Things we do while waiting for baby - pt.1

We make a countdown paper chain!... (and do not credit me for this great idea - I totally stole it ;)

We go on dates!...
(With Brian's schedule, we get a Monday morning off twice a month so usually one of those mondays we go for a date.  We might be able to sneak one more in before baby!)

We decorate the nursery, clean the carseat, and pack hospital bags...

We paint and install new light fixtures AND have baths in the kitchen sink!...(or at least those of us who can fit!)

 And, we perform death defying acts to paint the outside of our house...

Lets get a close up...(!!!)  The super extendable ladder couldn't reach the top peak of 2 full stories so he decided this was the best option.  Our backup plan was to get our friend to come over with his repelling gear :)

Oh, and we finally got our master bedroom painted!!...  WITH a new blackout blind so there isn't anymore flannel blankets tacked up over the windows!!  I'm not holding my breath that I will get it decorated or curtains hung, but at least it's a bit more welcoming than it was before :)

37 weeks today!  I love the full term milestone!  Now it's just the long 3 or 4 weeks of playing the waiting game - and not letting it get too psychological (y'know how you think every cramp or twinge of pain MUST be labor or when you actually believe the uneducated (and even educated!) people that tell you you will be early and your hospital bag better be packed!!)

Still taking baby pool guesses!!

7 Quick takes on Friday

(ok so they aren't really 'quick'....)

- We've had the flu this week :(  ('We' as in everyone but me - thankfully!)  I think they are getting over it.  Kalli has slept probably 80 out of the past 108 hours....poor girl....  Brian made it to work last night so he's sleeping right now and the littles are already napping on the couch...it's 8:26
Anyways, I found that the flu isn't all bad.  Since they've been sleeping/lying around lots and the laundry is caught up, I'm getting quite a bit done.  Well, maybe I'm doing the same amount but things are staying clean....no one to make messes (except laundry & bathrooms ;) and no one to cook for (except a big pot of homemade chicken broth/soup)...and the extra cuddles are nothing to complain about either...
Gotta find the positives right?

- I had a midwife appt last week.  I guess my iron is super low :/  - which is pretty usual for me.... so I'm inhaling everything with iron in it and drinking my nettle tea everyday.
I'm measuring 3 weeks small too.  Which most people would be happy about - except it just opens the door to fear for me (and I was doing so good!)  My midwife was not concerned at all as it is still considered 'normal' so I'm trying not to be either.
Everything else is going good tho!!  29.5 weeks!!

(Is that black enough for you, Lola ;)

- We had plans to start painting the outside of our house this weekend (the front is vinyl siding but the other 3 sides are paint) but the weather isn't looking too great.  So, I think we will paint our laundry room/basement bathroom instead.  Then it's just our master bedroom after that!  I finished our spare room this week - the previous owners had hockey boarders all the time and that room was.....lets just say....grimy :/  Anyways, it's nice to have a clean place for people to stay (and we apologize to our previous guests - we hope you come back!!)  I would like to do something in our main bathroom but it's nice enough for now.  Have to save something for later, right?  (and plus, my design mind needs a break!)
Oh, and we think we have a problem....not sure if we have trouble sitting still or we just like things 'done' and then we'll relax :)

- Do you ever let the 'start up menu' of a kids movie play over and over after they are done watching the movie?  I'm sure the one for 'Horton hears a Who' has been on for the past 15 minutes.....

- The other day we went for a walk around some historical canal - 5 minutes from our house.  Sometimes I laugh that I actually live in such a beautiful place.  Even walking to the park just down our street is breathtaking.

- Kalli has been asking to go on the potty.  This should make me happy right?....well, I was kinda hoping to wait until after baby was a few months old.  She has been successful a few times but I'm not going to push it.  If I commit too much into it I know I will be signing myself up for frustration later.  But, I did buy her some cute strawberry short cake underwear that I am kinda itching to put on her....

- Well, both kids are napping now...I mean again.  It's 10:34.  I guess I should tackle some random/junk boxes that have been eyeing me up in the basement.  I may have an organized main floor BUT my method for organizing is throwing everything I don't need/want from a room into a laundry basket them taking it down to the basement.  I'm considering buying yet another laundry basket...mine are all full...but not with laundry.

