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.

Use your words...

How many times have we said this to Ezzie?  Jon has been phenomenal at helping Ezzie learn to identify his emotions.  I have learned so much through watching him with Ezzie.  It has been amazing to see how teaching Ezzie to use his words helps minimize the fits, acting out, etc.  Moreso, it has helped him feel understood to have words to describe what he is feeling or going through, and then for us to come alongside him.

We teach our kids to be so healthy in their communication when they are young.  Shoot - my son is learning to communicate with his friends better than me!

It seems like when it comes to hurt feelings, disappointments, anger, frustration, etc., that there is a silent understanding among adults to keep it to ourselves.  However, most of us then turn around hypocritically and want our kids to communicate well with their friends and family.  To tell them when they don't like something, when they get hurt, etc.

Kids do so good.. even when we stink.. well, for awhile.

I have heard it said time and time again - our actions are the greatest teacher our kids have, not our words.

I want to be healthy in relationships, and having kids gives me a greater encouragement to do so.  While Jon and my words are very helpful in guiding Ezzie into communicating well with others about his feelings, needs and experiences, they will only be effective to a degree.

For the most part, Jon and I have grown in communicating well with one another about all of this kind of stuff.  It is with others that this is very hard.

To say: "My feelings are hurt," to someone is a near impossibility.  I am so afraid my friend will hear this and run in the opposite direction.  I am afraid that when things aren't right that it is not ok.  For the most part, it is unacceptable.  Especially here in the south, where a plastered smile and a quiet tongue around the person of offense is encouraged, while talking about them behind their backs later is fine.

It seems we revert - we throw our own adult-sized fits.  We either blow up, internalize, deaden ourselves to our actual feelings, etc.

I am so grateful for friends who are trying to be healthy.  They are the ones who challenge me when I am too stuck to even know where to begin communicating with my words.

I especially have a great respect for people who are willing to point out to me where I hurt them, disappointed them, etc.  There is something incredibly healing in this.. sounds funny, huh?  For me, this communicates that I am worth their vulnerability.  When my friends have done this, a door has been open for more intimate communication.  Walls have come down.

I cannot imagine being competent enough, secure enough, or completely comfortable with communicating my feelings with other - or using my words.  However, I know I will continue to grow.

This is actually what I want most for my children.  I want them to see a mother and father who were willing to grow and be challenged.

This is actually something I really respect about my mom.  As much as we have butted heads, and not connected on so many levels over the years, I am so grateful for her example in growing.  She has grown so much since I first met her when I was 4 (I was adopted for those of you who may be a bit confused right now).  Her willingness, and even choosing to grow when she didn't want to, is so beautiful to me.  I wonder how much my own desire to grow and become healthier has been in large part to seeing these actions over the years, and emulating them myself.

Actions speak louder than words.  Just like we work with Ezzie on using his words, we too must practice using our words.. however scary it is.

Sure, people may not respond well to honesty and vulnerability - but true friends will walk with you hand in hand through it - however uncomfortable.  Sometimes I don't want to chance finding out someone isn't really my friend, or even to be able to discern where this may be a struggle for them and not my issue, but this is a risk I need to take more often.

Our kids are watching - my words are only so good.

A tend towards introversion

Awhile ago I came across a link on my friend's facebook page about the 10 myths about introverts: http://www.carlkingdom.com/10-myths-about-introverts .  As I read the list I was struck by how much of an introvert I truly am.  I then borrowed that same friend's book: The Introvert Advantage.  I began to feel more normal.

With reading about introversion a little more, I also found myself challenged in my relationships... especially with out-going extroverts.

There was one friend who really stood out in particular.  She was a friend who overwhelmed me with her over-exuberance of care for me, and I felt very uncomfortable being so sought after as a friend.  While this part had nothing to do with being an extrovert, the rest did.  She had a ton of friends.  She was very busy in life.  I was a small segment of her life.  Space came easily for her, and I soon found myself confused by her.  When we hung out, it was as if we were sisters and best friends.  Then time would go by, even though we lived close to one another, and I would wonder why we didn't talk more regularly.

For me, I love getting to know new people, but for the friends who seem to become like sisters, I want to share daily life, and to connect with them regularly.  I don't have a ton of these friends who live nearby, currently, but I value those I have so deeply...

Some of the characteristics which differentiate between an introvert and an extrovert are breadth and depth.  An extrovert is more of a breadth friend, who may go deep with friends, but is spread more thin - more is more.  An introvert tends to go deeper with few, while she may have others who she doesn't go as deep with.

So, where was the epiphany in all of this?  Well, my feelings got hurt... really hurt.  I questioned my friend's genuineness in her care for me.  I questioned her words.  I questioned her reaching out.  I felt it was a front.  I cried many nights over feeling unloved by this friend who had struck me dumb with her affection when we first became friends.  I cried because I felt like I finally trusted her, and then she seemed to disappear, and then jump back on the grid as if time had not been a factor.  I felt unfair in even bring this to her attention.

Over reading up on introversion, I came to peace with her.  Her relationships are all genuine.  Her heart is really big.  I can see that she loves me just as much as she says, but she is not like me in her relational needs with me.

That is the hard thing... how do you reconcile these differences?

Sometimes I wish I was more of an extrovert so that I wouldn't feel the pain I feel, but then I have to remind myself that being an extrovert doesn't numb you of pain.  I have to remind myself that my needs are also beautiful and valid.

I still get my feelings hurt easily by people who are of the extrovert persuasion, and tend to have more friends then I can count.  I wish I had the reconciling answer, and knew when to say something or not.  Even though I don't have the answers, I feel like I have a different perspective.  One that frees me from seeing myself of the failure in relationships, and lets me value others for who they are in my life... I wish this knowledge could just perfect itself in me so relationships could be much easier.. but it doesn't.

I hate overgeneralizing, and defining people into groups, but I appreciate distinctions.  I appreciate the truths that stretch me to love deeper, and love better.

Realizations in Play-Dough

The other day I pulled out the play-dough.  Like the many times before, Ezzie, Lina and I sat down and played quietly for 45 minutes.  I loved it, and clearly my kids loved it enough to focus on it without any fuss or fighting between them.

I forgot how much I enjoyed just playing play-dough.

I thought about this.  I realized I often forget.

When Jon and I put the kids down, we often find ourselves in the predicament of what to do.  Jon is usually all about wanting to play a game or play the Wii.  I typically just respond with not knowing what I want to do, but not wanting to play a game (2 people is too small of a group!), or the Wii (it just seems like so much work!).

But, when I agree to do something other than watching a show (my preference is MASH, a brainless quirky show, or a cooking show), I find I love it.  I realize I forgot how much I loved it.

I am very indecisive.  Not because I don't have an opinion.  I am just really afraid of making decisions, and making the wrong choices.  I often feel really insecure about having an opinion, and then find myself confused by what I actually want.

I am still growing in even knowing myself, and what I prefer - 31 years of experience in this... too bad there isn't a job I can apply for :)

I love learning through my kids.  The other day play dough made me stop and think.  Next time Jon and I are discussing what to do, and I am not sick, I might even be the one to suggest playing the Wii or playing a game :)