We have been so lucky this year with getting just enough rain to keep the yard looking good. We have only had to water the grass a few times since May. I hate watering the grass. It just feels wasteful. Plus, when the grass gets too thick, it makes it hard to cut. (Chris also triple fertilized the backyard, so that might be part of the problem.) He's been having to cut the backyard twice a week so that the mower doesn't die on him.
Now that we have an "exercise room", we have literally run out of excuses not to work out. I have an elliptical machine, and my dad recently gave us his recumbent bicycle. The other thing that we could still use would be weight benches. We have a few free weights, so it would be great to have a little bench to use with them.
Here are a couple of shots of Cameron's new room. As you can see, we went with a "space" theme. We found the fan at Home Depot, and then it just expanded from there. My mom made the wall quilt and the curtains. Cameron likes it all, but I think the lamp is his favorite. It's a Toy Story lamp that talks before it comes on and when you turn it off. I like the glow in the dark planets and stars that we put on the ceiling.
Well, Chris finally tackled getting our new curtains up. It was a surprisingly painless process this time! Instead of measuring a thousand times to get them precisely centered and at the perfect height, we eyeballed the way they looked at the bottom. It really worked out well! I am really satisfied with how the room turned out. Now we need to put the curtains up in the guest bedroom.
I just love our new bedding. It was one of those bed-in-a-bag super sets. It came with several sham pillows, two full sets of sheets, a matching throw, and a set of Euro shams. It took me a while to figure out which one I wanted, but I'm glad I took my time to pick it out. We still have to hang the matching curtains...but I think I'll let Chris do that!
Several years ago, I decided to paint our master bedroom a very unusual shade of gold. No, this was not the smartest decision I ever made. I really did like it, because it matched our comforter set and curtains. But, after four years, I finally had to admit that it was a bonehead move. We went ahead and hired a guy to paint our bedroom as well as the bathroom a very pretty light tan color. It looks so much better!
Like most men, Chris really loves new tools, gadgets, and gizmos. His latest project is to change out our gas water heater. It's located in the attic, and he's afraid that since it is getting older it might leak into the house. He wants to buy a tankless water heater, but I'm not sure if that's what we'll get. First, we need to do a little more research.
Spring is here, and I am forcing myself to some spring cleaning. How do miniblinds get so filthy? Our house is looking better, but I still have a long way to go. I guess if I could resist this computer it might speed up the process.
When we bought our house, we chose white grout.....not smart. After seven years, it had turned to a dark shade of ugly grey. Even though I clean it weekly, it just looks bad. But Chris found a guy that has a cool machine that blasts out the dirt without doing any damage. I am totally shocked at how much better it looks! Why regrout when you can get it looking brand new! What a difference this has made!
With all of our talk about possibly getting hardwood floors, we've been doing some major organizing of things like CDs, DVDs, stereo equipment, etc. I finally put all of our MiniDV tapes onto DVD, and I burned all of Cameron's photos onto CDs as well. It feels good to get it all together...because I'm a procrastinator at heart. Now I need Chris to get all of his stuff like this organized. All of the wiring and bulk cable stuff is his department. We also have about thirty blank tapes with bits and pieces of football games and episodes of Magnum, PI on them that he needs to weed through.
We are thinking about changing out our carpet and putting in wood or laminate flooring. I know that it is actually a lot cleaner, and it will look better. The only problem is that I don't know if it will be as good for Cameron. We like to lay around on the floor with him in the living room and it is nice having carpet. And, of course, carpet is cheaper. We don't have to decide anytime soon, but I think we should at least start pricing our choices. Does anyone have anything positive to say about wood or wood laminate floors?
For some strange reason, a pair of doves have taken up residence under our roof on our front porch. Every morning I see this bird perched right there. The mama bird sits on top of the roof as a lookout. It's really cute. I just wonder why they would choose a house with an obnoxious barking dog like Buster.
