Projects: completed and under way and yet to do...

Well, I have finally begun the kitchen floor and it is not a moment too soon! I was incredibly lucky that the old vinyl tiles practically popped right off, leaving a clean subsurface for the new ones. Now I can get to my refrig, stove but not the sink. Hopefully, I'll get a bunch more on today. The flash washes out the colors - making that wall look at bit minty - yet I assure you it is very lime green - so the tiles are actually a soft sand color. Gives the eye a place to rest in a busy kitchen....

Bedroom floor has had all subfloor removed and is now painted a crisp white with mild green stripes...they don't look green because again, the color is washed out. Eventually this will be a solid wood floor but that is not in this year's budget....patience!

Remember that dark cave of a guest room with the 1940's wallpaper??? Well it has been painted a light clay color and it brightened it up beautifully. All that is left in here is tiling the floor - not sure if I want to go light or dark....probably light. What do you think?

Coming up: the living room floor. Here is my new rug, a Christmas present to myself! I love it - it is so much fun. The flooring underneath is oak and will need to be sanded. Although I have done all the work that I've showed you myself, this job I think I will hire out. And I'll wait until summer when we can open all the windows!

Christmas was spectacular - still processing how much fun and meaning was wrapped up in the weekend before with my friends, and Christmas with family. Kiley was a joy to watch: when I asked her Christmas morning if Santa had come, she said No, the monkeys came! What goes on in that little head. She has become fascinated with penguins and has named her new fish Penguin...what fun. Her speech has suddenly jumped ahead quite a bit: she is talking in complete sentences and really expressing herself - "Silly Queenie" she says when I do a dance or act a bit nutty. She also has suddenly become very possessive - not wanting to share her food, dollies or toys. But she is also giving the tightest, best feeling hugs in the world!

The most exciting news is that in three weeks I'm headed to Connecticut to see my son David and his wife Lori, my sweet sisters and brothers, and then to New Jersey to visit my youngest son Russell and his sweetie, Taryn. I'll be meeting Taryn's family for the first time (PRESSURE!!!) and then I'll head back to Pittsfield for a little more time with friends. I think I have the right idea - stretch this holiday out for a month or so!