Before!

Well, for anyone who doesn't know (although I'm not sure how you could not know, if you have talked to me within the last month, I've been rather obsessed) we are repainting the inside of our house this week! Finally, finally, FINALLY I get to tear down the wallpaper that has been torturing me for the last two years (and, really, for the 3 years I lived here in college, because I hated it then, too). Anyway, so just for the sake of comparison, here are some before shots of the kitchen and living room (we're starting with those rooms, and then seeing about painting the spare room and our bedroom, too- I'm ambitious... or nuts, you pick).

Seriously? The wallpaper? Not so much me...

And that border is supposed to go all the way around the top... I got a little over eager and ripped off a big chunk last week before I took before picks! But, actually, isn't it amazing how much taller the kitchen looks on the side without the border?!
The living room... try to ignore the general baby clutter... but really, not that bad. A little boring, and it's just connected to the kitchen, so if we're painting one, we may as well paint the other!
Another shot of the living room... note the samples we painted on the wall... found two colors we liked on the swatches, then got them on the wall, and not so much...


So we went back for two more samples! Ended up going with the second from the left, which is Brown Teepee from Behr. Not quite what I thought we'd pick, but I ended up liking it best (and by the time we got through 4 samples Josh just wanted me to shut up about it, so he'd go along with anything)


So, Jess & Mike are here this week, and are WONDERFUL, and are helping us paint (seeing as how Josh and I have exactly 2 free weekends between now and October, we will definitely need some help). Jess got to go with me on the great shopping spree to Home Depot & Walmart to get the supplies... after lunch at the mall...

...and a ride on the carousel- it can't be all work and no play! This is Laney saying "Cheese," and proving that you do NOT actually have to smile when you say cheese...

Hello, onery... wow...

And, because I have been on a video kick lately (she's just so cute, and what she says is so much funnier than the still pictures)!

Anyway, so there are some "before" shots of our kitchen/living room redo... will post "after" pics as soon as it's done... or at least mostly done... And Looten family reunion pics coming up soon, too!