We've been looking for a few small items to improve the appearance of our master bathroom. We have a window seat next to the garden tub that has glass blocks behind it. We had a bunch of candles and artificial greenery back there, but it was getting old ugly. So Chris found some nice little fancy pillows, a leather box clock, and a few new candle holders to put there instead. He also bought a couple of new pictures, new fancy towels, and matching mats. What a difference it has made!
I don't know about your backyard, but ours is not looking all that hot right now. But, who wants to get out and clear the weeds when it's so wet and cold. I would love to use my Spring Hill Nursery Coupons to pick up some irises or winter heaths. We need flowers that can survive the cold!
I'm also hoping to find some Target deals on patio chairs. We have a table and chairs, but the two extra chairs that we have are getting rusty and old. I'd like to get a couple lounge chairs for the backyard. We could also use our Home Depot Coupons to buy new gardening gloves and tools. Can you tell that I'm ready for spring?
In our neighborhood, we just have central mailboxes for each street. When I was growing up, we had residential mailboxes. The mailman came right to our front door, and he was someone we knew really well. Now, there are so many different types and styles of mailboxes out there.
In my aunt's neighborhood, everyone has a unique curbside mailbox. They purchased their mailbox on-line. But, you can even find commercial mailboxes, like the ones in our neighborhood, on-line. Unique mailboxes can really add a lot to the curb appeal of any neighborhood.
Do you ever have days where you just can't stand the clutter? There's just not anywhere to put a lot of our stuff for Cameron! It's mostly my fault, because I should get it organized. Plus, I can't seem to part with many of his toys. One solution might be to get a backyard storage shed, and then we could make more room in the garage for his stuff (wagon, Little Tike Car, etc.). But, for now, everything is just staying put in our dining room.
Well, after Chris' adventures in Louisiana last weekend, things are back to normal. Here's a shot of my boys watching the Chargers vs. Colts NFL game today, as sadly, college football will not be on again until the fall. The NFL will have to do for at least another few weeks, until March Madness begins in March. I can't leave out my other boy, Buster. Here he is decked out for the LSU game. (Cameron loves his "B".)
Here we are at the brink of another new year. I love the holidays, but I also enjoy getting all the holiday stuff put away and super cleaning the house. With so many toys all over the house as it is, the Christmas decorations can get to be a bit much. This year we took down the tree and put all the decorations back in the attic on the day after Christmas, since we would be going to our hockey game the following weekend. My next project is giving the house a good room by room scrub down. I always keep the bathrooms clean, and the bathroom vanities looking nice, but I need to do things like dust lamp shades, baseboards, and ceiling fans. Maybe by typing it out I'll actually do it! Then I need to pull out the carpet cleaner. I actually love using that thing!
I can't believe that Christmas is only one week away! I actually have a lot to do! Since I'm home all the time, I never feel that sense of urgency to complete household projects. But with family headed our way, I better get moving! All of my free time these days seems to just evaporate away while I'm on the computer. But I need to get with the program.....and I will in just a minute. I just need to check a few more blogs...
Well, winter is officially here...again. We had a couple of really cold days a while back, and then it was back to eighty degrees. But for the last week, it has been really cold again. Our house is pretty well insulated, except for one bedroom. No matter what we do, it always feels cold in our back bedroom. We have thought about getting a couple of gas space heaters for this part of the house. I like them because they are very energy efficient. They are very safe, and they even have an electronic ignition. These are also great for bathrooms!
In our neighborhood, we do not have individual mailboxes. Our mail is delivered down the street at a central location. For this reason, I don't even know our mailman. When I was a kid, we knew the lady that delivered our mail really well. Our mailbox was right by the front door. But, I guess it's much more practical for them to just drop off the mail making fewer stops and driving around in the mail truck.
There's nothing worse than a damp, leaky, basement. If this sounds familiar, you may need basement foundation repair and waterproofing. If your home has this problem, you should look into The B-Dry System Wet Basement Waterproofing Process. It is a patented process that has been proven to be effective. The B-Dry basement waterproofing products have been featured on Dateline NBC and on an episode of This Old House on PBS. For over forty years, the B-Dry System has been used on over 200,000 homes across the country. So, if this is an issue in your home, you should check out their website to find an authorized B-Dry Basement Waterproofing business near you.
