All clean now.....

Today I am on a push to get everything in at least one room if not three, sanded and ready to paint. The kids are coming over tomorrow to help clean and celebrate my birthday with me.

I am on a low carb lifestyle (had to change this word in here because this isn't a diet it's a lifelong change for me and for my house). Anyhow, 2 years ago during the time of my son's graduation I was diagnosed diabetic. I went low carb and have maintained my blood sugar rather well. The problem was I think not eating enough. Since I have started tracking my calories, carbs, proteins, fats and fiber I can already tell a difference and  though I am not touching the scale til tomorrow morning, I am betting I will have lost some weight.  If not I keep keeping on.

The reason I mention this is because, The kids and boyfriends/girlfriends, are all coming over to help me paint and 'hang out'  I am so excited to see them and spend some time. I also am trying to be very careful what I make to eat. If it is here and available, it's too easy to say "Oh it's my birthday ill splurge!"   Because I know this I am serving foods i can eat. Who cares what they want lol it's my birthday :P

We are making a cheesecake, Mike is famous for his cheesecake and I can make it super low carb and not too bad in calories/fat. I just switch cream cheese with nuefendel, splenda for sugar, and flour with soy flour. It turns out much the same just eatable (by me!). If there are leftovers I will freeze it separate and have as a snack for a few nights. I am attempting carrot cheesecake. (with carrots and spices) If it turns out good i may have my next favorite desert.

I am hoping I can spurge and stay on track all at the same time. Not super worried about it but would like to stay near my calorie/carb range.

So here is some pics:

 Wanted to start with the exercise room.  Sky had been gone for 3 years and I needed a place to go exercise. I cleaned everything out of her old room and converted it into another office/exercise room. I can watch netflix while I work out.

We bought a used treadmill and my Mom gave me the Gazelle, ab lounge, stationary bike. I did this a few months ago.

Eventually the walls in here will get stripped, plastered and painted.














Ok so this is the same room (the top with kids dancing and the right with joint compound and tools everywhere lol.

This is me today, the plaster really dried my hair out the past few days, time for a bag over my head or something. Nope there won't be pictures of that. lol  OK, more pictures of the house.

 Thanksgiving with the crew, Kids and friends. To think of all the joy we have gathered around that table. (which we will be replacing with a smaller table, but it won't be going far though)  You can see the plaster work was started and going then, this has been such a long project. You can see  the railing in both of these pictures, the decorative post. As the years went by and people leaned on them (much like you see people leaning on it in the picture) the railings tore at the drywall and made holes there.

 I chose the open layout of this house because I could always keep an eye out on the kids. Later when the kids got a bit older the separation from light and noise might have been a blessing. Most days walking into the house there was competing noises from both rooms could always keep an eye out on the kids. Later when the kids got a bit older the separation from light and noise might have been a blessing. Most days walking into the house there was competing noises from both rooms. The archway pic is the same  angle of camera as the thanksgiving and birthday pics. Mike built the wall. i have done all the plaster and plaster sanding in the whole house so far. Tomorrow I am putting the kids to work as they all took time off to come help me finish sanding in the first living room (that you can see in the doorway) and painting it too!

The picture on the left is a veiw from the "kids living room" looking towards the dining/kitchen. Looks like that picture was taken on Sky's Birthday.  As an end to this project or another mini project we are expanding the bar in the kitchen and replacing all the counter tops painting drawers and cupboards to be a mixture of cream, burgundy  and wood. We picked out cherry laminate wood plank flooring which is going to be so nice getting rid of all the carpet in these rooms. I also have picked out some black iron handles for the cupboards.  As the blog progresses there will be more detailed step by step stuff. For now I am catching up with where I am at.
The picture on the right here is the same view looking through the new archway.  We plan to add another archway going into the hallway and rounded edges into the main living room off the kitchen/dining room.  Looking at the bar here where it is wood now, after the bar rebuild, it will be cream under the bar top.  I am so excited to see all this get done!  Tomorrow is mass clean up and a bit of primer. Then a night of relaxing with my kidos.   I will be sure to get pictures of the kids working and post them up asap.