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

[Terkina]

Sounds like you are almost done with the kitchen.
It's so great that you and Josh have been able to do all these projects on your own.

 

[Born 2B a Princess]

SO exciting to be soooooo close to the finish line on your kitchen! I can't wait to see pictures!!!!!

 

[KathyM2]

Yes I can't wait for the pics of the finished kitchen either!!

Seniors don't have school? Do they have exams? Or is that kinda pointless if they have already been accepted to colleges etc? Here they still go have exams etc, but it only matters if your grades drop drastically because you are already in but...in extreme cases they can rescind their offer if you blow off the last weeks of school lol

 

[Chicago Mo]

Ok I am a terrible friend here...
Know i love you and miss you like crazy but i haven't had the time to Dis with everything going on at home.

There is NO way i can totally catch up here. But know 1- I seriously LOVE the kitchen. 2. I was balling my eyes out on facebook.
When did the girls decide to grow up? Seriously where is peter pan when you need him. They have grown to such beautiful young women! I mean she GRADUATED!!! What the hell. Can't stand it.

I am going to try to stay caught up from here.. on out.


well i hope to!

 

[anniebean]

Everything is sounding awesome! And I'm glad you'll have this week with your daughter at home! My son just graduated and is shipping out for boot camp in November so I'm trying to spend as much time as possible with him.

I'm all in favor of ripping up old carpet! Old carpet is just a germ trap with really no good way to clean it.

 

[FantasiaMagic]

Hi D! I am finally back! Lol since I've gotten home from school I've been very busy with work and spending time with friends and family. It feels good to be back on the Dis!

Wow, your kitchen looks great! I have seen some of the progress posts on FB, but wow it's really coming along so nice!

I bet Allison is getting so excited for graduation! I'm glad the practice went well. Congratulation to her for her awards and accomplishments!

I hope you had a wonderful day! Glad I'm back!

 

[aboveH20]

Still spotty internet so we've left The Netherlands and are now in Germany.

I'm impressed your brother in law has learned Dutch. Obviously easier when immersed in the language, but still a hard language to learn.

Gotta go. More later.

 

[WDW2012]

I've fallen so far behind but am now finally caught up. I hope your dad is doing better and they figure things out for him. I was totally tearing up at the gator walk. I am a crier so I feel your pain. Just let it out and bring tissues. So long as you are not wailing, I think you're good. ;-) surely you won't be the only one there crying!!

I have no idea how you are managing to do daily updates with all of the work you are doing in the house, along with work and daily life!! Maybe it is the one thing keeping you sane, but thanks for sharing with us. I cannot wait to see the finished product. I know it will look fabulous!!!

 

[DMGeurts]

Sounds like you are almost done with the kitchen.
It's so great that you and Josh have been able to do all these projects on your own.

Yes - we are almost done. Still cannot wait to be finished. It sure helps that we are able to do it on our own - but sometimes I think it would be easier and go faster if we hired it out to be done? I am just happy to be near the finish line.

SO exciting to be soooooo close to the finish line on your kitchen! I can't wait to see pictures!!!!!

I know!!! I cannot wait to share them.

Yes I can't wait for the pics of the finished kitchen either!!

Seniors don't have school? Do they have exams? Or is that kinda pointless if they have already been accepted to colleges etc? Here they still go have exams etc, but it only matters if your grades drop drastically because you are already in but...in extreme cases they can rescind their offer if you blow off the last weeks of school lol

Me too - I cannot wait to be able to take them.

Our seniors get out a week early... The rest of the grades have final exams, but Seniors don't have to take those, so they are dismissed 4 days prior to every one else. It's kind of nice, because graduation doesn't happen until the following week - so it gives them time to prepare.

Ok I am a terrible friend here...
Know i love you and miss you like crazy but i haven't had the time to Dis with everything going on at home.

There is NO way i can totally catch up here. But know 1- I seriously LOVE the kitchen. 2. I was balling my eyes out on facebook.
When did the girls decide to grow up? Seriously where is peter pan when you need him. They have grown to such beautiful young women! I mean she GRADUATED!!! What the hell. Can't stand it.