Before & After - living room

Ahh, the living room.  I am so excited that we are (mostly) done this room!!  It was kind of a sore spot for a while, but at long last (k, maybe not so long, but long enough for us) it's cozy, cheery and a place we love to sit!

Before:

 

 

 Wait for it.........














After!

One of the first things I did when we moved in was whitewash the fireplace.
Brian's brother works downtown Vancouver restoring/renovating old buildings and he found this old beam for us that Brian stained and made into the mantle.  I looooove it!

That wall was the headache wall.  It had painted wallpaper that I promptly ripped down, then realized why they had it wallpapered.  A terrible drywall job with pitting, dents scars.... So plan B was to wallpaper it.  We found a fun pattern/color that we both liked so I went to order it but just about threw up when they told me it was going to be $800 for the 2 walls (one wall in the dining room too).  We thought a bit more a decided that plan C was to cover it with flat wallpaper then just paint it....but after we did that we realized you could still see all the imperfections.  Plan D finally worked where we bought thick texturizing paint.  It's not perfect but 100% better than it was!
(Just that one wall is blue, the rest are a sandy color)

(A sneak peak into the unfinished but painted dining room)

I feel...

...on cloud 9?
Seems kind weird not really having a big event or experience happen to me to say that, but it's just a lot of little things that are adding up.
Maybe it's because I am fully in the thick of 2nd trimester.  I feel rested and energetic!  For a while I wasn't sure I would ever crawl out of my exhausted hole but now I feel so good.
I'm kind of giddy.
Spring is in the air so I'm sure that is helping too!  I cleaned out some of our flower beds this afternoon with Kellan.  It's fun starting a new (smaller!) yard.  It has lots of potential and we have lots of ideas.  Nothing grand or anything just a cute yard and an outside place to call our own.  I'm pretty sure I will be spending A LOT of time out there this summer being ginormously pregnant and settling into life with this third (fourth) little blessing.
I'm reading a psychology book on families and it is suuuuper interesting.  Learning lots about me and both of our immediate families.
And I guess the BIGGEST excitement for me today was a phone call from a director of a couple funeral homes in the area.  He wants to be the 'Title Supporter' for our Okanagan Walk to Remember.  Seriously, I was blown away!!!  I hope to blog over here soon about it.
I had a midwife appt this am.  She is fantastic!  All is well in babyland.  I hope to write a post about baby progress soon - just waiting until I look decent enough to take a picture ;)
Another great event that happened recently was Brian's sisters wedding!!!  It was a resort/retreat style wedding so we spent 4 days at a gorgeous rustic camp/resort and had an amazing time with friends and family.  And we are super excited to finally have Wendell as our brother!!

Hmmm...what else is contributing to my cloud 9 state?...

We finally painted and finished our living room!  I'll try to get some before & after pics up soon!

Most of the winter driving is over for Brian so I'm enjoying him home an extra hour or two everyday.  It was glorious having him to myself for a couple extra days last week too!

Well, I better finish up my days work and find my way to bed.

I just reread this.  Wow, that was random! Sorry...

Before & Afters Take 3

-Kitchen-

Before:

After:

Goodbye obstructing cupboards.  Hello new handles & appliances!!  And paint of course.

We have ideas for the little cubby hole, but for now it's the time out spot ;)

We rarely use the table in the dining nook, so we want to replace it with a sideboard or long cupboard of some sort.

Before & After Take 2 (updated)

-The family room-

We LOVE this room.  Most evenings we find ourselves here all cuddled on the couch, kids playing toys, watching movies, or just chatting with the fire on.  

We wanted this room to have tons of color (since it's the 'play room') but still feel warm and cozy.  I think we pulled it off.  We like it at least - which is all that matters :)

Before:

(these were all taken before we bought the house)

After:

We want to get a big comfy chair for the spot by the fire - but IKEA is 5 hours away :)

I had to take a pic of the family room in the evening so you can get the full effect...

Before & After take 1 & some silliness

This might not be the most exciting before & after picture, but it's exciting to me :)

The pantry.  It's been a dumping ground for the past few weeks, but now that we have most of our boxes unpacked, it's now time for me to organize.

