A Drat and A Cat

I have a picture that I am not going to post, because it looks SO BAD.  The tile I picked for our bathroom backsplash is so colossaly bad with the countertop that even Scott thinks it needs to be ripped out.  And he likes pretty much anything.  :(  He's even calling the contractor for me, which proves how bad he thinks it is.  Pretty sure the contractor is going to fire me.

The silver lining, is that this whole debacle just serves as a wonderful reminder to me of what an amazing husband I have.  I called him at work tonight (where he's slaving away to pay for my epic fail in the bathroom), apologized for the umpteenth time and he said, yet again, "Barbie, this doesn't even come close to the category of big deals.  Let's just get it fixed and get it fixed right while we still can."  And then he told me to go to a movie tomorrow night with a friend and he would hang out with the kids.  After working four 12-hour night shifts in a row.  I don't deserve him, but I'm sure glad I married him!

(Even though he gave our long-haired cat a haircut with a scissors yesterday.)  Max has been locked in the garage all day today, because I'm afraid someone might shoot him if they see him - he looks diseased.  Pretty sure Mittens has been making fun of him all day, too.  Maggie cried, Jake laughed...  I asked Jake to please clean up the fur (in the middle of the front yard, mind you) after Scott said he would just mow over it the next time he mowed.  Jake pulled the shop vac to the middle of the yard and vacuumed it all up.  I cringe when I imagine what the neighbors think of us.  Anyway, Max has a hair appointment on Monday - he's getting the "Lion" cut - they shave him except for a mane around his face and a pouf on his tail.  Cannot wait to see that.

Spring?

Yesterday, the kids wanted to go tubing; so, we loaded 'em up and took them tubing.  It was bee-u-tee-ful!  (Except the tube apparently has a hole in it and flooded, so their little buns got a little cold.)

Today was another really nice day, tomorrow is supposed to be a little rainy, but good temps.  And then, it nosedives.  40's again on Thursday.

I really want spring to stay put.  I've been working in our landscaping - it's been a little neglected the last few years.  Two years ago, I hired a high schooler to weed for me, since I was really busy with wedding stuff.  Last year, I was just a little "meh" and didn't care.  And now, it's bugging me. Things are a little overgrown and under-mulched.  And we still have leaves leftover from fall - EVERYWHERE.

Yesterday, I pulled up each rock around one particular bed and pulled out all the grass that had grown in between them.  Took me all day and my back is killing me.  But my eyes no longer hurt when I look at it. :)  Now, it just needs to stay warm so I can plant flowers. 

Picture

I have one picture... Isn't it pure bliss?

Bathroom is moving along...cannot wait for that to be done!!

Update

April has been a CRAZY month in our household.

We were on spring break for the first week.  My kitchen was finished while we were gone, and I'd love to show you pictures, but I'm having some problems with my camera.  Soon.  I hope.

The contractor is supposed to be starting work on our bathroom this week; I think it will be a pretty short project (maybe wishful thinking...) and then my house can get back to normal.  I really just want to scrub my floors, but it's not worth it with all the drywall dust floating around.

We went to Phoenix for break and took a little road trip from there to Zion National Park in Utah.  It was beautiful.  Loooong drive, but beautiful.  We had a great time in Phoenix, too...the kids swam, we hiked, spent time with family. 

My dryer broke the day before we left for Phoenix, so I had to do something about that when we got back.  My washer and dryer were in our house when we bought it ten years ago, and weren't new then.  We've had the dryer fixed a few times, and the last time, the repairman said, "Next time, don't call me.  Just go get a new dryer."

So, I did some research while we were gone and had decided what I wanted by the time we got back to Minnesota.  We went shopping the day after we got home and now I have a new washer and dryer.  You can fit 65 extra-large t-shirts in the washer at one time.  Because, you know, when you have 65 extra-large t-shirts to wash, that's extremely handy. 

We also had the CCS Auction the week after we got back and I am just really glad it's over.  It went very well and was a lot of fun, but I am not as young as I once was, and it really wipes me out.  (I also went and got three shots in my arms the day before we set up for the event...not smart.  I was really sore!)  I went to bed at 7:30 that night and took another nap today, just trying to catch up.  I chaired it again this year and have one more year to train someone in, and then I am done. 

This week is our Operetta - a musical done by the 1st through 5th graders.  I get to make a refrigerator box into a time machine.  By Thursday.  And tomorrow is Tuesday.  I'm thinking I might just get in it, and go back to Sunday, so I have a few more days to work on it.  (Probably won't work, huh?)

Spring was here for awhile and then it sort of went away.  It snowed a little bit this morning.  Yuck.  We are looking forward to warmer weather and to school getting out.  The kids are signed up for NOTHING this summer, which is just how we like it.  We are taking the kids to Haiti in June for a mission trip with another family (hence the shots in my arm) and are really looking forward to that.  The kids are signed up for camp; we'll hang out at the Sonshine Music Festival for a few days in July and we're probably going to the Black Hills.

But before all that, I'm going to take another nap.

Progress

Well, the paint is going on.  (Actually, by the time this blog is published, the paint should be done - but I am gone on spring break, so I haven't seen it yet.)

I am very excited to get home and see it...but I also know what awaits at home.  This.

We had to take everything out of our kitchen and bathroom cabinets and drawers.  Oh. My. Goodness.  It's a huge mess.  I also have several CCS Auction items I am storing at our house until the auction on April 14...furniture, china, cake pedestals, books, picture frames, t-shirts....the list goes on.  Needless to say, it's a bit cluttered around home. 

I normally clean my house before we leave for vacation (which my husband thinks is ridiculous - but to me, there's nothing worse than coming home to a disaster), but this time, it did not happen. 

But doesn't it look awesome?!?  And this is just the primer.

So, when we get home, I get to put everything away and then I will have you all over for dinner.  After the auction is over on April 14.