Warning Labels for Smart People

I consider my husband a smart man.

He was valedictorian of his high school, almost never received a single grade less than an A in his entire schooling (I think there was one pesky B in college that ruined the perfect streak), and, his smartest decision yet, he married me.

He knows when to stand back and let me go ahead with my crazy ideas (e.g. painting our kitchen bright green or bringing home yet another large, unnecessary toy from a garage sale because it was a deal that I couldn't pass up) and he knows when to step in and point out that no, a square dinner table is just not going to fit in our dining room no matter how much I point out how pretty the Jofran 6 Seater wood diner table might be.

So, being the smart man that he is, sometimes when he does things that are, to put it nicely, not so bright, I just can't help but shake my head in wonder at him for days. The most recent? His "run in" with these:

Innocent hot cinnamon candies, right?

I'm personally not a fan, but my husband seems to like them. So much so, that about a week ago he was eating a box of them at work and, whether he was just really enjoying them or eating them mindlessly, he finished what he claims as half the box.

With normal candy, that would probably result in nothing more than a stomachache. But apparently with these, eating too many hot candies gave him a chemical burn on his tongue.

I think that last part bears repeating: he ate so many hot candies that he literally burnt his mouth. Who does that?

On the one hand, that seems like an issue with the candies themselves because, really? Eating candy shouldn't be a dangerous occurrence. On the other hand is the question that I've asked him multiple times since he told me that he had a doctor he works with diagnose the burn: Why didn't you STOP EATING THEM when your mouth started to hurt?!

He can only shrug as an answer.

When I see warnings on everyday products like Letting your kid stick their head in this tiny plastic bag is bad or This deodorant is meant to be used on underarms and not ingested, I always wonder how unintelligent the people must be that need them.

Apparently, though, even smart people need them sometimes, too.

Yard Sale Addiction... and Etiquette?

I've never kept this a secret, but I love a good deal.

I've had more than one friend who started as being somewhat "put off" by the idea of yard sales... but then after coming along to one... and then another... and then a few more and seeing that you can pick up anything from standard finds like clothing and toys to more unique discoveries like antiques or tools at a fraction of the original price, well, let's just say that they ended up converted.

After all, whether you go looking specifically for lamps or wall art or corner computer desks, it's almost nearly as fun to pick up other surprise treasures along the way as it is to find that one mirror or welcome mat that will fit your home perfectly.

On the other side of the equation, however, is the amount of time and work that goes into putting together a garage or yard sale of your own. Having spent hour upon hour preparing for and running my own sale last month, I know full well that it takes a lot of dedication, persistence, and something that can be described only as optimism each time someone decides to take on this ordeal.

Which then also gives me much more respect for others and what they have done when I arrive at their sale. After watching and interacting with a variety of people in my own garage, I feel like categorizing garage sale shoppers can be done in a similar way to categorizing retail shoppers: if you haven't worked in retail before, you just don't get it.

So, if you haven't held your own garage sale and spent late nights, early mornings, and every available minute in between pricing and painstakingly organizing outgrown baby clothes, computer carts leftover from college, and telephones that make you wonder if landlines truly are a thing of the past, then you just don't appreciate the effort.

Does that mean that I'm not still just as hopeful when you walk up and start browsing my sale? Not at all. But does it also mean that I might cringe a little bit when you unfold clothes or take items out of boxes and then discard them into a messy pile on the table? Well... yes.

In stores I don't bunch unwanted clothing into piles or leave dropped items on the floor, so it makes sense to me to extend the same respect to a yard sale. Do other people just not feel the same way?

In the end, it seems that no matter the lack of sleep and exhaustion that I've experienced with my own sales or the disappointment that I've found visiting ones that were advertised well but then didn't live up to the hype, I'm still a garage sale fan. The excitement over getting that deal or selling something that was useless to me has a way of making it all worth it... no matter how people act.

If you shop at garage/yard sales, do you think you have good sale etiquette?

