I'm getting back to you (you might want to write this on the calendar).

As you know, I have a habit of procrastination and leaving things in the lurch.  So, in the spirit of change (Huh?  What's that?) I thought I would bring you two updates.  Shocking, I know.

1.  The quick one first. The Keurig is indeed dead.  I will be calling customer service tomorrow when I have perfected the story I am going to tell them.  Not that it's not true.  Well kinda true.  Technically I guess it's a half truth.  And now I am hearing my dead mother's voice, "Half truth, half lie."  Thank you, Keurig for invoking my deceased mother to prove your point.  The situation in which I got the Keurig was kind of a backroom deal.  Of sorts.  Anyway.  I just needed a little time to decide what to say.  I'll keep you posted.  (And, you know how good I am about that.)

2.  Yes, the raccoons are still here.  They are low-key now.  I no longer go out to the Yukon Cornelius and find mounds of garbage strewn all over the yard.  It's more subtle (and, I like to think of them thinking of it as "discreet" and somewhat "friendly").  For example, yesterday I found simply a ripped Ziploc bag that had contained grapes that had gone bad right outside the garbage can.  The heavy, heavy rock was about six inches from the front of the can.  It looked as if all the grapes were still in the bag.  Apparently, raccoons don't like moldy grapes.  Sorry, raccoons.

I am seeing our relationship as more of a test now.  They are testing my fortitude and ability to consume everything in my fridge.  I am testing their brute strength and persistence.

Some of you (I think one person?  And, that person could be a figment of my imagination.) wondered if I had any photographic examples of what was happening.  So, I snapped this photo a while back just for you guys.

Notice how the rock is in place and there is still trash?  (That's when we realized the raccoons had moved on to the neighbor's trash can.  And then we put a rock on that one.)

2.  Remember when I re-did my girls' room like I was some kind of reject from Design on a Dime auditions?  I told you how miserable I was at decorating and crafting?  And I gave you teaser photos of what was to come?  Well, it's been done for ages now and I thought I'd give you a few photos of the finished product and a budget breakdown like the TV show.  But, then I lost all the receipts.  So, you are just getting photos and know that the complete re-do cost less than the two computers that hubby bought right after I was done. 

I realize that most people will look at these photos and think, "Meh."  But, know that I do not finish much anything.  In fact, this room might well be the only room in my house that is "finished."  And, it will probably stay this way until the girls move out.  Plus, I picked everything myself (so please don't tell me if you hate it or if it is totally uncoordinated).

The new bunk beds.  And the radiating light from the new ceiling fan.  Thank you, hubby.

The view from the top bunk.  See all of our new organization?  I am scared of heights, so you're welcome.

The new hanging thing to hang all the things.

The room from the door.  Really, really bad lighting and not-so-great camera. 

My kids are going to camp this coming week, so I'll be blogging everyday I am going to get some work done.  Have a great week!

The Anti-Crafter, First Edition

Here's what I have been up to (besides no good).  The first day the girls had their new bunk beds I walked into their room (after they had been suspiciously quiet in there for about an hour) and found them with hundreds (that might be a slight exaggeration) of little notes TAPED all over the freshly painted walls in the area near where their heads lie.  ARGHHHHH.  My head spun around because I hate tape on walls (especially freshly painted ones - which rarely happens in this house).  So, I decided to drive straight to Hobby Lobby and buy them some of these French Message Boards (I *might* have accidentally Googled French Massage Boards in my attempt to first find out what the hell these things are called).

The only one at Hobby Lobby was pink and black (gag) and had I liked it (remotely), it cost $19.99.  Too much for this thing I thought I might be able to make (in an alternate universe - apparently I was high that day - on LIFE).  So, we bought all the stuff to make them.  I know, weird, right?  Since I am the Anti-Crafter, it's just strange.

The one above is Girl 3's.  She picked out everything and it coordinates nicely with their room.  Girl 2's is not quite done yet, but her fabric is equally cute.

Total cost for two of these French Message Boards?  $32.48.  So, I guess I call that Success.

On another note:  Today is the first day of the The Great Pantry Challenge.  Today I spent $33.98 at the grocery store for the week.  That included four gallons of milk, one Easter basket, one bottle of ear medicine, bananas, and one pint of whipping cream.  Tonight's dinner:  vegetable quesadillas (made primarily with squash from a Very Good Friend who is a buyer for HEB - which is our main grocery store here), rice, and leftover refried beans (it's Lent, so that helps).  It was meh.  Good thing I am trying to lose about 10 pounds. 

Menu for the week:

Chili, homemade mac-n-cheese, pizza and pasta, meatloaf, spaghetti and meatballs, and something else yet-to-be-determined.  An assortment of vegetables and fruit will go with all of this.

Like I said, good thing I am trying to lose weight.