Guest Bath Makeover

This is the hall/guest bathroom as it was when we moved in.

We replaced the window, cleaned it, recaulked the tub, put up a shower curtain and left it for several years.

Eventually a city water rebate incentivized us to get a new toilet.

Then we used a Home Depot coupon to get a new medicine cabinet in our master bathroom and went ahead and did both while we were at it. See ya later fun house mirror.

When we replaced the doors, the old trim peeled off layers of paint down to the drywall paper. Since the room had texturing problems already, we decided to peel it all off.

Naturally, there were some plumbing problems and John ended up ripping up the wall and doing a drywall patch afterward.

Jonah was ever helpful with projects.

After weeks of literally chipping away at the texturing, John sanded the walls down and puttied.

Then he textured the ceiling and all the walls.

The flooring came up when there was a leak on the floor, so that step was easy. Luckily the plywood was in good shape because replacing that would have meant replacing the tub and was beyond the scope of our intended project.

Right before my brother and sister-in-law were coming, I primed and painted. I wanted light gray to coordinate with the pink tile and match the Carrara marble countertop.

It was the color I used on the front door, but in the tiny, lightless bathroom it was way too dark. I repainted it the next day with a color I picked quickly at Home Depot.

It's a nice, light shade, but is more purple-tinted than I wanted. But it was done in time for John to put in the vinyl floor and baseboards. Then he installed the medicine cabinet, vanity and toilet right before company arrived.

The light fixture I picked didn't work in our space, so John patiently returned it and bought the only one in the right finish that fit. It's not the polished look I envisioned, but it was quick and cheap and I honestly haven't thought about it another second since.

The day they came I think we put the shower curtain rod up (the first one was defective and wouldn't extend, so I exchanged that, too). With the next Home Depot coupon we got the storage cabinet and I found a slide-on tp holder on Amazon.

We still need to replace the shower and tub fixtures. (They're both broken, but I can't find a shower head that's oil rubbed bronze and has a hose attached. We like to use that to bathe the kids). We also need to refinish the tub once we order that kit and have a week we're willing to be bath-less.We might eventually replace the sink fixture and cabinet knobs to match finishes, but since there's nothing wrong with them, they're staying for now. 

As always, every step took twice as long as we expected, but we (mostly John) did it! Especially compared to the paper walls and plywood floor, it's clean and fresh and beautiful and we're glad to be done.

August I

Playing another made-up game. Surprisingly, they all enjoyed this one.

All tuckered out, he fell asleep coloring. Luckily it's a color wonder marker, so the carpet was safe.

Scott tried a tae-kwon-do place. He cried non-stop (as did Jonah because he was being left out) and they said we should try again in 6 months. He got to keep the cute little uniform for free, though!

Our neighbors gave us this alphabet snake puzzle and Jonah knows most of the letters now.

We helped my mom set up her classroom to start 1st grade in the fall. 

John put up curtains and I made a lattice background.

Even in a huge play room, the kids seem to pile on each other.

We leave the boys' bedroom door open so Jonah can go play in the morning, which sometimes buys us a little more sleep. Eventually he comes in saying, "I need some breakfast, guys."

Playing with his new Mickey Duplo. He doesn't share that one.

I helped at a funeral luncheon and the boys sat and played, ate and watched a show on the ipad. I didn't realize I was the only one with little kids who signed up, so I was grateful they behaved so well and people didn't know they were there.

Loving the body color markers. The black doesn't wash off as well as the lighter colors, for the record.

I went to a doctor's appointment and John watched the boys at work. I made it over his lunch so they just ate and watched Elmo in his break room. Now they ask me regularly when I'm going to the doctor again so they can go back.

I finally got to use my Christmas present--tickets to the Taylor Swift concert at Levi's stadium.

They used the light up wristbands, which are so fun.

It was my first time at the new stadium and we were 4 levels up in nosebleed seats--more like vertigo seats, because when I looked down I felt like I might tumble over.

Jonah started climbing in and out of his crib, which was the main reason we switched him to his own bed in Scott's room. 

They actually do really well in there together. I think Scott's been getting woken up earlier than he'd like, but he loves having his best friend with him every night.

Jonah Turns 2

John's parents had a busy August traveling, but we took them out to dinner for their birthday before they left. We went to Blue Water Seafood & Crab and started with fancy drinks (non-alcohilic strawberry daquiri for me and pina coladas for the three of them). It's a crab pot place like we tried in Seattle and we thought sharing would give us a better chance of finishing. However, we got the biggest bucket, which is 5 lbs. of food. We didn't quite make it, but we left full and happy.

I bought bundtinis from Nothing Bundt Cakes and we celebrated Jonah's birthday with them at home after dinner.

The boys needed bath towels and I bought them these instead of regular ones.

Jonah asks for an apron whenever Scott or I use one, so we bought him a little one of his own.

Grandma and Grandpa gave him a Chupacabra/Ripslinger Duplo set.

He is so cute playing with them and even cuter saying their names.

They saw that the box has the Dusty (which Scott has), Skipper and Blade sets and have been asking where those ones are ever since. Those box designers are smart people. They've since learned about Christmas wishlists.

Then it was time for cake!

Jonah was timid with the candles.

On his actual birthday, we had a ward park day, so I brought carrot cupcakes to share.

We had a pretty good turn out that day.

Amanda came to help set up and celebrate.

Scott loves birthdays. His favorite part is singing to "the birthday boy."

Rick and Jess gave the boys body markers. 

They went right to work.

Amanda and my mom came over and we took everyone to Panera because we think Jonah's favorite food is noodles (mac & cheese).  When we came home, Amanda gave Jonah a Mickey train that both boys are obsessed with.

Scott gave Jonah a Mickey tool set like his Home Depot one so they can work on house projects together.

He's quite the handyman.

My mom gave him a Disney characters book

and cool Mickey Vans.

My aunts sent him new clothes, cooking mittens,

and a Mickey Duplo set.

Every gift he opened, Jonah would say, "WOW!" then toss it over his shoulder to rip the paper off the next thing.

He played with his new toys

read his new book

and licked the frosting off one more cupcake before it was time for bed.

Scott told Jonah he has to say "2" now when people ask how old he is. I asked Jonah how old he is and he replied, "cupcakes!" I think he had a fun birthday. We've all definitely enjoyed having him around for the last 2 years.