* The kids’ bathroom. The big news around here is that finally – finally! – after 7 years of living with our 70s, salmon pink bathroom (really, what were they thinking back then?), we tore it up for remodeling! In my home tour post, I mentioned that this is the last room in our house to be remodeled, and it’s so nice to actually start this project, instead of just talking about starting! On Saturday, we bought supplies, painted the ceiling, and installed the new exhaust fan. Yesterday, my husband removed all the ugly pink tile, and sanded and patched the walls. He also painted along the ceiling (he can do this without masking. Astonishing.) and I painted the walls. They’re very similar to the shade of teal blue in this photo from Canadian House and Home.
I bought a gallon of Behr “Blue Jewel” paint plus primer from a friend, after she posted pictures of her daughter’s recently redecorated bedroom on Facebook. I mentioned how much I liked the color, and asked what it was called, and she offered me her extra gallon for half price – only $12! It was more than enough to paint this small room, and I love the results. The ceiling, floor, vanity, fixtures, and trim will be white, and the contrast is beautiful.
This is truly a budget remodel (hint – we found a brand new light fixture at a garage sale last summer, for $2) but I think it’s going to be fantastic. More details to come!
* Bee’s class blog. On Friday, I spoke to Bee’s class about blogging. They recently started a class blog, and I gave them some pointers about writing for an audience. I stressed the importance of good spelling and grammar, and talked about how details and pictures make posts more interesting for the reader. I am, by nature, someone who really enjoys humor, and I didn’t want to bore them, so I tried to make my talk very upbeat and funny. I had a really good time with them (except one girl told Bee, “Your Mom is weird.” Also there was a boy who I’m positive was sleeping. But oh well….you can’t please everyone), and I think it was a success because they asked me questions for 20 minutes! My favorite was from a boy who asked, “How did you get to be such a good blogger?” I told him that blogging is just writing, and it’s like any other skill. The more you do it, the better you’ll be at it. So…I practiced. A lot.
* Christmas month. In my Christmas Contentment post, I discussed the theory of a “fulfillment curve,” which basically means that when we spend money on the basics of survival, we achieve the greatest fulfillment for our dollar. We’re fulfilled to a slightly lesser degree when we spend money on a few comforts and luxuries, but beyond this, as we continue to spend more and more on unnecessary stuff, our fulfillment peaks and begins to drop, so that no matter how much we spend, we still aren’t happy.
If you’ve ever lavished a small fortune on Christmas gifts for a child, you’ve most likely seen this theory proven. The first few gifts are met with great excitement, but as the unwrapping continues, enthusiasm begins to dwindle. I have a strict gift budget for each of my children, and to prevent “present overload,” set effective limits, and encourage my kids to slow down and give thanks for their blessings, I conducted a little experiment last year. It worked so well that it’s now become our Christmas tradition.
My children receive one gift each Saturday, beginning the first week in December. Also, they receive one gift from Santa, one gift for all of them to share (usually a board game), and stocking stuffers. We call this “Christmas month,” and my kids LOVE it because the fun and excitement lasts for more than just a day, and they have something to look forward to every week. We like it because it’s an easy way for us to set limits, because the children don’t expect to receive more than 5 gifts. They also seem to appreciate and enjoy their gifts more, and when there isn’t a huge build-up to a giant present-opening extravaganza, we find it easier to keep their focus on Christ.
* Technology overload. When I was working on getting this site up and running, I spent so much time staring at the computer screen, and reading web design tutorials online, that I made myself sick. I’ve tried to explain this to people, but no one seems to understand. I can only describe it as vertigo, because I felt so dizzy that I was sure I would throw up. Even while laying in bed, I still felt like the whole room was spinning. Now, when I sit down at the computer, even for a brief period, that woozy feeling always comes back. Has anyone ever had this problem? I don’t know what to do about it, except to take a technology break.
* Staycation! It’s coming up. My husband and I always take a vacation between my birthday and his (about a week’s time), because our children are home from school for winter break. We don’t typically go anywhere, preferring instead to enjoy time at home as a family. This year we may spend one night at the local hotel, so the kids can enjoy the pool, because we’re refinishing our bathtub with epoxy, and the fumes are supposedly quite strong. We’re really looking forward to it (the break – not the tub refinishing!)
* My sanity. In the last month, I’ve taken on too much, and I’m really starting to feel the pressure. I have one major project to finish up today, and then I’m going to focus on restoring order to my house. I’ve written before about how I tend to get the holiday blues, for lots of reasons that I won’t go into, but I find that I feel even worse when I have too many commitments. I’m quite certain that God didn’t intend for us to celebrate the birth of His Son by running around like crazed lunatics, so this week, I’m making some changes.
“For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.” ~Lily Tomlin
