This Weekend's Project: Little Girls Room

I finally got the time (more like I made the time) to finish Hallie and Audrey's room. It is SO much better then the room they moved into a year ago. Now I finally feel like it is "theirs". One funny thing: Audrey was scared to sleep in there last night because her bed was in a different spot. She bawled and cried, "Audy bed Audy bed" and kept pointing across the room.


BEFORE...







AFTER...

eBay Project

This photo looks like a huge disorganized mess (luckily it's tucked away in my craft room in the basement), but actually I have these clothes sorted into very specific piles to sell on eBay. They are last fall/winter's items (mostly Audrey's) that I am going to sell. I will be listing them over the next few weeks (saving the heavy winter things and halloween costumes for early Sept lisings). Anyone want to make a guess on what they are worth??? I will post what I make this month when the last item posted in July is sold. I'm hoping for $300-$400, which is about what I made on the summer clothes I sold in February. They are mostly Gap and Gymboree, so they sell really well and are in very good condition! You can check it out starting later this week on my ebay page - rachelreyn - just click "view items". I'd better get to work. I need to take pictures and write up item descriptions...

Downstairs bathroom - DONE

This is just a tiny little bathroom in our basement, but it was horrible before - thick stripes of emerald green & cream wallpaper - EW!!! Amazing what a fresh coat of NORMAL paint and some accessories can do. Hard to get a good picture cause it's so little!



And I also got the kids game/playroom cleaned and organized. You can see they are loving having a place to hang out. Audrey thinks she is so big playing video games.

Friday FIVE

1. Home Improvement Projects. From landscaping & gardening to painting and redecorating - I love working on our home. I love looking for new ideas and inspirations and I love the satisfaction of the finished product. Today I am repainting & redecorating our basement bathroom - so excited!

2. Pajamas are the best. I love days where I never have to change out of them or if I do, it's just to another pair. They are just so comfortable and cozy. I love buying pajama pants and I love just hanging out in them. Anyone ever stumped as to what to buy me for a present? This would be a good idea!

3. Drink Mix Singles - I like the Great Value brand from Walmart - much cheaper than Crystal Light, but just as good. I am trying to drink more water, but sometimes can only take so much. Shaking these little sweethearts into my water bottle is the variety I need to keep chugging, plus the sweetness helps curb my craving for something I shouldn't be eating. My favorite flavors are cherry limeade and raspberry (but use a straw, they turn your lips red!!!)
4. I love getting the mail. I get SO disappointed if the mailbox is empty. Now don't get me wrong, I despise bills and credit card offers. But I love getting just about everything else. Even the ads and valuepages are fun to look through. Ever want to make my day? Mail me a note!
5. Our dog - well, our old dog. After my dad died and my mom was so lonely, we gave Browning to her for company (I was struggling to give him enough attention along with 4 kids anyway). It has worked out really well - she has a little companion and we still see him. This week he's been staying with us because she is out of town. I love that he cleans up any crumbs my kids drop - OK, he eats whole sandwiches that they drop, but it's great clean-up. I just hate the "surprises" he leaves on the lawn - yeah, don't miss that at all!

Family Room Complete - FINALLY!

Just a few shots of my family room. It only took me 6 months to get all the ugly wallpaper off from the previous homeowner and paint it. This was BY FAR the biggest project I needed to do in our new home - and I am thrilled to be moving on to some other less stressful projects/ideas. I feel like I can finally move on with my life - and I have a beautiful room to enjoy!

BTW, as you look at these pictures, imagine dark hideous wallpaper on ALL of the walls. It was so ugly, I couldn't even bring myself to take "before" photos.

Productive Day

Latey I have had way too many days where I feel like I have accomplished nothing. I know it isn't completely true because I have managed to keep four children and a husband alive and somewhat entertained, but I'm a list maker and it just seems like NOTHING on my lists was ever getting crossed off.

So today I was determined to make it different. Here is what I have accomplished so far:

1. stripped, washed and remade 2 beds and one crib
2. cleaned, organized and dejunked the girl's room
3. vacuumed girl's room, hall, stairs, living & family rooms
4. swept and thouroughly mopped my wood floor - it's big, so it's a huge job
5. currently on my fifth load of laundry
6. paid 3 bills
7. loaded dishwasher, cleaned & bleached sink, cleaned kitchen counters, microwave and wiped down appliances

Now mind you, it's only 1pm... I still have these items on my list...

1. fold and put away last two loads of laundry
2. haircut at 2:30
3. grocery shopping
4. make dinner
5. watch tonight's NEW episode of the Office!!!

In between all of this I have also managed to keep 2 little girls entertained, fed them breakfast, snacks & lunch, read 7 stories, changed 2 diapers, helped get dress-up clothes on (and off, and on, and off...), put a sleepy baby to nap, AND finally get a 3 year old ready for the day.

Now I am going to go shower (finally)!!! BYE!

Today's projects

OK, actually these are for the next few days - we'll see if I can get it done by Saturday night.

Project #1: List the rest of my kids's outgrown/unused clothes on eBay. This seems easy enough, but it takes so much time! It's worth it though, I've made almost $300 in the last 3 weeks with things I've sold. Not bad at all.

Project #2:

This one's HUGE. Finish stripping the wallpaper in my family room (this has been on-going since October) and finish painting the family room. ALSO, paint the basement bathroom and the basement hall wall that I already stripped of it's ugly wallpaper last weekend. I'm painting them all the same color (I think), so if I get them ALL ready at the same time, then I can just knock it all out at once. We'll see how close I am by Saturday. I have the next 3 days off, but the problem is I am full-time mommy to my 2 youngest, but terribly sweet girls. They may not let me work as much as I want to. I'll update on my progress Saturday!