The Water Closet!

So after Wes tackled the tile in the kitchen (which is gorgeous, by the way) we really needed to jump into a project (Wes has been in school for like 7 years so is not used to idle time). So the above picture is what it used to look like. This half bath really sold me on the house but it needed a lot of work! It was very, very gross and the old man that lived here used it a lot (since it is just off the garage) but never cleaned it.... gross. Let's just say the wall was um, yellow. Ew.

I am the designated painter of the house. I am much more detail oriented than Wes and he doesn't have quite as much experience as I do with painting so this is my way of contributing to the cause. We painted the ceiling which had the original "Hollywood" style texture which is sparkly popcorn, basically. It was a pretty easy room to paint (considering it is only a handful of square feet). I chose a bright white paint for the trim and cabinet and "bone white" for the walls. All of the paint came with the house so it was totally free! Sweet!

This is Brazilian cherry hardwood floor that we inherited from a friend who put this in their old house and these were the leftovers. He put it in the old fashioned way with a hammer and nails. It looks really cool and vintage shabby chic! Thanks Thatchers!

Wes has fought the battle with this wax ring before. It seems that the second time was a charm! I had wanted a new toilet but, hey, we can't all have new toilets. I think the original is fine - all 43 years worth!
I bought this beautiful clearance faucet ($14.90!!!!!) to go in there. We have some old pipes (hello, 43 years) so it may be awhile until you see it installed. For now it is turned off and I graciously allowed my guests to use the kitchen sink to wash up. ;-)

I kinda wished I had taken a really good before picture for all of these projects.. Sorry.
The reveal picture is soon to come! It's beautiful!

A Picnic for Dinner

Well, that might sound really nice to you. In fact it might be nice. Once. Now I like being outdoors and the kids really enjoy eating outside, too. For some reason they seem to be able to keep their food off the ground and keep quiet when outside. Now let me let you in on a secret. It works for the first couple of days. After that the mosquitoes and ants find you and temperature outside tends to sneak up into the 90+ degree range. Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying it and I really truly love eating on this table because I have a really good excuse to put out the pretty daffodil and blue trimmed table cloth that my friend Jill recently gave me. But dude, I want my kitchen back.

It looks as if it won't be happening any time soon (no thanks to Big Bob's tile and the Alfagres tile company). So for now we are resigned to our hot picnic dinners and lunches (and yes people, my kids eat their breakfast outside before their eyes are even open). It's going to be a hundred degrees outside this weekend but I am still not willing to let my kids eat near that ridiculous white carpet. Drive through our alley some time around 5pm and wave at us.

(ours is totally not this nice)

Oh, and pardon all of the pessimism. Things are not panning out this week like I think they should. Me and my silly plans - what are you gonna do...