In Case You Thought I Dissapeared

I didn't.

I took a sick week.

Me.

The kids.

No not Mr. M.

Although, I did threaten to lick him.

It all started last Saturday, such a wonderful day off with lots of plans.

But, not for a sick child.

The little guy came down with the flu first.

OK, I can handle this, give him some Tylenol, a comfy spot on the couch and a day of rest and movies.

The older kids were enjoying the day of leisure.

What were Mr. M. and I doing?

Glad you asked.

The angels sing as we ripped out the carpeting in the office and laid the new pine floor all in one day.

In between gluing and screwing.....I made sure the little guy was doing OK.

We were able to finish getting the floors in and Mr. M. planned on picking up the sander on Sunday to finish the job.

Then it happened, the unthinkable.

I GOT SICK!

No...............this can not happen, I have too much to do.

Buggers.

I spent the day on the couch with the little guy while Mr. M. did the work.

I wish I could have stayed at home Monday too, but alas I had to go to work because my job has a odd way of dealing with sick days.  

Mr. M. stayed home with one sick child, but as the day progressed he ended up with all three children home sick.  Good thing I was going to have the next three days off.

The floor, each day I would look at it almost done.

Not forgotten, just put off. 

Till TODAY!

As I type, Mr. M. is finishing up the stain.

Then we are going out for lunch because it smells.

Funny, the room looks smaller without any furniture in it.
Tomorrow we will put a couple of coats of poly on.
 During the week we will put 2 more coats of poly on and I will repaint the walls and trim.
Then comes the fun part of  deciding what goes back into the room.

When we finished the living room, not all the furniture made it back in.
I must say I am doing well will the less cluttered look.
BUT, the basement seems to have some extra furniture now.

I hope you are all well and have a great weekend.

Projects For The New Year

This week I spend time putting away all of the Christmas decorations.

Reflecting on the past, projecting on the future.

I am happy with most of last year.

I have made it through another year at my job and I still enjoy going to work each week.

I have scaled back my blogging, spending more time doing projects in the house and gardens.

No, I did not get all accomplished, but that is OK, it just leaves me busy with projects for the next year.

Some favorite pictures of Christmas 2012.

I am looking forward to putting the pine wood floor in the office.

We are taking each room one at a time.

After seeing how wonderful the living room turned out, we can't wait to put the wood in all of the rooms.

The big project of the year.

Of course, will be to continue to work on our garage/mud room/master bed room addition.

Each year we are closer to the end.

Last year we were able to install garage doors, tubes for radiant floor heating, electrical.

All we are waiting for is the heat to be connected and we can go for our next inspection.

Then we have some major work to do-insulation, drywall.

Actually Mr. M. and I are looking forward to the work.

We work well together.

We enjoy the time together on our home, our dream home.

The end result will be a huge garage for our cars, tools and storage.

A mud room to store all the kids shoes, boots, coats, backpacks.

So the mess is not in the connecting kitchen.

Cubbies for their stuff.

Another closet for extra storage.

Cabinets for my gardening tools.

A checkered floor.

Chore boards.

I also have another set of twin wing back slipcovers to sew just like these ones.

In fact, they will almost look the same with only a different bedspread fabric.  

They will go in the new master bed room when it is done.

I have been dreaming of how I want to decorate the room.

It is big, really big 24 x 29. 

It will be our sanctuary.

A place for just him and me.

His and her walk in closets are a must.

Small laundry room.

A seating corner for reading and watching television.

A fireplace.

A desk for a coffee station and laptop.

The room will be connected to the already existing master bathroom.

 A place to go when we have teenagers in the house.

I have a lot to dream about.

It is going to be mostly white too.

With blue.

I have lots to do in this New Year.

How about you?

Who says the parties have to end.
Let's celebrate the New Year.
Make sure to stop by French Country Cottage for Feathered Nest Friday.
Thank you Courtney for mentioning Arbor House Lane in your post today.
I am also Joining Debra from Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday.

Picture This

Mr. M. bought me a new camera for Christmas.

I was amazed at how much better it is than my old one.

It takes pictures of my home as I really see it.

