Chaos Reigns

A warning for all you parents out there (or future parents). If you don't stomp the creativity out of them early, you may reach a time when they think they can do things for themselves. This should be avoided at all costs.

My daughter asked me not too long ago if she could paint her room and I said, “I just painted it. Absolutely not.” (and I did, about 3 years ago—a paint job ought to last 7 or 8, I figure) She said, “I'll do it.” I have remained a skeptic (with good reason, as it has taken her about nine months just to get the crap cleaned off her floor so we could move the furniture to the center).

But today is the day.

As recently as last night I was still in denial it would happen. She wanted me to help her clean (no thank you, that was part of the deal—MOM IS NOT PARTICIPATING. MOM IS AGAINST THIS PROJECT)-- okay, I helped a little. I'm sort of a soft touch. This morning we moved some furniture and then went to buy the paint... then, as noon approached, her friends started showing up to help.

I've had to do the things like removing curtain rods and her coat rack (and I sanded because the LAST time I painted the coat rack wasn't removed, so the paint had gooped).

And my daughter has gotten periodically distracted (which drives my husband CRAZY)--she had to stop her process for a while and pain the coat rack (formerly pastel, now a hip black). But the four girls cleaned the walls in record time and I don't see any TSP accidents, so they must have followed my instructions (I think I scared them when I told them it was a mild acid, so to be careful).

They ate pizza while the walls dried and then taped. And now they paint...

My husband has left the building. He can't cope with a living room full of furniture that belongs in another room. He did entertain the girls while they ate though... He does a great Mrs. Kravitz impression.

The coolest digression thus far is the praying mantis we found between her window and the outside screen (I'd never seen one in 'natural habitat' before—it's probably been eying our cat). (that would be the neighbor's pool, shut down for winter behind him)

And then... some Tartish advice, since I finally uploaded the pictures from Mari's visit...







This just in... mom had to go in and do about 1/3 of the cut in from the ceiling.... there is paint on the floor, though thankfully not MUCH (we'll need to have them refinished before we sell anyway, should we ever decide to do that).  But my assessment is that I will spend tomorrow helping with coat two, because four fourteen year olds aren't quite up to 'even coverage' (or really even coverage) but I think she's learned how much more work this is than she thought, so that is something.  Natalie's frustrated that her friends turned out to be fair weather help... very involved for all of 20 minutes or so, and then sat on her bed chatting while she worked...