The great kitchen re-model!

OK, so it wasn't a re-model. Actually, not even close. We (and by "we", I mean Neil) just replaced the vinyl floor tiles. Have you ever used the stick-on vinyl floor squares? They TOTALLY rock. Seriously, you just line them up, peel off the backing like a Band-Aid, and stick them on. The only cutting you have to do is along the edges. It took a total of about 3 hours, including moving furniture and appliances to do it.
I decided on Wednesday morning that I just. couldn't. stand. the current floor. I don't know how long it'd been there, but it was a) light-colored - so showed dirt a LOT and b) so scratched up that even though I might mop it every day (which of course I don't), it NEVER looked clean. Neil had stayed over the night before because we were up watching a movie, so as we were enjoying our coffee, I blurted out, "I can't stand this floor! You've done vinyl tile before; how much do you think it would cost to replace this?" We did a bit of figuring and took a trip to Home Depot. We bought 4 boxes of vinyl tile for a grand total of $130 including tax. I bought Neil beer and cigarettes for his labor payment (bad, bad, I know, but hey...it's cheaper than paying him $20 an hour, which he deserves. And he didn't even want a carton of cigarettes, just a pack, because, as he said, "I'll just smoke more if I have more").
Oh, yeah, another cool thing about these tiles: you don't have to peel up the old flooring. You just make sure it's clean (which it IS, although you can't tell it from the pictures! :) and put the new down over the old.
All in all, a job VERY well done and VERY appreciated!


The old floor. Gross.

Up-close. Grosser.

My Neil with his pre-payment.
Hard at work, as you can tell.

Katie "helped", too.
The juxtaposition of new and old makes the old look worse, if possible.


Done! Isn't it purty?


The obligatory Neil-being-creepy pose.


I didn't sleep there that night, although I considered it.

10.2 - Things I am Thankful For

Following up (a few days late, but I'll tell you why later) my "10 complaints"
I have been BUSY the past few days. While I was playing single mom, my friend Neil came over to hang out (on Tuesday night). He ended up staying with us past when Jon came home, and while he was here, we (meaning Neil...with a little help from Katie) laid new vinyl tile in the kitchen, cleaned the kitchen and living room, raked up about 15 trash-cans full of pine straw and pinecones from the backyard, and folded three enormously overflowing baskets of laundry. Sooo, topping off my list of ten things I'm thankful for is
1. NEIL! I am so thankful for good friends that "hold my arms up".
2. Productiveness. I tend to spiral downward in regards to depression and housekeeping together.
3. My church family.
4. My kids.
5. My husband.
6. My kids again, because they made me breakfast in bed this morning for Valentine's Day
7. My parents, who keep my kids all the time, enabling me to work.
8. Jon's parents, who don't get to see the kids as often as they'd like, but make every visit special.
9. My sisters.
10. My job.

I will post pictures later of our great kitchen "remodel"!

Movie Quote Mondays

Thank you Melody for reminding me.

#1 "Well, I'm already pregnant, so really, what more shenanigans can I get into?"

Bonus: "At Rex Kwan Do, we use the buddy system. No more flying solo. You need somebody watching your back at all times. Second off, you're gonna learn to discipline your image. You think I got where I am today because I dressed like Peter Pan over here?
Take a look at what I'm wearing, people. You think anybody wants a roundhouse kick to the face while I'm wearing these bad boys? Forget about it. Last off, my students will learn about self respect. You think anybody thinks I'm a failure because I go home to Starla at night? Forget about it!"

Ten point one

I was tagged by my friend Becka to do this blog section. First, I should say, "Today the part of Neil/Shelly will be played by Gretchen", because that's my favorite snarky way of saying "Yes, I know it's been a while since I updated my blog, but at least I do it more often than Neil and Shelly". Sadly, that is no longer true because they've both been blogging fools in the past week. So I can't even use that excuse.
So, yesterday, Becka did "10 Complaints I Have in my Life Right Now", which was followed by today's "10 Things I am Thankful For". She tagged me in today's, so I'm starting with complaints. Because, you know, they're easier. (Just kidding.) (Also, one of Becka's complaints is that her boys haven't yet mastered peeing in the toilet instead of on the floor. Thankfully, that is not one of my complaints.)

1. I am playing single mom this week while Jon goes up to NYC to "help a friend" hang out at McSorley's Irish Pub. This comes on the heels of playing single mom for the entire month of January while Jon worked nights (see last month's post on aluminum foil on why I hate night shifts).

2. My house is a wreck.

3. I have a lot of "chores" to do this week, and it's not the best time to have to play single mom.

4. My five year-old kid will not. stop. wetting. the. bed.

5. My 7-year-old kid will. not. learn. her. addition. facts.

6. Getting out of debt is HARD WORK. Boo-friggin'-hoo, I know. We are doing it. Slowly but surely, thank you David Ramsey.

7. Until we get out of debt we will never be able to own a home.

8....well, thankfully, that's the only things I can think of to complain about! Oh, wait...

8. I have to make dinner soon. I hate cooking these days.

More tomorrow.
But not complaints.