Are you having a hard time finding the perfect gift for someone in your life? I know that my parents are a little bit hard to buy for. It seems like they have everything! But, they do love to spend time in their backyard, so I think I've found something they'll really enjoy.
Garden-Fountains.com is the best place on the web to find Wall Fountains. These beautiful fountains do not require any special plumbing. They are perfect for a patio, sun room, foyer, office, or even a living room. All you have to do is hang it on the wall, and plug it in! With so many from which to choose, you'll be able to find the perfect gift for your loved one this year. Check out Garden-Fountains.com today!
Are you trying to find silly stocking stuffers? I have a few fun ideas. First, there is Insta Snow Fake Snow Powder. 
When you add water, it magically puffs into very realistic looking snow! Here in Texas, snow is such a rarity. So, fake snow is a real treat! All I had to do was add 10 ounces of water to a small packet of powder, and poof! The texture is just like real snow!
Another idea is the Ambient Fire Video Fireplace DVD. What a cool idea! It turns your television set into a realistic looking fireplace. There are a bunch of different fireplaces to choose from, along with different music styles. We have a fireplace, but it hasn't been cold enough to use it yet this year. But, it's fun to turn on the "fake" fireplace and listen to Christmas music!
Another fun idea for a stocking stuffer, is Color Flames Colored Candles. The flames are actually the same color as the candle! I had to try it to believe it, but as you can see, the flames really do have color! The red candle really has a red flame. This will surely be a big hit at your next birthday party.
Christmas is almost here! Check out these fun gift items today!
I feel really bad for the guy that painted our house yesterday. Just as he was finishing up, it started pouring! Most of the paint was dry, but the stuff that wasn't dry bubbled up and streaked pretty badly. He was nice enough to come back today, and repaint the streaked garage door. But, he's going to have to come back again on Saturday, to redo a lot of the parts that bubbled. He tried sanding some of them down today, but since it got so wet yesterday, it wasn't completely dry underneath. So, he's going to come back in two days and finish the job. The chances of rain yesterday were only about 20%, but the one little cell on the radar parked itself above our house. Oh well, we weren't very upset about it. At least we found a really nice, honest, contractor who is willing to stick to a project until it's done right! This just proves that there are still people like that out there!
When we bought our house, it came with metal mini-blinds. We were happy to have them, because this meant that all of our windows would be covered, and we could take our time with buying curtains. But, now we would like to make an upgrade by purchasing wooden blinds. I would also like to get some pleated shades for two of our half moon windows. JustBlinds.com has a great selection of all types of blinds for your home or business. The white faux wood blinds would be perfect for us. My parents have these in their home, and they love them! They look just like real wood blinds! Plus, they won't warp with the very humid climate we have here in Texas. If you need blinds, check out www.justblinds.com today!
Chris and I are thinking about remodeling our master bathroom. The separate shower really needs to be re-caulked, and the door is already getting a little rusty. I would like to tile it, and put in a Waterfall Shower Head. Our shower head is old and it sprays water in lots of odd directions.
Another thing I'd like to buy, is a hot water dispenser. These are really cool for making hot tea or cocoa in a flash. I really like the ones that can also provide you with cool water. What a neat idea!
If you need bathroom or kitchen fixtures, you should check out www.showerbuddy.com today! You will find quite a selection at Zoe Industries. You'll even get free ground shipping in the continental United States.
I can't believe we've been in our house for six and half years already. I remember walking in this place thinking it was so huge. Now it's packed to the max. But, I still love our house. We have fantastic neighbors, and I feel really safe here.
Well, recently we've been trying to do a few things to spruce up the house. Here in South Texas, we get so many different variations of moist weather that housepainting is usually required between every six and ten years. The builder did not use very much paint on the house. We redid the outside of our front door, and painted the front porch ceiling and around the frame of the door. Chris had someone spray our attic ceiling with radiant barrier paint to save on our electric bill. Next, we're going to get the outside of our house painted. We found a local contractor that is going to use Glidden Evermore Paint and he gave us a very reasonable quote. Hopefully, this will help us add some curb appeal to our home, and make it look as good as new again!
