Extreme Home Makeover: Powder Room Edition

My sister Susan and I have birthdays one day (and fourteen years) apart. This year she and her husband Fred came for a visit so we could celebrate together. Several weeks ago she told me that for my birthday she wanted to give me a "powder room makeover." Sweet! I was excited as she told me of various color ideas and fabric remnants she had for the window, etc.

Now, unless you've actually been in my powder room, and unless you know you know the extent of my designer sister's talent and vision, you might not realize just how exciting a prospect this was for me. And let me tell you, you've got to have some imagination when you're starting with this:

Note the marbled Formica countertop with flesh-colored tile backsplash. (The monogrammed guest towels--a prior gift from Susan's store--are currently the only thing cute in the bathroom).

Don't overlook the beautiful original 1959 retro light fixture and circa 1980 mauve and blue floral wall paper:

You've got to love the mauve accents on the cupboard doors:

But my most favorite part is the original linoleum flooring--yes, I have cleaned it many times with many different products. The end result is always this lovely, inviting shade of dingy tan:

Now, when Susan said "makeover," I had in mind paint, maybe a new light fixture, and a cute window treatment. I was excited by the prospect. My sister, however, had much bigger plans.

Midway through Day 1, this is what the room looked like:

And this is what Susan and I found on the driveway after a trip to Home Depot (her third for the day):

Jump ahead to the end of Day 2, after working all day today while being snowed in (in case you haven't heard, Denver was hit by a blizzard):

I can hardly wait to see what tomorrow will bring--I'll keep you posted! If birthdays are this good then I don't mind getting older.

bananagrams

What do bananas, problem solving, and Family Home Evening have in common? Thanks to a fun new game my friend Ann gave me, we had a great time together last night combining all three.

I have known Ann since kindergarten and have remained friends--best buds, even--all through high school. I credit her for keeping in touch through the years and look forward to seeing her when she comes through Denver to visit family. She happened to be here this weekend and was able to come for Sunday dinner. She's one of those friends who I can pick up with right where I left off, with no awkwardness or aggravation of reacquainting.

She told us about this fun word game called Bananagrams which is sort of like Scrabble, but played individually, making crossword-type configurations. (She said that the game itself has very little to do with bananas except for the bag it comes in). Before she left town she brought by a gift for my birthday--my very own Bananagrams game!

We played it that night (Sunday) and again last night for FHE. I even managed to work in a pre-game discussion about problem solving in our lives--the need for looking at a given problem or trial from multiple points of view in order to solve or even to just get through it. We talked about coping strategies and had quite a productive conversation.

Here is one of Mark's winning rounds:

And here's the rest of the gang:

I can't wait until Michelle gets here; I think this game is right up her alley! I love Scrabble, but don't play much anymore since my Scrabble partner mother can no longer see to play. Playing this game reminds me of how much I like word games. I give it five stars!

early birthday surprise!

Last Thursday night around 7:00 p.m. I received a text message from Charlotte which said "Guess where we are? Happy early birthday!!!" Attached to the message was a photo of an airport terminal sign which had a flight number, a departure time, and the destination: DENVER! Earlier that day both she and Emily had both told me they were shipping my birthday package that day. I had no idea my gift would be the two of them!

They arrived home around 11:30 p.m. Thursday night and had (thankfully) arranged for a good friend to pick them up at the airport. Apparently one of the girls' friends, upon hearing of the surprise birthday plan, had asked, "But what if your family decides to go out of town that weekend?" Obviously, they don't realize what boring homebody parents Charlotte and Emily have.

I was sad that I had to work on Friday, but delighted to come home to find that Emily had mopped the kitchen floor for me! Now that's what I call a birthday gift. She neglected to document the mopping while doing it, but she willingly obliged me this photo on Saturday, even changing back into her favorite cleaning shirt and posing with the Murphy's Oil soap.

It was so fun to have company in the kitchen again. I love working together--chopping, sauteing, dish-washing, singing, occasionally kitchen dancing--everyday things are just so much more enjoyable with Charlotte and Emily around.

On Saturday afternoon we ran errands, which included a stop at Michael's (I was inspired by Michelle's recent post to revamp the floral in my front door Spring basket).

We unabashedly snapped photos throughout the aisles of Michael's, laughing at these lovely Big Bling rings for a mere $2.98.

