Year End Review

At the end of every year I like to review the significant moments of the year. Some of them are happy moments... some struggles. The happy moments remind me to be grateful for what God has done for me and the struggles remind me of what He's brought me through.

January
--After being laid off by Charter in December, Ted started his new job at AT&T.
--Ted finished installing new baseboards and six panel doors upstairs.
--Threw a retirement party for my mother-in-law
--Abby's First Reconciliation
--Went on Crop Weekend and got so much done in my albums!
--Mary, then Ben, then Sam all had a stomach virus
--I did a personal inventory to stay in touch with what makes me happy...among the list was: learning, reading, great conversation, helping others and spending time with my family and friends. I also decided that I am happiest when I'm "underbooked". Having some free time, allows me to do any of the above favored activities. I decided to make it my goal and the goal of me and my family to stay away from too much structured time and always keep room for down time.

February
--FINALLY furnished my empty Dining Room after 3 years in this house! Bought curtains for both the Dining and Living Rooms. I felt so complete after doing this!
--Had my first dinner party with couples from college. Made my first Beef Wellington!

March
--Became obsessive about cooking. Watched The Food Network a lot. Tried many new recipes
--Gave Sam and Abby swim lessons for the FIRST TIME EVER. I wanted them to gain confidence for the swim team over summer.
--Bought a panini press. Wow. I still love this thing. We use it all the time.

April
--Sam started piano lessons from neighbor
--Sliced my hand on a mandolin making french onion soup. Got stitches. I still can't use the mandolin without cringing.
--Bought a new riding mower
--Replaced our asphalt driveway with concrete
--Went on Women's Group Retreat
--Got a new refrigerator (cheap one) to put in my laundry room. I don't know how I survived without two refrigerators now.
--Discover that Abby's "tics" could be seizures. Confirm "Absence Seizures" through an EEG. She gets put on Lamictal and will be on it for about 2 years.
--Abby's First Communion!!
--Ben turns 4!

May
--Abby gets an MRI to eliminate the possibility of any other brain problems. She's clear. Whew!
--Was officially handed over the role of PTO President for the 2007-2008 school year
--Camped with family at Injun Joe Campground in Hannibal, MO.
--I get my very own, used, mini-disc recorder. I use it to record songs for Children's Liturgy to help the liturgists who don't like to lead singing. LOVE this toy.

June
--Borrow my parents bread machine and I've been using it ever since. LOVE IT!!
--Took the kids to Six Flags
--Girl Scout camp, Cub Scout Day Camp, Webelos Overnight Camp
--Sam and Abby start their first summer on the swim team

July
--Went camping with friends and family at Eminence, MO
--After this trip, I figured we've logged 12,700 miles on our Jayco Kiwi Travel Trailer and taken 33 camping trips with it. It has been money well spent! We've had our trailer since the summer of 2000.

August
--Took a camping trip with my sisters and their families and my parents to Door County, WI.
--Became disgusted with potty training. Ben was still pooping in his pants at the age of four and Mary showed no interest in potty training at the age of 2 years and 10 month.
--Made my first slide show. It was shown at our back to school night. This was a LOT of work!
--Ben had his 4 year appointment, on August 18, with his Pediatrician and we made a decision to not tolerate any more poop in the pants. His favorite game would be taken away each time he pooped in his pants. Within two weeks he was fully trained with no accidents. It didn't come easy, but it had to be done this way. After pooping in pants for one full year past being potty trained, he is finally fully trained. YAAYY!!!
--Started doing major purging in my house. Got rid of many toys from downstairs that weren't being played with.
--Sam started fifth grade, Abby started third, Ben started preschool and Mary stayed at home.

September
--Continued purging. I went through closets, the storage room, drawers in the kitchen...everywhere...getting rid of junk. It was liberating!
--Start practicing Flylady again.
--Make a renewed effort to potty train Mary again, but hit a roadblock when she decides she wants her diaper back.
--Started meal planning and LOVED it! I make a plan for the whole month. I rarely do everything on the day planned, but I'm always ready to do any of the meals for the week.
--Abby turned 9!

