So, we’re home. I’m still not sure what that means exactly and today may have been the first day I didn’t go back to the apartment (that YES we still own) since we actually moved, but we’re home.

I have my kitchen 99.9% done, my bedroom 99.9% done, my office 75% done – but the important part like Internet. And my new desk from Ikea which was something of a bitch to build, but very very nice. Ann came over today and now my dining room is 99.9% done. She made me feel so much better. Thank you my friend! Oh and she brought Meli the cutest sweetest bench for her new backyard! Thank you!!!

Here are things I’m loving: my movers! YES – I LOVED MY MOVERS! I know, it’s crazy, but I can’t say enough good things about Suddath Moving Company. They were fantastic right from the start and my moving crew – headed up by one fine chic named Chris. She and her team were funny, respectful, and completely hardworking. I actually missed them when they finally left us. (Also I might have been freaking out at the sheer number of boxes in my house.)

My Levelor Cellular Shades from Lowes. LOVE THEM! They’re cordless which is awesome because Meli likes to play with the cords and it scares me because she puts them around her neck. They came in fast, the installers from Lowe’s were great and they look nice and are totally functional. I have black outs (which are REALLY DARK) and some that let in light and they are some of the best purchases I’ve made for my house.

There’s something else I love but I can’t remember now.

I’m exhausted. Moving totally sucks and I can’t wait until the house feels like ours, really, and I’m begging to get back into a routine, but I fear that won’t be for awhile. Oh and toddlers and unpacking don’t mix very well.

Tomorrow Meli and I are heading down the shore to my sister’s. It’s the last week really that we can hang on the beach before school starts and I need to get away from “home.” I actually think I might miss it when I’m gone.

I’ll see you when I get back and hopefully have some pictures for you. I just hope I can find my camera in all this mess.

Thanks for all your good wishes. It’s nice to have people out there rooting for you. I really appreciate it.

So I did a bit of swatching:

We were talking about all my paint sampling and Ann commented that it’s just like a gauge swatch and really it is. So necessary. Annoying. You hate that you have to keep trying new combinations but oh so worth it in the end.

I’m trying to match an area rug in the dining room and I started out with the three colors directly to the left of the doorway. Way too light, not enough red, practically blend in with the woodwork. (By the way – don’t the floors look great? Just some sanding and poly – no stain – that’s how they look. I’m so happy to have wood floors!!)

I went redder in the next go around. The winner is in this picture. Actually – the winner is in ALL of the pictures. Is it this one?

Nope! But maybe Meli likes that best. C’mon baby girl! Show us the winner!

That’s Pomegranate. Here’s the swatch:

I actually think there’s a bit more purple in it than the swatch, but it’s pretty close. The best part is when G was at the house and I had the rug down he chose this color and the color to the right of it as the two finalists. When I first put the paint up on the wall, they looked almost identical. In the end, the color to the right is a tad darker. And pomegranates are G’s favorite, so it’s only fitting that the namesake color adorn the walls of our dining room.

Tomorrow they start the paint!! They were supposed to start last week but the floors took a bit longer and then we had to let them dry. They were then supposed to start today. That’s why Meli’s in her diaper – I literally took her out of bed, still sleeping, so I could get to the house in time to let them in only to have the foreman tell me they’re starting tomorrow. Tomorrow, tomorrow – it’s only a DAY AWAY!

I feel like once the paint is on the walls the house is really mine. Even though they’ve already hung my new chandelier and put up a bazillion baby gates and we bought a new kitchen table and chairs at Ikea this weekend (thank goodness for their odd sizes since the kitchen doesn’t really have a lot of space for a table and yes I’m mixing my woods) and I’m about to order my new bathroom vanities and pick up the sconces tomorrow and…and…and! So many details.

When I’m not obsessing about the new house, I’m procrastinating on a job I MUST finish by packing. So far I’ve got about 55 boxes done – ALL BOOKS. And there’s still a bunch more to do. I haven’t even touch the knitting books. I feel like if I can just get the books packed it will all be good. Although I’m terribly depressed because my Ikea bookcases that have lined my walls for the past 12 years pretty much won’t fit in any of the rooms I’ve designated as book rooms in the new house. I’ve looked around but bookcases are expensive! I guess I’ve been able to have so many because Billys are cheap. I don’t know what I’m going to do, but packing up all my books has been sad – especially since I’m not quite sure when they’ll be unpacked.

But tomorrow the painters start! And if all goes well, we’ll be moving two weeks from today. Or tomorrow. YAY!

I’m pretty sure this will be the new color of my new EXTREMELY beige kitchen:

It’s not the best representation. If you want to, go here and see it.

And here’s my beige kitchen:

Realtor Photo

There isn’t actually a lot of wall space in the kitchen that will be painted. The tiles go up really high and there are a few nice big windows with wide wood trim. The kitchen overall is pretty good – not the best, not the worst. We have a lot of cabinets, but surprisingly little counter top space. Who am I kidding? There’s a refrigerator, a dishwasher and there will be a microwave soon. The kitchen’s PERFECT.

We’re only painting a few rooms in the house – a couple of bedrooms, the dining room and the kitchen. Believe it or not, I’ve had a crisis of confidence when it comes to color. But after painting a few samples on the walls yesterday I’m feeling better.

This awesome yellow is a great start.

PS – Thank you all for the comments yesterday. They’re still all going to the junk folder but I tweeked things a little bit this morning so hopefully I’ll be getting comments emailed to me again. Off to meet with painters this morning then joining my siblings and parents for a weekend at the beach. Hope you have a good one. Next up: The Master Bedroom Color. It’s a good one!