Pop a la Mode

So for some reason, my family thinks I can’t use a tape measure. Nanny and Papa are coming this weekend and Papa is going to lay the transition strip in my kitchen. You know, from when my new floor was laid by my brother. Last year.

D. is appalled that it has taken this long for transition strip to be put down. I think the blue painter’s tape that I was using was just fine.

But back to the tape measure. I measured the area and told Dad that I need a 36 inch piece and a 30 inch piece. So what does he do? He gives Papa a 12 foot piece. Um not exactly correct.

So Papa calls and asks if he should cut it here and bring the whole piece and I said no, I measured it already and I need a 36 inch piece and 30 inch piece. “No more, no less?” he asks. “Should I bring extra?”

Sure, bring extra. Because I can’t read a tape measure.

So I’m not putting up my Christmas tree this year. It’s an awful lot of work when I’m not even going to be around for the holiday itself. And then I get back sometime in January and there it sits. Looking depressingly alone and waiting for me to take it down. I’m really not in the mood for that this year.

But I do like to do something to make my house look Christmas-y. I’ll put lights in the ficus tree and pull out my Christmas candles. And I love Christmas ornaments. Especially the glass ones. I think they’re gorgeous.

So my conundrum this year was figuring out how to pull out my ornaments and display them without putting up a tree. And without putting them within reach of a certain 11-month-old that will be visiting in a couple of weeks.

Ta-Da!

Those wire contraptions are actually for photos and I had bought them last year for $1 each at Target. I was going to give them as Christmas presents but decided against it. I found them in the bottom of my Christmas box and thought this might work. And it did!

I think it looks great and I had already decided I was going to stack presents on my table as they were wrapped. And poof! We have Christmas.

This blog entry is courtesy of my mother who said if she had a blog, she would put it up herself.

Mom and Dad own this business that employs about six office workers. The parentals run a tight ship but everyone seems to enjoy their jobs and enjoy each other.

Well the other day, a rain storm was headed for Danville and one of the men in the office pointed out that the black cloud was approaching. He tells everyone that if they have windows down, they better get them rolled up.

So as four of them are headed toward the door, a huge gust of wind stirs up some dust from a nearby construction site. Mom said it made everything look hazy but this is the conversation from the Jethros (as I will affectionately call them):

Jethro #1: What in the world is that outside?

Jethro #2: Is that rain?

Jethro #3: Driest rain I’ve ever seen.

Jethro #4: It’s dust!

Jethro #1: A duststorm? I thought we were supposed to have a rainstorm.

It is entirely too hot to be doing anything outside today. It’s supposed to push 96 with a heat index of over 100. Also it’s the sales tax holiday for school supplies and clothing here, so you couldn’t pay me enough to be anywhere but at my house today.

So I did a project that took no tools and no brainpower and I’m pretty pleased with it. Now this idea is not original. I picked it up out of the Martha Stewart magazine and didn’t pay as much as she did but I think it turned out nice.

Problem: too many pictures all over my fridge. I love having pictures of my friends and family up but it always looks so cluttered. Also, it’s cheaper than picture frames.

Solution: Making my own artwork. I went to Dollar Tree and bought a load of 5×7 picture mattes in assorted colors. At Wal-Mart I purchased two rolls of magnets with adhesive on the back. Now I have a lovely display of matted pictures on my fridge that looks like art work and less like I ran out of picture frames.

Click after the jump to see my pictures.

Read the rest of this entry »

I don’t always get to spend Mother’s Day with my mom. That happens when you live 500 miles away from each other. We’re okay with that. Mother’s Day is kind of a hallmark holiday to me anyways - I appreciate my mom everyday.

This year is a little bit different. My mom is in Cambodia. I know! A little random and a half a world away. She is on a mission trip with my home church and I’m very proud of her for going. She sent an e-mail after they arrived saying that was the longest night she’s ever had - over 18 hours. I can’t imagine.

So this Mother’s Day, I’m spending it with D., Corrie, Isaiah and my dad who is down visiting for the weekend. Not exactly normal but just fine.

D., Corrie and Isaiah came to visit this weekend and my brother laid my new kitchen floor for me. He did a terrific job and I was his helper. Basically I sat on the floor next to him and handed him what he needed. The job took about 8 hours total between prepping the subfloor and making all the cuts and I think it looks awesome.

Take a look after the jump to see the pictures.

Also I babysat Isaiah so they could go see Spiderman 3. Very fun - we watched the Kentucky Derby and a Yankees baseball game. He really likes baseball. I think it’s the colors.

Read the rest of this entry »