October
--Mary goes back to underwear full time during the day. She needs her diaper for pooping and night time. Decide not to make an issue of this and take one thing at a time.
--Mary gets a big girl's bed! And over the past couple of months stopped taking an afternoon nap.
--Sam turned 11!

November
--Mary turned 3!
--Flylady flies out the window. No more organized cleaning. Other things take over, but I still desire to return someday.
--Felt a frustration with the difficulties of raising Mary when I heard a voice in my head telling me "She will be amazing". This gave me hope and renewed my energies in dealing with her. I looked at all my sacrifices as investments in creating something beautiful.
--Read "Mother's Rule of Life" and decided to put a better plan of praying daily, into action. I'm still following this plan and it's really working. So often, I come up with something that's not me and then it doesn't work. I found a daily prayer ritual that is me and works!

December
--Became frustrated with my family room. Decided I didn't have to wait for my kids to be 20 before I invest in new furniture in carpet. Also decided that I would enforce a "no food" policy in the family room. Also expressed my confusion over my fireplace wall.

Just Yesterday
--Ted found an ad for "American" that offered a free 50" Plasma TV with a $3300 purchase of furniture. We decided it was time. I place an order for a new leather couch, two chairs and a console for the new TV. The current furniture will go downstairs. We'll order new carpet in March. I still don't know what to do with my fireplace wall.

Much has happened in one year! Some things are still a struggle (Ben and Mary fighting), but some things continue to change. Mary is maturing and not having as many fits (or maybe I've just accepted them and gotten used to it). We are enjoying more things as a family as Ben and Mary get older and are able to adapt to camping better, mass, movies and the mall. I'm happier when I can enjoy time with my family. Just now I am seeing how we are doing this so much better than we used to. We're now off to see the Chipmunk movie. Wish us luck!!

Deceptively Delicious

Well, last week I finally got around to making my purees inspired by the cookbook Deceptively Delicious. I went to the grocery store and bought a bag of carrots, one zucchini, a head of cauliflower and 2 sweet potatoes. I was wondering what they would equate to, once pureed. Well, you see it above (minus a carrot I let my neighbor borrow). Each bag is a 1/2 cup. I used my own hamburger recipe but added the pureed zucchini and finely diced mushrooms, like the cookbook suggested. I also made taco meat using the sweet potato puree. Ted said the hamburgers were great and couldn't tell those two vegetables were in them. The kids ate them fine! I haven't served tacos yet but plan to sometime this week. However, I did taste the prepared meat by itself and couldn't tell there were sweet potatoes in them. Yayy!! I'll let you know how future recipes go, but so far, this is a hit with me and the family! Now that the purees are made, it's easy to pop them into whatever I want....spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, mac and cheese (you don't have to make it from scratch), grilled cheese sandwiches (that will be interesting)

I also made use of my new soup crocks (bought last spring...you need a warm day to make soup) and loved them! I made french onion soup, homemade croutons and served it with some focaccia bread with olive oil mixture for dipping. YUM! Here are some recipes so you can enjoy it too.

The Ultimate French Onion Soup (Home Cooking Magazine Feb 2007)

3 tbs butter

3 large onions, thinly sliced (I used Vadelia... sp?)

1 tbs flour

1/2 tsp salt
Ground black pepper, to taste

5 cups beef broth

8 tablespoons grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese (I used Swiss Emmenthal...slightly cheaper)

4 baguette slices (I used homemade croutons so as to not waste the rest of the bread)

Melt butter in a soup pot. Cook onions slowly until limp and golden (about 25 minutes). Sprinkle flour over onions and cook for several minutes to remove floury taste. Season with salt and black pepper. Add broth. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Spoon into 4 individual bowls. Sprinkle with homemade croutons (or lay a sliced baguette on top) and sprinkle Swiss cheese on top of baguette. Bake in the oven at 450 for 10 minutes.

