Master Bath

The bath is actually 2 rooms, the room with the tub, sink, and toilet and the small vanity area. The room with the sink, tub, and toilet started out with this lovely blue ceramic tile. Behind that ceramic tile is a WHOLE lot of cement and then fabulous wire netting. It is horrible trying to "gut" it all. Michael and I had lots o' fun. Seriously, I was wearing a mask and a shower cap (gotta be protected).

We are knocking down the wall separating the 2 rooms. We are moving the sink to the vanity area, building a linen closet, and adding a jetted, whirlpool tub.













Here are the girls while we are working. Mary Margaret actually was a lot of help. She loves to wear her "work gloves" with the bugs on them. Hilarious!




Here is a glimpse of the outside:


We are kind of in a holding pattern right now. We are having the house completely re-wired and re-plumbed....apparently that takes some time. Who knew? We should start seeing more aesthetic work in about 10 days.....hopefully. Ever watched "Flip That House"?? Well, we are totally there, over-budget and over our expected time line. I guess that is how it goes in old home renovation, right?

What's up?

Hey readers, that is if I still have any?! I have been so busy. My baby, Harper Jane turned one on Monday. We had a fabulous party on Saturday at my aunt's out by her pool. We had such fun. I've been teary since then. Mary Margaret will begin pre-school on Tuesday. I'm overwhelmed. Why can't I just stop time?

I'll be posting some sweet pictures of the birthday girl soon. She loved digging into her cake and rubbing it all over her legs. Yes, she was covered (literally) in cake!

Here are a few pics of the house.

We have "chipped" up all that parquee flooring. Underneath was glue covered pine wood floors. They will be refinished shortly. Don't you love the built ins in the dining room? I do. I did get to keep all the antique chandeliers--so excited about that. Also, did you see the kitchen? Well it's not there any more. We've taken all that to the studs....scary, very scary or at least my Nene told me that when she saw it over the weekend (remember, she has no vision).









Here are some "in action" shots (living room and kitchen):






Have I scared you yet! The next post will be the master bath. Prepare yourself!

A List!

Can you believe it? A list? On my blog? Shocking, I know. Here is a list of all things going on with the Douglas family.

1. We've moved into an apartment (albeit a brand new apartment) in a somewhat scary 'hood.
2. It was only supposed to be for a month.
3. We are now looking at being here for 6 weeks.
4. After all is said and done, we will probably be here for 2 months (we hope)!
5. HJ turns 1 in 2 weeks. I'm still in denial.
6. MM starts pre-school after Labor Day.
7. Nervous is an understatement when I think of that.
8. Manual labor is killing me at our new (old) house.
9. We "chipped" up parquet floors off the original hard woods in 3 (B I G) rooms.


10. That sounds a lot easier than it actually was. LOTS 'o GLUE on those parquet boards. Lots 'o glue!
11. I'm so sore I can barely pick up HJ.
12. I'm a fragile, delicate flower and should not be performing such feats.
13. Just kidding! I really loved every minute of it. It was such a stress reliever!
14. Our old house had 15 (yes, 15) wall heaters. They were all removed yesterday. They were not child-friendly and we really didn't need them.
15. Our backyard now is home to the following items: a stove, a cook-top, a toilet, a sink, 15 wall heaters, and an old microwave.
16. We are like the "Sanford and Son" of our historic neighborhood.

17. Obviously, not the impression I was hoping to make.
18. I invited my grandmother to come see our new house.
19. She said she probably shouldn't come see it right now.
20. She reminded me that she lacks "vision"!
21. She is right not to come see our house right now as it is a major construction situation. At least she is honest:)

What about you? Do you lack vision? Are you able to see the hidden potential in an old house? Or do you prefer a new home? Let me know. I'll let you know if I've changed my mind after this ordeal. HA!

I promise (PROMISE) that I will upload some pics of our progress.

A giveaway and a break!

Here is a fantastic giveaway for a COACH purse, yes that's right friends, a COACH purse! Go enter! NOW!!



LINKAGE IS HERE

Also because our house closing is tomorrow and who knows when we will have internet again, I will be on a bloggy break for a little while. I know I've been oh-so-bad about bloggy recently but this move, it's a killing me. Seriously. Moving with 2 young children (and ALL. THOSE. TOYS.) is very hard. I promise I have lots to share but I'm planning on sleeping for like, 3 days straight after tomorrow. I just wonder what the girls will do while I'm off in siesta-land?

I'll be back (say that in your best Arnold voice)!

I need all the tips I can get....

I enjoyed an article today on Wacky Beauty Tips and you might too. Do you have any wacky beauty tips??

