The Marital Bed

After all these years of being married, Ricardo has FINALLY consented to buying a REAL bed for us!!!

Our bed has always consisted of a mattress and boxsprings sitting on a metal frame. Two years ago we bought a new mattress and boxsprings (oh so comfy!) But we have never had a REAL bedframe/headboard/footboard....unless you include our waterbed when we were first married. (But I for one would like to erase from memory ever being a waterbed owner ;)

We have started the shopping process. Being a man, you can just imagine how EXCITED Ricardo is going from store, to store, to store, to endless store with me!!! Since this is OUR bed, he MUST be included in the ENTIRE PROCESS!!! (Don't you agree?!) The children, being BOYS are also excited beyond belief with the entire bed shopping process. They may put off marriage indefinately after this. LOL!

But it isn't everyday that you buy a bed. And this is much more than just A bed. It is a MARITAL BED. Our bed, through good times and bad. A bed that is entrusted to supporting and carrying the weight of our marriage on a daily basis. A bed that we will join us together as husband and wife EVERY NIGHT FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES!!! As you can see, it MUST be a special, special bed. Surely you fellow women out there see the importance of this?!

We have seen several beds. 4 poster beds, sleigh beds, beds with elaborate designs, beds without. Dark wood, medium wood, light wood...

I can see the advantages to all the bed types. The sleigh bed won't overwhelm the room. Not make it feel claustrophobic or small. They are classic in design. The 4 poster beds are classic as well as good for pole dancing and handcuffs....LOL! Then there are the beds with the mighty pillars.....and the ones with the short posts and urns on every corner.... But now we need to choose one. But before we do, give me your opinions. What type of beds do you like best and why? Which ones are always stylish? Which wood type do you recommend? Are some easier to make? Better quality than others? Guaranteed to ensure a long lasting marriage? I REALLY want your opinions here. They will help tremendously!

TRUST me, much like my marriage, this is a once in a lifetime event- an opportunity like this will NEVER come along again! I've GOT to get it right the first time!

Saturday's Shindig

Had a big shindig this weekend. Husband had another office dinner/award function to attend. THIS time I didn't have Salmoenella. So we went. But before we went, was all the "pre-awards dinner festivities."



Now for many a girl, this would be activities like having one's hair done, nails done, having a make-up artist or stylist come over, etc.....but lest ye forget I am a freak, let me remind you. I am a FREAK... with ISSUES! Had my hair done LAST weekend-still looks good. Took all of 10 minutes to style. Don't need nails done-I have none (they are cut down to the quick from all the landscaping etc.) Make-up artist, stylist...PUHLEEZE!!! No. Slapped that stuff on in a jiffy and was ready to go.



Sadly, Yours truly started her pre awards festivities on Friday. These festivities consisted of cleaning the house from top to bottom. (Including shampooing the carpets.) And doing up all the laundry. Nervous energy about the dinner? Partially. But mostly, (I'm ashamed to admit) because we had a BABYSITTER coming over. Since we had never used her before, I wanted to do everything possible so that she would walk away with a good impression of our household. I didn't want our house to smell doggish. Or look like I was lacking in my domestic responsibilities. OY! Could I BE any more pathetic?!! I should join compulsive cleaners anonymous. And if there's not a club, I should be the founder! Now I just need to find a place to have our meetings...oh yeah, and clean it up really, REALLY nice first! :)



As far as the awards dinner, hopefully I didn't shame darling spouse too much. I wore pants. I was the only girl there in pants, but I like to think I was "progressive." :) I was really subdued. Which many of you may find surprising to hear. I have been known to be the life of the party on more than one occassion. ;) But that is among friends and people I feel comfortable around. I am actually very quiet until I get to know someone. I just sit and observe. I mentally document everything. I "read" people. (A useful skill that has helped me immensely through out life. ) And only those that pass muster are later allowed into the "circle of trust." (ie: Robert DeNiro/Meet the Parents.)

The restaruant was swanky. The food was impressive. I was proud of hubby for his accomplishments! I now have faces to put with names that I hear. I also have a better understanding of hubby's day to day working life. THAT being said, may I also say...

The dinner/awards lasted over 4 hours....4 FRIGGIN HOURS....it was still ongoing when we left. Who knows how much longer it went on. But we did in fact bale out early...

