Ichiro Fan

Bedroom remodel: It's done

Here we see Doug working hard to ensure that the floor trim will go in smoothly. If you ever have the choice about it, paint a room when the trim has not been installed yet. Then, no need to tape (though I love to tape!). And painting the trim when it is not on the wall/floor/etc. is sooooooo much easier. Then, just a couple of minutes of touch up painting to cover where the finishing nails went it. Another thing that makes this job of installing trim much easier. The chop-saw. Gets all those angle just right.

Look. A lovely half-wall. Crown molding. Floor molding. It's all painted and done!

A view of the new lighting (which Kate loves to look at) and the three doors. The ones on the left and right are new closet doors, as the room did not have closet doors when we bought it. I also am quite the pro at installing doornobs.

Another word of advice, if you ever choose to install crown molding, it's worth the small investment to get decorative corner pieces. Otherwise you have severly complicated angles to cut. And you'll mess it up, and have to buy more molding. Because, hey, if you haven't been to Lowe's yet today, your home improvement project must not be progressing very well. (I'm so thankful we are only 2 minutes away from Lowe's.)

And now, all the furniture (and some of the decorative stuff) is installed. Kate spent her first night in her new room last night. And she likes to run into the room to just see what's up!

I knew when I was putting on the bedspread that Tinker would be right on it. I didn't even have to wait for 3 minutes for her to fulfill her destiny.

The crib had to be partially unassembled to get it out of the other room and into this room. We thought we were so close to being done - just that one last piece of furniture. So many other things have gone well with this project, I guess it's okay that this part was a little trouble-matic.

One final picutre. I'm so proud of the work we have done. It turned out really well!

13 month self-portrait

Each time on the 1st when I thought about taking our picture, Kate was unavailable. So, it's a day late in the taking of the photo, but so goes life sometimes.

Bedroom remodel, part 2

Don't I look just stunning? After mudding, to prep the walls for painting, sanding was much needed. And it was sooooo dusty. This is the post-sanding look. The shop-vac works miracles for cleaning up the dust from sanding. Note the line where I have already have begun the work.

This area in the wall is where vent-work for the heat pump went up from the basement, through the bedroom, and into the theater. It is the reason for this entire room redo, as they cut into the floor and into the wall. As Doug says, "It wasn't the wall heater removal that inspired this project, but now that it's gone, I'm happier. And it wasn't the pannelling, but now that it's gone, I'm happier. And it wasn't even the god-awful trim work that inspired this room redo, though now that it's gone, I'm happier. It was having to repair this part of the room that was wrecked when then central heating went in."

This is where the wall heater used to be.

Ah. Popcorn ceiling. It's all gone now. Not a technically difficult job. Just a bit of elbow grease. Okay, a lot of elbow grease.

Look. It's all gone.

Here we have begun framing a half-wall to work around the new vent. Got the idea after watching an episode of "The Biggest Loser" when one of the contestants went home for a visit, and had one in her bedroom.

Painted ceiling. New light fixture. Primer coat on. The room looks so much better already. As we were getting ready for priming, we came across a real find. We though we were going to have to use many, many cans of spray-on texture to cover all the repair spots, so that the walls would have some sort of consistancy of texture. Not inexpensive, or easy. Then we found our "new favorite thing": texture that you pour into your gallon of paint. Then "wha-la", as you paint you are also texturing the wall. Easy and super inexpensive. Love it!

You can't even tell that the room used to be green, can you?

The next, and final entry will show all the fruits of our labors. Non-white walls and installed and painted trim. Yes!!

Pool time

Okay. I was just going to buy a $6 hard plastic wading pool for Kate. But Doug was in on the shopping, and we got this inflatable pool with a sun-shade that attaches with velcro. And I was very happy to have the Kirby with all it's attachments. Made inflating a breeze.

Kate is sporting a very fashionable 2-piece swimsuit. And she absolutely loves playing in the water.

If the pool survives for more that a year, Kate can grow with it. Otherwise, what a fun little toy for our little girl.

