Tuesday, February 9, 2016

The Desire Accomplished is Sweet to the Soul!!

Changing the wallpaper in our dining room has been on my mind for a couple of years!
I spent all of the fall - from September to early November - looking for new paper! I would fall in love with something and after ordering it, discovered it was 'out of stock!' How discouraging those words became! Finally I chose a second choice and ordered enough for the entire room PLUS I bought the two double rolls of the one I LOVED!!! They coordinated very well together so I used the 'plain' one on the vintage photo wall last November before Thanksgiving, knowing I wouldn't get back to papering until after the holidays. I MEANT to do it in January but THAT didn't happen! I'm good about going on to plan B - or C, D.....I knew it would get done sooner or later!


I took this picture Thursday afternoon before I started tearing the old paper down!
It was good paper that lasted a LONG time. I put this up in August of 1983!


By day's end it was down! I was so tired! I told Louis Dean, "Well, no one is coming over so I am just going to leave it all on the floor until tomorrow! Who's to see it??"


Meet my youngest son, Benjamin!!!
He called first thing Friday morning and was in the area!
We had the BEST visit!!!
Not only is he handsome - he's also STRONG!!!


Benjamin graciously pulled the HEAVY buffet away from the wall so I could get back there and paint the paneling! That buffet holds art books and supplies and weighs a ton!
I do have these lifter things with pads to put underneath the furniture so you can slide them.
STILL! It was a lot of work and he did it all by himself!


By Friday night I had the wall sized for paper and the paneling Kiltzed for paint!


We celebrated by watching On Golden Pond - one of my favorite movies!
I have been there once and Louis Dean and I are planning on visiting that area together this fall.
There may be some resemblance of us in Norman and Ethel!!
I am very grateful LD and I are growing old together!


Saturday I got with it and got it papered!
I didn't take pics of it after I painted the paneling but I 'Got 'R DONE!!!'
We were so tired we went to bed at 10:00!!!

Sunday I was SO ready to go to church!!!
What with one thing and other, we had missed several Sundays as of late.
It was wonderful to be back in the pew and since it was the first Sunday of the month, we observed communion as well. I have loved going to church all my life and I cannot imagine not having a church home and or attending services on a regular basis,

The perk of being members at the same church as family is Sunday lunch!


We do love Dickey's BBQ!!


The kids request who sits by whom!
Logan got one side of Granddad!



Kailey got the other!


Trystan got MeeMaw Points for wanting me to sit by HER!!!!
That's just the sweetest little girl right there!!!


Of course, all the kids have MeeMaw's number!!
Kailey loves to look at my 'pishurs' and uses that little thumb of hers to scroll down like a pro!
She noticed the photos of the dining room!


I think one of the best things to share with grandchildren - or children for that matter - is LAUGHTER!!! We laugh a LOT!!!


Mike is seldom in the limelight but he IS a real STAR!!!
A GOLDEN star at that!!!


My beautiful daughter and her Miracle Boy Baby!!
We will never forget how close we came to losing Harrison on June 10th, 2012.
During the service Sunday morning, we were reminded how God DOES give miracles and we are grateful for Harrison!!!


He is already Mighty in Spirit!!
God has a plan for this young man - as He does for everyone!!!
I am excited to be able to watch how God uses this family for his honor and glory!

We all parted ways after lunch and I went back to the DINING ROOM!!!
UGH!!! I stained trim and painted trim and cleaned up debris - and baked a cake!


It was SUPER Bowl Sunday and I live next door to the best neighbors in the world!!!


I baked up the cake and took it over to join the party!
Poor Louis Dean was tired from me working him so hard that he stayed home!
Stephanie made sure I took him home a plate of brisket and goodies, though!!


How fun is THIS???
Love the ref costume!!!!
Stephanie ( on the far right) and her husband have the BEST back yard EVER!!!!


While we love our gazebo - Stephanie had one first!!!
We love our fire pit! - Stephanie had one first!!!
See that round one up there on the left? That was the very first one.
I got one just like it after Louis Dean and I married!
They really know how to entertain and have fun and that was exactly what we did Sunday!!!


It was a great football game and we were all rooting for the Broncos!!
Although, I DID root a little for Michael Oher on the Panthers!!
Blindside has always been a favorite movie and I was so happy to see Michael Oher doing so well!


It was a great party but I went home at halftime to finish watching the game with Louis Dean!

Speaking of Louis Dean.....


As I was taking down, cleaning and putting back up all the photos....
I paused to take some pics of them.
I'm bot sure how old he was here - but he has always been handsome!!


I believe he was 12 years old in this one.


He looks like Clark Kent here!


Louis Dean at 16 years of age!


My hero!!!
I am so blessed to be his wife!


Then I have photos of Deanie and me.
I was 6 and she was 3.


I was 4 years old here and she was just nearly 1!


I think I was third grade in this school photo!

I put the room back to rights - all polished and cleaned!!


I just love this pretty wallpaper!
Looks very elegant to me!
I do not have 'plain' switch plate covers anywhere - but I put this one in the dining room.


Then I decided - NAH!!! I don't do PLAIN!
I spray painted the old one (which was cream) white and switched them out!


The dining room is DONE! NEARLY!


I am loving it!


