You know how sometimes finishing a project hinges on the completion of another project, which in turn hinges on the completion of yet another project? NO? Well I do, its the story of my life recently. This can’t be done until this is, which can’t be done until this is… and on and on and on. I need this room makeover finished! We got started, did a few repairs, but there is a lot more to do!
Short version: my 4 kids are sharing one small room. We’d like to separate them, a girls room and a boys room. But right my husband and I are living in the future girls room. We HAVE another room for us to move into but it is unlivable right now, it needs work, lots of work. And in order to do it (and do it quickly) I NEED MANDI!!!
Here are the in-depth details that you all totally are DYING for (to win over the sympathy vote):
Why does this NEED to be done?
We’re a family of 6 living in my in-laws basement, with access to 2 bedrooms and a bathroom. When we first moved we thought it would only be for one year, but things changed and we committed to staying here in UT for the long haul. But it wasn’t the best long term situation (sharing a kitchen and laundry with them, and all the kid crammed in one room) so we decided to make some changes. My Sister in law, who was using 2 of the rooms in the basement, moved upstairs, so we gained a bedroom and an office and had the entire basement to our family. We ripped out a storage room and turned it into a kitchen and laundry area. It’s a night and day difference. BUT we’re STILL living in two bedrooms because we haven’t finished (or basically started) the future “master” bedroom (in parenthesis because it’s the tiniest room with no bathroom or anything- but it’s connected to my office, so WIN). Why? Why are we still living in 2 rooms when we have 3? Well because I got interrupted!!!
Why isn’t this done yet?
What happened was good and bad. My husband was out of full time work for 18 months, and while that was hard (of course) it was great while we were remodeling. We all spent August living in his grandparents cabin while the construction was taking place, but once it was my turn to work the remodeling I moved back home while he and the kids stayed at the cabin. He took them to and from school, made them meals, put them to bed, all of it. So I was a one man crew in the basement. I got the board and batten put up, painted the walls (and board and batten, put up trim, painted the boys room, put up the tile back-splash and painted the kitchen, tiled the fireplace and finishing the Laundry closet area etc… I was on a roll! I even built my own fireplace mantel, but wasn’t able to get around to sanding and painting it because this is when the interruption came.
Something wonderful happened, my husband got a job! GREAT news, right, RIGHT??? I was happy and devastated at the same time, just 2 more weeks and I would have almost everything done! BUT he got a job and I went back to 24/7 mommy duty. I thought I would still have time in the evenings or weekends to work on the remodeling but as any mother knows it’s rough to find ANY time. Let alone when you’ve lost your steam. So while a few small projects here and there have gotten done the only change in the new bedroom is that we got it almost completely cleaned out before it got re-cluttered with stuff again!
It’s been 9 months. 9 MONTHS! I have GOT to get my mojo back and get this room done, so I can turn our current room into a room for the girls and BOTH rooms have to be done before the baby comes (or before I get so huge I literally CAN’T do it anymore. And while I have the motivation to do it I just don’t have my steam back. I need help, I need inspiration, and help. I need MANDI!!!
So what can you do for me? GO VOTE!!!! I’m Number 106, For the next three days (Starting Sunday!).

















































I’ll have you know I voted for you!
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Ashlee Reply:
May 3rd, 2011 at 12:10 am
AHHH thank you so much! I totally appreciate it!
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I voted for you, but I can’t watch any of your videos. They all say they are private.
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Ashlee Reply:
May 3rd, 2011 at 12:47 pm
GRRRRRR First Flickr cut all the video’s in half, now they are private???? I changed the settings again, could you let me know if they work yet? Thank you SO much for being the only one who told me (meaning the only one who tried to watch! HA!) Voted for you too! Good luck
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