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Things have been really busy around here for the last few months. The beginning of the year generated the idea that we might like to leave this place someday and that brought the realization that leaving here would likely mean selling this home. Which then lit a proverbial fire under our asses to get to work on all the half-finished, undone projects. I say proverbial fire under ass because things have been coming along but at a bit of a snail's pace. Home DIY moves at a diffrent rate once two little people and their daily needs are factored in.

The interior walls desperately needed painting to cover the years of marks and bangs and scratches, the doors needed painting and new door trim, the baseboards had to come out to accomodate the new wider trim, the walls needed patching and sanding ... etc etc. Every home project seems to spawn another portal to more projects which spin about and cause lots of interesting piles of stuff that small children probably should not be touching but they do anyway.

Side note :: Tim has always exposed the boys to his work because his shop is here at home. They are pretty confortable with the whole 'we make things' but yesterday took the cake. Owen took Tim's full size drill and disassembled his small IKEA picnic table. He told me it was because the table was 'rude' (I think he meant dirty). Man, that kid. It now needs to be sanded and reassembled. Think we should let him try the orbital sander? I jest.

So, as of today, the walls/trim/base/wine cabinet/boy's new storage and two walls in our bedroom are finished. It took awhile.




The thing is, we lived with the undone for years; a hole in the drywall here or a gap where trim should have hidden door frame there. It became the norm. And now that it is done, all those parts of the sum ... well, I can barely see it. Which I think is the point. One sees the flaws easier than the completion. I know what we have done, the sweat equity put in. But when friends gather on Saturday for the boys' bday I am pretty sure they will glance about and maybe comment but not keel over from the changes. They do not come here for the way our Home appears. They come because of the food. Oh, and because they love us.



Don't get me wrong ... I love that we have done what we can up to this point. I love my vibrant red wall, the crisp clean white trim, the walls free of toddler scribble and funk. It feels fresh and Spring-like.

There is so much more to do, most of which falls on Tim's very capable shoulders. There are trestle legs for the solid wood table top, mantle and benches, front door refurbishing. And that does not even touch on the exterior. But it is only April, 4 months out of our newest resolution and I think we are making change. It may be at a slower pace than pre-children. It may not result in leaving this house because I fall more in love with it as we fix it up bit by bit. Whatever it is, it sure feels good.



I promise a backyard garden shoot at some point this Spring. The backyard is where it is AT right now. man, I love growing things. Now, off to finish cleaning paint drips off wood floors prior to Saturday's party.