Well another weekend down.  Dang we had a tough week.  We are getting fed up with doing house projects.  Problem is that our only solution to our frustration is to work more in hopes to get it DONE.  It’s tough putting our lives on hold.  Tougher than I think I planned.

So we hit a bit of a compromise this weekend.  It was a three day one for us, so we gave up a day just to be “normal” again.  We’d worked almost every night throughout the week anyway, so we felt just in taking a few hours off.  Friday morning we had to get up and get around because I had to teach another Babywearing Workshop at the library.  It was a nice turn-out and Russ and Liam both came along to help.  Russ was delighted to be in charge of showing the videos in the background.  Liam was thrilled to get to spend time with his buddy, Caleb, and well… I was busy helping and coaxing several pregnant moms in and out of a variety of carriers.  See my website for pics!

After the successful workshop we got a bite to eat and headed for the usual trip to Lowes.  This time we were getting more paint and a few other supplies.  Then we headed over to the grocery store for a mass purchase.  ACK, I hate grocery shopping.  We did get some nice goods for the evening meal though, as we were having guests.  Carl and Jodi Proffen were coming to dinner with their kids Caleb (Liam’s buddy) and Abigail.  We had a nice evening with our friends and it did us really good to just put the house tasks aside for a few hours. 

Saturday morning we slept as late as we dared.  After breakfast we started in on the house again.  I was determined to get that bathroom finished despite the leaking toilet.  I needed to finish up some trim on the floor too, and hoped that with the aid of the coping saw and miter box, my geometry would be a little more friendly than it had in the past.  Russ continued to sand the dining room paneling and paint.  That, in itself, had taken up most of the week.  I soon discovered that I’d purchased the wrong toilet parts, so another trip to Lowes was in store.  Fortunately, we don’t live that far away.  By early afternoon the toilet had finally stopped leaking, and I finished up the trim.  Russ had the first coat on the entire dining room too.  Liam had been very patient with us, but we tried to make sure to take plenty of breaks just to catch up on some hugs.   That evening we found some good stopping points and settled in to watch a movie.  We got through about half of “Walk the Line,” that movie about Johnny Cash. 

Saturday evening we took a "Cookie Break."

Sunday morning had about the same routine as the previous day.  This time, though, we knew we’d be moving on to some new projects.  We got another coat on the dining room, and began turning our guest room into a temporary storage room.  We took the bed down, and I started filling boxes with a few things.  I figure we’ll just keep adding as we go, but it’s nice to have an organized spot for items.  Russ started taking off the kitchen cabinet doors.  We’d decided to paint all the background of the cabinets white, and then the doors a tannish color to match the counter top.  The minute he started sanding the doors, I knew immediately that we’d made the right decision.

I ventured out to the monthly playgroup with Liam.  Jodi was hosting, and I felt I needed to go.  I’m glad I did, as we were the only ones besides one other mom and her little girl.  Still, it gives the kids some socialization, and some adult chat time.  Sadly, Russ stayed home and continued on the kitchen.  By the time I got home, he had one of the panels all done and it looked great.  Certainly an improvement.  We wrapped up a few jobs and made dinner.  Then we finished watching the Johnny Cash movie. 

It’s tough not getting an entire job done in a weekend – especially a three day one.  When that happens, then we are tempted to work during the weeknights.  We’ve found that when we do that, though, we get irritable and burnt out.  So we hope to steer clear of anything major thoughout the week.  Next weekend we hope to finish the kitchen.  That will be the last BIG job that will need to be done.  We have scrunched up the schedule a little, but it looks like we’ll probably be interviewing Realtors in early June.  Things are beginning to come together…. Now all we need is a little baby!!!

Well, things are moving right along with the house “sprucing.”  That bugger of a bathroom downstairs about had us throwing in the towel, but we got er’ done.  It was ridiculous how torn up the wall was.  You’d think someone had put half a dozen toilet paper holders on it!  And to boot, you’d think we lived in some sort of earthquake zone what with the industrial strength wall anchors the brackets were adhered to.  I finally just gave up, went and got a wide piece of trim molding, and mounted the stinkin’ TP on it, instead!  Actually, it turned out nice!  We dug out Russ’s picture that he bought at Michael’s a few years ago (but we never hung) from the attic, and it made the perfect compliment to the bathroom.  Now, we have a simple, beachy themed, clean, contemporary bathroom downstairs. 

What made the weekend a tad worse, was the fact that I had caught a cold on Thursday.  I felt terrible, and even left work early on Thursday so I could get some sleep.  Probably did me good, but Friday I was still pretty stuffy, feverish and achy.  I hated to do it, but I even postponed our dinner plans with the Proffens for the evening.  I did manage to help Russ get some groceries while we dropped off Liam at Anna’s for a few hours. We figured, he would be safer there away from my germs, AND we might get a couple chores done without his “help.”  I finished up the downstairs bathroom, while Russ got the upstairs bathroom prepped and painted.  The upstairs bathroom proved much more cooperative.  The sun was warm, and once home, Liam got to spend some time playing in the backyard, although I don’t think he helped the grass seed grow any!

Saturday, I worked on getting some laundry done, and the kitchen cleaned a little, while Russ started laying the sticky floor tile.  Then I gave him a break, while I did some of the tile pieces around the door frame.  Then we headed out to find a picture to hang where the odd medicine cabinet used to.  This proved to be a challenge.  We got a nice new, neutral bamboo shower curtain, but then couldn’t find any “artwork” to go with it.  Russ found a picture of an iris in complimentary colors, but I wasn’t sold on the idea of an iris going with bamboo.  Finally, I gave up my meager reasoning, and gave in.  Actually, it doesn’t look too bad.  Another bathroom down!  That evening, we relaxed together and watched the new version of the Chronicles of Narnia.  It was excellent!!

Sunday, we figured we’d reward ourselves with a little geocaching.  After I took the dogs for a stroll around the neighborhood, we had a relaxing morning and then headed out to find a couple quickies.  After a trip to Lowe’s (seems like a daily ritual now) we fished out a micro from a nearby brick wall.  Really quite an ingenious placement.  Then we went to check on one of our old ones.  It was a little frog that had been placed in a root ball.  Sadly, it was missing.  Perhaps an Osprey had a chewey lunch recently!  Then we headed to a nearby park to re-visit one that had stumped up.  Our first search took us 45 minutes before we gave up, so it was surprising when Russ spotted the find within 3 minutes on our second attempt!  It was a good thing the find was a quick one, too, as we were all pretty hungry, so we went to KFC before finishing up the day with one more easy local find before returning home.

Once home, Liam took a good nap, while I rounded up some articles to share at the Natural Family Boutique Party that my friend, Carla was hosting.  It was a fun time, and Liam always enjoys playing with his buddies Caleb and Caroline.  I liked seeing my friends, Jodi and Karen too.  Karen brought her new baby, Paige, and I was glad to see that Liam didn’t show any signs of jealousy when I was holding her.  I purchased a diaper package for half price, and a little board game for Liam. 

Once home again, Russ and I set to work making a nice steak dinner.  We lingered afterwards because one of our old favorite movies, The Outsiders, happened to be on TV.  After getting Liam to bed, we watched Weatherman with Nicholas Cage.  I fell asleep near the end, but Russ really enjoyed it.