And then on Thanksgiving...

I took these pictures in the morning:

Why was I out in the icy cold? Because my family was invited to do this:

...with some families from church. Yes, they are playing football. It turned out to be the Hydes, Jones, and Howatts, which is a REALLY fun combination! It was David Hyde's idea, I do believe, and they all really got into it.

Team MVPs:

Is this legal? Or what they call holding?

They want to make it a tradition, I do believe the flyer said first annual. I'm not sure Bill will be able to handle it very many years, though!!

More old stuff...

Been meaning to post these, too, you know, since I took them on November 19th.

He's three, and he can almost always dress/undress himself. He only runs into trouble with pulling things over his head. And snaps.

His taste choices are not always good, though. He outgrew this before I got it in the drawer this summer. Since he can't wear it next year, and Bill and I aren't having more boys, and we heat with wood (aka our house in 90 degrees all winter) he was allowed to wear it. Until it was time to leave the house, anyway!!

Anyone up for a game?

Old News

Our trees were massacred recently. I took pictures.

The "tree people" as they have been dubbed by my family have now been in the area for a few weeks. When they appeared outside my house, they said they were contracted to clear all along the roadside, eight feet back. We debated the merits of having them just cut down, but three or four cars a winter slide into that ditch, and I don't want any of them in my yard. I plan to look for saplings along the power lines in the spring, and plant them between the older ones. The older ones we'll cut when the saplings are large enough.

A few feet back, that is. And we hope to prune them, so that this needn't happen again down the road.

They do it to prevent power outages from wires being in the branches. The irony is, we never lose power, and last week (after the devastation) our power flickered off three times. Oh well.

For those who (like me) don't know, pines won't grow back where they have been cut. So these will be like this until we cut them.

I WROTE A POEM

To a form, even, called a pensieve. Robin, over at Pensieve, (and yes the spelling is a play on pensive Nicki and mom, read her blog post for the explanation!) created her own style of poem, she describes it like this:

Pensieve: A titled, five-line poem; each line correlates to one of the five senses--sight, sound, scent, taste, touch--and describes the subject (title). The goal is for the reader to take on the poem as his own, being able to "experience" your subject through your words, by seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling what you described.

I totally loved the thought. She is holding a contest, you can enter either a haiku or a "pensieve" on the subject of Winter or Christmas.

I chose both ;-).

So, here it is, be gentle.

Christmas Tree Hunting

The cold bites the skin, but the hopefuls press on
The laughter fills my ears, as snowballs are tossed OVER my head!
The green of the firs is deep and everlasting, as our Savior they represent,
The smells are faint, teasing, but promise to explode in the warmth of our home,
The cocoa warms the soul, comforting and bringing peace.




*edited to add*

click here for more poetry with the same guidelines!

Nicki asked if you can vote for me, I don't think so, but leaving her a comment about liing mine could never hurt!! She's supposed to pick her favorite, and their IS a prize at stake!!

Innocence

My kids are playing on the living room floor. There's a race track, you snap it together and then have little push things to make the cars go, two at a time. They are laughing, they are joking, making wise-cracks about little old ladies' driving, and naturally arguing a bit here and there.

The TV is blaring the evening news, national news. Completely unawares, my boys are having a wonderful time while the words and phrases unemployment, poor sales, financial bailouts, and recession are thrown around the room, literally over their heads.

Ah, to be a kid again. It's the ONLY moment of my life that I have ever thought that.

Christmas Meme

In need of something cute and happy to post, I decided not to email, but blog this reply to an email my mom sent. So, the Christmas edition of "Getting to Know You":

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Definitely wrapping paper, just like my mom, But unlike her I prefer to go boxless and have quirky shaped packages under the tree!!

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real, not only for the smell and the fun of watching my husband crawl under it to water it, but because we go and cut our own, and those are memories I refuse to give up!!

3. When do you put up the tree? After Thanksgiving, we start looking for Saturdays when no one has to work, no activities are planned, and then we wake up and squeeze it in somewhere and tell the kids no we don't have time to decorate it until way too late at night and then we are all cranky!!! Oh, and I insist on videoing the whole thing. Good times.

