**I finally posted a few wedding pictures - then the computer/website started getting a little testy so I stopped

On Saturday my mom, dad, and sister came over and we tackled 2 of the areas I was avoiding painting solo - the upstairs hallways (with 6 doors) and the bonus room, which is nearly the size of a 2-car garage. In about 4 hours (just as my dad had predicted) we finished both areas, which we painted Glidden Olivewood, the same color as most of the downstairs.

We don't have any decorations up yet, but it makes SUCH a big difference. I no longer feel like upstairs is a work zone with half taped trim. It looks SO much more like home and the house feels more complete. Now we just want to get the master bath done when we get back from our trip.

Speaking of trip, hubs and I are leaving on Thursday for a road trip to Glacier National Park in Montana. We're stopping in Clarkston, WA for a jetboat tour, some other cities in WA, ID, and MT, Spokane to visit some cousins, Silverwood, and Kalispell. I will have pictures. It's our yearly vacation but also our celebration of 1 year of marriage! Very exciting.

Well, all for now. Thanks for reading.

Here are a few before and after pictures of our bedroom. I am quite satisfied with the results, despite having to put 2 coats on. Of course, I would be happier with anything. No, it's really the perfect color. Much more airy. Now we just have to add in all the fixin's from my design board!  Paint was recommended by Michelle at Second Street East. It's Benjamin Moore Horizon Gray but I got it matched in Glidden at Home Depot.

I am mid-way through painting our master bedroom and covering up the bright periwinkle ways forever. Benjamin Moore Horizon Gray (matched by Glidden at HD) if you must know.

Things I have learned from my painting expedition:

- I need to keep chapstick on me at all times while painting because I tend to lick my lips and stick out my tongue while I paint - especially the ceiling.

- Blue tape is only partially protective from paint.

- I need to time myself as motivation to paint. Otherwise I do half a wall and take a break (like i am right now)

- Painting in booty shorts is the way to go - it's much easier to maneuver, and also easier to get wet paint off of legs than pants.



Well, back to painting. I'm thinking I'll get lunch after I put coat 1 on the biggest walls... Happy Painting!

Yesterday and today I went shopping and picked up a... few... more things for the guest bedroom. And now it's all coming together and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Granted, I still have to paint the ceiling after I snapped my extension pole, but... that shouldn't take too long.

Can I NOT recommend Dutch Boy Refresh paint, please? I realize that most people would stick up their nose to paint that isn't Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore, but I'd had good luck with regular old hardware store paint. However, it took me 2 gallons just to paint the walls of the guest bedroom (an average sized room). It only covered about a 2 foot x 2 foot area at most before I had to refill my roller. Perhaps I was doing something wrong, but I've painted before, and this was tough stuff! Oh well, lesson learned....

John and I went to IKEA yesterday and ended up with a throw blanket, chandelier (which I promptly spray-painted yellow today), and stool for the vanity. Good buys. John was such a patient man. Today I hit up Ross, Goodwill, and Lowe's and got the following:

- silver old car (just a kitchy thing, looks like a giant monopoly piece)
- 7 frames from goodwill that I painted white
- scrapbook paper for inside the frames
- milk glass candle holder
- yellow bird candle holder
- light medallion for above chandelier
- paint for vanity

Pictures to come. I don't want to give anything away!! Tomorrow I'm going back to a few good antique stores my mom and I found to pick up a few other things.

Also, I think I am going to order knobs for the vanity from Anthropologie, since these are SUPER cute. The vanity is being painted all white with a clear satin varnish, but I'm wondering if I should paint a little yellow on it... there are carved out circles around where the knobs go and other little accents and painting that part yellow could either be super cute or look like a sunny-side-up egg. We will see...

After even more drama today, everything came into place and we got a key to the house! We ended up having to drive 2 hours last Thursday to sign papers at the main escrow building, so we technically closed then. But the seller's paperwork had to go through, etc. and last minute we got the title recorded this afternoon.

Tomorrow we'll get the garage door opener and mailbox key, but one was good enough to get in there!

We brought a pizza and some camping chairs over then proceeded to take out ALL the screws and nails and brackets out of the walls. John ended up with a mound the size of Mt. Eyjafjallajökull on our counter. I "installed" (screwed in) cabinet knobs that had already been drilled but were taken off. Overall a wonderful productive start to homeownership!

The rest of the Week?

Tuesday

• Utilities switched over
• Clean Walls
• Magic Eraser doors
• Wipe out cabinets
• Spackle/repair holes

Wednesday

• Move out of apartment after work (everything is in garage, almost ready)

Thursday

• More spackling/repair/wall prep for painting
• Gas line turned on

Friday

• Tape off/prep for paint

Saturday/Sunday

• Painting Party!