~~ They're leaving the nest, sew it's time for a trip - or two - or three...~~ D~'s bag ~9/22 ~~

[vrajewski10513]

First off, happy belated birthday!!

Your side projects for the kitchen look awesome! I'd leave the valence up for a week or so before making decisions. Since you've never had anything on the window before it may just be a matter of getting used to it. You may not even notice the light difference eventually

Congrats to Allison!! I know it's bittersweet to finish high school, but just try to remember all the awesome things she has in store for her in the future!!

Have a wonderful weekend D~!

 

[Born 2B a Princess]

Happy (belated) birthday! I love your curtains and the bins are fabulous! I have those same bins and never would have thought to trim them like that. What a fun idea -- and it adds just the right amount of pop for that space. So cute!

I'm happy for you that you were able to get out and walk/run yesterday. I was running an errand yesterday and saw that they're opening a Pure Barre studio just a mile from my house. I don't enjoy exercise, in general, but as a former dancer anything related to ballet or barre immediately gets my attention, so I think I'm going to look into that. My balance, coordination, and overall mental and emotional health were SO much better when I was doing ballet before we moved a few years ago -- it really is like therapy for me.

That layout Allison did is wonderful. Today will be an emotional day...for sure...but what an exciting day. She's such a wonderful young woman and you have every right to be incredibly proud of her and how she's turned out!

 

[Clio]

Happy belated birthday. Your valence looks good. I only have a valence on my kitchen window. I don't live in the country but there's a a garage and 8 foot stockade fence between us and the back neighbors. I agree about the newer sewing machines. I haven't used my newest machine much because it doesn't like layers of fabric. My older ones sew through just about anything. The storage boxes look nice with the pop of color around the edges.
Congrats to Allie. It's hard to believe that she's graduating from high school already. Enjoy your afternoon.
Today's just another work day. We're still getting ready for inventory. It's Tuesday and I'll be glad when it's done. Last night I worked outside pulling weeds after work. The flower beds just got a way from me and look really wild.
Have a great day.
Liz

 

[cajunfan]

Congratulations to all of you! (It's a group effort to get a child out of school if you ask me, lol!)

I am so happy for you all. (Bring LOTS of tissues) I get to do this with my child in December...but he's graduating from LSU...talk about final adult send off into the "real" world! I am so ready/not ready for this that one. It amazes me to talk to him and hear him sound like an adult (making adult decisions and things like that). I know this is probably how you feel about Allison. I don't know how you do it...girls are closer to mom's than most boys...and you have another one right after this one! Good luck today! Hug her tight momma, she is ready to fly!

 

[Sweetly]

Happy (belated) Birthday!!!

Congrats to Allison! The layout is perfect. Time does fly, but enjoy every moment. They grow fast. Can't believe graduation is already here for her.

Keep the valance up for a week and see if you like it.

Thank you for the wishes for my dd. We have been having fun with the munchkins while they are here.

Enjoy the weekend and I can't wait to the finish photo of your kitchen.

 

[KarriTigger]

I wanted to finally comment! I have read your TR's and have been reading this PTR but have never commented. The weird thing is I feel like I know you, when I've never met you! You are very inspiring with your artistic talents (of which I have absolutely none of, so I'm extremely jealous!). Your writing style is wonderful, and I feel at ease (and not like a creeper!) when reading this and your TR's. I'm in awe of your energy! I too have my own journeys and struggles with exercise and weight loss, so it's nice that I'm not alone. And...your girls seem like wonderful kids!
(I hope this doesn't come off as weird). I'm a crazy Canadian with a Disney obsession (but not a big enough bank account)...and I love seeing the enthusiasm you have for Disney and for life. It makes me glad to see others out there that have the same sorts of happiness from just day to day life! Well done and keep it up.

 

[ABCastillo]

Happy birthday and congrats to Alison! Such a wonderful moment and a gorgeous article.

 

[3timesmom]

Happy Birthday!!!
Congratulations to Allison,it's not "just" high school, it's a milestone and you have all the right to be extremely proud of her!! I know exactly how you are feeling, though…my son Guilherme graduated from high school last december ( our school calendar is different here in Brasil, school starts in late january, they have one month vacation in july and it ends in early december,that's when they summer vacation starts for 2 months).So it was really bittersweet, to see all those kids that I have known for 14 years, all his friends saying goodbye…I cried my eyes out LOL. But I'm also very proud of him…he managed to enter in a really good University and since february he's living in another state, pursuing his degree in Civil Engineer So, again, congratulations to Allison, may all her dreams come true!!!

 

[kbarrett]

Happy belated birthday D! Sounds like a fabulous day! How wonderful to see you children doing so well and growing up to become amazing young adults! Your curtains are goregous! You could always auction them if you decide not use them . You are right, your sewing machine is awesome, I bought one a few years ago to teach myself to sew after reading one of your PTRs, you inspired me, but my sewing machine really stinks, like you said, errors out if there is too much fabric, boo hiss! So far I have altered and fixed a ton of clothes and made some of our MNSSHP in 2012. It is so great to see you getting physical again, it's so hard when you are doing a project and have tons of commitments to find time to workout and eat right, I say don't let it get you down, let it fuel you for tommrow, you have come a long way!

My youngest DD just finished preschool and I posted on my fb page how bittersweet and conflicting it makes you feel. My oldest DD is starting high school and it's just to hard you couldn't be more proud to see they grow, but you'll just never have those younger moments back it's so hard! Enjoy Allison's graduation savor it you earned it just as much as she did, fantastic job to you both!

 

[aboveH20]

Happy Belated Itsokaytoeatcake Day. You're catching up to me.

Congrats to A. Hope one of here graduation gifts is full body armor to protect from the killer bikes over here!