1. Because we have a LIFE and life's too short!!!

2. Because we had a sitter that we were paying $20 an hour... including travel time-you do the math !

3. Because I think it's important to be home in time to tuck my kiddos in and say goodnight.

4. Because 4 hours with people I'm not comfortable with is more than enough time from my day.

5. Because my Mama Mia boots were REALLY starting to hurt my feet! LOL! (if only...)


Hopefully hubby won't be penalized at work for being the first to bale. This company is supposed to be all about "people" and "family"...we'll see if they walk the walk so to speak. Ricardo, I'm proud of you!!! You're a hard worker, a good leader, a great father and husband...and after all these years, still a proud card carrying member of my freaky "circle of trust" club! Salute!!!

A River Runs Thru it No More

As you can tell from my 3/12 post, we had a trouble area in our yard. EVERY time it rained that particular flowerbed would fill with water and flood. It would stay mucky for weeks afterwards- with that gross "zoo smell." But no more: I was sorry to see the flowerbed go; but, am happy to report the conditions have improved dramatically! Even with rain, there is no standing water here. No zoo smell. No pup racing back and forth thru the slosh. Sometimes it's the little things that make such a big difference!

It's a Dud on this years Spuds

Yes, another dull landscaping/garden post. But tis the season. I found these flower seeds tucked away in a kitchen drawer. "Cosmos" they are called. I got them free in the mail last year, so I figure might as well give them a whirl. I planted them Saturday. Yesterday they were already peaking out of the planter. So far, loving the free seed thing! Speaking of seeds. Went to the nursery to buy potato plants. Grumpy old woman who works there directed me with her head nod over to a table. "They're over there" she said. As if the words were almost more than she could afford to part with. She's always that way. Which begs the question, "why do I keep going back?!" Anyhow, all they had were sweet potato plants. I asked her if they had any "regular" potato plants. This almost sent her into conniptions. Obviously I am too stupid to be walking around unchaperoned!!! She flat out told me she had NEVER been asked for "regular" potato plants before. Then, after faining complete disbelief in my asinine question, she announced that you plant "regular" potatoes from seed yourself-in January. Way too late in the season to start now according to Grumpella. Master gardener I ain't! But would have much rather had someone who didn't make me feel quite so stupid, someone I could have chuckled about it with. Oh well, "I never much minded the little things!" :P So, now I know. Guarantee I won't ever forget either. :) Thank you "Grumpella" for your life lesson! Love you like a mother. ;0









But that left me "holding the bag" so to speak with the potato bags I bought. So, the potato bags have now been transitioned into:

Lettuce and bell pepper bags. We'll see what type of results I get. The bags are really cute don't you think? Got little canvas handles on the sides so you can move them around. Little drainage holes with grommets on the bottoms to let excess water out as well.

I bought 5 lettuce plants. I love lettuce. Hoping that I can grow it!

The neighborhood rabbits are hoping the same. :)

I'm also hoping for great results from the bell pepper plant. I'm out double digits so far on all the dirt, plants and planters this spring. Hoping to recoup my costs in a wonderful harvest. Stranger things have happended!!!

Springtime Optimist!

It's Springtime! Seems everyone in the neighborhood has the Spring Gardening Bug. We've all been out digging, pulling weeds, planting things, mulching, etc. This week I've dug out my "Topsey Turvey" tomato planters and planted two tomato plants. Potted a yellow squash plant and a strawberry plant. Even going to plant potatoes in their owns special potato bags as soon as the nursery gets their potato plants in. Now, I've said more than once that if my family had to rely on my vegetable growing skills...well we'd all starve. (OBVIOUSLY I'm not great at it- I have to buy special vegetable bags and planters for crying out loud!!! ) But there's just something about the cool, sunny early Spring days that make you feel optimistic. That "I think I can do it" attitude. You know the one. The I can become a master gardener, I can lose the extra weight, I can become a MENSA member...... ;)

Here's a quick look at my future vegetable bounty. The one that will sustain my family during these hard financial times:

See the cute little strawberry buds? Ahhhh!

Hello little squash...I could just squish you! Sorry, I'm goofy today!

Hello Maters! Longing for you already!