You can't really tell - but the area behind the China cabinets and those baskets on top of them  - still has the old wallpaper. My sweet Summer volunteered to come over and help me unload the china, pull the cabinets out and paper and paint that wall - next MONTH!!!

This dining room has truly worn me completely out!!!
Every evening I would think about writing my journal post and then be too exhausted to do more than sit in a stupor for a few minutes before falling into bed! 
It wasn't just the dining room project! Doing that seemed to trash the rest of the house!!!
While things are not all neat and tidy at the Chapman's tonight, it's NOT the mess it was!!!

Facebook

Sabrina posted this on Facebook the other day and tagged me in it!!
I totally agree!!!!


I close tonight with this verse:

Proverbs 13:19
"The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul."

AMEN!!!

19 comments:

Linda said...

As always I'm exhausted just reading your post. I don't think I ever had that much energy. Loved seeing the quads. Their faces show how different their personalities are, such fun. I thought you were going to be taking it easier so as not to make yourself sick? Can't imagine what you would have accomplished if you'd been going full speed.

Jutta said...

Huge amount of work - but certainly worth it! The wall paper is indeed very elegant and freshes up the whole room. Good job!

Jackie See said...

Your wallpaper is so pretty! You must take BIG vitamins at your house! Those quads are such happy children, it is a joy to get to seem them growing!

Penny said...

What a great job! Lots of hard work, but you must be delighted with the result. Those photographs of Louis Dean are fab- filmstar material x

Nancy Chan said...

Wow! You seem to have lots of energy and you are very hardworking! After so much work, you can still bake a yummy cake. Everyone in your family is beautiful!

Susie said...

linda, Now I see why you were not posting...too dang busy !! You are truly blessed with a wonderful husband and beautiful family. LD is a good looking man..I love how the kids want to be with him and you. Those kids love you both so much. Ted watched the game when he returned home from his "part-Time " Job....I heard them say Michael Oher and I said hey isn't that the kid from Blindside? He said he didn't heard his name. Glad you reminded me. You new paper is nice. Blessings for the rest of the week to go smoothly. Love you, xoxo,Susie

Arlene G said...

Finishing a project is always a morale booster for me. Loved seeing the photos of you and LD as you were growing up!! I have a mention of the Tuohy family from Memphis in yesterday's post Linda...funny that you mentioned The Blind Side in your post. REST UP...that was quite a project. I am glad you have wonderful and helpful children.

MadSnapper said...

I agree LD was and still is handsome, i enjoyed all the photos from the past. that is a lot of work you got done and a blessing to have your son to help move things. i am betting LD was glad he moved those things for you. i want a fire pit but bob says we live in Florida and would never use it. i said i could burn instead of shred my papers. he shook his head

Debbie said...

Good morning! I am loving the wallpaper! Soo pretty! Hubby and I did a lot of wallpapering at our old house as practically every room was wallpapered, but NONE since we moved here six years ago as it is all painted. It is a HUGE job, but such a satisfying one. Time to rest up that's for sure...oh and I LOVE the light switch...soo pretty and perfect for there. Louis Dean is a very handsome man that's for sure. Enjoy the rest of your week!

Estelle's said...

Beautiful job! I wallpapered every house we owned for years.....been there and done that! I retired those days long ago! I know you will enjoy the efforts of your hard work!

Vee said...

Oh I love your wallpaper! Your home is unlike any other. I would recognize it anywhere! Oh my! I do agree with that graphic, yet I tend to arrive ugly. LOL!

Cute pics of the kiddos out to lunch, even the big ones!

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

That is a true statement - Proverbs 13:19!

I like how you are working on your project bit by bit. It'll get done without too much stress that way!

Have a great day!

Cheapchick said...

Great job on the wallpaper - I can't believe you baked a cake too! I was born in Colorado so was rooting for Denver too, as were all my relatives. I also have a soft spot for Michael Oher -what a great movie/story that is.

bj said...

What a beautiful post full of light and love and family (which IS light and love:)
Enjoyed every bit of this.....and your dining room looks beautiful....so happy YOU are happy.
love, bj

Debby said...

Stripping wall paper alone is exhausting. I wonder about our old house and the kitchen paper. I loved it. It was a French Country. I am sure it came down minutes after closing. I don't have any paper here. I really have had a hard time deciding what to put on the walls. I really don't like the color of the walls but they will stay that way for awhile and I will make do. You have a beautiful family. Hugs

Pondside said...

Yes, your LD is a handsome fellow - always has been, from those photos!
You pack such a lot into a week, Linda. I love to see the pictures of you and your grandchildren, and to see your complete joy in your life with LD and your family.
I must say - you hve fantastic neighbours!

Nita said...

Your dining room is just beautiful. I can see the smile on your face when you walk in and see what you accomplished in such a short amount of time. I enjoyed seeing the pictures of Louis Dean . in the pic of him at 16 yrs. I see a resemblance in his grandson, Robert I think is his name. Also seeing pic's of you, you've always been pretty.

Aloha Acres said...

Your dining room is so beautiful. Thank you for sharing some of your pictures with us. I just love old pictures. One day, when Chris has retired, we'll have our Forever Home. I hope to be as creative, crafty and energetic as you are. ;) You give me the decorating bug.

Carol said...

what a job! I am not that energetic or I could probably get things done around here. I also am not very knowledgeable at getting things like that done.