Thanks for all the photos. I recognize a few things, not the least of which is A & V. Boy have they grown. My internet is spotty, but I hope to get through them all. Looks like you had a grand time. Has your brother in law learned Dutch? They say it's a hard language to learn and from the sounds it makes, I believe it.

 

[DMGeurts]

How great that you can start running again.

The curtains in the kitchen and the bins looks great.

The birthday gifts you got from Allison and V are great.

I hope you have a great time at Allison's Senior Slideshow.

Yes - little by little, I am trying to go at it slow and easy.

Thanks - I am really liking them, still not sure if I am keeping them up though?

Thanks! I had a great birthday.

I did - it was fun, but a bit sad...

Happy Belated Birthday!! Glad you had such a wonderful day! Congrats to Allison on graduation. Her yearbook page is wonderful. Santos made the cut!!!! So cute!! have a great weekend!!

Thanks! And thanks! LOL

Yup - Santos made the cut - that was a great day and forever made her a die hard HP fan.

Thanks - you too... Looking forward to being done with the kitchen very soon!

Happy Belated Birthday. It looks like it was a great day to celebrate. And you got back to running, which must feel good.

I love Allison's yearbook spread. The Disney pictures that she chose are really cute ones. Our high school has too many students to dedicate a two page spread to each one. But I love what they do for her school.

Your cook book bins look great. that is a good idea. It makes the kitchen look tidy.

I hope you get everything done this weekend.

I had a dream that we had checked into the Polynesian and I went to the gift shop trying to find some cereal and milk. The only trouble with that is that we are staying at POR.

THank you! It was a great day all around - nothing exciting, but still wonderful.

Thanks! Oh no, this spread won't get published - there are way too many students here too... The teacher just needed a final project for this class - so they do a "fake" spread on themselves and their year.

Thanks - I do like how they turned out, I would have preferred them in another color, but I have yet to find a color that would coordinate & the proper size... If I happen upon something better, I may switch them out some day, but until then, these will work.

Thank you - I hope so too.

Oh no!!!! Well, it's not so bad staying at the Poly (I am told), but it might go better if you end up at your own resort.

First off, happy belated birthday!!

Your side projects for the kitchen look awesome! I'd leave the valence up for a week or so before making decisions. Since you've never had anything on the window before it may just be a matter of getting used to it. You may not even notice the light difference eventually

Congrats to Allison!! I know it's bittersweet to finish high school, but just try to remember all the awesome things she has in store for her in the future!!

Have a wonderful weekend D~!

Thanks! It was a great day!

Hehehe... Yes - I plan to leave it up through the party, at least... Then I will decide if it's staying or going. I was able to move it up about 2 inches from when the photo was taken - and that's helped a bit.

I know... I just keep thinking that she leaves in less than 3 weeks - and I start to panic... I am not ready to let her go - but I must. It's going to be a rough summer and a rough year, considering I have to do the exact same thing with V next year. At least they aren't going at the same time. Gotta find the bright side, right?

Thank you - same to you!

Happy (belated) birthday! I love your curtains and the bins are fabulous! I have those same bins and never would have thought to trim them like that. What a fun idea -- and it adds just the right amount of pop for that space. So cute!

I'm happy for you that you were able to get out and walk/run yesterday. I was running an errand yesterday and saw that they're opening a Pure Barre studio just a mile from my house. I don't enjoy exercise, in general, but as a former dancer anything related to ballet or barre immediately gets my attention, so I think I'm going to look into that. My balance, coordination, and overall mental and emotional health were SO much better when I was doing ballet before we moved a few years ago -- it really is like therapy for me.

That layout Allison did is wonderful. Today will be an emotional day...for sure...but what an exciting day. She's such a wonderful young woman and you have every right to be incredibly proud of her and how she's turned out!

Thanks! Yes, I feel like I had to do something to give them a pop of color... I feel like I could do so much more to them - but for the moment, they work.

THanks - it felt good to get out there. OOooh - I hope you get back into that - I think that would be so good for you... Just doing what you love makes all the difference in life, IMO. Go check it out, asap!!! That's an order. LOL

Thanks - yes, it was an emotional day, I cried a few times, so did she. But we made it through and it was a great day. It's going to be hard when she leaves in less than 3 weeks... but she is going to have an amazing time, for sure! I just have to remember that.

I hope you have a great weekend!

Happy belated birthday. Your valence looks good. I only have a valence on my kitchen window. I don't live in the country but there's a a garage and 8 foot stockade fence between us and the back neighbors. I agree about the newer sewing machines. I haven't used my newest machine much because it doesn't like layers of fabric. My older ones sew through just about anything. The storage boxes look nice with the pop of color around the edges.
Congrats to Allie. It's hard to believe that she's graduating from high school already. Enjoy your afternoon.
Today's just another work day. We're still getting ready for inventory. It's Tuesday and I'll be glad when it's done. Last night I worked outside pulling weeds after work. The flower beds just got a way from me and look really wild.
Have a great day.
Liz

Thanks Liz!

I am hoping I get used to the valance, I really like how cute it is and how much it coordinates - it definitely hogs some of the light and diffuses it, so we'll see if I keep it or not?

I just cannot imagine sewing with a machine that can't tackle heavy fabrics or layers... It is normal, when I am sewing, that I am going through 6 layers of quilt batting, 12 layers of fabric and 2 layers of interfacing - so I definitely need a machine that can handle heavy use.

Thanks - I am super happy with how they turned out...

I know - I can't believe this day is here already... Watching her walk out of school yesterday - reminds me of one of my favorite memories, when she was walking out of school on her first day of kindergarten, carrying her backpack and swinging her arms - taking the big steps that she still takes... She looked exactly the same yesterday - but taller. It's going to be a rough few weeks here for me, as we prepare to send her off... :cry:

I hope your day at work went well and congrats on tackling your weeds - I need to do that, but I am running out of time quickly! At least I bought a few flowers yesterday - so I can try to make it look presentable out there.

