Open letter to a new Momma

Today we celebrated the upcoming birth of a new baby boy. The mom-to-be is one of my last friends to have their first child, and there is something so incredibly special about that. Something so special you just don't <em>get</em> when you are pregnant with that first baby. You wonder why everyone has constant big goofy smiles, fluffing all over you and can't keep your hands off your belly. :)<br /><br />And then you have that baby. And you know.<br /><br />So Momma B., this is what I hope you remember over the next few weeks:<br /><br />For at least the new two years, probably more, you will have very little control over your life. It starts with labor -- you can't plan it (I know, it killed me too!), you can't tell that little one how or when to come, and you can't control how the labor will go. All you can do is relax, let go, breathe, and realize you have to give it up to the people that know best...the nurses, your doctor, God.<br /><br />After the baby is here, you will have zero control over your life because that itty bitty patootie will rule. your. world. You will feel exhaustion like you've never known. You will want to give your right arm for a few straight hours of sleep. You will have to plan to leave the house well ahead of time. And when you do leave the house, it will be 30 minutes later than you had planned.<br /><br />Speaking of sleep, even the best sleepers (ours slept through at FIVE weeks) will drive you absolutely mad at times. They will sleep three hours at a time for a few nights...sleep for six one night...you will get on your knees thanking God...and then that next night they will will wake up every two. It is a bit maddening. There are also nights when they just don't want to sleep, thank you very much. They would rather just lay there staring at you, thank you again.<br /><br />Because of this, there may be times you will look at your child at 3 a.m., begging him to PLEASE JUST GO TO SLEEP. You may not even like him much at those moments. YES -- I said it, there are times you just are not nuts about them for being itty bitty and helpless and ruling your world (at 3 a.m. nonetheless).<br /><br />And then that moment passes, and in the middle of the night, you will look at your baby's sweet eyes in the dark, rub his tiny head and you may just cry because you are <em>so incredibly blessed</em> to have this child. To be rocking this child at 3 a.m. You will realize there is no place you would rather be, <em>ever</em>.<br /><br />You will be overwhelmed at how people love your baby. Yes, you know your friends love you. But you will realize you didn't have a <em>clue</em> how much they love you until you see the way they love your child. You will realize how much you mean to the people around you, because of the way they love your baby. It will overwhelm you, the love you will feel in those first weeks.<br /><br />A few weeks after that sweet bubby is born, you will start needing a little somethin'. Just a little -- a little something in return for all that feeding, loving, feeding, smooching. And then. THEN, your child <strong>will smile at you</strong>. YOUR CHILD. He will smile at you like you are the sun and the moon and the stars and it will be one of the best moments of your entire life.<br /><br />You will spend the rest of your days trying to get your child to smile at you like that again.<br /><br />One of the biggest changes I noticed after our son was born was the new "weight" of being a Mom. It's the best way I can explain it. It's like the weight of the world is on your shoulders, in a good way. You now have a life to look after, and that is a really big deal. Sometimes that weight is really noticeable. You will feel it all the time -- but mostly when you leave the baby with Daddy for an hour. Or with Grandma for an evening so you can go out with friends.<br /><br />From the day that baby is born, you are ALWAYS, ALWAYS thinking about them, worrying about them, wondering about them. You may not realize it, but it's always there. That weight lessens as they get older, but it's only because you get used to it. You are now a Mommy, and that comes with so much wonderful responsibility.<br /><br />Your life is about to change for the better. You will never be the same. You will come back and read this a few months from now and have a whole new appreciation for these words. And when someone you love has their first baby, you will try to express to them the crazy, indescribable love they are about to feel, and you won't be able to put it into words for them either.<br /><br />You are about to meet the love of your life, and I am so happy for you.

Open letter to a new Momma

Today we celebrated the upcoming birth of a new baby boy. The mom-to-be is one of my last friends to have their first child, and there is so...

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Balcony love...

