Rush Rush Rush

I'm in a rush...still knee deep in bathroom remodel. So far we've installed insulation, drywall, flooring, the bubble tub and it's framing and I've just started on the river rocks. I must have been on drugs the day I decided I wanted river rocks...it's a very slow, tedious process of installing them one at a time. (I know...I know...I could have gotten the 12x12 mesh tiles with them already glued on and it would have made my life simpler, but a 40lb bag was cheaper...lol)

Christmas was wonderful...having all of my children under one roof was all I could have asked for!! Now dealing with trying to get our gifts to WORK was another story!! Seriously...48 hours spent on 3 different MP3 players. Finally got Robert's and mine filled with music and videos...but Kat's was being stubborn. (It's now at a friend's house and hopefully she will be able to figure it out this week.)

Managed to find a bit of time to scrap a page...though I must admit I cheated. I used a quick page and just added a few embellishments.

FULL CREDITS:
Quick page by Kenna from Weeds & Wildflowers Christmas Countdown Freebie
Stars from Lil Bit Of Chalk Sampler from Weeds & Wildflowers Christmas Countdown Freebie
Tree from Traditions from Weeds & Wildflowers Christmas Countdown Freebie
Photo: Robert & Fred
Program: PSP-9

This is my latest personal blog header:

Forest Nymphs by Sensual Poser
Paper from Happy Birthday Renee Freebie by KimB Designs
Swirl, Leaves, Butterfly from In The Evening Forest by WaterLO Project
Glitzy Alpha from Blog Christmas Gift by Weeds & Wildflowers
Cat tails from Memories Of The Sea by Myborkova Design
Crystal Drops from Vintage Central Park 4 by Annies Digital Things
Program: PSP-9

It's Almost Christmas...

and I'm rushing around like a chicken with it's head cut off. My youngest son, Robert, arrived home for the holidays on the 14th and it's brought me more joy than I can express having all of my family under one roof again.

My kitchen should have been finished by now, but I'm still waiting for the cast iron shelf brackets. And until they go up, I can't install my backsplash. OH...which reminds me, instead of using a tumbled, marble mini tiles, I've chosen river rock. Reason being...it's CHEAP and once I'm finished with my bathroom remodel (that's now on day 17) I'll have a ton of it left over.

Yup...day 17 of bathroom remodel...2 years in the making. So far we've replaced the flooring, installed insulation in the outer walls, replaced drywall, redone electrical, replaced part of the ceiling, and moved plumbing for my bubble tub. Now it's down to the details...installing river rock as a backsplash and on the framing for the bubble tub, paint the walls and ceiling, install and paint trim around windows and then i get to decorate!!

I haven't had much down time...but have managed to do a couple of scrap pages.

ChristmasTemplate by Bannerwoman
Paper, Ribbon, Round Ornaments, Star Ornament, Gold Bows from In Xmas Gold Mine kit by WaterLOProject
Pine Branch from Under The Xmas Tree by WaterLOProject
Merry Christmas Word Art from Sue Cummings' December Daily Downloads
'Tis The Season Word Art from Jolly Holiday Mess Sampler at Weeds & Wildflowers
Branch Cluster from Knocking On Winters Door by Phuong Ton & Jen Ulasiewicz
Program: PSP-9


Tis The Season Cluster Frame Freebie by Joanne Bain
I Love Presents Word Art Freebies by Sue Cummings
Everything else from Under The Xmas Tree by WaterLO Project
Program: PSP-9

Monday Mayhem...

For those that missed it, I spent half an hour throwing away close to $400 in frozen groceries yesterday at lunchtime...not because of faulty freezer, but the fact that someone unplugged it. (From the temperature of melted water, thawed food & SMELL...I'm guessing at least 1-2 weeks) Due to yesterday's humidity and my lack of iron stomach, I put draining & sanitizing off until nightfall. However, plans tend to change so quickly in this house and it was put off again. (Lid is closed TIGHT and awaiting me to clean...though I might be investing in a gas mask now)

I was already taking the day off from the kitchen due to stiff muscles. By the time I was finished throwing all of the gross food out, I was really hurting. Spent most of the day lounging, rubbing lotion on my legs and trying to massage the cramps away, and applying medicated heat patches to my back.

