Colors Make Me Happy!

In preparation for our land shipment I decided we needed some color on our walls. I have always wanted to have colorful rooms in my house, but we never did it due to money restrictions. Here things are a little easier. Color makes me happy and helps me feel so much more comfortable. So I asked around a little and a new friend here gave me some information that lead me to a painter and a place to buy paint.

I was able to look at color samples on the internet and then call a guy who commonly delivers paint to the compound to order it. He was able to fill my order and deliver the paint to me in 2 hours!! I was major impressed with this. I would recommend looking at actual samples though to anyone painting in the future. Sometimes the color and lighting on the computer aren't exactly like what you may get.

So, after a week of 3-4 hour nights with a painter in our house we have color!

These pictures are mainly so you can see the colors we chose. Once we get our furniture and get rid of the Aramco furniture, I plan to do some decorating and then I will take more pictures so you can see the final product!

This is our living room. I chose the same color for the living room, dining room, hallway, stairs and upstairs hallway. It's sort of a nice, warm, chocolaty brown color.

For the kitchen, I decided to go with a nice, soft yellow color.

Originally the front room was going to be left white, but then at the last minute we decided it should be painted too - since everything else was - and we went bold with a deep abyss blue color. I love it!!

For our bathroom I chose a light, lilac purple.

For Madeline's bathroom I went with a minty light green. This color literally glows and I am hoping some towels and decoration will soften it up a little.

Our downstairs bathroom is sort of a dark, army green color. The sample looked more khaki on the internet so I was a little surprised when I saw it on the wall, but I still like it. It will look great once I am done decorating it.

Our bedroom is a color called "billiard green". I originally was going to go with a softer green color called "palm green" but changed it at the last minute. I still haven't decided whether or not I like it. Some days I do, some days I don't. The sample of "billiard green" looked a little softer on the website. It truly is as green as a billiard table. I think our big bed, some pictures, and decoration will make it look perfect!

Madeline's room is my favorite. I went with a dusty pink color. I can't wait to go to IKEA and get her a new bed and a dresser so I can make this the perfect little girls room for her.

The future baby room is a warm purple color. I really like it too! I don't think purple is a girlie color - Paul does. I figure we can slap some trucks up on the wall if it turns out we are having a boy. No big deal.

All in all I am very happy with the colors we chose. There are some areas I need to go back and touch up that didn't get quite covered - mostly edges and around light sockets, etc. But that's no biggy. I will probably do that after we get our stuff - just in case there are any scuffs or bumps from moving the stuff inside. Our shipment should be here on Thursday or Saturday of this week! We are very very excited.

I Want To Clean!!

We bought our beautiful home last December and moved in the beginning of January. It's really hard to believe we have been here for almost 9 months now. We don't even remember the tiny one bedroom apartment we use to live in. It is all... but a mem-or-y. I mean, I guess if I really thought about it I could remember, but you get my point. It was a good move.

I am not the perfect homemaker. I don't clean every day. I don't always make dinner. I do sew on buttons when it is needed. I think maybe if I didn't have to work I'd be better. I am not a neat freak, but I do enjoy a clean house. When I DO clean, I do things a certain way.

I like to sweep, starting with the trim, then the corners, then each particle of dust or garbage is swept into a nice pile in one area. I then move onto the next area. I vaccuum in straight lines - the lines the vaccuum makes on the carpet just do something for me that I cannot describe. It's a physically exciting sensation... woo woo! By the way, if you do not own a Dyson, save up now and get one. I love my Dyson "it never loses suction... evah." We recently bought a mop and one of those industrial mop buckets with the squeezer on it.... do you know how BAD I want to mop my floor???? But that is a lot of bending and that sucker is heavy!!

Since I have blown up into a large watermelon factory and cannot bend over, cleaning has been difficult. Also, My abilities are limited, and to be completely blunt: It sucks ass. Not just one ass... but many many thousands of asses. So Paul has taken on many, or most... okay probably ALL of the responsiblities of cleaning, cooking, putting baby stuff together... basically doing everything. On top of that, I am fussy and emotional most of the time. I find myself saying,

"This is getting SO OLD!!"

a lot, and crying at the drop of a hat. It seems as if every week there are new dust/cat hair tumble weeds blowing across our floors. New spider webs in each corner and crevice. It doesn't end!! Also, I can't seem to get my dishwasher to NOT stink (if you have any secrets or tricks to this, PLEASE share them. We have tried the vinegar thing.)

Through it all Paul has been beyond unbelievable. The extent of his complaining is a common extremely heavy and unusual breath or sigh and a teeny/occassional swear word... or two. But never at me. He does find release in his video games. We haven't been able to get the basketball hoop up yet because of everything Paul has to do, but I know when we get that up it will be another area of release for him.

I feel like a jerk most of the time because even with everything he does for me, I still find tiny things to complain about. I actually sit and monitor him when he does clean, and I critique his technique. I am such a monster sometimes. And then, out of frustration, he will say...