Homemade Croutons (From local restaurant...Miss Aimie Bee's)

1 loaf day old French bread

3/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Dice bread into bite size cubes. Heat the oil. Drizzle the heated oil over bread and toss well. Add the garlic powder to season. Toss again. Pour the seasoned cubes into a cookie sheet and spread evenly. Bake at 275 for 45-60 minutes. Remove from oven and drain on paper towels until cool. Fill a ziplock bag with toasted croutons, add 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, zip closed and shake. Refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

Focaccia Bread --Ted loved this bread. I've wished I could be able to make my own artisan bread, but now that I found this, I don't feel like I have to! We dipped it in a olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper and Parmesan mixture. YUM!

This would all be too much to do in one day. The focaccia was left over from another day, the soup I made last week and refrigerated it until we were ready to eat and the croutons I made the same day. In case you're wondering...the kids had frozen pizza! They would never eat French Onion Soup!

Here's a picture:

No One Told Me

I didn't know I could be quite so tickled pink. I mean, I know how frustrating some of this child rearing stuff can be...but no one really accurately portrayed the highs. How good you can feel when you are excited for your child. You don't really know until you experience it yourself. I think I'm kinda used to being on the losing team. I never get too proud of my kids because I'm aware how quickly things can turn, given a certain age. I know that all the good they do and are...is because of their Creator, not me. However, you can't help but really enjoy the good. I'm in my corner cheering them on!

Tonight, Sam played in his second band concert. This is not any great achievement, really. It's his first year in band and he's the only one playing the trombone (because it was the only instrument left since he joined late). There are many other kids that enjoy playing in the band. I guess the achievement is one I feel in my heart. I am overjoyed that Sam is in love with music! It's not really anything I saw coming.

It all started when he would take out our keyboard and piddle on it. Then he would teach himself songs that are programmed into the keyboard. He would play them over and over and get every key just right. It was all about mastering it. Then, we started to take him seriously and signed him up for piano lessons last April. He loved it! He's always jumping on the piano and practicing...I don't have to beg! His teacher says he is a quick learner and has great dexterity. She moves him faster than her other students to keep him challenged. When I went to his piano recital...I thought he would be the "beginner". He wasn't. He was the most advanced!

You'll have to excuse my excitement here. You know I'm the first one to tell you about my disappointments in child rearing...as well as my struggles. I'm real about it all. So I have to be real about my excitement with Sam. To see his eagerness to learn just thrills me. I'm so happy he has something that he's really into...besides gaming. I've seen him do less gaming (really it was out of boredom) and more music playing. I feel like it's a goal for every parent to find something their child enjoys. If they have hobbies or interests, they can feel good about themselves and feel like they offer something to the world. I want my kids to always feel they are important and offer something to the world.

This is the just the beginning for Sam. Who knows where this will take him? I know it's already brought him out in a way I haven't seen before. It's all he talks about. He likes playing all the parts in the band on the piano and charting out all the notes that each instrument plays. He listens to his band music on his mp3 player and plays along on his trombone. I love it. Sam's great grandfather played the clarinet in a band. My mom and her sisters all sing. My aunt taught herself guitar. And I love music. I love singing and I love playing guitar. And now Sam has the bug.

I have to tell you a little story. I was at a prayer meeting and in the early stages of pregnancy with Sam. There was some very spiritual woman who was there as a guest and seemed to have some gifts. I couldn't tell you what exactly they were, but she seemed to know I was pregnant. She said a prayer with me and then said that she felt that "through the storms, this baby would come out the songbird". I think I focused more on the storms part. What storms? What's going to happen? I often think back and wonder still, "What were the storms?" There were many trials with Sam, but I can say each child has brought there own. I have no doubt though now, that what she said has come true. He is my songbird!

The "N" Word

I've practicing that sound you make when you press your tongue to the roof of your mouth and follow it with your lips in a circle...you know...the "n" word. I'm talking about the word... NO. There...I did it. That word is really tough for a lot of us women. I'm working on it. These things take practice. It's amazing. The more you do it, the easier it gets!

