As of late...

If you've ever been with me as I go to take a picture you'll know that most likely my batteries are dying or dead in my camera.  It's a curse I swear.  As a result I've relied on our phone too heavily as of late as a way to record our photo memories.  Here's some of our recent phone pics.  And really I'm going to start using my real camera again!  (I'm thinking a fancy smancy new camera would maybe be a real good motivator but likely won't happen anytime soon!)

Painting advice

I've finally painted the used table I purchased.  It was a pain, took much longer than I expected, and really doesn't look so hot in person BUT after all that effort there is no way I would get rid of it now.

If you recall these are the chairs I plan to put around it eventually along with the bench from the first shot above.  I'm wondering what colour to paint the bench???  I was thinking maybe I should just keep it white like the table OR maybe I should do something fun, like the red colour from my chair fabric?  I do have a fair bit of colour in the house and I fear if things are too mish-mashed the house will start to look like a college dorm room.  What to do!?

Really even more exciting (and a lot more important) is the exterior paint job that will hopefullly be happening sooner rather than later.

The house is pretty scary from the outside still.  If money grew on trees I would love to re-side the place but as this isn't the case the cosmetic solution is going to be paint.  The metal railing and stairs are staying as well.  I know this picture isn't great because of the giant pine tree in the way but try and use your imagination.  We plan on replacing all the wrotting wood, opening up the rest of the porch, re-painting the trim and spraying out the stucco with paint.  Also the pine tree on the left is hopefully coming out (Mike's a little hesitant about removing it - I hate how it's killed all our grass and tracks an insane amount of pine needles into the house!)  Obvioulsy the grass and flower bed need a little loving but this will all happen in time too.  I love the bushes (the colours in the fall are amazing) so they will definitely stay.  It's hard to see the wood paneling up at the peaked portion of the porch and house but we're not quite sure what to do with it yet.  It's wobbly and not in straight lines (I think this was done on purpose for some insane reason).  I've mentioned to Mike putting in cedar shanks in its place but his immediate response was NO (why create MORE work he said :)  The roof was replaced last fall and is a dark grey.  The real question I have though is what COLOUR should we paint everything???  The trim will be white and I think we'll leave the red brick as is.  But what about the wood paneling, the cement base on the porch, and the house itself?

These are a few of the colours I've toyed with for the body of the house.  These wouldn't be the exact shades but something in the family.  I like the light blue but in looking at homes while driving around light blue can go VERY wrong if not the right shade.  I think as of right now a deeper shade of blue is my top choice.  We purchased all the paint a couple months ago (I have five 5-gallon pales under my stairs) but in talking to the people at general paint the other day I was informed I have a light tint base and will need to do something quite light.  If I was really set on a darker colour we might be able to exchange it though.  I'm guessing a pale green may be the compromise (and what Mike would like best).  If you've actually read your whole way through this ridiculously long post - WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Better late than never

I love holidays.  I love getting together and spending time with family and I love that holidays always seem to include a delicious meal. 

 Carter reaping the benefits of whipping the cream

PS Mike dressed Carter and took him out to play in the morning while Trev and I were cooking. I looked at the window to see Carter running down the alley (with Mike) in a t-shirt, shorts, and flip flops!  Don't worry that it was all of 5 degrees out. 

 THE HAM.  This was my first time cooking a ham on the bone and I'm not going lie - it tasted awesome.  All you need is my brother Trevor (the MAN when it comes to meat) telling you exactly what to do.

Pies.  I really should have taken a picture pre-meal and one that included the family but it just didn't happen.  It was fun having my brothers up and Julie and her crew are always entertaining to have around.  Carter ADORES her boys.

 The morning of.  I was so elated when Carter actually figured out the whole chocolate trail thing that the "Easter Bunny" had left and followed it all the way to the living room.

 With his goods.  Of course all he cared about was the truck.

What a stud.  I had every intention to sew an adorable green hounds tooth bow-tie to go with his purple Easter shirt.  But a week later the fabric still sits in my ever growing pile of things to make, hem, and mend.  I will make it eventually and post a picture.  Hope all your Easters were great!

A room done

Ohhhh - the stress this house has caused me!  Sometimes people ask me if I'm glad we did it (that is purchase a very run down 95 year old home) and I really don't know how to respond.  It depends on the day.  Someday's I love it; I love the fact that we're central, I love the character and history, I love our basement suite and the help it is financially, I love seeing the amazing work that Mike can do with his own two hands, I love the work that I'VE been able to do with my own two hands (who knew I'd become so acquainted with power tools!).  Other days I think about ALL the work that's been done and ALL that has yet to be done and I feel utterly overwhelmed.  Ask me in a year and I guess we'll see what my response is then!  As for now projects ARE slowly being completed and I'm excited to say we have FINISHED a room (I use the term "finished" loosely because there are a couple tiny things left to be done :)  Introducing Carter's room!

These first two photo's are of Carter's room partway into the reno.  How we wish we would have taken more before shots!  These pictures really don't do it justice.  The new drywall on the ceiling is due to the fact that half of it was caving in, we didn't remove the flooring - it just wasn't there!, the light fixture consisted of a bulb hanging from a wire, no door, no electrical or light switch covers, missing radiator covers (which meant the radiator fins were filthy and smashed to bits - I spent hours cleaning them and bending them back one by one with pliers!), no baseboards, I could really go on forever with just one room so I'll stop there!

 The above photo's don't really show the GRIME that was present in the home so I had to add this shot of one of the basement rooms prior to starting the reno's.  (Can you believe we bought this home?!)  The previous owners were serious hoarders.  And do you like the artwork on the far wall??  (sorry for the PG-13 rating of it!)

  

Post Reno

There's a couple small things I'd like to change about this room, one being getting rid of the 2nd hand wardrobe in the corner, but alas part of the beauty of old homes is the minimal closet space - so it will stay!  Really though can you believe the transformation!  The door is new (we replaced them throughout the upstairs) and Mike built the moulding around to mimic the original moulding found in the entryway.  I've gone on much too long but I'm just too excited.  It's hard for me to believe sometimes that that scary OLD room is the same one where Carter and I now sit and read books and play!

Introducing

My newest little nephew, Oliver Bowden.  Love him to bits 

 already.

It was time

A while back Mike dropped our cell phone in a Urinal at school ..... Yes, you read that correctly, a URINAL at school.  Fortunately it died (because there was no way I was touching that thing again).  Well since we had gotten the phone on a contract, Mike bought the cheapest replacement phone he could - which we've used for the past 3 years.  The phone worked sometimes, sometimes not, the keypad didn't light up, and it pretty much was a reflection of what is cost.  

Well Mike came home the other day with a new i-phone.  I was little mad until I realized how nice it is to have a cell phone that actually works and one that has a bunch of gizmo's to boot.  The following pictures are taken with our fancy smancy new phone! I stayed with Julie's boys over the weekend as she gave birth to the newest Smith addition (More info and pics to follow on the little one!)  These 3 boys are crazy and have a riot together and I'm sure the new munchkin will fit in perfectly!

Sorry most of these are blurry, they really never stopped moving for long enough to get a decent shot!

Dear Spring....

.... I know a very sweet little boy who is ever so anxious for you to arrive.  Please hurry up.