But the practical side of me knows not to put all my veggies in one basket- so to speak. So, I've also been busy pulling weeds, planting and mulching my flowerbeds, etc trying to make our landscaping look nice and fresh. I've toted so many bags of mulch and soil this week, and dug so many holes- it hurts to straighten my arms! Seriously! Nothing like that first burst of outside manual labor in the Springtime to make you realize what a wuss you really are! That the weight machines and ellipticals don't utilize ALL your muscles like real life scenarios or you wouldn't be feeling this way. Maybe I should invent a "Shovel Simulator Machine" to work those pesky underused muscles. Hmmmmm...I might be on to something! Advertise it late at night-have susceptible individuals like me phoning in by the tens and hundreds...ha! Sorry, I got off track. Before I become a gazillionaire, here's a look at some of my "beds."...

Now most of these plants I planted last Fall-but LOOK! They are coming back!!! Hello little Iris! Hello little rose bush! But some of them I planted this week-like the Nandina's. And before I mulched, I had to weed it-ugh! I hate pulling weeds! Last year I traded out certain services with Ricardo so I wouldn't have to pull the weeds myself. Is that wrong? I guess it would be if he were just my gardener; but, since he's also my husband and no actual money traded hands I think that makes everything legit. Right?! Cause I may use a hoe, but I ain't now nor ever been one! Man am I on a roll today or what?! Seriously, I should be writting this stuff down! Oh wait! I am. Anyhow...

I also found these nifty little tree rings at Lowes. I placed the plastic tray down first, then added a "mulch ring" on top. Now I don't have to worry about the mower hitting the trees, or mulch blowing away etc. How cool is that?!

This tree above is the $5 tree I got at Lowes last Fall-their end of the season sale. Regularly $39. I'm so excited when I think I have found a fabulous deal!!! It's just now starting to bud. Some type of maple. (Flaming something or another.) Anyway, Miss Maple looks just gorgeous in the Fall. All her leaves start turning orange and bright red-like shiney jewelry. And you know how I like the shiney, blingey stuff! ;)

This little guy here I've had in a pot for almost 2 years. Had to move him out of the backyard last Fall....the pups thought of it as a teething toy. But Mr. Live Oak seems to be adjusting right well. He's gonna be a great tree one day!!!So that's what's been going on here this first week of Spring.

On a side note, the mortgage company agreed to drop our PMI! Woohoo!!! Nice to have that work out in our favor!

Here's the latest on the Fit Flop. I think the Fit Flops are working! The first day they wore a blister on my second toe. (ouch) But, I bandaged it up, sucked it up, and slipped those babies back on. Because, I'm determined in my pursuit of all things trivial to get the answer for you all! Now excuse the pic of my chubby ugly toes-it's just for tutorial purposes. I wear a six 6 shoe. ( I used to wear a size 5 shoe. Then I had a baby...jumped up to 5 1/2, then I had another baby...jumped up to a size 6. Then I got scared and quit having babies...ha ha ha! Just joking.) Anyway, you can see that the shoe is a little long in the toe area. Perhaps it's because I have short toes. If these shoes do indeed work, I may order another pair in a smaller size later. But I was too excited to give these girlies a whirl.

And here's my results so far: I do notice a difference when I take them off. I feel a little "twinge" in some of my leg muscles come bedtime. (course, maybe that's from all the digging too!) I do not notice any difference in cellulite, or firming/toning yet....but I'll keep going for another month or two and let you know. In the meantime, I'm feeling optimistic!!! There's literally a "Spring" in my step!!! Oh Haaaaaaa ha ha! I crack myself up! After the MENSA club reads this, I'm definately a shoe in! (get it?....sorry. I'll go now!) Have a great weedend everyone!

And check out what we'll be doing tomorrow...

Oh fun fun! Don't you wish you were us? One last joke (cause I just can't stand the thought of missing this photo op!) Here goes...ahem.... "GOT GRASS?!" ha ha ha! Sorry. Irrelevant. Inappropriate even. But it made you giggle...admit it! Oh how I wish I were in "Bermuda...;)" See you Monday Everyone!!!

Fit Flops

I saw these little babies in a Victoria's Secret Catalog. They are "Fit Flops." SUPPOSEDLY they give you a workout while you're just simply walking around. Working out your calves, thighs, and buttocks resulting in firmer body and less celulite....hmmm. Now I'd LIKE to say I'm not suseptable to false claims and too good to be true gimmicks, but since I am the owner of the "Ab-Doer"...you can easily see I am not. (I'll wait for you all to quit laughing before I continue...)

Well, today my Fit-Flops arrived. I ordered these with eyes wide open. I was just looking for a really comfortable pair of flip-flops for the summer. Ones that hopefully would last more than just one summer. These seemed like they could fit the bill.

