The piggy bank

So I think this pretty much describes how we are all feeling lately.
Haven't fed my Piggy in a while. The poor thing is emaciated...

It's a good thing I'm out of rooms to try to remodel, since the piggy is so broke.

Below are the last postings of the finished bedroom.

Now it's ime to start giving some back to the Piggy!

DIY: Do it yourself bedroom

When I first moved in I didn't even have bedroom furniture, so didn't have much to work with. I painted using grays, peuters in silvers
But after a while I felt like we were sleeping in an office, so I decided to go with earth tones; browns, creams, etc. I love it. Dan likes it too. It's amazing how color can make a difference in how COZY you feel!

This is the bathroom area when I first moved in... Totally blah.
And now... So after the bedroom, kitchen and patio I'm out of areas to transform. I guess now I have get back outside and go riding!

DIY: Do it yourself kitchen and patio

Dan went out of town for business three times in the past month and a half. Each time I took on a project and finished it before the came home. I hope he doesn't leave again because I'm out of rooms to work on!

Ok, so I've been watching a lot of "DIY" T.V. and the kitchen cabinets have been bugging me for a while. Nothing wrong with them, structurally, just didn't like 'em.

Now that I've done it, I have some great advice to anyone that might be wanting to start a project like this yourself: DON'T DO IT. Boy... did I open up Pandora's huge box...

When I first moved in, they looked like this: I added some color and knew the next thing to go would be that horrendous lighting...
Thomas (my handy man) put in the recessed lighting... which made a HUGE difference!
But a year later the cabinets were still bugging me. So when Dan was out of town I just took all the doors and hinges off... and starte sanding
And priming...
The worst thing about a home project is that until you're finished, the whole place is a disaster and I could not wait to finish and get it all back in place!!!
So I worked for 3.5 days straight... painted, waited for the doors to dry and put them back on.
The electric drill is my new favorite tool. Ever. The white matches the tile well and it brightens up the whole kitchen! Of course, my back was so sore I could not move for a week....

Finally! Finished. Flash didn't go off for these pictures, but it sure looks brighter in there!

When my back was feeling better and Dan went to Japan, I decided to move on to my next project. This is the patio when I first moved in:
We managed to turn it into a ghetto patio, which bugged me so much...
I kept watching DIY (Do it yourself) shows and reading magazines...
This was the best idea I've ever seen... I cleaned up and started laying wood interlocking tiles!
Getting better...
MUCH better! Now we can actually go outside and ENJOY it! :)
I even got myself a little potted herb garden, with fresh basil, rosemary, and mint.

It was SO nice when Dan came home, I cooked him (yes, I'm cooking now too, what the heck is going on with me???) a nice dinner and we ate outside on the patio by candle light! It was so nice! I think he was a bit surprised how much I got done while he was gone... Hey! I kept busy! :)

Disneyland for Nevie's Birthday (Belated)

We hadn't had a chance to celebrate Nevaeh's 5th Birthday yet, so this past week I wanted to take her to Disneyland. Dan was unfortunately, out of town...First we went to the California Adventure side...

Nevie made friends easily...
Throwin' Disney gang signs
Nev and her auntie! She is getting SO big and is so sharp! My gawd.
Nev's little sister Eden was up for the adventure as well. SO cute...
Nev exploring the "animal cave"
Finding her "spirit animal"
The fun never ends...
We had so much fun running around and climbing on stuff in this section of the park!
Nev and Daddy
The Oberons and aunt Tati
The Merry-go-round is always a must...
A cotton candy treat...(I remember never liking this stuff... or did I? Seems so odd to me now!)
Very cool Praying Mantis... I really liked this section of the park!
BUG's life BUG BUMPER CARS... Nev wanted to drive the WHOLE time... of course!

Round and round LADY BUG tea cups... only the lady bug is NO lady. It's a boy. Cute.

"See?" Nevaeh said. "He's upset because everyone calls him a Lady. But he's a boy lady bug."
Nev under the DUNG ball at the bug's life
"N" is for NEVIE~
Happy Birthday sweetie... I had so much fun with you! (And mommy and daddy and Eden too!)

Wheels of fire

Here's what I'm working on next. I was first inspired by Doug Perry at Castillo last year...

Back to Tahoe/Northstar...and introducing a new activity: Lake Lounging

I have to start this post with the best picture of the weekend first...
The boys really turned it on this weekend! Here's Dano riding the rock wall at Northstar...
Marlon on the rock wall...
Dan defies gravity
Again...
Jeremy "Thumper" thumps off the same jump
And Marlon Monroe also, because all his friends were doing it...
Dan on Livewire. Only like, the most awesome bike trail in the world (the world I'VE seen, anyway)
Marlon
And if you need a man with mad skills, look no further than my man. He is... SKILLMAN.
Back at our friends' lake house Daren and Julie... we had some cute creatures come visit
But the cutest creature we saw was DEFINITELY Jessie...
Where did Jesse go?
We enjoyed sunset booze cruises around the lake with our friends. Even Jenn and Grayson came down from Chico.

We enjoyed leasurly slept-in mornings lakeside and I made breakfast for everyone
The KIDS TABLE.
Dan gets ready to lounge some more.
The boys prepare for their turn on the infamous MOLECULE of destruction
Sending Hansel and Zoolander off on their ride wearing the latest Deralict (Deralake) fashions

I got a black eye on this monster last year because I made a bet with Daren that he couldn't buck me off the MOLECULE for a full turn around the lake... I bet him that big rubber duckie. I got a black eye, bruised muscles and no duckie. I fell off just 100 feet shy of my target!
Julie was driving so she was nice to the boys... no black eyes but they still had a white knuckle grip on the thing
Never miss a cute photo op with your hot friends. (Especially the redhead!)
Grayson won the trophie that weekend. Stood up and everything. But no rubber duckie.
SO much fun!
My love
Just one of Daren and Julie's neighbors. It's a rough life when you have a mansion on the lake...
Pose-ops. Jenn
Marlon Monroe
Jerecobra
Grayson
Jenn and I
Jesse prepared appetizers for all of us. Who wants to wear the purple beads next?
Thank you so much Daren and Julie for letting us stay at your lake home! We had so much fun, as usual... see you soon! Oh, by the way, we are stealing Jesse.