I am going to try to stay caught up from here.. on out.


well i hope to!

Hi Mo!!! No worries - I promise, it's hard to stay caught up everywhere - I am just as guilty of the same thing. Most days, I can't keep up with myself, much less everyone else. And no need to try and catch up - we stay caught up on FB and I am OK with that for now - once our lives settle down (is there even such a thing?), we can be better about it.

I know - right? All growed up... :cry: Where did time go? It seems like yesterday that I was sending her off to kindergarten, and now look at us... Time goes way too fast!

Love you - miss you terrible, especially this time of year.

Everything is sounding awesome! And I'm glad you'll have this week with your daughter at home! My son just graduated and is shipping out for boot camp in November so I'm trying to spend as much time as possible with him.

I'm all in favor of ripping up old carpet! Old carpet is just a germ trap with really no good way to clean it.

Thanks - yah, even though she is home, I feel like I am just as busy as ever. LOL Always some where to go or something to get done. She leaves in less than 20 days...

Oh gosh - I cannot even imagine that - that would be so HARD! I would definitely be spending all of my free time with him too! Congrats to him though - such an honor to be able to do that.

Hehehehe... Well, I sort-of got permission last night from Josh. He came home from work and asked how the carpet ripping up went... And I said that it didn't happen. Then we got into this long conversation about how this is "mine & Allison's project" and he isn't lifting a finger to help us (in a joking way) - this is something her and I have to complete on our own, using Pinterest and Youtube. So, this should be good... To do it, or not to do it... That is the question... UGH!!! Ugly nasty decades old stained carpet... Or God only knows what wood/painted/possibly not wood that could potentially be ugly too - but possibly cleanable???? I guess we can always take off a few stairs worth of carpet and tack it back on if it's terrible? I just cannot imagine any patch job to be as terrible as the carpet that's there now.

Hi D! I am finally back! Lol since I've gotten home from school I've been very busy with work and spending time with friends and family. It feels good to be back on the Dis!

Wow, your kitchen looks great! I have seen some of the progress posts on FB, but wow it's really coming along so nice!

I bet Allison is getting so excited for graduation! I'm glad the practice went well. Congratulation to her for her awards and accomplishments!

I hope you had a wonderful day! Glad I'm back

Welcome back!!! It's great to see you! I was wondering how your move was going, glad to hear you've been buys and you've been able to catch up with everyone!

We are getting there... Not done yet - much to my disappointment, if I could do it myself I would... but I am not comfortable drilling holes for hinges annnnnd getting it right. LOL So, I am still waiting on Josh.

She is very excited! She decorated her graduation cap yesterday - it turned out really cute.

Thanks! Same to you - welcome back!

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

Hmmmm... So yesterday... We were supposed to have storms in the morning - but some how they missed us, and right around work out time, it was beautiful and glorious out... I couldn't resist and chose to go for a walk. I really should have worked out in my office, but I really enjoyed my walk.

I cleaned up in the kitchen and living room - I hadn't vacuumed or dusted in over a week in the living room - and it definitely needed it, with all of the construction we've been doing. It felt good to have it done again.

Then I worked upstairs all morning, while Allison slept in. She was supposed to start painting yesterday, but this is something I am totally OK with doing on my own too - it's a few walls and some trim. Something I can do on week nights pretty easily. Once she got up - she decided to work on decorating her graduation cap - which was also something that needed to be done... It turned out really cute!

Allison and I also had to run up to Josh's work yesterday... We totally forgot that my in-laws were dropping their car off for us to store/use while they are on vacation... So Allison and I had to run up there to drive it home.

I thought, for sure, last night, Josh would hang cupboard doors - then I would have pictures for you all today. Sadly that didn't happen. I was able to get him to put on work clothes and hang the shoe rack on the back side of the basement door (to store water bottles), but that was all I was able to talk him into... He was a little cranky - so I erred on the side of "being nice" and let him have the night off. I did get a good picture of him and MM though... And in the background, you can sort of see a fully painted, much brighter and finished area. LOL

We ate dinner for the very first time - since before Mother's day - at our dining room table! That was glorious! The things we take for granted...