Before:

After: (ahhhhh.....contented sigh.....)

And now for our little stinkers.  We were wondering why Kalli was so quiet playing upstairs yesterday afternoon (famous last words).
Grease Monkey!

It was EVERYWHERE!  Thankfully, only on her and 2 globs on the floor :)  So if you wonder why her hair looks a bit greasy for the next week or two....this is why:

And a little post Merry Christmas for you! :)

A sneak peak

Since I'm no where close any 'before' & 'after' pics I'll give you a sneak peak into a couple rooms.

Some fun $9 Walmart finds...

(wrinkly & out of the package) curtains which I L.O.V.E.  I got goosebumps when I saw them...
and our 1 of 2 Christmas trees and toys from our day...

The white washed fireplace.  I love it.
and our nasty green dining room wall.....

Unorganized/undecorated bookshelf against the wallpaper stripped wall...
and our 2nd Christmas tree :)

Freshly painted cupboards with new hardware and our new appliances!...
and Kellan's gingerbread train :)

Expectations

My expectations this year for Christmas/New Years/moving in, are being shot down left, right and center.  I was texting a friend yesterday and telling her all my busy-ness and great woes (k, they weren't that great, but I was pretty upset when my apple muffins were a flop...cooking disasters always make me feel like a horrible wife/mother...)  She suggested that my expectations might need to be lowered.
Ya.  Probably :/

This (2 block) move has been tough.  So much to do.  I feel SO unorganized (mostly because I AM!)  And I am waaaaay behind in my 'to do' list :(
We are having Brian's family here for New Years and I wanted to house to be painted, decorated and bursting with Christmas goodness when they came - but that dream is not even close to coming true.  And my perfectionism is trying not to be bothered by that!

Maybe if I tell you what I wanted to get done, I will feel better?  ;)
- main floor and Kalli's room painted
- Christmas letter/cards written
- Kellan's birthday party planned and pulled off
- area rugs, decor and curtains bought and in place
- Christmas decorating and baking done
- all boxes unpacked and everything organized
- kitchen reno complete
- fireplace painted and mantle built
- Christmas presents wrapped (and mail those that need to be mailed)
- start getting into a workout routine again

Wow, seriously?  I had to laugh when I went back and reread that.  And of course on top of that I must be a stellar wife and mother with a clean/tidy house and home cooked meals.


So, now I will swallow my pride and tell you what I have done...
- kitchen reno done (90% of that done by my husband - so definitely no credit due to me!!!...not that I'm looking for credit here....)
- Christmas shopping 1/2 done.  (And those mailed ones, ya those should have been sent out last week!)
- 1/2 of the main floor painted
- 4 Christmas cards written
- Kellan's party planned the night before - but it did go over well :)
- Christmas decorating was a must!  So that was done weeks ago ;)
- I bought butter yesterday for Christmas baking
- fireplace painted!  That ugly thing was first to go!
- no exercise.  what-so-ever.
- nothing decorated.  no rugs bought.  no curtains hung.
- our garage is full of boxes.  So very unorganized.
- definitely haven't been a stellar wife or mother :/

So, what did I accomplish?  Like a quarter of my original 'to do' list.
And you know what?  I think I'm ok with that.
None of you will probably get Christmas cards this year, and those visiting this Christmas - sorry for the unorganized mess and un-homey home.
But I'm going to slow down and celebrate Christmas for what it is.
And maybe clean the kitchen...

Making our house our home (part 1)

I was going to go to bed at 10.
I've got one minute to write this, get ready and crawl into bed....GO!

So, our house is awesome!  We love it already and it's bare and mostly not painted at the moment.  But we still love it!
This is what we have done so far.....(camera is at the new house so pics will come later...)

Day 1 - Walked around, cleaned here and there....basically had no clue where to start so pretty much non-productive (althought I did spend 2 hours cleaning the pantry....)

Day 2 - Again, kind of overwhelmed with what we *want* to do and what we *need* to do & didn't know where to begin so not overly productive for a Saturday.  But Brian and his brother did empty out the garage at the rental which was full of boxes and moved them to the new garage so at least they were productive!  My s-i-l came over to help me pick paint colors .
OH!  We busted out a few kitchen cupboards and rearranged the kitchen a bit - opened it up more....WAY BETTER!!!
Picked out and BOUGHT new kitchen appliances!!!

