run again.  I love running in the morning when most people are still sleeping.  It's like a secret being told between me, the road, and the day about to begin.  Ultimate peace.  I haven't done any Abs or Weight lifting since Thursday though so I better do a bit before I go to bed.  Especially since I made these Funfetti Cookies to give away.  Unfortunately, I ate a few too.  They were calling my name....
http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/10/funfetti-cake-batter-cookies-recipe.html