Snow Days

Today's the second snow day for the week, but the fourth day this week that my kids have off school.  Monday was a holiday.  Tuesday was teacher in-service.  ... So Wednesday was apparently my one day of sanity.  I wish I had known that at the time.  I would have taken greater advantage of it.

To console myself, I'm posting about some fun home projects that we've finished (or will have finished by tomorrow).

Finished Project #1:
Painted the hallway / finished painting the dining room.  So, 4 years ago we painted the dining room.  We left 1 wall unpainted because ... because that's what we do.  Finally it bugged me, so we painted it on Saturday.  I keep walking by it and saying, "Look at that white wall!"  Amazing.

We also noticed, once the wall was actually white instead of nasty off-white, that the ceiling, for about a 3 foot by 8 foot section, only had 1 coat of paint.  Who does that?  Who leaves a section of their ceiling with only 1 paint of coat?  Awesome people like us, that's who!

Finished Project #2:
Remember when I posted all about us remodeling our kitchen?  It was a huge to-do around here.  It was declared "finished" in August 2009.  Except there was this one small section that needed grouting around some tile work.  While we were doing Project #1, I mentioned to Rob that I don't think he intended to ever finish that section.  A little reverse psychology, maybe?  Whatever it was, it worked, because on Monday he finished that section.  So now the kitchen is OFFICIALLY finished.

Oh, and I guess we've also put up shelves in the kitchen.
Before:

After:

Finished Project #3:
Installed new shower doors, new light fixtures, bath fixtures, and towel hooks.  When my parents came with the van and the computer, they also brought new shower doors.  It's kind of a long story, but the short of it is that they've had these great doors sitting around their house for a year, so they thought we might appreciate them.  Our old shower doors were, well, old and rusty (I explained to them that they matched everything else in our house:  old, rusty, but functional), so we were happy to upgrade.  Thank you, Mom and Dad!  My brother, Keith, who now lives in Dayton, came and helped Rob install it.  Thank you, Keith!

The light fixtures have needed replaced for, I dunno, probably since we bought the house.  So 5 years ago.  We're replacing them tomorrow.  And the hooks are being installed because the new shower doors don't have a handle on them.  That's where we hung our towels before, so we needed a new solution.

Oh!  And as part of phase 2, a few months from now, we'll put a shelf or two above the toilet.  You know, for towels and stuff.  I'll probably put a plant there, too.  Any ideas for a low-light-tolerant, humidity-loving plant to go in my bathroom?  I'm open to ideas.  (Hint to Justin.)

Home Projects to Do Soon:
I need to re-arrange the pictures in my living room.  I got a 16x20 print of our family, from the great photo shoot in Key West, and it's framed and everything, just sitting behind my couch.  I would put it up, but I think there's just a better arrangement for ALL the pictures hanging up.  So I'm waiting for inspiration and/or advice from someone with a better eye than me.  (Hint to RB.)  Maybe this is why projects take so long around here:  I'm always waiting for inspiration.  Let's be honest, I'm only "inspired" about once a year.

Actually put the van in my name and then insure it.  I was going to do it on Thursday and then the snow came.  Nevermind.  I guess next week will work.  And I know you're all dying to see a picture of our van and hear more of the story.  That's for next week, too.  But here's a picture of it covered in snow!:

So there.  That makes this week seem less pointless.  We have actually accomplished things!  I can go on living now.