I also took the opportunity to clean up most of my painting mess last night... So that was kind of a relief to have that done.

Then I sat around on Pinterest all night... Which was kind of nice too.

Today... Well, I went around my kitchen this morning and took some detail pictures for you all instead. Hopefully it gives you all a little taste of the finished project.

Then I will be heavy lifting - this will be my first full week back at it.

And I will work upstairs all day... Unless Allison is in the mood to rip up some carpet? Then I may detour for an hour or so and take care of business there. If we decide to rip it up - I can give her a pliers and she can get to work pulling staples all day. We'll see. I've stuck to my guns about finishing one project before starting another - which is very hard for me to do... but I feel like my part of the kitchen is done, so I should be safe to start another project...

I have my Tuesday meeting tonight, so the kitchen definitely will not get done tonight, I can guarantee that. So, the soonest we will touch it to finish up is Wednesday night. I am really praying that we get it done then.

That's about all for today.

I hope you all have a wonderful day - sending prayers and pixie dust to all!

D~

 

[Chicago Mo]

I absolutely adore your house. it's so bright and cheery!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE!! what a fantastic idea with the mugs. Totally stealing it.

 

[dalmatian7]

Happy Belated Birthday. Eating steak is a great way to celebrate! You curtains and fabric trim came out sooo cute. The details pictures look great so I can't wait to see the finished product. Your accents (canisters etc) got with you farmhouse look so nicely.

Please send me some sewing vibes. My DD5 is a 4-H cloverbud this year and chose sewing for her project. I haven't touched a machine an a very very long time. My sister can more that help us out but I want to figure some of it out ourselves. We bought the cutest fabric for a simple sundress that has darth vader in the print (DD5 discovered Star Wars movies this spring). I had wanted to get it cut our on Sunday but some family events took more time than I thought and I want to be sure I am doing this correctly. It is amazing what you can find on you tube thank goodness!

Your high school is beautiful. It looks like a college campus to me. That "gator walk" is really nice. transitions are a big part of life and I agree with you that happy ones should be commemorated. It isn't "just another day". It is the first day of a new part of life. fun but scary too. But something that helps you grow. I am sure Allison and you will both grow so much in the next year. She is lucky to have great parents like you that always have her back. It will make it easier for her to take those big steps.

Best wishes for a safe and happy graduation for your whole family
Heidi

 

[Terkina]

Allison's graduation cap looks great.

The detail pictures of the kitchen looks great.

 

[Sweetly]

I am so happy for Allison, but you made me cry. Love her cap!!! I am so excited for the new adventures that await her, but at the same time as a mother I know how hard it is to watch them go onto a new chapter in life. I have been crying myself as I prepare for my daughter to go off to college. I purchased her bedding and I started to cry. I don't know what I will do with myself when she goes. She is my only one and it has always just been her and I.
The kitchen is AMAZING!!! I am sure you are loving it. Wait till you move on to the next project. You are right on the remodeling when the kids leave home. My parents did the same thing and it still continues till this day. LOL
Well, the munchkins have left and I miss them terribly, but they will be back before I know it. Lil' Miss M is growing too fast. Oh the rolls she has on her chunky legs and the smiles she gives just melts your heart. I just cannot believe how independent Lil' Miss R has gotten. We got a lot of "I can do it" or "no, I don't need help". The one thing she did was ask to come play at my house. So mommy and daddy dropped her off and we played and played. I was in heaven!!
Hope you get the remaining few things done before the party. Have a great day!

 

[ABCastillo]

Everything is looking so fantastic!!!

Can't wait to see it all.

I have a random question. I'd love to get involved with the Dis Big Give. Is there a good way to get in touch with the organizers?

 

[Born 2B a Princess]

I love, love, love it! Those jars with the candies (what are those?) in them -- SO darn cute, and your basket with cookbooks, and your cannisters -- I especially love your cannisters! It looks great!!!!

