Progress

So, now that I'm not babysitting, I've managed to get a few things checked off that to do list!  I got the safety inspection done on the van-- no small feat, since it turns out my van is too big for the lifts of some of the mechanics around here!  That was NOT something I considered when we were trying to decide what car to buy!  I eventually found a mechanic who could help me.  After a little work on the brakes (which explains the weird squeaking noise it was making) everything is peachy on that front.  Yay!

And I painted Bentley's room!  I painted two of the walls a deep, deep red which turned out to be hard to get even.  I had to do three coats before it looked decent, and even then it was giving me fits.  Craig even painted a bit, too (at my request), to make sure I wasn't just doing it wrong.  But no, it was very temperamental paint!  Anyway, I did grey on the two remaining walls, and that color was much more forgiving.  I still made a ton of mistakes-- I cannot seem to paint without getting drips everywhere, despite thinking I'm being so terribly careful.  But it's the best I could do while also trying to keep kids happy and laundry done and dinners made.  (I did point out to Craig that when he's working on projects like this, I do everything else for him so he can give the project his full attention.  I never get that kind of assistance.  But I also don't have a full time job taking up most of my time, so I guess it's not easy for either of us.)

Bentley's birthday was on Tuesday (he's a TEENAGER now!!!), so we managed to get his furniture mostly all moved back in so he could sleep in his bed on his birthday-- what a nice gift!  (Um, we did get him an actual gift, too.  Just for the record.)

We also celebrated with Grandma and Grandpa:

New sweatshirt and new swordfish necklace (since his swim team are the City Swordfish)

For the actual day, he wanted sugar cookies since he doesn't like cake very much:

And he'll have a party with his friends on Friday, so hopefully that will go well.  Apparently we spend an entire week celebrating birthdays around here.  And why not?


I am the mother of a teenager now.  And I will continue to be one for the next SIXTEEN. YEARS.

That makes me feel way older than turning forty did!