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEX9dSWGLgLKzoHpimipQmpu4v2DLG_kz1boO76Xm0-Dm7Hjx-JLC5gqvzGGHXdM5tpxlm0W9HVjq2RaLYpNRIQClcyG1n1xPF2SikE_3ajwA4iONosghO_hbwVsgh6jDRVXX2TmmXL3Y/s1600-h/plants.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374976409431369410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEX9dSWGLgLKzoHpimipQmpu4v2DLG_kz1boO76Xm0-Dm7Hjx-JLC5gqvzGGHXdM5tpxlm0W9HVjq2RaLYpNRIQClcyG1n1xPF2SikE_3ajwA4iONosghO_hbwVsgh6jDRVXX2TmmXL3Y/s400/plants.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 287px;" /></a>A place to relax, anytime of the day with a cup of hot chai. Do join me...maybe it's the lovely rainy weather outside:-)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSRHVNbq3OtdS7nh8KFe5d_QJlkffqsnYAMDRBTgcR0AW763ed5J_KoM8MXjm59Oe3NVjQ8aIJKoIGpUgaljiVXH7A1VB9xzarIVSOQIBaqF0WV_nElssSc6ZpElZ2NKS8YhufMrHj2k/s1600-h/out.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374976392742530514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSRHVNbq3OtdS7nh8KFe5d_QJlkffqsnYAMDRBTgcR0AW763ed5J_KoM8MXjm59Oe3NVjQ8aIJKoIGpUgaljiVXH7A1VB9xzarIVSOQIBaqF0WV_nElssSc6ZpElZ2NKS8YhufMrHj2k/s400/out.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 400px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4wpRdi__6SiwS7Mxe0GWkp9uj4-_AKj_02L179ESos7agqkHJ3hUxIzXFB8h65N6J-XLlWHSlXtDVBT9tSJvz3iH-vkie2K8NcbpJXu550H62w21jaehkJxVz8Eik1OhL80IcFOy4Tc/s1600-h/orangecus.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374976391994554338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS4wpRdi__6SiwS7Mxe0GWkp9uj4-_AKj_02L179ESos7agqkHJ3hUxIzXFB8h65N6J-XLlWHSlXtDVBT9tSJvz3iH-vkie2K8NcbpJXu550H62w21jaehkJxVz8Eik1OhL80IcFOy4Tc/s400/orangecus.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 298px; height: 400px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaimlS-z_KMzdCc_pcK3KDhGBbrQ5VOTnc5ZUOdlNe_AVit4TCJhL9fw9BUt919UNaUvZ1EEFhwflD3EAtKIFHo5WzhA1-iOaLxOB4MO_55_XP96i7uO176W3_xntK4ejdgU5eVeCSTOM/s1600-h/magic2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374976373686647442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaimlS-z_KMzdCc_pcK3KDhGBbrQ5VOTnc5ZUOdlNe_AVit4TCJhL9fw9BUt919UNaUvZ1EEFhwflD3EAtKIFHo5WzhA1-iOaLxOB4MO_55_XP96i7uO176W3_xntK4ejdgU5eVeCSTOM/s400/magic2.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 328px; height: 400px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR2zofl4sIKKKNo-NMGPkhnu0c1tgFKK8p1KIEnTSYeaVYe7CuifE2lF7SqC5fVoUU1Pa1NyBT_Ou22Br4IrHOfqtVUlyd82ecUy6Tysr2Gid01gnFuDolWGJqEddMnrE4L_ifM5Y6Rs8/s1600-h/nook.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374976381945789426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR2zofl4sIKKKNo-NMGPkhnu0c1tgFKK8p1KIEnTSYeaVYe7CuifE2lF7SqC5fVoUU1Pa1NyBT_Ou22Br4IrHOfqtVUlyd82ecUy6Tysr2Gid01gnFuDolWGJqEddMnrE4L_ifM5Y6Rs8/s400/nook.