People all over the word, join hands, ride the steam train

Well, we are back to our home (and Carlton) after two nights away in celebration of John's birthday. We headed down to an unlikely location, Centralia, Washington. John found a murder mystery dinner train in Chehalis and we decided that was something we'd like to do. And, we also decided that we had so much fun at the Kennedy School in Portland (even though we didn't stay there) that we'd stay at the Centralia McMenamin's: The Olympic Club. There happened to big a huge car show in town so the only room we could get was with a bunk bed.

Notice anything different? That's right, there's only a sink. There are only about 30 rooms, and there are shared bathrooms. When we originally learned this we pictured shower stalls like a dorm, but luckily there were private bathrooms with a toilet, shower, and sink. They also provided robes to walk to and from the bathroom (which we felt a little silly using, so we only wore them in private). Even though it wasn't luxurious, it's a great story and a fun experience.

We were in the "Charlemagne Tower" room, who is a Philadelphia businessman who helped bring the railroad up here. The hotel is actually located on Tower Ave, the main street of downtown Centralia. All the rooms and hallways had tons of old pictures, quotes on the walls, and other memorabilia to help explain the Olympic Club and the town. The building was originally a brothel, from what we pieced together. In fact, there is a sign in front that says "Streets girls bringing a sailor to their room need to pay in advance." There was also a painted sign above the bar entrance that said "Ladies Patronage Not Solicited."

Downstairs from the hotel there is a restaurant with about 10 pool tables, two bar areas, and a movie theater/live music venue. All is decked out in old memorabilia. The movies were free to hotel guests, so we took advantage of that and saw a lame movie (Fast Five) at 9 where the theater turns into a bar and is 21 and older. The theater has couches and a very comfy feel, and you can order food during the movie.

We also stood outside our hotel and watched the cars from the Billetproof Car Show drive through town. Seems like a tradition, because while they can't close off the street there were many cars that put on a bit of a show or would pass by a few times. Everyone lined up on the street, too. Pretty fun. That street also has a ton of antique shops, so we spent Saturday morning walking around that area (sadly, John did not let me get the vintage "A" I found, the small metal fan, or the power line insulators). We also did outlet shopping.

Our dinner train was fabulous. A local group, the Evergreen Playhouse, did the murder mystery part, while the Centralia Chehalis Steam Train ran the ride. It was about two hours total, and we received salad & bread, salmon/prime rib/chicken cordon bleu (your choice), and dessert. The murder mystery played out during dinner as we made our way through some beautiful scenery. Then at the turn-around point we all guessed the killer and learned the motive. Turns out it was Danielle with lipstick she acquired in the South Pacific during her time in the Peace Corps - Harold was blackmailing her because he was the only one who knew her secret (that Danielle is, in fact, Daniel). Lisa's death was accidental. We were pretty close, but had no idea the motive (even though she had mentioned to us that she just had a boob job). Then we were free to roam or sit outside on the ride back. It was a lovely date, and we'd recommend it to anyone who wants something different to do. You might as well do the dinner train and/or murder mystery because it's only $20 more than just riding the train.

We headed back early-ish this morning and have been just hanging out. I still need to wrap John's birthday presents (it's tomorrow so I've got time) before we head out to dinner with his family.

Rumpus Room Revamp

Alright, so there is one room in our house that we've done absolutely nothing to but paint. The bonus room upstairs. It's a massive room that sits above the garage and looks out on the street. It's a 14' x 18' room with an extra 5' x 9' area off one side. Very sketchy drawing, but like this:

We painted it the same color as much of the rest of the house, Olivewood by Glidden.

Anyway, we'd like the room to basically be the fun hang out for our friends - a bar/snacks in the corner area, a game table, and a big screen TV with comfy chairs. However, we don't want it locked into that since we foresee that it will be a playroom when we have kids. So, I don't want to go all out with a theater-themed room but want it to be fun.

I thought briefly about moving our large chocolate brown sectional into the upstairs and getting a lighter brighter living room set for downstairs that are still comfortable but more stylish. But, I'm not sure, as I know that just John and I would watch TV and hang out downstairs.