 

[mymainmouse]

Loving the details! Can't wait to see the finished pictures! It's all really cute!

 

[FantasiaMagic]

Oh my gosh Allison's graduation cap is so cute! I don't think decorating graduation caps at my high school was allowed last year so that's great she was able to do that!

I also love all the decorations you have added to your kitchen, especially the sign, and the jars with the bows on top, too cute!

 

[aboveH20]

Just so you can tell your grandchildren what an international following you had, checking in from Switzerland. Leaving tomorrow. If our plane gets diverted to MN I'll help with the testing the functionality of the coffee bar.

 

[DMGeurts]

I absolutely adore your house. it's so bright and cheery!!
LOVE LOVE LOVE!! what a fantastic idea with the mugs. Totally stealing it.

Thank you... I can't believe how nice it's turning out - and it's really quite charming. It's hard to get used to - since I've hated it for so long.

I totally agree - I was skeptical that the shoe organizer would work, and I was happily surprised that it did - it works great, and now I don't have mugs and water bottles falling out of my cupboards every time I open them. I recommend it to anyone who has a spare door.

Happy Belated Birthday. Eating steak is a great way to celebrate! You curtains and fabric trim came out sooo cute. The details pictures look great so I can't wait to see the finished product. Your accents (canisters etc) got with you farmhouse look so nicely.

Please send me some sewing vibes. My DD5 is a 4-H cloverbud this year and chose sewing for her project. I haven't touched a machine an a very very long time. My sister can more that help us out but I want to figure some of it out ourselves. We bought the cutest fabric for a simple sundress that has darth vader in the print (DD5 discovered Star Wars movies this spring). I had wanted to get it cut our on Sunday but some family events took more time than I thought and I want to be sure I am doing this correctly. It is amazing what you can find on you tube thank goodness!

Your high school is beautiful. It looks like a college campus to me. That "gator walk" is really nice. transitions are a big part of life and I agree with you that happy ones should be commemorated. It isn't "just another day". It is the first day of a new part of life. fun but scary too. But something that helps you grow. I am sure Allison and you will both grow so much in the next year. She is lucky to have great parents like you that always have her back. It will make it easier for her to take those big steps.

Best wishes for a safe and happy graduation for your whole family
Heidi

Thank you - it was a very nice day. I was able to spend it doing what I wanted to do, so that's always nice.

Thanks... I've been purchasing items as I see them - trying to stick to a small budget and only buying what's absolutely necessary. The canisters, believe it or not, came from one of the families participating in BFF's garage sale - I was super excited to find those!

Best of luck with your project - you will do great! There is a lot of great info on the internet, and it's a great way to learn. I hope you'll share your finished project.

Yes - I was remarking that to Allison the other day - they are very lucky to have such a beautiful school - it was very well thought out and very much unique to our community. Thank you - that was so nice of you to say... We will have a lot of "new" to get used to in the coming weeks - most scary to me, is having her so far away... but BMTL are very much looking forward to having her - Thomas especially. It's going to be amazing - I just have to get used to her being gone. Lots of tears will be shed, I am sure of it.

Thank you Heidi.

Allison's graduation cap looks great.

The detail pictures of the kitchen looks great.

Thank you - I really like how it turned out- she did a great job.

Thanks - I am so excited to have it finished - I cannot wait... Yes, I am still waiting.

I am so happy for Allison, but you made me cry. Love her cap!!! I am so excited for the new adventures that await her, but at the same time as a mother I know how hard it is to watch them go onto a new chapter in life. I have been crying myself as I prepare for my daughter to go off to college. I purchased her bedding and I started to cry. I don't know what I will do with myself when she goes. She is my only one and it has always just been her and I.
The kitchen is AMAZING!!! I am sure you are loving it. Wait till you move on to the next project. You are right on the remodeling when the kids leave home. My parents did the same thing and it still continues till this day. LOL
Well, the munchkins have left and I miss them terribly, but they will be back before I know it. Lil' Miss M is growing too fast. Oh the rolls she has on her chunky legs and the smiles she gives just melts your heart. I just cannot believe how independent Lil' Miss R has gotten. We got a lot of "I can do it" or "no, I don't need help". The one thing she did was ask to come play at my house. So mommy and daddy dropped her off and we played and played. I was in heaven!!
Hope you get the remaining few things done before the party. Have a great day!