However....They came with a little brochure/testimonials. Apparently these are AMAZING, LIFE CHANGING shoes. They even helped one 72 year old woman with arthritis and a knee replacement get a new lease on life! She can now jump!...pain free! Wow!!! Who knew they could be so dadgum powerful?!! One woman swears the dimples in her thighs have virtually disappeared since wearing these Fit Flops....Great Googley Moogley Friends!!! Could it be?!

If any of you have heard of these/tried them-let me know what you think too! Are you slimmer? Firmer? Taller? Less Arthritic? Younger? Able to leap over tall buildings in a single bound? Have you fired your personal trainer and replaced him/her with Fit Flops in every conceivable color?! Do you need a gently used AB-Doer?....

If you haven't tried this workout in a shoe-box, don't worry. Ever the optimist, I'm going to be your Guinea Pig. I'll update you in a few days and let you know what I think. (Providing that I haven't been snatched up by some modeling agency needing a babe with amazing calves, firm dimpless thighs and an ass so firm you could bounce a quarter off it.....)

Just joking. I'll let you know either way- contract or no modeling contract ;) In the mean time...I'm serious about the AB-Doer! I'll even throw in my Suzanne Somers Torso Track as part of the package!

I.C.E...Look in the "Air Supply" Folder

I don't know how it is in most households, but I'll tell you how it is in ours. My husband makes the money, and I spend it. (ha ha ha.) Sorry. But that's really what happens, and yet... not really. Ricardo does bring home the moola. And, because he deals with money all day long, the last thing he wants to do is contend with more figures when he gets home. (Except for mine of course-wink- wink.)

That's where I come in. Since I am unemployed and have nothing to do, (insert laughter here.) I pay all the bills. I know where every dime he makes is/ or has gone. Poor Ricardo is blissfully clueless. He doesn't have to deal with that stress. Or take any blame when the money is gone either I guess. Hmmmm....

I've said more than once that Ricardo would be lost without me. (Probably blissfully happy...yet, lost none the same. But I digress.) Take for example, my filing system. Since I pay all the bills, I also file the receipts/stubs. Ricardo happened to notice me filing the receipt/stub for the company that does our yard fertilizer/weed treatments in our "Entertainment" folder. He mistakenly asked the question....

Ricardo: Why do you file the yard treatments under "Entertainment?"

Me: Because, it tickles me to no end that I don't have to do it! Therefore, "Entertainment!"...then I give him one of those "Duh!" looks.

Which made Ricardo laugh and walk away shaking his head at my "fool proof"...I mean "full proof" system.

But that got me to thinking, WHAT would he do if I was gone? HOW would this poor man find anything financial he might need?! So, I'm reviewing this with him, writing it down and posting it here. This way he has it for future reference. Or maybe one of you can help him if need be.

Here goes....

STACY'S FOOL PROOF FILING SYSTEM:

All the credit card statements are under..."F..." (Because that's the first word I say every month when they arrive.)

The Internet bill is under "Phone". (Because it's tied in with our phone bill silly.)

Life insurance info is filed under "L/L"... which of course stands for "Loss / Lottery" depending upon which of us goes first or how it's viewed after this many years of marriage....just joking!

Now Ricardo, quit asking questions, rolling your eyes and pay attention, this is important!!!

As far as our savings account info...it doesn't even have a folder yet. You'll find it sitting in my bill box. Why? Because, I can't decide whether to label it under "Life Boat" for Rainy Day Funds that will keep us afloat, "SAI" for savings account info, or perhaps it would be best served filed under "Anniversary Ring" so we can spend it on that!....(LOL!) In which case, maybe I should file it in the "Entertainment folder?!" Because trust me, THAT would tickle me to no end! :)

Ricardo?!.... There's only about 24 more categories to go honey!... Hang in there!... You can do this! Honey?..... Ricardo! Come back!!!

Oh well. Seems he doesn't have the stamina it takes for filing. Or bill paying. Guess I'm lucky he has the patience to put up with me for all these years. I'll just have to make sure nothing happens to me any time soon. Poor guy. He would definitely be soooo lost without me. Hmmmmm... Maybe I should just put everything in a folder and label it "Air Supply?!"

She ain't Heavy....She's our Harlow!