I love my new camera.

My dinning room on Christmas morning.

This is the naughty corner where children go to think.

This wreath hangs all year round by the kitchen window.

Paper whites in the kitchen window.

Please tell why one is growing and one is not.  They were planted at the same time.

The kitchen doors to the dinning room.

I love how much light these rooms get.

A favorite quote from the movie Pride and Prejudice on a chalkboard in the hallway.

Favorites around the house.

The front door entrance.

Arbor House Lane.

The house as it looks each morning, with all the trees brightly lit.

Mr. M. has been told by fellow neighbors that our house lit up in the morning makes them smile on the way to and from work.

As you can see we did finally get some snow.

The kids can't wait to get outside and play.

Thanks for stopping by to see random photos with my new camera.
How about you?
Playing with any new Christmas toys?

End of the Year Parties.
Vintage Inspiration Friday- Common Ground
Feathered Nest Friday - French Country Cottage

Merry Christmas

I guess it is a really good thing I asked Santa for a camera this year.

My camera is broke.

I can't get the zoom to work.

Nothing is in focus.

Here are some pictures I managed to salvage.

This snowy picture is from Friday.

Arbor House lane all covered in snow.

We were all happy to see snow on the grown.

It makes it feel so much more like Christmas.

I was able to upload some of the pictures that turned out ok.

This is the new tree in the basement.

I decorated it in golds.

Normally I would say I am not a gold person but I really like it.

The dinning room is all ready for guests to arrive.

My favorite snow angels hanging in the hallway.

The living room Christmas tree seen through a mirror in the room.

The mantel in the kitchen.

My white amaryllis is almost in full bloom.

An urn filled with silver and white ornaments on the kitchen island.

Christmas in the kitchen.

All of my lights are on timers and the trees are lit up each morning as I come downstairs. 

This is what I am greeted with as I get ready for each day as I make my morning coffee.

Thank goodness Santa said I might be able to open a certain Christmas present early.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, me, I have to work today, but I am thankful for a wonderful husband who can stay home with the kids and get our home ready for Christmas Eve guests.

Merry Christmas to all!

A Christmas Look

This is my Christmas look.

I can see this tree from the office while I am on the computer.
You can see my son's head as he sits in one of the chairs watching a Christmas movie.

This is the picture I took last night while on the computer.

So bright.

So merry.

So Christmasy.

I love how the red pops on the tree even though every color in the rainbow is on it.

I love how the lights reflect in both of the windows.

You do not need any extra lights on in this room, the tree does it all.

Oh and I am still just loving my new wood floor.

I hate to say it, but, I am looking forward to the after Christmas because I know we are going to do

MY OFFICE FLOOR!

oh yeah way excited!

A little display on a table next to the tree.

I have pretty much finished decorating the house and I will try to get pictures of the house this weekend.

Oh and I have lots of wrapping.

Merry Christmas all!

Christmas in the Dinning Room

Dinner by Christmas tree light.

Now that the living room furniture is out of the dinning room we can get back to our nightly dinners in the dinning room.  I have found a solution for the messy kitchen table filled with homework yet to be done.

You see, each night we would have the battle of having the kids clear the kitchen table so we could eat dinner.  Then after dinner they would have to get all the homework out again to finish.

Homework takes a couple of hours in this house.

I can't send them to their rooms to work at their desks, because I am no fool, the work would not get done!

I do split them up to do their reading, one in the study, one in the living room and one in the basement.

The majority of the homework needs help by mom or dad.

While dinner is being made we read off spelling words or explain a math or grammar problem.

By eating in the dinning room the kids do not have to clean up the kitchen table until the work is done.

This makes life much easier and I am all for the EASIER in life!

The kids really like eating in the dinning room, it makes them feel more special.

I must admit, it makes it so I have to keep the room clutter free.

This weekend I hope to have all the decorating done so we can concentrate on Christmas cookies.

I hope of you are enjoying the Holiday season.

Oh, and Santa, if you are reading this, 

I could really use that Canon Powershot SX-500, it would help with my blurry pictures.

  Just saying it is on my Christmas wish list.