Spend less than $30 for all supplies needed to paint 2 or more rooms!

I, by no means, am a professional painter.  I have, however been painting our house room by room.  I've also helped other people paint, and have learned a few things that you may find interesting if your time is your money.

I just recently finished painting my entire living room - average size - and 3/4 of our guest room - with about 1/5th of a gallon of paint to spare.  I still remember talking with a good friend about how a paint company told her his estimation of painting 3 walls of a bedroom would take 2-3 gallons of paint... wow.  With that average, and paying full price for paint, it would cost me way more than $30 for all of my supplies.

One of my discoveries was the amazingness of the small foam rollers.  I bought one for our closets and bathrooms to use when painting.  I noticed that there was less paint waste overall.

When I paint a room with these rollers, it definitely takes 2 coats.  However, even when I have bought paint and primer and painted my walls the way the paint stores dictate, I still have about 2 coats of paint I have to put up.

Overall, it may take a little longer, but not by much.  In under 3 hours I completed the edging and painting of all coats to our guest bedroom - by myself.

Another amazing tool I discovered was the paint edger.  Watch out - this tool may become your best friend. It slides smoothly on the wall, and leaves a crisp line where the ceiling/wall meet the painted wall.  It also absorbs an amazing amount of paint (but doesn't waste), and is awesome for using to paint small sections, or to touch walls up.  Make sure you run the edger over the edge of the paint on the wall to keep it from being a distinct line on your wall.

For all of the supplies, of which the paint is really the only thing you will need to replenish for your other rooms - the roller and edger last a long time, and the refills are super cheap - your start-up cost is less than $30 (taxes included).  See the breakdown below:

Paint Pan: ~$2
Aluminum Foil (This saves your paint tray, and also keeps the paint wetter if you need to cover with saran wrap overnight.  When you are done - throw away with no pan to clean or toss!)
Foam Roller, and Refills (2): ~$11

Gallon of Oops paint (at Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, etc): ~$6
Paint Edger (this is my favorite) and refills (2): ~$8

I hope you too can paint without being too hard on your wallet.  I recommend listening to your favorite music and simply enjoying the time with you and your paint - it is very therapeutic :)

No matter the choice... I love you.

Today one of my students interviewed me about parenting.  While the questions weren't too bad overall, I found myself nervous.  It is not that I don't share things with my students - I just don't share a lot about myself or my family - unless there is a one-on-one conversation where my life has impact.  I feel exposed and vulnerable - especially with my students - I have this fear that they will use my personal sharing against me.

Today I was surprised by this revelation as I sat uncomfortably answering questions.

As my student asking the question, and a couple others were listening in (anything is more fun than school - right?) - I found them responding with looks and comments that communicated how touched they were by some of my answers.  I had to hold back tears.

I just felt proud.  Like there was something in this parenting thing that I am doing ok in -even good.

One of the things that had a deep impact comes from a song I sing to my kids that is partially made up, and a statement that can be heard frequently around our house... depending on how hard of a day the kids, or I, are having.

It is this (when they make the bad choice):  I (Mommy) love you no matter what bad choice you make.
It is this (when I make the bad choice - imagine that! ;)):  We love each other even when we make bad choices.  Even when Mommy makes bad choices.

We make things right.

We choose to love - no matter what.

One of my students asked me how I would respond if my kids turned out like "them."  Her question made me so sad.  In my mind, there is no "them."  They are there for reasons, yes.  Many of them need help, yes.  But that makes them no less valuable.

I told her I would love my kids anyways, and stay by their side through whatever they needed to walk through.

I am in no way perfect.  My irritability could win me some awards these days - didn't realize how much being preggo would affect me this time around.

I really don't want to be - though honestly I still struggle with the pressure to be so when I am around other people, especially moms, who come across as having it all together.  I also struggle to believe I am anything if I am not perfect, and even if I was perfect it would be a toss up if I was valuable at all.

My kids don't need my perfection.  They need my honesty, vulnerability, humility, failures to walk through, and broken love that continues to try again.

I hope I can open up a little more with my students.  I am trying.  It is just hard to expose the things most important to me when I know how students can use them to hurt teachers.  I think they are worth that risk.

I hope the conversations had today about parenting when I was sharing will stay with those girls, and that they will come to value and love themselves, and believe that others do that for them too.

I still have a long way to go in valuing myself, and loving myself, and believing that anyone else really would too.  But I know that I can trust God with loving me even when I make bad choices.  Not because I can turn around and make a good choice - but because he loves me... not what I do or don't do.

Cinco De...

Five Minute Friday

Today I'm linking up with The Gypsy Mama for Five Minute Friday

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Please visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments.


Real...


My first thoughts do to today... the fight my husband and I had over the optometrist, and not having the correct insurance information, and our constant struggle with communication.  From there I can't help by smile and tear up at how the honesty we live our lives by can cause so much frustration, but brings so much healing for us both as we work through it.


I think of vulnerability, and how messy it can be... and how awkward at times... but how it is so worth it.


I think about how my kids live lives marked by being real more than I can say of myself publically or many adults I know.  I love my kids, and even Ezzie's comments about women being pregnant in the store, and all of the things he is beginning to say.


I think about freedom.  How being real brings freedom, and so much more intimacy than I ever have known.


I think about my husband again, and am so grateful that our marriage is not based on roles and rules, but based on the giftings God has given us, and our continual movement towards loving, accepting, and respecting one another.  That we don't have to force ourselves into the roles that our culture, and even churches, push us into, but instead live our lives, and trust God for His guidance in how we love one another.


Being real means vulnerability, life and freedom to me.