Yep...

We are still painting.

Yes, I know. We began this project, oh, mid-March, and since our friend completed the great room and upstairs hallway not much else has been done. For good reasons.

OK, maybe not for good reasons. Hubby and I move slowly when it comes to anything around the house. We've come to accept our snail pace.

Today I began to paint the playroom and the hallway into the kitchen. I spent a good part of the day painting; when I wasn't running to and from preschool, making lunch, making dinner, getting kids off the bus, putting kids down for a nap, checking emails and reading blogs, running in the rain to get the mail, and checking emails and reading blogs.

So after all that painting, and running in circles, I accomplished one coat of paint around the edge of the rooms. Well, two coats in the hallway. Yes, just the edges. The parts of the wall that meet the ceiling, the floor, the corners, and trim. I told you Hubby and I move slowly.

Hopefully, by Saturday, the rooms will be done. Just in time to move onto the kitchen. Then our bedroom, then the kid's bedrooms, then the bathrooms, basement, and then we can start all over again. Remember how slowly we move.

Oh, and to further explain how slowly we move, I first wrote this posting on April 9th. Today is April 29th and finally finishing and posting it.

:::sigh:::

It Seemed So Simple in the Beginning

Paint. That was all we were doing, painting the interior of the house. Four years ago we moved into a brand spankin' new house, complete with flat "builder's white" paint on the wall. At the time I was pregnant, had two boys ages 3 and under, just moved to a new town, and all I really wanted to do was sleep. Not pick out paint colors.

With three small children we knew the house would need painted in 4 or 5 years time, even if we repainted the house then. And so, I spent the next 4 years picking out paint colors, perusing the latest Pottery Barn catalog for color ideas, and sitting in my living room asking it what color it would like to be.

While all this was happening, last fall we began to price sectional sofas. Our Ikea sleeper sofa is literally falling apart at the seams. And with three small children, well it has seen just about everything. 'nough said.

I have a plan for the living room. I knew what I wanted. The question was, how much was all this going to cost me.

Paint first. That was all we were doing, right. I mean with the economy we weren't sure we wanted to push our luck by purchasing an expensive sofa and then Hubby be greeted with a pink slip the next day, Murphy's Law and all. (And for the record for all friends and family reading this: Hubby's job does appear to be stable. Just, when you wake every morning to the news, and all they are reporting on is how many people lost their jobs the day before you begin to look over your shoulder.)

Well the paint went on. And then, lo and behold the store with our most favorite sofa was holding a sofa sale. Let's go look we told each other. Let's go see what their prices are now compared to October. Well, their prices were much lower and the sofa was ordered.

But, wait I said. We need window coverings. See the afternoon sun pours into our living room. And with the flat "builder's white" paint came "construction grade" windows (read: crappy). The sofa will fade from the sun light. Oh, and I'm a little tired of having to wear sun glasses if I want to sit in our living room.

So tomorrow, off to Home Depot and Lowe's I go, finding prices for window shades. It won't be cheap. At 70 inches in width and 88 inches in height, a lot of shading is required. And since none of us can reach the top of the window without a 12 ft. ladder, they will need remotes. Unless I add a 12 ft. ladder into my living room decor plan. Hmmm, maybe a rolling ladder, like in the libraries.

So. It all started with a simple coat of paint, just paint. Granted, a butt load of paint, but it was just paint. Then the sofa, and now the blinds (which I have yet to convince Hubby are needed.) And we aren't done. Well, the room isn't done, there are still new chairs, a rug, and a ottoman/coffee table to be found, but our checkbook is done. But that is OK, because the plan that has been sitting in my head now for 4 years is finally moving into the living room for all to see.

Anyone want a "very used sofa, barely used sofa bed"? We have one, going cheap.

Home Decorating 101 ... aka Marriage Counseling 101

Please raise your hand if you hate picking paint colors? Actually, I like looking at paint colors and picking out those little swatches at the store, bringing them home and filing them away.

We moved in our house 4 years ago. The house was a new build (a spec house so we had next to no input on anything), I was 4 months pregnant with our third and our other two children were 3 years and 18 months-old. I wasn't thrilled with the existing paint, builders beige is what I call it, but I also knew that in my present state of mind and with having moved (aka bleeding money) picking new paint colors was not part of the agenda.

No worries. With 3 small children the house would need repainted within 5 years anyway.

Which brings us to present day and why I have 6 color samples painted on my bedroom wall.

So far the colors sin contention are Greenmount Silk, Windham Cream and Morning Dew (the last two are painted on the opposite walls.) I really liked the Philadelphia Cream, until about dusk when it took on a pukey hue.

