To ring in the new year, I'm posting some pictures of the work we've been doing on the house. By "we," I mostly mean Toby. My job description does not change: I keep the little ones busy and fed and (mostly) clean. I was doing such a good job, too. I had lunch made and whipped up some bread (Oatmeal from Farmgirl Fare, Banana-Cranberry-Walnut from the Bread Bible), then I found Ivy in the bathroom, scooping water from the toilet and slurping it from a bowl. There were screams. I washed her hands, like THAT will do any good.
Anyway, work continues apace. That is, slow but steady. We recarpeted and repainted our bedroom and the living room. The carpet was the darkest I could find in the bargain basement. I hope it's dark enough. We now have a moratorium on eating anywhere except the kitchen. Period. Our old carpet was unspeakably crusty and splotchy. I would have donated it to a junk store or a Habitat for Humanity store, but they would have had to throw it away, so I'm doing my part by throwing it away myself. My gosh, have I just rambled on for a whole paragraph on carpet?
This is the color our bedroom is now, showcased lovingly behind our anniversary chocolate. For our Tenth Anniversary, we drove up to Kansas City to visit Whole Foods. You may laugh, but here in the sticks, we only get to read about exotic foods unless we're willing to drive to KC or Springdale AR. Our grocery stores are Wal-Mart (nonexistant selection) or other (less selection that Wal-Mart). We never see fresh fish, funky mushrooms, dates, or artisan-style bread. And the cheese...suffice to say that a small child inside me wailed when we left the Dairy section, even though we carried a wad of cheese with us. Alas, gone now. 
The living room was a cheery yellow and we had no intention of changing it, but after eight years, the paint had spoiled, so I made an executive decision at the Lowe's paint counter. Now it is a nice robin's egg blue, to match our cobalt ceiling fan and entertainment center. It even looks good with the orange couches and red cushions. Well, I like it, anyway.
Before:
And after:
Why is it that kids always want to dance around on anything new that enters the house? At least it's carpet and meant to handle dancing. I just don't want to see how it stands up to ketchup or hot cocoa. The new carpet is foreground, but you can see the new paint in the back. Now there is also baseboard, which is the sexiest thing imaginable to someone who's lived in an unfinished house for eight years.
