a different kind of hell...

My home. Our home. Renovation HELL! Or on good days a work in progress. Right now it really depends on what room I am in to determine the difference. If I am relaxing in the almost finished newly reno'ed bathroom then work in progress applies. If, however, I am a few feet to the left in a room that faintly resembles an eat in kitchen it is the epitome of renovation hell. Not only is there 3 different colored paint patches where I have tried out a new paint color but the floor is missing a 10 square foot area, the ceiling has an opening that drops insulation on your head if you sit in the right (or worng) spot and there are no baseboards/trim work in the room. You know the room that needs EVERYTHING!! The room where any little change is usually for the better but you never know just where to start. Because you could paint the walls but then you'd notice that they should be redrywalled or attempt to smooth the *imperfections* which make up more square footage than the smooth portions of the wall. But if you're gonna do that you should replace the awful flooring but before you can do that there is a pesky wall that needs moving and once that wall is gone the cabinet layout can be rearranged to allow for a bigger dining area and hey once that all happens you can finally install the trim that has been sitting the basement for a year now awaiting it's turn for installation.

But since I am upstairs I am not noticing all that. I am thinking about how once hubby and I install the trimwork originally intended for the kitchen in the bathroom it will be done (almost) and my now favorite room in the house.

When all the renos are completed I foresee one of two futures. Either I will love this house and all it's aggravations and stay here till I am a little old lady or I will have a for sale sign on the front lawn before the smell of paint and putty fades. I see the latter happening. After which hubby and I will move the horde into a newly constructed to our specifications house that will need NO RENOS in our lifetime. I may end up being the mom or grandma with the house stuck in a time warp but I will then enjoy a reno-free existence. I long for the day when I only have my laziness and numerous underlings to blame for the messy state of the house instead of the never ending renos. It's pretty sad when 2 years later you are telling the same people not to mind the same state of reno.....

it's late

I was asleep up until about 20 minutes ago. I hadn't been sleeping very long. I snuggled up in bed with the cutest almost 2 year old ever known to man and was blissfully passed out. And why am I not still there? My husband felt the need to wake me up to help him put 3 kids to bed. (And yes it's nearly midnight at this point). Cassandra is having a sleepover. He needs help to - get this - set up the inflatable air mattress. Now this mattress is the kind that comes equipped with it's own built in air compressor. So basically all you need to do is turn the dial to inflate and press the on switch. Terribly complex I know.

So now that I am wide awake I think I will take this opportunity to wrap a few more Christmas gifts. I made myself a nice warm mug of Timmies hot chocolate and have a movie playing. All I have to do is ignore the noises coming from down below from 3 not yet asleep kids. Good golly they had better sleep in or I'll be looking to send them on a sleepover somewhere.

settling in

I don't know what it is or why but as of this morning I feel good. I mean really good. Nevermind the fact that I am lower abdominally sore and stepped on an upright nail today. I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I guess I have been stressing out about neatness and how our house isn't. In fact we just tore up the tile floor in the bathroom, I am still missing all the trim in our kitchen, there is a basement wall missing panelling and the storage room is a complete disaster.

I've spent a few days organizing a few things in a few rooms. Which basically means I cleared off the kitchen table, made all the beds, got all the laundry out of the living room, went through the kids toys in the basement and got the bags of Christmas gifts out of my room and into their hiding spot. Not a whole lot given the overall state of the house.

I think a lot of it has to do with the season. I love Christmas and the start of the winter season. And with today's continual snowfall it's been blissful here. I spent my day today puttering from room to room spot cleaning as I went. I planned and executed a wonderful crockpot made meal. I started and finished all the laundry. I spent time playing with Coco-baby. I even managed to let the dogs roam through the house without incident all day. Even Coco-baby seemed at peace most of the day. He grazed his way through the day's meals, fell asleep all by his lonesome on his big brother's bed watching Baby Mozart (for the 3rd time today) and got along amazingly well with the dogs. Of course he had to wake up from his nap all crabby but all in all a great day for him.

my organizational skills

It's 2 am (give or take)....I'm up...never mind the fact that I actually went to bed at 10:30. Why am I up at such an ungodly hour? (ungodly in the world of mom who must get up to get 2 kids to school after 5 days off). I'm awake now because Mr. Wonderful (aka husband aka Rob) decided to use the computer at 1:30...apparently he needs less sleep (or he has some nap planned tomorrow that I will derail for him).

So now I am up...and I can't breath...well I can but not very well....pretty wheezy and coughy (my word - I make them up). Be it the change in weather, the lingering cold I have, or the *few* extra pounds I carry around but breathing is more difficult this time of year for me at times. Now is one of them. So I have 3 inhalers because I am far from being as organized as I fantasize that I am (or could be / will be). Ask me where they are???

