Master of our Domain

After seeing the not-yet-a-nursery, you might think we’re not making any progress around here in regards to baby adjustments. But no! Let me remind you, that in order for that room to be cleared out at all, Dustin and I had to make a pretty big change. We had to learn to share. A room that is. And by that I mean we had to consolidate our clothes storage into one room…we’re already pretty good at sharing a bedroom (I mean, we’re having a baby…!) but our clothes needed to share space. And this was something I was pretty worried about. But it’s going surprisingly well! Everything found a home (it helped that we got rid of a TON of stuff), and I’ve even had better luck keeping my things picked up, since I can’t just toss things all over the floor and bed, shut the door and walk away.

But it wasn’t as simple as just moving my clothes over to our bedroom- we had a to do a bit of a furniture switch-a-roo. And on top of that, we were in the middle of a bit of a makeover in this room (which explains why I’ve never really spotlighted it on the blog). But if I wait for it to be 100% finished (or even 75%, really) it might never go on here, so on with the show!

First- the before:

As in, way before. This is what the room looked like when we toured the house. Not bad…especially compared to the “four seasons room” or the “triplet’s bedroom”, but not exactly our taste. So in the great pre-move-in painting frenzy, we chose a light beachy teal for the walls, and went to town.

The after:

This is pretty much how the room was for the last few years. I liked it…but didn’t love it. In fact, it was probably one of my least favorite rooms in the house (which isn’t as bad as it sounds, because we have some rooms I really love). For whatever reason, it just didn’t feel like me (or us). But it sort of felt silly to redo it, when there wasn’t anything wrong with it, especially when there were so many other things that are much higher on the priority list (i.e. kitchen, bathroom, and pretty much everything else around here). Luckily, Dustin supports my particular brand of crazy, and agreed to repaint the room.

The color I chose….wait for it….dark teal!

After living with a dusty teal for three years, I finally had the opportunity to change it, and I just wanted a new version of basically the same thing. But no! It is different! So very different! And not even just to my crazy-picky designer eye (is that giving me to much credit?) After seeing a pic in an online magazine, I fell in love with Benjamin Moore’s “surf blue”, and knew that’s what the new room had to be built around. But I was worried about the room being too dark (Imagine! Me? Painting a room too dark? Impossible!) so I compromised, and decided an accent wall would accomplish the look, without making the room into an ocean cave. (P.s. if you are shuddering right now, don’t feel bad. The words “accent wall” pretty much make me want to gag, as I picture bad Trading Spaces episodes from the 90’s. But stick around, I think this one turns out ok.) So I had the Home Depot paint guy match the photo, and then……you know the next step here folks…..add black, ensuring I would love the deep, rich result. We also picked up some white paint for the walls- and here’s where the learning curve kicks in- it ended up SOOO white. So very white. It served as an ok primer to cover the previous color, but we had to go back for new swatches, and choose a less-white white to save the white trim from looking like the ever popular shade “Smoker’s Teeth”. Having averted that crisis, we were on to the decorating, which was 90% placing old items back in the room, adding in just a few new touches.

Annnnnnd….after:

Again- not finished by any means, but oh so very much better. To me anyway.



We added some frames and accessories, I painted some canvases for the focal wall (after drawing in Illustrator, and making some stencils), and we popped a new pillow on the bed (a surprise no-reason present from my husband. The very best kind of present.) And that was pretty much it for the overhaul.

Oh- and then there are these little ditties- my great unfinished dream.

I somehow got my heart set on striped curtains, and COULD. NOT. FORTHELIFEOFME. find any. So I set to making them myself. But not making striped curtains out of striped fabric. No no no. This, after all, was a Courtney Project, and one half of the Courtney Project parameters is that it has to be WAY too complicated. So I made my own striped fabric. That I then made into curtains. And the other half of the CP rules? Leaving said project unfinished as long as possible. See those hems, and that lining? No? Well that’s because I haven’t done it. But that doesn’t stop me from hanging them, and taking pictures for the entire internet to see and judge! Ta-da! (p.s. if you have a great link to striped curtains, or even striped fabric, or even even a how-to that’s way easier than the mess I’ve made, I will thank you kindly to keep it to yourself. We are too far down the path now. Stubbornness will push us the rest of the way.)

But even these afters are really technically "before"s. Because though the repainting project is still fresh in my mind, after looking at the date of the photos, it seems we completed that last August. Yikes. (in my defense, I didn't start the curtains until January, so I'm not actually as behind as you might think.) So it seems we've been living with the new color for quite a while...