Today I have lots of things that I need to get done. But first, I need to pry myself away from this computer! My parents are coming over for a visit in an hour, and I need to bathe the dog between now and then. Then, I need to start on my CD project. All of my CDs are in those albums. The cases were lost and so my husband bought me a bunch of new cases and a big tower so that I can get them organized. It's something I've been wanting to do for about eight years. So, I can't wait to get my little project completed.
iFLOOR has recently published a press release. Unfortunately, there have been a growing number of warranty claims being denied for online buyers. So, iFLOOR is offering a $1,000,000 warranty to protect customers from manufacturers who deny their warranty claims for flooring that was purchased online. In doing this, iFLOOR reserves the right to seek legal justice on behalf of their customers.
This is a copy of the aforementioned press release by iFLOOR:
iFLOOR, America's largest online flooring retailer, today announced a $1,000,000 limited warranty designed to protect its customers from predatory manufacturer policies that exclude warranty coverage from online purchases.
The policy, which goes into effect immediately, offers up to one million dollars of coverage in the event that a customer's warranty claim is denied specifically because they made their purchase online. It is complimentary for every iFLOOR customer, and protects the buyer under the same terms as the original product warranty.
iFLOOR, Inc. CEO, Steve Simonson, came up with the program to combat "scare tactics" used by manufacturers of hardwood floors and laminate flooring. "Their idea is to discourage you from buying at a discount!" wrote Simonson in his blog "It's About Flooring". "This is not right! You deserve to save money! So we're going to take care of this problem once and for all."
And it would appear that federal law is on his side. Section 108 of the 1975 Magnuson-Moss Act, states that, "In general, tie-in sales provisions are not allowed. Such a provision would require a purchaser of the warranted product to buy an item or service from a particular company to use with the warranted product in order to be eligible to receive a remedy under the warranty."
Under iFLOOR's new warranty, a key provision allows for iFLOOR to "seek justice" on behalf of the customer in the event of legal action. According to Simonson, "I'm putting iFLOOR's money where my mouth is."
About iFLOOR, Inc. Since 1998, iFLOOR.com has been the leading online and retail flooring company, with 36 local retail stores nationwide offering more than 70,000 products, including hardwood floors, laminate flooring, bamboo flooring and cork floors. iFLOOR.com is the largest online flooring retailer according to Internet Retailer Magazine, and was named by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing private companies in the United States for the past three years. Committed to quality customer service, superior selection and friendly expert advice, iFLOOR.com enables customers to buy flooring both online and in its retail stores at a substantial savings over traditional retailers. For more information about iFLOOR, please visit www.iFLOOR.com.
We rarely go out to the movies anymore. But, we always have a rented DVD to watch. Our couch is pretty comfortable, but I would love to eventually get home theater furniture. Boston Tables now has the latest and greatest in home theater seating. You can find everything from Palliser to BerklineTheater Seating. There are some really gorgeous leather or fabric sets! Of course, they still carry the best in pool tables and gaming accessories. If you have an extra room, or even a basement, that you are converting into a home theater, you should check out www.bostontables.com. They even offer free curbside shipping to the 48 contiguous states.
Would you like to add curb appeal and value to your home? Painting the exterior of your home is a quick way to improve its appearance. There are lots of companies out there that you can get to paint your house. But, All-Tex has expertise in preparing the surfaces before painting. The All-Tex experts repair the wood before they begin. They also have the experience to repair Masonite and Hardie siding and trim. First, these Houston painting experts will replace rotted, cracked or warped wood. Then they'll power-wash the exterior and prime the wood. If windows need to be replaced, you are also in great hands. All-Tex will install whatever type of window you choose. From vinyl to hurricane impact windows, you will get a guaranteed custom fit. You can even get a free estimate! All-Tex will also get the job completed within a reasonable time frame. If you live in the Houston, Austin, or Central Texas area, you should call All-Tex!
