Don't know what you got...'til it's gone.

Happy New Year! I posted on my Facebook status, at 1 a.m. New Year's Day that I was going to blog regularly. That was my New Year's Resolution. Then my modem promptly died.

I was ITCHING to blog! I was down for 5, yes that's 5 DAYS! There was of course no business services from our provider on New Years Day. Or Sunday. So when we finally got help on Monday, and they determined it was the modem, they told us it would be here by Wednesday. UGH! And I waited all. day. long. It did not arrive until this evening. So mean! I truly came to appreciate my access to the wonderful world of blogging, once I didn't have access!

I first need to start off the New Year by apologizing to my wonderful California blog friends, who also happen to be Facebook friends. You see, there was this little online competition. Walmart was awarding $1 million to the Foodbank of the city that got the most support on Facebook. Salt Lake climbed first to 3rd place, then steadily to first. By a LOT! Then one morning I woke up and WHAT? Fresno was in first place. By a LOT! This is where the apology kicks in. I may have gotten a little crazy (and Hubby believes this is the reason for the Modem crash), and started a full fledged facebook campaign to put Utah back in the lead. And I may have, in the spirit of motivating my fellow Utahns, talked a little smack - you know about not wanting to be beaten by California.

The thing is, besides my blog friends - I have wonderful real life friends and family whom I love in California! And I think it's a BEAUTIFUL state! But I've begun to realize that I may have an issue, with being competitive (competitiveness?). And California happens to be the state that holds the thorns in my side in my two other most prevalent areas of competitiveness. Soccer (L.A. Galaxy), and Basketball (Lakers, anyone?). So please. Accept my apology - I truly love Californians ( the ones that I know)!!

Moving on.

I am also bringing back Mod Podge Mania! If you don't know what that is - it's because I'm a slacker. Just be prepared. Last day of the month - it's a linky fest to show off great Mod Podge Projects. Fun for showing your fabulousness, as well as getting ideas from the fabulousness of others! It was one of my favorite things I used to do when I was a blogging machine!

I have lots of great ambitions for the new year. First off a room for Cowgirl. This Is The Year... we will get a room in the basement finished and turned into a fabulous bedroom for our sweet 10 year old, who SO deserves her own room, after years of sharing with 2 little sisters who get into her stuff, and break it and lose it.

I'll be posting progress along the way.

Here's what we're starting with. The previous owners of our home sheetrocked one room in the basement. It just happened to be the room next to the rain gutter spout. Yeah, the spout that happened to drain directly into the window well. Hence we got water in the basement a few times with melting snow, or heavy rain. And I'm sure they did too. When we went to start finishing off Cowgirl's room in the fall, and moved the boxes away from the wall, we were greeted with THIS lovely sight:

HELLO black mold! Nice and healthy. Love that we've been breathing this for who knows how long.

Lucky I'm married to a big strong, bio-hazard conquering HERO!

I helped a little too. I know - I look totally hot.

He tore out all the sheetrock from the bottom half of the wall, then all the insulation. What a guy.
When that was done, he treated the whole area with - well, I don't know what it's called, but it's what they spray to kill mold spores and disinfect the wood and the cement. See - being married to a carpet cleaning guru has it's advantages! Not only is he sexy cleaning my carpets, but he has all sorts of useful skills when it comes to disaster clean-up. (and hiring someone for that is freakin' EXPENSIVE!!)

Now I am busy going through the rest of the crap in our basement, and getting rid of stuff, and making way for the handymen to come in and do the electrical, and heating ducts so we can hang the drywall. Stay tuned. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

What big plans do you have for 2011? Hope it is rocking so far!