Dear Mom....

While choosing meat at the grocery store, I heard this exchange:

Mother on her last nerve: "Please stop doing X."
Small child in cart stomping on above mentioned last never: "Why? I like to do X."
Mom (exasperated): "Please just sit in the cart."
Child begins raising VOICE: "I. DON'T.WANNA.SIT.IN.THE.CART!"
Mom (more firmly, but still has her cool): "Just sit in the CART!"
Child: "BUT, WHY?"
(secretly as an observer, I was waiting for this, the child was maybe 3 or 4)
Mom (about to lose her cool, right next to the sausage links): "BECAUSE I SAID SO! NOW SIT."
Child then sits, as she knew sitting was in her best interest.

Me thinking, "I am so glad I am here getting my alone time at the grocery store."  Then I offered up the Mom an understanding smile...

It was that exchange that had me drafting this letter in my head....

Dear Mom,
Hi, it's me, your favorite child [being an only child, I am always the most beloved and cherished].   I just wanted to take a moment to say I am sorry.

I am sorry for being a non-listening child at all the wrong times.  Like in the grocery store when you just wanted to get that one thing.  For throwing fits when you would say no.  I know, you are right, those Guess jeans were really expensive.  I just wish I realized your way of compromising was getting me a nice cool Swatch watch instead. 

I am sorry I ruined my dress at the Pete Rose restaurant in the late 70's.  At least I can blame that one on I was not potty trained yet, and cloth diapers in the 70's were not really made for more than washing a car. 

I am sorry for being a brat in front of other people.  When I knew you were too good a Mom to actually lose it in front of another parent.  Your simple response of, "That is enough" was enough for me.

Sorry for all those times I ever put you on the spot.

Sorry about eating those 2 pennies and 1 nickel when I was 6, that was a bad idea.  You were right, we shouldn't put money in our mouth. And I really hope those are out of my system by now.

From the age of 14 until around 19, sorry for all that snottiness/ugliness/brattiness/smart mouth/etc. You are right, I'll be getting my pay back in the form of a beautiful little, strong willed, girl named CC.  But, sorry for all those extra gray hairs I caused.  You were calm and cool during the teenage years.  Giving me enough freedom and guidance to keep me safe. Raising me to know a good choice, from a bad choice.

Thanks for talking me out of those tattoos I swore I wanted when I was in college. And, since I was an "adult" I could do whatever to my body.  Because of your, "wait and see" approach to body art, I have dodged a tree frog (to be a tramp stamp) tattoo, and a Joe Boxer Smile on my left hip (who knew Joe Boxer would stop being cool one day?).  Thanks for being that voice of reason, that voice is still in my head and, I listen to it!

Thanks for instilling in me that I did not need to pierce every pierceable spot on me.  You were right.

Thanks for teaching me the response, "Because I said so."  Hopefully, one day it will work on Connor and CC as well as it worked on me.

Thanks for letting me learn some hard lessons on my own, but being there to help me wade my way though fixing the small messes I created. 

I am so glad, that at the age of 20, I realized, Yes, YOU ARE RIGHT.  You have been right about so many things.  I just can't believe it took me 20 years to see that! At least for the past 15 years, I have conceded that you really do know what you are talking about. Now, if I can only convince CC and Connor that I know what I'm talking about... ugh. 

Really, thanks for everything. For all your patience, and kindness, and unending love.  I know I can still be a pain, but at least I have stopped the public embarrassment of pooping my pants in public.  :)

Lots of Love-
Me


 

A Clean Mess

Got this? (no I'm talking about an over exposed, not in focus picture)

White vinegar, baking soda, and food coloring

Snot sucker

"Upcycled" Dropper

Then add a bowl, and a couple kids and you get this....



I had that for about 45 minutes. Focused and quiet.

Basically, I filled small containers with baking soda.  I gave the kids some cleaned droppers (from old infant Tylenol containers), and those old nose suckers (cleaned too!).  I filled small cups with vinegar and a drop of food coloring (a little goes a LONG way).

Then I let them go.  They LOVED seeing the vinegar and baking soda fizz.  They made interesting creations like these:

All in all a quiet and interesting activity.  I initially was going to fill a huge 9x13 pan, then decided to do a much smaller one. I am glad I did, they kids wanted to keep having "fresh" baking soda for their next creation.

It's messy but it's not.  Also, I used the left over baking soda "creation" to clean my sinks.  They got really sparkly :)

I was inspired by a post at: Play At Home Mom

Got a spare $80 and 3 days? The Stair Project

Yes, I am so behind blogging.  I still have to update on Connor's birthday and Calista's.  I will retroactively post them.  Since Miss CC has on the brink of three, I have been hearing the chorus of, "MOM, Mom, MOOOOOO-OOOMMMM!!!" When I get out of ear shot.  It's a lot like this clip...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH6DdijYT9o

Ah, Stewie and Lois...