LINKAGE IS HERE

Never thought I'd say it

Today MM went to the doctor just to check out the status of her illness. I had prepared myself for the absolute worst situation (ever the eternal optimist, aren't I?). I won't bore you with all the symptoms she displayed over the last week. The doctor believes that it is not a GBS relapse. He actually thinks that it is mono. I never thought I would be relieved that my child had mono, but here we are!

She has such a fear of the doctor's office (the initial GBS attack started her fear)....so of course, I did what any stressed out mom would do----I totally bribed her with a baby Disney Princess toy.

So we go into the room and she sits down, looks up at the doc, and says, "If I do exactly what you tell me to do, I get a surprise. So what do I need to do?"

That's my girl, precisely to the point. Never have to wonder what she is thinking. Don't know where she gets it?

Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and well wishes. I needed some sweet comments!:)

M. I. A.

Yes, I know.

I've been missing....missing in the sands of Gulf Shores.

It was a wonderful vacation. We did not have internet access, which at first troubled me. Really I was all wanting to go to a coffee shop so I could catch up on all my bloggy friends. Later, I realized what a nice break it was. Please don't be offended....I clicked "Mark all as read" on my Google Reader. Let me know if you had some big news over the last week.

I have lots of fabulous pictures and I will share these after I rest up a bit. My dear hubby forced us all up at 7 every day so we could "maximize the beach time"!

He was exhausting.

Just Kidding!

Also I have blogged about MM's health problems before. Well we are in the throes of another relapse. Please say a little prayer for her.

More later!

Room Makeover?

I am in the throes of making big decisions and I'm not talking about the Presidential election.

I'm trying to choose kitchen cabinets.

Stain or white?

If stain, what color?

Glaze or no glaze?

If glaze, then which one?

What about hardware?

Then according to what cabinet, what granite to choose?

What about the backsplash?

Uh, hello? I'm Lindsey and I have a problem. I'm indecisive.

I have a hard time deciding what I'm going to wear each day. It's just I keep thinking I'm going to have to look at these cabinets every day, for a very long time. Oh and I've got this little thing called a budget that means I'm trying to stay within limits or at least that is what the hubby tells me.

Money being no object, what room would you re-do in your house and what would you do to it? Give me your re-do ideas!

P.S. This is the cabinet I'm leaning toward:

Seasonal Movies

And I'm not just talking about Christmas movies here, people.

I tried to watch Little Women one night last week and I couldn't watch it. Why, you might be asking yourself? I was confused a bit and then I started thinking (yes, I can manage to think occassionally even after 2 children---shocked aren't you?)

It is because Little Women is a WINTER movie. There are just some movies that I can't watch during the summer. Saving Private Ryan is another winter movie as is the Band of Brothers Series. I just can't do it.

I was thinking it was just some weird idiosyncracy that I have (believe me, I have quite a few of them). So I did a little experiment with M. We Netflix (and I love it, btw). We were looking at what movies we might want to receive next and I just said, "Let's watch Band of Brothers Series. That is such a good series. Let's rewatch it."

M responded, "No, let's wait til it's cold outside again before we watch it."

My little experiment proved that we are two very weird people, right? Or do you, my blog friends, have movies that you only like to watch in certain seasons? I've started a little list below.

Imagine that, A LIST! On my blog? NO?!

Add to it, PLEASE!

Winter
1. Band of Brothers
2. Little Women
3. Day After Tomorrow (hello? ALL. THAT. SNOW.)
4. Casablanca
5. Hitchcock movies
6. The Godfather movies

Summer
1. Grease
2. Indiana Jones (all of them)
3. A Time to Kill (maybe b/c they sweat the entire movie)
4. Sex and the City
5. Sweet Home Alabama

I'm not like this about all movies but there are just some that are seasonal. Call me crazy? I deserve it.

P.S. I haven't even started packing yet. I have been too busy getting estimates for the remodel work on the new old house. Ick!

Things I'm glad I'm not

Well over the last few days, I have been pondering over certain occupations. You all know that I chose teaching as my profession and I'm more thankful than ever. Here are several jobs I couldn't be paid to do (Yay! Another list! Excited yet?):

1. House Inspector (think of all the things they find/see) BTW, we have ours soon, keep your fingers crossed and pray!
2. Pest Control Person (2 words: Glue Boards. ICK!!)
3. Mover (I could not stare at boxes all day long much less be expected to move them)
4. Lowe's worker (I could not deal with people like me on a daily basis)
5. Plumber
6. Roofer (It's hot, people)

Are you noticing a theme here?