4. When do you take the tree down? Whenever I get to it. Usually I can't take looking at it anymore a day or two after Christmas. When I had Michael (the day after Christmas) I agonized that he wouldn't feel like we did his birthday the way we did all the others. So for the first few years I raced that morning to get it down, out, and cutesy birthday things up. Then when I knew I wouldn't have much time last year, I asked Michael how he felt about it. He said the tree made his birthday even more festive! So, I'm back to whenever!

5. Do you like eggnog? LOVE it! But it has a weird after-taste, so you have to keep drinking more!!

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I've had a lot. But the first that came to mind was an overgrown stuffed dog. It was HUGE. My Dad said he had picked it out, and that was just cool.

7. Hardest person to buy for? My stepmother

8. Easiest person to buy for? Well, my mom said "ME!!", and while she is easy to buy for, I would have to say Zachary.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, and my kids are more than welcome to play with it, as long as they play with it on top of the dresser I put it on.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, around 40 in fact!!

11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I would never tell, because I wouldn't want to hurt the giver's feelings.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the original cartoon. My family watches, and recite every line!!!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Whenever something strikes me as cute, I've been known to pick up one thing in February or something like that. The bulk begins around November, though. I am just about done now, except for what I make.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yup. Well, sort of. I don't give them away, but we have given them to people to give away in the past. Sue me.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Aunt Janet's peanut butter fudge, it's dry without being grainy, just the way I like it.

16. Lights on the tree? Duh. The more the better, and I always remind Bill to put some way in by the trunk. I love lights. And they MUST be colors, white lights look very sterile. And I don't like them to flash, you should always be able to see ALL of them!

17. Favorite Christmas song? Little drummer boy, normal renditions. The poor boy gives all he has, his talents, and the baby Jesus smiles at him, what greater gifts are there?

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Christmas morning in our own beds, but we drive to grandparents to visit for the day.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Only if you want me to sing! "You know Dasher..." yeah, I didn't think you wanted to hear that!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? "Angel. She has to tell Santa if we are being good!" said my mom. She took the words right out of my mouth!

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Morning, and Santa's gifts don't come wrapped, just presents from Mommy and Daddy are wrapped.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Trying to cut costs without disappointing people. It's not an easy juggling act.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Anything my kids make at school.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? "Anything as long as I don't have to cook it." said my mom. Ditto. My favorite thing to eat is Grammy's potato casserole. It used to be cranberry sauce, until I learned you can buy it in the grocery store. Now I get that whenever I have the craving!

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? "A trip to Hawaii and warm sunny weather all winter long. I know . . . ain't gonna happen! I'll settle for happy kids and grandkids and not TOO much commotion on Christmas Day." said my mom. I want an apology (not from her, from someone else). I guess we both dream big. I will settle for a level of understanding in my heart that makes me stop needing the apology. That might actually be possible.

Oh crap, this was supposed to be cute and light. Maybe I should move that last one up?

Too much work, just go back and read #19, ok?

Thanksgiving

If a blogger does not blog on Thanksgiving,

does that mean they are not thankful?

(think tree in the woods being cut down when you read that!!)

Well not in this case. I'm in financial zone as a part of trying to regain my life perspective (that whole finding a new normal) and there isn't much pleasant to talk about with that. But, going through the schoolwork my 2nd grader brought home, I found this, and thought I would share:

He's just so sweet!!

BTW, we still call him Michael. He just writes Mike because it's easier to spell!!

The Drama 'round Here Continues...

What is the safest automobile ever to travel in?

Safer than a car...

Safer than a mini-van...

SOOOO safe, it doesn't even need seat belts...

Did you guess it?

If you said school bus, you are right!

Thank goodness, too. When this minivan, for reasons I do not know, did not stop behind the stopped school bus, none of the children were injured. Fortunately the lady driving didn't get hurt either, as the ambulance was not called.

Michael said he was just standing to get off the bus, and he felt a bump. When he first ran into the house he announced the bus had broken down. Knowing they have been using several different buses to drive his route, I would not have been surprised. But I followed him back outside, saw the van, and realized what had happened.

I asked if he fell down, and he said no. I asked him several times if he was hurt, and he said no. He was a bit shaken up, though, I think it really helped to walk back far enough to see that bus bumper, nary a scratch to it.

So while we had drama again, again all turns out well in the end.

