Test Drive.

Did I mention that school is starting? I could blather on about all of the excitement I had as a kid, starting out fresh each fall, but this is more about my new role -- as a mom.

It's a different perspective. As with so many other parenting experiences, there is more new found respect for my own parents. I have one child. One child to register. One child to clothe. One child to buy school supplies for and make all the necessary arrangements for the new school year. My parents did it for four kids.

On so many occassions I have wondered how my own parents kept their sanity and their spending accounts. Kids are expensive!

All that aside, I have been busy in my new role. I am a planner. I like to iron out the details before the Big Day. For me, that includes doing a test drive from work to the school to make sure I arrive at JUST THE RIGHT TIME to pick up my boy. Not too early. Not too late. And without running unsuspecting fellow motorists out of my path.

Lesson learned today? If the phone rings 5 minutes before I am scheduled to leave the office - don't pick it up. That is what voicemail is for, no? It saves me from 1) having to announce that I must cut the call short because my kid is more important than you, caller, or 2) enduring a lengthy call just because I actually got them to call me back. Oh, beloved voicemail. We will be good friends.

WELCOME BACK.

So. I haven't been the picture of perfect posting since starting this adventure. Always eternally hopeful, I have very good intentions of rectifying the situation in the coming days. How? Why? More free time, basically. And I use the word "free" loosely.

I used to work 9 days every two week pay period, 80 hours in the pay period. As of today, I have reverted back to the standard 5/40 (5 days per week, 40 hours). This is to accommodate (drum roll PLEASE) the onset of KINDERGARTEN!

I have adjusted my schedule to minimize the time my son spends in child care and, more importantly, to be there for him every day after school to brave the mountains of homework I have heard rumor that they torture parents/kindergartners with. (I only half joke.)

I know this is a bland and boring post. I hope to improve on that in the coming days too. Just thank your lucky stars that I didn't tell you about the filing I got done with my "free" time this afternoon.

Sunday Morning Rituals

Without fail, this is what I do each Sunday morning.

1. Coffee, lots of half-n-half, one equal
2. reading the newspaper
3. watch CBS Sunday Morning - something about the trumpet in the opener is nostalgic. It has been the same opening anthem that has played since I lived at home with my parents as a child.
4. checking postsecret
5. surfing the web
6. french toast (made by my significant other, preferrably) with fresh fruit (KIWIS!) and homemade vanilla syrup

These rituals are founded on what I saw my parents do when I was a kid. Of course the latter three "rituals" are my modern additions.

What are are your rituals?

Outside: dining al fresco

The new Viva Terra catalog arrived this week. I can always find a thing or two to covet within its pages. This time, it is the railroad tie dining table and chairs. These would be perfect for summer dining on the new back patio - admiring all of the new landscaping that cost a small fortune.

It started small.

I live in a home that is just barely 1300 sf. It is a modest home and I love it. In May I finished my first remodeling project. It only took fourteen months. Only.

I can imagine the thoughts that are running through your mind, but only those who have gone through a remodel themselves understand such a time line. Oh, and let me add - I played the role of general contractor. I saved myself about half of the cost (or more) of some of the bids I received from licensed general contractors to undertake my kitchen remodel, but I certainly didn't spare myself any headache! And even with a plan and a budget, things got out of hand. A demolished kitchen brought with it questions that I hadn't fully contemplated. If I was demolishing everything, did that also mean the ugly floors? And if I was going to install new hardwood flooring in the kitchen (to match most of the rest of the house's existing hardwood floors) shouldn't I do it while the room was empty?

For the record, I did do it while the room was empty. And since the company was onsite doing the hardwood floor installation, I had them do the only other rooms that were also without hardwood - the two bathrooms. I also had them refinish the floors throughout the rest of the house while they were here.

And THAT is probably where the WHOLE HOUSE REMODEL started ... fourteen months ago.

I will probably do some retrospective postings on the who, what, when, where and how regarding the whole process in the coming months. Until then, I wanted to share with you the picture that served as inspiration. This image is from Cottage Living's online Design Assistant. You can view photos of kitchens (and other rooms) featured in the magazine and its sister publications (Sunset, Coastal Living, Southern Living, Southern Accents). Pictured is the inspiration photo of the kitchen that started it all.