Adventures in Juggling

The home improvement frenzy continues here under the Big Top. The last project turned out so well that I was inspired to press on. Of course, taking the last two weeks off from work gave me the time (and the energy).

A long, long time ago, in a land far, far away, Bill and I set up house in our first apartment which was tastefully decorated in an early American hand-me-down and milk crate/cinder block decor. Among the hand me downs that we acquired was a well used, square cocktail table from a living room set that belonged to Bill’s parents. At first glance, it wasn’t much to look at. It was just another old table…older than we were. But wait! Closer inspection revealed that this was a solid, well built piece of furniture. This was not your average sawdust and pressboard piece. It truly was a diamond in the rough. So as our circus grew and we (very slowly) replaced the hand-me-downs, milk crates and cinder blocks for real furniture, we hung on to our old treasure with the plan to restore it to what it once was. Over the years, each of our clowns left their mark on this piece

and by the time I finally decided to get to get the courage and ambition to work on it the table appeared to be more like trash than treasure.

But with a little patience I got not only a old/new treasure but a great arm workout.

It’s the perfect addition to my new sitting room furniture.

It’s even more of a one-of-a-kind, priceless treasure because I did leave my children’s art intact on the underside of the table.

The soaking and the wine helped a little bit. It really did. Of course the atmosphere helped a lot too.

As I contemplated my grumpy mood and all the things that annoy me so much lately, I found myself relaxing. My breathing slowed a little and became more even.

:::in with the good air through the nose:::: two-three-four-five

::::out through the mouth with the bad air::: two-three-four-five

It only took Bill and me five freaking years to agree on colors and find the time to complete the master bath, along with the master bedroom. It was worth the wait. Holly tells us it looks like a freakin’ spa. That was the plan. I need a place where I can shut the door, relax, reflect…

and, oh yes, give thanks…even for the things that seem to annoy me the most lately.

Okay, perhaps I am pretty much useless in a neonatal intensive care unit with a broken finger right now. I can’t exactly accomplish a three minute scrub with my finger splint and I certainly don’t want to share my bugs with the sick babies. But I can paint my bedroom…with a little help from Bill.

before (May 2006)

after

You should see how buff my right arm is now. It’s almost as hot as my new, grown-up bedroom furniture.

I’m disappointed that the whole PreemieCon thingy was a bust…damn, I should have gone to Blogher!
Anyhoo, I have all this time off and time on my hands while the kids are in school. Give me a moment while I savor the bliss that is all of my children in school…
:::::aaaaahhhhhh!!!!!!::::::
So I am seriously trying to make good use of my time here under the Big Top taking care of the things that I just don’t seem to have enough time for; like cleaning up that goop in the kids’ bathroom cabinet that is under the sink. All I can say is that better be shampoo and not someone’s sad little science experiment gone wrong. So the house is clean; so clean that I almost don’t want anyone to breathe.
It’s nice.
Really nice.
I am also taking care of a few minor home improvement projects that have been laying around here for say, oh about 6, 7,… okay!… 9 months.
I have some shelves to hang. No big deal. I know how to use power tools now so I can do this.
Really, I can!
So after I have Bill tell me over the phone where he is hiding his drill…who knew he would keep it on the work bench in the garage…I set off to work on my little project.
Hmmmm…. This shouldn’t be hard, should it?
Turns out it is because although I am quite the talented juggler, I suck at poking holes in my walls and hanging shelves that are actually level. So Bill, the conquering hero, returns home from a day at work and “helps” me…okay, he HANGS the shelves.
He also made fun of my cute little, girly tool box.
Hey, buddy, I happen to think my little hammer is hot!
Dammit!
Now I have to be REALLY nice to him. He doesn’t mind. He knows that I need him and as long as there are shelves to be hung or anything else that involves his power tools I REALLY need him.
So much for being Mrs. Independent.
Oh what the hell. It’s nice to need someone.
Thanks honey!!!!

This week our family has unceremoniously said goodye to a part of our family.
Our bunkbed set.
We purchased this set back in the summer of 1993 when I was pregnant with Abigael. Living at that time in a cozy 900 square foot house, there wasn’t much space to spare so to accomodate our growing family we had no choice but to go up. Our first-grader, Holly and 17 month old Zoë were the first bunk mates. Holly was so excited to climb a ladder to her dreamland and Zoë curled right up in her bunk erasing any worries we had about transitioning her out of the crib. She looked much too little to be sleeping in that twin sized bunk but for her it was just right. Mommy and Daddy worry too much sometimes.
The years went by and our family grew and grew, as you all know. The bunk bed set served our growing family well. It was decorated with stickers, crayons and “washable” markers in spite of mommy~dearest reminding the kids that it was for sleeping not for arts and crafts. Ribbons were looped and tied through the rungs in such a way I wondered what dreams were being weaved in these beds. Blankets and sheets were draped over it to serve as tents and secret forts. No moms allowed of course. Barbie and all her friends had many adventures on this multi-use piece of children’s furniture. Who needed Barbie’s townhouse, camper, condo or airplane when one has bunkbeds! It also served as a launch pad for many a leaping super hero in spite of the fact that Zoë broke her nose once while leaping off the bunk. She had a blanket tied around her neck and she was Super Zoë. Unfortunately for her, the laws of gravity resumed once she left the magical boundaries of the bunkbeds. In time, all of my circus clowns slept, dreamed and played endlessly on this bunkbed set.
Last September, when Holly left the circus for the adult world, Jodie excitedly moved into a room of her very own with a bed fit for a tween. The bunks remained with Daniel at least until we were ready to paint his room and purchase yet another new bed. But the time finally was at hand. After nearly 14 years it was time to finally retire the bunkbeds. There was no big party or fanfare as there was too much excitement over Daniel’s big new bed. He is so proud of his big boy bed with big boy plaid bedding and The Cars sheets. He settled his Curious George, Nemo, silky ni-ni and chosen car next to him and curled up and went promptly to sleep. One can only imagine the dreams he is dreaming in that ginormous bed of his. He looked much too little sleeping in that double bed, just like he did the first time he slept in the bunkbed.
We know, he’ll be fine.
Goodbye bunkbeds. You served us so well and were worth every penny of the $250 we spent on you years ago. Thanks for all the adventures, memories, secrets and sweet dreams.