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 287px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkOWEyLSsPMoTrfLA74hDo0iwgzdG2B4cZSRZ4dWaqRKtax2RE8Mk-tp57VRJAIevAjVWvSooPtdax_DkrWDMUkaPcNGHuglplp89qxK6lXxgLwiHDFTS9bgeNOySVrtGqbZ_ugnDqKs/s1600-h/frangi.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374974441581633394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAkOWEyLSsPMoTrfLA74hDo0iwgzdG2B4cZSRZ4dWaqRKtax2RE8Mk-tp57VRJAIevAjVWvSooPtdax_DkrWDMUkaPcNGHuglplp89qxK6lXxgLwiHDFTS9bgeNOySVrtGqbZ_ugnDqKs/s400/frangi.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 309px;" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jlViOE7SUDg/Spe-w181MDI/AAAAAAAAH18/bG0h6Adbn3w/s1600-h/dirt.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374974426615197746" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jlViOE7SUDg/Spe-w181MDI/AAAAAAAAH18/bG0h6Adbn3w/s400/dirt.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 326px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZFFW7mkWcfo0AWsS4mpuCLQifIAQZj__FMlFX0R7RxH2QYnIaJZ9e2ujcUl-jDrbn9L9SsFut9NHnluH65HAJcV_P7uKb_QxzRIMtNXN3JyB0W9rhmoC2XffFE8Dya5x8G4U1s9TwQ5c/s1600-h/buddatea.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374974416134182562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZFFW7mkWcfo0AWsS4mpuCLQifIAQZj__FMlFX0R7RxH2QYnIaJZ9e2ujcUl-jDrbn9L9SsFut9NHnluH65HAJcV_P7uKb_QxzRIMtNXN3JyB0W9rhmoC2XffFE8Dya5x8G4U1s9TwQ5c/s400/buddatea.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQT7r20-lX85y4szmNqJXpQlsmYZmg3AQiJD1uE48LJYFBoVkRdxqSkc9zLwm1PTsS7ZSP55XrWH48QhhULLxi1pXrH9r3LztLsgZuBytB7nhBPR9Y_R3SpVyP_jcmyksjFpTbe4lwx_uj/s1600-h/balco.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374974400100502226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQT7r20-lX85y4szmNqJXpQlsmYZmg3AQiJD1uE48LJYFBoVkRdxqSkc9zLwm1PTsS7ZSP55XrWH48QhhULLxi1pXrH9r3LztLsgZuBytB7nhBPR9Y_R3SpVyP_jcmyksjFpTbe4lwx_uj/s400/balco.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 291px;" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8OT4DHfwGhwV2SMA2ZkUKtbieDkgyr4LrwAPfDj4E2i4K1G3kkVWRLo_eJjotegMBacIZO1j7me9xxhmn2C24ukZNiwyFIlhK4yq_gCt4-ro1OgJBTHMHi7HxuPNUb8AwFBOb9KQOWAx/s1600-h/balcony.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374974394072442834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq8OT4DHfwGhwV2SMA2ZkUKtbieDkgyr4LrwAPfDj4E2i4K1G3kkVWRLo_eJjotegMBacIZO1j7me9xxhmn2C24ukZNiwyFIlhK4yq_gCt4-ro1OgJBTHMHi7HxuPNUb8AwFBOb9KQOWAx/s400/balcony.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" /></a>Enjoy your balconies!<br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>

