House Remodel: Decisions

We moved into our house in 2004. It was a spec home, so the paint and carpet are basic. After nearly 10 years and two boys... it. is. time.

First, we decided to replace the carpet. Then I think we added on paint, and then since we were doing all that, we might as well get new living room furniture. We've had ours for at least 12 years, and within that 12 years, moved four times. We tacked on a new master bed frame too...our foot board is cracked from little boys using it as a balance beam and practicing their Olympic dismount off the end.

Adam is thrilled to be looking at furniture.

Recliners.

An AUTOMATIC recliner!

We chose a couch, swivel chair and ottoman. We chose carpet...my LEAST favorite activity. We I chose fabric and paint colors.

Main house paint color: Sticks and Stones

Master bedroom paint color: Escape Gray

The boys chose a color to paint one of their walls (the rest is the Sticks and Stones color).

Zach chose sapphire sparkle.

Adam chose solar flare.

And no, we didn't get any recliners.

Next we have to remove everything from the walls, move all our furniture into the garage, remove all the carpet, prep to paint, paint, wait for carpet, get rid of old furniture (couch, love seat and king bed frame), install carpet, move all the furniture back into the house, put together new bed frame, and wait for our new couch and chair to arrive.

As if we didn't have anything else to do. We are not doing all this ourselves, but the "getting ready to paint and install new carpet" is enough hard labor for me.

Holidays 2012

As you may know, this is the only time of the year I really like to bake, aside from the occasional chocolate chip cookie batch.
My holiday baking this year was an epic fail. I burned the white chocolate I was melting, the caramel cookies were too hard, my toffee bars weren't sweet enough and the sugar cookies had seen better days. The only thing that worked was the Harvest Pumpkin Apple Bread...which should really be called cake, because it has three cups of sugar in it.

Here's a few photos.

Here's more entertaining posts from 2011, Baking by the numbers and 2010, Baking by the numbers, as well as "We can't all be Martha Stewart" from 2009.

Our house from the outside.

Grammy and Aunt Lisa traveled down a couple of weekends before Christmas, to celebrate an early holiday and also Aunt Lisa's birthday!

As for Christmas, It wasn't a white Christmas, like in 2009. (When we got stuck in the snow.)

Our furnace went out on Christmas Eve. With the help of handyman Uncle Steve, we were able to get it back on, and the house kept us warm throughout the night.

Christmas morning.

 Who doesn't need emergency underpants? What a funny gift!

 Legos, of course

We spent Christmas day at mom and dad's, since we knew it might get a little chilly at our house...and what furnace repairman was going to come on Christmas Day?

Our family photo.

 

First World Problems

Our house is full of First World Problems.

First World Problems is an Internet meme based on a nation of privileged whiners. One of Urban Dictionary’s definitions includes the term “White Whine.” Here's a video that might help explain what first world problems really are.



Here are just a few of our First World Problems:

• “Mom! The Internet is slow and our videos won’t play right!”
• “I'm out of coffee...”
• “You didn’t buy any more Mozzarella Cheez-its at the store? All we have is the regular Cheez-its.”
• "I don't like any of these pants."
• "The refrigerator is too full."
• “I have to unload the dishwasher AND put away my clothes?"

It's a First World Problem:

There is a Blog, a Reddit page and Twitter hashtag dedicated to these problems.

Here is my latest First World Problem:

Even CNN got in on the fun:

Because you see, these are not real problems. Real problems are hunger, poverty and homelessness.

Those of us who do not have to deal with real problems, often forget how much we really have to be thankful for.

As for a national first world problem?
This Telegraph article sums it up: “Obesity killing three times as many as malnutrition.”

Resort, family style

We recently spent the weekend at a resort, complete with indoor waterpark, arcade, cool rooms and Magic games with magic wands.

We spent two nights and three days there, and we had a great time. The room was nice, the boys loved the magic game...who doesn’t love walking around with a magic wand that, when pointed at certain objects, unleashes magical powers and treasures?

But the main attraction...the waterpark.

As someone who is not a fan of indoor pools (give me an outdoor pool + a 100 degree sunny day and I could spend all day there), I have a few suggestions for the management of such resorts:

Temperature.
I’m talking air and water temperature. Warm it up. Enough said.

Towels.
Is it a washcloth or towel? The free towels don’t cover my nine year old. How about forking out a few extra bucks for nice, big fluffy towels?

Adult only lazy river.
The adult only hot tub rocked. It was quiet, warm and you could bring drinks in there. A big sign read “no children allowed.” The lazy river was a different story. My idea of a lazy river is relaxing while I gently sway in the water. The sun is warm, a light misting of water here and there, and I just float along.

This lazy river had none of that. Children swam recklessly. They screamed. They tried to go “up” the lazy river. Cannonballs of water drenched me. And I was cold.

OK, OK...the water on the slides was bearable. And I did have fun going down them with the boys. And they had fun...and that's all that matters, right?

Thanksgiving 2012

Thanksgiving at Grammy's house in Bates City, with Aunt Hazel, Oma and Papa.

In 2012, we are thankful for:

• Mobie (Mah-bee) Doodles and Daddy Doodles. I'm thankful for Legos. I'm thankful for my family and friends. I'm thankful for my fish and my skis.
• I'm thankful for our most precious resource: the refreshing, renewing resource-water.
• For good health.
• I'm thankful for weasels, bears and cats! But I'm most thankful for the people around this table.
• Cameras to record our everyday activities; boys who use their eyes; laughter in the house.
• I'm thankful for sausage, pepperoni and hot pineapple on my pizza.
• I am very thankful for all the support of friends and family this past year.

A few photos...

Besides a picture of us skiing...this is the only family picture we have.

With the moms-in-charge.

We haven't changed a bit in 15 years!

 In the woods.

 Aunt Hazel.

 Adam's in charge of the turkey.

Zach is supervising.

A Thanksgiving bonfire is always fun. And look...no jackets!