Not done but....

I do realize that there have been no pictures of this house once we've moved in.  There is a reason that I took pictures before the furniture/boxes/junk made its way here.  That reason is that I am not generally speaking a clean freak and I am the mother of a toddler that likes to make Hansel & Gretel trails of toys everywhere she goes.  I believe there is a reason that Better Homes and Gardens does not show homes with junk everywhere and that is because no one wants to look at them.  Therefore, while we are in the process of living, I think this is the end.  Farewell.  At least until the basement starts crying out for help...

A project a day must keep something away, right?  Well, it's not working because every project ends up taking more time and/or materials than previously thought.  But, I hung pictures/artwork today thanks to the contributions of Sarah McMurray and Ashton Clarkson-McCain.

I would think after coughing most of the night, she would want to watch tv or sleep all day, but there was work to be done in the toy box today that just couldn't wait.

The picture to the left gets no credit because I have no idea who took it.

House Arrest Day 4

I feel a little bit like i'm in jail.  I think that my almost 3 year old coming down with whooping cough can be added to the list of calamities that have occurred alongside my many moves.  We had only been in the house a few days when Willow started what I thought was fake coughing.  You know: you ask your child to do something, in response you get a little minuscule cough and an "I don't feel good, mom".  Yeah right, suck it up, do what I say.  Nurses make the meanest moms and I learned from the best.  I probably would've chalked it up to allergies for at least another week if we didn't have friends with children being tested for whooping cough. So, Willow started her antibiotics on Thursday evening and we are house bound until they are gone.
I am thankful that she is old enough that we are at home instead of in the hospital.
I am thankful that I bought a cool mist humidifier even though I thought it was a scam.
I am thankful that we are in a 3 bedroom house instead of our apartment.
I am thankful for netflix.
I am thankful for being forced to stay home and stare at all the little things that still need done until I do them because I can't stand them sitting there any longer.
I am thankful for all the sunday school/preschool websites that have lessons you can print for free.
I am thankful that my oven is still possessed by a friendly spirit that hasn't passed over yet, because when it does, I will have to buy a new one.
I am thankful that I have been home to field craigslist calls.
I am thankful that it is only 81 degrees outside so I can possibly take Willow in the backyard without her suffocating.
I am thankful that Madison has escaped whooping cough so far even though no one tells you your child isn't immune until after their age 5 shots.
I am thankful that none of our family has caught it yet.
I am thankful I can leave the house tomorrow evening.
I am thankful that Willow has apparently gotten tired of pull-ups and asked to wear panties this morning.
I am thankful that my child is still excited about having bible class and does not ask to watch tv instead.
I am thankful for the internet so I don't feel like I'm in a black hole.
I am thankful for my husband taking my child downstairs or entertaining her when I can't stand her touching me anymore for the day.
I am thankful for pinterest even though I do not need to start any more projects.
I am thankful for the forced quality time spent with my child.
I am thankful for God who makes me stop and consider my blessings even when it's not in a way I would choose.

Pictures - minus the bathroom.

The bathroom floor is still not in.  Hopefully one of these days they'll send the right floor in the right size both at the same time.  The oven fairy must have came and fixed the oven because I plugged it in yesterday and magically the error code was gone and has not come back.  I am sure it will return at approximately 3 am one of these nights and wake me up out of a dead sleep.  Just because.

Moved in...mostly.

I am curious to know what order of importance others place on necessities. For instance:
1. Internet
2. Sleep
3. Food
4. TV
5. Clothes

Notice just because I place internet first does not mean I receive it.  It was hooked up and I had a signal, but for some reason installation experts don't like to provide passwords to unsuspecting spouses.  Nonetheless, Charter redeemed themselves by promptly providing a password in exchange for a phone number in a surprisingly short amount of time.

Musings Motivated by Moving

     I have never once in my life moved homes and had everything go perfectly smooth.  My first remembered move from Sheridan to Middletown, Indiana at the ripe old age of five included sitting in the back seat of my mother's car next to my sister and cat packed to the gills with our belongings.  It was only an hour's drive or so but just long enough for my sister to vomit all over the backseat of the car.
     The next move was from Indiana to Minnesota and after walking off the plane and retrieving my poor abused miniature poodle from his crate he promptly defecated on the baggage claim area floor. Only a few days after that incident I spent many hours in the ER after foolishly trying to trap a new pet toad in a recently unpacked glass jar.
     A mere 2 1/2 years later we packed up and headed to southern Minnesota over Christmas vacation (For those of you who are not Minnesota natives or residents, NO ONE moves during the winter in Minnesota). Unfortunately my school term wasn't over and so my belongings headed to Red Wing where I only had visitation rights on weekends for the next month or so while living with friends.
     Two years later Dad got the wanderlust again and decided to move us to the wilds of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  Yet again, most of my belongings left without me due to an unexpected visit from cousins with an empty moving truck that we packed up almost overnight and sent on months ahead of our move.  I have to say that getting to graduate a semester early from high school made up for that one though.
     Post a year of college I went on my honeymoon (and forgot you're not allowed to carry butterfly knives when trying to go through airport security) while I sent my over six feet tall father in law back to Tennessee in my packed manual transmission Saturn.  Amazing that he loves me anyway isn't it?
      Three years later on the way to our newly purchased house I managed to rear end another vehicle in the legendary rush hour traffic of Nashville and separated my shoulder that ended up needing surgery a year later.
     Four years following that we packed up, sold the house and moved across state lines with a newborn that gets carsick (at least she had the good taste to throw up on Daddy).  I do not recommend anyone moving with a newborn if they can help it.  This time I was also required to leave most of my belongings in storage for the next two years.
     And just under a year ago, we packed up again and realized the moving truck wasn't big enough and we would have to pull my in laws trailer down as well.  Then the trailer lights didn't work.  Four adults driving four vehicles for that move.  And I'm pretty sure my father-in-law got stuck with the truck that only gets air conditioning when you're not accelerating.  Which is most of the time pulling a trailer.
     You would think that I would reconsider all the moving, hassle, etc.  But no, not only did I want to buy another house, I insisted on falling in love with a house built before I was born that needed excessive amounts of work.  Just because moving is always too easy.
     So for those of you that have already accepted the invitation to partake in our Saturday disaster, I apologize in advance for the frustrations that have followed me since childhood.  No, that is not the bathroom tile I picked out, but if you come back Monday it should be.  Yes, the garage door must be manually opened now.  I am pretty sure that some mischievous teenagers were plotting to get in the empty house and engage in illegal activities.  Yes, I know the front door is broken and use the downstairs bathroom at your own risk.  It has not been cleaned in many many moons.
     I heard a fairy tale this afternoon that my internet will be installed at the new house in the morning with 15 mbps.  If it turns into reality I will be a loyal Charter customer for life and give mass exclamations of praise to anyone that will listen.  See you on the other side.

Finishing up the bathroom.

Please pardon the picture quality, I forgot my camera and used my phone.

In the process of painting the bathroom cabinets white.  I am starting to get that ill feeling when you think something is going to go horribly wrong and it's going to look terrible.  Only the first coat is on in the pic, the 2nd coat is on and I am crossing my fingers and praying that rolling a 3rd coat will get rid of the brush strokes and drip marks(I may have to sand those) and cover the rest.