I hope you have a great weekend Liz!

Congratulations to all of you! (It's a group effort to get a child out of school if you ask me, lol!)

I am so happy for you all. (Bring LOTS of tissues) I get to do this with my child in December...but he's graduating from LSU...talk about final adult send off into the "real" world! I am so ready/not ready for this that one. It amazes me to talk to him and hear him sound like an adult (making adult decisions and things like that). I know this is probably how you feel about Allison. I don't know how you do it...girls are closer to mom's than most boys...and you have another one right after this one! Good luck today! Hug her tight momma, she is ready to fly!

Ha!!! You are sooooo right - there is no one person to raise a child, it takes an army - so they say. However - I don't feel like I am anywhere close to being done.

Oh - I'll definitely be crying... There were tears yesterday and it was just graduation practice... Not a lot of adult decisions made here yet... but I know it's coming.

Hahaha - I am not really sure how I do it either? Not really sure that I AM doing it? I am just stumbling through life - hoping I get it right.

Thank you - it's going to be a rough few weeks here, Graduation is just the beginning of me letting her go. :cry:

Happy (belated) Birthday!!!

Congrats to Allison! The layout is perfect. Time does fly, but enjoy every moment. They grow fast. Can't believe graduation is already here for her.

Keep the valance up for a week and see if you like it.

Thank you for the wishes for my dd. We have been having fun with the munchkins while they are here.

Enjoy the weekend and I can't wait to the finish photo of your kitchen.

Thank you Lynee!

Thanks - yes it goes way too fast - I am not sure how it all just passed me by?

I plan to keep it up, at least, until after the party - then I'll decide if it needs to come down, or if I need to do something else?

I bet you have - I hope you get to enjoy lots of time with them!!!

Me too - LOL, we are getting so close!!! I am really hoping everything is done and ready by tomorrow night. I hope you have a great weekend too!

I wanted to finally comment! I have read your TR's and have been reading this PTR but have never commented. The weird thing is I feel like I know you, when I've never met you! You are very inspiring with your artistic talents (of which I have absolutely none of, so I'm extremely jealous!). Your writing style is wonderful, and I feel at ease (and not like a creeper!) when reading this and your TR's. I'm in awe of your energy! I too have my own journeys and struggles with exercise and weight loss, so it's nice that I'm not alone. And...your girls seem like wonderful kids!
(I hope this doesn't come off as weird). I'm a crazy Canadian with a Disney obsession (but not a big enough bank account)...and I love seeing the enthusiasm you have for Disney and for life. It makes me glad to see others out there that have the same sorts of happiness from just day to day life! Well done and keep it up.

Welcome!!! And thank you! You say so many nice things! Definitely don't feel like a creeper - everyone is welcome here!

Well - I am not sure how much energy I have, I just find that I do better when I am always doing something productive... Sometimes it's very difficult to juggle everything - since I am so passionate about many things... but I find if I dedicate a specified amount of time to each individual thing - I can get a lot accomplished. So, I am pretty adamant about my schedule. LOL

I like my girls, for sure, but I am probably a bit biased. LOL They are fun kids and I enjoy spending time with them! They really are my bffs!

Ooooh - I feel your pain... I do wish my bank account was a bit bigger. I do know that I would never be able to afford to go to Disney if I wasn't able to find $$ outside our normal budget... So, I am fortunate in that respect.

Thank you - I have much to be happy about (also much to be sad about), and I try hard to find the bright side in everything - which isn't always easy. But, as a whole, I LOVE life and all of the people in it - I am very fortunate!!! Thank you so much for all of your kind words and for introducing yourself - I hope you'll stick around and continue to follow along!

Happy birthday and congrats to Alison! Such a wonderful moment and a gorgeous article.

Thanks Adi... It's been an amazing ride, for sure... Being a mom is so special and wonderful... I am very nervous for this chapter in her life, and even more nervous for what my role will be in it... but I am confident that I will always have an important part... She is such a good kid!

Happy Birthday!!!
Congratulations to Allison,it's not "just" high school, it's a milestone and you have all the right to be extremely proud of her!! I know exactly how you are feeling, though…my son Guilherme graduated from high school last december ( our school calendar is different here in Brasil, school starts in late january, they have one month vacation in july and it ends in early december,that's when they summer vacation starts for 2 months).So it was really bittersweet, to see all those kids that I have known for 14 years, all his friends saying goodbye…I cried my eyes out LOL. But I'm also very proud of him…he managed to enter in a really good University and since february he's living in another state, pursuing his degree in Civil Engineer So, again, congratulations to Allison, may all her dreams come true!!!

Thank you - It was a great day!

I know... It's just a gateway to many more exciting things for her... It's so scary and exciting at the same time!

That is very interesting about Brazil... We have (extended) family that lives there, but their kids are too young for school yet, so I wasn't aware of the different school year schedule.

Congratulations to your DS... What an amazing accomplishment! You must be so full of pride for him! And congrats to you too - for taking it all in with grace... I find that is the hardest part of all of this... I see other parents who are just so nonchalant about it - and there's me in the back blubbering and crying like a baby. LOL I am going to try to put my "game face" on that day - but I am semi-certain I will fail miserably at that. It's not just her graduation that moves me - it's the fact that she is leaving for so long too... and so far away... Ack! It's coming so quickly!

Thank you again and best of luck to your DS - I love that he is perusing such an amazing dream!