Rough Weekend

It started out ok. Bill is on call this week, and went in the morning early to help a family we are friends with move. I made a dinner for them in the crock pot, and then headed to there old place to help clean it out (renting and all, you want that deposit back!) with our boys. That was fun, Wells kids and Jones kids get along a little too well great, add water and sponges and, well, you get the idea.

Bill intended to meet up with us and help clean, but then got a call to go to Carrabassett Valley. There's a private school with dorms up there, they partly (intentionally) drained a reservoir, and the pump quit out. Apparently they wanted water for the weekend for the 2 or 3 people still there, even though they are planning to finish draining it Monday and will need it restarted again later in the week. We wouldn't have minded so much, but Saturday was also Bill's birthday. He worked, in the cold, until about 5:30.

While he worked, I peeled and canned carrots, we won't even talk about the hassle of the gasket here, frosted the cake and made lasagna. Home around 6:30, we rushed through supper, and then had cake.

Tired who?

Sunday, he leaves early for church as usual, we are there on time, classes separate, and Zachary finally goes to Nursery (after walking the halls with Daddy for fun!).

I'm sitting in a Sunday School class when I hear screaming/crying from the hall. Not certain it was Zachary (toss up between him and out little friend Daniel, I knew the scream well though) I went rushing to the hall. Zachary was bleeding from the forehead.

It was cleaned up and determined he had fallen, and just his bad luck his head struck the door hinge. He had a nice little gash, maybe half an inch. Then the great debate began, to stitch or not to stitch. While cosmetics suggested stitch (the comment was made he might wanna be president someday) practicality was screaming 3 year old for no other reason but to be pretty?

I hesitated.

But we couldn't get a Band-Aid to stay on. We only had generic ones.

So, we took him to the ER. I was told (after the hour and a half wait) that infection was highly unlikely with a head wound, they bleed enough at that area to cleanse it.

So apparently we should have gone to Rite-Aid for a real Band-Aid.

Well we didn't wait the hour and a half for nothing, so we went ahead with the stitches.

All 4.

Poor baby didn't stand a chance. The numbing agent they used (applied with a cotton ball taped to his head) moved, rendering it useless. So, to numb the spot he got 2 hideous shots in his forehead, and then of course the stitches that didn't hurt but sure felt/looked scary.

But he can still be president now.

I looked at Bill, and shook my head. Our 3 other boys, ages 12, 10, and almost 8, have never needed a stitch.

At 3 he's now had four.

This doesn't bode well for the future.

Delving into unchartered territory...

I received a difficult to read email forward just a bit ago. For any readers who were unaware, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It's not a statement I take lightly. It has huge implications, and is pervasive throughout my being. It is who I am. It is why I get out of bed every morning, why I make dinner every evening, why I go where I go and do what I do. It has been commented only recently by my son's teacher, "I don't know how you do all you do..." and my faith in Christ, my particular faith in the teaching of this Church regarding Christ, is the answer. I do what I do, because, "If not by me then by whom?" My Savior has given so much to the world, to little old me, it is in my hands to do all that I can for my brothers and sisters as he asks it of me.

I am not perfect. I actually get a lot of it wrong. However, my intentions are good, I obey the laws of the land, I respect the right of others to disagree, and I try not to be contentious, although it is definitely in my personal nature. I take heart that my politics favor agency for those on the earth today, trying to stay out of moral legality. It was with great difficulty that I listened to the prophet of our church, a man who receives direct inspiration from God for us in our day, tell us that we need to be opposed to gay marriage.

I was stunned. Obviously, we preach, and I believe, that homosexual relationships are inappropriate before God. It is not in His design. This gift has been given to men and women, in order to fill and replenish the earth. But to take a political stand, which the Church works very hard not to do, on such a personal topic was hard for me to swallow.

I finally determined to make peace with the issue when a fellow blogger, not of our faith, raised her concerns about the Church's involvement in her area of the country. It was time to seek for myself why the Lord felt so strongly on this issue, not just that it is wrong to practice that lifestyle, but to not be legally married.

