Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful to/for/about:

• Safe travels this week to & from Atlanta...and especially a score on a better timed one-way flight home (otherwise my plane wouldn't have yet departed).
• A warm welcome from my puppy...my Sweet Babboo...and my darling daughter (in order that I saw them!)
• Elizabeth who was quoted as saying at dinner tonight, "Ice cream will make me healthy." She so tickles me!
• My Sweet Babboo remembering to throw out the jack-o-lantern this week with the trash...it was quite rotten when I left for my trip, but I wasn't gonna touch it!
• Sesame Street for 40 wonderful years! What great educational fun for both young and old! (And for the free Google Sesame Street t-shirts that will be coming my way for a Christmas purchase or two for Elizabeth & Alex! Love a bonus gift!
  
• Elizabeth's teachers - she's doing so well writing some of her letters. (Darn us for giving her such a long name...some day she will have all of those letters licked...and in their proper order!)
• For all of our Veterans...and those who are currently serving our country. (Please pray for my friend Robbie Godfrey who departs for Afghanistan tomorrow - God speed, Robbie!)

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful to/for/about:

• Nana - and her unbelievably over-the-top-AWESOME-costume-making-skills! Many, many compliments on the costume. One (green-with-envy) mom said that the costume looks every bit as good as the costumes folks at Disney wear.
• My Daddy (E's Papi) - for being a Fireman. Elizabeth's classroom is studying the letter F this week, primarily firemen. For show-and-tell today, we made a photo book of pictures from when Papi took Elizabeth to the fire station. She loves reading her book. (And, to be fair to everyone else in the family, she has told me that she needs a book about her and Grandma, her and Nana, her and Papa, her and Aunt...EVERYONE she is related to... That's a lot of frickin' books!)
• Trick-or-Treaters - some 175+ of them (in 1 hour of trick-or-treating). Some really cute kids. Some ridiculous parents that were trick-or-treating with their babies to come score some free candy...but my favorite had to be the 4 high school boys that were dressed as terrorists - with bombs taped to their chests. They were trick-or-treating for Unicef, not candy. They not only made me laugh, but it was a good to see some younger kids doing some good for others!
• THE BEST next door neighbors, who brought me a cup of "Witch's Brew" (hot apple cider) while I stayed behind to give out candy. It hit the spot!
• Elizabeth - who was most excited about trick-or-treating! She was my very favorite trick-or-treater...she stopped by three times to get candy. (I think she was afraid that I was going to give out all of that candy from the 5 Sam's Club bags that I bought for the occasion.)
• Getting to hang out with our friends, the Koeglers - Jason, Sarah, Campbell, & Will. Sarah reported that Elizabeth's costume got tons of compliments from adults and kids alike...so many that she has called dibs on Will getting to borrow the costume for next year.
• My family coming "home" today. Elizabeth & I will be going to Sutton tomorrow to see Grandma, Papi, Aunt Anne, Uncle Sean, and Alex! Yippie!

Happy Halloween everyone!!! :-)

Elizabeth gets a haircut!

I am so far behind on blogging, I forgot to post about Elizabeth getting her first haircut! She got her first official haircut over a month ago, September 20th.

Shame on me (let the screaming & crying begin since there is shame on me...I love that shame on you still works...)

Connie Abruzzino was kind enough on a very, very busy weekend (her niece got married in the eastern panhandle area...when she & Danny got home their freezer had quit working...they had to go to Clarksburg to replace the freezer...and then she cut Elizabeth's hair...on a Sunday, no less.) She was not only sweet enough to take the time to give E her first REAL* haircut, but she insisted on sending E back with a package of cookies (as opposed to just giving her a cookie)...and refused payment, despite Elizabeth's attempt to slip her some cash.

Also, don't think that we were punishing our kid (especially after looking at how pensive she looks in the first picture - of her getting ready for the haircut.) I can't remember the last time she got as excited about anything like she did to get her haircut.

