Tuesday, May 26, 2009

One more room down

well, not quite. But the upstairs bathroom is now usable again. We tore it apart about a month ago and it's been a long slog to get it put all pack together. I'd show pictures but those will have to wait until we're done with it.

We laid the tile on Saturday, I laid it, Steve cut. Monday morning bright and early, we grouted. Monday evening we installed the vanity, including the granite counter top with wide spread faucet, and the toilet. The new tub has been in for a couple of weeks. It's full size porcelain on steel with a white tile surround. It's definitely an upgrade from the previous fiberglass tub and surround that we didn't know weren't full sized until the new tub was brought in. How do you miss that? I don't know, it's the only tub in the house and I tend to not shower with a measuring tape in hand.

I appreciate having two working toilets in the house again and it was wonderful to shower today. Our second bath is a 3/4 with a small 30" shower. It's impossible to shave one's legs properly in a 30" shower.

I can't wait to show pictures. We still have to get the mirror hung, the over head light and the towel bars up. When that's all done, I'll show it off. :)

Sunday, May 24, 2009

He's always thinking

We're in the middle of remodeling the upstairs bathroom. We've got the tub in and yesterday we painted and tiled the floor. There's no vanity or shower curtain up yet, so the room echos quite a bit.

We let the kids bathe in the tub today and Matt quickly discovered the joy of an echo-y room. "Echoooooooooooo! Eeeeeeeeeechooooooo!" he yelled, thoroughly enjoying himself with the sound of his own voice reflected back. Then he started off singing the theme to Crazy Frog. (If you don't know crazy frog, count yourself lucky.) He stopped for a minute.

Then came, "Daaaaad! Hey Dad!"

"Yes?" Steve called back.

"Dad, can you get me my kazoo?"

Friday, May 22, 2009

Ceremonies Before Their Time

Sarah graduates today. She's not a child prodigy on her way to Harvard. Her school has 8th grade graduation. She left today with her make up in her bag (because heaven forbid she actually wear it to school for no reason) and her Christmas dress over one arm. The girls all get dressed after lunch and the ceremony is at one.

We've invited the grandparents and Steve is taking a half day from work. We might take the kids out for dinner if we're feeling flush.

That's about all the celebrating we'll do. We're not big 8th grade graduation people.

Oh, I was going to paint my toe nails in honor of the day, but I can't find my red polish.

But I am proud of her. Middle school has been really hard for her. She's having trouble balancing her work and her reading, what she needs to listen to and what she can tune out. She came very close to having to attend summer school this year but managed to pull herself back from the brink with a week of catch up work.

I also had to have her banned from the school library. I should have done it sooner. The librarian informed me that besides the two to three books she was bringing home every day, she was reading at least one or two during the day.

I don't think she realizes there's no Guinness record for most books read.

Friday, May 08, 2009

Totoally proud of myself

I jogged today. Ok, it was only 410 meters (one lap on the outside lane) but I jogged dang it! I wasn't even huffing and puffing by the end, I sprinted my way to the end (at 10 m left.) and I feel good.

I've been exercising on a regular basis for several years now. I walk 3 miles a day 5 days a week. It's never left me feeling energized until lately. There's four of us now and we've all been really pushing each other to walk faster and really work hard. We were doing 15 minute miles, now we're down to 12 minute miles. Three of us are looking at running a 5k this fall. Just to say we did.

I came home this morning and I wasn't ready to sit yet. So I didn't. I mowed the lawn. We have a big lawn, so it took me an hour and a half. Then I came inside and started cleaning. I didn't let myself sit down until after 12 pm.

I'm tired now, but it was a good morning.

It's so funny to think that the reason I may not have been getting the adrenalin boost all these years is because I wasn't working hard enough. It's also nice to think to myself "ah, this is how other women keep their houses clean. They feel like this."