The conclusion I have come to is almost lost in the semantics. The Church has not asked then homosexual people not be allowed to live together. We don't oppose that these couples receive health insurance through each other's plans, death benefits, tax benefits, raise children, or even hold hands in public, and so on and so forth. We, as a Church, oppose the use of the word marriage to define that relationship. Marriage occurs when a man and a woman come together before god, and begin a family. From the official Church news website:

"Marriage is not primarily a contract between individuals to ratify their affections and provide for mutual obligations. Rather, marriage and family are vital instruments for rearing children and teaching them to become responsible adults. While governments did not invent marriage, throughout the ages governments of all types have recognized and affirmed marriage as an essential institution in preserving social stability and perpetuating life itself. Hence, regardless of whether marriages were performed as a religious rite or a civil ceremony, married couples in almost every culture have been granted special benefits aimed primarily at sustaining their relationship and promoting the environment in which children are reared. A husband and a wife do not receive these benefits to elevate them above any other two people who may share a residence or social tie, but rather in order to preserve, protect, and defend the all-important institutions of marriage and family.
It is true that some couples who marry will not have children, either by choice or because of infertility, but the special status of marriage is nonetheless closely linked to the inherent powers and responsibilities of procreation, and to the inherent differences between the genders. Co-habitation under any guise or title is not a sufficient reason for defining new forms of marriage."

-full article found here: http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/the-divine-institution-of-marriage

Oh. That tells me again, we are not opposed to people of that mindset receiving the rights and privileges given to those of a heterosexual persuasion. Just don't corrupt the word marriage any more than it already has been by the word divorce, please. Marriage used to be a lifelong commitment, even an eternal nature, a triangular covenant made in a church before God. But often now is not seen that way. When it becomes inconvenient, we quit. But the thing I want my children to know, is that when children are involved (as is often the case in heterosexual marriage) divorce will never sever that tie. That father and mother are forever connected, whether they like it or not, through the child they created. So don't create one unless you want that connection!

Back to topic, though, the state of California voted against Gay marriage in November. Not against gay rights, or homosexual partners living together, but against their saying they are "married".

And apparently, Latter-Day Saints are an easy target:

Yes, the police are protecting the Los Angeles temple from... demonstrators.

Perhaps it's because, as a rule, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints try to respect other's opinions. I know that, as a CHURCH, all laws and guidelines were followed in lobbying against California's Proposition 8. Now, just like the church itself didn't back Mitt Romney when he ran for president, there are individual members with their own agency to do their own thing. I refuse to say no member of the Church in California broke the rules out there, it simply is not a likely statement.

But, as a member who has had to take tedious steps to try to handle being reimbursed for items, and provide documentation up the wah-zoo, and not been allowed to show Disney movies to a nursery class because of copyright infringement concerns, I know that the Church follows the law. Perhaps a primary teacher was spotted in your neighborhood, putting up a sign in an illegal spot. Or a Young Men's president was scene taking a No on 8 sign from your yard. If so, I apologize for your being offended. I am equally offended by those who break the rules and hurt others by doing so.

But my friends, those picture of the temple in Los Angeles hurt. Badly. Worse than the signs screaming hatreds that were in other photos in the email. Because if it had been a Jewish church, their would have been an up in arms. Or a Catholic, Methodist, or any other. Shucks, they didn't even attack a Mormon CHURCH, they attacked the TEMPLE itself. A place Holy and infinitely more Sacred to us. Were there cries of hate crimes? No. Was there righteous indignation? Or restraint from those officers standing by, watching the vandalism? Apparently not. Because of all the churches who involved themselves in the cause, we are humble enough to turn the other cheek. To strive to be peaceable, and to avoid contention, knowing that Satan is the father of all contention, and not wanting to invite him into our hearts.

I do not refer to God as God. The world has taken the word "God" and desecrated to something no more than a meaningless exclamation. I believe in the power of Deity, and so to refer to Him I use the term Heavenly Father, not only because I believe he is the Father of my spirit, but because I want to show the respect in my voice that I feel in my heart.

Will we need a new word for marriage?

Kids today...

*BIG LOUD CRASH*

*LONG, LOUD, 3 YEAR OLD'S SCREAM*

Mom rushes to the kitchen, only to find that her son is flat on his back on the hard kitchen floor. He is surrounded by canned goods and dry goods. The tall, pantry style cabinet is open, and one of the sliding drawers is hanging askew. Child is crying vigorously, so Mom scoops him up and snuggles him. He finally calms down and the following conversation occurs:

M: Where are your ouches?

Z: I don't have any.

M: Oh, were you just scared?