Happy belated birthday D! Sounds like a fabulous day! How wonderful to see you children doing so well and growing up to become amazing young adults! Your curtains are goregous! You could always auction them if you decide not use them . You are right, your sewing machine is awesome, I bought one a few years ago to teach myself to sew after reading one of your PTRs, you inspired me, but my sewing machine really stinks, like you said, errors out if there is too much fabric, boo hiss! So far I have altered and fixed a ton of clothes and made some of our MNSSHP in 2012. It is so great to see you getting physical again, it's so hard when you are doing a project and have tons of commitments to find time to workout and eat right, I say don't let it get you down, let it fuel you for tommrow, you have come a long way!

My youngest DD just finished preschool and I posted on my fb page how bittersweet and conflicting it makes you feel. My oldest DD is starting high school and it's just to hard you couldn't be more proud to see they grow, but you'll just never have those younger moments back it's so hard! Enjoy Allison's graduation savor it you earned it just as much as she did, fantastic job to you both!

Thanks! It was a great day! Just having all of my family here was all I needed - the rest is just fluff.

Thanks - Hahahah... Yes, I could always auction them. I will definitely keep that in mind, if I decide not to keep them up. I keep walking past them though - and I love them so much... And quite honestly - I am so passionate about fabrics, but I don't have a lot of places where I can use fabric as an accent in my kitchen - valances and towels are really it.. We'll see though.

Definitely having the right machine, that can tackle the projects you want to do, is so important. I am a firm believer that there is NO machine out there for sale on today's market that can do what a vintage machine can do - they just don't make them with metal parts anymore. Which makes it terrible for someone who is first learning how to sew - there is a confidence in finishing a project and finishing it well - it's hard to get that confidence if the machine can't perform the simplest of tasks. This is just my opinion - but I firmly believe this is the exact reason so many people start off sewing, because they have the passion, but it's dashed because their machine can't go through even a few layers of fabric - so they think it's them, and never consider that it could be the machine. I know - this was me at one time... So don't give up quite yet. It sounds like you've persevered though a few great projects though - I hope you'll continue to learn and grow your passion!

I do continue to press on with my healthy living - it just looks a lot different right now... I do still continue to work out all week - It's just walking mostly... And not a lot of weight lifting - hopefully I'll have my office back by Tuesday to resume that. It's my eating that's been so off lately... Eating things I haven't touched in years - and I can definitely feel a difference in how my body feels and performs... I cannot wait to get back to my normal lifestyle! And food prep... With counter space... A dream come true. LOL I am very excited to have a fully functioning kitchen back!

I totally agree - those moments are so fleeting... It seems like, when they are happening, time goes so slow... but now that I look back - it went so fast, I wish I would have enjoyed it more. It's going to be a rough few weeks here and a rough summer having Allison gone - then to do it all over again next year with V... I have my emotional work cut out for me... LOL But I am trying to find the positive and knowing they will be with family who loves them helps a lot.

I hope you have a nice weekend - it was nice to catch up.

Happy Belated Itsokaytoeatcake Day. You're catching up to me.

Congrats to A. Hope one of here graduation gifts is full body armor to protect from the killer bikes over here!

Thanks for all the photos. I recognize a few things, not the least of which is A & V. Boy have they grown. My internet is spotty, but I hope to get through them all. Looks like you had a grand time. Has your brother in law learned Dutch? They say it's a hard language to learn and from the sounds it makes, I believe it.

Thanks! One day soon, I will be just as smart as you are!

Hahahaha - yah those bikes are CRAZY! LOL I am more concerned with her bike riding skills - hopefully she can keep up with them. LOL They do some pretty magnificent things with their bikes - including carrying their entire homes and family on them. LOL

Yes - they have surely grown! It's amazing isn't it? To think that they have "grown up" on The Dis...

Yes - Josh's brother has learned Dutch... He now has dual citizenship (so do the kids) - so he is officially a Dutch citizen, which includes being fluent in Dutch. I do know that English is still his preferred language, and Thomas also speaks both languages fluently (although, Thomas still prefers Dutch)... I am sure that Allison will also be learning a lot of Dutch - which helps that little Lara is learning, Allison can learn right along with her. Thankfully though - the Dutch require English to be taught through out school - most of the Dutch people speak fluent English - so there isn't much of a language barrier there for Allison. Her issue will be in France and Rome. Thankfully she will be with people who are fluent in those languages too.

I hope you are enjoying your time in The Netherlands... How long will you be there yet?

************************************************************************************************

Wow guys!!! It's been a LONG time since I've had to do that many replies. LOL It took me over an hour to get through all of those - which means I don't have much time to talk down here... I must get a move on my day!

Graduation practice went good yesterday... Lots of tears by Allison - she has always loved school so much, I know she is going to miss it and her friends.

After practice yesterday - the Seniors were given their caps, gowns and tassles.... Then they did the "Gator walk" as their final exit from school - this is what got Allison... She came around that corner, and saw me, and just burst into tears... Happy... sad... emotional tears. Its' the end and the beginning of so many things for her. And to have all of those people lined up to watch and cheer them out of school for the final time - it was a memory I am sure they will all carry with them forever.

Aftewards, my day got pretty crazy logistically... But I was able to get everything done that I needed to, and to be where I needed to be - on time. LOL I was even able to get Allison's cupcakes ordered for her party.

Josh and I went to the home improvement store last night - spent way more than I thought we would, but we were able to get everything we needed to finish the kitchen, including a new light fixture. I am still hoping to be done with this project by tomorrow.

So, I must get to work! I hope you all have a great day and a great weekend! Prayers and Pixie Dust to all of you!

D~

 

[disny_luvr]

Happy belated birthday!

 

[Terkina]

Crossing my fingers that you will get the kitchen done during the weekend.

