Upside Down

I thought about posting the next batch of Disney pictures. The thought of it made me want to take another a nap.

My house has been turned upside down. There is actually a desk literally upside down on my coffee table. Things took a turn for the worse two days ago after I finally purchased paint. My dad called us upstairs where he showed us that the wall texture was peeling off. The layers of paint/texture were so think it looked like wall paper. In fact we found that one wall in the room used to be lipstick pink. The wall next to it? A turquoise color with splashes of pink.

That meant that "we should be ready to paint by this afternoon or early tomorrow" didn't happen. It took all day yesterday to get the gunk off the walls. The last 6 hours have been spent sanding and prepping for paint.

I am currently being lulled to sleep by the sound of sanding and a shop vac. (With every song ever recorded by Chicago blasted from Dad's iPod through my now very dusty speakers.)

When he came down for lunch, my father looked like he had bathed in white chalk dust. I was going to put the clothes I washed on the clothesline and then noticed the dust pouring out of the upstairs sliding glass door. My otherwise green patio umbrella has fine white layer on top. (I wonder if I can convince the Irishman that it is Florida snow?)

This morning I was promoted. In addition to my duties as cook, they added errand girl. I bought the wrong shop vac filter. After my second trip out, I cheated. I served Home Depot hot dogs for lunch. Yep. You read that right. It was classy.

The cats are following my every move. They are not fond of the noises or the "strangers" who have entered their houses. I was told Rafa cried like a baby when I left for my second trip to Home Depot. Not sure I can blame him!

So...I am off to hide again. I am dreaming of a put together house with a computer desk and a green nursery. Someday soon...

Irish Charm

I'd researched places to eat at Disney for several days before the Irishman got around to calling to see about reservations. Of course that meant that when he did call, most the places we wanted were booked. He was getting frustrated after talking to the first operator and hung up sounding like the husband who messed up.

I did a little more research and had him call back. This time he used his Irish charm.

He laid it on THICK!

I was rolling on the floor in laughter listening to him. He was extremely polite to the lady on the phone. He played up the fact that his wife told him to call and he put it off so do they have anything available at ____ place on ____night? I could only hear his side of the conversation, but she would start telling him about the restaurant as she looked up the times and he would answer back with, "Oh really? That sounds great. I hope there is something available." "Oh, no. I've never been but my wife told me about it." "Yes, that is what I have heard." "You do? That's brillant. Thank you so much."

At one point the lady on the phone asked if we were celebrating anything this trip. He was sure to mention that our anniversary was last week. He also worked in there that we are expecting a baby. She must have asked where he is from because they had a whole conversation about Ireland and Irish food as well. He hung up the phone with three reservations. I gave him a hard time about the level of Irish charm applied.

When we checked into the hotel, we were given "Happy Anniversary" buttons. They also upgraded our room size and gave us a pool view. (The picture of the pool was taken from our front door.) I gave the Irishman a hard time about how nice it was of his "girlfriend" to put in a good word for us. I unpacked all the goodies we bought and we took a dip in the pool before taking a boat to Downtown Disney.

Now when the Irishman was on the phone with the Disney rep, she was really pushing Raglan Road once she learned he was Irish. Morgan wasn't really that bothered with it, but I pulled up the menu and decided it did sound like his kind of place.

We got a table right in front of the live music. There was a platform in the middle for the Irish dancer. The Irishman LOVED the meat meal. They let me order from the kids' menu which meant I had room for dessert as well. We were both quite happy. We even requested a song...Wild Rover. They were all too happy to play it for us.

There was even a moment of Irish bonding...

"Ah! Where are ye from?"

"My brother lives in ____"

"Ah, 'tis around the corner!"

"How long have you been out here?"

We took the last boat of the evening back to Port Orleans. Our tummies were full and we were tired, but it was a fantastic start to our mini vacation. All because of his Irish charm!

People Say the Funniest Things...