This morning Harlow went to the vet for her vaccinations and semi-annual exam. I just love our vet's office! Everyone is so nice there. When we walk in they always yell out "Harlow!!!" (or whoever the dog du jour of ours is.) It reminds me of cheers, whenever "Norm" would walk into the bar.For a change, everything went well. Just a simple exam, bloodwork, vaccines. No unexpected surprises...except for her weight. Miss Harlow at 16 months old is 135lbs. You go girlie!!!

How wonderful... eat as much as you want, look great no matter what your weight, and have people actually be excited to see your weight gain......Ahhhhh! It truly is a dog's life my friends!!!

Things I Think are Great...The Sequel

I'm one of those people who really, really like something, or just really don't. If I really, really LOVE something, I want to share it with everyone. With that in mind, here's some oldies and newbies that I think are just great. Maybe you will find one or two that you will think are great too.



We started using this vitamin one year ago. Originally we purchased it for brown eyes. I had read about it in one of the Autism books I had purchased. It came highly recommended. Brown eyes is a VERY finicky eater with textural issues as well. Often times I had trouble getting him to chew a vitamin. This product is great because it's a liquid. I mix it up with a little green tea...and down the hatch. The rest of the family takes this as well. I'm not claiming it's a miracle drug...but it's doggone close! Love it!!! We've seen fantastic results. I swear my memory and even IQ has improved since taking it. (I know, I know, you're wondering HOW bad WAS I to begin with?!! LOL!) I buy it directly from Kirkman Labs.Com. They also sell sample sizes, so you can try it for yourself for about $5. Not a bad investment in your health! Now this isn't new, but man I love it. Most of you with kiddos have heard of The Backyardigans. Out of all the kid shows out there, this is one of my all time favorites. I sometimes find myself watching it when I'm the only one left in the room...it's THAT cute! My personal favs are Pablo and Austin. Who's yours?

I first discovered this little gem 13-14 years ago while working in the dental office. We got free samples sent to us every month to hand out. I continued to use this even after I "retired." The fact that I would buy something I used to get for free speaks volumes. Now I can't find it in stores ANYWHERE, so I have to order it online. (I buy it by the case, but you can order it in singles as well.) It's hands down the BEST lip balm/chapstick I have EVER tried. But don't take my word for it try it yourself. Your lips will thank you. I get mine from Amazon.com.

This last item is one I just started using this past month. It's Bed Head Dumb Blonde Hair Reconstructor. It has really worked well for my hair...and it smells soooooo yummy!!! Reminds me of Pina Colada's...enough said.:) Also, If any one asks: "Have you been drinking again?" you can just reply: "No, you silly, silly minx. That's just my HAIR that you smell!" ha ha ha!!!

-This week I've been sorely tempted to put some in a glass with a little ice and an umbrella. A whole different kind of deep conditioning treatment. LOL!

Anyway, these are some things that I am liking right now. Maybe you will too. Note: I'm not getting paid a penny for my endorsements. But if you try one of these and really, really like it too...feel free to send me an I.O.U....;)

A River Runs Thru It...

Guess who's had a wee little bit of rain? This is our backyard: This new river in our backyard has been LOADS of fun for a certain Mastiff pup! I let her out this afternoon. As I started surveying the landscape, I heard sloshing water, I turned around...Ella was sticking her snout deep down into the muck, running back and forth, jumping up and down, and barking... WHAT A DORK!!!

Her laps actually helped slosh some of the water out of the beds. Perhaps she knows more about landscape maintainence than I give her credit for?! You can see where the rain has flooded and spilled over the flowerbeds:

The yard is so incredibly "sloshie" it is like walking on a sponge that is completely saturated! Yuck!!! I don't know how long it will take to return to normal. I do know however, that one part dirt and 3 parts rain equals....

100% fun for the pups! Even the most careful elderly dogs can't help but get dirty. We have had to walk everyone to the side of the house one by one, spray off feet with the hose, towel dry, and then let them in. Potty breaks require just a smidgen more work for the next day or two or week or more...

