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Cleaning

A Quick Home Improvement.

For four years I have wanted to change the way our loft looked.  It wasn’t working for me, but I spent too much time sewing draperies at my table so it needed to be perpendicular to the window to drape the fabrics over the table.

Then, two years ago, the day my little Apple arrived into our lives Opa brought Hubby a desk over.  My understanding was that it was mahogany and it was going to replace the black one we already had.  Hubby’s idea was that it would be his and tuck into the corner and ADD another desk to our two desks we already had in the loft.  I was still hanging out in bed so imagine the shock I got when I finally ventured out of my room.  My already irritating loft just got worse.  And the desk blocked my creativity.

This Fall, I will be watching two of my friends children after school.  Not every day, but possible every day.  We are all looking forward to it as we love these two boys and we think it will be a good experience for everyone.  But, the loft was driving me nuts.  And I was trying to imagine the boys up there doing homework on these desks that were no longer very functional, but piled with papers, boxes and junk.  And yes, that could all be put away, but I lost the inspiration to do that and Hubby just kept leaving the stuff on his desk because (and the desk that is folded down was actually under the window until Saturday when we needed it, it held a lot of stuff that is on my actual sewing table).

Saturday night was my breaking point.  Hubby was scheduled to leave on Monday for a work trip and I was down to my last week of summer to get this loft in shape.  I proposed a quick idea to Hubby that originally only involved going to Ikea and purchasing a bookshelf.  Sunday morning I realized that the wall for the bookshelf wasn’t painted and to get that done would mean removing the bookshelf another time, which of course means it would never get painted. Our new plan needed paint and a bookshelf.  Being Sunday everything opened late so we cleaned out the room then headed out.

My job was to paint the black desk white and Hubby’s was to paint the two white walls Platinum.  Within just a couple of hours we were assembling the bookshelf and loading it up.  It took a complete 24 hours to get it all done, but that includes drying time, children time and sleep time.  If I had only realized that it would only take us that long a couple of years ago I would have done it then.

And now, my creativity is back and I want to use the loft again.  And hopefully homework and playtime will be much more enjoyable, just look at that floor space!  It isn’t my complete ideal, but it is a long way from where it was and every time I walk up the stairs I am happy to see the room instead of angry at it.

*Note: the computer will move to the other white desk sometime next week, the longer we let it cure, the harder the paint will be.  Thus avoiding chips.

7 comments
Categories: Cleaning, Decorating

Getting our sillies out

J, Apple and I were having fun with the ‘photo booth’ application on my computer.  I know this isn’t our best side, but it was truly hilarious.  J and I were laughing so hard I was crying.  And well poor little Apple had no idea what on earth we were doing.  We took about twenty photos before we were finished.  One day I will pull them all together into a photo album just to remember how much fun we had being silly.

Can I also say that I am now officially a knitting addict?  It all started with a hat.  Actually it started with a book about hats that turned into a complete addiction.  Apple doesn’t have her own hand knit blanket.  J has three but is only willing to temporarily lend the one that he never uses to her for the car.  She is constantly grabbing his blankets and staring at his blankets and so I started knitting one.  What you see above is one weeks worth of knitting.  By the time I am finished it will be summer, but that’s ok because she will still need a blanket in the summertime.  I really enjoy that I have something to keep my hands busy, but I may have to take a break for a few days to get caught up on a few items on my to-do list.

My to-do list could be a blog post on its own, it is two whole pages long.  And that is lined paper, not just a note pad.  I have already crossed off a couple of cleaning to-do’s.  Like the loft.  Our never ending clutter room.  That is the room that houses my work table, Hubby’s desk and the kids desk.  Everything get put there for sorting.  Piles of paper, stuff without a home.  So together Hubby and I cleaned it up this Sunday.  It was great because I cannot be crafty surrounded by clutter. Today I tackled two cupboards in the kitchen.  All of a sudden I realized that there was a whole shelf us stuff I hadn’t touched since we moved in here almost three years ago.  Today was garbage day so off it went. And now the shelf has become the chip shelf so the chips no longer have to reside on top of my pots and pans.  I am so happy!   The rest of my to-do is pretty much crafty projects I want or need to complete.  I have a few new ideas floating around and can’t wait to finish my blanket so I can give them a try.

5 comments
Categories: Cleaning, Craftiness, Fun Stuff to do with Kids, Photography

Welcome to the new Beach

Welcome everyone to the new site.  I love it already and I have hardly had the time to even play around as much as I would have loved to.

In time you will see a few changes and updates, hopefully all for the good.

Today was one of those bittersweet days.  Opa finally headed home after his two week visit.  It seemed much longer than that. Although I love him to death and enjoy having him here it is always nice to get back to your usual routine.

I find I don’t clean as much when he is here and with Christmas and New Years, I did not get my weekly cleanings in.  Tonight I did all three bathrooms in record time, and it felt wonderful.  Cleaning is wonderful you say?  Yes.  I love my house the most when it is clean.  I was also able to dust the upstairs so tomorrow all I have to do is run the vacuum.  Then I have to tackle the main level.  Once the two most used floors are finished I will head down to the basement which is almost complete.  Yes, you read that correctly.

While Opa was here and Hubby was off they worked on the last remaining room, the recroom.  It is very, very close to being finished.  I honestly cannot wait.  There will be a bathroom to finish but, I am hoping to stall on that one a bit as I just want to sort out the basement once the main rooms are done.   It is fantastic.  J loves to play down there already and he doesn’t mind if I go on the treadmill while he is playing so I am thrilled to bits.

And poor J, not only was he sad to see Opa go (as was I and Hubby, A too. Only Apple didn’t know exactly what was going on.) he came down with a fever this afternoon.  Poor thing he started his holiday with a fever and it looks like he is going to end it the same way.  I do hope it only lasts tonight as the tears with the Tylenol really suck.

Tomorrow, look for the update on my homemade Christmas.  It was fun, but not as homemade as I wanted so I am already planning next year.

16 comments
Categories: Blog Stuff, Cleaning, Family