Showing Off, Again

I mostly focus on funny kid stories here. Oddly enough my one random blog post about showing off some of my DIY projects has been my most popular post and has gotten four times the average number of hits of my other posts (if you missed it see the original post here). It's now even surpassed the ever popular Tricks I Play On The Husband post. So, back by popular demand is more showing off!

I had been looking for something else to hang over the couch, and I couldn't find exactly what I had in mind. My mind wanted a simple shelf that was inspired by an old mantle, but not something that could be found at any corner Pottery Barn. I wanted something that looked worn and loved. Then there was the framed pictures I'd taken around town that spelled out our last name to contend with. I needed something that would fit the space and style of that too. One Sunday I'd had enough and headed out to the shed on a mission. I started with a few scraps of lumber and added a piece of trim and spray paint from Lowe's. The Husband's been a little paranoid since our BFF Drew cut off four of his fingers on a table saw, so he insisted on helping me with the power tools. This is what we came up with:

This picture makes it look like we live in a yellow submarine. We aren't so yellow, but you get the idea. 

Plus, I needed some way to display my kid's one year portraits that we paid a small fortune for (I keep telling myself I'll be so glad when he's 12 and a punk). We bought frames, but that didn't look good. I didn't like the foam board behind glass. So I pulled some old wainscoating from the shed, cut it, and painted it white, then distressed it and added the pictures on top.

I like the whole scheme.

And at work..........

I created a little puppet theatre for our play therapy room out of an old, cheap armoir from the thrift store. I turned it backwards, pulled off the back, added paint, curtains, and pegs, and voila!

I was moving offices at work and was eager to be able to have a space in which to nest. I got this desk at my local habitat reStore for $20. I think it was originally a vanity. The top two shelves were damaged, so I took them off along with the middle piece they were attached to. Then I spray painted it blue and put the original hardware back on. I did add new knobs for the drawers.

Looks completely different, doesn't it?

I picked up a vintage arm chair at Junk in the Trunk for $50, minus 10% for asking nicely.

I LOVE the combination of the blue desk with the funky chair with blue accents. I'll do another post of my office reveal once I find just the right piece to hang on the wall. The Husband has had enough of my projects for now.

Condo Lease-uh

When The Husband was in college The In-Laws bought a condo in town as an investment. The Husband lived there with roommates, and everyone studied very hard and never slacked off and never ever walked straight into parking meters even though they were completely sober. We have some great, carefree memories of that condo.

But alas, we graduated mumble years ago, and it's time to let it go. The In-Laws have decided to sell the condo, so The Husband had to go clean out some of the junk that he'd been storing over there. You know, the stuff that didn't make the cut when we got married, bought a house, and merged our things as grown ups. Like old pots and pans we didn't need once we got fancy wedding presents. Or the 6 foot wide Lord of the Rings poster with custom frame. 

The condo is in an area of town that has gone downhill since we left. It's too bad, too, because the actual space is really pretty great. We'd even considered moving back over there temporarily if this house rents before we buy another (that's sort of not happening now anyway). So on Saturday we went to do inventory and see what needed to be purged. 

When we pulled up, the person on the floor above us stuck his head out of the split screen in his porch to look at us. He yelled "Are we getting new neighbors?!" The Husband replied that no, he was not getting new neighbors and we were just cleaning some stuff out. "Did somebody move out on you real quick?" his floating head asked. The Husband very kindly told him no, he was cleaning his own stuff out that he'd left behind. The floating head responded with "If you have stuff you're getting rid of or hauling off, I'll take it. I'll take it all." 

We thanked him and went inside. We started sorting, reminiscing, and tossing out stuff and The Boy starting getting into everything. One of his particular favorites was an Austin Powers Mini Me figurine. Did I mention The Boy had on too big pants with a too small shirt and his galoshes? 

The Husband's Mini Me, playing with The Husband's Mini Me

He also loved the Wild Rumpus of unsupervised kids running through the parking lot and screaming. He went to the sliding glass door and watched them with envy, saying "Bikkids! Bikkids!"(Big kids). They ran and played and teased and shot each other with nerf guns in elaborate, organized heists. 

We were clearing some stuff off the porch and I had The Boy in my arms when a dog appeared on the porch without hesitation. The dog was attached to a leash, which was attached to a gaggle of children that burst on the scene with an air of confidence and comfort about them. I'll assume the dog invited them. Since I did not know this dog, I spoke to him but held my toddler away from him. I'd hate to get all Grizzly on a stranger's dog for biting my child. All the children spoke at once. 

"Y'all moving in here? We gon get neighbors!"

"What's that baby's name?" 

"This our dog. His name Bolt." (I continued to hold The Boy on my hip away from Bolt). 

"Is that baby afraida dogs uhsumpthin?"

I barely had a chance to answer when said gaggle of children burst through the open glass doors into the condo. They continued talking without waiting for responses for their previous questions. They pointed at various things inside. 

"Who toys are those?"

"Ooooh! Who iphone?"

"Is that your iphone? Somebody callin you!!"

The Husband thanked them for their administrative service and told him we'd get the phone. They were gone as soon as they came in, Bolt leading them to more adventures with unsuspecting adults. As we continued to pack stuff up and started loading it in the car I watched the gaggle play in the parking lot. Two boys teased a girl, chasing her with something (or nothing) in their cupped hands. They chanted in a sing song voice reserved for playground yah yah "We got your eggie. We got your baby. We got your eggie." She stomped silently in front of her pursuers, evidently trying not to run or cry. The Boy, dirty and in ill fitting clothes, started yelling "Eggie. Eggie." I took him back inside before he attempted anymore of the "bikkid" antics. The remainder of the gaggle started a brigade in and out of the nearby ground floor condo, streaming out blankets, pillows, and anything that wasn't strapped down in a game called "we moving." They paraded these items like a line of ants into the middle of the parking lot where they set up their new house. The Boy shouted from the glass door "Bikkids! Bikkids!"

We soon packed up and got the heck out of dodge. With neighbors popping through screens to ask for trash and children and dogs arriving unannounced, we decided that living at the condo might've been better in theory. We went home, changed clothes, and went to the new Mexican restaurant in town (Athens folks, Los Coyotes was delish). Then we decided to stop at the new gas station to check out their self serve yogurt and fixins. 

I'm not convinced that lady had on anything under her trench coat.  Yes, that's a lady. 

 

When we were at the gas station there were some chaotic kids eating yogurt samples over and over without paying for any yogurt. They'd fill the tiny paper sample cups til they overflowed, suck that down with no spoon, throw the cup away and then go back for more. A woman I assumed to be their mom sat nearby, watching. When one of the girls turned around, guess who I recognized her to be? Yep, one of the Wild Rumpus kids from Bolt's Great Adventures! And I bet we haven't seen the last of these kids, either.