Two Things...

Two things....

*

So, I painted all weekend. Painting is hard work!  I don't think it matters if you paint like 1500sqft or 300 sqft -- it is all the same work.  You have to trim...well, first I had to repaint the white baseboards.  I tried to just clean it, but, no.  So, I painted all the baseboards white.   I taped off the shelving and around door.  I had to take the blinds off.  This used to be my son's room, so he had his "collections" on the shelves which I finally packed up and boxed up and they are ready for a move!  That was hard work, too.  Then I had to wait until the next day (I don't know if I actually HAD to wait, but my gosh, I was exhausted!!) to continue.  The first thing I did was "outline."  Trent HATES this part, so I am actually pretty good at good.  I used an edger thingie and I just edged the gray paint up to the white trims.  Natalie, thank heavens, decided to help me out. While I trimmed, she got a brush and did the corners and around the shelving and started on the closet.  All I have to say about the closet is that it has four walls, it is just as hard to paint as like a regular room.  It is a room, just smaller, but still four walls.  Well, actually one full wall, two partial walls, and one header (?). But still...I was glad Natalie is young and generous!

After we were done with the outlining, we both grabbed a roller and had at it.  I forgot to mention, the walls were like a very dark green, forest green (I am not sure WHY I let Garrick paint the walls so dark; I am surprised he didn't need Prozac while he was living here!) and I went to a lighter grayish color.  We got the first coat on and ....that's right, ran out of paint!!

At that point, we had a decision to make.  Put on the shoes and run to Home Depot all stinky and painty and unshowered and unmade up and hair undid (!) or shower, get ready and take advantage of a Saturday afternoon and shop and then run to Home Depot.  I wont even insult your intelligence; we all know which option was chosen!!

However, we did not wait until the next day!  I was like, "What time do you work tomorrow?"  Jo replied, "Eleven in the morning."  I asked, "Do you want to help me in the morning or after you get home?"  To which she replied, "Are you kidding me, neither.  I am not painting before work or after work."  So, I asked, "Well...do you wanna finish it now?"  To which she replied, with a very long, audible sign, "Okay."

So, we gave the walls a second coat.  We brought the new furniture up from the garage.  We moved the bed and put on the new bedding.  We put the bookshelf back.  We plugged in lights.  We put the new candles on the shelf.  And we called it a day!!!  

Here is my new guest room formally Garrick's room!   Gotta say, I love, love, love it.  I want to move in there!  

*
I haven't really kept too quite about losing weight.  I have mentioned it a few times.  However, the other day someone I love very much told me I should be proud of my accomplishment.  I am not ever really proud of anything I have done (except my kids....I am really proud of carrying them for 9 months (8-1/2 for Natalie) and giving birth and watching them grow into exceptional adults!).  I don't really know why, I don't like attention, I guess, and I don't like people complimenting me because I really don't know how to accept it.

Anyway, so I went to look for a before and after picture.  I do not have one picture of my full body from before.  Not when I started to get heavy. Everything is waist up.  I don't think this was a conscious thing, because I was actually very surprised that I did not have one photo.  So, on my phone, I had recorded the ice bucket challenge thingie last year, so I snapped a still shot from that video to get the before photo.  This was in 08/2014.  My heaviest weight was in 10/2014. So, the before picture is probably actually about 5 or so pounds less than my heaviest weight.  

The after photo is my in my goal pants!  I am about 35 to 40 pounds lighter.

Someone I hadn't seen for a few months who I saw at church, told me that when she looked at me, she could tell from my neck and face that I had lost a lot of weight.  My allergist last week printed off my weight history for the last year because she was so surprised at how much I had lost and how great I looked!  I am proud that I am 2 pant sizes smaller and still shrinking - although I am not dieting really any more.  I have made life changes.  

I actually can't put all the credit on diet and exercising. I was under tremendous stress the first of the year.  I always thought I was a stress eater - and I am - unless the stress is almost unbearable, then I am a stress starver.  I was running back and forth to the hospital, running my house, running my business, being a mom, being a dog owner, mowing lawns, doing laundry, being both husband and wife in my house.  However, in the last 3 months I have really exercised and though stress may have taken some poundage off, the exercise (Body by Jeanne!! (she made me say that!)) and the dieting have kept it off and have made me more fit.  I am probably in better shape physically than I have been in the last 10 years or so.  

So....tada....here I am before and after!

*
I lied, three things!!

I am getting my hair cut (and dyed!!)  this week.  I am very seriously thinking about cutting it short -- well shorter.  Maybe a bob to my neck. I can't go any shorter than my neck because I have a skin issue (I have a blog about this issue that I have kept in my drafts for a long while, one day I will be brave enough to speak of my skin issue, one day).  I have grown my bangs out, which I actually hate. Really, I hate not having bangs.  I wanted to just cut bangs again but then I started to think just about cutting it all.   We are talking about 10" from the longest point to the shoulder.  I mean, I have played a bit with the length over the years, cutting 4" or so and then letting it grow...but 10", that is a lot.

I would love, to go this short ...

I think that is so pretty...but I know I can no where near pull off this look!  That's Ruby Rose, BTW...she's beautiful.  But maybe a bob to the neck.

I don't know.  I go back and forth.  If I got my hair cut yesterday, it would have been shorter.  If I got my hair cut today, it would be the same length.  I just don't know what I am going to do.  Bets are, however, that it will look very, very similar the end of the week as it does the beginning of the week.

Maybe a change would be good -- However, I HATE change!!!  Such is life.


XOXO

Velvet