back for good

brad and i spent this past week in my hometown in Illinois, and all i can really say regarding that is...people don't joke about 'the in-laws' for nothing. i know brad enjoyed my family, but it's not always easy meeting the family. he had met them before, but this week was the first time he had really been around them. and i can safely say they didn't hold back from showing him their true colors...starting from my Dad's proud display of his leg lamp.

no, i am not kidding. he really does have one, and YES, my sister and i are mortified by it. but what do you do....

anyway, we had fun, but it was good to get back to Wisconsin today. we had a great dinner with his family - sweet corn in the summer makes me a happy, happy girl - and then went pick out paint samples for my new house. i think we've decided on a taupe/tan color in the living room with white trim, a light greenish-gray in the bathroom and kitchen (although i might change the kitchen color, seems like it should be brighter?) and we're also painting the hideous bright blue shutters outside a dark, smoky blue. the bedrooms are still undecided at this point.

tomorrow i start tackling cleaning the new place. it's absolutely filthy, but i'm looking forward to getting in there and bleaching and Pine-Soling everything. oh, and i'll also be changing the bright blue light bulb that someone thought would be a good idea to put in the front porch light. ew, ew. but give me a week, and she'll be good as (almost) new!