What a week!

What a week - it feels as tho we got soooo much done - but - there is still so much left to do!
So today vacation ends - sorta. I am still supposedly on vacation next week - but I picked two days up because I then changed my mind about using so much PTO!

So what did we get accomplished? The shower has been re-done by the wonderful man at www.miraclemethod.com - found out biscuit was not the color we wanted so stuck with white. But because it is a shower and tiled all the way around - he suggested a matte finish. Not sure I am 100% happy with that but am sure I will be glad not to slip and slide on it!

The floor is in. And it is lovely. As usual, the grout colors I thought I wanted at Home Depot were all special order. But a nice young man helped us chose another color that I am quite happy with.

Thought I had decided on the color of the walls - but we brought the sink and vanity inside and I am not sure the shade that I chose to go with the floor, goes quite that well with the sink. Oh well....start over again. Have to decide by Tuesday so I can hopefully get the paint then so we can paint Wed.

And we made 5 trips to the dumps. What an experience that is. We had this falling down shed that came with the house. And hubby - and kids- kept putting things in there 'just until I go to the dumps'. Well, after umpteen years, that 'just until' came this week. Quite a learning experience - it is so disheartening to see the things that get taken to the dump and placed in landfill. So many items that are recyleable - unfortunately there are all these signs 'No Salvaging' and people there to make sure you dont salvage!! Plastic water bottles - cans - Rubbermaid totes in excellant condition that could go to a thrift shop - the sme wiht furniture and kids toys....It is sad to see what we are purposefully doing to Mother Earth. We went thru the junk before we took it out - and actually have a couple of bags from it going to the thrift shops.

Jessyca (daughter #1) cooked me a lovely dinner on my birthday. Paella which was delicious - a wonderful white sangria that she made - and Tom bought me my favorite cake (white cake with whipped cream frosting and strawberries in the filling - I have had this as my birthday cake since I was a little girl!!). Jessy and Earl and the boys gave me some beautiful roses and a lovely Balleek vase to add to my collection - a nautilaus shell. I need to find some place to put it - unfortunately my collection has outgrown its storage!

Tom game me a Jim Shore figurine of a nurse angel that he bought on our trip to Mendocino in March...it was supposed to be a Mother's Day gift but he had forgotten about it!! You can see the figurine here: http://www.jimshore.com/shop/SearchResult.aspx?KeyWords=nurse

Friday we went to visit our friends Mitch and Marilyn. Mitch and Tom played golf on Friday and Saturday. Marilyn and I did the garage sale thingie on Saturday. She gets the best buys! You should see the furniture and antiques and all she finds! This time I found a bunch of things for the grandkids (thanks Marilyn!) plus a bunch of pots I needed and an old schoolhouse desk. I also made to to the yarn shop (see the link at the bottom!) and bought the yarn I needed for the Scrawl I wanted. And Joan was absolutely right in the one colorway she thought I would love - I bought it and started it last night! Unfortunately, I also bought another one 'just in case'!!! LOL

Today we are going to the Alameda County Fair with Jessy and Earl and the boys. I will see if my baby blanket truly won first place as Grace reported - and will take a photo to post!

I will be posting photos this week - as we get further on the bathroom and all!