The Elusive Block Party

Prior to the July 4th holiday, some friends of mine were talking about the various plans and events that were going on in their neighborhood. Along with the large outdoor festivals and fireworks that the city puts on, their neighborhood associations had set up things like bike decorating for the kids or cookouts for the whole family.

As for us? Nothing.

Don't get me wrong, I love where we live. One of the factors that I have always liked about this house is the "neighborhoody" feel to it and all of the people that we have ever met around here are very nice.

But... is it weird that I wish there was something more?

Maybe I'm asking too much, but for a few years now the thought has swirled around in my head that we need to have a block party. Our street is perfect for it, as the way that the road curves means that the only people that drive down our block are people that live here:

See how pretty my house is?

I'm not asking for anything extravagant or over-the-top, but just a Saturday where everyone would come outside and the kids could play and the weber genesis grills could be fired up and we can all get to know each other and have a good time.

As I said, we've met neighbors, but I don't feel like I really know all that many of them. So whether that means that the women stand around chatting about schools and summer vacations and the men discuss the features of the weber genesis e320 versus the weber e310 (do men talk about those things?), as long as we were all outdoors together, that's what would matter.

So the question remains... how do I make it happen? The path to even getting started seems long and a whole lot of work. Beginning with contacting people (flyers in mailboxes?) and moving on picking a date, assigning jobs, obtaining a permit, and overall the tremendous planning... I'm getting tired just thinking about all of the time and work that would be involved.

If it all came together, I think it would definitely be worth it. But if it was attempted and failed? What a disappointment (not to mention waste of time). Therein lies the dilemma and thoughts that I have pondered for years... and have kept me from considering turning the elusive block party into anything more than a dream.

What do you think? Do you have a neighborhood association or some sort of group that plans things for everyone to do? How in the world do those things get started?

How to Relax: Me time.

Listen. Do you hear it?

It's the sound of birds chirping outside my window and a gentle breeze blowing through the trees and the occasional car driving by.

Nothing else.

No whining or complaining or "it's mine!" or "I had it first!" or "She took it away from me!" or any other wonderfully loving phrases that seemed to be thrown around an awful lot this week.

Saturday mornings have turned into Daddy-Daughters days around here and I relish the time that the house is completely mine. I move the assortment of dining room items off of the table and sit back to relax, just me and my laptop.

Productive? Maybe. Usually I get distracted reading blogs or finding out what's being talked about on Twitter or window shopping online (I've already wasted plenty of time looking at toys and dining room sets and shoes to match a dress for BlogHer that I have yet to buy, among other things) but the point is that the time is all mine.

It's already only a matter of minutes before they're back, as I'm sure they'll be here within the next hour, but until then, there is peace. As a stay at home mom, I know that I'm not the only one who gets to the end of the week and just needs a little break from taking care of everyone else's needs and whims, right?

So, even if it's just a few hours to myself once in a while, my Saturday mornings give my mind the chance to feel something like this:

What about you? Do you get time to enjoy by yourself? What's your favorite way to relax?

The Glass Table That Never Was

When my husband and I moved into our house, the previous owners left a few random items that they didn't want. Seeing as we were young newlyweds without a ton of furniture or decor, we were perfectly fine with that arrangement... and one of the long, flat dressers is still being used in Little Sister B's room.

One of the items that we discovered, however, was something a little different: a glass tabletop.

Not the entire table, just the glass.

This is it sitting out at our garage sale in hopes that someone else will have a use for it.

Around here, when I needed a coffee table, I turned to Craigslist for a sturdy, durable, solid black one that not only matches our decor but is child-friendly. Because as much as I think that glass is beautiful, when it comes to playing games, coloring or just having a snack, I think that the glass top table vs wood table decision wasn't all that difficult with kids around.

But then here we are, almost eight years after moving in to this house, with a large glass tabletop and no plans for it. We've put it out at a garage sale or two but haven't ever had any luck and instead just slide it back into storage. There must be someone out there that has the perfect bottom to go with this top, we just need to find them.

Have you had a glass table or would you ever even consider the idea around kids?

