Sabbatical from Blogging

For the past 100 weeks, ok, only 6, I have been sick. I was sick before school started and parent teacher conferences are now upon us. See, I was sick forever. I am happy to report I am beginning to feel better and think I might live. So, I will try to get back to blogging and interacting with the world outside my bedroom!

Rocket Launch

For Luke's birthday last year, we gave him a rocket. He and Matt worked on it for many weekends. And then we spent MANY months trying to launch the thing! It may not be a NASA rocket, but the weather conditions still need to cooperate AND most importantly the family schedule needs to cooperate! Finally last Saturday the stars were aligned.

We went to the parking lot at Matt's work. This way Matt and Luke would be able to make any last minute improvements to the beloved rocket. If you have never launched on of these rockets, let me just tell you how FAST it all happens: itt happens very, very fast!!! I was lucky to capture the picture of the smoke of the launch :)

We had two successful launches. The rocket is still in one piece. Afterwards Matt commented that he was surprised that the rocket wasn't ruined on impact with the ground. I asked him if he had told Luke the rocket might not survive. When he responded that he had not, Luke piped in with, "Well, that is just mean." But, it was very funny!

We are glad the rocket lived to see another launch. Maybe we can do it in slow motion for mom?!?!?






In theatre, after a production is over, they have something called a postmortem. This is the time they talk about what went right and what went wrong. I believe these last two pictures are Matt and Luke having their postmortem. Aren't they darling?

Paine Wedding

If possible, the person sealing us next week is even more excited than we are! We are being sealed by the president of the Nashville Tennessee Temple.

Yeah, we are happy :)

Home Renovations = Fun

Ali, Kat and Luke spent the first 41 days of summer vacation 2010 visiting their dad in Utah. Since we recently purchased and moved into a new house, we thought it would be fun to decorate their bedrooms.

It was fun.

It was a lot of work.

It was a small fortune.

We had a great time doing it and we surprised the kids! We now how the Paine Family Bed and Breakfast. You can choose what themed room you would like to stay in: Shabby Chic, Circles of Color or Automotive. I should mention that the "breakfast" part of our bed and breakfast is cold cereal...and you load the dishwasher when you are done!

Shabby Chic--Ali's Room

So, here is Ali's room. We started her's second and I believe finished first. She has this mirror (she stole from me) she wanted the whole room based on.

Her paint is from Home Depot. The only paint we buy now is Baer Primer + Paint. It is a dream. Matt chose a Disney color for her walls. I think it is Pixie Dust. Sometimes it looks pink and other times it looks purple.

This was our first try at the wainscot. Matt is a smart guy and a perfectionist. So, it looks great. Early into this project...like 5 minutes, he turned to me and asked if I knew what our problem was. Sadly, I didn't even know that we HAD a problem. Well, it turned out our "problem" is that both our dads are coming this month and we both want them to approve of our handiwork! It took Matt 3 tries to get the first piece cut correctly. Between the second and third try, I kindly informed him my dad always told us, "Measure twice, cut once." He didn't think I was very cute :)

I found the bedspread at Goodwill for $20. It is Nautica. It is perfect.
I found her desk at a garage sale back in May. I asked the lady why she was selling it. She said that she bought it for $450 and her daughter wouldn't study. So, she painted it white. After it was white, her daughter still wouldn't study. So, she was giving up and selling it. The poor girl is only in 8th grade and I guess her academic career is over! You better study or we will toss it!

Matt brought those glass shelves home from work months and months ago. He likes to tell people I rolled my eyes when he did...and I did. I do believe they were just tossing them out. Or maybe they were a penny or two. But, they are so perfect in both girls rooms.
Below you can see the mirror that inspired the whole room. We also printed and mounted a fun YW theme for each girl's room.

Love ya, Al!!

Circles of Color--Kat's Room

All Kat told us about what she wanted in her room was: white walls and orange circles. She is the only one we really listened to regarding requests. The others, we just did what we wanted! But, Kat, she is one you don't want to cross :) We took her basic ideas and ran with them!

The walls are Polar Bear White. Kat made it perfectly clear that she did NOT what her bed painted. I forgot that part until she said, "Isn't it funny how I told you NOT to paint my bed and you painted it and I LOVE it?"

The circles are vinyl we ordered off eBay. 75 of them for $22. Can't beat that!

Kat's bedroom was started last. It took us a while to get inspired. Here is the end result!

Kat's desk was bought from Goodwill. It is solid wood except for the top piece. It was purchased for $15. It is Mission style.

We found the turquoise circle pillow and pink Build-a-Bear poodle at a yard sale. I asked the lady how much she wanted for the poodle. She asked what I wanted to pay. That always ticks me off. I told her fifty cents. It was pretty much new. But, if she didn't care how much she got, or didn't get, why should I? She did ask for a dollar and we gave in. What a deal!

We are glad you love your room, Kat. And we love you!