We had a wonderful trip to Disney. I have almost uploaded all the pictures and just need to organize and fix a few. I sat down today and made a list of my next 5 posts. I like it when I can plan ahead like that.

Right now though? I am hiding.

My dad and grandfather are cutting holes in the walls. Literally. We had a wet bar downstairs that we are getting rid of in order to move the computer down there to make room for the crib in the guest room. Follow all that?

Getting rid of a wet bar requires plumbing work. (I never thought work done on my house would come with the statement , "Just like we saw on This Old House!")

It also requires getting into the closet under the stairs. (Why yes! That is a Christmas tree currently residing in my living room!)

For the last two hours my water and possibly the water for three of my closest neighbors has been turned off while they cut they get rid of the pipes.

My job was to make lunches. It is now after lunch. So I am hiding.

Anyway...that is not the point of this post.

The Irishman went back to work today after two weeks off. In typical fashion, he lost his keys. We'd given the spare house key to my father, so I had to wait for Morgan to leave before heading to water aerobics. I got to class about 10 minutes late. Thankfully it was the fill-in teacher I do not like as much, so I didn't mind too much.

When I got into the pool though these two ladies were looking at me. I thought I heard a "Did you tell her?" I was afraid they were going to comment on my tardiness. The one spoke up...

"I hate to tell you this, but this isn't working for you."

(I am sure the look on my face was priceless...)

"You keep coming but you are still gaining weight!"

They were really sweet and asked if it was a boy of a girl and so on. We talked about their grandkids and all.

Then, after class I was getting changed in the locker room when I noticed this older woman walking in. She looked a bit weak and like she may have been a cancer patient. I saw her looking my way and as I was walking out she stopped me. I was expecting her to say something about my belly or to ask about the baby.

"You have the prettiest, straight toes."

People say the funniest things!

On the Road Again!

It is well documented that I love to travel...but I HATE to pack!

The Irishman and I are heading to Disney for a couple of days. We have Park Hopper Passes left over from our last trip, so we decided it would be a nice couple of days away. I have spent almost a week researching the BEST places to eat and all...and then my darling husband decided to wait until the last minute to call for reservations. We did get in to all the places I wanted...just not at the times we'd hoped. It should be fun though!

When we get back I have a party to go to and then my Dad comes in town. Yep. My to do list is scary. I have over 200 items in Google Reader to read. The furniture my Dad is coming to paint? It is still full of things that need to be emptied. Towels and sheets from the last house guests? In the hamper. Finding that last bit of fabric for the baby's room needed before paint colors can be selected? We won't even go there!

But you know what?

I'm going to Disney World!

It will all wait until we get back. I have a plan to give my dad and grandfather. (As project manager for the nursery conversation this is what I've been told my job entails.) There is furniture to pick up and a wall downstairs that can be fixed while I catch up on the rest. I rescheduled (again) my ESOL certification test so that is one less thing to think about. It will all get done.

So, I apologize if I am not in touch. I have a very important date with my husband and a mouse!

Now to start packing...

Garden Stroll

Last week we took our Irish house guests to a local Japanese Garden. The Irishman and I had not been there ourselves, so it was nice to finally see what we'd heard so much about. (Not that there wasn't a little bit of goofing off as the pictures show!)

It was really beautiful and would be some place I would visit again...when it isn't insanely hot the middle of summer!

We had 3 cameras between us and then 4 camera phones. (These are just the pictures from my camera!) The Irishman was trying to post a picture on Facebook from his phone. He still can't quite get it yet!

All in all it was a great day!

Four Years

The Irishman and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary on Thursday. We'd already decided that instead of exchanging gifts we would make reservations for Disney next week. At about 8pm the night before though, my husband decided he had the perfect day planned for me. I have to say he did VERY well!

We had planned to go to the gym in the morning, but when we alarm went off we both decided it would be nicer to sleep in. I made homemade muffins for him. (I had to do something to compete with the perfect day he had planned!)