Yesterday and Today it has been snowing here. The snow melts as soon as it touches the ground so it's not staying down here in the city. But up in the mountains the snow that has come yesterday and today is staying on the ground. I guess it's exotic for the tourists that are in Tromsø that it's snowing in June

 

[Texan]

Oh my word D - I have been trying so hard to get caught up here; but my life has been crazy. So glad for FB and following along there. I am finally caught up! I have had a few bridal showers, bridal luncheon, rehearsal dinner and wedding sort of get in the way My nephew also got married last weekend. Its been crazy, exciting, and just a bundle of emotion. DS and new wife will be back from their honeymoon tomorrow then they move Wednesday.

I am so excited for you and your remodeling. Everything, especially your kitchen, looks amazing. You have worked so hard and I cannot believe the work Josh has done. It is so awesome. I will not go into detail on everything I love, it all looks so good; but the countertops, oh my! Love them.

Congrats to V on her acceptance into Art school; what a major accomplishment; ya'll's trip will be here before you know it; I love your ADRs and cannot wait to see your trip plan out.

I have been following along with your Dad and praying he starts a good recovery. Many prayers going his way.

And Allison! She gave me a lump in my throat on her last day of school. Wait until graduation Dorine. I don't understand parents who act like its just another day. Each big moment is another big step into the big world on their own. You have an amazing, confident young lady who is starting to spread her wings and find her own way. I understand completely, you are so proud of them yet at the same time it is so bittersweet, you wonder where time went. Here are some of my ugly cry moments with my oldest: last HS band concert, graduation from HS, leaving him at college 3 hours away (I can still remember crying all the way home); graduation from college; and then his wedding a couple of weeks ago. I thought I would be okay at the wedding; for some reason I was more nervous than anything; but I walked down the church hallway and saw him waiting for me and he started to tear up and then I started getting that lump and then both of my boys walked me down the aisle and I lost it. Very pretty right?

I cannot wait to see pictures of your complete kitchen. I will live vicariously through you on Allison's graduation and party. I am so excited for her.

Do not be hard on yourself D for not eating well and not exercising as much. You have been doing A LOT on your remodeling and so much time and effort has gone into your home. I haven't exercised in weeks. I was so tired after the wedding, and I realize I have just been really down lately with so much change going on. I need to get back to it, like yesterday, even if it is a walk. You always inspire us Dorine!

Take care, and now that I am caught up, I cannot wait to follow along again and posting more! Sending love and hugs and prayers.

 

[gopherdame]

Happy Belated Birthday! I was hoping to see the finished pictures of your kitchen when we got home from the lake. It sounds like you're almost done and everything looks great. I love the valence and hope you keep it. Are you putting some on the other window?

We finally got our driveway apron and sidewalk scheduled for Tuesday so I have to get working on moving plants. Of course as soon as we got home today it started raining so I will start tomorrow. We had some nice days and some rainy days up north, but it was a very relaxing week.

It was hard when my daughter moved out and she was only 19. She moved into an apartment with her best friend while she went to college. After that it was a lot easier when my boys moved out, both after finishing college. When we got used to being empty nesters we found we actually liked it. Think of her summer away as kind of a trial period to get used to it. Hopefully she will stay home a few more years or is she going away to college?

 

[DMGeurts]

Happy belated birthday!

Thank you!!! It was a great day!

Crossing my fingers that you will get the kitchen done during the weekend.

Yesterday and Today it has been snowing here. The snow melts as soon as it touches the ground so it's not staying down here in the city. But up in the mountains the snow that has come yesterday and today is staying on the ground. I guess it's exotic for the tourists that are in Tromsø that it's snowing in June

Thanks - we are getting so close!

Snow??? Oh wow! I am glad it's not staying near you anyways... Snow in June... We've had it in May, many times - but never in June - although Josh says that once when he was a teen, he was at the lake out in the boat, and it was snowing on his birthday - which is July 5th.

Oh my word D - I have been trying so hard to get caught up here; but my life has been crazy. So glad for FB and following along there. I am finally caught up! I have had a few bridal showers, bridal luncheon, rehearsal dinner and wedding sort of get in the way My nephew also got married last weekend. Its been crazy, exciting, and just a bundle of emotion. DS and new wife will be back from their honeymoon tomorrow then they move Wednesday.

I am so excited for you and your remodeling. Everything, especially your kitchen, looks amazing. You have worked so hard and I cannot believe the work Josh has done. It is so awesome. I will not go into detail on everything I love, it all looks so good; but the countertops, oh my! Love them.

Congrats to V on her acceptance into Art school; what a major accomplishment; ya'll's trip will be here before you know it; I love your ADRs and cannot wait to see your trip plan out.

I have been following along with your Dad and praying he starts a good recovery. Many prayers going his way.

And Allison! She gave me a lump in my throat on her last day of school. Wait until graduation Dorine. I don't understand parents who act like its just another day. Each big moment is another big step into the big world on their own. You have an amazing, confident young lady who is starting to spread her wings and find her own way. I understand completely, you are so proud of them yet at the same time it is so bittersweet, you wonder where time went. Here are some of my ugly cry moments with my oldest: last HS band concert, graduation from HS, leaving him at college 3 hours away (I can still remember crying all the way home); graduation from college; and then his wedding a couple of weeks ago. I thought I would be okay at the wedding; for some reason I was more nervous than anything; but I walked down the church hallway and saw him waiting for me and he started to tear up and then I started getting that lump and then both of my boys walked me down the aisle and I lost it. Very pretty right?

I cannot wait to see pictures of your complete kitchen. I will live vicariously through you on Allison's graduation and party. I am so excited for her.

Do not be hard on yourself D for not eating well and not exercising as much. You have been doing A LOT on your remodeling and so much time and effort has gone into your home. I haven't exercised in weeks. I was so tired after the wedding, and I realize I have just been really down lately with so much change going on. I need to get back to it, like yesterday, even if it is a walk. You always inspire us Dorine!