The cut is super cute, and it makes her curls stand out a bit more. I still don't know what to do with Elizabeth's hair as it is sooooo thin. (My hair is ridiculously thick, so I'm going to have to consult with the women in my family for what to do with a thin head of hair.)

* Explanation of the "real" haircut. Since Connie's handy-work got Reid off of the hot-seat, I can now explain to everyone on the WWW what a sore spot with me the haircut issue has been. When I was in New Orleans for work just a few days shy of Elizabeth's first birthday, Reid took the kitchen shears to Elizabeth's hair. Yes, that would be the same shears that I use to open a package of bacon, or to cut up some raw chicken...so completely sanitary... (Reid has been made painfully aware of how miffed I was over the issue - not only the nastiness of the situation, but that I missed out on this "first.")

Catching Up (AGAIN!)

Wow, how is it that I get so far behind on the Blogging thing (not nearly as far behind as Anne...or even worse, Reid!)...so here's to catching up (a very hodge-podge post):

• Elizabeth Funny: A few weeks ago after E's bath, I was attempting to put lotion on her. She was squirming all over the place (as she hates the lotion ritual, but with eczema, it's not a ritual that we will relinquish...). So, she was squirming all over the bed, I had lotion all over my hands...when I was able to grab her by the ankles to drag her into the position on the bed where she was supposed to be. She-who-doesn't-like-to-listen said, "Ouch, Mommy! You broke my heart and hurt my feelings!" I'm picturing her Oscar acceptance speech right now...
• Sean-e-Boy had back surgery...came out with flying colors. Is rehabbing quite well, too! So well that Anne, Sean, & Alex (and Mom who went to NYC to help care for Alex during Sean's recovery) will be coming to WV next weekend! Amazing!
• With the kitchen looking much improved these days...the dining room is starting to call my name...must get rid of the hideous flowery 1989 wallpaper in there...but there is soooo much woodwork that I will need to protect, making this a difficult project, I'm sure. And if this wallpaper is anything like the crap-o-la in the kitchen, it will be put up with super-glue...would love to have a dining room face-lift before Christmas, though, so we'll see!
• Elizabeth is going to be a Panda for Halloween. Nana made the costume (with an assist going to Papa for the head). It is over the top. Seriously. Will get pictures up of her in the costume (she wasn't so much cooperative when I tried last weekend.)
• Reid & I will be Don & Betty Draper for Halloween. Mad Men is
  
• I met Newt Gingrich and didn't hurl on the spot. Amazing, I know! He's shorter than I expected...and very soft-spoken in private (also didn't expect that.) Reid & Jason Koegler did an outstanding job putting the event together, especially on such short notice! Speaker Gingrich's canned speech was quite good (yes, I'm actually saying that), where he mostly talked about history and leadership...until the Q&A session at the end...when he got off his canned speech topic and onto topics in which we disagree...
• How on earth is WVU ranked 23rd in the nation? I love my Mountaineers & all, but this may be a stretch...
• WL beats UC at UC in OT... I looooove it! UC folks are so freakin' arrogant, and honestly, I'm not sure why. I took my SAT test there...went into some large auditorium-like classroom, and was handed a slab of plywood for my "desk." This piece of plywood didn't attach to anything, I was just expected (and was forced to) put this crappy piece of plywood on my lap in an auditorium and take the SATs. And I can't count the number of times I've practiced or played hoops in their gym. It was always a disgusting experience. The showers were vile - so much so I wouldn't take off my tape or socks...and would wear flip-flops into the showers hoping not to catch the kooties from some nastiness on the floor. Their arrogance has always baffled me...so I'm super loving that their fans were already making space in their trophy cabinet for their conference championship - some even counting on the national championship...and got beaten by West Lib in OT on their field...and it was their homecoming. To quote SNL's Linda Richmon, "I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it! I love it!" Now come on Toppers...just take care of business these next two weeks! (And in the post-season, of course!)
• I've been neglecting a few things (like the dining room...and if anyone would believe it, household-chores, but that would be a lie since I'm not that much into them to begin with) to scrapbook a bit...need to get my scrapbook space better organized as Elizabeth has a bunch of her toys (go figure) in the floor of my scrapbook space...thinking that wide plastic drawers might be what is needed...easy for her to put her stuff into...and for me to get the gifts and other stuff that I have down there that I need to store in a more organized fashion.
• Now I know what Angie meant when she said that the Leap Frog Fridge Phonics would get old..."B says b, B says b - every letter makes a sound B says b." If it weren't such a good educational toy it might be in the trash right now!
  