Kat made it home around 9:30pm. I feel my baby girl slipping away from me. She no longer talks to me about everything going on with her. We never spend any time together since she started working full time and traveling every weekend with the drama team. Though I'm proud of what she's doing and the hard work she's putting in to it...I'm feeling somewhat neglected and ignored. Used to, if you were looking for me, it was automatically assumed that Kat would be near. I know I've whined before asking if this is what it's suppose to feel like when you are no longer needed, but this feeling is heart-wrenching.

I rode with hubby this morning to help with directions to the place for his drug test. Turns out he didn't need me. He had to go to Wal*Mart first to pick up the paperwork to take to the hospital, but while there he had another "small interview". (Dang...how many times must someone be interviewed to work in a garage?) Nearly an hour later, hubby comes back to truck sans medical paperwork. I asked him what was up and he said they decided to put him in another position making less money that what he was making at the Truck Stop so he said he was sorry he wasted their time for the past 6 weeks and that he would have to decline. It didn't sit well with the guy in charge, but he did leave it open for hubby to return at a later time.

Hubby was disgusted. He was told the reason they were giving him less money is because of his work experience and history. Hubby asked what he meant since he had managerial experience at AutoZone, Napa, and the Truck Stop. He then was told they wanted more years than what he listed. *sigh* For what they wanted to pay him, he would have been making LESS than what OS is making now at Costco changing tires. So we stopped by a couple of places on way home for him to get aps.

Hubby has been on the phone ever since we arrived home nearly an hour ago. Unsure what will happen now...especially since we thought he HAD this job and was quoted a certain amount 2 weeks ago and it didn't happen that way today. Something more for me to worry about and try not to let it get to me.

A few minutes ago, I received a message through my MySpace from YS saying that he was coming down with his Dad and Grandma to get pickup his other sister Somer. Would only be here for the weekend and would be able to spend Saturday with me. Now I'm really freaking since my entire house is turned upside down and my kitchen in shambles. How am I suppose to be relaxed and play gracious host to Grandma Joyce when there isn't a clean spot to sit? ROFL!! Guess I better get off my hiney and bust tail to get the kitchen halfway completed.

I'm Committed Now...

To finish my kitchen!! *giggles* Though lately, I've felt my mind slipping to the point of another type of commitment...but we won't get into that here right now, God will work out everything in the end.

Yesterday I decided it was time to take the plunge and just get on with it...so I climbed a ladder, began taking items off of the tops of the cabinets and started tearing down wall paper. Of course, it was a slow, tedious process...not the tearing down wall paper, but the removal of items off of the tops of the cabinets. Not to mention really GROSS!! Some of these items had not been touched since I'd placed them in their spots 5-6 years ago. And since we have a gas stove and heat our home in the winter with gas, a really nasty brown film covered each item to the point I had to pry it out of my hands before I could set them down in the sink to be washed. So much of the day was spent WASHING everything. (HOLY COW...I still have some purging to do...lol)

Took a break late afternoon due to OS calling to say GF locked his keys in his car. He was NOT happy. LOL So hubby grabbed his slim jim set and we took off. (Poor hubby is losing his touch, what used to take him 90 seconds took him nearly half an hour.) Of course, some minor damaged occured to the rubber seal around the door frame, so we stopped by Wal*Mart on the way home so hubby could fix it at a later time. While there, I also picked up some more cleaning supplies and a 6-in-1 tool to help me scrape wall paper and gunk off of the tops of the cabinets.

Got back home and popped a couple of pizzas in the over. Had planned on calling it quits for the day, but then my friend Beth came over and motivated me to climb up the ladder again. I peeled paper as she kept the floor clean as bits and pieces fell. An hour later she went back home with the promise to be back over sometime this weekend to help.

OH...and Kat will be gone all weekend. After she got off of work yesterday, she went home with one of her bosses, that is also her drama teacher at church. the entire drama team has been asked to perform at a church...uhmmm...for the life of me I can't remember where. I'm thinking Jasper, but don't quote me on it cause that might not be it. ROFL!!

Anywhoos...I'm off to to tackle gross, brown, layered gunk on top of cabinets today. And don't fear...I'm taking plenty of photos as I'm trudging along. Will upload them sometime this weekend when I have the time.

Off to get dirty...