Z: Yeah.

M: Were you trying to climb the cupboard?

Z: (Indignant) NO!

M: (Doubtful) You weren't?

Z: No, I was swinging.

M: Swinging?

Z: (Nods)

M:

Our Scrapbook Weekend

I went with some friends to a cabin Melissa was able to get this weekend. A family whose son was a patient at MCCP has made their dream a reality. They made a place for families of children who have/had cancer to get away, to escape life for awhile and rejuvenate. Appropriately, the camp is named Stronghold. I think that's fantastic, as a stronghold is a place that is fortified, secured and protected, and a place for others outside of it to come to in times of great need. It had a beautiful, calming presence. I keep noticing how hard it is to decompress lately, to just relax and be calm. It was much easier there!

We all brought a meal, and the owners of the cabin treated us to one as well from the Ugly Moose. It was VERY yummy food!

I completed 27 pages, then there are 2 pages with everything done but the one title, for a grand total of 29. This seems a bit less than the others, but I was there 3 or 4 hours after them, and left around 3 hours sooner than 2 others... and all my journaling is done on my pages, so it all evens out. Some favorites to show you (apologizing for the lousy photography, my poor camera probably feels offended to be forced to take such lousy pictures!):

Nicki had my kids over the summer and made s'mores with them... sort of!

I L.O.V.E. this picture!!

Then most kids took a turn holding Ethan:

The top picture is of Michael holding a baby doll at age two, the bottom holding a BABY at age seven, the feeling hasn't changed much!!

Dustin made chocolate chip cookies for the first (and last, so far) time. He dumped in all the ingredients, without stirring as the recipe said... oops.

My boy!

I loved the quote, perfect between 2 yo Daniel and 12 yo Dustin!

Evening pictures from relay for life this past summer:

Our sweet Savannah:

Never Say Goodbye

Never say goodbye

you and me and my best friends

hoping it would never end

Say goodbye, never say goodbye

holding on we've got to try, holding on to never, say goodbye.

OK, bonus to who can tell me where those lyrics are from.

A few tears were shed the evening they left, but just a few. And then last night, when the check arrived, there were none!

And Dustin's have gone to Gram's for the winter. There are no tears over getting up a bit later and not playing in ice cold water first thing in the morning!

Be proud of me

I think I might be ending my tetris streak. For those of you unfamiliar with tetris, go here:
www.tetrisfriends.com

For those of you who think no one is unfamiliar with it, remind me to introduce you to my aunt Donna.

Anyway, in an effort to still love my laptop, and not waste time, instead of tetris when I'm done my email I have been sorting pictures.

Even better knowing that at least in theory I am scrapbooking this weekend.

I say in theory only because our fearless leader (aka the one with the place to go) now needs to spend Friday at the hospital and leave Sunday to attend a memorial service. Both very legitimate reasons to set aside scrapbooking, of course, but I have yet to wrap my brain around the details of it all. Perhaps we'll get to that today.

Oh, and I am being somewhat cautious of the blog world today. You see, I have allowed myself to breathe today knowing that a democrat is headed back to the white house. Perhaps people of the nation will be able to have money in their pockets in a few months. My husband's employer being able to afford the gas to send him to a service call would be nice. Even my friend's husband's job prospect relies on the government being able to afford to hire him.

CHANGE is good.

Not everyone agrees, one I read is afraid of their husband being told what to do at work.

Hmmm.

Sorry, I have no sympathy for that. My husband is told what to do at work every day.

CHANGE is still good.

It's Election Day!!!

And you know what that means!!!!!

That's RIGHT! Calendars!

Oh yes, I have spent my morning at our local community building, right after the polls, trying to schlep pander sell the calendars we have made for the fire department.

Calendars you ask? Why, the very calendars that my good friend from Memories by Melissa Photography (see side bar) spent hours of her time making. She went to different training activities, and even a bonfire, as well as driving from station to station taking pictures of fire trucks. Then, she edited them, uploaded them, made them look fancy, and shipped them off. Then we chewed off all our nails developed ulcers waited patiently for them to arrive. Then we jumped up and down with happy shouts for the fact that they came out SOOOOO good! Then we nit-picked it apart for flaws and mistakes because we are perfectionists. Then we figured nobody would really care, and were happy again.