For lunch, we tried out the new Tex Mex place I'd been really wanting to go to. While it did not quite measure up to Papasitos, it was by far the closest I've found in Florida. (Notice in the picture there was a pepper...thankfully there was NOT a repeat of the Pepper Incident!)

They have homemade tortillas. (YUM!) the fajitas are not contaminated with any sauce or random veggies (that one is for you Em!) and best of all...they serve sopapillas. I LOVE sopapillas.

From there we went to a paint-your-own-pottery studio. I won a voucher from the school auction and had been looking for someone to paint with. This particular place also does not charge a studio fee. I was impressed. The Irishman picked out a star shaped bowl with Santa Claus on it. (Think of it as Christmas in July...or just Morgan being Morgan!) and I painted a light switch cover for the nursery.

Later that evening we met Morgan's sisters at The Cheesecake Factory for...well Cheesecake for dinner. All in all it was a fantastic day! I am looking forward to many more with the Irishman!

Night Afternoon at the Museum

The Irishman has been obsessed about seeing Transformers. He has been making this noise that is supposed to be the sound of the machines transforming...nonstop. Every time we ask what we should be do for the day, he makes the sound.

Yesterday was the first day of stay-cation without a doctor appointment. We headed down to the local museum where they happened to be showing Transformers on the IMAX. It was only an extra 4 dollars to add admission to the museum to the IMAX ticket, so we had some time to look around before the show started.

We looked through the Florida habitat exhibits and played with the aquarium settings on our cameras. The Irishman tried to act interested. He really only had one thing on his mind!

The flight exhibit was a hit. We all enjoyed "flying the planes." (We may or may not have chased away small children in our eagerness...) At last it was time for the show. I can say with confidence that he enjoyed it more than the girls and I did, but I might be willing to admit that his Transformer noise is closer than I thought it would be!

Yesterday we also picked some onions and a turnip from the garden. They were a bit smaller than we'd hoped for, but that's okay. We added the onions to the potato soup in the crock pot and had a feast waiting for us when we got home! It was a successful day!

Goodies for Our Girl

We have gotten a few goodies lately that I just had to share!

This is a Cork hurling jersey the Irishman's sister June brought out with her for us. I am thinking some red hairbows/headbands will be in order! (Hurling is an Irish sport and Cork would be the part of Ireland where they live.)

We got a lovely package of goodies from my mom. Our nursey theme is sheep. Aren't they too cute?

The Irishman is happy to see his hard work on the closet is going to good use!

Chef Morgan

Yesterday my husband made sauce using his take on my mom's recipe. We took some to Lyndsay and Dave's house and still had four containers left over!

Not too shabby for an Irishman!

Stay-cation

Well, it is officially day one of Stay-cation 2009. The Irishman has two weeks off. He can only roll over 5 days after August, so he needed to take the days now before they disappeared! We'd thought about taking a small trip with his sisters somewhere in the state but have decided to stay home and enjoy South Florida instead.

So far it has been a productive day! I had my monthly doctor's appointment this morning. Our little girl is doing well and the doctor was please so see I have "finally gained some weight." I am 23 weeks and up about 15 pounds.

Another thing I learned this morning? You can see Baby's R Us from the doctors' office. The Irishman and I stopped there after the appointment so I could get his opinion on a few things I'd been researching. I am almost ready to register...that is in my "Stay-cation plan."

From there we went and met with a rep from HR to go over my maternity benefits. I think it is a little better than what we'd feared thought. We have a lot of figures to play with. Thankfully we also have time some time! So far the plan is to work as late as I can before the baby comes. From there is is a matter of figuring out how much time I can afford to take.

We also went and met with a parent of a former student of mine. She has her own business and makes BEAUTIFUL embroidered gifts. We are a bit behind in our gift giving, so it was great to place an order to get caught up.

Now we are back home. June and Christina, two of the Irishman's sisters, are in town. They enjoyed some time at the pool this morning and are off at the mall now. The Irishman and making homemade spaghetti sauce using my mom's recipe. It smells great so far!