Fun with Food

Kate's been trying new foods. She's one to follow on her cousin Owen's adventuresome lead. If I load the food onto her spoon, she'll shovel it on it. Next, we'll work on her loading up the spoon herself! She's also learned the joy of a good old fashioned peanut butter and jelly sandwich. She'll even eat the crust. I hear that will make her hair curly. :)

Ymmmmmm.

Room remodel

We are working on remodeling one of the bedrooms. It's the one that's straight ahead at the end of the hall way. First, a before picture (though already cleared of furniture and various sundries).

Upon removing the paneling, the true colors of the room were revealed. Literally, in terms of the green, and figuratively, in terms of some of the repair work we'd be in for.
What's most revealing about this picture: there used to be an exterior window on this wall. But when the patio became enclosed to create what is now our "theater", the window was no longer needed. And the room used to have a base-board heater.
Our goal is to get everything done before the Fuller's arrive on July 14. This includes removing the popcorn ceiling and putting up new trim, after the walls are all done. Wish us luck!

Foot cruise

It's been so long since I've posted entries, I thought you'd enjoy a dose of watching Kate cruise around the kitchen.

Earlier in the evening, her hair had gotten wet, so it was particularly curly in the back. I tried chasing her around to get a good shot of that - and below are the results.

Bath in the Sink

Kate's been battling a nasty diaper rash, so among other things we decided to try a baking-soda bath. We hae a nice big sink - which we just might do other baths in! She especially liked picking up the sponge and watching the water drain off.

Bath in the Sink

New Chandelier

Three years ago, when we moved into our house, one of the 'first things' I wanted to do was to replace this chandelier. I just plain didn't like it. While it actually looks okay in this picture, it's not my style. And looks worse in person. FINALLY - we updated the light fixture this week. I'm so happy.

Wipeout on ABC

I don't know how to actually get the video onto the blog, but if you haven't seen the show Wipeout on ABC, you must click on the link below to get a taste of it. Be sure to watch the whole thing.

It's so funny, in an absolutely mindless way. Doug's and my favorite: the big red balls.


Check local listings.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOYkhF52dUo

Water Toy

Auntie Jennie got Kate this fun water table for her birthday. She alternated between seriously curious to splashy fun. Here's a little glimpse.

In the mail

(editor's note: I'm at work early posting this entry. All the pictures are at home. I swear I'll get some cute Kate pictures up within 24 hours. . .)

Yesterday we mailed off our "Adoption Questionaire" to Catholic Community Services. It was a one page form (mostly name & contact info) to start the adoption process that we have long been looking at.

Even before Kate was born, we were looking at what is known as the foster-to-adopt program. It's for children who are in the state foster system, but are eligible for adoption because their birth parents have had their rights terminated. We both feel called to giving a home to a child who needs one, and are looking forward to expanding our family this way!

I'm also thinking that it will be very intertesting to blog about this experience and process. To keep you updated and to keep a record of the journey.

12 month stats

Kate's doctor appointment went well today. Happy, healthy, and going strong.

21 pounds (about 50th percentile)
29.75 inches (about 75th percentile)

4 shorts. Sobbing crying for 2 minutes. Semi-cranky baby the rest of the afternoon.

I think between the current round of teething and the shots, sleep will be rough tonight.

Birthday Events

Okay. Pictures are not exactly in order, but Bogger is being tempremental about moving pictures around today.

Yesterday we had a little BBQ get-together. And we all got to watch a cute little girl eat cake. A chocolate frosted cupcake, that is. Made by her mommy, who succumbed to sibling-peer pressure around baked goods and childrens' birthdays. It sure was tasty! Okay, I'll eat a little . . . especially the frosting!

Sure like the feel of it between my fingers.

Awwww. I'm so cute!

So many presents, so little time.

Kate was a little bit interested in opening presents. But not too much.

A smile and a laugh for the birthday bear.

I love my new swing. Monica helped me figure out how fun it is!

Watch my happy feet go wild at the end of the video.