Take care, and now that I am caught up, I cannot wait to follow along again and posting more! Sending love and hugs and prayers.

Carol!!! It's great to see you here again! I know your life has been busy - I am right behind you and totally understand. I am glad the kids come home today - I hope they had a great Honeymoon and you've been able to rest and rejuvenate a little bit. Remind me - are they moving far away? I just can't seem to find that information in my brain this morning.

Thank you - I am just excited for it to be DONE! We are soooo close to being done, we can taste it - still hoping for the most of it to be done by the end of today. It's been a lot of work and a lot of $$ invested - not to mention the time investment too... And even as we go along - the girls are super impressed with how it looks as it's coming together - things they thought they would hate (specifically the wainscot), they actually love. And they doubted me??? LOL Pffft... Never doubt a visual person. LOL But I am happy I have their approval - as I want them to like it too. Just a few finishing touches to add today and hopefully we will be done. And yes - the counter tops... They are my favoritest ( <----- not a word, but I don't care, LOL) thing of all of this... I am quite proud of them actually.

I know - I can't believe that V is right behind Allison... I'll be doing this entire year all over again. It will be much harder when V leaves for Europe, as she will be the "last one" to go - then I will truly be left with an empty nest... I do believe that Allison is still planning to live at home at that time though? Hopefully we can do this in stages so I am not so bowled over with emotion. LOL

Yes - dad is home now, and is doing better. Although the swelling is still an issue. They are monitoring it and trying to bring it down again. It seems like an endless battle with that.

And Allison... I am so emotional about this right now... We are super close and it's so hard to watch her growing up and preparing to leave. Today the girls are going "back home" by themselves - as Allison is doing a senior photo shoot for one of their friends from Kindergarten... It's a 3 hour drive for them, and they are going alone... This is a huge deal for me... The "all my eggs in one basket" mentality - it's so scary to let them go alone. But I must. Letting go isn't easy, not at all. I remember, growing up, many of my friends were "kicked out" at 18, some of them younger... And I just cannot imagine doing that to my girls - for that matter, I cannot imagine why any parent would do that to their kids? Stay... Stay forever... That's what I tell them. LOL Much to Josh's disappointment. LOL IN all seriousness though - this is going to be a very rough few weeks for me, as she graduates and prepares to leave... I'll be a wreck - and I like to think I am prepared for that.

I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who cries... I'll be crying for all of those events, I am certain of it. And phooey on the people who judge us for it - we love our kids and there is nothing to be ashamed of in that.

Grrr... My eating and exercising... It's down right pitiful right now. Gonna have to be VERY dedicated over the next few weeks and months to make up for this. I am thankful that I haven't changed size too much - but my muscles are getting more jiggly as the days go on.... Looking forward to getting back on my normal heavy lifting schedule... The 3x I've been able to lift in the last month are not doing it for me, for sure. Ahhh - but I am really enjoying my walks a lot. So, there's that.

Thanks for stopping by Carol - it's always great to see you here and to catch up. I hope you and the family are doing well... Send me an email to update when you get a chance - and I"ll reply just as soon as I get my head above water again - which probably won't be until after Allison leaves for Europe - provided I can see through the tears. Take care and many blessings to you and yours.

Happy Belated Birthday! I was hoping to see the finished pictures of your kitchen when we got home from the lake. It sounds like you're almost done and everything looks great. I love the valence and hope you keep it. Are you putting some on the other window?

We finally got our driveway apron and sidewalk scheduled for Tuesday so I have to get working on moving plants. Of course as soon as we got home today it started raining so I will start tomorrow. We had some nice days and some rainy days up north, but it was a very relaxing week.

It was hard when my daughter moved out and she was only 19. She moved into an apartment with her best friend while she went to college. After that it was a lot easier when my boys moved out, both after finishing college. When we got used to being empty nesters we found we actually liked it. Think of her summer away as kind of a trial period to get used to it. Hopefully she will stay home a few more years or is she going away to college?

THank you!

Hahaha... I am hoping to see finished pictures of my kitchen too. LOL I cannot wait. I am hoping for tomorrow - provided I can get it cleaned up today and all the tools put away.

Thanks - I am still unsure of the valance? I am liking it more and more as the days go on - so it's probably staying? We just put up the new light fixture last night - and it's definitely darker than our old ceiling fan (but soooo happy to have that ugly thing gone)... Combining that with the light diffusing from the valance and we definitely need to add more light to this room somehow. In the end - I think I may end up with some sort of track lighting along the cupboards in the kitchen, on top of under counter lighting we are planning to install. I don't think I am going to put anything on the other window though.... Of course, I can always add something later, but I really like seeing that nice farmhouse trim when we look down to that end of the kitchen - it looks good. And we have THICK lilacs out that window between our property and the neighbors - so it's not really necessary for privacy to have anything there. We'll see?

Yay!!! Glad to hear that your driveway apron is finished - what a relief! I am also happy to hear that you had a great trip to the lake... I am looking forward to ours - we always have such a good time. Good luck getting everything put back to rights again... I'll be doing a lot of that today too.

Allison is planning to live at home for her first year of college... I am not sure of her plans after that? I know she needs the experience of college away from home, but I am just not ready for either of them to leave yet. It will take me a while to get used to it... I told Josh the other night, this is how it goes... Kids grow up, leave house, mom's start redecorating and remodeling and become obsessive about having a beautiful home (no kids here to wreck it) - and that's it, I turn into my MIL (who is an amazing decorator). LOL He just laughed at me, I don't think he thought I was serious? LOL

Thanks for stopping by - it was good to see you and glad to hear that you had a nice time at the lake.

***********************************************************************************************

Yesterday - we (Josh) were able to get a lot of miscellaneous stuff accomplished.