Balcony love...

A place to relax, anytime of the day with a cup of hot chai. Do join me...maybe it's the lovely rainy weather outside:-) Enjoy your balc...

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I can tile?

<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374467368547988882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6K_8fFgLNhvul9NsjKcnKk3e_CNcBGR2o5CPBloFLBt0RzntnEn50BOKbOUWkuGudddQjdfkw5mDCO9eEm7ybfb5J4LHN7M0SiO85oPjPpQz-teXTKnlteC8lVGvFn6ijdUTgol-1HU/s400/DSC01346.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />I pose that title as a question because the answer is questionable. The walls haven't come down yet, so I think I was successful. Maybe, YES, I <em>can</em> tile.<br /><br />There are a few large projects in our home that I have avoided because of FEAR. Plain, good old, I-am-a-big-huge-sissy fear. One of them is the marble that surrounded our tub. It has bothered me for over a year now, since I added the molding to the walls around the tub <a href="http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2008/05/more-examples-of-my-obsession.html">here</a>.<br /><br />The marble is a creamy color and the walls are bright white. For normal people this would not be a big deal, but it made me twitch a bit, cause as you know, <em>I'm not normal</em>. I have been wanting to take off the marble surround and replace it with tile for<em><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">eva</span></em>.<br /><br />So Saturday morning, I thought, what the heck, I'm going to go for it! What's the worst that could happen? Uh, believe me, the "worsts" were running through my head.<br /><br />Sister helped me take off the marble -- I used razor and a pry bar, being careful not to dent the wall as I took off the marble:<br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LvUEqQ7bD0JtRSdHGzAIM7fuRQhseStnpeDEboWMhcsuNjKfG86vk4Q8F82oSACn1mwzTck9Blb6i4g4_mbR9vl5XHwuK01aJw-4CQpbJxamEtIVUa18D26iQs-Sh-i1wUXB35WSijk/s1600-h/photo1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374467384914633554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LvUEqQ7bD0JtRSdHGzAIM7fuRQhseStnpeDEboWMhcsuNjKfG86vk4Q8F82oSACn1mwzTck9Blb6i4g4_mbR9vl5XHwuK01aJw-4CQpbJxamEtIVUa18D26iQs-Sh-i1wUXB35WSijk/s400/photo1.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> This house was built very well, but we have found the one thing they skimped on -- all the tile in the house was glued down, instead of mortared. Makes an easier job for me, so I'm cool with it. Hubby was working downstairs and I didn't even mention this little project was going to happen -- he didn't know about it until he walked in and saw the mess. There was just a brief flash of complete panic on his lovely face, but God bless this man, it didn't last long. He has faith in me. :)</p><p>I didn't take pics of the installation part of this project, because I was working like a crazy mad woman to get it all done before my son woke up from his nap. You basically take the mortar and mix it like the directions say -- water and the mortar, mix it up -- that's it! Make sure to do this outside with a mask on.</p><p>The directions say to put the mortar on the surface and the back of the tile, but I did a couple with the backs covered and quickly found it didn't need it -- there was way too much and it was spilling through the tiles. </p><p>You know how on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">HGTV</span> when they mortar, they just slap it on the walls and it goes on like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">butta</span>? Yeah, it didn't work like that. I would swipe it on and it would pretty much just fall right off. It was fab. Next time I won't put quite as much water in as the instructions call for. </p><p>This is how it looked before the grout:</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCP2L6SKn1fokPzmx4rDK-VWGsY5c5Rg6C82w_GhhZ_LEC7Rxult7_-vWzsAt1KYFlJIyWK_wX0btn7rmc29_lfEuFNVDnJyl9fKgLpoQ3yBgatPB2cpmOdUIgdN1WWA5CsyH0Z4RWQDc/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374467377291945378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCP2L6SKn1fokPzmx4rDK-VWGsY5c5Rg6C82w_GhhZ_LEC7Rxult7_-vWzsAt1KYFlJIyWK_wX0btn7rmc29_lfEuFNVDnJyl9fKgLpoQ3yBgatPB2cpmOdUIgdN1WWA5CsyH0Z4RWQDc/s400/photo.jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> One thing I have learned about tiling is you can't judge it until you have grouted. Grouting just makes all the difference in the world:<br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglf_5AdI6ZCHaXNcvh6BcM_N4tFTSFIcFmNt3edd-v9ZmQbS-QEWaU_cxpbm_8Pe3mPBeo1R3HaNi7-psfLBTdPKB7vUXzNbgOUgroEHhCGD1U5SZZkJsXh3xlPaXTC1TZZL5oDWkRs2A/s1600-h/DSC01350.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374467352624281826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglf_5AdI6ZCHaXNcvh6BcM_N4tFTSFIcFmNt3edd-v9ZmQbS-QEWaU_cxpbm_8Pe3mPBeo1R3HaNi7-psfLBTdPKB7vUXzNbgOUgroEHhCGD1U5SZZkJsXh3xlPaXTC1TZZL5oDWkRs2A/s400/DSC01350.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> To grout, you use the same mixer thing that attached to the drill and water or grout enhancer. I got the enhancer ($5) because it's supposed to help reduce the possibility of mold:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgO6cVqKEy0wGRafRryAUTf_GqDc1J-YvZfEQ3JFqYMOnL9Bc0sw4odUP1q7w-8bDC4B0OEZP-aSIbMhxcvGa7mIdrOAVRoinuU4Ep_baRQnZpVdrGk9zTtpybZ8TmKnoKToRrPTxe_4U/s1600-h/DSC01267.