Money (and a little hard work) Can Buy Happiness

We started last week with a broken washing machine. Here's an equation for you:

New Baby + Broken Washer = Crazy Mom

Tracy is a smart man so he didn't even squabble over buying a new set. In fact, he went the extra mile. Tracy Montierth found a Sears outlet, went there, picked out a washer & dryer, purchased them, picked them up the same day, and installed them on -yes- the very same day. Seriously, he's trying to win the "most fabulous husband" award for 2008!!! I am a very, very, very happy Momma!

Aren't they BEAUTIFUL?!


You can even watch the wash!

So, as if that wasn't enough ... we had Luis the painter come paint our hall and family room. It took a week longer than we expected and cost about three times more, but I am so INCREDIBLY happy that it's done! I am usually the painter - not a good scene! I lack patience when I want to have something finished, which translates in me never putting enough coats of paint of the walls.

I came up with the color palate for our home over a year ago from Martha Stewart's paint colors at Sherwin Williams (which they no longer make - argh! Good thing I kept the color cards). The hallway has gone from my Cuba stage Pumpkin to a soothing and very traditional "Heavy Cream" with Bright White trim. The heavy cream extends upstairs as well, but with a green trim. The family room is "Chopstick" which is a very mellow yellow - a shade or two darker than the hall. Overall, I think it's fabulous!

We sold the entertainment center last week off Craigslist. The family room looks huge now! It's amazing too see how much room is available.

So that in itself is a lot of stuff! But there's more!! I found two mantles at Discount Home Warehouse in Dallas last week. One had the gas heater in it already. I loved it's simple lines with the prettiest little details. Here it is in the family room. We plan on building some sort of shelving around it, but haven't decided exactly how it should be done yet.

Here is the other mantle. It is very sweet! I fell in love with it and had to have it!! It makes this upstairs area a perfect little game retreat for the kids. I was dying to have a place to display the kids' artwork. I can't wait to add more!!

Now for the chairs! I bought two of these chairs from a neighbor for $20 (oh yeah, for both). They had horrible fabric on the seats until Saturday when I pulled out a remnant and covered both of them in about 15 minutes. Why did it take so long for me to do such a simple thing? Who knows! Doesn't it look great?!Here's my latest purchase. I found this at a neighbor's yard sale. I thought it was brown until I cleaned it and gobs and gobs of black grime came off of it. What was left was this fantastic burgundy leather. It's worn for sure, but isn't it fabulous?!!With all that we've gotten accomplished, our garage is filled to the rim with cast-offs. Now my big job is going through all that & preparing for a yard sale of our own.

Admittedly, I'm the first person who will tell you that money can't buy happiness. Maybe I was wrong - just a little!!