Summer Remodeling Moving Along...

We've been doing a lot of remodeling at our house (getting it ready to put it up for sale). We finally finished the new bedroom so our two youngest girls aren't sharing a bedroom. Unless the stepkids come over (which is hardly ever...once every year or so), our kids have their own room now. I can hear my nine-year-old pulling out her electric guitar we got her from http://www.musiciansfriend.com and plucking at it every night in her own bedroom. She never did that before. I told her if she keeps at her guitar, I'll give her one of my guitar amps to use to actually plug the thing in and get loud with it.

As much as our two girls wanted their own bedrooms, they sure do spend a lot of time together in one of the bedrooms together though. It's funny. I think they miss each other (just a little bit).

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DIY Floor Tile Project

I have a basement family room that needs flooring.  It's just a cement floor at the moment. I know I don't want carpeting because the dogs use the door in the basement to go in and out and that would just be a big mess.  Do I want to put a one-piece laminate down (that looks sort of like stone I am thinking) or would basement floor tiles be better? The floor tiles could be installed as a DIY project but a one piece laminate would definitely need installation.

These are the laminate, interlocking floor tiles (below).  It looks really nice.  Decisions, decisions...

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Fall Items on Clearance Already?

I was in Rite-Aid yesterday picking up a prescription for my husband, just browsing the aisles (to pick up things I likely really didn't need) and they already have their Autumn stuff half off! What's that about? It's too soon to put Autumn decor on sale (in my opinion anyway).

They had this really cute rooster that I stopped to look at. I'm not sure why since it's not in my decor but it was cute. If I had rooster pictures or rooster dinnerware, it'd look cute in my dining room. Since I don't have either, I could stick it on my deck and pretend we have roosters like some of the neighbors. Except ours would be quieter!

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Keeping My Father-In-Law Busy

When my father-in-law comes into town, I need to have things to do for him (with my husband) because he can't sit still. I feel bad at keeping him working, but he wants to and expects to (or else he'll go home early where he has things to do, lol).

I need to decide what home improvement project to put at the top of my list:

• New Outdoor Light Fixture at Front Door (wind storm knocked off and broke) & Replace Sensor Outdoor Light at Back Door
• Paint Living Room & Kitchen
• Replace Bathroom Vanity & Sink (like with one at discount sinks)
• Fix Leak in Basement Family Room

I REALLY want three out of four of them done NOW so I can't decide. I can wait on the bathroom but the other three...they all really need to be done. Decisions, decisions.

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Making A Home For Stepkids

Given the decrease in time the stepkids spend with us anymore, I am not sure what to do to make our home seem like more than just a place they visit. It's always been their mother's intention that this be nothing more to them than the place they leave her for, not their home. She got her way after years of doing what she does best.

How do I make our home seem more "homey" to them other than adding a bunch of furniture that would stand empty and unused a majority of the year? The kids might be coming in April (my husband is going to request the time but it doesn't mean they'll be here) and I'd like to have or do something that makes it seem like home to them as well. They have our time when they are here, but it's not enough to make it "home". What can I do that would make a home they rarely come to seem more comfortable for them, like home?

Then I wonder if it is too late. At 13 and 16, have we lost them regardless of what we do...that's what I wonder.

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Moroccan Decor

My husband told me last night that he is going to take a couple vacation days to do some work around the house. Yippee! I've been waiting forever to get going on some of our big projects around the house.

We were talking about getting some new lighting in our dining room. I want the fixture to match our entry chandelier when you walk in our front door. I found some cool ideas. Our "theme" isn't Moroccan decor but a few pieces, I think, would be really nice to accent around the house. I am not a traditional, conservative, or modern type of person. I don't fall into one category or one decorating scheme such as Moroccan decor . I'm more eclectic, I think, and the Arabian Nights Chandelier is really pretty. I love the colors.

I better get busy making a "honey do" list to prioritize what hubby should work on when he takes time off work. I love "honey do" lists. Hubby doesn't. Go figure.

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