Bad Wallpaper, a steamer & Victory

So I know it's been a few days since I have ventured back to sharing my thoughts....there just hasn't been much going on that is worth sharing I guess.

I love our house....built in the the 60's it screams very traditional until you come inside and see our corrugated steel, amazing tile, fun colors and our metal garage door that holds all my cookbooks behind it in our kitchen. If you had seen it when we moved in a few months ago before the demolition you would have thought we were crazy. With Thanksgiving looming in a few weeks and EVD's family coming to dinner we are on that time crunch to get a few more things done. So last week as we painted the hallway upstairs and the stairwell I also started the task of taking down the most hideous mauve and country blue wallpaper in our little bathroom on the main floor. Eric came in to lend me a hand and the section he chose above the shower came off backing and all with no problem. Of course the section that I chose was above the sink where I guess NO steam had ever hit it. So with Dif in hand and the scraper I set in. Not much success as it has sat there for the last week and everyday I walk by thinking..."today I will do it....ya right" So after being a shut-in yesterday due to the cold weather, I decided today was the day. My friend who is like Tim the Tool man suggested I use the handy steamer that we had bought for the store a few years ago that was collecting dust in our basement. I hauled this contraption upstairs wondering how in the world it worked. I guess maybe I don't give myself too much credit on house repair things, but i managed to figure it out. It was amazing that the wallpaper was coming off beautifully with that steamer. I almost thought if the food industry goes south, I could just carry this steamer in my Honda ridding houses of really bad wallpaper. I am afraid my outspoken outbursts about bad decorating wouldn't go over so well with some customers...I'll stick to food. So all was going good until I got to the point where the hose wasn't long enough to hit the pieces above the mirror and closer to the ceiling. Let me back up a little.....for some reason this steamer releases alot of water out the bottom of it when it is in full force so I have a small lake on the bathroom floor. Addison kindly had gotten me towels so at least I wouldn't fall into the boiling water. I am very determined to finish this project and be victorious over the nasty wallpaper. I came up with a brilliant idea to put the steamer on the counter. This way the water that leaks can leak into the sink and the hose will easily hit the remainder of the wallpaper. I am sure if you could see this, you would all think what in the heck is she thinking. The steamer takes up 3/4's of the counter with the remaining 1/4 being the sink....I am supposed to straddle this steamer and the pole that is the nice accessory to hang the hose from. I refill the water and wait for it to start steaming and I climb carefully on to the sink more concerned about falling off onto a wet floor, hitting my head on the way down and my children having to call 911 instead of being concerned about the lock and unlock pictures on the steamer. After practically giving myself a facial, I decide to try to reach the far corner with the hose. Let's just say I now know what the lock and unlock pictures are all about. The hose obviously doesn't reach that far nor do I. The hose flies out of the steamer shooting hot boiling water all over myself and the bathroom. I grab the pole (I have decided that if ever hard up for money a job that involved a pole wouldn't be the best for me) and manage to cling to this flimsy metal thing trying not to break it all the while my one foot is in the sink with more HOT water being released onto it. I manage to get it all under control before it falls to the floor with me on it. SO after this long rambling....yes....all the wallpaper is off and tonite just a little more backing needs to be released via the steamer, but Eric will be reaching that one. I did learn one thing....look at pictures that are on things...like the lock and unlock picture. I guarantee that would have locked that hose in place. However, it looks fabulous and the color swatches are taped to the wall waiting to be approved or not approved. But goodness, my face looks awesome after that facial....who needs a spa. Happy Monday!

An attitude check and a reminder to trust!

So my Monday morning started out good...i mean i was out the door coffee in tow and on my way to pick up my order at Sam's club by 7:15. I mentally was preparing myself for another day in my store, with things so uncertain right now there are days when I struggle to stay positive! I managed to get to Sams only to realize that there were about 10 items missing from the order that we really needed which meant another trip back to get them. I will admit, my attitude started to go south really quickly. An extreme feeling of being overwhelmed and defeat....i mean what we have to do right now to save a penny. In the back of my mind I wondered if I would hear some answers today about my business that has been weighing so heavily on my shoulders. Mondays are usually my days to work in my office and I wanted nothing more than to not have to face my "in" pile today. In my eight years of doing this I have never felt quite like I felt this morning. SO as I was driving to Sams for the second time I was talking out loud asking God to show me a clear sign, to send some help in whatever form it may be. I sipped on my latte while I purchased the last few items and headed back to the store to start my day for a second time. I was not back in my office for more than a few minutes when one of my employees came in and asked to talk with me. I am thinking...great he is quitting and he is one of my favorites. Instead he proceeded to share with me that his mom who worked for my accountant wasn't working there anymore and that she knows how overwhelmed I have been and wanted to help me out "free" of charge. That never happens to me. Running a business there is always a "fee" for everything. The tears streamed down my face.....God really answered part of my prayer and quickly. If there is anyone who will not judge me on how I have or not done things correctly in Quickbooks world it will be her. What an amazing feeling to physically feel the comfort of the Father reaching down on me at that moment. I have felt the hand of my God more in the last few weeks than in a very long time.....i believe it is because I learned to pray in ways that I never prayed before, that understanding what "prosper" means is so different than our world points out. Trust me....have I had to take an attitude check many days in the past few months...yes....but He will not abandon me....He promises that! Go today and make your Monday a good one!

My heart as a mom to a boy....

For some reason this time of year when I know I am about to celebrate Addison's birthday it always makes my eyes get teary. He will be 11 in a few weeks, taller than I, amazing in school, willing to help and my list could go on....but he is a boy and a growing boy. I happened upon a blog tonight of the husband of a friend I grew up with. He had just had a conversation with his daughter who is much younger than Addison about sex. He had also shared about his young heart and life and the struggles that boys and men face. My heart ached....I know there have always been struggles out there no matter if it was twenty five years ago or now. He talked about his exposure to things at a very young age, and that his "christian school and church" involvment was just a "cover" for the intense temptations. I want my son to choose wisely, I pleaded tonight that his mind and heart will be protected and that we will be used to mold that wisely. This may have made no sense....just a rambling from me...the mom to a pre-teen boy who is on her knees asking to be interceded for.

a teary eyed....little e