Outdoors: Furniture to Complete the Look and Feel

The other day my husband dug through our shed in an attempt to find summer toys and outdoor items for the kids. It's like we've been waiting for the warm weather to arrive (and stay around) for so long that when it actually seems to have... we're sort of baffled at what to do to enjoy it.

The girls were of course thrilled to play in the kiddie pool and would have been able to jump through the sprinkler for hours without stopping, but me? I looked around our weather-beaten deck and thought how much nicer it would be, as well as how much easier it would be to entertain, if we had anything that could be deemed springtime furniture!

I'm really not asking for something large and elaborate like a fancy gazebo or a those outdoor daybeds that do look cozy and comfortable... but don't they end up soggy and dirty? And does my husband really need an excuse to fall asleep while we're outside as much as he already nods off sitting on the couch inside?

With family coming into town in one week, I just think it would be nice if there were deck chairs to sit on and maybe an end table or two to rest a tall glass of lemonade. No need for complete patio furniture sets or a large, extravagant grill, just a relaxing, inviting spot to put your feet up and have a conversation.

From the looks of things, I'm probably dreaming. I'll be lucky if the deck is swept, let alone there being enough seating for everyone. Someday, maybe...

Do you like do entertain outdoors? What would you change about your space if you could?

My Unfinished Interior Design Woes

At my husband's work's annual anniversary dinner, a large auction is held for a variety of items and services that have been donated by the other employees. Whether it is a gift certificate to a fancy restaurant or a hand-blown vase, just seeing the talent and generosity is a lot of fun.

The first purchase that we made was years and years ago; a gift certificate for dog training. Unusual? Yes. Extremely needed for us and our crazy dog? Absolutely. Asked to not return after the second lesson because said dog was somehow not right for the class? That's an entirely separate story...

(Except, really? It's dog training. Of course he's a little wild and un-socialized. That's why we're in dog training to begin with! Phooey.)

In the past few years I haven't gone with my husband to the dinner - partially because aside from the auction I find the evening extremely boring and partially because I stay home with the kids.

But when my husband called me a few years ago while he was there and asked if he should bid on a package wherein one of his colleagues (who dabbles in interior design) would come over, help design a room and even provide sewing for things like curtains or pillows, I told him not to come home without that prize.

Case in point: the master bedroom.

We have a large bedroom, which is wonderful, but the blah color on the walls, the bed frame from ancient times, the kids' toys in various piles, and the lack of actual decor are all things that I'm obviously not a fan of. I've long seen images like this in magazines or online...

... and wondered if main beautiful pieces like this sonax platform bed with storage drawers with the addition of an accent color would liven things up.

Thankfully, my husband won the auction and I was thrilled to have the opportunity to have someone who knows a thing or two about paint and fabrics and design come take a look at our room.

Fast-forward years later and yes, she came. We sat, we talked, we looked at photos, we sketched, and we planned. We even got started on the process, painting the walls a creamy cappuccino color, buying a huge roll of gorgeous chocolate brown fabric for curtains and pillows, and getting rid of the old bed and replacing it with a contemporary platform bed. This one:

So, okay.

The walls are painted, the bed is in place along with some storage drawers we bought to go along the end... but where are my curtains? The designer was originally planning her wedding and we had no problem waiting until she had more free time to make us curtains. Really, this was more of her hobby than anything else.

The wedding came and went, as well as the honeymoon.

Again, that was years ago.

Every time I bring it up my husband tries to change the subject and all I can get out of him is that he feels awkward sending her an email now after it has been so long. I see his point, but... I need curtains.

The room has one large bank of five windows on one side and sliding doors out to a deck on the other and right now they're covered with hideous vertical blinds that were attractive when? Never?

I've pleaded and I've threatened and I've told him to blame it all on me and send her an email saying that I won't stop harassing him (which wouldn't be a lie) to see about the curtains and he keeps placating me by saying he'll do it and then he never does.

I'm not out of line, right? Should I cut my losses or keep telling him that it's not too late to finish the job?