The brain power that goes into decorating for me hurts my head! I am decorating challenged and it has taken me 10 years to figure our my style, colors, etc (and be to afford it). I cannot look at a room, imagine a vision for the room and then make it happen. Every step is a painful planning, prep and copying off of the internet. I am so excited for what has taken shape in our current house. The way I am going, we will probably never leave this house because I have invested so much of myself into it. It is so exciting to be in a place where I can finally paint without getting paint all over the carpets. I finally have figured out the tips and tools to make it possible for this to not be an overwhelming process. I know most people don't like color the way I do, but I hate boring beige. Life it way too short to live in beige. I was so proud of my step-mom when she introduced so many colors to her current home (I love you R)! She could be the queen of beige (and be in her glory). But that also works for her. So to have finally figured out what works for me and us and our space is so thrilling!
In Okinawa, you could go to the paint store on base and ask for a color from the paint strips they provided. Even if there was paint available and the paint mixer wasn't broken down, you just never knew what color the mixer would come out with. I went there several times, picked a paint sample and got a completely different color. To be able now to go to Lowes and come home with exactly the perfect color is amazing! I am so grateful to be able to have all the kinks worked out and coming out with a finished product I LOVE! Have you read this
article? This is exactly how every project and idea I have attempted has turned out. So about a year ago I gave up trying Pintrest ideas...I use them as a base to develop my own ideas and make sure the ideas are for inanimate objects only!
Also during the last deployment I discussed the stages of deployment for military wives
(little like stages of grief):
1. Redecorate
2. Shopping
3. Get some sort of pet
4. Body make-over
5. Trip to somewhere
My resolve:
1. Painting bedroom, living room, kitchen and downstairs bathroom
2. don't really need anything so skipping this...well, maybe shopping for stuff for the garden
3. M made me promise absolutely no pets while he is gone. But what would he think about a snake?
I think that would be AWESOME! I never thought about getting a snake for a pet, but it is my favorite animal. Can you imagine how cool the boys would think feeding the snake is?
4. lost 6 lbs so far
5. leaving for SC on Saturday...and we have ADT so no one reading this can break in and steal our "valuable" half broken kids' toys ;)
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| living room paint |
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| why is paint prep is the bulk of the time? I would repaint all the time if it weren't for the prep work! |
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| M, I hope you really do like this because I am not painting in a house again for many years! |
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The book case wall I painted last fall. But now the grey blends with the blue accent wall.
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finished room. I am in love with this
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I struggle with being able to paint and finish this house. How many kids in the Philippines could I feed on what a can of paint cost? How do you balance what you are blessed with and what others need? Am I too self-centered to be working on my house? I love this hobby of working on the house and the garden, but am I taking away from what others need way more than I need a can of paint? Feel free to provide some insight to these questions...
I also feel because we have 3 small kids, working for others outside the home is not in our realm right now. In a couple of years the kids will be right alongside me helping and contributing to others around us. Right now I am at home so to keep me sane, I work on the home. It will get better but right now it is all I can do to clean up after these monsters. |
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Never mind the pile of junk...gotta love what you find when you pull out the furniture.
Loving this space! |
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| this circle I added on Sunday to match the rectangle in the middle |
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First time I have ever painted! Not too shabby if I do say so myself.
Won't be starting an Etsy shop or anything, but I enjoyed making this for our room. |
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| I am fairly proud of my first attempt at an actual painting...ever. |
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| C for Collins in case you didn't quite get it |
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| I am very excited about how the bedroom turned out! |
OH -- and just in case you didn't remember, my BIRTHDAY is on SATURDAY...no gifts please...just phone calls and FB notes ;)! I LOVE my birthday!!! L girl is apparently planning a surprise party with my 9 year old sister...cracking me up because the planning has consisted of saying on the phone to each other:
L girl "Let's plan a surprise party for my mamma at 10:30"
My sister, "Ok"
I love these kids!
Now to discuss the blessings so far on this deployment...
1. The boys had a stomach bug last week and ALL bodily fluids went into the toilet or some sort of container! Do you know what a milestone this is!?!??! Last time I had 22 crib changes in 11 days...that meant changing sheets, scrubbing the walls, the cribs, the floors and the kid. 22 times!
2. Still enjoying the bed to myself as M is enjoying not being pushed out of the bed
3. Last time L girl peed on the floor for one straight month once every single day right after M left...this time no potty regression for anyone!
4. The boys miss daddy and notice he is gone and ask about him...but no sobbing the way L girl did last time. Boys just handle things differently and I love the less drama way of dealing with the deployment.
5. WE ARE IN THE U.S. OF A. That make such a HUGE difference! We have already had one set of visitors and have another visit planned this week. Such a great way to spend time!
6. Even 6 months ago I would not have dreamt of being able to paint in the house with my 3 monsters...but here I am painting away. Yes it is a bit of TV time for them, but I am actually able to paint!
7. We have a yard!!!! After living in a 1100 sq ft apartment, do you know how amazing it is to have a yard?!?! We have spent hours already playing outside in the pool and sprinklers just since he left! The kids can go out on their playground any time!
8. The kids only need a referee every couple of hours...yes hours! They are actually playing together and getting along. We don't spend the whole day yelling, them yelling at each other, me yelling at them to stop yelling, and then them yelling because I was yelling! It is glorious!
I need to get back to taking care of the kids...they have been fed and are not dead, but a little neglected this week as I painted.