We've only been in our house for six years now. Moen faucets came with our house. They're all still in great shape. Faucet.com makes shopping for Moen faucets easy and fun! Their site has a huge selection of beautiful faucets from which to choose. When you buy a Moen faucet, it includes the LifeShine durable finish, which is guaranteed not to tarnish, corrode, or flake. Delivery is very fast, and they have great prices. I love being able to take my time with online shopping. You can see all the different styles and finishes that are available just by clicking your mouse. With so many different faucets available, www.faucet.com makes shopping for Moen faucets simple and enjoyable!
I can't wait until we get hardwood floors in our living room! Right now, we still have carpet. We are just waiting until my son gets a little bit older. Once we get our hardwood floor, we are going to be on the lookout for a nice area rug. I have seen some beautiful ones in stores, but it's kind of difficult to make a decision in the store. It can be overwhelming! Flipping through heavy stacks of rugs isn't all that easy. Plus, with a two year old, shopping in the store becomes even more difficult! Then, if you leave and come back to the same store, it's hard to remember, much less find the ones you originally liked.
At BoldRugs.com, shopping for area rugs is much easier! It has an online shopping service that provides you with detailed pictures and descriptions of each area rug. You can actually take your time searching for the perfect rug to spruce up your home.
BoldRugs.com has set a new industry standard for the way that you can buy and research area rugs, as well as related accessories. It also allows you to purchase the rugs on-line. You can find fantastic prices! The prices are much better than those you'll find at local retail outlets or specialty stores. If you find the same rug on another site for a lower price, they will match their price PLUS take off an additional 20%! In addition, shipping is free on all orders!
The site is very user-friendly. They even offer a free printed catalog. You will be surprised by the huge selection that you will have to choose from. I like the fact that you can search by a certain style. For example, you can look at all the floral rugs, or all the contemporary rugs. It's just so easy! Whether you're looking for a traditional or a contemporary area rug, you must check out BoldRugs.com!
.....the meme that forces me to recognize my laziness and do something about it!
Week 5: I'm not going to eat candy after dinner! My husband must eat something sweet after every meal, and I've gotten into the same habit. All these little bits of chocolate over the weeks add up a lot of extra calories. I'm not really that much of a sweet tooth anyway.
Week 4: Wow, a cavity made me actually floss my teeth! (7 out of 7 days). I haven't been using the elliptical much, but I have been jogging a little every night when I walk the dog. My allergies are starting to kick in though. This week I am going to drink less coffee. I'm only going to make this amount so that I can't cheat.
Week 3: OK, I took a month off from SHS. I just went to the dentist and I have a cavity.....ugggg. So I will really floss now every night. Also, I will make sure I go to the dentist for a cleaning every 6 months. We've been letting it slide to more like once a year.
Week 2: I pledge to start timing myself on the computer. For every hour I spend on the computer, I must use the Elliptical Machine 10 minutes.....will the computer time be worth it? (6 out of 20 days)
At our house, we have a lot of stuff in storage bins. We have three giant storage bins just for Cameron's toys. We have all of our Christmas stuff in plastic bins in the attic. But, somehow we could still use more! I found these really durable storage bins that can withstand major heat for the garage. My husband would love these! He does have a birthday coming up! He has lots of large items (like drills and lawn equipment) that do not fit in small tool chest drawers. So, the Deep Reinforced Composite bins would work best for us!
This weekend we visited my husband's family in Louisiana. It was so good to see all of his aunts and his uncle. We hadn't been since 2005. I am lucky that all of my family lives really near us. His parents live about an hour away, so it's not too bad. We see them every two or three weekends. They miss Cameron when they haven't seen him for too long. I was so glad that Chris' PawPaw could give him his first real haircut. We have a picture of Chris getting his first from him as well. I want to put the two pictures together in one double frame. Pretty neat, huh?
October is almost here, and it's still so hot! I've seen so many beautiful pictures of "fall scenes" on other blogs lately....and I'm a bit jealous. I could really use a brisk walk on a cool night. But instead, I'm sweating in the humidity covered in mosquito repellant every night. I shouldn't complain, I know. I'm not asking for snow. I would just love to be able to take out the trash without breaking a sweat. Spring and Fall each last only a few short weeks here. Come on Fall. Then it's wet cold - or back to wet hot. I hate the humidity!