But now for the reason you came here (actually I have no idea what that would be at this point…) the results of the great clothing merge! Once we got the room looking somewhat how we wanted it...of course it was time to tear it apart again to make room for my stuff. Luckily at this point, with just a bit of shifting and swapping, we were able to make it work.

It was quite simple really- my “everyday” clothes got consolidated from my closet and armoire into just the armoire.


Dustin kept the closet and dresser for 98% of his things. Dress pants and blazers (surprise! These ragamuffins actually own such things!) are in the guest room closet. And anything of mine that has to hang, (plus shoes, bathing suits, and workout gear) is in the huge (and completely full) hall closet.


Oh- and my “jewelry table" has been relocated to the top of Dustin’s dresser. I wouldn’t say he’s thrilled about this, but I’ve saved him a place for the 4 watches he never wears, and the gobs of change he collects somehow despite never paying for anything in cash. It’s all about compromise, right?

The new arrangement has worked out quite well, and though we could stand to dress up the room a bit (or maybe just hem some dang curtains!) to me, it’s looking pretty good.

Nesting

We got such great reactions to the tour of my dressing room, I was almost hesitant to tear it apart to create a space for baby’s room. But I do love a decorating project, and knew that as much as I loved my room now, I’d love re-imagining it for a wee-one even more.

May I present to you, our nursery:

What? You’re not impressed? I mean, sure, we don’t have a crib, but the baby can just curl up on that bench, right? I put some leftover pillows and a quilt/wall-hanging on it. Should be fine.

And no, we don’t have a changing table- but we do have a dresser just waiting for a bare baby bottom to rest upon its stained metal top. Or maybe the 1/3 of a dining table would serve as a good spot? After all, it is next to the radiator, and has some spare light bulbs hanging around on top…

And who needs a glider when you have an ikea arm chair (I think that’s what’s under all those pillows?) with non-matching ottoman?

Mobile? Nope.
Bookshelf? Nope.
Toy/supply/clothes storage? Nope/nope/nope.
Rug or Curtains? Nope and nope?

Left over Vogue posters, broken mirror and nomadic sewing machine? Check, check, Check! (and before I get a “it must be a girl!” comments- let me assure you none of these three items are staying. And now let the “she’s taking down the posters…it must be a boy!” comments ensue…)

So…..It’s safe to say we’re not quite ready for the baby’s arrival. But OH do we (I) have big plans!! Big big plans! (ok- regular sized plans…I don’t want you guys expecting too much). And as soon as our big/huge/overwhelming plans are finished in the kitchen, we’ll move upstairs to make some baby-magic (the decorating kind).

But until then, we do have this little gem:

A brand new dimmer switch. 85% installed by me (Dustin’s 15% was mostly reminding me emphatically and repeatedly to turn the power off before I began, or opened the package, or even looked at the wall.) I figure this way if the room turns out more like this “before” than a true “after” we’ll just dim the lights, and no one will have to know.

Burgatory

There are few things I enjoy more than a good cheeseburger, a love that is only eclipsed by my desire to customize my food choices, so you can imagine that a gourmet burger joint, where you can build your own culinary masterpiece would suit me just fine.

Oh Burgatory, where have you been all my life? (Answer: In Waterworks, a fine, but underutilized-by-the-Bowdens, strip mall in Pittsburgh).

I had heard of this place before, but for some reason we had never been there. A few weeks ago, still knee deep (literally) in the kitchen renovation we decided it was time to get out and sample their mouth watering fare. We met up with friends, and endured the hour-and-a-half wait time (seriously) by perusing the nearby Barnes and Noble. I don’t typically endorse such an extreme wait, but I figured this place would be the Millenium Force of burgers…as in- worth it.

And OH. Was it ever.

It’s a simple concept- pick your bread, pick your meat, pick your toppings. They have just about everything you could ever want, and even provide some “already built” options for the less inspired diner, but our table was up for the creating challenge. After hemming and hawing over the endless combinations, we ticked the boxes, and awaited our feast.


When our platters arrived, it was time for more simple steps: Eat, eat, take photos, eat, unbutton your pants, and eat some more. Optional- laying your face down on table repeating “why………” when you inevitably overindulge.

It was super crazy delicious.

And as good as the burgers were (which was very), the other offerings stood up to them. The fries and chips were yummy, but the other star of the show were the milkshakes. Mmmmmmmmilkshakes. Each of us couples opted to share one (good choices)- selecting S’mores and Carmel Pretzel. They gave us 1/2" thick straws to slurp down the calorie rich decadence. And we happily did so.

Needless to say- I recommend it. And a food recommendation from a pregnant lady is probably worth following…believe me, I’ve done more than my share of taste-testing research lately.

