Makeover??? Yes Please!!!

 It may not be for me but a makeover in any form is always fun. This time it was focused on my Grandmother's home which has not been updated in about 15-20 years. This is not to say that its not decorated super cute for a Grandma, we just thought we could bring her a little more up to date. Especially if she plans to sell her home anytime in the next few years. The first step was to remove the wallpaper from the kitchen and hallway. Its quite the undertaking but mom and I have it down to a science. First you score the wall and then spritz it with a combo of liquid fabric softener and water (trust me it comes off like butter). Then if you have to use a putty knife and work off the little bits that stuck around. Easy Peasy my friends. It just took time. Dad followed up with painting the entire kitchen and hallway a nice buttermilk color (which was theme appropriate as we were in farm country). My original plan was to paint the header around her little kitchen nook a pretty green and "bling it out" with a gold stencil. However, by an overwhelming vote that idea was shot down and we just did the gold stencil over the buttermilk color... which was still cute (if I do say so myself). The next project will be the living room, the bathroom and then the laundry room which will also entail removal and replacing a new sink. So funny story--- This whole process is tense. People were  focused, so when they were asked to shift gears and help out in another area they got crabby (including myself). Theresa my cousin had her three boys, I had the three girls and it was a whirlwind... but it was better to have them there to see Great Grandma than to not have them there at all. Would it have been easier without them? Hell yes. Less stressful? You bet! Would have Grandma have been happy? No. Easy answer if you ask me :)  So back to my story. Theresa, AJ and I were feeling the tempers flare so we volunteered to go check out sinks for the washroom. Anna was a peach and stayed behind facing the fury head on (thanks tootsie). So its Theresa, AJ, myself and the two younger boys and we drove to LaCrosse. We checked out the "ReStore" which is a used construction and household items store sponsored by Habitat for Humanity. It is open to the public with some awesome deals so we checked it out for a new sink. No dice. So we packed up and headed to Menards which is a relatively local (Wisconsin) do it yourself store. We eventually found a sink and all the hardware for the faucet but it took a while. As we were leaving my mother-in-law called so I was distracted. All of a sudden I realized that we were waiting quite a while to turn out of the parking lot. That's because we were stopped behind a parked car... hahaha. It was hilarious. The curb was low in that area and the truck (although sans driver) I guess looked like it could have been leaving a driveway... except it was not turned on. Whoops! We all figured it out at the same time and just laughed uncontrollably... the crying kind...it really dropped the stress right off our shoulders.

We went out for fish at Bangor (my favorite restaurant in the area) and it was great. The new cheese curds were to die for!!! The girls had a good time watching the trains go by and eating all they wanted off the salad bar. I find it difficult to go out to dinner with them by myself (without Tim) because when it comes down to it, people want to eat. Once the food comes to the table all the focus is there. My little ladies do a good job for only being 2 and 4 but I think people forget they are kids (little ones at that). They are not perfect and just as I am expected to keep them in check (hard to do my myself) I expect those I associate with to have a little compassion and understanding. Do I discipline them? Sure. Am I a drill Sargent? Hell no. Its something I am working on and its getting better every time but its tough. I want them to grow up with rules but not hate or be afraid of me in the process... sigh*
Sunday we drove back across the state but were able to visit with my cousin Nikki, her husband Justin and their new son Kevin Allan (Dad likes the middle name by the way wink wink). He was such a little peanut and for two seconds when I was holding him I wanted another baby. That was until he started to fuss a bit and I was whisked back to the days of screaming babies and sleepless nights... no thanks. I will just borrow babies for a while till i get my fix and I'll be fine. (Free babysitting y'all).
I got to drive the whole way back to Green Bay (except in the construction--- you know where it goes down to two super close lanes and there are cement walls on each side with no shoulder? that totally freaks me out... its in my top five most horrible situations for sure). I love driving though because I am able to clear my head, get organized and usually there are some pretty awesome conversations to be had. This was definitely one of those times. Coming into Spring (if this snow ever melts) I am looking forwards to accomplishing a few of my goals... or at least starting them  :)