If you would have talked to me early yesterday, I would have something so different to say. Why do people make it SO hard to say NO?? I got a phone call from my dear elderly friend from my CRHP group. Could you please play guitar for us this Friday at the nursing home? I really respect the elderly and find it VERY difficult to say no to them. I explained that I can't ask my mom to watch the kids every Friday. I feel comfortable with the once a month mass, but don't feel ready to commit to weekly communion services. Can you bring your kids with you? No...you see, the last time I tried practicing Christmas Carols with the Girl Scouts, Mary screamed to be held and Sam had to take her out of the room. I'll do my best to come once a month. Sigh. She said she would keep praying that I would be able to come. Can you make it any harder on me?

And then, following my mother-in-law's advice, I politely bowed out of a cookie exchange. Then I got an e-mail from one of the exchangers saying, "Can you just go to Shop-n-Save and buy some chocolate chip? No one will care." What? Are you kidding? I just don't want to make 4 dozen cookies on top of everything else I am doing! Again, why make this difficult for me?? I think my nos are too polite and they know they I get a true kick out of helping people and it's too obvious I want to please. Like with the elderly CRHP lady. I think she saw my genuine interest in helping her. I have to learn a more resolute NO.

Well, the whole cookie exchange fiasco had an interesting turn of events. After my e-mail to bow out, others came forward confessing they were too busy and now the cookie exchange has been scrapped! See? We just need to come forward and speak up and say NO. Especially to reserve some sacradness to Advent. I'm sure God just shakes his head at us as we scramble about trying to fulfill every tradition of the season. When I was discussing the whole NO thing with my mother-in-law, she reminded me of a chapter in a book we have both read, "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World". In Chapter Four, she paints a story of God asking a man to pull a wagon of 3 rocks to the top of the hill. The man agreed. It was a light load. However, one by one he was asked to help others bring their rocks to the top of the hill. He agreed to help them all until he could no longer pull the load. He got frustrated and said, "This it it! I can't do this anymore, God!" God said, "If you will be content to let others take their own burdens, I will help you with your task." The man protested and then God said, "Let others shoulder their own belongings. I know you were trying to help, but when you are weighed down with all these cares, you cannot do what I have asked of you." He removed everything except for the three rocks and happily pulled them to the top.

I know for sure that God has asked me to be a good wife and mother....first and foremost. Everything else comes second. It doesn't mean I can't take on other things, especially if they make me happy...making my burden actually lighter. I just need to avoid letting the wagon get so full that I can't pull it anymore. Sometimes I have to find out the hard way that it's too full and I just need to start throwing out the rocks. It's a balance we are all looking for. Especially during THIS season.

Greenery Shopping

Let me take you back to Saturday...before I got sick. Actually, Saturday's events require a whole different back story.

The neighborhood I grew up in was bought out by the airport about 5 years ago. All homes were bought and leveled. My family saw the left behind landscaping as prized possessions. All this is abandoned, mind you, but if you wanted some plants, you had to go about it in secret fashion because it's against the airport rules. Lisa told me about a time that she dug up a forsythia bush and another time when she took some hostas or something like that. She still has them proudly growing in her yard. You see, my sister is a "Better Homes and Gardens" girl. Not that her home and landscaping are perfect, but she pines for that "look". She was gazing through a Christmas issue when she realized all these beautiful homes had one thing in common....they used FRESH greenery to decorate! This is the kind of thought to me that doesn't spark such excitement, I use fake stuff every year so I don't have to go to any trouble. But I wouldn't call myself a "Better Homes and Garden" girl either. This would be like me saying, "I can have a TV in my kitchen so my carpet will stay clean!"

But anyway, it was a big realization for her. And where do we get such fine greenery? Why our old neighborhood, of course! So she called my mom and they went cutting branches of pines, firs and holly. That day with my mom was a bonding one for them...sharing something she loved to do. She decided she wanted to do it again this year and that my sister, Becky, and I should join them. We've just finished cutting down 5 trees. I wasn't excited about greenery, but I always want to spend time with my mom and sisters.