Me too... It seems that there are lots of tears lately... It's going to be hard when she leaves - it's coming quickly. I am glad that I am not the only one who cries over this sort of thing - I am such an emotionally invested person - and I am incredibly close to my girls... It's going to be a tough summer for me.

Will your dd be far away? They say that we'll get used to it - mothers like us have been doing this for generations... I don't know how they do it? But at some point, I will have to follow suit. I guess, this is when we find our new hobbies? Not as if I don't have enough of them already...

Awwww.... I love hearing about the littles. My girls were both so independent all of their lives... So it makes me giggle just a little bit to hear your stories. You are so lucky to have them and your relationship with them - cherished moments for sure!

I hope so too... LOL It's gonna be interesting for sure!

Everything is looking so fantastic!!!

Can't wait to see it all.

I have a random question. I'd love to get involved with the Dis Big Give. Is there a good way to get in touch with the organizers?

Thank you - me too!

Are we friends on FB? I can link you to information there on the big give - otherwise, I think the photo of the big give in my siggy is linked? It was many years ago, not sure if the link is still valid?

I love, love, love it! Those jars with the candies (what are those?) in them -- SO darn cute, and your basket with cookbooks, and your cannisters -- I especially love your cannisters! It looks great!!!!

Thanks! They are apothecary jars - or supposed to be... They are actually kind-of old, as I had them displayed on the mantel previously. Now they are too tall and don't fit anywhere, except smooshed on my counter top. LOL The candies in them are dark chocolate covered almonds - which were supposed to be mine, but the girls ate them all. Grrrr... They are really good.

And the canisters were a garage sale find at BFF's garage sale - one of the other families involved was selling them and I snatched them up... They had letters and words on the side of them, and I was super happy to find that they were stickers and I could peel them right off... I may or may not put little chalk board labels on them? I kind of like them plain - but we'll see.

Loving the details! Can't wait to see the finished pictures! It's all really cute!

Thanks - me too... I am so happy with all of it... I wish I had pictures for you all - but Josh has not put up cupboard doors yet. I begged him last night to do it tonight - so fingers crossed.

Oh my gosh Allison's graduation cap is so cute! I don't think decorating graduation caps at my high school was allowed last year so that's great she was able to do that!

I also love all the decorations you have added to your kitchen, especially the sign, and the jars with the bows on top, too cute!

Thanks! She is so pleased with it. I am not sure if decorating grad caps is new? I think, just in the last few years, kids have been offered to purchase their tassels and now their grad caps - which is pretty cool. Only the kids who purchase them can decorate them... I think it's awesome and makes the experience so individual and personal.

Thanks - I am really loving it so much!!! I just wish the cupboard doors were on so I could share pictures. It seems there is always one thing that we don't finish... However this WILL be finished... I begged him last night to do it tonight - hopefully he does.

Just so you can tell your grandchildren what an international following you had, checking in from Switzerland. Leaving tomorrow. If our plane gets diverted to MN I'll help with the testing the functionality of the coffee bar.

Awesome!!! It sounds like you had a wonderful world tour. Wishing you safe travels home! Forget the coffee bar, I'll put you to work painting the stairs. So, please stop by - there's plenty of work to do.

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

It's been a busy few days here...

Sadly - I had a wild hair on Tuesday and I did NOTHING I was supposed to do. I didn't lift weights, I didn't work out, I didn't work... It was bad.