My husband has a new obsession. Generators. He has two....and he plays with them a lot (running them, checking them, admiring them). During Hurricane Rita, Cameron was only about six months old. We drove EAST, yes EAST....to get away from the storm, which apparently followed our car into Louisiana. Luckily, my husband's relatives had a generator, because they did lose power for about a day. If we had stayed home we would have missed the storm, but when you aren't sure where a hurricane is headed, you have to make big decisions in a hurry. Sometimes we wonder why we choose to live in a place that could be hit by a hurricane, but we do enjoy living on the coast. Plus, there aren't too many places that aren't prone to some sort of natural disaster!
When Cameron was born, we became really obsessive about germs. I had been an elementary school teacher right up until he was born, so this was a big change from that environment. We had to be extremely cautious about touching his head after his shunt surgery (done when he was only about three pounds). He was also highly succeptible to meningitis, colds, and the flu. We spent 70 days in the NICU making sure that every single person with whom he came into contact knew how important it was to wash his or her hands!
Well, we managed to keep him free of illness for almost two years. We just never brought him into stores, the malls, etc. We were really lucky that all of his initial therapy was given at our home. My husband did (and still does) most of the shopping and running errands, so that I don't have to bring him around many crowds. And then when we are at people's houses, we just make sure everyone has washed their hands. He's had two or three colds now, and he's handled them like a champ. But, since he is underweight for his age, and does not eat much anyway, even something like a cold makes it harder for him to grow and get stronger.
So, around here, we all get flu shots. I just got mine Friday at Krogers. My husband will get his free at work in October, and we'll get Cameron one as soon as the pediatrician has them in stock. I've been getting the flu shot for over 10 years now. Now that the immunization is available, I can't find a reason not to take advantage of it. The flu would be really bad for Cameron, so we even ask all the grandparents to make sure that they also get immunized. Here's to a happy and healthy flu season to everyone!
Buster is our five year old West Highland White Terrier. He was our first baby and our first love. Terriers are known for their feistiness. They are stubborn and loyal by nature. Buster is no exception.
He spends his days lounging around the house, taking several long naps throughout the day. But, Buster waits all day for his evening walk. When he sees me looking for my shoes, or when he gets that first whiff of mosquito repellant, he loses it. He barks and runs around just as fast as he did when he was a puppy. In fact, he gets so excited that it's almost impossible to get the harness around his neck. Finally, we're off.
Buster likes certain "poles" to mark his territory. Like most male dogs, Buster has quite an ego. He likes to "go" on corners of fences where dogs reside. He prefers gas lights to fire hydrants, and light poles to mail boxes. He lives for this twenty minutes of dog heaven.
On our walks, there are several cats that make their presence known. Some peek above fences, while others brazenly sit in the middle of "his" sidewalk. Buster hates cats. He goes crazy if he hears one in our front bushes. He can run at the speed of light to chase one out of our backyard. But, that was before he met "the big, fat, tan cat."
According to my husband's report last night, Buster came face to face with BFTC. She was parked at the end of her own driveway. Buster could not resist walking right up to her. Upon approaching her, she stood up, hissed, and actually growled at Buster. What did our strong, tough, stubborn Westie do? He just meekly walked past her, giving her the respect she had finally just earned.
What a puss.
Wouldn't owning this pink Dyson make you want to vacuum all the time? I just love the look of this machine. If you would like to win this limited edition, Pink All Floors Dyson Vacuum, head on over to 5 Minutes for Mom and leave a comment.
Target and Dyson are donating $40 for every pink Dyson purchased towards Breast Cancer Research. Plus, Dyson has offered to also donate the full retail value of a second DC07 Pink vacuum ($400) to the BCRF in honor of the 5 Minutes for Mom Giveaway.
This Pink All Floors Dyson Vacuum is only available at Target stores. If you want to buy one, you'd better hurry! Fifty percent of them have already been sold!
Good luck, but I hope I win!
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