Trading Spaces
So my house needed a lot of work. The rooms all had funny colors in them, or crayon writing on the walls, paint peeling, ugly wallpaper, cheap paneling... the list goes on.

The paneling makes the room really dark, not to mention it's ugly.

Dinning room wallpaper, and who picked that green? Also notice the crooked light switch...ah.

My landlord gave me a budget, and I am going nuts on painting things. I will post pictures once I get all the major work done. I will do a little before and after page... so keep checking for updates.

Needless to say I have been paint shopping and trying to pick colors and decide how I want everything to look. I picked some cool colors, after switching back and forth many times, and came up with some good options for the house. I have done the work alone and really found it to be soothing and relaxing to sit and paint with the radio on.

Painting the details on the staircase was a pain in the butt!

Getting to all the corners and trying to do a good job was important to me.

This weekend I hope to get all the painting finished. This it will just be hanging things on the walls, and figuring out where to put my furniture. I am putting off painting Novali's room until next month cause I can not decide on a color... but maybe I will get inspire this weekend. We will see...

Reunion
This weekend the roadtrip crew went back into action. Yep, Vic and I hit the road together. In college him and I went everywhere. I remember by the time I graduated college I think Vic and I had visited a little over 25 chapters of Sigma Lambda Beta. Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Iowa, Washington DC, and of course every school in Michigan. Good times.

I picked up Vic on Friday and we rolled to Chicago in the NX. Same old Vic. He was not packed when I got there, had no clean pants to go out in so we had to stop and buy some, barely ironed his shirt, and of course... left his keys in Chicago. We met up with Reymall and had a great weekend, we used to hangout all the time in Kalamazoo. With me in grad school, and Rey in Chicago we just have not hungout much the last few years.

I did not get a picture of us this weekend. This is from Bronco Bash.

Current state of Vic's car... poor Kialac.

Vic totaled his car last month... no insurance. So now he makes 200 a month payments on an undrivable car. Same old Vic.

Tamara's 25th
Friday was Tamara's birthday. She always plans something big. She started the night at her favorite Maragarita place, Fernandos. Vic and I got into town later then planned so we did not make it for food. Instead him and I got some subway and went to Ontourage before anyone else. The place was cool, small, I got a free zippo, we got free drinks, and Rey showed up. We toasted my belated birthday (I never celebrated mine this year) and chilled before the rest showed up. We caught up, laughed it up, made fun of each other (mostly Vic actually), and talked about how we need to hangout more.

Once everyone showed up, and the drink specials ended we rolled out to CroBar. It is a cool dance club, the high energy Chicago style house music that I have gotten used to lately. We danced, I drank lots of water, made fun of Gelas cell phone holder, and I actually got lost for a while to take some time out for myself.

Maragarita's and Mexican food. Tamara's favorite.

At Ontourage.

With a bunch of her sisters and friends.

Tamara danced all night at Crobar.

Novali
She was too funny as always. Always with some unique item, feather pen was the item of choice this visit. Her Reboks with the lights on the side was a treat as well. She is still really shy around people, which is annoying for when my friends want to see her. She went and hid in her room when Rey and the crew came by. Oh well, she will grow out of it. Sunday I had to leave early so I did not get to play with her a whole ton, but I am excited because she will be coming to Michigan soon!

With her feather pen... and of course sunglasses

"Oh... thats so cool"... is her favorite saying right now.

Getting her locks worked on by mami.

All done... Cheese!

It was a good weekend. I am glad Vic was able to come with me, not just so we could catch up, but because I still can not find my detachable face to my car stereo (which means no tunes in the ride!). I of course did not get anymore house work done... but that is okay. The NX survived the roadtrip... but is in serious need of some repairs. Too bad I am broke again. Ah!

Nearly lunch... need to decide what to eat. Hum...