It's a Process...

This post could also be titled, "Highly Distracted".  Remember last week?  I started cleaning up old chairs and sanding to get them all ready for a fresh coat of paint....

I was working with minimal supplies.  I had a few sheets of sandpaper and a sander that was broken.  Its motor worked but only one side had the little teeth to lock the sandpaper in.  No worries, I can jimmy-jack that with duck tape (my dad has taught me well).  As my dad so eloquently put it, "it would be boring to be rich."  Surprisingly, it worked for the most part.  If I worked more than a few hours it would get too hot and melt the tape off.  I did not want to spend money on this table.  

Well, I sanded those chairs until I was covered in green paint dust, and then sanded some more.  I insisted that sanding would be better than using a paint stripper, because quite frankly that stuff scares me.  For some crazy reason I thought this project would take about a week to do all the sanding, painting, and varnishing for a table and 4 chairs (insert sarcastic laugh, cause it's been more than a week, and I haven't finished painting yet...).     

This table top was bad.  Varnish had come off in spots and people spilled coffee or some other dark liquid on it and the stains were very tricky to get out.  In fact, I still have not got them all out.  Fear not, I have a plan for that....

At some point on day 3 of sanding I decided to try my hand at another project cause I was sick of sanding. The sander and tape was just not working.  

Keeping with the kitchen/dining theme, I decided to spruce up some very plain white tea towels.  I pulled out my fabric markers and started doodling all over them.  Then I got the brilliant idea to put song lyrics on one.  Well, that was even more tedious than sanding with a broken sander.  

I used O's light box so I could see the words I printed and trace over them.  After an hour of that, I felt like I was blind, but I finished.  Next project...

We went to the store and looked for the wall color in our kitchen (Aqua Inlet, if you are wondering).  I skipped down 4-5 shades for a darker blue that matched and came up with Robin's Egg Blue.  Sure. That seems like a good color for a table and chairs.  So, I painted, and then I got distracted.  Swiss Days is this weekend.  I think we need a break. 

We walked around and looked at all the crafty things for sale.  We found our friends.  

We ate ice cream.  

Then I got really distracted, and somehow we ended up in another city buying a couch.  

O's room had a tornado pass through, so that needed cleaned up.

All Better.

Then it was Sunday, and we listened to my dad preach at a local state park camp ground.

Then I needed to visit my little brother.  While we were there, I decided the blue on those chairs was not working, and I really like the blue on his walls much more.  So, I pretended to take a photo of my husband while I was actually getting the wall color.  :)

We couldn't leave without playing a game of Gin-Rummy.  For the first time in history, I won!  :)  Notice the paper is all crinkled up?  That's because neither of those guys wanted me to take a photo of it.  I had to though, this never happens.  Really now, I need to get back to those chairs sitting in the back yard.

I went to a different store to find some way to darken the paint I already painted.  Glaze?  Sure. 

$40 later I walked out of the store.  This dining set was getting expensive.  After discussing it with my husband, I returned the glaze and decided to just repaint.  Back to that store to return all those supplies.

I took the paint back to the store, explain that I didn't like it, and I found a better color.  Not quite my brother's walls, but not glow-in-the-dark-blue either.  Much better.  

Oh but to throw some more fun in, my friend came out with her daughter to help and we started prepping laminate bookshelves to paint that color too.  

 To sum up the last week, I have...
::sanded chairs, and table
::painted chairs
::repainted chairs (but still not done).
::wrote some words on a tea towel
::bought a couch (ordered rather, it will be two more weeks before we get it)
::sanded bookshelves

At this point I have no real completed project that I can say, 'yes that is done'  Oh me, oh my!

I think a game of connect four is in order.

Waiting Game

Here is a Quick Recap of the last week

::We have found a (rental) house!  I am really excited about it.  The last 14 months have been a time of transition and we have just been in limbo.  We (mostly O and I) have stayed with my parents while F has been training, and I am so thankful that they let us stay with them, but I really would like to have my own place again.  :)

::We still have about two weeks until we can move.  This has motivated me to be super productive in getting things ready for our rental.  We will have a dining room and I scrounged around my parents place until I found one of their super old table sets from when I was a kid.  It is a hot mess.  I am in the process of cleaning/sanding/repainting it and have big plans for the table.  My mom's comment was, 'that seems like a lot of work' but I think it will (hopefully) turn out awesome.

