Before the purple

I forgot, I meant to include pictures of what the bathroom looked like before.

It really seems like the previous owners got their inspiration from watching "Prison Break" or "Oz."

"I wouldn't let Chelle paint any room in our house that color."

That's what Jeremy said when he saw my purple powder room. But that's okay, to each his own, right?

The bathroom's not done yet. I need to get some stuff up on the wall across from the toilet to break the purple up a little and I want to get some kind of window treatment up, but I like how the paint turned out. It's what I wanted - a bold color that's not too crazy.

What do you think?

I would say that the actual color is like what you see across the top of the wall in this first picture. The natural light coming in the window makes the paint seem lighter than it actually is.



















Tucker will sometimes sit on the landing and if he catches sight of himself in the mirror, he'll huff a little at the other dog in the house. I happened to catch him coming downstairs smoking his bone.














We replaced the builder-standard mirror (and, yes, the old one is in the backyard where Mustand hoods and mirrors go to die), the hardware including the toilet flusher, and the faucet.

I found this mirror at Lowes for $88. Restoration Hardware sells a very similar one for about three times as much. After we'd already put this one up, I saw one like it at Target for even less - around $65, I think. Hey, just because I missed out on a good deal doesn't mean anyone else should so I'm spreading the word.






































I hope my purple bathroom doesn't have anyone (besides Jeremy) questioning my good sense but if it does, well, that's okay.

Brownie Trifle and movie night

I wanted to watch Forgetting Sarah Marshall so I invited our usual Friday-night people over for dessert and a movie. The attendees were: Terry, Vickie, Chelle, and Shawn. Jeremy stayed home because he wasn't feeling that great and Vanessa was with family in Illinois.

I bought the movie from the HD On Demand channel as soon as I got home from work and it was then available to me for 24 hours. It was SUPPOSED to be available for 24 hours. When we went to watch it around 9:15, the movie wouldn't play. I called Time Warner (I know a lot of people have issues with TWC, but I never have and I typically defend them) and they weren't very helpful.

First of all, the person rebooted my DVR from her end, which messed up my recording of Friday Night Lights. Sure, it restarted, but I missed several minutes toward the end. I've got my fingers crossed that it was during a commercial break. When I told the person that that didn't work, she had me hold on for a few minutes then came back to say they were having some trouble with their On Demand services. Uh, you think? That's what I told YOU!

The lady told me I wouldn't be charged for the movie and I figured I'd just check it again today to see if it worked. Guess what? It did. So I got my money back AND I got to see the movie, which was quite entertaining.

So, Terry, Vickie, Shawn, and Chelle? I'm really sorry that you guys didn't get to see the movie but I definitely recommend you see it if you get the chance. But you might want to rent it through Blockbuster, Netflix, or that Red Box machine just to be safe.

Well, my movie night might've been a bust, but the Brownie Trifle was not. It was muy delicioso, if I do say so myself. Take a look and try to tell me you wouldn't want to try some of this:




























Brownies, chocolate pudding, Cool Whip, and candy bars - how could you go wrong with that combination? You can't. If anyone wants the recipe, let me know.

A few more snow day pics

The dogs had so much fun in the snow that I just had to share a few more pictures. Cuz, really, who knows when we'll have more snow pics.

Tucker didn't have any problems with the snow-encrusted football. Then again, I'm pretty sure I've seen him eat Morgan's poop so I'm sure snow in his mouth was a welcome change of pace - change of taste?














Waiting patiently for a tastier-than-poop snowball.














Tucker went back out with the McHusband while we girls stayed warm inside.

































Yes, the snow was fun for a day or so, but I'm glad it's not something we have to deal with on a regular basis.

Owen and Lyla

Shannon took Owen for some professional pictures at Olan Mills, and she got some really cute pictures.















I love this one with the teddy bear. Actually, I don't think this was a professional picture, just one that Shannon took.



















My mom, a.k.a. G'ma, took some pictures of Lyla playing with the DJ table that the McHusband and I got her for Christmas.




























Is anyone else from my generation thinking back to our toys and wishing we'd had a DJ table?

And here's a picture Bri sent me today of Lyla in her new outfit.



















Two things:
1. Babies in jeans are pretty much the cutest things out there.
2. Bri took this picture with her phone and it's pretty much as good as some I've taken with our digital camera. I think I need either a new phone or a new camera.

Or maybe I just need to take a photography class.

Hey, Jenny? I need some new pictures of Chase to brag about.

Better late than never

Now that I know how to add videos (apparently I just wasn't waiting long enough for them to load), I have a couple from Christmas to share.

Here's Lyla with her favorite Christmas present - wrapping paper.

Okay, I lied, I only have that one right now. The one of Chase in the horsey-jumperoo thing is just a little bit too big to load. So now I have to edit it to be shorter or smaller or something before I can add it. Hopefully I'll be able to do that before Christimas '09.

Snow videos

Morgan and the "snow ball." She didn't like the snow in her mouth so she used her feet to play with the ball. Notice at one point how she tries to pick the ball up with her mouth but spits it out and shakes her head.