"Do YOU want to do this???!~!!!?!~?!~!&^!*&!^!!!"
and I will say,

"YES! YES I do!!!!!!!!!! but I can't!!!!!!"
and I will cry and cry and cry.

I just hope he knows how much I appreciate him and he doesn't lose his mind before Madeline comes and I can get back to my normal state of ability. I feel like I owe so many people for helping me out these past 8-9 months. Especially my husband.

My mom and sister, Amber, will be here September 9th at 2:30 pm. They are coming specifically to help out around here and take care of us for a week. I am so excited and thankful for them!!! It has been hard not to be able to make my home perfect for when they come.
My mom reminded me that one of the reasons they are coming is to help clean and cook so I need to relax and just get over the embarassment of a 'not so perfect' house. And my sister Amber says,
"That's why we are coming Edith to clean your house and cook your food and wipe your butt."

Geez, I hope I can wipe my own butt after this fiasco. So, I'll try to do that... relax... and wipe my own butt.

Andie McDowell & The Colonel

This morning we woke up to clear blue skies and snow covered everything. We HAD to take advantage of this oppertunity. When would we ever get to play in the snow again living here? I know snow is like water to all of my Utah friends and family, but living here for over six years now has really caused our hearts to ache for a snowy day like Paul and I both had when we were kids. So, we played...

Here's the beginning

This is Paul. The almighty creator. I helped a little but he did most of the work while I tossed snowballs at his bum and took pictures.

This is me and Andie McDowell


And this is Paul and Colonel Jessop, who can't handle the truth.


Icicles... on OUR house. Cool!


A snow angel for my momma.

Le Furniture.

So very sorry that it took me this long to get some more pictures of the furniture up. You know how it is... work, sleep, other stuff - it gets in the way. I finally charged the camera and got some pictures of what we have so far.

Here's Kitty... she's a little vain. Loves the camera.


This is Kitty's area. We recently got her a new poo box and moved it from the laundry room to near the back door. It's nice cause it has a cover and she can potty in peace.


This is one of the three identical lamps in the great room. Paul and I both picked this out. He actualy picked the shade. I really like these lamps.

This is the love seat and table in the hearth room. The couch is the same as the loveseat, just a bit wider. We bought some huge collage frames for this room but we haven't picked 64 pictures to go in them yet. This will take time.


These are the lamps in the hearth room. There are 2 of them. Paul picked these out all by himself. I love the lamps, especially the shades because when they are not on they look all swirly, but when they are they have a plaid look to them.


This is the red chair. It's a Lane recliner. This particular fabric is no longer in production. We originally saw this chair at a different furniture store and when we went back to get it they had already sold it. Paul called all over the place looking for it and found it in Selmer, TN - 2 hours away. He took his friends truck one Saturday and got it. This is my favorite chair. It's not only beautiful it is extremely comfortable. If you come over I will let you sit in it.


This is one of the paintings Paul and I bought for the great room. I love it because of the colors.


This is the dining room table. We haven't done much to this room yet unfortunately, but it's time will come. I am thinking of doing some sort of shelvery in here.

This is the rug by the front door. The cat loves it. She loves all the rugs.


This is the great room. We don't have pictures in the frames by the paintings yet. We were thinking of putting a picture of each of our home towns in these frames.


Another angle...

And there you have it! We still have a lot to do to make it how we want it but we have accomplished a lot so far I think.

Life Is Beautiful

You know that list? I never got to it. So I guess I will just fill you in on what has been happening with us.

It takes a lot out of a person to move into a new place. Thank you to our dear friends Misty & Michael for helping us move. We do not know what we would have done without your help.

We LOVE our new house. We've been in it now for a little over 3 weeks. We still don't have any furniture in the house - other than our old couch, 2 fold out TV tray stands, our mattress, and our plastic foldout table with 2 foldout chairs - but we actually purchased all of our new furniture on Saturday (no interest, no payment for a year!), and most of it will be here on the 26th. It has taken us about 5 months to find the furniture we wanted.

I truly had no idea how many little things you have to pay for when you own a house. Thankfully, Paul and his Excel spreadsheet have it all figured out and he has assured me we are doing fine. Of course our bills are more than they were with a one bedroom apartment so we are trying our best to turn off lights, get only what we need at the store, and Paul is up to his old thermostat games. This is a typical evening on the couch due to the cold environment...


Paul thought this was pretty hilarious. Even kitty needs a blanket!

The neighborhood is nice and quiet and our neighbors are really nice. We live right around the corner from the city animal shelter and a recycling center - I thought that was pretty darn awesome.

Work is going well for both of us. I start my 12-hour/8-hour shift this week where I will be working two 12's and two 8's a week with one day off. Starting February 4th - after the Giants win the Superbowl - I will be on call once a month. It shouldn't be too bad.

Kitty loves the new house. Especially the stairs. She also trots like a horse around the kitchen/great room/dining room and loves to play tag because there is so much room. It is often you will find her on top of the cupboards or in a drawer somewhere.

That's about it as far as announcements.

The only other thing is this...

Yep! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! September should be a great month!