::We peaked (with eyes half closed because it was a little scary) at our storage unit that has been holding our stuff for the last year.  Let's just say we will get to start fresh with some new pieces in our living room.  I suppose our chair was not in the cleanest condition when we moved it in there.  In addition to that, it has been sitting in a dark environment perfect for growing things like mold.  Bleck.  Oh Well.  I am just hoping and praying mold is not on everything we own.  

::Since we will be moving when O should be starting First Grade, I thought I'd get some lessons made up now, so while we are moving I am not trying to scramble to come up with things to keep her busy while I unpack.  

::This is one of my favorite times of the year.  I always think of 'You've Got Mail' and a bouquet of sharpened pencils.  

::In case anyone is wondering, O is still into making forts.  Every day since we've been back she has pulled out all the umbrellas and made a fort in the living room.  

::She is also enjoying going through all of her packed up toys.  I often hear her saying, 'oh my ____ toy.  I forgot about you.  You are my favorite toy and I missed you.'  Five minutes later out comes a different favorite toy she missed even more.

Now what?

I feel like we have done so many big things, that anything else I blog about is going to be a little on the dry side :)

We arrived home safely.
Here are a few highlights....

After we checked out of our hotel F had a few last minute things to finish up before the graduation, so O had time to participate in her favorite past time...playing in dirt.

The happy graduates.  A few of them at least.

We made it!

Time to climb in the van and start the 12 hour drive home.

12 hours exactly to drive here from our house to the hotel.

It was one a hot day, of course.  We knew our van's air conditioning was bad, and a few weeks ago  we decided to go pick up some freon to make the drive back more comfortable.  Well, it turns out the freon was not the problem.  We drove home with no AC.  We slurped slushies to keep cool, but it was really hot.  Words cannot express this enough.  Oh, and if you happen to live near me, your welcome because I apparently brought the heat wave back with me because now this town has heat advisories and record breaking temps.

The van didn't like the heat either.  While driving through mountains at the hottest time of the day, the van overheated.  We ended up stopping to drive through a car wash to help cool it down.  Crisis averted.  On the road again...

We saw pretty scenery.

Mountains in the distance.  

It finally cooled off.  Thank goodness.

We were 1 1/2 hours from home when we noticed something odd happening.  F hopped out at a red light, and oh well looky there...we had a flat tire.  We pulled over and groaned.  What were we going to do?  We had to take stuff out the back of the very crammed van to get to the tire changing tools.  Ugh.  We piled it up in the parking lot, and I stood around and waited while F changed the tire, at 1 in the morning.  Now we not only had to put all the stuff back in the van but we also had to figure out how to fit the tire in there too.  

The last hour and a half of the drive actually took two hours because we had to drive slow with the donut tire.  We strolled dragged ourselves into the house at 3:15 in the morning.  14 1/2 hours after we started the drive.  21 hours of being awake.  

What a day!  

Now that we are mostly back to regular life it's back to regular things.
::We have to find a rental until we can find the house we want to live in.
::We have to move.
::Painting, Decorating, and Rearranging Oh My! :)
::Family Get-togethers
::Regular old summer things

I am happy to be back in town and back to 'normal.'

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Good Night

...I hate to go and leave this pretty sight.

I feel like a broken record...

One last hoorah before we go.  Back to 

Kuba Kuba for just one more iced coffee.

Seriously, no other coffee compares, and 

I am a little sad that this is the last one,

however I am also glad that I don't live near by

forever because at $4 a glass it is pricey.

Say Cheese :)

Can you see all the barrettes in O's hair?

She did her hair herself.

Yummy turkey press, and fried plantains.

I am still not sold on the fried plantains,

but F seemed to like them.

We aren't the only ones who love Kuba Kuba.