Kitchen - nearly done

After 30-ish hours of painting (including all of the freaking primer that had to go up!), not to mention the multiple "vacation" days that I took off from work...we got the kitchen into a pretty good state. We still need to do the countertops - and the pressed tin ceiling - and fix the damaged tiles, but things look much, much better than when we started!

Kitchen project - part deux

So I took Monday as a "vacation" day so that I could spend some quality time in the kitchen. All I have to say (well not exactly all I have to say...since I do have a Blog to keep, after all!) is THANK GOD I HAVE AN EDUCATION!!!

I hurt all over!

There are some cracks in the floor - as a result of settling in a 94-year-old home. At some point, before the Dorthy Draper pink & green laminate flooring went down, a leveling compound was poured in strips over the cracked portion. Yesterday I chipped away at the leveling compound and did an initial scrubbing of the floor (from the entry of Elizabeth's playroom - across to the dishwasher and down to the entryway. It wasn't a Sue-Baby scrubbing, but a scrubbing nonetheless. I still have lots more scrubbing to do to get that section of the kitchen acceptable.

After work this evening, don't ask me why...I must be a glutton for punishment...I went back at it for a bit. When Reid got home from taping Coach Waialae's tv show, he got after it for a bit, too. Elizabeth is a wonder at running the shop vac!

Every muscle in my body hurts. No exaggeration. This is much worse than any preseason that I endured (sans injuries requiring surgery, of course!). I have blisters on my right thumb and the outside left part (near the knuckle) of my right index finger -- bad ones. My fingers are swollen - right hand worse than the left. And for some bizarre reason, the top part of my left foot is swollen (yes, that is the same foot as the ankle reconstruction, but I doubt those two are related.)

We're nearly done at the chipping away of the leveling compound so that the additional scrubbing can commence. Then we'll need to figure out what to do with the areas where there is wood - as there is a different, larger floor plan for the current kitchen from its 1915 layout. We will need to figure out what needs done to repair the problem areas - cracks, bad tiles, etc. Will also need to figure out whether or not this floor is worth keeping or whether or not we need to look for a replacement.

Calling Bob Villa...

Kitchen - minor face lift

Although we love our home, I don't think it has been any secret of how much we hate the kitchen. With its carpeted floors -- how unsanitary, older cabinets, and hideous wallpapered walls (throw back to the "step bitch" - there must have been one heck of a sale in 1989 of this crap!)

Here is a picture of me assessing the situation on the day we toured homes in Wheeling. Wondering whether or not I could live with a kitchen like this. One that didn't have a dishwasher (gasp!) and with a small refrigerator. And the carpet...

Sadly, not much has changed since this photo was taken. We've added a new refrigerator - moving the other one to the basement. We added a dishwasher - as I couldn't live with dishpan hands. And all of the previous owners' nick-nacks are gone. On the cabinet that is in front of me in the picture is where my KitchenAid stand mixer has been - and my TV. Other than that, what you see is what you get.

I've been back and forth in my head as to what colors I should paint in there. I had settled on Benjamin Moore Million Dollar Red for the cabinets (as I would never do something so HGTV crazy as to paint kitchen cabinets, but we're being sensible and waiting until the house in Fairmont sells before really renovating the kitchen!), Benjamin Moore Wheeling Neutral for the walls, and a white trim that as closely as possible matches the trim in Elizabeth's play room.

Until....

Yesterday, Reid and Nick, a nice young man who is a freshman on West Liberty's basketball team, started the demo work on the floor!

