today is a good day.

So, I just found these pictures on my computer:

And realized, I haven't posted my after pictures!  Of course, Amber and Angela have already seen it in person, but its always fun to see a before and after, right?

HERE is our current laundry room/bathroom.  After looking at these pictures again, I can't believe the difference!  I used to never even want to step foot in that pink bathroom.

The hallway (although, this picture is over-exposed and that front all is not that pink of a color, its a dark brown, and the green in the laundry area is a bit brighter than that):

The laundry nook (usually my boxes look a little more neat...):

the pantry (I painted the doors and added handles):

the bathroom (painted the walls, mirror, countertop (rustoleum countertop paint is awesome if you ever need  update a countertop for cheap!), and vanity.  And changed the hardware on all the cabinets.  Oh, and I repainted the stool and modpodged some craft paper onto it.

I also decided to do our front wall, and we added that shelf and moved some furniture around.

It holds some favorite pictures, a vase, and some art/projects Shea made at school.

That was a labor of love, let me tell you!  I'm beginning to get the itch to paint the rest of our living space, and our bedroom.  We have never had a bedroom that really felt like "our room".  I'd like to change that! But it's hard to get the get up and go, because we don't know if we're going to be staying in this house through next year...because of the internship program we're starting, it may mean moving in order to help house students or have cheaper rent, since the program may not bring in a very large salary at the beginning.

Anyway!

Last night we had one of Jeremy's old friends from Jr. High over.  I don't think he has really hung out with him in over 10 years, and I had only met him briefly at our wedding.  He was living in Ecuador, where he met his wife, and they just got back to the states less than a month ago.  She is about 5 months pregnant and doesn't speak any english.  It was a fun visit, and I'm glad he could translate so easily for her, but I think its the one time in my life I wish I had become better at spanish!  I could understand a lot of what they said to each other, but I would have loved to hear more about her life and culture.

Since they were coming over, and I also have my first book group meeting tomorrow night, we spent the day cleaning (and cooking), and I decided to make a last minute runner for our table.  Our Walmart just starting carrying fabric, and I picked up some orange and brown fabric for $3 to make this:

Not my best sewing job, but I did make it in less than 20 minutes, ha.  And it looks better in person, I I think.  This and a few pumpkins in a jar is the extent of my fall decorating this year.  I think I'm just going to wait for Christmas to do much more.

I also had the mom scare of my life this morning.  I was making breakfast, Hailey was playing on her play mat, and Shea was just...being Shea.  Running around, playing, and shoving things in his sister's face.  I am constantly - I mean, constantly- telling him to not pull on her, pick her up, smush her face, pinch her, poke her, grab her, etc., and this morning was no exception.  He was doing fine, when all the sudden I see him out of the corner of my eye make a quick movement by her.  She doesn't do anything, but I ask "did you just put something in her mouth?"  Then she starts choking.  I ask him again, as I'm quickly walking over there, and he says "yes..."  I pick her up and turn her around and start patting her back (like I learned in infant cpr) and one of my small, square magnets fall out of her mouth.  All I could think was thank goodness it wasn't circular and didn't block her airway.  I think I was shaking for like half n hour after that.  I didn't know what to do with Shea.  It's so hard.  I told him that she could die if he puts things in her mouth, and sent him to go sit for a while. I mean, obviously he didn't think about it as being a big deal at all...but man.  I think I'm going to be putting all of his small things away for now until he is older.

I'm headed off to bed now.  I took a break and watched a couple of episodes of Breaking Bad with Jeremy (such a craaazy show).

Goodnight!