It's busy.

Back at the hotel, O took one last ride on her bike.

She is training for her first triathlon.  It is in

less than a week.  She is certain she will win.  I am sure 

she has the stamina, just not so sure about the focus.  I 

see her playing in the pool or getting distracted by a 

butterfly (which she did on this particular day).

Oh, yes, she also has become very, very cautious

on her bike since she fell, so this should be

interesting.

Ok, now time to get serious.  I told myself I would

wait until 2 days before we leave to start packing

because that should give us plenty of time, and F

should be able to help.  Well, 4 days before we leave

I panic, and start packing.  F's schedule is still up

in the air, and I don't have confidence that he will

get enough time off to help, so I began early.  

As I packed, I panicked.  How much stuff did we buy?

This is not going to fit.  Maybe it's just the way I am

putting it in the van?  Hmm...time for some help.

Insert Tetris Master.

Ta-Da.

He did it.

Not sure how.  Not sure I want to know.

As long as it's all there I don't care.

The van is packed (36 hours before we leave, cause

that's how I roll.  I'm a planner, and I 

hate procrastinating, what can I say?).

The only items left in the hotel are our toiletries

2 outfits and 2 laptops.  

No toys.  

No books.  

Nothing.

So what do we do while we wait?

Well, for one, teach the 5 year old how to 

play solitaire on the computer.  We have

minimal things for her to do coming home. 

This is a far cry from what I did back in 

March, when I had my bag full of goodies and 

enough snacks to last a week.  As my husband

loves to say I am either not in at all, or in

a hundred and crazy percent.  

This will be an interesting drive.  

Prayers are appreciated :)

Bittersweet

Saying bye is hard to do.  Especially, when you are 5.  This last week has been tough.  We have had one moody little girl.  Excited to see family and friends at home, and panicking about not ever seeing her new friends at the base.

I tried to ease her into the transition as best as I could.  We have essentially said goodbye to one person/group each day for the last several days.  At this point I think we both just want to get it over with.  

Above is a picture of O and her librarian holding a book.  She made the librarians tear up when we said goodbye.  

I had F snap a photo of our chapel.  It has been so awesome to watch

the congregation grow so quickly since we have been here.  

O waiting patiently for Children's church.

This is part of our small group.  We will miss them

all so much.

Miss O's favorite person since we have been here.

She LOVES Children's church and her teacher.

Goodbyes are so tough.  So, until we meet again

take care friends.  You are in our hearts :)

Edgar Allen Poe and Lincoln

I know at some point F and I decided that we were not going to do anything this weekend.  We were going to relax and maybe watch a movie and just sit.

Well, that lasted all of about 5 minutes. The weekend barely began and we were doing things.  F is still trying to squeeze in As. Much. As. Possible.

Some of our friends had mentioned going to a cafe that Edgar Allen Poe frequented.  We thought it sounded interesting, and had intended on going just about every weekend for the last two months and yet we still never got around to it.  We finally did this weekend, and I am glad we visited.

O had some yummy hot cocoa with lots of whip cream and syrup on top.  F and I shared a french press coffee.  The drinks were yummy, but the atmosphere of this place was fantastic.

I loved the charming little vases and placemats.

The waitress was friendly and talkative.

She told us that a potion of the movie Lincoln 

was filmed in the town.  So, we walked down

the street the movie was filmed on.

The current owners have only been there 2 1/2 years, 

but they have quite the collection of interesting items in the cafe.

Lots of books to read, and photos of authors all over the walls.

In fact, there is a game.  If you can name all the authors you can get

your meal free.  No one has done it yet. 

I really liked the feel of the place.  Lots of

unusual items to see, but not so many things

that my brain turns off and just sees junk.  :)

In fact, quite a few places in area were cute.

I am not exactly sure why, but I loved this 

little house.  I think it was all the flowers.

It just looks so happy and summery.

There were also some weird things in the town.

Like an I beam being supported by an old ivy covered tree.

Then of course we came across a 'grinder' along with a

parking lot filled with other equally old, and equally odd

pieces of machinery.