The carpet was glued onto pink & green linoleum tile (think Dorthy Draper & the Greenbrier pink & green), which had adhesive and leveling compound under that, which has the original 1915 hexagonal gray marble tile with a pattern of green flowers & white centers. (Now I'm totally at a loss for what colors to use when I get to painting - all ideas are welcomed!) But for now, we'll be dealing with the floor to restore as much of them as possible, we hope! If not, we'll at least be down to the lowest level of flooring to put something on top of them...

What were Elizabeth & I doing during much of this demo work, you might ask. Aside from me getting a sunburn, we were planting tulips and crocuses in the front walk way of our house. I planted a few crocuses in two of the planters in back of the house (that are against the garage). I finished clipping the irises (dang perennials that require work in the off-season -- this isn't basketball!). I removed the mint that was in the landscaped area next to the driveway (and trust me this was enough mint for the Kentucky Derby!). I will be planting tulips and crocuses in some of that landscaped area, but Elizabeth wasn't being as mindful at that point, so we had to go in back of the house where she could be gated in.

Later in the evening, Elizabeth was "allowed" to help. She is so excited to help get to use the tools it's not really even describable!

So, this is basically the end of one long day's work. We are still trying to figure out what we can do in certain areas (like in the back wall of the kitchen, the tile stops, but a previous owner added the width of 10 boards when the kitchen was expanded at one time...and there is wood, too, in front of the sink where the tile ended in an odd area...not to mention that the cabinets were put over the Dorthy Draper tiles...)

Still lots to be done so that Elizabeth can realize her dream of wearing socks and skating on the kitchen floor.

Engaging News!!!

We're so excited with the engagement of Rikki & Doug!!! Rick & Carol were up in Wheeling when we got the phone call from Rikki that Doug had popped THE question! We celebrated with a champagne toast -- Elizabeth got a juice. Congratulations to the happy couple!!!

The Payoff

The potty-training is slowwwwwly but surely coming along. We've resorted to all sorts of rewards. (For those of you who have has success with stickers or M&M's - I really don't want to hear it! We've tried just about everything...but a combination of stickers, M&M's, juice (which is otherwise forbidden at our house!), and other random rewards, including but not limited to getting to jump on the bed) seem to have us in business - for the most part.

Last night after dinner, Elizabeth told her Daddy that she wanted gum (from the gumball machines left over from her Candyland birthday party...super fresh!). We said no.

Elizabeth, "But I want one."

Daddy, "Well, I want a million dollars, but that's not going to happen."

Elizabeth: "I will give you a million dollars. I want a gum ball."

Elizabeth then promptly left the dining room and went to her play room. After retrieving her mad money, (which looks like a Tony Soprano wad of cash before he is going to spend an entertaining evening at the Bada Bing), she came back into the dining room with cash in hand.

Elizabeth: "Here you go! A million dollars! Now can I have a gum ball?" She said as she handed her Daddy her wad of cash.

(It should be noted that Elizabeth didn't give her Daddy a million dollars, but she did give him all of her monies, mostly in ones...$84 dollars actually - for two gum balls!)

She later pooped in the potty. Her Daddy rewarded her by giving her back her million dollars! Maybe the million dollar reward will be the one that does the trick!

Thankful Thursday!

Today I'm thankful to/for/about:

• A good imagination! This evening, Elizabeth's right eye has been "gunky" (some kind of goopy build-up in it that had to be cleaned out a few times.) The eye is also pretty red. I asked her if anything had happened during the day to make her eye that way. She told me that 5 aliens punched her in the eye to make it like that.
  
• New wheels...good riddance to the Infinity...hello Ford Focus! (Seriously loving the improved gas-mileage!)
  
• A nice visit with Anne, Sean, & Alex - despite Sean-e-boy's back issues. (Hope he's able to find a good doctor and quick relief upon their return to NYC!)
• The start of the college football season! (If summer must end, at least I get some college football!) Let's Goooooooo Mountaineers!
• That Coach Rod seems to be having a rough week - you reap what you sow, a-hole!
  
• A long weekend...it's always nice to have that to look forward to!