He was able to get the wainscot up that we had, sadly we ran out though - so I had to purchase more yesterday afternoon. Hopefully we have enough now to complete the kitchen. He was also able to get all of the trim up on the counter tops and cabinets... So, that entire wall is finished. We still have to go out and re-purchase one shelf, as he cut it too short yesterday. It's a bummer, but nothing to cry over.

While he was doing that - I was running V to and from school, getting my oil changed and running errands. I did come home in between and put the first coat of paint on to the baseboard trim.

When the girls and I got home, Josh was hanging the new light fixture.

Last night - I primed and painted the last (hopefully) batch of wainscot - so that's ready for Josh when he gets up today.

We also cleaned up many of his tools last night - as we are only going to be using a few of them as we finish up. There are still a lot of them in the kitchen, but I'd say about 2/3 of them are put away.

Today... I will be putting the final coat of paint on the baseboard trim - hopefully it's dry in time for Josh to put it up this afternoon.

Josh will be hanging the last of the wainscot and trimming it out.

He also plans to replace a few of our electric outlets.

I may send him to the store to repurchase the shelf - or I may go, as I need that shelf so I can unpack my kitchen again.

This afternoon, he will put up the trim.

I will likely paint the doorways to the office and to the stairs, since they are primed, and just need to be painted.

Then all that's left is to repair the floor - which I don't think is going to happen today... This is something Josh has been putting off for months, I am not sure why? Usually he puts things off if he isn't sure how he is going to do it... So, I suspect he isn't sure how he is going to make it work - it's a little difficult due to the pattern in the vinyl flooring. Personally, I'd be tempted to go out and purchase enough to cover the length of that part of the kitchen, so we don't have to have 2 seams - just one long continuous one, which I think would be easier for him to repair. I'll talk to him about it today.

It really looks fantastic guys - I am excited to share it, it's been a lot of work, but to see it come together, all the way to the finish line (including a trim - which has always been a big sticking point for us), well - it's been amazing! I just cannot wait to get my floors scrubbed and give the kitchen a good cleaning - surprisingly, it's quite clean, as we've been cleaning as we go... but to get all of the tools out and my table and chairs back - I will be one happy girl. I hate not having a table/chairs to eat meals at - and even though we have our patio set outside, that doesn't help us much when it's raining. LOL

I am still a little bummed that we won't get to the bathroom at all. I will just clean it really well and tell everyone it's next on our list - because it is.

And the stairs... I still really want to take up the carpet, and just live with whatever is under there. I am still of the opinion that at least I can clean the wood/painted stairs - no matter now bad they look... The stair carpet is beyond cleaning. Allison will be painting the walls in the stairs and upstairs hallway during this week - since she is off of school before graduation... I have not decided on a color yet for this, and I haven't purchased paint either... It's possible that we may use the living room color, since it coordinates with the kitchen. .

And that is it, we are almost done. I cannot believe how different it looks - yet it's exactly the same. People always say that it's amazing how much a new coat of paint can change things - and that is so true, although I do feel that this was a lot more work than just a coat of paint, so that phrase doesn't do all our hard work justice. But essentially - that's all we did. And new counter tops, new back splash, new trim... LOL

I hope you all enjoy your Sunday - sending out prayers and pixie dust to all of you!

D~

 

[KathyM2]

Just getting caught up...got teary eyed reading about the grad rehearsals etc. That high school BTW...looks pretty nice!!! Way to go on all that work on the house you got done...and working out too....a lot of productiveness going on around there!!

 

[Born 2B a Princess]

I love that tradition of the senior walk at Allison's high school -- that's such a beautiful tradition! What an emotional day...it's so hard watching my girls grow up and it's hard having Alyssa (my oldest) off at college...but she's learning so much and doing so well...I just have to remember that my job as a Mom is to try to work myself out of a job (LOL) by helping them grow up to be happy, healthy, loving, responsible, giving adults who can take care of themselves (although I frequently remind myself that they will ALWAYS need their Mama!). It's so hard. So many times I find myself wishing that I hadn't "wished away" their younger years...and I focus now on enjoying every single day. I got to spend Friday with my younger daughter as she prepared for prom and it was such a beautiful, wonderful day...and I caught myself flashing forward to the future when one of the girls gets married and spending time with them in the days leading up to their wedding with final preparations....oh boy, the water works started! LOL I love being a Mom. I can tell that you do, too.

I'm so excited to see the pictures of your finished kitchen!

Don't be so down on yourself about your exercise and eating over the last several weeks -- you've been doing a lot of work with the house and that has had to be a priority. That's ok. You know what you need to do so you'll be able to jump back in to it shortly. You look fabulous and you are such an inspiration to me!

 

[lovegrumpy]

This week my youngest gets his senior packet with the tickets for graduation. Its getting to real that my youngest is graduating.

 

[DMGeurts]

Just getting caught up...got teary eyed reading about the grad rehearsals etc. That high school BTW...looks pretty nice!!! Way to go on all that work on the house you got done...and working out too....a lot of productiveness going on around there!!

I know - it was just so cool how they seniors walked out for the last time. Part of it - I think - is to keep them from doing crazy stuff that could potentially be harmful... Our school has done a lot in the way of encouraging the kids to be respectful and responsible, especially during times like this - where they could potentially go out and do something crazy, harming themselves or others. So, instead of "Senior skip day" or "Senior prank day" - all of the Seniors earn the right to have "Senior privileges"... For the last 2 weeks of school, they get to do extra things, like have their own lunch hour (an actual hour), leave campus for lunch, open study halls... Things like that. Keep them in school, keeping them safe, and it really encourages them responsibility & to be mindful of their actions. It's worked out well. So, I think the "Gator walk" - not only is it an awesome thing, but none of them are going to do anything dumb with all of those people around, and jeopardize their graduation walk and ceremony.