I shall now channel "Samantha" off of "Bewitched" (remember how she used to call for Dr. Bombay?)....ahemmmm...."paging Nita Margarita....Nita Margarita...come right away! Come keep me company on this wet, wet, cold day!!!" :)

Channeling Private Benjamin

It's been one of those weeks guys. Perhaps I will laugh about all this soon....but not yet. Between tilework, housework, schoolwork, etc. I feel whipped. Today, was the lovely crescendo to the opera that is my life....loaded up the boys and headed out to piano lessons. Drove for 45 minutes. 5 minutes before arrival...ol blue eyes starts vomiting...in his piano music bag. Brown eyes starts screaming bloody murder....repeat....repeat. I'm driving like Jeff Gordon trying to get us home quickly...yet safely. Took only 20 minutes to make it home. Between the vomiting and screaming, I don't think there was a police officer anywhere brave enough to pull us over! Upon throwing away piano music bag- latch on 10' gate broke. After getting children shepherded inside-let dog's out. Ella waded through muddy yard up to her elbows. Now I get to add bathing dog to my list of chores before her obedience class tonight. In my spare time I get to make dinner. Woohoo!

I know it's nothing tragic. Just a blip on the ol radar of life. But man alive!!! I'm feeling much like Goldie Hawn in Private Benjamin (when she arrives at basic training camp.) ...."Excuse me, there must be some sort of mistake here. This ISN'T what I signed up for. Where's the beach?!!! Where's the condo's???!!!"

Okay, that made me crack a smile. Maybe I'll be laughing about this sooner than I thought.

Tile....I'M SOOOOO OVER IT!!!

So much for a relaxing weekend. The tile saga continues in our home. We had more tiles "pop up." This is the latest area of tile needing to be re-laid: You just got to love to quality of workmanship that the original tile man did for us! Luckily for us the other tile that we redid awhile back is holding nicely. So, that gives us hope that this new area will now cooperate with us as well. Course who knows how much else will decide to "pop-up" like a children's book in the future. (Thanking the powers that be, that this waited until AFTER the appraisor arrived....What a nightmare THAT would have been!!!)

Speaking of nightmares....The neat freak in me is just cringing as I walk around the house. Every square inch (both upstairs and down) is covered with a fine dust. EVERYTHING!!! UGH!!!

Life just makes ya laugh and cry and bang your head against the wall sometimes doesn't it?! After this tile is all laid and the clean up is done, I'll be found hanging out with my old friend......''NITA...NITA MARGARITA!!!" She always knows how to cheer me! LOL!!!

Just Wondering...

While working out today, I heard some guy say the following on the televison..." I only have one T.V. in my home. There is no T.V. in the bedroom. If you need a T.V. in the bedroom, you must be doing something wrong, be too boring to be with, and shouldn't be dating in the first place..." or something to that effect.

Hmmmmm....wonder what he would think of Ricardo and I. We have a 32" T.V. Not only that...we have two laptops, and we dock our cellphones in our bedroom most nights. Just wondering...:) LOL!

Inspiring Idea

We have an old timey piano. I don't know who all had it before us. Or where all it has been. But I do know where it was made. I bet it has some stories it could tell! Also, I think it looks really cool! Like a piano you would find in an old saloon.

Why, sometimes I sit down in the "music room" and wait for Miss Kitty to bring me a drink while I talk with the Marshall.

I myself, don't "Tickle the Ivory"....well least not that I'm admitting to. HA! Sorry. Mind just went down to the gutter. It likes to do that. I'm twisted. I know. It's been mentioned before. Many times.

Anyways, the reason I'm taking all these piano pictures is because Ol Blue Eyes IS a musician. And a pretty good one. So I'm going to print off all of these pictures in black and white and frame and mat them.

And then we are going to put them up in his room. That way he can be surrounded by photos of his first piano and his long standing love of music...even when he isn't rockin the joint. I'll let you know when it's done and show you how it looks. Anyone got any suggestions?

Compulsive Cleaners Club...Now accepting Members

I told you about the appraisal. What I didn't mention is the hours leading up to the appraisal. After an entire weekend of tackling the laundry room, I had to tackle the fine details on my house before the appraiser arrived.



I stayed up late trying to get every last detail just right. Slipped into an exhaustion coma that night. Awoke early Monday morning, and discovered a few more things that I had overlooked.



Now don't get me wrong. We are not slobs. Far from it. I'm a bit of a neat freak, germ-a-phob with obsessive compulsive tendencies striving for perfection. I never achieve it...yet I'm constantly striving for it. Like those greyhound race dogs chasing the mechanical rabbit- I'm chasing after the ever elusive, perfectly spotless house. It's not an "issue"...it's "NECESSARY."



When we sold our old house, I knocked myself out trying to keep our house with four people and 3 dogs in model home condition. We showed our home 25 times. It nearly killed me! I'm cleaning baseboards, dusting light bulbs, etc. And there is ALWAYS one more thing that I notice I didn't do.