Day 3 - Got paint.  Started whitewashing the fireplace.  Cleaned cupboards. Washed & prepped kitchen cupboards (in & out) for painting.

Day 4 - We are getting our groove!  Finished the fireplace!  First coat of paint on the kitchen walls.  More cupboard prep.

Day 5 - 2nd coat on kitchen and started the first coat in the family room.  Painted the bases of the cupboards.  Got hardware for the cupboards.  Cleaned the main bathroom.

Exhausted.  Going to Kelowna tomorrow for a meeting so will (hopefully) pick out a area rug for the living room so we can start painting in there!
Off to bed!

Today is the day!

3 hours and 31 minutes until we get our house!!!!
I haven't pack anything yet (other than the garage full of still packed boxes).  We have 3 weeks to move over so since I like to start fresh and clean and KNOW things are clean, I'd rather paint and clean and paint and clean and clean some more THEN move things in.  So that's what I'm going to do.  I have 2 boxes of cleaning supplies and my mop sitting by the door all ready to go.  I'm going to go dig out the unpacked box of toys for the kids, buy a new baby gate then at 11:59 I will be waiting outside *new* house anxiously waiting for our realtor to bring the keys.
Brian gets off early this afternoon so after I allow him a (short) nap (since he worked nights) I will get him to start bustin' out some kitchen cupboards :)

I was planning on going to mom & tots this morning to distract my impatient mind but I'm suffering from a case of car sickness.  I always thought I was ok in vehicles, but flat and straight prairie roads aren't the best gauge for that.  The kids and I went to Kelowna yesterday with a friend and I haven't been able to kick the effects of the windy road.  Barf (but not literally - THANKFULLY!)

So, I'll bum around here and watch the hours and minutes slowly tick by. 3 hours and 19 minutes now! ;)

Just because you insisted! ;)

Laundry room -

I'm thinking a pear yellow with charcoal accents.  I saw some charcoal & white zebra print towels at superstore - totally love them....

Family room - 

This will mostly be a kids play room so I'll do a neutral "greige" on the walls and then throw in lots of accent colors.

The door straight ahead goes to the garage/mudroom and the side door goes to the basement:

I'm tempted to do the big wall a shade darker.  It would probably accent how tall it is but that might be fun too...

Dining nook-

I'll do the grey/beige throughout the mainfloor I think...

I'm wanting to frame in a chalkboard under the window for the kids and get some funky/colorful stools for the counter/bar.

I love how deep the counter is...

I do not love the forest green 90's pillars tho :/

BUT, we are going to bust out the top cupboards above the peninsula, take the last two, rotate them and attach them to the wall between the windows.  Thus solving my problem of despising the green pillars :)

We will also replace the handles/nobs, bringing the kitchen up a few years.  Oh, and Brian promised me stainless steel appliances!!! (or the kind that look like stainless steel but without all the finger prints)

Not great inspiration in the dining room yet, except of course a new light fixture...

Living room-

We are going to paint the fireplace (gasp!).  We're going to try to figure out a way to make it look like brick still instead of just the plain painted look.  I've seen some advertisements for some fireplace painting kits so I'll do a little more research.  I also DON'T want it to look super tacky so we'll see...

I will try to arrange our furniture a little more cozy...

Yay for entry ways and closets!!!

Main bathroom-

I'll do what I have now.  Sandy colored walls, aqua, brown & red accents...

Master-

No thoughts yet.  A dark sage green with rose colored accents in the form of dried flower swags and pretty plates on the wall might be nice...... ;)

We have a ensuite AND a walk in closet!!!

And yes I just posted a picture of the hall closet.
:)

Kellan's room -

Blue, orange, trucks, cars, boy things....

Kalli's room-

Mauve & pink.  Girlie :)

Kalli get this room because of the big closet.  And maybe because it's the furthest room from ours so maybe we'll sleep better :/

Thanks for letting me write this post :)  Stay tuned for some before & afters in the coming months!!!