We laughed when Charlotte got trapped in the back seat of my car. She was sitting on the side with the kidnapper door and couldn't get out until Emily obligingly opened the door for her. The door used to open like a charm after only three tries, but Charlotte lost count at ninety (yes, 90) and gave up. Even the dumb things in life are easy to laugh about with these two around.

Of course, we made time for stop at 7-11 for a fountain drink. I like mine with a shot of cherry flavoring. Here's Emily pondering what flavor to add to her Diet Pepsi.

And here's our Big Gulp SP in the car:

After dinner Saturday night the kids had fun jumping on the trampoline in the dark (this is Sarah's favorite pastime).

We had Stake Conference today and came home to hurry and make their favorite dinner (roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, etc.) before having to leave for the airport this afternoon. We forgot to take any family pictures in our Sunday clothes, but managed to take this group SP while making dinner (Mark was late getting home, which is probably not such a bad thing, since I'm not sure how we'd all fit in!).

I'm really working this birthday angle; when my mom asked what she should make for today's dessert, I quickly replied, "Chocolate pie," which everyone loves--especially me. Now I can have my two favorite desserts in one week--chocolate pie today and German Chocolate cake on my birthday--both sure to make my pants fit better.

Mark and I rode together to take the girls to the airport. I'm usually a crier when it comes to airport departures, but this time it wasn't quite as sad, since they'll be coming home for the summer in another month. Mark didn't even cringe when I requested this SP at the airport curbside, though his SP skills need a little honing.

So now I'm tired, just a tad blue, but mostly happy and grateful for such a fun weekend with "The Girls." Thanks, girls, for such a fabulous birthday gift--I love you both so much.

sure sign of spring

Beautiful is not the word I would ever use to describe my home's landscaping. Every spring, however, there are a few tenacious daffodils and hyacinths that manage to make a brief but cheerful appearance along my front walkway.


I noticed them for the first time last week. Welcome, Spring!

good and not-so-good

When the kids were younger we used to share the Good and Not-So-Good highlights from our days at the dinner table. When I was the YW president years ago, I used to do the same thing for a few minutes at the beginning of our lesson time. It proved to be a fun tradition and a great way to get a feel for what was going on in each other's lives.

So with that theme in mind, I'm going to share some of the Goods and Not-So-Goods of my week:

Good: Today I finished returning costumes and can officially "put this show in the books," so to speak. I feel good about how the show looked and especially enjoyed watching the leading couple dance in these costumes I made for them.

Not-So-Good: Because of the musical, I missed Sarah's clogging competition at Thanksgiving Point last week. She received a first-place ranking in all her events--individual and team!

Good: I finally made it to Petsmart to buy dog food and a new Nylabone for Moosey.

Not-So-Good: I didn't realize that the Nylabone was the "flexible" (a.k.a. easier to chew) kind. It was $8 and in less than 24 hours it looks like this, which also means that there are tiny pieces of it strewn about the carpet. Good thing I love her so much.

Good: I cleaned up and vacuumed my sewing area (and even got a little ironing done)! Now Mark won't have to worry about the possibility of embedded gold glitter in his work clothes.

Not-So-Good: The process of cleaning up one area always leads to a pile of things that migrate to another area to be put away.

Good: I was asked to teach another ward's YW class two weeks ago on the topic of Virtue and used this photo of my two exemplary daughters as a visual aide. Not-So-Good: I felt like I was giving the lesson to the pillars at Stonehenge.

Good: I've been flossing faithfully every night for over two months! I'm converted now.

Not-So-Good: No, actually, this one is truly a BAD. Despite my improved dental hygiene habit, I still need a new crown on one of my back molars.

Good: My life has been made immeasurably better by the addition of this Bluetooth wireless devise that Mark gave me for Valentine's Day. Not-So-Good: My Blackberry disappeared at the high school during the musical so now I'm back to using my old phone. Oh, Wo is me for the loss of my Sim card!

Good: After three weeks I was finally able to do much-needed grocery shopping at both Sam's Club and Costco. I found these magazines and can't wait to try some new-found recipes.

Not-So-Good: Before I could put away the new groceries, I had to face the stacks of molding food in Rubbermaid containers that inhabited my refrigerator--one since Christmas vacation. YUK!