Today is our big push to sell them. We are asking $16 each, and if when we sell them all, we will have brought in $800 for the Fire Department Association to fix up the antique truck. Now typically, raising money for an old truck is not in my realm of even remotely interesting. But there's a really nice tidbit of info regarding this particular truck. It happens to be not just any old truck collected to be neat in parades, it was an actual firetruck in service in our hometown. Well, it's Bill's home town, but he has so darn much enthusiasm for it that it's grown on me. You know, kind of like fungus.

Anyway, the truck was sold many years ago to help pay for a new one, but when that owner put it up for sale, the Association (not funded by taxpayers) bought it to preserve that little piece of history.

And I. Like. History.

Especially local, small town history.

So, can I interest you in a calendar today to support the Fire Department Association in raising money to refurbish the 1936 Diamond T antique fire truck? They are only $16 each!

Hobbies

My husband has taken up a hobby while he watches TV. It's productive. Good for both the environment and our pocketbook.

Me? I have a hobby while he watches TV too.

It's enormously productive!! Hey, just let me live in my dream world for a few minutes, k? Some day I'll enter a Tetris competition and win millions and help him retire early.

Or...

NOT.

I have, however, managed to figure out how to show you video... maybe. Try this, it's not my best video ever, but he's so darn cute. He was showing me in slow motion how he ran across the room!

A Moment to Boast

So, my 12 year old is all signed up to take the SATs in December.

Crazy, huh?

Turns out the kid is really smart. I don't know where he gets it from. His GT teacher (Gifted and Talented) says he is eligible through this program of Johns Hopkins University to take the SAT. Why would he want to you ask? Good question. Well, there are a few reasons.

First, a nice practice run. I remember as a junior in high school having NO idea what the darn test would be like, and thinking it was truly important (not knowing I would balk at college and not follow through) I was awfully stressed over it.

Second, standardized testing has its place, and each standardized test on the market serves a specific purpose. Any and all tests Dustin has taken so far have measured his ability on a scale. The scales have topped out at 12th grade level. So, if his scores are at completed 12th grade level, then we have to wonder, how much further could he do that just wasn't tested?

Currently I believe he is taking a college level Algebra course. In seventh grade, which lines him up to take college level Statistics as a senior, with the high school paying for it, saving him hundreds of dollars. He is taking this particular class because he is really smart he worked very aggressively in a program that allowed him to work at his own pace. He actually wanted to work on it more than he did, regularly he asked me to help him with it (it was online, so he was able to work at home) and I said no, I was busy. To the point that when his teacher called last spring, I thought he was going to tell me that Dustin no longer qualified for the program!! Instead, he shared with me the potential of putting him, and one other student, in this excelled program. Who knew?

Anyway, so the SAT thing is another step. Johns Hopkins University actually has programs, through what they call the Center for Talented Youth, for students who score well. So, these scores will never reach his college applications, but they will go to Johns Hopkins, the school, and me.

I guess I'll keep you posted!

The paint

So, some input on what we were up against.

See the light? It used to be over about 14 inches. They apparently used part of this room when they built on the room Bill and I have, and didn't re-center the light.

So we did.

See the boards? They didn't want to tape the joints. So they boarded them. Nice, huh? And then, get this, they caulked them. Crazy. This just means instead of rolling the whole ceiling you have to use a brush on the boards and each side of each board. Then you can roller in between. There are three boards, just so you know.

They wanted to put a door over this closet. It's what's left from what they took from this room, they kept it on this side. To put a door they didn't want to custom, so the door was about three inches wider than the opening, and they trimmed it out, and painted the trim, that's right, and about an inch of the blue paint on either side. It took four extra swipes of primer to cover the mess of it, but we did!

This is the closet we re-did to get rid of the sliding doors that broke. It also gives a closet for kids, and a closet for MOM!! In a house with 3 bedrooms, 4 kids, and no basement, storage is at a premium.

But we never bought the trim for it. It's next on the list.

They painted the outlets. Blue. So we have to change them out.

This little eyesore still exists. Another throwback to the 70s, we need to buy a plate to cover it.

So, before:

The ceiling:

And done!!:

We don't need no stinkin' drop cloth!!

Oh, ok, we did.

The best part... the second coat of primer and the paint I did ALL BY MYSELF!! I was very proud!