I can totally relate to the Friends character, Monica. I get her. I could never have a maid. Never! I would self destruct trying to clean the house spic and span before they arrived. Is any one else out there like this as well? Anyone? ....Buehler...?



It's just the cleaning thing. I don't knock myself out cooking and serving up the perfect looking dish, making sure the presentation is just right. I don't fuss over my hair, make-up and outfit; coordinating everything to perfection. It's like how some dogs are "herding dogs" or "guard dogs". Somewhere in my DNA is the "cleaning gene". I clean when I'm stressed to relax. I clean when I'm angry to calm down. I clean....because ......well....because it's unthinkable not to. It's as natural to me as breathing. I'm going to research my family tree....I bet Mr. Clean's photo is in there somewhere. (I think I inherited my man hands from him as well....but I digress.)



So make me feel better today. Somewhere, someone out there must have this same condition. If so, raise your latex gloved hand holding a sponge....let me see you. Maybe we'll form some sort of cleaners club. Get together, have meetings, discuss the latest cleaning techniques. We can have Prozac for appetizers and a carafe of Vodka to wash it down...LOL!

Appraisal Anticipation

We had an appraisal done on Monday. I'm now waiting on pins and needles to find out what the numbers are. It's almost like playing "Deal or No Deal", I'm hoping that the case/house I'm holding is worth a Cool Mil. What do you think? Is this house worth $1million? I'm sure it is!!!! THIS house could pass the appraisal with flying colors...um, numbers?!? But we are awaiting the magic number on my OTHER house:

Yes, the smaller, more quaint house that we sometimes live in...just to keep us humble. :P See, in 2007 we had a pool installed. In late 2008 we got our new tax assessment....Wow! What a difference a pool will make on your taxes. So, our house value jumped up. Not that I'm complaining. ( To have your house actually go up in value these days is a wonderful thing!!!) But our escrow account wasn't anticipating the extra taxes, which equals extra money we have to have set aside in the acount. So now we have to pay $250more a month on our mortgage to make up for the escrow shortage-for this year and next. Lovely!!! We really weren't anticipating that either. It's not like we HAVE loads of money left over at the end of the month to begin with. Ya know what I mean?!! So we called our mortgage company to see if they would drop our PMI. We knew we were close to the 20% mark if not over it in paying down our mortgage. Seems that they don't automatically drop the PMI. You have to QUALIFY to have the PMI dropped. EVEN if you have paid off 20% of your loan, they now want to make sure that your house will sell for 25% more than what you owe, before they will cancel your PMI. Which is where the appraisor comes in. We had to fork over $350 for an appraisal (their choice of who). If our house is worth 25% more than what we owe, we can drop our PMI. Thereby, recouping the appraisal fee back in roughly 2 months by the drop in our mortgage payment without the PMI. Then we will only have to pay $150 more a month on mortgage. If we don't hit the magic number, THEN we are out the $350 AS WELL as paying $250 more a month. So you can see why we are sitting on pins and needles. The appraisor told us today, that house values are dropping and he can't get folks what they need in a lot of cases. Seems like a lot of folks are sitting in the same boat....seems like there aren't enough life jackets to go around for all of us. Like another remake of "The Titantic." "My heart will go on and oooonnnn"..(That's me- singing Celine Dion:)...hope I don't end up floating at sea on a stinkin iceberg. Oh, wait a minute....maybe we DO want to be floating on the iceberg?! Or do I want to be in the rowboat?! HOW long can I tread water at sea anyway?! Wait....This isn't a good analogy.....nevermind.

But anyways, we hope that the improvements we have made around here will bump up the house value. That way we can drop the PMI and not pay as much more a month as we are now. Anyone else confused at this point? Howie? Do I deal or no deal?! Regis? Can I phone a friend? Vanna/Pat? Can I Buy a vowel? Where was I... Oh yeah, it's all about the numbers at this point. But I'm really not THAT worried about the numbers. I was sure to point out to the appraisor (when he was here) that we have a guest house that is not on the tax roll:

Yeah, I think this little baby should bump the number waaaaaaay past the point where it needs to be! Now, let's hope the appraisor thinks the same!!!!

Weekend Warriers

What a whirlwind weekend we had here. We FINALLY got around to our 'construction project' in our laundry room. This is what we had before: Plain white walls. It's also something that you will not see a lot of in our home. (As you might have noticed from previous pictures:)

This is the only part of our project that brought us any worries. As we may be "weekend warriors", but we still don't like to mess with electrical stuff too much.