Before Josh even pulled out of the drive way - I started ripping up the carpet on the stairs. They are bad - and at one time, I am sure the carpet was a great improvement... I did find a few not fun things... I did know about the heat vent opening/haphazard covering on the bottom toe kick - my plan was to cover that one with a regular heat vent cover -whether we used it or not was to be determined. But then on the 4th toe kick - I found another, much bigger, patch job... I had no idea what it was - but it was patched just like the one a few steps below... At first I didn't think it was a heat vent, but now I do. The reason I didn't think so, is why in the world would they put 2 heat vents right next to each other like that? But then I got to thinking - there used to be a door there... I bet the one heat vent was to heat the down stairs and one to heat the upstairs.

I am not sure how I am going to fix this second area yet. Josh has totally bowed out of the project all together... He seems quite upset with me, as a matter of fact... but if I showed you all the carpet that was there - I think most of you would agree that the wood steps are a much better alternative - as at least I can sweep them and scrub them. And IMO - I think they are quite charming... I love that the wear on them is from 100 years of feet going up and down them... I love the creeking noises they make and the echo-y-ness of the stair case now... It brings me comfort and reminds me of the stairs in my foster-parent's house growing up.

After all of the staples were removed and stairs swept (not mopped)... Much better already - IMO.

It's hard to tell from my pictures - but these steps are definitely worn, very worn... and they aren't much better after my 8 hour staple pulling shift on Tuesday... My palms are blistering and my hands were cramping at the end... but I managed to pull 2 sets of carpet worth of staples out of the steps... The carpet staples from the carpet I'd just pulled off - then also the carpet staples that were never pulled out when apparently there was orange shag carpet on there as well. Believe me, I was cursing a few of the previous owners - but it wasn't the first time and probably won't be the last either.

MM "helping"...

Since Josh has bowed out of this project totally - like, not even available for consultation... My plan is to pull out the stair tread in question, and then the toe kick below it - bring the toe kick into Home Depot and have them cut another one for me, the exact same size and dimension and just replace that one board. If it goes easily and well - I may try to replace one of the other treads - as the one above the green toe kick (photo above) is quite a mess from the replacing of that board. At least I know I am not the first one to attempt to repair these stairs, so I know it can be done. My game plan - after that piece is replaced, I will still put a new heat vent cover on the bottom toe kick... I will putty the worst places on the stairs, sand carefully (as it's likely lead based paint on them currently) as to not create any dust... then I will seal it all in with oil based primer. I plan to paint them all white. I am not sure if that will get done before the party? I hope to, but to be honest - like I said, I think they are kind of charming as they are too. Ugly - but charming. LOL

My favorite part of this whole project is the upstairs landing and hallway. The hallway floor has always been exposed, and it's wood planking - I've always loved it. I was praying that the landing upstairs would be intact and it was. It's a different color than they rest of the hallway, but it's there and nice. I plan to paint the entire hallway floor white, as well. At some point.

Ok - enough house stuff...

Thankfully - I'd set an alarm about Allison's graduation poster that I had to turn in today - or I would have been so distracted, that I would have forgotten. I was asking V about ideas for it last night, and she offered to draw it out and make it for me. What a relief. She spent hours on this poster, and she did a great job! She was giving me a little grief that she was doing MY project... but it was all in good fun - I think she enjoyed it.

Today - it's storming... So, I will be working out in my office.

I have a lot of time to make up for - since I didn't work on Tuesday at all.

I also promised Allison a trip to the mall today - as she needs a few items for her trip. I am looking forward to spending the day with her - as it won't be long now before she is gone for the summer.

I really hope that Josh hangs cupboard doors tonight... I begged him last night to do it tonight - so hopefully he will. I really want it done before Allison's graduation ceremony tomorrow night - because after that, we will be crazy busy cleaning and getting ready for her party.

Anyways - I better run!!! I hope you all have a wonderful day! Pixie Dust to all!

D~

 

[Born 2B a Princess]

I love the look and the history of the stairs -- I think you'll be able to get them looking great. I need to look for some apothecary jars...I love those! The poster turned out great and I laughed at the note she wrote on it -- so cute and fun!

We've started talking about specific things we can do to prep for the Whole30 we're going to do at the end of the summer and are starting to try new recipes now and making ingredient substitutions. I'm excited about this and hopeful for good results.... Thanks for the continuing inspiration!