And here's Morgan and Tucker playing, then Tucker catching a snowball.

Two moms and a concert

The timing of the snow couldn't have been worse - the moms were due to drive to Raleigh from Charlotte on Tuesday for the Celine Dion concert that night. We weren't even sure that the concert would, like Celine's heart, go on. But the moms got on the road a little earlier than planned and braved the icy conditions by our house to get up here.

The McHusband and I had both called the venue at two different times and had been told that the concert wasn't canceled. Guess we should've made a third phone call...

Anyway, we went to dinner before the concert and as we walked out the door, the phone was ringing. It was an 800 number so we let the machine get it. More on that later.

So here we are, all excited to go see Celine.














Our first sign should've been the fact that there wasn't any traffic to speak of and we got to the RBC Center in record time considering the conditions. When we had our choice of parking right next to the building, I knew something wasn't right. I called the McHusband and sure enough, the concert had been postponed until the next night.

Like I said, we should've called that third time.

Luckily, we had a safe trip to the RBC Center and back home again, with a stop at the grocery store for wine and cookies, essentials for any snow night.

As we went to bed later that night, I saw the answering machine blinking with a message. It was Ticketmaster, calling to tell us the concert had been postponed.

That 800 number that we didn't answer? Guess we should've stuck around to see what they were calling about.

The next night, we went BACK to the RBC Center and got stuck in tons of traffic and missed most of the opening act. But we got to see Celine and it was a great concert.

Good company, good music, terrible traffic - two out of three isn't bad.

Snow '09

You may have heard - the Triangle got lots of snow on Tuesday. Charlotte got snow, too, but not as much. I guess Bri'll remember her 28th birthday, huh?

Here's the view of our cul-de-sac from our bathroom windows:














Neither Morgan nor Tucker had seen enough snow to matter before so we were excited to get them outside. Tucker's relatively fearless so we figured he'd barrel right out the door and get to investigatin'. But he wasn't so sure about all that cold white stuff. He is from Texas after all.


















Once outside, though, there was no stopping him. He and Morgan both loved the snow.

What happens when snow and boy parts meet.














Tucker even loved eating the snowballs we'd throw for him.














A McHusband and his dog...

Here's the front of the house and the view up the street.

Stools

We ordered our stools when my dad and sister were visiting the week after Christmas and they finally came in. They were in several pieces and we had to assemble them so I'm not exactly sure what part of the process took 3 weeks.

I told the McHusband that I'd have 'em put together before he got home that night. And I would have had at least one assembled except the thing that allows the chairs to swivel was too tight for me to turn (heck, it was almost too tight for the McHusband), then I was apparently misled by the really well drawn - NOT written - instructions as to which screws to use where. Once the McHusband turned the thingie and pointed me toward the right screws, though, I got my stool together in no time. In fact, I ended up putting two together.

Tucker thought the box was a better addition to the kitchen than the stools.

Lucky sweater?

Nothing too exciting to report from this weekend except that I beat the McHusband and everyone else with us in bowling Saturday night. That's right, I was the big winner with a score of 135. I realize that's not a particularly noteworthy bowling score, but it was the best of the group (8 of us) so I'm singin' it from the mountains.

Did I mention I beat the McHusband? He thought he had me at the beginning, then I got two strikes in a row and had a few good frames, then he crept up and eased past me. But I pulled it out in the 10th frame with a strike and then 9 more pins (didn't quite pick up the spare). I'll give the McHusband credit - he had 133, which is a very credible score. Not as good as 135, but still pretty good. :)

Maybe it was because I was wearing the sweater the McMom knitted for me. That's right, I was wearing a McMom Original.

Check me out:


















And here's my "Strike a pose!" pose:


















Hmmm, on second thought, it looks like the first in a series of pictures meant only for the McHusband...

My McHusband

My McHusband
by The McWife

My McHusband is smart and handy,
Always helpful and sometimes randy.
He hangs pictures, mirrors and shelves
With only a few curses and yells.

He flew to PA for my new car
Such a great guy to go so far.
He spent the next day washing it
'Til I asked, "Can I drive for just a bit?"

He's nice to my mom, can hang with my dad
Even my sisters think he's a likeable lad.

He's my high school sweetheart, my favorite guy
He's the best there is, I won't lie.
I love him now and will 'til the end
He's my one and only - my McHusband.

All About Owen

I don't usually have many pictures of Owen, but now I'm overflowing with them so here's a belated post dedicated just to him.

Here he is in the bath. He looks a little traumatized, doesn't he?














But here it looks like he's recovered and is feelin' good.



















You know, my mom pointed out that she thought he looked like my Uncle John in that picture, and I can see that, but I also think he looks like my grandad (Uncle John's - and my dad's -dad) who passed away a little more than a year ago. Hey, maybe that's where all that hair comes from. My grandad had lots of hair and he could make it move. Seriously, you had to see it. I forget who it was, Bri or Shannon, but one of them tried to pull his hair off because it was moving so much that it just HAD to be fake.

