TWO Steps Forward...

Quite a few months ago THESE steps were removed and reset one by one (oh the joys of an "old home")...

Now Michael (realizing that his "Winter To Do" list has been sorely ignored) has begun to tackle the stripping of each step... he's been doing good... moving FORWARD 2 steps a night... using a razor blade to scrap off the varnish and then sandpaper to smooth the wood... revealing BEAUTIFUL OAK underneath...

Once ALL the steps are stripped... and sanded... he'll caulk any "gaps"... and then RESTAIN and VARNISH the steps... paint the risers and bottom half of the stairs and be able to check off a "Winter To Do" project!!! YIPEE!!!

I thought it would be "fun" (and rather unexpected) to either paint or stencil the risers 1-14 (the number of steps on the staircase)... we'll see though.. I've seen similar projects on other blogs and LOVED the results... I think it would add a touch of "whimsey" to an otherwise "boring" passageway (how exciting can a staircase be???)...

MY part of this project was to remove all the old carpeting/padding and tack strips on a whim (OK... not REALLY a whim... more like a "last stand")... when Michael was on a business trip... I guess I'm considered the "destructor" and Michael is considered the "REstructor"...

In keeping with the "theme" of this post... we had been experiencing some rather "Spring"like weather in these parts over the last few days... enjoying the "warmer" (low-mid 50*s) weather... and woke up to a heavy "dusting" of snow and 20* temps this morning...

As long as "we" (ok... Michael to be more specific) keeps moving FORWARD in the project progress I know (the REAL) Spring can't be too far off!

WHAT???...

OK... so I pick up this SUPER CUTE skirt pattern today at JoAnns... I favor a very specific TYPE of skirt... a bit A-line... with a little swing at the hemline... VERY FIGURE FRIENDLY... I get home and look (more closely) at the sizing measurements on the back of the pattern envelope... and about have a MAJOR STROKE...


HERE are my HONEST TO GOD measurements (and according to ANTM and TYRA BANKS I AM considered to be PLUS SIZE)

HEIGHT 5' 4"
WEIGHT 135-138
WAIST 33" (I have a bit of a "pooch")
HIPS 41" (OK... and I carry a little "pocket full of sunshine" too)
I TYPICALLY wear anywhere from an 8-12 (in MISSES) on the bottom (depending on CUT, manufacturer and TOM)

So... according to THIS pattern... it won't fit me??? SERIOUSLY???

Memories...

AAAAAAhhhhhhh... SALTINES... I'm sure for a lot of us these brings back memories...

Slathered with peanut butter and "fluff" (the marshmallow kind)... or peanut butter and jelly... crushed up in a bowl of chicken noodle soup... the eternal cure for a rumblie tumblie... or the dreaded "morning sickness"...

I couldn't resist buying these at the grocery store when I saw them in MINIATURE... and reliving some fond memories!

CAUTION... be CAREFUL eating things in miniature... before I even realized it HALF the box was gone!!!... I wonder if miniature size means miniature calories???

I SPY... and I'm TRYING...

A turtle... a mailbox... a feather... a flute... a horseshoe, beetle and basket of fruit; Seven pinecones... an apron and key... A turtle, a swing... and the letter B...

I SPY signs of Spring... greener grass... warmer temps and "longer" days... crocus', daffodils and tulips... Fat robins visiting our birdfeeders and new tenants moving in under the front eave...

I SPY a "stinkie" attitude... that I have been DESPERATELY trying to shake... hopefully as Spring moves in to STAY... my current mood will MOVE OUT!

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!!! :o)

I was ONCE...

considered "cool"... a DEAR FRIEND had come to visit... and upon seeing my "old ride" in the driveway exclaimed "OH... People who drive THOSE are cool and don't even have to be TOLD"... Hmmmmmmmm... REEEEEEEEALLLLY??? Well... THAT "old ride" is going to sit in our driveway now FOREVER... because on THAT DAY... for ONCE... I was "coooooooool" (and apparently didn't even know it!)


I don't aspire to be cool much anymore... not that I wouldn't WANT to be again... for just a moment... maybe THESE will help a bit? Although I was informed by a VERY KNOWLEDGABLE 7 year old that they DIDN'T make me look COOL... they made me look "SPARKLIE"

Damn...

YES!!! Yes I heard you "calling me" from the 2nd shelf of the pantry... but I THOUGHT if I pretended I didn't hear you... you'd stop... but... you didn't... OK... maybe you DID stop calling me and I was just IMAGINING I was continuing to hear you calling... Yea... let's go with that scenario...

DAMN YOU!!!! DAMN YOU CHEESIE GOOD PUFF'N CORN! WHY WHY WHY do you have to taste SO GOOD?

String... Strang... Strung...

I always LOVE visiting other blogs... LOTS of neat people doing SUPER NEAT and CRAFTY things... I have had THIS particular craft (from Artsy-Crafty Babe) saved to my favorites since around Christmas... and have spent the last few nights completing it...

I bought the PomPoms at the Dollar Store (I bought 10 bags)... and used COTTON CROCHET THREAD (I didn't have any upholstry thread around)... I used 6 bags of PomPoms and ended up with about 18'-20' worth of garland... it'll go on my "All Season Tree" during Spring/Easter... SUPER EASY (although I DID jab myself a couple of times with the needle... OUCH!)... and it gives me something productive to do while watching television in the evenings... I have plans to make MORE garlands in different color combos...

Thanks to everyone out there who inspires me!!! :o)

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss...

Today Lilley-Kate's school hosted a "Birthday Celebration" for Dr. Seuss (part of the Read Across America program)... it was an afternoon of everything "Suess"... The kids all sported "The Cat's Hat"...

And were served "green eggs and ham" (a bit TOO GREEN for about 98% of the kids... I think the lunch ladies went a bit too "seussie" with the food coloring!)...

We spent part of the event reading a Dr. Seuss book together... Lilley-Kate's favorite is "Fox in Socks" (Although I am NOT a "Seuss" fan... my favorite is Sam I Am)...

It was a fun afternoon... seeing the "Cat's Hats"... the GREEN eggs and ham... and spending time together READING (something we do OFTEN in our home)...