So, staircase re-do.  You know what, stairs don't talk back.  They let me do whatever, I want.  And, with these beauties rocking the 1982, Holiday Inn Beige Carpet, I wanted to do SOMETHING. I could not walk down these ugly, nasty, stinky, stained, disgusting steps again.

Yuck. No personality ugly steps.

My tools of choice.... Jeff needs to hide them better.

Oh no! My Wonderbar, Utility Knife, and brute strength ripped this up...

 I told Jeff, this was the original carpet.  He disagreed, until he saw/smelled what lay underneath. It was disgusting. Jeff came home, saw two steps missing carpet, shook his head and kept going up.  I had to work late, and Jeff had softball. So, for two hours, I stared at my two naked steps thinking, "Oh crap.... what did I do?"

I did what anyone would do, I scoured the Internet for "Stair re-do" or "Staircase update" or "update 1982 steps."  I then googled, "stair runner" and "painted steps" and "refinish stairs."  I slightly panicked, then called my cousin, Shawn, to assist in demo.  While I am slightly dainty with demolition, Shawn rolls up his sleeves, and tears stuff out fast and furious.  Obviously, he does not have to dust the house after Demo. 

Shawn helping clean up demo.  Proof, he did try to clean :)
Notice, Jeff and my Uncle are "supervising"

After Friday night, I had naked steps, and a few beers.  While still thinking..."What am I going to do now?!" I felt like this:

Connor reacting to the Shop vac

Saturday, I had a plan.  Before I went to yoga, my goal was to go to Lowe's to see their in stock runners.  I knew the following....

1. I would not be staining these steps
2. I needed to sand these babies
3. I needed to prime these naked steps, and maybe some of the delightful Dark Walnut trim that runs throughout this home
4. The dog will not walk up or down these steps, we need something on them
I looked at Lowe's, they had some new Seagrass runners, they were very trendy. Kind of like what I saw online.

I got some samples, grabbed some Zinsser Cover Stain Primer (I saw it on this post: Centsational Girl Staircase re-do), some sand paper, and some caulk.  The steps has some gaps I needed to fix, and caulk was gonna be my friend.

And then I went to yoga...and I thought...and thought...
I went right back to Lowe's after yoga. I went back home with a sample of this:

Traditional

My house is traditional.  End of Story. I am not trendy, or brave when it comes to the house.  I enjoy more classic and traditional. I do not want to purchase the most high-end of materials, and I don't want the cheapest material.  I choose to re-decorate and update our home to keep it updated, but not with materials you expect to see in a half-million dollar home (OK what $500K would get you here in the mid-west).  I might get brave with paint, but flooring choices, I prefer neutral and timeless.  Hence why, I thought this runner would fit more with the house than the trendier Seagrass/jute runners. 
Once nap time rolled around on Saturday, Jeff had to go fix my car - a do-hickey was all busted.  Something about if the do-hickey broke, I'd be in a world of trouble.  So, I gave Jeff my car.  I had a date with a sander, some tack cloth, and primer.  By the time nap was over, I had this....

By the end of Saturday, I had primed, caulked, and purchased a stair runner.

The next day, we were going on a day trip.  So, Sunday, super early, I put on one coat of paint. Halfway down the stair case, I realized the paint I was using was OUTDOOR paint.  This is what happens when you look in your paint can arsenal for Satin white paint. I am hoping it wears well, only time will tell.  I was not going to be deterred by this minor set back, so I forged on! 

Monday morning, I put on coat number two.  Late afternoon, Jeff pulled out the air compressor, nail gun and staples.  Off we went....Step by step, staple by staple, we had 1 hour to get the steps finished before our company arrived.  We were having a little pizza and cake celebration for CC's third birthday. Here is the sneak peak from that...

But, then we were finished...Here is our final project:

Side by side before and after:

The dollars and cents? The project came in about $80.00.  I had to get the primer, caulk, some sandpaper, staples and the runner.  Everything else we had!  I was very impressed with how well this went.  Both Jeff and I thought this would end up being a "patch" job until we figured out what to do.  We are happy with it, the new runner goes with the house (and Higgins will now walk upstairs).  I think I am going to prime and paint the middle spindles white to tie them into the stair case.  The primer worked so well, I am debating painting a little more of the wood (a sin, I know, but this house is FILLED with this 80's stained wood). 

All in all project complete.  Next up, new carpet in the upstairs hallway and master bedroom.  After that, painting the living room, and updating some outdated built in bookcases. Besides all that, Connor and Calista learned a new fact about their Mommy, they learned that Mommy knows how to use tools.  I think they were both impressed and frightened with this new revelation...I know Jeff feels this way too.