The morning of our hunt for greenery came and it was rainy and cold. Becky and my mom came to pick me up since I was on the way. We all agreed that cold and rainy wasn't the best weather to cut down branches. Surely we'll do something else, we all agreed. Mom was looking forward to lunch, Becky wanted to go shopping and I was there to document whatever we did. I brought my camera. I didn't care what we did...as long as it was something warm and dry. We call Lisa from the car. We are on. Rain will not deter her from her goal.


The day was fun because of who I was with. We pulled over whenever we saw trees that we liked. We took turns cutting off branches and stuffing them into the back of Lisa's minivan. When we were finished, we went to lunch, and then followed it up with making our arrangements at Lisa's house. It was a day full of laughter and fun. The sad part was that I didn't recognize our yard when we drove by it. How can you with no houses to remind you where you are? Only the streets are left. Someday these streets will be blocked off and we'll no longer be able to cut down those branches. Until then, I think we'll be seeing more greenery runs.

Sick and Tired...but mostly tired

I've been in bed the past two days. It started out intestinal, but really I was just bone tired. I know it was a virus, but there was no fever...just lack of appetite and TIRED. It's one of easiest illnesses I have ever had. Of course, Ted would say differently because he took care of the kids the whole time. All I did was lay in bed, sleep, read and watched a little TV, when I had the energy. In fact, I started Eat, Pray, Love a few days ago and finished it today. What a pleasure it was to read a book, lay in bed, and sleep! Even if I was sick! And what a great book it was! I loved how honest she was throughout the book. And I found out that it's going to become a movie with Julia Roberts playing Liz! How exciting. That's a girl's night out right there!!

I'm also excited that she is writing another book. This one is on marriage. In many ways, we are totally different. She's a divorced world traveler with no desire for children. I'm firmly rooted in the family life and the traveling I do is mostly in the Midwest and in an RV. Yet in other ways I identify with her simplicity, honesty and search for herself. If I identified with her as a divorced traveler, how much more will I get from her book that's on marriage? Oh, if only I could ever hear what she would say about raising children. But that's OK. She must be her best self this way and I respect that.

The past couple of days, while I'm in my cocoon of my bedroom, I hear all the hustle and bustle of my family life going on without me. Does it always sound this crazy? Will Ted know what to feed them for dinner? I need to e-mail a request for help for the play Friday night. I hope the Treasurer got that big check signed for the Teachers Christmas gift cards! I got up and did some e-mails, but returned back to bed.

Ted took it all on. Sunday we had a Christmas function in which we were supposed to bring something. He remembered that I had mentioned making chocolate chip cookies and took care of that, plus got all the kids dressed and out the door. After dealing with the kids all day, he had to be there to the end to put them to bed. I know how exhausting that can be. Today, he stayed home from work, took Ben to school (only to find out it was canceled because of the ice storm), then made a trip to the grocery store to buy needed food and tonight's dinner. He drove carpool, picking up three other kids beside our own two, fed the kids dinner and took Sam to basketball. Later on, I shoved him out to the door to a scheduled Christmas party with his Men's Group. Poor guy. But, what a good husband I have. I love so many things about him, but this is where he shines...coming through when I really need him.

This is one of those posts that goes on and on...but I just I have to mention the Oprah I just saw today (I record them...it wasn't today's Oprah). It was partially about the guy who wrote, "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff". I read that book a long time ago and loved it. Well, I didn't know this but he died last year! He was only 45! Well, he wrote a long love letter to her three years before he died that was all about what he would tell her and do, if he only had one hour to live. Wow. Well that's now a book too. Then the guy who wrote Tuesdays with Morrie was on (These are all books Oprah has endorsed...which is probably why I've read them), and he wrote a book called "For One More Day" . It was about a man who was given one more day with his mother who was dead. Anyway, I'm sure it's another one I gotta read. Or I can see the movie Oprah made out of it.

