Matt and I ended up having an incredibly productive weekend. We didn't really plan any of it, though; we just got in a groove of getting stuff done and felt motivated to take care of a lot of things we'd been putting off for a while.
It all started when we decided to start looking for a mattress for our guest room. We'd had the bed all along (it was mine before we got married), but the mattress got thrown out when we moved it to our apartment and we hadn't gotten around to replacing it yet. With expected company at the beginning of July, we decided we'd put it off long enough. I fully anticipated going to several mattress stores where pushy salesmen would show us all the pricy mattresses and then refuse to sell us just a mattress since we already had a box spring. When at the first store the salesmen immediately showed us exactly what we were looking for and at a great sale price and lowered it when we said we only needed a mattress, we were so impressed that we took the offer. Our mattress was delivered that night.
The missing mattress had lulled us into ignoring that the rest of the room was messy because we'd convinced ourselves it just wasn't done and wouldn't be until we had a mattress. Once we got the mattress in it, though, our excuse was gone. So we spent a few hours cleaning the room, emptying it of anything that didn't belong there and putting artwork on the walls. The only thing missing for the room to be at least temporarily done was a curtain.
The search for a curtain sent us to Target (twice actually). We had good luck there, finding the perfect curtain and rod for the guest room as well as curtains for our breakfast area and study. As soon as we got home, we started installing the curtain rods and putting up the curtains. Considering we left unprepared without samples of the colors already in the rooms or measurements of the windows, we did great. Everything matches perfectly. The only problem is that the valance we chose for the guest room wasn't really a valance; someone had put a full curtain panel in the valance package. That's what sent us back to Target to exchange it for what we really wanted. Of course, on the way home I realized the packaging was misleading and we really needed two valances. That last valance is the only thing keeping that room from being done now.
We'd had a lot of boxes from the move that weren't crucial temporarily stored in that closet, so we emptied the closet, and I went through the boxes, throwing away lots of unnecessary stuff and preparing everything else to be put in the attic. The moment I had everything ready to go in the attic, Matt and I got it up there. Usually that's a task we delay as long as possible, so I'm proud of us for doing it right away, even if it was already 10:00 at night.
The only problem with finally accomplishing several projects like that is that you discover more projects you want to get done. We now want to repaint the furniture in the guest room; it's supposed to be white but looks much closer to yellow right now. We're also working on moving a lot of books and shelves to new areas in the house so that we can transform our children's play area into a place for Patrick to play by the time he will be able to. Right now it's just storage for anything that doesn't have another designated place yet. Once we have that room mostly done, I think the house itself will be. From there it will just be maintaining the house and occasional redecorations.
Sorry I rambled so long about our weekend accomplishments. I hate to make you read much longer today, but I have a crazy story that I have to tell. When Matt and I got home from our second trip to Target yesterday, as we passed our house, we saw someone opening the gate to our backyard and walking in. Of course Matt hurriedly parked and jumped out of the car to chase the guy and chew him out for being in our yard without permission. He'd disappeared before Matt got there. The neighbor's gate that had been closed when we drove by was now open. We suspect it was a guest from the party they'd been having. We have no idea why he decided to go snooping in our backyard. We're just glad we didn't have anything there he could steal and that the back door was locked and that we got there before he could do anything. We usually keep the gates into our backyard locked, and this is exactly why. The one time Matt forgets to lock it back after doing yardwork, and we have a stranger boldly open our gate and walk into our yard. I'm a little paranoid now. I actually had a dream last night where a stranger jumped our back fence and started running for the house before we intercepted him and threatened to call the police. You can bet that every door, window, and gate is securely locked now!
It all started when we decided to start looking for a mattress for our guest room. We'd had the bed all along (it was mine before we got married), but the mattress got thrown out when we moved it to our apartment and we hadn't gotten around to replacing it yet. With expected company at the beginning of July, we decided we'd put it off long enough. I fully anticipated going to several mattress stores where pushy salesmen would show us all the pricy mattresses and then refuse to sell us just a mattress since we already had a box spring. When at the first store the salesmen immediately showed us exactly what we were looking for and at a great sale price and lowered it when we said we only needed a mattress, we were so impressed that we took the offer. Our mattress was delivered that night.