(A bonus from our trip- When leaving we overheard another patron utter what is now Dustin’s 2^nd favorite random quote, “Is it raining, or am I just blown?!”)

(if you want to know his #1 favorite drug-related overheard quote you’ll have to ask in person…this is a family blog…but let me just say it starts with a young man saying to his telephone companion- “You know that feeling when you’re high? Well that’s how you’re gonna feel…”)

Rawr

These are my nails.

I love them like a gum-chewing, 80’s secretary loves…well…like she loves my nails.


Pre-application, I described them to Dustin, and he sensitively asked “Isn’t that trashy?” Yep. Sweet trashy leopard love.


My mom and sister are almost as cool as me. Almost.

Let’s all go to the movies…

We did it! Two days late, but we did it!

I couldn’t quite pull off a backyard showing just yet, so we settled for the good old fashioned drive in theater. I looked up options in Pittsburgh and Ohio, and figured the 4^th of July weekend would be the perfect chance to catch some cinema alfresco. (though the resolution was for June, I figure the timing is less important than the fact we actually did it!). I called up our friends Sarah and Matt, who were more than willing to be a part of our dream come true. (though Sarah did say I was “using her for the blog”. I agreed, and am not sorry.)

So we met up in a Lowe’s parking lot, piled our chairs, blankets, pillows, Coke Zero and Jim Bean (you know, movie staples) in my car, and rode off into the sunset. (Full disclosure- we were early to meet Sarah and Matt, so we used the time to complete a dry run of the car set up. Ten minutes and at least three failed configurations later, we had ourselves a winner.)

Our destination: South Drive-in Theater. i.e. the only drive in theater within 100 miles of Columbus.

The double feature choices were Transformers 3 + Super 8, or Cars 2 + Green Lantern. Super 8 is the only movie that Rotten Tomatoes gave more than a 35% rating, so we went for that combo. The rules for the theater were short…as in, there was 1: extinguish grills before dark. Who knew you could even have grills? (Sarah was a little worried alcohol wouldn’t be allowed, but we quickly found out that it was probably encouraged if anything.) However- the parking instructions took up, I kid you not, an entire 8.5”x11” page. (a page that also included such grammatical gems as “walkmans”- their quotes, not mine, and Boom Boxes- which apparently warrants capital letters, even in the middle of a sentence.) Once we finally understood the battleship like points- to the west of the center red post, organized by size, unless you plan to raise your hatch, then go up a category….We got a prime spot up front, chatted a bit, and it was time for the show.

I’ll save you extended ratings on the movies. Let’s just say what Transformers 3 lacked in quality, it (more than) made up for in length. And if you’ve seen The Goonies, E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, then you’ve pretty much seen Super 8 (though I would still say it’s worth watching. Not so much on the first flick). But the entire outing wasn’t really about the movies themselves. It was about the movie watching experience. And that part did not disappoint.

Upsides:

• Fresh air
• Surprisingly good picture and sound (especially when you crank your stereo and open the doors halfway to create an outdoor version of “surround sound”)
• Comfy seating to get our mack on…I mean hold hands.
• Intermittent fireworks shows nearby.
• French fries
• Price- $8 for adults, kids 12 & under $1 (22 week old fetuses- free!)

Downsides:

• Sleepy pants (me) couldn’t quite make it to 2:30AM to see the conclusion of movie #2.
• The “bathrooms”
• A rather, shall we say, interesting clientele? Light up “grills” (like for your mouth) were popular. As were such classics as not wearing a shirt, and driving sleeping children home in the back of your pickup. Not sure if this was specific to this drive-in location or whether it’s a rather consistent cross over with the flea market crowd. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I mean…we were there!
• Bugspray

Overall though, I loved it and plan to go in Pittsburgh soon. (I found out later Dustin had never been to a drive-in movie. The tragedy of a mis-spent youth!) But now it’s on to July’s resolution, which is the vague- “go on an adventure”. There’s no telling what we’ll come up with (or end up counting) for that goal.

Ps. Yes they played the legendary dancing animated snack bar promo. And yes I attempted to film it. But the footage just doesn't do it justice, and I gave up before the climax- Hot Dog jumps into Bun. You’ll just have to experience it live!

Unexpected Epilogue

Somebody’s grandparents bought them this CD.

Somebody’s grandparents are awesome. (like, totally.)

And now you can expect an endless flood of “You Know What I Really Want” blog posts, in case those same folks (or anyone really) need more sweet gift ideas….

Thanks Bob and Janet! The baby is sleeping like a baby, (only so much cooler!) already.