Fall Project

 

This chair has a story.

When we moved from Utah, we left our crib behind. After our baby was born, two used cribs were gifted to us. But neither crib had all the parts and pieces needed for assembly. We bought a crib instead, but that meant we had lots of old crib railing lying around.

So I looked for repurposing ideas and showed a tutorial to my husband. He is, of course, a male, and a great woodworker to boot, so he scoffed at the plans and did it his own way. Pretty talented, that man-o-mine.

Then I got to work on making it look pretty.

  

Things I learned:

Try to avoid spray painting when it is windy.

If you want it to look like it has layers of old paint that have been distressed, then do just that. I spent hours trying to cheat the look without success. It would have been done much quicker if I would have done it right from the beginning instead of learning the long, hard way. I found some online instructions very helpful, after I realized I needed some direction.

Getting Free samples of paint from the Home Improvement store is awesome! I want to get a jar of every color. So perfect for little projects!

Hitting things with a chain is fun. 

I am more than thrilled with the results. Sometimes I open the front the door just to take a peak at it.

Looks awesome on my porch.

And is just the thing I need for sitting and waiting for the four buses that stop at this house.

We still have lots of railing to go.

And now that I know what I’m doing…

I can’t wait to make the next one.

I’m thinking red.

She Turned Five

 

 

Five Years. I can’t believe it.

I’m not saying the old cliche though - that it seems like only yesterday I was holding her in my arms for the first time. Because it doesn’t seem that way.

It’s been just the right amount of time.

Just the right amount to bask in her childish ways, observe her girlie traits, and witness her mama-in-the-making compassion and charity start to shine.

Just the right amount of time for me to hope that the next five years take just as long.

We tell her all the time that she has a very special name.

It means “pure in heart”.

She’s got a bit of a mischievous side every now and then.

But for the most part – she is oh so pure.

And oh so wonderful!

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Year 5 is when we throw our children their very first friend party.

But Zion was thrilled to opt for a trip to Utah instead.

Where we celebrated with much missed cousins…

Caught some wicked air at Hang Time…

Lost ourselves in some maize at Pumpkinland…

And ended her day-of-birth’s celebration with a requested “rainbow cake” and gifts galore.  

Happy Birthday Zion!

Little Slice of Haven

What a Hunk!

I usually have to share this guy with these Daddy Hogs.

But tonight I get my man all to myself.

Yay for date night!

And double YAY {yay} for free babysitters! =)

Repercussions

June. Seriously? It’s been since June? How depressing!

I really did get sucked in.

As it turns out, we discovered that we could qualify for a house sooner than we had expected. So the house hunting took on real meaning and I’ve wasted my summer away, looking, comparing, envisioning, researching, offering… offering… Offering… OFFERING.

Literally offering on 50 or more homes -- sometimes 6 a day.

And each week thinking surely – surely – this is the week we’ll get something. Then I can announce it on the blog and start writing again and life will be so dandy and wonderful.

But it just hasn’t happened. All those offers – those many many many, good, WAY-above-asking-price offers, for naught. Each one beat out by a cash investor. How are we to compete with that?

It’s been disheartening to say the least. Especially to see the types of homes we started our search looking at,  raise 20 -- 40 –- 60 THOUSAND dollars in value just in the last few months.

{sigh} 

{double sigh}

Zion has been coming home from school each day with drawings to show me. I take a glance at them, give a smile, and then toss them in the trash. I probably threw away a good dozen or more before I finally looked. Finally saw what it was that she was drawing.

 

Houses.

Sweet, little, colorful, houses with lots of doors because we need lots of rooms.

I hadn’t looked.

I hadn’t realized.

I had not considered the impact of my actions.

My desire to give my kids a better life has instead left them without one at all.

And these last few months have sadly gone undocumented. All the cute things they’ve said or done, have faded in the distance behind me as I’ve focused all my attention on a computer’s screen.

 

I hope to update at least some of the photographed memories and back date them for historical accuracy.

But for now, I’m shutting down the housing MLS portal.

               Stepping away from the keyboard.

                                           And going to make cookies with my beautiful, talented, little artist.

I think I’ll even plan a date with my husband for Friday night.

One that doesn’t involve walking through any empty houses.

Camp Tramp

 They’ve been asking to do it ALL summer.

But it’s just been too hot.

Until tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought they wouldn’t even last until midnight.

But nothing woke them – not the cold, nor the dogs barking, nor the busy street behind us, nor the bright street lamps. Not even their dad’s snoring.

The rays of the morning sun touching their sleepy eyelids was the only thing that could stir them.

And they were in the house just before 6 a.m. so delighted with themselves.

First Day of School

Backdated from Oct 4, 2012

Evan has wanted to be a Garbage Man since he was in Preschool. I keep waiting for his aspirations to change. This year, I told him we’ll make a sign every year on the first day of school to see how his signature changes and all the different things he decides he wants to be when he grows up. He said, “But Mom, I’ll always want to be a garbage man, because that’s what I’m going to be.”

Zion is enrolled in two different preschools this year. In the afternoons, she will be attending the same Speech preschool that she went to last year, and in the mornings she will go to the elementary school’s preschool program. She has a Fall birthday, so she barely misses the cutoff for Kindergarten. But I think she will definitely still be academically stimulated this year!

  {In keeping with the theme of her older brother and sister’s statements, Taryn first said“tractor” when I asked her what she wanted to be. But because of her poor intelligibility, I responded, “Doctor?” And she changed her mind in agreement. I decided to keep that answer. We need at least one child with some ambition.} :)

Taryn has been so excited to start preschool this year and get to ride the bus just like her big sister. She is attending the same speech program that Zion is in, but Taryn gets to go in the mornings. She’s been talking about the bus for months and months. I thought she would actually be scared to get on it though, but when the doors opened, she bounded up the steps so quickly I could barely get a picture of her.

Photo Shoot

Backdated from Oct 4, 2012

 

 

 

  

 

   

 

 

  

   

 

  

 

 

These were taken in beautiful Haigler Creek outside of my dad’s cabin,

by the talented husband/wife combo of my sister Mimi and bro-in-law Dave.