know up front that your home will be a disaster for a short period of time.
We decided to replace our living room, hallway, kitchen, and dining area flooring. We were so excited when the flooring came in and we could only imagine how great it would look! We hired a friend of mine's husband to install it all and it quickly snowballed into more and more projects. I decided if we were ripping out floors, I would really like to redo the pantry. So we tore out the wire shelving and our neighbor graciously offered to help install wood shelving. So then I thought, before Matt came to do that, I should paint the pantry. Then we decided that if we were going to be tearing apart the living room, we should go ahead and replace the tv and tv stand. So Alan went to Best Buy and picked out a tv and stand. Then I figured our feet would get cold walking on the new flooring, so I made a trek to Gaffney's Rug & Home with Mom and Steph. Mom generously bought a huge rug for the living room. Now, 1 month after the initial order of flooring materials was placed, I am finally sitting in a kitchen with clean, fresh floors. I can go in the living room and see our new rug, tv, stand, and floors. It's like a whole new house! Oh, and I forgot one more project...Alan decided after Matt put in shelving, we should have a pantry light. So he sent me to Lowe's to get the light and other necessary materials. The salesman sold me some crap we couldn't use but to his credit, Alan did install a light today! So now I can see the food I am looking for in the pantry.
Lesson learned: If you're going to do home improvements, be prepared to live in a disaster area for a short period of time. It will be worth it in the end.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
If You Need to go to the Bathroom...
Make sure your kids know where you are.
I went to the gym Monday evening around 5:15. When I left, Alan and the guy installing our new flooring, Jason, were shootin the breeze. I called Alan when I left the gym to tell him I was on the way home. He said, "YOUR CRAZY KIDS!!!" I could only imagine what they had managed to destroy. Alan explained that Jason left and the kids were playing so Alan went to use the bathroom. He said he could hear the kids and then they got very quiet. Next thing he knew, the doorbell was ringing. When he opened the door, our neighbor was standing there holding our kids' hands. She said they came down to her house and told her they were home all alone. Alan told her he'd been home with them all afternoon and that he was in the bathroom. He said the kids never called for him or knocked on the door. Even better was the fact that Sophie was in just a pair of underwear and a t-shirt. To top it all off, when I got home, I asked Sam what happened while I was gone to the gym and he said, "Sophie pinched my arm really hard and it hurt." It was like telling the neighbor that he was home alone was no big deal.
I did praise him for thinking of what to do in case of an emergency and told him that going to the neighbor's house was a great plan when he needs help. I also praised him for taking care of his little sister and making sure she was safe. But then I told him that we would never leave him home alone and he should call out our names before thinking we're gone.
Lesson learned: Tell your kids you're going to the bathroom so they don't think you left them home alone.
I went to the gym Monday evening around 5:15. When I left, Alan and the guy installing our new flooring, Jason, were shootin the breeze. I called Alan when I left the gym to tell him I was on the way home. He said, "YOUR CRAZY KIDS!!!" I could only imagine what they had managed to destroy. Alan explained that Jason left and the kids were playing so Alan went to use the bathroom. He said he could hear the kids and then they got very quiet. Next thing he knew, the doorbell was ringing. When he opened the door, our neighbor was standing there holding our kids' hands. She said they came down to her house and told her they were home all alone. Alan told her he'd been home with them all afternoon and that he was in the bathroom. He said the kids never called for him or knocked on the door. Even better was the fact that Sophie was in just a pair of underwear and a t-shirt. To top it all off, when I got home, I asked Sam what happened while I was gone to the gym and he said, "Sophie pinched my arm really hard and it hurt." It was like telling the neighbor that he was home alone was no big deal.
I did praise him for thinking of what to do in case of an emergency and told him that going to the neighbor's house was a great plan when he needs help. I also praised him for taking care of his little sister and making sure she was safe. But then I told him that we would never leave him home alone and he should call out our names before thinking we're gone.
Lesson learned: Tell your kids you're going to the bathroom so they don't think you left them home alone.
Monday, April 19, 2010
If You're Gonna Explain Song Lyrics...
to your children, you'd better be prepared for their heartfelt reactions.
One of Sophie's many favorite songs right now is "Single Ladies" by Beyonce. Sophie thinks it's called "Single Legs." So the other morning, after we listened to it on our way to school, I explained to Sam what the song is about, stressing that when you find the woman you want to marry, you give her a ring as a symbol of your commitment to her. It was a short, simple conversation (after all, what 7 yr. old boy really wants to discuss such things???). A few days later, all 4 of us were in the car when the song came on again. I asked Sam to explain it to his dad since Alan thinks it's funny to say things like, "Alexander Graham Bell invented the phone and he liked it so much, he put a ring on it; God created Saturn and like it so much, He put a ring on it..." So after Sam explained what he understood of the song, Sophie pipes up with, "Daddy you put a ring on Mommy's finger." We were surprised by her ability to comprehend the conversation. She then announced that when she got big, she would like to marry Sam. Of course, we explained that she couldn't marry her brother and she immediately burst into tears. She proceeded to wail at the top of lungs while sobbing, "I want to marry my brother!" It was so hilarious...we couldn't contain our laughter. The only bad part was that we were in the drive thru of Burger King and I could not hear a word the cashier was saying to me.
Lesson Learned: Don't tell your 3 yr old diva she can't marry the person of her choosing while you're ordering dinner.
One of Sophie's many favorite songs right now is "Single Ladies" by Beyonce. Sophie thinks it's called "Single Legs." So the other morning, after we listened to it on our way to school, I explained to Sam what the song is about, stressing that when you find the woman you want to marry, you give her a ring as a symbol of your commitment to her. It was a short, simple conversation (after all, what 7 yr. old boy really wants to discuss such things???). A few days later, all 4 of us were in the car when the song came on again. I asked Sam to explain it to his dad since Alan thinks it's funny to say things like, "Alexander Graham Bell invented the phone and he liked it so much, he put a ring on it; God created Saturn and like it so much, He put a ring on it..." So after Sam explained what he understood of the song, Sophie pipes up with, "Daddy you put a ring on Mommy's finger." We were surprised by her ability to comprehend the conversation. She then announced that when she got big, she would like to marry Sam. Of course, we explained that she couldn't marry her brother and she immediately burst into tears. She proceeded to wail at the top of lungs while sobbing, "I want to marry my brother!" It was so hilarious...we couldn't contain our laughter. The only bad part was that we were in the drive thru of Burger King and I could not hear a word the cashier was saying to me.
Lesson Learned: Don't tell your 3 yr old diva she can't marry the person of her choosing while you're ordering dinner.
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