More Work on the Kitchen Remodel

Michael came over yesterday to help with my kitchen remodel. We moved the stove and took out the microwave in order to remove the rest of the backsplash tile. Although we put the stove back, the microwave went into the garage in anticipation of my new microwave. I don't often use the microwave so it shouldn't be a big loss while I wait for delivery of my new one on March 22. This also gave me the opportunity to clean behind the stove and paint the wall that never had a coat of paint on it. Michael kept telling me no one would see it, but I knew.

Then we pulled out the washer and dryer so I could paint the rest of the laundry room. While I painted, Michael hung new blinds.

These will really confuse Lincoln since he's into pulling the cords on blinds. These blinds are cordless. You just push or pull from the bottom to raise and lower the blinds.

Michael also hung my new lights. These are LED lights and have no bulbs. There's just tiny LED strips inside the fixture. They're beautiful and put out a lot of light. I just hope they last forever because there's no replacing a bulb. You have to replace the entire fixture and believe me, they're not cheap. Now it's back to hurry up and wait for the next part to be finished.

Kitchen Remodel

After several days of procrastination, I finally started painting my kitchen. It actually went faster than I expected.

I progressed so fast that I decided to go ahead and pull out the refrigerator without waiting for help from Michael. Add another hour to my paint job!!! I couldn't go any further until I cleaned up 10 years worth of "behind the refrigerator" dirt. I still have the laundry room and behind the stove, but I'm waiting for help on those. I'm not going to risk ruining my hardwood floors just because I'm a little impatient.

Lunch, Lowes and the Park

While having lunch with Violet, she took a straw and bent it into a shape then asked me what it was. Well, it had 4 sides and she's only 4 years old (almost 5) so I said a square. She said, "no, it's a rhombus"! She's only 4. Where in the world did she learn that word. I don't think I knew that word until geometry class in the 8th grade. Melissa said she just learned it yesterday!!!!! That's what they teach in preschool. I guess I'll have to start rethinking my answers to her questions.

After lunch I convinced Violet to help me pick out a faucet at Lowes. They didn't have one I liked. So after Lincoln set off the alarm for trying to steal a faucet, we high-tailed it out of Lowes and headed to the park.

The weather was perfect. It was nice and warm and made me actually think Spring may just be around the corner. I hope I can keep this attitude if winter decides to once again rear it's ugly head.

The park was rather small but the jungle gym had several slides and steps and poles to climb. Lincoln gets a little too fast and brave and if you're not right there, could miss a step.

After the park we went for ice cream. Another good reason to spend the day with the kids - going out to the lunch, the park and ice cream!

Violet is so funny. She said she could eat this ice cream every day of her life but "they" wouldn't let her. I asked her who "they" were. She said her Mom and Dad. I told her if she lived with me we could get ice cream every day. Then she came up with this "girl secret". We could pretend to go shopping and wipe all the ice cream off our faces before I took her home.  Ah, the imagination of a child.

When I went to bed last night I was wondering why my back and shoulders hurt. Then I remembered trying to show Violet how to do cartwheels. In my head I'm way younger than my body wants me to be!

Lincoln's Baby Book

I DID IT! It only took me 2 years to complete Lincoln's baby book.

After I did Violet's, I wasn't as nervous putting this one together. Now there is a mistake in the book but I'm not telling what it is and I'm sure no one will be able to figure it out.

This book, made by Michele, had just as many hidden compartments as Violet's. I wasn't sure if I had enough pictures of Lincoln. But, once again, I found myself editing to make sure I got everything in.

This is one of my favorite pages. Melissa and Jamie took Lincoln and Violet to the Missouri State Fair. I found stickers to embellish the page. Again, WAY too many embellishments, but I love this book. Even Jamie made a comment about how nice it was! Thanks again, Michele. By the way, this completes 5 of my 2018 goals. There's currently 28 items on the list and I keep adding more. Now on to the Christmas book. 

Ashley's 30th Birthday

Today Ashley turns 30.

We went out to dinner last Monday to celebrate. Violet wasn't in the mood for pictures so it's just the 6 of us. Ashley passed her boards and is now officially a nurse. February 13th is her actual start date even though she's been working for the past year at Children's Mercy Hospital. Happy Birthday, Ashley!

Fitbit "Japan" Badge

One of my goals for 2018 is to walk 2,000,000 steps using my Fitbit as my pedometer. I originally had 1,000,000 steps as my goal but then Michele told me she was going to try and walk 1,000,000 steps by her birthday. That's in April! So I decided to make something a little harder to attain. At least for me it is. It's hard enough for me to commit to writing down the number of daily steps.

So January 20 I slapped on my Fitbit and started counting steps. Today, Fitbit informed me I'd earned by Japan badge. Michele's probably earned an around the world badge but it's an achievement for me. As of today I've walked 93,822 steps - something Michele and Bruce usually walk in a week. But I tell myself my steps will increase as soon as the weather warms up. Walk, walk, walk, walk, walk.......

Slippers for Violet

Violet loved the slippers I crocheted for Melissa and wanted her own pair. My first attempt was way too small. It's easier to increase the size of a pattern. Not so simple to make it smaller.

The finished product was perfect. Violet wanted purple and blue so I chose jewel toned colors.

Since Violet is so special, I even made little pom poms for the ends of the ties. Then she asked if I'd make a pair for her American Girl Doll, Mia. Even after over 30 years of crocheting, I can't make the pattern that small. I guess I'm going to have to see if I can find a pattern online. Or maybe they have a pair of slippers at the American Girl Doll store in Chicago!