But in this particular project, it couldn't be avoided. Although, no worries; we are all just fine. Not even a minimal shock was encountered. (Well except for the fact that the project went so smoothly, we finished on time, and on budget...THAT was a shocker indeed! HA!)



So we started with plain white walls. The laundry room is only 7x6feet. I wanted it to appear larger. So, I designed the following plan:

We took beadboard. (Note: it's unfinished in this photo...but not for long!) We ran the beadboard up 6' tall. (This brings your eye up-giving the ILLUSION of extra space.) We did 5"baseboard along the floor and ran another piece of 5" baseboard up along the top of the beadboard-giving it a more complete finished look. And now for the surprise of all surprises....I LEFT THE ROOM WHITE!!! No, really I did. In fact, I painted the beadboard and baseboards a super high gloss white in oil base paint. Although, you know me, I couldn't leave it entirely white, had to give it a little color-but just a dab. I used some leftover wallpaper and put it up strategically around the room and spackled all around it. TRYING to make it look like stone popping through the walls. I REALLY, REALLY like the way it turned out. But I won't keep you in suspense any longer. Take a gander and tell me what YOU think:This is a close up of the top portion of the wall. My faux stone look. ;) Or I guess my faux-paux stone look, if you don't like the look of it! :)

See how the tall beadboard brings your eye up. Makes the space a little less claustrophobic.

And check out these crisp, clean white walls. Ooooooh! So shiney! So CLEAN looking. And what better look for a room where you wash clothes, than a CLEAN look. ha!


I gotta say, I have already tried out the new laundry room. I've done up 3 loads of clothes today. While doing laundry is never a fun task, this room makeover has made the task ALOT more pleasant! Isn't that what it's all about? Making life just a little more pleasant?!

As you might have noticed in the above pictures, my laundry room opens up to another small room. This 4x6' space was originally meant to be a PANTRY on our floor plan. Can you imagine? WHO needs a pantry that large? Well, not us. The pressure to keep it fully stocked with food would be enough to put yours truly into an early grave. So, when we built the home; we had them leave this room bare-except for the phone and electrical outlets we had them install in here. We got a lot of strange looks when we made that request I'll tell ya. But we took what was supposed to be a pantry, and turned it into a home office space. How's that for thinking outside the box?! (We did not do this project this weekend particular weekend however. We're not THAT ambitious! ) Anyway, since it connects to the laundry room I wanted it to have a cohesive feeling. So we did a similar design. Actually, it's almost the same exact design...except I antiqued it. Instead of a clean crisp feel, I wanted it to have an old world feeling. Like a French chicken coup feel. (Not that I have ever been to France, or frequented chicken coups often....but I digress.)

Here's the desk area. With my homemade bulletin board. The desktop will EVENTUALLY be redone in a nice granite....but that is a long, long way down the road. It works just fine for right now.

I bought these cheap bookshelves (and I mean cheap-$15 each) at a discount store. And I refinished them. Any of you who are fellow Christopher Lowell fans, will know this next step. I took these melamine shelves, sanded them, added crown molding on top, primed them and then refinished them in this antique finish. Here's one:

And here's the other:











Notice the open wicker baskets? Remind you of chicken nests? Notice the chicken and birdcage accessories? Are you feeling it yet?!! (Or are you noticing all the clutter I need to organize and put away?! LOL!) Anyway, I painted the ceiling chocolate. It really makes it nice and doesn't close in the space at all. Ricardo also put up a small ceiling fan in this room for me. Anyone who knows me, knows I'm all about ceiling fans and air flow! Gotta have it!!! AND to take it to the final step, REALLY make it FEEL old world...I did one more thing. I painted the walls chocolate, then crackle finished the walls with a white top layer, (note: it says that the treatment is not recommended for walls-but I like it alot in this space...and I'm a rebel; no one tells me what I can't do! ha!) Here's a close up of the crackle:

Do you like it? NOW it has that old French chicken coup feel huh? I think it took it to the next level. Again, it has the tall beadboard and crown molding. So, even though the rooms are opposite in look they do flow easily on the eye from one space to the next.

So that is our weekend project. And, this is the two spaces I spend many, many hours a week in. I know it may not be everyone's style, but it is really cozy and comfy to me. Makes paying bills and doing laundry ALMOST fun!