His cries of pain were very real, I assure you.

And here's Owen learning what those things at the ends of his arms can do.



















Finally, here's Owen in bed talking to his mobile when he was supposed to be napping.

Purple?

Okay, I'm going to tease you a little. See, I painted our powder room purple - Quixotic Plum actually - yesterday and while I'm not ready to share it yet, I just wanted to spread the word. We need to put in the new faucet and TP holder and I need to find a mirror. Hopefully I'll be able to find one at Lowes tonight and then I can take some pictures.

Anyway, I know you guys probably think I'm nuts for using purple, but Pantone, "the global authority on color" released a report saying that "blue and purple lead the top 10 hues for spring '09." See, my blue kitchen was just ahead of the trend.

New car!

I got a new-to-me car this weekend. It's actually a year older than the Focus - 2003 vs. 2004. It's an Acura TL Type S; if you want to know what all those letters mean, talk to the McHusband. I'm pretty sure the Type S refers to it being the sporty or speedy (or both) version of the TL.

Before we could get the new car, we had to sell the Focus and make room in the garage. We were lucky enough to sell the Focus after it had been on craigslist for only one day, and we got $200 less than our asking price so not too bad.

Here I am Friday night having a moment with the Focus before the buyer came to take it away.














The Focus was a really great car for me. I have nothing but love for it.

But I have room in my heart to love another car.




























And here's the interior, which is what I care about. It's got HEATED leather seats, a sunroof, a fancy-looking dash/console area, and a driver's seat that can program two positions and move according to which key is in the ignition. Pretty cool, huh?














Yeah, I know that memory seats aren't exactly a recent technological advance in automobiles, but remember that I drove a Focus where you dug your heels in and scooted back and forth to adjust the seat so these things are exciting for me.

Fire in the old neighborhood

A house just down the street from our old house caught fire and essentially burned down on Monday. I didn't know the people who lived there, but I knew they had a dog, a yellow Lab named Kelly. Luckily, the dog was with them (they'd been on a trip to Charlotte) and not stuck in the house.

It may seem morbid, but I drove by there on Tuesday and got a couple of pictures with my cell phone.














I'm not fireman, but it seems like the fire might've started in the garage since that's where the house is the most destroyed. Although I bet the garage led into the kitchen so it could've started in there as well.

The neighborhood's property management company is collecting clothes for the family so I bought some pajama pants from Kohl's and will go through our closets tonight to see if there's anything good to give to them. I also got them a card and mentioned that we'd just moved and had extra stuff that we'd be happy to donate to help them get on their feet so we'll see if that goes anywhere.

A McBirthday

The McHusband's birthday is the day after Christmas. Anyone (besides the McMom who's in the same boat as me times two since the McDad's birthday is December 31st) who complains about not knowing what to get a significant other for Christmas should try needing to figure out what to get for Christmas AND a birthday at the same time. Some years, like this year, are easier than others - and then there was the year when the McHusband got, among other things, a brown belt for Christmas and a black one for his birthday.

Hey, desperate times, you know? Nothing's wrong with a few useful gifts thrown in as padding.

This year, I got the McHusband a GPS, which he really liked. Thank goodness because it was his only gift from me. From the McInlaws, he got a model car he'd said he wanted plus an accessory for it. And it's a very appropriate accessory, too.

Here he is putting his new toy together. Note the oil spot on the floor.














(Apparently working on model cars requires the same clothes that working on real cars do.)

Now the test - will the car stay on the lift or come crashing down?













Success!

Now the toy, I mean 1993 teal Cobra on an asymmetrical 2-post rotary lift can go to its permanent home on the bookshelf.


















Now, the reason this was a very appropriate accessory is that the McHusband's actual teal Cobra has been in the shop since we moved. That's right, it's never even lived at the new house. I don't have a picture of it at the shop, but I'm pretty sure this is a good assumption of how it looks:














Boys and their toys...

Christmas Part III

The McChristmas Saga continues.

After Christmas morning at Bri's house, we headed to the McInlaws' house for Christmas there with them, Kevin, Jenny, and Chase.

The McHusband got a retracting air hose reel thingie that he sorta broke within 2.5 seconds of getting it out of the box. Please note that the order of these pictures (unlike how I appear in pictures in this blog) is not subjective; this is how it happened in real life.

The McHusband opened his present, broke it, then Kevin tried to fix it.



















THEN the McHusband pulls out the directions.














Men.

The McHusband and I got Chase a cowboy jumperoo-type thing that he seemed to really enjoy. If I can figure out how to change my video size, I'll add the video of him jumping in it. For now, a picture will have to do.



















The McInlaws got Kevin a Wii and I think he enjoyed playing that as much as Chase enjoyed his horse.

Here're Kevin and Jenny enjoying having someone else look after Chase while they play video games.














Hopefully the horsey thing does the trick at their house so they can play video games while Chase pretends to be a cowboy.

Finally, here's Uncle McHusband with Chase.


















Don't they both look really comfortable? I don't think we would've gotten a similar picture at Thanksgiving.