Good: Jacquelyn came over for a round of family haircuts! Now John, who hasn't cut his hair for more than two months so he could look like a prince in the musical, can return to his more clean-cut look. Not-So-Good: Time to get out the Oreck again!

reclaiming my life

Okay--I'm still alive and currently in recovery mode from last week's musical. Thankfully, since we rented much of what we used, the laundry and clean-up process will be minimal this year. I feel like I've been absent in my own life for the past six weeks or so, and I'm so ready to reclaim it and start living it again!

I'm exhausted and somewhat daunted at the prospect of setting my house in order, but know that doing so is key to restoring my sanity. It's a complete mess--messy and dirty. I'm taking it a small step at a time; last night I cleaned my sewing area, which was no small task and required me getting on my hands and knees to do a pre-vacuum of scraps and threads before actually vacuuming. It was quite a process to vacuum up all that glitter.

I plan to post in greater detail about my costuming adventure before leaving it entirely behind, but for now here are a few tidbits. (Most of my photos haven't been downloaded from my camera yet and Mark has the connector cord in his car--and is currently not at home....).

This is a blurry photo of the "Swamp" dress I made for the leading lady--a princess who comes from the swamp. It had to look like it might actually be wet and somewhat swampish, but still pretty and princess-like at the same time. I was pleased with the result--and the Twirl Factor was fabulous.

Another favorite costume I made this year was one for the Prince made entirely out of drapery and pillow remnants I have collected from my sister Susan over the years. The only thing I purchased for the outfit was some gold sequin trim and the buttons. I don't think I've ever made a costume out of such beautiful, expensive fabrics before!

Here's a little closer view:

Why do I do it, one might ask? Alas, this is a question I often ask myself this time of year.

Here's one reason: my son John, who was the cutest member of the chorus! (No, that is not a plume on my head--it's the feather on John's sweet hat.)

Stay tuned.

February: illustrated Cliff Notes edition

The month is passing quickly, and although I don't have much time to write--and won't have much time for two more weeks (until the musical is over)--I wanted to post a few photos for documentation purposes.

Moosey: Cutest dog created by the hand of God. We love her and can't imagine our family without her. Sarah, unbeknownst to me, snapped this photo of her and I was delighted to find it on my camera.

One tradition we enjoy during costuming season is keeping a stash of treats to share with the kids at the high school. My friend Teri and I especially like Circus Peanuts (you either love 'em or hate 'em). She found an on-line source and presented me with a 5 pound basketful! To make things even better, they're individually wrapped, which makes for better hygiene when sharing with a cast of 50.

My sewing area, which is really an extension of my family room, is a crazy mess at present. I've been just throwing larger scraps on the floor to be gathered and sorted later. Moosey has taken a liking to burrowing in the glittery scraps to chew on her Nylabone.

And speaking of messes, my house is getting so dirty I'm about to lose my mind! A few weeks ago I set the can of Pledge on the piano to remind me to take a moment to dust it. You can see how well that plan worked.

I could not let the month go by without paying tribute to this man, Jerry Hendrix (a member of my stake), who kindly spent four hours at our house replacing some sort of valve attached to our furnace/boiler that regulates the flow of hot water. Now, after a few months of hasty, tepid showers, I can finally enjoy longer, very hot showers! Thanks, Jerry. You're my hero.

Yes, it's another picture of Moosey. This time to document that, despite the hectic schedule around here, we took time to give her a much-needed brushing and bath. She doesn't like the process too well, but endures it patiently.

One of the best things happening around here is Mark's project: painting John's room. I have always been the chief painter in the family, but because we promised a room re-do for John's birthday last month and I have since been sucked into the costuming vortex, Mark has taken on the project single-handedly. I think he is secretly enjoying the project, though he did comment the other day, "You've always done the taping, haven't you. . . ." I could get used to just selecting the paint color and never having to actually paint again! I'll give a full before-during-after post next month sometime.

Mark, once again my hero.

Last, but not least, I just couldn't resist sharing the zombie pose my mother insisted on striking in her hospital bed. It just doesn't quite convey the frail mother image I was going for, but I love that she can keep her sense of humor in the face of adversity!

In cataloging my recent photos, I realized that I haven't been taking many SPs of late. I'll try to remember to take a few this week, along with the costumes. We start dress rehearsals on Tuesday, and although it's a long, tiring haul, it's rewarding to finally see our efforts on the kids and under the lights. Wish me luck as I round the home stretch!