I have one. It's nearly empty. Not doing me a whole lot of good. Now when I came up to bed earlier I know I brought 2 up here. I'm pretty sure I did....I think I might have. I remember pulling them out of my purse (the gros valise as Rob calls it) and heading up. I called the nugget-butt to come up with me. Rob was up here. I recall laying Coco-baby on the bed to change his diaper...allowing him a few moments of *free time* (read that to be diaperless frolicking)....realized he piddled on my quilt...changed the bed linens...scavenged blankets from a sleeping child downstairs...got into bed...fell asleep...woke up to Rob on the computer...can't find the inhalers....no stinking idea where they are!!

Of course my bedroom is the epitome of organization. I have a never used cradle acting as a home for an ikea bin of toys, a few books, a printer that is out of ink and naturally my wedding dress. My desk has normal desk clutter - water bottle, wrapping paper, cordless drill, baby wipes, cat food dish, and some storage tins for Christmas baking I have yet to do. I can't see the top of the dresser for all the "stuff" on it and the room is littered with red bags filled with Christmas presents (at least they are sorted by child). The tidyist spot in my room surprisingly enough, is under the bed!

OK, well, now that tomorrow is planned (clean room, organize "stuff", find inhalers) I am off to bed - again!

outnumbered

We are on Day 6 of Daddy-less-ness ... Mr. "I don't hunt" was scheduled to be home on Tuesday. At least that was what he told us Sunday when we left the cottage. We thought "Sure, 2 more sleeps till Daddy comes home. We can handle it! Yay!"

Now I know to some people a few days without their spouse around is a nice break. And it is. Really. I am enjoying my space....but...the ratio of 3 kids to 1 mom can sometimes be overwhelming. The older two have stuff like homework and the need to be fed and bathed and dressed in un-smelly clothing. (the little one can snack and walk around most of the time in a diaper if need be, and hey what are baby wipes for if not an impromptu spot cleaning). It would be nice to have another body around here to help out with that stuff (or at the very least give the illusion of helping out).

We had quite the homecoming planned too! We were making Daddy a nice homemade chili, since he loves chili (not the biggest fan myself but it was to be for him). The kids were so excited that morning as they left for school!

Imagine my surprise when my mother called mid-morning to announce her return from the cottage. Her solo-return!! She calmly stated that Rob and my father were plannig to stay till Sunday. SUNDAY!!! At first I thought she was pulling one over on me...or trying to...then I realized she wasn't bull shitting me and the rat b@$t@7d had decided to ignore the longing he'd seen in his daughter's eyes as we left the previous Sunday evening to take more time to loiter in the bush spotting deer for my father who can't see them on his own apparently.

Obviously I was not/am not pleased. It has taken me 2 days to collect my thoughts enough to put them down in an almost light hearted way (almost).

And guess what today is??? It's PAYDAY! Yup, so I'm thinking a little retail therapy is just what the Dr. ordered. I may regret it later (he will regret it later).

And guess where the kids and I are heading tomorrow after school??? You got it! The cottage. We're going to make up a nice batch of chili and take it on up to him! Nice aren't I? Not a bit! I'm just a little passive-aggresive though. I plan to take him on a sweet little guilt trip like he's never been on before!!!

time to myself...

Today is the first full day that the children and I have been on our own!! Rob has gone "hunting". By that I mean he is at the cottage at Lac Galarneau with my parents, grandparents and others who actually hunt while he is fooling around with his new RTV, vegging inside while the others are out hunting, and basically escaping family life for almost a week. He's supposed to be back Wednesday.

The kids already miss him! Me, not so much. Sure it would be nice to have his company but after 11 years of him day after day I can certainly handle, if not welcome, a few days without him. So far I haven't found dirty socks under the coffee table, no blankets to fold first thing in the morning that he used the night before watching tv till the wee hours, no mess in the sink after he shaves, and when I go to the cupboard for a cup there's actually some in there as opposed to left out on my front porch. What kind of sucks is that I have to get up early enough even if the kids sleep late because he's not here to let the dogs out in the morning and feed them and I actually have to get dressed in the morning and get the littlest one up and at it to take the bigger kids to school.

I have become very paranoid too! I'm already afraid of the dark. I mean really afraid of the dark! So last night, our first night on our own, I made sure all the doors were locked (naturally) as well as all the windows (you never know right) and even went so far as to put a towel over the two door windows that have no blinds or curtains...yeah I'm a little paranoid I guess......The christmas lights are on outside (i know, pretty early but I put them up myself today) and I really should go outside and unplug them but it's dark out there and all the kids are asleep...maybe I'll take the dogs out with me...yeah that's what I'll do...maybe...