Anyway, I'm hungry and tired. I don't think I'm sick anymore. Back to business tomorrow. No more lollygaggin' in bed. Darn.

A Snapshot

What's on my to-do list?
--Turn in Flat Stanley adventures into Ben's preschool tomorrow
--Get a check for $2100 from the PTO Treasurer for Teacher Christmas gift cards
--Prepare for 80's Dance meeting on Thursday
--Practice for Christmas Music for Nursing Home mass on Friday
--Make sure all St. Nick gifts are wrapped by Wednesday evening.
--Buy adopt a family gifts for cub scout family
--Get babysitter for a play on the 15th
It is cuh-razy around here

What have I accomplished?
--Took pictures of Flat Stanley with Ben and uploaded to Walgreens so Ted could pick them up. Put them in the album and journaled our day.
--Uploaded family pictures that I will give to my brother, Josh, for his bday (12/24). We gave him an album last year, that he can add his new pics to.
--Uploaded pictures of Abby and the neighbors so she can put them in cute albums to give to them for Christmas
--Took all the teachers' and staff (42)separate Shop For Our School Gift card orders and made one order. Of course it didn't add up correctly so I had to reconcile it.
--Decided to give laminated book marks to all the teachers at their Teacher Appreciation luncheon in January. Still need to decide what to put on them.
--Made an advent wreath for Children's Liturgy. I don't like taper candles because they fall over so easily (and they are harder to store while in the wreath), so I made my own. I bought votives at the local religious gifts store and then, put them in glass holders from Target. I cut off pieces of garland and wrapped each glass with the garland. I then glued them on a plate. I wrapped a gold ribbon around all of it.
--Bought toiletries, cleaning supplies, towels, paper products, CD player, etc., for an adopt a family that my friend and I are sharing.
--PTO event--Breakfast with Santa-- done! I led the Brownies with guitar to Christmas Carols

What's been bugging me lately?
--Mary has a dead tooth. It's the same one that Ben has. She has not been hurt. Is this stuff hereditary?? Ted has a dead tooth, too. I need to get her 3 year pictures taken before that tooth gets worse. Ben's is really dark. Mary's is not that bad yet.
--I've gotten daily calls from the nurse saying that Abby is in her office...mostly from headaches, but once it was a sore knee. The last headache she had, it felt better during recess and when it was time to go to the Book Fair. I told her "NO MORE NURSE VISITS UNLESS YOU ARE REALLY SICK!!!"
--Trying to get Ben in bed takes too long. I'm sitting outside Ben's door and he just won't go to bed! It's like he has a long period before he actually settles down for bed.

What's making me happy?
--Each event that I finish for the PTO are like huge words I can cross off a list! I'm in a countdown of sorts: Packet Pick up Night--done, Grandparent's Day--done, Taste of J&A--done, Halloween Trivia Night--done, McTeacher Night--one down, one to go, Chuck E Cheese night--One down, one to go, Breakfast with Santa--done, Book Fair--two more days to go, Classy Baskets--over by 12/14, Eighth Grade Play--over by 12/14. These are the big events that are left: 80's Dance, Winter Carnival, Spring PTO Meeting, Art Expo/Auction, Father/Daughter Dance. It will be a big burden lifted when I can pass on the reigns on May 3rd. I can't wait to be less responsible!!
--That despite all that I am doing and how crazy it is, I'm very at peace and very happy.
--It's only a little over a year before I go on my Australia trip! I'll be getting a passport and a plane ticket very soon!!
--That God keeps finding uses for my guitar playing! 6 years ago I was pregnant and wanting to learn guitar. I knew it didn't make any sense, but I started teaching myself anyway. I found chords on the internet, bought a cheap guitar at a student music store and started strumming deathly horrible sounds. After blisters on my fingers and the stillbirth of my baby, I gave it up for a bit. About 6 months later I picked it back up and have done things I would never have dreamed. The guitar is a great portable instrument that really comes in handy: Women's Group, CRHP retreat, CRHP meeting, EFOP (Eucharistic Festival of Praise), Children's Liturgy, camping campfires, and lately--leading the Brownies in Christmas Carols and playing for the mass at a nursing home. Now they are asking me to help with the next Vacation Bible School. It feels great for a novice guitarist. Many of these things I had volunteered for and then freaked out...what was I thinking??? I'd practice my heart out and play with shaking hands. Now I'm more comfortable...I don't freak out as much. And I thank my Women's Group for letting me practice on them during our Praise and Worship. I ruined many a praise and worship session because of poor playing...and they were patient with me and let me hone my skill there.