Thank you - miraculously, we are super close to being done - like really, really done! We have 4 cupboard doors for Josh to put handles on and hang. And he has the 3 outlets in the kitchen that he wants to swap out for newer ones. Most of the tools were packed up last night and put away... we still have a few things out, but most of it is gone! Soooo excited and I love how it turned out!

I'll be back to working out, fully, today... I have a lot of time to make up for and a trip coming up that I need to be ready for. It's going to take a lot of work and dedication to get my body composition back to anything near what it was - it's amazing how fast it goes, but how hard it is to get it in the first place. Hopefully it won't take me too long?

Thanks for stopping by - it was good to see you, I hope you are well.

I love that tradition of the senior walk at Allison's high school -- that's such a beautiful tradition! What an emotional day...it's so hard watching my girls grow up and it's hard having Alyssa (my oldest) off at college...but she's learning so much and doing so well...I just have to remember that my job as a Mom is to try to work myself out of a job (LOL) by helping them grow up to be happy, healthy, loving, responsible, giving adults who can take care of themselves (although I frequently remind myself that they will ALWAYS need their Mama!). It's so hard. So many times I find myself wishing that I hadn't "wished away" their younger years...and I focus now on enjoying every single day. I got to spend Friday with my younger daughter as she prepared for prom and it was such a beautiful, wonderful day...and I caught myself flashing forward to the future when one of the girls gets married and spending time with them in the days leading up to their wedding with final preparations....oh boy, the water works started! LOL I love being a Mom. I can tell that you do, too.

I'm so excited to see the pictures of your finished kitchen!

Don't be so down on yourself about your exercise and eating over the last several weeks -- you've been doing a lot of work with the house and that has had to be a priority. That's ok. You know what you need to do so you'll be able to jump back in to it shortly. You look fabulous and you are such an inspiration to me!

Me too, it was so emotional! Like I said above though - I also think it's to keep them from doing potentially harmful or disrespectful things while walking out of the school for the last time - no kid is going to do anything dumb, and jeopardize their graduation walk with the entire school, staff and many parents watching them. Smart move, IMO.

You are right, we are trying to work ourselves out of a job, aren't we? I've never really thought of it that way. YIKES!

I can relate, I wished away their younger years, and I so regret it now... I wish I would have enjoyed them more. But then they say, you make up for it when you are a grandparent... We have many glorious years and many wonderful memories still to make - and I have to remind myself of that constantly. It will be hard.

I absolutely love being a mom... I always have. It's all I've ever wanted to be - the rest was gravy. There is NO greater gift out there, IMO.

I am so excited to share pictures of the finished kitchen. It is very nearly done and almost picture worthy - I am hoping for today.

Yes - today I am back at it, with mostly full intensity and dedication... I need to make headway again. I am really starting to feel this, and it's not pretty. LOL

Thanks for stopping by - I hope you had a nice weekend.

This week my youngest gets his senior packet with the tickets for graduation. Its getting to real that my youngest is graduating.

Awwww.... It's real, isn't it? Best of luck to him/her. When is graduation? It's such a bittersweet time... Such pride and yet it's the end of an era.

******************************************************************************************************

My day yesterday was full and mostly fun... Watching all of our hard work come together was so rewarding.

I started off by painting the last coat of paint on the baseboard trim, so it had enough time to dry before Josh installed it.

Then I ran to the home improvement store, so I could purchase the one shelf board that was cut too short.

I came home, and immediately started unpacking the remaining boxes in the kitchen.

Josh finished most of the wainscot while I was gone, and then he started on the baseboard trim.

I went around behind him- in between unpacking boxes - and filled nail holes, then painted them in... It was a bit tedious - but necessary.

Josh also fixed the floor where Cooper ate it.

By then - it was literally past dinner time, so we started to clean up, hauling tools and excess supplies down to the shed. It sucks, but clean up is part of "finishing the kitchen" too.

What do we have left> We have 4 cupboard doors that need to be hung. And Josh has 3 outlets that he wants to swap out. I have floors that need to be scrubbed in a bad way., but I want to wait a few days for the glue to dry properly. I also have to set up the coffee nook - probably today? That is it! We are done!

So where are all of the pictures??? Well, they are coming, I promise. I want to wait until we have all of the cupboard doors on, it just doesn't look as nice without them.

But it turned out awesome! I cannot believe it's our same kitchen, and I cannot believe that we did all the work ourselves. The counter top turned out to be an amazing "statement piece", and I really just love it.

We plan to bring our old "farmhouse" table up from the back shed for Allison's party, just to have an extra table... And we have plans to keep it up here. I'll repaint it to match the cabinets, and I will strip & re-stain the top to match the counter tops. I am not sure what I am doing with all the chairs yet? As currently they are a light wood color... So, I am not sure if I want to attempt to stain them, or to paint them?

I also plan to paint my pantry cupboard (the one cupboard we didn't touch - which is almost the same color as our counter tops) a salmon/melon color, just for fun. Again - probably not until after the party.

And eventually, we will get a different China hutch and pass this one along to another family member, so I can have a bigger hutch, and I can paint it. But will happen sometime over the next year or two, not any time soon - I don't think?

And that's it. I cannot believe we are done in this space and it looks so great!

Today - I will be cleaning out the last of my office this morning, and then I will work out. I need to make up for lost time.

Then I will be working upstairs all day.

Allison is home with me this week, as Seniors don't have school. I am putting her to work painting the upstairs hall way and the walls around the stairs. Still no decision made on whether we are pulling up the carpet on the stairs yet, or not. I think Josh would have a heart attack - as we just finished a major project. But it will happen SOON! LOL

I hope you all have a wonderful day today!!! Pixie Dust to all!

D~