Finally

I finally got the Willett headboard and foot board refinished.

It only took me nine months.

Here it is after I got it home. Remember this furniture was free. No mula involved.

And it was rough I tell ya.

So I sanded and sanded until my fingers were raw and sore. Then I put a satin polyurethane finish on it.

Between coats of the polyurethane I used brown paper bags to sand it. The bags worked better than the 220 grit sandpaper.

Here it is in all its glory.

The wood is maple and it's very pretty.

Just look at the wood grain.

I took it into my bedroom to see how it would look with the old, maple dresser I got from mom.

It's a great match!

I propped it up against the bed because I don't have the right bed frame to attach it.

Then I stuck it behind my current headboard.

I guess I better find the right bed frame so I can put this labor of love to good use.

I'm so happy that I completed a project. Especially since, other than the sore fingers and the cost for the polyurethane, this furniture was free.

Now if I can just get the little Willett table finished too...

Thrift-Shopping With Mom

I went to the thrift store yesterday as I do a couple times a week looking for bargains.

While I was shopping, I was thinking about going thrift-shopping with my mom.

 I love going with her because she'll pick up an item and say something like My mother had one of these! or I remember when these were all the rage! or You use this to do such and such.

It's fun to go down memory lane with her.

I guess I do the same thing with my kids. This song was popular when I was in high school. or I wore those kind of pants when I lived in Virginia! 

Not sure my kids get a kick out of all that nostalgia.

But I do.

Wish I could spend more time with my mom.

She's a pretty fun thrift-shopper.

Happy Birthday, David

Wednesday was David's birthday.

I attempted to make an ice cream cake for him.

It was kind of a mess. #meltedcake

No, I didn't microwave the cake to get this result.

No more deviations from "normal" birthday cakes for me.

The cake was tasty anyway.

A little note about the candle holder choice. I only had pink candles, but I had one white candle and some animal candle holders that I think I used on Joshua's first birthday cake.

So David had one white lion-y candle for his big day.

Dear David,

Happy 26th birthday. Seems like just yesterday you were toddling around like little Ezra!

I have so many happy memories of the funny things you did as a child. Like the way you loved to talk at the dinner table!

I love so many things about you too. Your quick wit. Your sense of humor. Your intelligence.

Hope this year brings good things for you and your little family.

Love, 

Mom

Color Run (Walk)

I participated in the Color Run last October with my sweet friend Mary Moreno.

Our team was a motley crew of mostly 15-year-old boys - friends of Mary's son, Dylan.

They ran.

 Mary and I walked the 5K.

Once you get to the finish line they hold a "color party" which consists of music and people throwing copious amounts of colored corn starch.

This is what it looks like:

Afterwards you look like this:

It took a couple of showers to get all the colored starch out of my hair!

A Morning at the Beach

I spend a morning on the beach in Galveston taking photos.

I love this fallen log.

                                     

I saw some sand pipers running along poking their beaks in the sand for insects.

I'm a fan of any bird that helps reduce the number of insects at the beach.

They were so much fun to watch.

But my favorite site at the beach was this guy.

David said Josh looked like he was a Land's End model.

My Baby

Love this sweet kid.

Prairie Dog Town

Josh and I went to the Prairie Dog Town in Lubbock.

Prairie Dog Town was established in the early 1930's by Mr. Clapp. It started with four dogs and two burrows and was the first protected prairie dog colony of its kind.

It was difficult to get a good photo of the dogs because we had to stand pretty far away.

So I have included a photo of prairie dog pups.

Aren't they cute?

Baby Moses

I put Ezra in a laundry basket the other day and pulled it around.

The things you'll do to entertain a baby.

Beach-y Christmas Ornaments

I took these cute ornaments to Galveston for our beach-y Christmas tree.

They were so simple to make.

I found some small bottle brush trees and put them in glass balls I found on sale after Christmas in 2012.

I also put some Spanish moss and curled scrapbook paper in the other balls.

Super easy.

And cute.

I love the bottle brush trees.

So sweet.

Foodie at Work in Lubbock

Josh and I went to a restaurant called the Rib Crib last weekend.

The place had some eclectic decor.

To say the least.

Yes, that's a raccoon on the post.

The head and backside.

Anyhoo, on to the food.

So we had ribs and brisket.

Josh really liked his.

I submit photographic evidence.

He cleaned his plate.

Grandma would be proud.

Mine was bit dry, but tasty.

As a "foodie" I love to take photos of my food.

Much to the embarrassment of my family.

So of course I took photos at the Rib Crib as the confused waitress watched.

I wonder if she thought I was a fancy food critic that works for the NY Times.

Kind of like this:

Or maybe she just thought I was weird.

Workin' at the Car Wash

Okay, so I'm not working at the car wash, but going to the car wash with Josh last weekend in Lubbock.

But there isn't a going to the car wash song.

Hence, the title of this blog.

Yep, I took photos of the car wash as we drove through.

Who does that?

Well I do.

And Josh doesn't say anything because he knows it floats my boat.

Check out the pretty soap colors:

And the long, red strap-y things that spread the soap all over my car to make it clean!

Here is where I should put a photo of my sparkling clean car, but I failed to take that photo.

Probably the most important photo.

#photojournalistfail

So here is what a clean 2004 Camry looks like:

Not my car, but you get the idea.

And I'll end this post with a flashback to the 70's with the Car Wash song.

Enjoy.

Seagulls

While at Galveston we found some seagulls with insatiable appetites.

At one point they got pretty close to Alexandra and she was little bit scared.

When the seagulls got too bold Alex and Meredith decided it wasn't as much fun anymore.

And moved away from Zane.

Who wasn't afraid of the swooping, hungry birds.

Zane looked a lot like the statue we found on the pier.

Except Zane was fully dressed.