P.S. I hope I have not offended anyone by my list, that is not my intention. I simply am glad I chose teaching as my life long job.

What are you glad you are not???

Strike a pose!

Swimming fun
Matching swimsuits, of course!




HJ at the end of our bed...just hanging out!


One day I was looking everywhere for MM. Guess where she was??? Hiding with her favorite play friends. All her stuffed animals!


Ready for choir camp. She had such fun!



Guess who loves, loves, loves ice cream??? Don't tell me that she's not supposed to have it yet....I know, I know! No milk allergies in our family!





Finally enough hair for a bow!


Playing together already!







Swimming at Emma's. Emma is the daughter of one of my very best friends (since we were 6) and my college roomie, Amber. I am so glad she is only 45 minutes away.




Emma's 5th birthday party. These girls play so well together!

Need a good laugh?

I'm always for watching funny videos of kids and these are great! If you need a break from your day or need a good laugh, check these out!

LINKAGE

Thank me later! HA!

P.S. Christy (mother of soon to be baby Jude), YOU MUST CHECK THESE OUT!!!

I'm still kicking...and screaming

So the past few days have been quite a whirlwind.

We have sold our home. My precious home. The one I brought my beloved girls home to, the one where I've rocked them, the house that M and I have slaved working on, the one where we just built the precious swing set, the house that has my mark all over it, the one where all my neighbors are my good friends. You know, MY HOME! I'm very attached to this old house. Can you tell?

We are moving to the community where my husband's job is located. He needs to be there. I understand. I'll make new friends and meet new neighbors.

Sometimes endings are sad and beginnings are scary.

I know it's for the best.

The buyers of our house are precious. They want us out in a month. That's right, my friends, a month.

I can do it! Yes we can (Do I sound a little like Obama?)!

I've been saying this mantra for the past few days. It's helping me feel better although it is not helping me with all this packing!

I may be in and out for awhile. Stick with me my bloggy friends. I will need that support system, words of encouragement, and prayers.

Wordless Wednesday--This makes me smile....

An advertisement from the 30s. Oh the good ol' days!

I was wrong.

Have you ever been wrong? I have. Do you admit it when you are wrong? I normally don't, but today I thought I might give it a try.

1. I didn't think I could love another child as much as I love MM. I was definitely wrong about that one. It is amazing how your heart just opens up and fills with more love.

2. I didn't think I would love staying at home. I am normally very fidgety by nature and have the need to be on the go at all times. My, how times have changed! I can totally stay at home in my jammies with the girls.

3. I actually like to cook now. I love finding new fun recipes to try. This is a new development....like a year ago new. I never, I repeat, NEVER thought I would enjoy being in the kitchen.


4. I never thought I would nurse my children for so long. Seriously. With MM, I just thought I would nurse for the first 6 weeks and then she would go on formula. After those first 6 weeks, I started pumping and never looked back. I pumped 3 times a day while teaching school. Yes, you read that right. For 5 months. I ended up nursing her for 14 months. Yes, I endured lots of questions, "How long are you going to nurse her?" She never had formula. It was worth it. Please don't ask me when I'm going to stop or I'll give you the look.

5. I thought I would enjoy scrapbooking. Boy was I wrong about this one. It drives me crazy. I don't know if I don't have the patience for it or what. Ick! My mother loves it. More power to ya, scrapbookers!

6. I never thought I would go somewhere, anywhere and actually think, "Did I forget to brush my hair?" or "Did I brush my teeth?" I totally have gotten the girls ready and gone out in public and thought these questions. I was so wrong!


7. I never believed that I would enjoy blogging so much. The blogging world brings about so much. I've made new friends, gotten great ideas (from cooking to decorating), and I always have a sounding board. How nice is that?!

8. If you would have told me when I was 10 years old that I would love to go "antiquing" I would have laughed at you. My mom made me go to all these antique stores with her when I was younger and I hated it. Now, I love it. Seriously. I have a love affair with old stuff.

9. I hated Vera Bradley stuff up until about 3 years ago. I would not have carried it to save my life. Now I love it.


10. "The Real World" used to be watched every season. I never thought I would stop watching it but I have. Ick! I just can't stand to watch all that debauchery. I mean how many times can you see the same situation.

11. I love gardening. I love learning about plants. I love putting flowers in my yard, my window boxes, in all my pots. If you would have told me that while I was in college, I would have passed out. Really.


12. I would have never believed that I could jam out to kids music (The Backyardigans, Dora, Diego, nursery rhymes, etc). HJ is already starting to try and dance. It is so cute!


What have you been wrong about? Admit it?! Come on!