Sick day today....

Mommy's got Aunt Flo visiting. Drew wakes up with a tummy ache (self induced from missing his brother, I'm sure) so we had a zero-productivity day.

Typically Drew is at his extremely expensive, two-day-a-week summer reading/phonics camp but I just think he needed a day to "chill" and so today was that day.

We did go run a few errands today. I felt like I've been to the grocery store every day for the last four days and every time I go, it's nearly $100! Crazy! Saturday for an early Father's Day cook-out since my dad was leaving town ON Father's Day, Sunday for something, yesterday for another round and then again today for what I kept forgetting! Today, however, the store run consisted of a Target spree. I love their $1 section! :) It's like a homeschooler's goldmine. They had some great flash cards on all kinds of things from dinosaurs to US landmarks. We're going to have a great year this year! I'm already looking forward to it!

I'm glad Drew was there with me because he helped me remember what the heck I was there for. I'd walked down this one aisle wondering why in the heck I was walking down it... got to the picture frames... you know, the typical "Target browse" where you wind up buying about 10 things that weren't on your list! He said, "Mommy where are duh stwahs?" I was like, "OH geeze, thanks for reminding me! We walked right past them and I forgot!" He was like, "Silly mommy." And I'm thinking, "I wonder if it's true how I heard that if you use antiperspirant that you're more likely to develop Alzheimer's???"

Oh, we also went to a local consignment store. I am hell-bent on getting a travel stroller for Drew to use while we're in Disney this September. I don't want to pay the $15 or more a day to rent one when I can PURCHASE one that will recline all the way and actually be comfortable AND sell it when I'm done to get some of the money back! I remember going when Josh was 4 and the stroller for him was so not comfortable. It was roomy..so if we did rent theirs, we'd totally have to bring a pillow or something to make it comfortable for him. I'd get out the zip ties and squish two pillows down to nothing in our bags... and then use them for the boys while we're there... so that it'd be comfy. We'll see. I had no luck finding one at the consignment store. While we were at Target I did look at some new ones but Drew's too tall in his upper body so that his little head was squished over -- he was simply too tall for it. I may actually wind up having to get a high dollar lightweight so that it'll work. Dad gummit! I really just want a light weight stroller that reclines back so the poor kid can take a nap if need be... I have a light weight stroller but it doesn't recline. And you know, once you get your mind around something... you just want it because that's what you want. I guess in the end... I may be using that again. Oh well.

I've also got the bug... I've got the decorating bug. I'm ready for some drastic changes in my house! The last time I felt like this... my living room was turned red. :) I need color in my life. :)

What's on the agenda now you ask? Well.... do you have a week? Ha ha ha! (oh, and as a sidebar - the photos on this are obviously not mine. I have clicked and saved where ever I've seen something that has caught my fancy. If they are from a site you know, let me know and I'll gladly give credit where credit is due.)

Exterior: paint, recaulk, new roof, gutters on one side of the house. I actually think I'd like to get a rainwater collection bucket for the backyard. Oh and we need to repair outdoor lighting and the sprinkler system in one spot where there appears to be a slow leak.

I'd like to consult with a decorator (unless any of you are up to giving me decorating advice -- maybe I should put pictures on Rate My Space?!)

Interior: All major areas except the upstairs tv room, family room and Josh's room need to be repainted.... trim included.

Foyer: This needs to be painted. I've picked a color I like...it's similar to a color called Restrained Gold by Sherwin Williams.

Laundry Room: I'm going to overhaul this room. While I initially painted it a really cool shade of green (not cool as in a color that is "cool" in hue... I mean, cool as in groovy!) But I think reality has sunk in and it needs to be painted the same color as the rest of my house is going to be. I'm then going to paint the cabinets black and get a new countertop and install pewterish colored hardware on the doors/drawers. I'm big on hardware. Find a cute little curtain for in there and it'd be all cute and DONE! :) Right now the walls are green, washer/dryer are red...cabinet, floors and trim are all white... it just is a mess! I'm SICK of the white walls... not a fan of white walls. BUT... I did see this CUTE picture today of this country/cottage/whatever little room that had black walls... white cabinets! LOVED IT! And the red curtain would go perfectly with my family room.


Kitchen: I want to purchase a beautiful lit wrought iron pot rack to hang above my oversized island. I need a window treatment above the area where the cooktop is. I need to know what the heck to put on the counters... I have NO CLUE how to accessorize counters and I can't seem to find any place where they give ideas. Anyone have some ideas -- come to my rescue! I would like to install some under counter lighting and I'd like to get some rugs for the areas where I stand a lot that have some cushion but that are also easy to clean. BUT... ha ha... wouldn't you just DIE for a kitchen like this?
I would! I do save little pictures here and there from all over the web. Like this one -- I saved because I love the idea of dark storage for root veggies. Genius use of that space to brake up the monotony of cabinets.


Guest Bath: I want this redone DECOR-wise... I don't have a clue what to do... I just know that I don't want it like it is... any... more.

