Saturday, July 3, 2010

Since You've Been Gone...

So, while Chris and Owen will be having a lot of fun in Utah and Idaho hanging out with family and the like, I will be here working my buns off.  Since I just started a new project in the lab, I have plenty to do, and my boss usually wants the results yesterday, when I won't have them till next week or the week after.    

I have tried to keep myself busy with research, which doesn't leave much spare time, but I have made a list of things I want to accomplish before Chris and Owen return in two weeks.  I won't have any pictures to post because Chris took the camera with him, so you will have to just read what my great plans are.  

1.  Paint Owen's Room - he has requested green and red, so I will see what I can do without making his room look like Christmas.  This is a very involved project since the dry wall needs some work before I can paint.  I am thinking of doing one wall in a green and then the opposing wall in a red, but I don't want it to start to look like a crayon box exploded (i.e. four different colors on four different walls).  I have thought that I might be able to do a red on the bottom and a green on top or visa versa.  This is where I really struggle - I am completely lost when it comes to making things look good.  I wish that I had someone who would just say, "Paint it like this, he will love it and it won't depreciate your property value."  

2.  Finish the Kitchen - Since we put in the kitchen (almost 1.5 years ago) and it had been functional, we have had very little motivation to put all the finishing touches on it.  I need to do some kick-plates, put on the decorative trim, finish and seal the grout, fix some base board problems, fix some molding issues, and then I might actually get to paint over that awful lime green color.  Again, I have no idea what color I will do - see #1.  Under this project goes, grouting the hearth - since I will have the grouting tools out, I might as well do this quick little project. 

3.  Organize the Shed - It seems that the shed is in a constant state of chaos - thanks to Chris always having some project going on - and most of the time you can't even get in the door.  I finally am going to deal with it - he was going to do it when he got back, but I beat him to it today.  I finally listed the old washer and dryer on craigslist - and have already had three people who are interested.  With the money I will buy the paint for #1 and #2.  Maybe I can get it to a point where it will STAY ORGANIZED - but I doubt it.  The chaos will return with time.  So one project down - lots more to go.

4.  Repaint the Wagon - we got Owen an awesome wagon for his second (?) birthday.  Since it has been outdoors its whole life, it is looking pretty rough.  We bought the paint to do it like 4 months ago, and I am finally going to get it done.  Red for the wagon itself - can you really paint it any other color - and then a dark brown for the side rails.  Hopefully I can get all the rust sanded off and it looking like new before he gets back.  I think I want to paint Renberg on the back - but I would need stencils and then it just gets too complicated, so I will probably leave it as is. 

5.  Find a Bike for Owen for his 4th Birthday present - you would think that this would be relativity easy, but I am so darn picky and cheap that it will take me FOREVER to find one that I am pleased with.  We are not going to buy it new because he will grow out of it in a year and so we are going used, which means TIME to find one.  I will hit the thrift stores and maybe some yard sales next weekend and see what I can find.  Wish me luck.  I have already looked on craigslist and I have only found purple ones with fairies - not very boyish.

6.  Clean up the Yard - so we have been demolishing things in the back yard like crazy and it is becoming a big mess.  Since most of it is brick and rock, I want to find a company that will recycle it.  I have made a list of the closest ones and I will be calling them on Tuesday to see if they will take all our rubble.  I also need to find out about putting in some top soil.  Apparently, the county had some program where you can get it relatively cheap, but again, everyone we talk to is pretty vague and not very helpful.

So, with all that, I should keep myself busy and not let myself miss my boys too much.  Hopefully I will be able to get a few of these done - I always plan too much with too little time and money.     


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