The missing mattress had lulled us into ignoring that the rest of the room was messy because we'd convinced ourselves it just wasn't done and wouldn't be until we had a mattress. Once we got the mattress in it, though, our excuse was gone. So we spent a few hours cleaning the room, emptying it of anything that didn't belong there and putting artwork on the walls. The only thing missing for the room to be at least temporarily done was a curtain.
The search for a curtain sent us to Target (twice actually). We had good luck there, finding the perfect curtain and rod for the guest room as well as curtains for our breakfast area and study. As soon as we got home, we started installing the curtain rods and putting up the curtains. Considering we left unprepared without samples of the colors already in the rooms or measurements of the windows, we did great. Everything matches perfectly. The only problem is that the valance we chose for the guest room wasn't really a valance; someone had put a full curtain panel in the valance package. That's what sent us back to Target to exchange it for what we really wanted. Of course, on the way home I realized the packaging was misleading and we really needed two valances. That last valance is the only thing keeping that room from being done now.
We'd had a lot of boxes from the move that weren't crucial temporarily stored in that closet, so we emptied the closet, and I went through the boxes, throwing away lots of unnecessary stuff and preparing everything else to be put in the attic. The moment I had everything ready to go in the attic, Matt and I got it up there. Usually that's a task we delay as long as possible, so I'm proud of us for doing it right away, even if it was already 10:00 at night.
The only problem with finally accomplishing several projects like that is that you discover more projects you want to get done. We now want to repaint the furniture in the guest room; it's supposed to be white but looks much closer to yellow right now. We're also working on moving a lot of books and shelves to new areas in the house so that we can transform our children's play area into a place for Patrick to play by the time he will be able to. Right now it's just storage for anything that doesn't have another designated place yet. Once we have that room mostly done, I think the house itself will be. From there it will just be maintaining the house and occasional redecorations.
Sorry I rambled so long about our weekend accomplishments. I hate to make you read much longer today, but I have a crazy story that I have to tell. When Matt and I got home from our second trip to Target yesterday, as we passed our house, we saw someone opening the gate to our backyard and walking in. Of course Matt hurriedly parked and jumped out of the car to chase the guy and chew him out for being in our yard without permission. He'd disappeared before Matt got there. The neighbor's gate that had been closed when we drove by was now open. We suspect it was a guest from the party they'd been having. We have no idea why he decided to go snooping in our backyard. We're just glad we didn't have anything there he could steal and that the back door was locked and that we got there before he could do anything. We usually keep the gates into our backyard locked, and this is exactly why. The one time Matt forgets to lock it back after doing yardwork, and we have a stranger boldly open our gate and walk into our yard. I'm a little paranoid now. I actually had a dream last night where a stranger jumped our back fence and started running for the house before we intercepted him and threatened to call the police. You can bet that every door, window, and gate is securely locked now!
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5 Comments:
what did patrick do all day while you were busy? poor thing must have been ignored. gigi will have to go get him.
Actually, we did all this during his naps or after Patrick went to bed for the night. He was awake for the trips to Target, of course, but he enjoyed the outings.
glad you got so much done :) I would have freaked at the guy going in the yard too..lol
That would make me SO mad! I hate strange people being on my property. I get mad even when the utility people come to check the meter in our back yard. One day I was standing at the washing machine which is by the window in our kitchen, facing the back yard. The window was open and I looked up to see a guy walk right up to the window. I think I jumped like ten feet. He was just checking the meter but I felt so violated just because he caught me off guard.
On the other note. Glad to see Patrick found the spoon. The girls love the spoon but got to the point where they were sticking in down their throat and choking themselves on it. I went and bought those "Little Dipper" things so that could start practicing feeding themselves. I usually give them to them, let them eat and then bathe them.
Yay for getting housework done. I feel pretty good knowing I cleaned the house really good this weekend. My living room looks huge now that I moved a bunch of crap that had been lingering all over the place. I sleep better knowing things are complete.
Talk to you soon!
Good for you guys getting stuff done! Sometimes it must seem like your whole life revolves around that little cutie (and rightly so); I'm proud of you guys for having some grown-up house fun.
Jennifer
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