You can celebrate this transition with us by pledging to support Daniel and TeamDaniel for March of Dimes WalkAmerica.
Shameless! I know.

Because practically every little boy slumbers with visions of all things with motors and wheels dancing in their heads, we chose the Route 66 theme for Daniel’s bedroom. It is as finished as it is going to be until after the holidays. Maybe then we will find an affordable vintage pedal car for the shelf above the Route 66 sign. Anyone have one just lying around they want to get rid of?
That twitching you might see in Bill’s right eye is his realization that I will soon be ready to paint and decorate the master bedroom and bathroom. After the holidays, honey, I promise!

And now from the files of “What! Is She Nuts?!” I give you the final thing on my project list for this lovely 8 day stretch off from work that I have had.

The house is now clean for the holidays. Well, okay, the bathrooms aren’t clean just yet but they will be. I have my own little haz-mat team home from school today.
Heh-heh-heh.
I have to perpetuate their thought that I had children merely to avoid housework.
But I digress…
Yes, the circus tent is clean for the holidays and since I had the time, I planned on getting started on decorating the littlest clown’s bedroom. The color is called “Serene Sky”. Do you think it will have that effect on him?
The theme is Route 66 complete with a wall mural of a Route 66 sign and a couple road signs. I thought it would be a perfect homage to Daniel’s passion for cars and (hopefully) it will grow with him. It will take a couple of months to complete as there is Christmas coming and all, but at least I have started.
Anyone have a vintage pedal car just lying around that they have no use for? You see that architectural shelf that I am killing myself painting? Wouldn’t that be the perfect spot to park one or two? The ultimate would be this one in honor of Daniel’s Grandpa’s car. I even suggested it to Bill. Yes, that is hysterical laughter that you hear.
Well at least when I return to work tomorrow night for a 6 night stretch, I can be satisfied that I checked off everything on my to-do list.
Go me!

Do you remember the fairy tale Goldilocks and the Three Beds?

No?

Well the sweet Goldilocks went to the local mattress store in search for the perfect bed for the perfect girl.

This one was too hard!

And this one was too soft!

The Sleep Number bed looked like it might be the one but mama didn’t believe that the price was right for young Goldilocks. So it was decided that this one, yes this one was JUST RIGHT!

:::::sigh::::::

Alas, poor, sweet Goldilocks had to wait ten whole days before the perfect bed would be delivered. But being the perfect, sweet little girl that she was, she waited patiently for the day to arrive.

At long last the day arrived and while Goldilocks is at school, her mama waits, not so patiently for the delivery of the perfect bed. It was scheduled to arrive sometime between the hours of 9 AM and 1 PM. Mama worked the night before and is scheduled to work tonight as well. Since these hours are part of the time that mama would be sleeping it would be natural that the perfect bed will probably arrive sometime around 12:55 PM.

Wouldn’t you agree?

So here I sit, waiting.

At least Goldilocks will have her perfect bed in her very own room at long last tonight.

BooMama came up with a rather fun idea of touring the homes of the land of blogs, Blog Tour of Homes. This will keep you very busy on a long, boring summer’s day, but more importantly, we get to glimpse into where our favorite bloggers live.
Because we have been decorating this newly built Big Top over the last three years, I have quite a collection of pictures to show you where my circus lives. I have to warn you though…not all the shots reveal a decorator’s dream, i.e. pristine, clean and perfect. I consciously chose not to do that because seven people LIVE here and because I do try to be honest and transparent. As much as I hate to admit it, the kitchen shots do reveal that we LIVE under the Big Top.
I left out a couple of spots though. One is the kids’ bathroom because someone was taking a bath in there…imagine that! I also left out Jodie and Daniel’s room because soon it will become Daniel’s room and then there will be even more decorating and painting. More on that another day.
I LOVE color. When we were building this home I warned Bill that after 20 years of rental white I was planning on color and lots of it. The master bed and bath are not painted yet but I have a palette of blues, greens and browns which will complete that work in progress. Jodie and I are discussing the plans for her room but we both agree it will be bright like she is. Daniel’s room I still haven’t decided but you can be certain it will be very colorful too. So sit back and enjoy my slideshow presentation of
The Big Top Home Tour