...because home doesn't happen overnight.
02.02.11 / On The Rocks

We got slammed with an ice storm 2 days ago.  It’s really ‘frozen’ many of the little projects going on over here because 1) I’ve spent most of my time entertaining {breaking up fights between} my boys on snow days and 2) I can’t go out to get anything I need without falling flat on my a$*!  These are our front steps today…actually much improved over yesterday.  Reminds me of the scene from Home Alone where the robbers try repeatedly to enter the front door to no avail.

If you live anywhere in midwestern USA, most likely you know what I’m talking about.  It’s very hard to describe but our front yard looks shiny.  There are about 4 inches of snow petrified in a half inch of ice.  I thought about going down to the road and taking a picture for you but decided against it after I remembered I hadn’t made it to the car {which is parked at the bottom of our driveway because it can’t make it up} once without wiping out.  I figured that wouldn’t be good for the camera and all.  So, I stuck to the porch.

I did try unsuccessfully to drive the car up into the garage yesterday morning.  I got about halfway up when the car turned 90° and I was facing my neighbor’s house.  I then proceeded to slide down the driveway {in the car still} completely sideways, ending up at the bottom with the passenger’s door parallel to the road.  Did I mention this was on the way back from taking Layne to the bus stop…after I realized school had been cancelled?  So, the boys were with me.  Once the car stopped moving, Everett said, “dat’s cool.”  Layne said, “Maybe we should just park here until the ice melts.”  That should give you a good indication as to what each of their personalities is like. Everett = loud, daredevil, crazy.  Layne = practical, cautious, intelligent.  They are night and day.

I’ve been biding my time finishing up my first design project for the interior design course I’m taking. So far, the hardest part has just been finding time to study the material.  On Monday, I worked my regular {stifling} day job and then went to the library for 4 hours to put in some study time.  You can probably guess which one I enjoyed more.  ;)  Between caring for my family, housekeeping, working, blogging, DIYing and studying, I’m feeling quite scattered-brained.  And I don’t feel like I’m doing any single one thing very well.  But I’m doing the best I can and nobody’s going hungry…yet! {Although we did miss the bus this morning.}  Lying in front of the fireplace with this lil’ guy makes everything better.

I just realized he has on the same clothes as he did in the DIY kale chips post.  Oh well.  At least I got him out of his pajamas.  Today.  As things start to thaw out over here {hopefully!}, I’ll take some pics of the master bedroom project that Handy Hubby has been working on.  You may be surprised to know that it’s not gray or white.  Not even close.  I think I need a drink tonight after the kids go to bed.  On the rocks. We’ve got plenty.

images:  all Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

13 Comments

02.February.2011

Can’t wait to see the bedroom project!

This post makes me feel so much better. :) I’ve been trying to work at home with my two small children and keep the house clean at the same time… MANIC! Good to know mine is not the only child who has lived in his pajamas for two days.

We also had a fun sloooow slide all the way down to the bottom of our parking lot this morning while trying to get out to a Doctor’s appointment (which we missed). We landed right next to the snow plow guy, who was also stuck.

But apparently the ground hog did not see his shadow… so there is hope for an early spring!

02.February.2011

I think SoCal is the only one that escaped this deep freeze. Now I’m feeling rather guilty that I was complaining about the return of winter (it was 68 today). That said, I’m a New England girl- so all that ice talk? That sliding down the driveway shtuff? That anti-traction at the front door? I totally get it.

And I think you are doing a beautiful job at maintaining this blog. Quite lovely actually. So, if that’s any indication of how you are handling all the rest of it? I’d say you deserve a serious pat on the back… and that drink tonight.

02.February.2011

Dana, I totally understand. We live in New York, and you can practically ice skate on our driveway. I witnessed a plow truck slide sideways down our hill towards a busy intersection. Thankfully it landed during a red light – so no major accident there. However, it was enough for me to take my behind back to bed.

On another note, i am excited to see what new projects you are coming up with. I have been following your blog since around Thanksgiving and am starting to see a few (minor, yet significant) changes in your style.

And remember the old saying: Do what you love and the money will follow!
Cheers,
Johanna.

02.February.2011

No ice here – but about 15″ of snow and below 0 temperatures tonight. Yea! I think I’d rather have the snow then the ice. At least once the plows get through I can move around.

02.February.2011

Johanna – What a lovely comment! I think you are so right in saying that you’ve noticed a few minor ‘changes’ in my style. It’s definitely a work in progress over here…projects and me finding my design sea legs. I will remember the saying and take it to heart. You don’t know how much that meant to me!

03.February.2011

It’s actually not that bad in NJ….I just wanted to commend you on your juggling act. I’m doing the same, minus the design classes and blogging and I can’t catch my breath! You’re doing a great job! Aside from your home and design sense, I really love your easy, down to earth – yet still eloquent writing style! Keep up the good work!

03.February.2011

oh, i know that scatterbrained feeling well! as moms, we all need to cut ourselves some slack in these crazy times, and remember that our happy and healthy kids reflect that we’re doing *something* right :)

I’d take snow over ice any day– it’s been impossible to walk anywhere! our little dog did the splits on the ice in the backyard yesterday, poor thing! roads here are clear, but we have a lot of branches down. When the power was out, we sat downstairs and made shadow puppets with the hand-crank emergency light–it was a hoot!

reminder–in addition to flashlights/batteries/water/etc, add lots of chocolate and a good bottle of wine to emergency kit!

03.February.2011

I feel your pain about the ice & snow. I’m from New York (Long Island) and two days ago we looked out the window in the morning after our “Ice Storm” and everything was coated with an inch of ice. The snow piles looked so weird, that I can’t even come up with a good word to describe it. LOL! We are thankful that we have a flat driveway. One thing we learn with this ice storm was that pavers are not as slippery as cement. Weird! The pavers are in our driveway and for some reason, they didn’t get as slippery as the cement that is our sidewalk.

I think you are doing a great job. I love your blog. If you are joggling all of this and doing such a great job, then I should be able to do more. :D

03.February.2011

Carole – Oh, the chocolate and wine emergency kit is too much! I’m cracking up.

03.February.2011

Hi Dana! I´ve been following your blog for a few months now, and I´m absolutly in love with it. I love everything you´ve done with your house and I use a lot of it as inspirations in my new house.
It is the first time I comment, I think… This week I was reading one of the online magazines I like, and in one of their blogs they used one of you pictures (of you bed) and linked it to a diferent site. I corrected it on the comments, linking the picture to you. Check it out http://colunas.casaejardim.globo.com/laemcasa/2011/01/21/sono-rustico/#comments

Oh, it is in Portuguese, by the way. lol I´m from Brazil, and the magazine is Brazilian.

03.February.2011

Mari – Thanks for commenting…for the first time! Thanks too for correcting the online Portuguese magazine. It’s nice to know my readers have my back!

03.February.2011

I guess I should be happy we got snow instead of ice. We are between Milwaukee and Chicago on Lake Michigan and I think we got 24″ but with drifts in some areas (like against our front door) it was 6 feet!! It is crazy!!
Cant wait to see your bedroom!

04.February.2011

I have been checking out your blog, love your sense of style it’s so similar to my own. I love the mixture of old / revamped items with an overall modern feel. I’m hooked and looking forward to your future projects. ;)