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374467343763941090" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgO6cVqKEy0wGRafRryAUTf_GqDc1J-YvZfEQ3JFqYMOnL9Bc0sw4odUP1q7w-8bDC4B0OEZP-aSIbMhxcvGa7mIdrOAVRoinuU4Ep_baRQnZpVdrGk9zTtpybZ8TmKnoKToRrPTxe_4U/s400/DSC01267.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> This part was much easier then the mortar:<br /><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO29irSkPUx-OIOOoVuurk0bwK_RFXf5s1pufn_b_cKGy0xWGaZE5IpUqA4iQV8wU3ZrZ62zX30e69QS9wptqqM-iGz18Eev0M-alAF2sJKvzSYLwP37r3Nhp_k1hWVAoNDKlVYtStj5k/s1600-h/DSC01270.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374465962213439186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO29irSkPUx-OIOOoVuurk0bwK_RFXf5s1pufn_b_cKGy0xWGaZE5IpUqA4iQV8wU3ZrZ62zX30e69QS9wptqqM-iGz18Eev0M-alAF2sJKvzSYLwP37r3Nhp_k1hWVAoNDKlVYtStj5k/s400/DSC01270.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> My back was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">keeeeeeling</span> me at this point, so I tried to sit for most of this part, but it didn't work out that way for long:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJ0l_9v5QDsy-WkH4maHD6552djuTPMAERFcZS_j5Q_hfP4hvpzqg1yvVNqtQ22Iz0bv7MQq0WWPr3zJrXcb3BGKTgj-EDG5b9PbMwOoR2z-LQ2zHsWLpGGn-5VWFR-BuPGM8-CKT0ug/s1600-h/DSC01272.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374465954851937666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJ0l_9v5QDsy-WkH4maHD6552djuTPMAERFcZS_j5Q_hfP4hvpzqg1yvVNqtQ22Iz0bv7MQq0WWPr3zJrXcb3BGKTgj-EDG5b9PbMwOoR2z-LQ2zHsWLpGGn-5VWFR-BuPGM8-CKT0ug/s400/DSC01272.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> (See the Pepsi and popcorn? Sister was trying to give me energy food.) You'll notice I taped off the area around the tub with paper -- this was a life saver both during the mortar process and the grouting. It made for much easier clean up! The hardest part of this WHOLE process was wiping down the tile after grouting -- it felt like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Groundhog's</span> Day -- over and over and over. (And over.)<br /></div><div></div><div>I still have some paint touch ups to do and some caulking, but for now, it is done:<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHdVR9DR1EZiAx2MObbS5kH03BGsBgSVRdDTMgepaOBY5tA7ydLufY9EWqVxtzastPwSjrm06yuOxtLeysM57u3GH1W5amBspwqYJ_F_-W5jDD1MqRPaUGEB85F1TEoOKID17r-Ny_Aa0/s1600-h/DSC01276.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374465947788531778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHdVR9DR1EZiAx2MObbS5kH03BGsBgSVRdDTMgepaOBY5tA7ydLufY9EWqVxtzastPwSjrm06yuOxtLeysM57u3GH1W5amBspwqYJ_F_-W5jDD1MqRPaUGEB85F1TEoOKID17r-Ny_Aa0/s400/DSC01276.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></a> I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">wouldn't</span> have done it quite so tall, but some of the drywall tore of as we took off the marble, so I had to go a bit higher than expected:<br /><div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374465004177972434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgeFrw4v-7_E6H0ACcaCPA5mqdYgj0jNDMqqPLyHI1rK6-qr7_dgssLexpuTrRuIzOqsbk-NZ5ZpNrmrymcXmlP_CnEEMza0yygvJOMXdLc56Df4KhdfDVO0OeIPkjr5jyow8HBpb6cg/s400/DSC01335.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /> I love how it ties the creamy of the marble tub, the white of the walls, and the green accent color all together! Yes, I am a happy crazy woman.<br /><br /><div>And yes, that's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">beadboard</span> around the tub -- I just glued it right on the marble a while back. LOVE it! Here's the before before, from a couple years ago:<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374482482425385410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNh-fVhloGSSzjDjbtqk4tzGE9hcStuHGbY16FVesKn0GgL7vkShfu-8L-fmTch5-8M6y1FUNt3QwBzfx_ShJTtFrs82DG0_J8yL2-dZ8MOPpE_JxgHIrDkob4AI9r8LzDcjXkIbnCtOk/s400/before.bmp" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" /></div></div><div>Here it is today. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">YAY</span>!:</div><div><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374465029928347538" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1v6_k__pB-artBeiMfg5nF93LenloobVlLN9NwkmUhrgBXc7YKFe23KnOAbyDTr0GcugQHOGYpQ77hEMh70vjSO3Kqf8QY03FBddYVuUXDznz5WNROm5fvOwzyKwMM8eP-QiO0dGvNno/s400/DSC01344.JPG" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />I'm going to do a little accent of this by our sinks to tie it all together, and I'll take pics of that process start to finish -- I won't be so <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">sceered</span> next time. Then, I want to rip out the shower surround and tile that whole thing, then the floors, then, then, then... Now, if I can just get those fixtures on the tub replaced, I'd be in heaven. </div><br /><div>If you haven't seen my interview at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">houzz</span>.com today, go <a href="http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/5812/list/Houzz-Interview---Sarah-s-Thrifty-Decor-Chick#comments">here</a> to check it out! Make sure to comment there for a chance to win the Ballard pear! (See previous post.) Your comments over there are making. my. year. by the way. I am so honored to inspire you. I can't thank you enough for your support. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>

I can tile?

I pose that title as a question because the answer is questionable. The walls haven't come down yet, so I think I was successful. Maybe,...

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