A quick request to any Disney experts out there:
The Irishman and I have two day park hopper passes. We are thinking about taking a trip next week for our anniversary. My thought was to stay on property so that we can make it a nice leisurely trip. Any thoughts on places to stay? (The budget is looking like the moderate resorts with Florida resident rates are our target.) Restaurants? (I love lunch at the French place in Epcot! What else haven't we discovered yet?) Tips for Disney when pregnant? Are we crazy for thinking this is a good idea? Any thoughts are welcome!

As for now, it is nap time! Happy Summer!

Baby Bargains

I had a few days off, so I did some shopping. Here is a look at some of my newest "Baby Bargains."

* I was at the limits on my pre-pregnancy swimsuit, and I found Target had their maternity suits on sale. Being as I have been going to water aerobics 2-3 times a week, a suit was a must! The belly on this one still has room for growth, but it must not be too bad...one of the ladies in class today asked me where I got it. I didn't have the heart to tell her it was a maternity suit!

* We plan to paint my old dresser and were looking for a changing table to paint to match. This is my first Craig's List purchase. Grandma Betty and I went to pick it up on Friday. My clearance baskets from Target were down to under $2 so I picked up a few more. I think it is going to be perfect for what we want!

* Uncle Ken came over this weekend and helped to hang the clothes bars in the closet. (Doesn't it look great? Thank you!) Then yesterday I saw someone had posted on Freecycle a bag of plastic baby hangers. I went by to pick them up yesterday afternoon and then hung up all the clothes we've been given from family and friends. Free is my favorite bargain of all!

* I read in my Baby Bargains Book a review of the Lands End Diaper Bags. When I went online, the bags were 50% off. I also found an online coupon for free shipping. Not too shabby. My "total savings" column was more than my "total spent."

* Not pictured, but we went to the mall this weekend with the Irishman's eldest sister. I found a pair of DKNY PJs that were 50% off. VERY comfy! Add to that a $10 coupon, and they were a great deal! I also may or may not (wink wink) have hit Kohls when the maternity clothes were 50% off. Not too bad.

* Yesterday Grandma Betty and I went to pick out fabric for the nursery. We found some really nice fabric! Did I mention our three 40% off coupons?

This is why I work during the summer. Time off is a dangerous thing!

HaHaHa!

After a week's worth of begging on his part we decided to go see a movie this afternoon. There was a lot of debate about what to see, but all three of us finally agreed on The Hangover.

The Irishman has a VERY distinctive laugh. When something really tickles his funny bone, anyone in a mile radius knows it. It doesn't happen that often, but when it does...

I didn't think the movie was all that great. I chuckled a few times, but that was about it. My husband admitted that parts were over the top, but at other times he laughed until he had tears in his eyes.

At one point the teenage boys behind us started to mock his laugh.

The sad part? He was too busy laughing to notice...

Happy 4th!

We are at an outdoor concert and fireworks at a local university. Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

(Posted from my cell so excuse the quality!)

The Irishman's DIY Adventures: The Closet

Saturday started like "If you Give a Mouse a Cookie." We have these great organizers...what if we paint the closet first? Notice the paint in the hair. It was every where.

It also meant that the items stored in the closet had to find a new home. This is what the "guest room" looked like two days before my sister-in-laws arrival. Notice the items my husband cleverly stored in my Texas themed BATHROOM. Yep. Fun times. Rafa didn't mind. He slept anyway.

This would be Sunday evening. Sunday was an "Alexander and the Terrible Horrible, No Good, Really Bad Day" kind of day. It is his "I am SO over this" "Maybe I'll move to Australia" look. He is standing in front of the $2 clearance baskets I got at Target. The Irishman tried to get excited about the baskets. (Can't you tell?)

This would be the almost finished product. We still have to hang the bars for the clothes. We are sort of hoping that a certain uncle of mine might help us with that. (Hint, hint!)

Is it sad that the closet is now the most put together room in the house...

P.S. The Irishman announced his DIY retirement on Facebook on Monday night. Little does he know it is just beginning!