The Stairs Finally Complete the First Floor Redo

I thought we were done with house projects after summer's first floor redo. . . . but the beautiful first floor reminded me daily that the stairs we old and unfashionable.   I am so amazed how just a "little thing" like swapping out the carpet from pink floral to grey Berber makes such a huge difference!

The before (or the before after the professional painting was done).

Let me just say that ripping out "Hollywood Style" carpet (i.e. the kind stapled around the stair nose) is really, really hard.  I managed to listen to almost an entire audio book over the course of this project.   Of course that's the classiest installation look, though, so I made them install the new stuff the same way.   They didn't on the first few steps but the hubs caught them and made them redo it.   At least I won't be the one ripping it up someday.   The carpet better outlive my time in this house!

Finally done!  Many people asked me why we chose to recarpet the steps instead of keeping them wood.  A few reasons.   The stairs had some flaws from all the prior staples and staple removal.   The landing was particle board instead of hard wood.   The idea of falling down the steps when I sneak out of the house every morning in a dress in the dark was probably #1 though!

Professionals did the white paint, but I told them (last summer!) that I would tackle the java gel stain.  I mean, I watched the You Tube tutorials!  I knew what to do.   And it was actually a very easy project.  Messy.  Very messy.  But easy.  I did a very light sand and then two coats of General Finishes Java Gel Stain.  It's supposed to take a topcoat, too, but I haven't done that yet. 

The last four steps of the carpet required binding for the exposed sides.  Since we had a grandma babysitting visit upcoming, we asked them to come out and install all but the last steps so that our guest wouldn't have to live in a construction zone.  It's one thing for your family to troop up and down the unfinished steps avoiding the hidden staples.  It's entirely another to ask a guest.   But less than a week later it was finally all done!  We love it, and now I'm eagerly sizing up the bedrooms for their new carpet!

 

Easter Weekend(s)

This year was the coldest Easter we've ever had here!   The neighborhood Easter egg hunt was the week before Easter, and it was overcast and cold.  Luckily those kids grab those eggs fast and we were in and out in 30 minutes!  

William was on Spring Break for the entire week, but since he's a tax accountant's kid, we aren't going anywhere until the end of April.  Instead, he played at home for the week around mom and dad's work schedules. Since John was traveling, I worked two days at home.  My original plan was to take William into the office with me but I was too busy.  As in, I can't make the kiddo stay in my office for 14 hours - so I worked it at the dining room table and he played all day!  The next day, we couldn't go to the city because he had noon baseball practice.  But that lack of a commute meant we did have time to sneak in an hour for the Easter egg decorating!  

Thursday I got up bright and early and did my usual commute in.  Unfortunately it ended in this walking boot, as I slipped on a piece of plastic littering the steps as I was unloading from the train.  Good Friday was back at home as I nursed my ankle.  

William got two Easter baskets this year.  A Harry & David snack box from Uncle Ryan and Tarek arrived on Friday.  And another appeared on Saturday with mommy's favorite candy and his own iPad plug (so that mommy's iPhone cord can stop disappearing) and his new favorite game, Jenga!

 

Since we didn't "go" anywhere for Spring Break, we booked a room in the city for one night.   We lived it up!  Rolled ice cream, the Field Museum (with lots of breaks for sore feet - me in my boot and William in a new pair of sneakers we didn't realized needed breaking in), Jenga building, pizza and a cold swimming pool at the hotel, Easter brunch at Beatrix, and then a military history museum.

 

 

And when we got home the Easter Bunny had left eggs in the front yard!  He was so excited that one of the eggs was golden!