PROUD GAMMA

Here is a picture of our oldest granddoll holding the newest arrival, she is so sweet, smart and makes us laugh. She has been the "only" one for five years and then we got three more in eight months...an explosion of grandchildren and our hearts couldn't be happier.

UPDATE: I was just on FB and this is what "this" granddaughter said, "Mama, does my new school teach things like how to run your own business? Because I'm ready to get myself out there." - 

See what I mean about making us laugh.

Early Fall and only 16 days after our oldest granddoll's B-day, we got our next granddoll.

They live so far away but we do "FaceTime" which I am thankful for but I wish I could love on her more in person. She has such big eyes and a very serious baby. Once in awhile we can get her to smile.

Then almost three months later our oldest granddoll became a "big" sister to this little cuddle bug.

This is how she is most of the time...smiling and she loves to snuggle.

This past week we were able to head north and meet our first grandson. Can't mistake him for a girl. He is a good baby and loves to rock and be swaddled.

UPDATE: Nothing can beat Aunt Jessica dancing with me in her arms to any Michael Jackson tune. I especially like "Thriller." Just saying.

Am I bragging....darn right. Gammas get to do that.

Dilemma

We got on one coat of primer on the walls....yes, my man helped me and this is one job he usually never ever does. I mean in never ever. I did the cutting in and he rolled. Even this looks so much better.

Yes, your eyes are not tricking you...there are paint swatches on the wall. And that brings me to my dilemma... (and this next picture is more accurate on what the colors of cabinets, tile etc: are)

WHAT TO PAINT THE WALLS.

I don't think I am using any of these colors. So does anyone have a favorite color they like to paint with that seems to work no matter if the wall has tons of light or not (the bottom color was almost my choice and on this wall and on another wall it looks like a light brown, BUT on another wall it looks kind of gold brown and that is "why" I don't think I want to use it)? I think I want to go with the browns or creams that aren't too yellow or too pink looking (there is actually a cream color in between the green and dark brown but you can't really see it on the walls so maybe that is too light).

OH...OH...the cabinets are going to get painted also but will probably stay close to the same color that they already are. Hubby was thinking we could paint that part in between the edge and middle square a brown color...opinions. Good...tacky...what do you think?

This is where I am stuck. I really could use some help here. I have to get this done before hubby can lay down this flooring.

Should I go with a color instead????

Let's Talk Dry Wall

I don't know who hates this part worse....me or hubby. This is not his favorite job no matter what room we are working on. I think it is because he is so meticulous on getting everything "perfectly" smooth.

I...on the other hand HATE the fine white dust EVERYWHERE!

This was my weapon of choice:

Plenty of WIDE masking tape with some painters tape when I ran out.

It went down those gaps between doors, it went down the sides of cabinets...it went anywhere I saw some space because I DID NOT want to clean out each cupboard and wash each dish. No sir.

Plastic over the micro/stove and refrigerator helped a whole lot too. All the regular doors got towels taped at the bottom and so the dust was kept at a minimum in the house. The poor wet dry vac had to get cleaned out with all the hard work it was doing because at this point it was just stirring up the dust as I tried to vac up. Yes...I am the cleaning lady that is "my" job. That and painting.

Kitchen Part ?...I don't even know

Here is another reveal of what we have been doing on the kitchen. I say "we" like I had anything to do with it.

Grout: it is a dirty word but necessary when doing tiling work.

It got on the trim...even on the floor at times. What a hot mess! Then you have the clean up. Seems like endless wipe...wipe...wipe "BEFORE" it dries.

Then there is the sand in the sanded grout...let me tell you about the sand. No matter how much you clean out the sponges...the itty bitty grains of sand are in there, so I purposely put those sponges in a ziploc bag and labeled them so they are used for nothing else but cleaning off grout.

I told ya... a dirty job.

The faces of the tile with a few cleanings. Can ya see them smiling?

If they could talk they would be saying, "happy happy happy."

We are getting there.

Something to think about

Awesome!! We complain about the cross we bear but don't realize it is preparing us for the dip in the road that God can see and we can't. Whatever your cross, whatever your pain, there will always be sunshine, after the rain.... Perhaps you may stumble, perhaps even fall; But God's always ready, to answer your call..... He knows every heartache, sees every tear, a word from His lips, can calm every fear... Your sorrows may linger, throughout the night, But suddenly vanish, dawn's early light... The Savior is waiting, somewhere above, to give you His grace, and send you His love.... God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage. ...and you question God -'why me?'.. always look at the bigger picture..... A day without the Lord- Is a day wasted. God is going to shift things around for you and let things work in your favor. Please pass this on to those you care about.

In God We Trust!

SENT TO ME FROM COUSIN JANE, THANKS JANE.

Remodel reminded me of when I was a dental assistant

Jay didn't like the tile backsplash we had...wasn't my favorite either but I was willing to work with it. It was cream...in my head I was telling myself that it looked like subway tile. My hubby's mind was telling him to "TAKE IT OFF." So off it came and this is what a wall looks like when you take tile off...ICK.

Too keep the dust down while removing the tile board, Jay suggested I take this

and follow behind him as he demolished the wall board. Just like when I was a dental assistant and working with the vac as the dentist was drilling...you get the picture. In my mind I wasn't thinking about dust or the remodel but of those days when I worked in a dental office.

                                                                (source for picture unknown)

This is what happens when my mind wonders.

Demolition begins.

Ta Dah

New board up. It gave me some insight as to what the walls would look like if I painted them green and now I think I am going more neutral instead on the walls. I am a visual person so this helped.

This is the backsplash we picked out. Not at all what I thought (again in my mind) we were going to do and this is where the visual comes in for me. I thought about a gray color but everything we put with our counter top just didn't hit a home run for us.

This is some tile we (possibly) were thinking of replacing with some of those smaller square tiles here and there to give it some bling (but not sure) and we would only use the brown colored ones.

Moving right along....

A Look Out My Kitchen Window