OK...enough already. Ben is way asleep. Goodnight.

Help With My Full Brick Wall Fireplace!

My poor family room. Let me tell you about it. This room has evolved into something that is not me. I brought over furniture from my previous house that felt really "practical" when I bought it. Nine years ago those hunter green and navy colors were IN. And so was all that oak! When we moved to this house 4 years ago, we bought these end tables and trunk at very reasonable prices. They seemed to fit the rest of the room. Unfortunately, it just reinforces what I no longer like. It's become this lodge-type room and I want to change it.

The first time I saw the full brick wall (pictured above), it scared me to death. How do I decorate this? A full wall dedicated to a fireplace! A full wall with unchanging brick! A full length cedar mantel with a full length raised brick hearth! (I figure if I keep saying these words, more people will query my blog and help me!). I decided to decorate "around" it. My walls were all white, which made the brick look more dingy. So we painted the walls a color that complimented the brick. We took down some ugly wall beams that framed the room and also took down a big, center cedar beam down the middle. Other than that, we put off the brick wall problem since no easy conclusions came to mind. I don't dislike the brick. If I was stuck with uglier brick, I think it would have detested me enough to make a drastic change. But the brick is not horrible. It's actually quite fine. I just don't know what to do with a full vaulted wall of it. It's too much for my taste.

This is a very hard wall to change. There are many options at various prices that we could consider. A) Keep it the same. Just change the outdated fireplace doors and mantel. My aunt said I should take down the mirrors and put up a large painting in the middle. B) Do the previous suggestion and get furniture I like, then maybe I'll realize that was what was bugging me about the room all along. C) Paint the brick. But then I have those recesses and I guess I would have to paint those too, but that would seem weird. It's permanent and would never be able to go back to the original brick if future owners preferred it that way. D) Cover with drywall and remove most of the hearth except for the center part. Cover brick around fireplace and remaining hearth with tile. Apply a wooden surround with mantel (I saw this one actually done on this site).

I don't have a desire to do anything soon, but in a year, I might be ready for a change in the room. Even though I don't need to decide soon, I would love to feel more directed and have a goal for the room. I love the Pottery Barn look...simple, clean and cozy. The furniture will go soon anyway. It was good kid friendly furniture, but not my style anymore. The carpet is filthy and needs to be replaced. In a year, we'll be past all the potty training and we'll have less chance of accidents. I told Ted it will be easier to enforce "no food in the family room" if we had a small TV in the kitchen. The kids LOVE to eat breakfast in the family room while watching TV. It would only be used for breakfast time (and maybe for me while I work in the kitchen). I don't endorse TV watching during meal times, but breakfast is different to me. We don't eat it together anyway. The kids eat in shifts while they get ready for school.

Anyway, I would love to hear your opinion. Don't be shy. Oh yah, the white trim around the wall is definitely going to change. I wasn't consulted when that was done. :-)

Update 5/7/08--Here is the "after" post with pictures of my new family room and fireplace wall.

Update 12/18/11--Some people couldn't find my "after pics. You can click on the words ' "after" post' above or follow this link: http://fourintow.blogspot.com/2008/03/big-reveal.html to see them. There seem to be a lot of people with the same problem! Should I paint my brick? Sometimes I wonder. I'd love to know if anyone has done it and then regretted it...because you can't change it back! Some people think it's a sin to paint over brick if it's not ugly. Let me know what you think. E-mail me at missy.naumann@sbcglobal.net.