Day 26: Kitchen Cabinet Makeover Challenge + Longwinded Entry

Like I said in my last entry, I'm behind in my cabinet makeover project due to being sick. Not just myself, but little Lou Lou Magoo (as we affectionately call Lindsay) as well. (If you just want to read about house stuff, now is the time to skip down to the photos below) I was outside on Tuesday trying to restore some order to our large landscaping bed at the side of our house and Lindsay popped her head out the door a couple of times to let me that her ear was hurting. She has allergy problems so achy ears are fairly common with her. Each time she complains about her hears, I normally take her to the doctor because I fear she may have an ear infection, but each time I'm told it's just sinus pressure that's causing her ears to hurt. The last time, she was prescribed a medication to relieve the pressure so this time I continued to give her the same medication. When I came in from my yardwork Tuesday, I gave her the medication while throwing on "breakfast for dinner". It was 6 pm and bacon and eggs just sounded like a simple and yummy meal. The bacon was halfway cooked when Lindsay's ears really started hurting. She told me they had never hurt like this before and that she "wanted to go to the doctor tomorrow". I knew right then that something wasn't right. I asked her if she could hear ok and she told me that she heard "funny" out of one ear. Then I asked her if it felt like something was going to pop in her ear and she said yes. By this time she was crying out in pain. I looked at at the clock - 6:12 - and thought "please let the doctors office still be open!" I called and YAY - they were open until 7pm. I assured Lindsay that everything was going to be ok and that we were going to take care of her ear right away...sometimes just hearing those words..."it will be ok"...can work wonders. I turned off the frying bacon and told everyone to load up in the van. I still had on my grungy, stinky yardwork clothes and my fingernails were black with dirt, lol, but it was going to have to do. I was really afraid Lindsay's eardrum was going to rupture.

Long story short, we found out that she had a raging ear infection. The pain was so intense for her at the doctor's office and I felt helpless. It's just a short 10 minute drive between the doctor's office and home, but I wanted them to give her something for the pain right away. They had already locked up all their medications so we had to wait until we got home to give her some Ibuprofen. I was so intent on getting her to the doctor before the office closed that it didn't even occur to me to give her something for the pain before we left (ugh..I need to just carry the stuff in my purse). Hubs ran out to get her antibiotics and a different kind of decongestant while I brought the kids home and tried to comfort Lindsay until the pain medicine kicked in. She wanted me to lay down with her and she just tossed and turned moaned and held on to me. *sniff* "I'm so sorry you're hurting...it will be OK...this isn't going to last too much longer...everything is going to be fine..." I started having flashbacks to when I was in labor:) Then she said to me, "I'm so glad I have a Mommy." I told her that I was so glad I have a Lindsay:)

Before we knew it, the pain had subsided and we were eating our breakfast for dinner. She's doing so much better now and didn't even miss any school this week.:)


Ok, on to house stuff.

The drawers are almost complete. They need another coat of red paint and then they'll be distressed and glazed. I wish the doors were as simple as the drawers! I'm going to have to find a coordinating paper to line these drawers, though, because I used up all the wallpaper already. I may go with something like a red and white, old fashioned "ticking" print or just plain off white paper.



Here are a couple of shots of what the wallpaper/shelfliner looks like in the bottom cabinets.





Here are some doors that have been distressed. The brown glaze hasn't yet been applied but when it is, the color will be a little deeper. The oil-rubbed bronze handles I have (not pictured) look great on them!







I wanted to take a photo of our new (yet to be intalled) countertops because I've had several people ask me what we're using. We're using laminate and though laminate is not my favorite choice, I like the fact that it's easy to upkeep and easy on our budget. I've had tile in the bathroom before and grout is a p a i n to say the least. Granite is pretty but doesn't really fit well with the look I'm going for (how bad does it sound when I say it's a little too classy for me?). Soapstone would be great if I could find it in other colors besides black or dark gray, plus it's out of our budget now. Someday, if we ever decide to do brand new cabinetry, we would upgrade, but for now, I'm content with my laminate. We'll be doing a painted brick backsplash between the countertop and the cabinets. It will be off-white with a subtle hints of brown glaze. I chose this laminate because I thought the color would tie in nicely with our kitchen island.





Today I have two parties to attend at school so I doubt I'll be painting. Tomorrow, I'll be ripping the carpet out of Lindsay's room because of her worsening (is that a word?) allergy problems. They'll have hardwood when we get to the floors, but until then, we'll be using a shiny white porch paint in there. Sooo...it looks like no painting cabinet doors tomorrow, either, but painting none-the-less.

Before I sign off, I just want to share what happened to Jeff and I last night at our local Taco Bell. I'm sharing this because I'm a firm believe in standing up for what you know is right instead of just remaining passive or apathetic as many people are in today's world.

We waited absolutely forever to get through the line to place our order and then it took us 15 minutes to even receive our food. While pathetic, this isn't my reason for complaint. What Jeff and I witness while waiting for our food, however, was truly unbelievable, to us anyways. The cashier, during a lull, came out to replenish and "straighten up" and the condiment area. There was some trash there, like soda cup lids, paper from straws, a stray napkin here and there, an opened hot sauce packet, etc. The cashier/loser proceeds to swipe all the trash off the table onto the floor. What? Did we just see him do that? He goes back to the register to take a couple of orders and after that, he walks over to the trays that were above the trash can and removes their paper linersand thows them onto the floor. (My goodness, he was standing right next to the trash can!) As he's walking back to the register, he sees a receipt on the counter and swipes it off to the floor... I'm sure my jaw was to the floor by this point.

We finally get our food and head out to the van, and all the while I'm thinking..."That's just not right!" I put my purse in the van and told hubs that I was going back in. Hubs was already calling the Taco Bell corporate office to make a complaint.

I walked in and there was a crowd of people waiting for their food and still a line waiting to order. I started gathering up all the trash that the sorry bum had thrown down. I'm sure I looked really funny, too, lol. I was in my nice dress clothes as we had just been to Sydney's academic reception. But I continued gathering napkins, empty ketchup packets, tray liners, and plastic lids. Sorry bum was watching all the while and I just wished I knew what he was thinking. After I gathered all the trash, I took it to the front of the line and plopped it down before him. He looked at me and was stunned. I said:

"This is all the trash that we saw you throw down on the floor. Somebody is going to slip on it and get hurt. If you want that to happen, then keep throwing trash all over the floor. If not, put trash where it belongs - in the trashcan! Be a good example!!!!"

All the while he was saying..."okay....okay"

Whether or not he'll change his lazy ways, I don't know. But speaking up for what you believe in is priceless.

Speaking of good examples, we have some dear friends who have a daughter that goes to the same school our girls attend. It's a magnet school but they do have some traditional students and classes. Our friend's girl is in a traditional 6th grade class and applied this year to be in the magnet program next year. Sadly, she got a letter stating that she didn't qualify. I am SO proud of her, though, because after getting over the initial disappointment, she had enough confidence in herself and her abilities to go to the school administration (on her own!) and ask them why she didn't qualify. In her heart she knew she was a hardworking, exemplary student. They pulled her records only to find that they had made a mistake! She had one of the top testing scores and definitely had the grades to qualify for the magnet program. If she didn't have the courage to speak up, she would have never known that she qualified all along:) Good for her!

By now you probably need a bathroom break and I have to go get ready to party with the kids...Have a great weekend, everyone!

P.S. Lindsay, I'm so glad I have a mom, too. *wink* Thanks for everything, mama:) Everything really is going to be ok:)