Painting

Today was painting day at my house. I had been putting off finishing the living room. One wall had been painted for a few months and I needed to finish that room. I don't really enjoy painting especially when the kids are around- need I say more? With two kids so young, it is really stressful to paint when they are home.

Paul is away at a preacher's meeting, Anna and Zack are at camp, so it is Paul, Jr., Ellie, and the two little boys home. I asked my friend if she would mind watching the little boys today so I could finish up painting. Of course! She said. She'd be glad to. What a relief! She's so thoughtful that she picked the boys and Ellie up at 9 this morning, so I wouldn't have to drive to her house and could get started.

She told me as she left my house that she had nothing to do today, so I could pick the kids up at 10pm if I needed to. Wow. As tempted as I was to leave them there until 10 so I could get everything done I wanted to, I planned on getting them around 7:30. I painted and primed and painted all day long. I looked at the clock and it was 6. I decided what I could finish before going to get the kids when the phone rang. It was my friend, wondering if I would mind if she kept the kids overnight so I could get done.

Do I mind??? Are you kidding me?? I was so relieved! I now had enough time to get everything done! What a friend! She went above and beyond!!

So, I can't believe I'm posting these before pictures. They are horrible! What a mess.
This is the dining room. I toyed around with the idea of painting it too, but had really decided against it, figuring I wouldn't be able to get it all done. I changed my mind when I realized I had left my paint in the van and Paul, Jr. would be gone with the van for over an hour. I didn't want to waste that "kid-less" time, so I went ahead and primed the dining room for paint.

The living room wall.

The other living room wall.

The half wall in the living room, primed.

There are no finished pictures yet. I didn't get everything finished and put back and I wanted to wait until I did that. And, as per my husband, I didn't get to hang stuff on the walls yet. He told me hanging stuff on the walls was "not my gift" and that everything I hang up falls down or leaves big nail holes. I must admit. He is right. He said he would hang everything "right" for me when he gets home.

I do not like painting. I'm not very good at it. I'm not a detail person and have a hard time with baseboards and molding. I have quite a bit of touchup to do on baseboards and moldings. One important lesson I learned today. Even though white primer looks like white paint, it isn't. And if you decided to use the white primer like white paint, whatever you painted with the white primer will now not be washable. Ask me how I know.