Master Bed: I want the walls painted, the floors done in a stained concrete (black), new bedding (seriously need help picking this out too). I need my curtains that pool in the floor FIXED so that htey don't becuase I HATE curtains that pool in the floor -- with two children that like to play hide and seek -- curtains that pool are an evil, evil thing. One thing is that...while I like rooms like this: and can appreciate it. It's absolutely NOT ME. It's so sterile and lackluster and boring (to me) that it's just blah! I think it's beautiful but so sterile looking. I think this is the color scheme for bedding that I want:
And this isn't even rich and puffy but it looks SO comfortable. Not sure the dark chocolate would work in my room but I still like it...and the touch of whimsy the zebra pillow adds.

I just need to find it with ANOTHER color of wall because I don't want yellow walls with the taupe curtains I already have.... Hmmmm.... gotta think now... hmm..m.m.m.m.

Master bath: This bathroom has TOO MUCH WHITE! White counter tops (double vanity), white 18" tile floor, white-ish wallpaper with a faint taupish print. I'm going to take the taupe off the print and paint the vanity cabinets taupe and install hardware on them -- probably in black. I'm thinking of going the whole country-cottage-shabby chic and do the white/black/taupe route with this. That way it will also play into the taupe/black theme in the Masterbedroom I want to carry out (I think). ha ha! I think this will be easier than hanging new wall paper or having someone come strip the wallpaper and then texturizing the wall like that plaster finish (that I'd REALLY like to have done) done. :) I'd also like to have a cabinet built in the loo closet as well...with pegs or a towel rod that hangs below... . You know, a place to hide things like... toilet paper, monthly requirements and even medicine. There IS no medicine closet in my bathroom?! It was in a bottom vanity drawer but face it, that's not safe with children. It's currently in an drawer in my closet. Since I don't own a chest of drawers... I built a shelf rack from the Container Store's Elfa Storage systems. :) I'm sure I could have bought a hand scraped mahagony dresser for the cost of that freakin thing! But at the time, it was a much needed necessity so I won't complain now! :) I have a 1/2 moon window above the jacuzzi tub that I hate with a passion so that's going to be covered with frosted vinyl stuff so the neighbors can't peek in... and it needs a window treatment BADLY! The room is SCREAMING for color! So...what color is a good accent color for black/taupe/white? ??? yeah, I don't know either. I was thinking light turquoise???? Heck, I haven't a clue. BUT then maybe painting the cabinets BLACK is a great way to give the room a kick. Check this out:


Breakfast nook -- this room has windows on all sides and NO WINDOW TREATMENTS! I'll tell you.... patterns SCARE ME. I love them as long as someone ELSE PICKS THEM OUT! I need something that looks good in here and coordinates with the red family room. I also want a new 60' square table. I found one. I'm just tired of the old old old one that's in there. It creaks, it's ugly, it's an odd size. I just want one for me. And a rug. :)

Family room: This room ... WINDOW TREATMENTS! I think I actually have a clue what I want in this room. Like I said earlier, the walls are red in here...and I love it. I need someone to come tell me what to put on the mantle... I love a beautiful mantle. I also want a rug in this room... I think I'm going to get a room carpet actually... a huge shag room carpet that is just inviting and cozy. :) I need some printed fun pillows for the couch as well. The last thing this room needs is a lamp with a fun shade and a display on a bombay chest that is in there... and perhaps some kind of photo/display on a wall area above my computer armoire.

Formal Dining room: This room needs color!!!!!! I want to paint this room and...you guessed it... WINDOW TREATMENTS for the large window that faces the dining room.

Formal Living Room I have an artist coming to do a beautiful "thing" to the area above the fireplace ... it's textured..scrollish hand painted stuff to make it beautiful so that NOTHING needs to hang there (picture) and it's just beautiful.... after that, I need someone to come set up a beautiful display on the mantle. :) ha ha ... Like I've said.. I SUCK AT ACCESSORIZING! I can find ideas that I like from pictures and other places... but coming up with it on my own... I have a panic attack!

And that's pretty much the downstairs -- the office/classroom is just...well, that's going to be something for another day. I do think I'll apply that frosting to the glass French doors so that the mess is hidden, however. :)

It's hard, too, to figure out what "style" I am when I'm decorating. I know, for sure, I'm not French country -- too much pattern/floral. I know I'm not modern as I hate the clean lines. Is "comfort" a style? This is more like me. Rustic elegance. I love old furniture. I love weathered wood. I love pieces with history. I want my house to look like a place you just want to kick off your shoes and snuggle on some comfy furniture. I don't want everything so in it's place and sterile people are afraid to sit down. While I like looking at those places, they're SO not me.


So... while I'm making this little laundry list of items to do... I just think...OOOH... I want some new Cricut cartridges too! Ha ha ha! :) I LOVE the Cricut! It's the coolest thing ever! :) But that's a post for another day.