Happy Birthday Blokus

Steve's parents sent him a game for his birthday that we immediately opened and began to play ...and he immediately beat me with much better skill, strategy and ultimately, way less points than me! (least points wins. Perhaps I was just confused! Because if the rules were backwards...then...I did GREAT!) Thanks for the game! It was really fun and we totally recommend it!

New and improved

Yeah! Thank you Royal Overhead Doors for our new and improved garage door! Definitely improved...the actual motor needed work so they got it fixed which saved us hundreds of dollars and allowed us to pick a "cuter" (Steve rolls eyes) door. Isn't it so lovely!!! Can you belive that one man installed it himself in a couple of hours?! Impressed.
I am so grateful that we are able to do remodeling because we LOVE seeing a house getting a makeover...even better when it's your own! (The landscaping will have to wait a while though....please don't judge me on our shrubs...or our weeds for that matter...)

The Daylights

Speaking of bands, I have to mention my newest favorite band "The Daylights". I'm a little biased... since they went to my alma matar, but that connection aside, they are phenomenal people! (Megan, doesn't it remind you of studio art class in Moses Provine?)
I'm missing their concert in Houston by one week and I'm pretty bummed, but thank goodness for Pandora! I've set up a "The Daylights" Radio station and it motivates me all day with great bands...this one in particular!
Check them out!
http://thedaylights.com/

Computerized Dryer

"Computerized (1960's style) Dryer" (sounds like a good name for a band. "Eagle eye lion...band name...I call it" Andy on 'Parks and Recreation'.)

The laudro-mat can also be considered recreation as Steve and I recently found out this weekend while we washed, inspected for stains, (washed again) and dried the tablecloths from the wedding this Saturday. I am a wedding coordinator at our (huge) church and it's up to me to get all the sacred cloths cleaned. They aren't sacred because they're religious, but because they dissapear frequently and are hard to keep track of with all the uses they get around the (huge) building. It's so huge that my feet and legs are burning and aching after several hours of walking back and forth...this would be another good excuse for me to start exercising...hmmm, or perhaps a good excuse to get a massage...yeah...a massage! I like that one much better! Thanks to Steve though, for all his help! I would be a mess without him!

It was my first trip to a landry mat, washateria, wash-n-dry, and it didn't dissapoint! No way, not with these fancy Speed Queen (another good band name?) logos to keep us entertained, 80 quarters with designs to sort through and a good crossword book at hand!

We also found it unusual that the facilities were almost empty on a Sunday afternoon. It was just the two of us and an older lady who was puffing on her cigarette outside. It was a pretty clean place and not creepy at all like I expected, but the best part was that we were completely finished with all 14 tablecloths and 6 table skirts in about 2 1/2 hours! Much better than the 2 DAYS it took us at our house don't ya think?! However, by about 5:30 hoards of people with dirty clothes packed into the now-cramped and over-used isles!
All in all, a sucess and a pretty fun outing! I encourage you to use up those extra quarters someday by visiting the local laundromat! :)

A still life

So here is my version of a still life painting that I might do one day. It's a little more cheery than the still lifes of The Masters' that typically included dead birds, skulls, cut fruit and dried flowers. Yes, this one is more like it don't ya think?!

Obviously, I went to the grocery store today. Otherwise you would see what we've been seeing here lately: one black banana and onion skin flakes in the bowl, empty cookie jar and no inspiration to snack. Behold...the snacks!

New House Color!

Before: fresh salmon pink (too fishy if ya know what I mean)

After: "koi pond green"! Sherwin Williams (a prettier kind of fishy!)

You can't even tell where Dad and Steve (Lt. Commander Awesome) shortened the patio window!!! It's magic!...(actually it was really hard work and they did a great job didn't they!) but what is magic is how quick the house was painted! It took about the same amount of time I would spend taking a long...very long...hot shower (now that we have a tankless -neverending- hot water heater. You've got to get yourself one of these. Seriously)

Thanks CertaPro painters! They really were great...and we're picky people. This company does all sorts of house services: exterior painting, repairs, construction, interior painting, sheetrock, finishing, trim....you name it! And if you do 'name it' and use them per our recommendation...then we get a nice little rebate! Anyone need a house painted? :)

Good prices combined with excellent professionalism=Happy campers (although, who wants to go camping when your house is this nice?!)

Next on the list: new garage door, stained front door and cedar shutters!!! Be on the look out!

(What do you think SueB? Has this improved your drive to work?)

The Little Blue House

So here is the painting I did for a dear sweet friend a couple of weeks ago. It was a birthday gift for her, so I had to wait until after her party to post this! When she returns to Paris she'll have this memory of the little blue house they rented while here in town!