***I was really hoping to paste samples on the blog from Benjamin Moore's website, but understandable I couldn't do that. I was also hoping that when you click on each color it would take you directly to that sample on their website. Well, it takes you to their website, but you need to "search for a color" in order to see them.

At least I have colors on the wall.

And regarding the lack of character in our room. Yes, we are starting from scratch, slowly building an oasis and starting with the paint.

The duvet cover is staying. It has red stripes with thin green/khaki stripes. As we put the room together I'm looking for a dark wood bed frame and red accents in the form of an overstuffed chair, shams and curtains (?????)

We need a neutral color on the wall. At first I was looking for a light green/khaki color to pick up the stripes from the cover, or maybe a light yellow. Hubby was going a totally different direction and picked Morning Dew. (We have very different opinions when it comes to paint colors and so it takes great effort to include him. But, why shouldn't I, it is his room too.) Morning Dew is very grey ... a light grey, but none-the-less grey.

Looking at it and thinking what kind of wood furniture we would have, along with the red color, I began to fall for the grey color. That is until he announced that he liked it because he saw red in this grey color. RED?

Yes, Hubby is color blind.

My deadline to paint the house was by year 5, thank goodness I'm starting now since I can't decide on a single color for our bedroom. Yes, I was falling for the Morning Dew, until Hubby said he thought it was reddish, and now ...? Surely there is a home decorating show that can help me; Oprah, Ty, HGTV, anyone?

HELP!

Company Girl Coffee

Another week, another Friday, another edition of Company Girl Coffee. As I sit here I'm enjoying a lukewarm cup of coffee, and resisting the urge to rifle through the candy bags I just assembled for tonight's trick or treaters.

Unlike Rachel Anne, it has not been "a quiet week in Lake Woebegone." I've decided that the season of fall, October to be specific, has become the new Christmas holiday (in the commercialism, parties and decorations sense.) Every weekend has involved a pumpkin carving party, a barn party, or harvest party. All to end tonight with Candy Fest 2008! On the bright side of all this fall festiving is maybe, just maybe, we (the general population) will be too tired to go wild and crazy for Christmas. Christmas will end up going back to the basics.

Fall officially rolled into our area last week. This week winter came and visited for a couple days. The wind was strong and cold, I lived in turtle necks all week. I skipped Wednesday's Small Thing, sweeping the front porch. It was too cold to go outside and I figured the wind took care of all the dust and dirt.

Thankfully it has warmed up enough to venture outside and not fear for our hands and noses. Yesterday we enjoyed a Harvest Fest celebration at the arboretum (see another fall related event); and tonight we can go trick or treating and see every one's costume, not just big puffy coats.

Sporks! Who doesn't like a good spork joke? And, who doesn't like some efficient ideas, two-for-one ideas, much like the spork. And that is what Rachel Anne encouraged us to do this week. For us to spend the week combining tasks and then share them with friends, family, people walking down the street, and who come visit your blog.

1. One turkey breast, 3 meals. Monday's dinner called for a 2 lb turkey breast, cooked in the crock pot. I bought a 5 pounder originally thinking I would cut it in half and cook only one half, but really how do you split a raw turkey breast? Instead I cooked the whole enchilada leaving me meat for two more meals. And the next time I try this I need to remember several points: the turkey must be completely defrosted and I need a larger crock pot. Thank goodness for microwaves!

2. Shop and surf baby! One morning this week I had 3 hours all to myself. 3 hours, what is a mom to do? I headed to the grocery store, completed our shopping for the month, loaded everything in the car and grabbed my computer out of the car. Our grocery store has a coffee bar, sitting area (complete with gas fireplace) and free wifi. I settled in a comfy chair, with my pumpkin pie coffee, and went to work finishing Monday's committee meeting minutes and our church's nursery schedule.

3. Picking Pockets! Who remembers this Small Thing challenge from the beginning of the month? Rachel Anne asked us to make a list of all those little projects and chores around the house that take 15 minutes, or less, and do them. To keep our house clutter free I've found it easier to pick up items as I pass them and deposit them where they belong as I pass by (instead of making a mental note that I should do something about them.) I spend most of my day walking back and forth in our house (just wish it burned a few more calories), and many times walking in circles, so I can easily take care of those little mounds of books and toys before they become huge piles of mess.
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And now for the paint color help I pleaded for last week. Oh my, not today ladies I'm sorry. However, I have taken pictures of the room (even downloaded them onto the computer) and I plan on posting them real soon. OK, maybe next Friday at the earliest, but it is coming because I could really use some ideas. Stay tuned it is coming.