My other thoughts are about:
- Lighting. Sconces? Floor lamps? Not sure... Only one ceiling light that's pretty dim currently.
- Some sort of scoreboard/chalkboard
- a big TV or projection screen (probably big tv)
- comfortable seating. Separate chairs so they're movable or a couch/sectional? Need chairs for game table also.. could use Ikea dining chairs we already have.
- Bar area. We have the Hoosier up there which would serve as a great bar. Would we want anything else?
- Blackout blinds/curtains. There's nothing currently in there, and if I'm going to buy blinds I might spring for the good ones.
- Fun, but not over-the-board artwork. Lots of DIY? I don't picture movie posters, since that's cheesy.

Anyway, I need your help. Any inspiration pictures you'd like to share? Any thoughts on how to make it fun, functional, and versatile? This would be our big project for the summer, since it's the last thing we've got to do...

Enough distraction from my homework, I'm off!

An update and a review

Since I've posted. That's because I haven't done anything remotely crafty recently. It's very unfortunate. I'm hopefully to jump back on that bandwagon as soon as I get out of school. Well, actually no. While I only have 3 days of work left (woohoo!) I'm still going strong with my graduate classes. Next week is my "finals" week so I'll be busy with some papers I haven't started. THEN, it's down to business. Not sure what I will do first, but here's what I'd like to get going over the summer:

• Paint and repair the downstairs bathroom (color TBD)
• Finish wall decor in living room (still stuck on the ceiling medallion thing)
• Decorate master bathroom (and order blinds)
• Make pillow covers for the couch
• Gallery wall? Framing some pictures that have been waiting
• Something for the classroom
• Scrapbooking/card making
• Plan for rumpus room?

I also need to find a use for my new birthday gift:

That's right. My mom got me a Dremel for my birthday. I plan on engraving, sanding, drilling, and generally Dremeling my little heart out.Young House Love swears by the Dremel, and I'm sure I will find lots of uses!

By the way, my birthday was on Monday. I am officially part of the quarter-century club. I know being 25 means that I'm still young, but I feel like I'm quickly leaving the "young adult stage" of my life. It's weird that I've been driving for 10 years because I remember my first time perfectly. It's weird that it's been 7 years since I moved into the dorms my Freshman year of college. It's weird that I've almost been married two years. I feel freshly out of college and still very much young. On the other hand, I've had a full-time career for two years now, I own a house, and I talk a lot about our finances and retirement. I've always been the youngest at everything, and that's no longer my claim to fame as I'm nearing the middle of the pack. But... it is what it is. I know I am still young, I just feel like another chapter is beginning.

Speaking of chapters, guess what else I got for my birthday from my dear old husband (who would've been in trouble if he didn't get it??):

Meet the Nook Simple Touch Reader. You may not be acquainted yet, as he is new to the e-reader game. But boy is he a contender. Call me a geek, but I've done all the research. It was released May 24, but is still not available in all stores. He costs a modest $139, for the budget-conscious reader. The basic differences/improvements from the previous generations and competitors are: the e-ink display is improved, with better contrast and a touchscreen, you can get (some) magazines and use the lendme technology, the battery life significantly out-does other brands at up to 2 months, and the reader stores up pages in advance so changing the page does not cause flickering. It is "simple," as marketed, because it does not feature apps or web browsing. This was not a priority for me, as I have a new smartphone and have access to everything that the nook color would offer.

What is GREAT is that I had just been telling John that I didn't want a nook anymore because I liked the e-ink screen better than the backlit screens. They are easier on my eyes, feel more like I'm reading a book, and can be seen in the sun. I didn't want all the bells and whistles because I have a smartphone. I wanted something that was compact and only for reading. Then I went to the Barnes and Noble website and here he was waiting for me! I haven't loaded a ton on to it yet but am enjoying reading Tina Fey's Bossypants right now (hilarious). I can't wait to take in on our cruise. It's TINY and great.

I also got a fun little ice cream maker, an awesome custom letter stamp-thing from Martha Stewart, and this book based on the most adorable blog I've ever seen, My Milk Toof: The Adventures of Ickle and Lardee. Makes me SO happy.

I will leave it at that for now. I'm not gone, though! I hope to be back soon with funny stories, crafts, and a review of our trip on the Chehalis Murder Mystery Dinner Train and to the Centralia McMenamin's in a few weeks!