More Projects- DONE!

We have been in need of a new dining room table for a very long time. Finally my Mom found one for free that a friend was giving away. It was a good, sturdy table I just wasn't a big fan of the color. It was that out of date golden oak color with a wood looking laminate top so, we decided to paint it. It should be easy right? This thing was a pain in the butt! I decided to use spray pain because the legs were turned and it would be easier to get good coverage without any drips. They did great, but the table top was a pain. Bad coverage, the spray clear coat sealer went on blotchy and was rough and would scrape right off so we had to sand it down again and use a brush on polyurethane sealer. It worked better though it left brush marks and small bubbles. If I had to do it again I would add floetrol. It's supposed to minimize brush strokes and bubbles. Anyway, I liked how it turned out and it is Much bigger than our old one. Love it.

This was the waterfall dresser that Carla gave me that I decided to re-do. BEFORE Here is the After-I think I really like it. I got the hardware at a garage sale for super cheap but I didn't get enough to have them all be the same. I think I like it kind of mixed up like that though. Anyway. I've learned a lot about painting from these two projects and would do some things differently like: I'd use an oil based paint on this dresser instead of a latex water based. The latex stays rubbery and a little bit sticky but oil based doesn't and is easier to scuff. Also, using a paint condition helps minimize brush strokes and covers evenly. Penetrol added to oil based paint helps eliminate brush strokes as well.

Ma Baybee is All Growed Up

Much to my chagrin....cClare started school last week. How did she get to big? I had a hard time keeping myself together till I got outside of the school then out came the tears. Hyrum was perplexed and kept asking me why I was so sad. I got over it though and was fine the second time I dropped her off for school on Wednesday. Hyrum misses her so much when she's not here and gets really bored, Poor kid. I try to do puzzles with him and push him on the swing and play lincoln logs but it's just not the same. We miss Clare. Clare was so excited about starting school on Monday that she stayed up half of the night on Sunday working her front tooth loose and finally pulled it out at about 1:00am. She looks pretty cute without it. Good thing, cause I think it's going to take a while to grow in.

Clare on her first day of school with her LPS backpack and no front tooth and excited as can be. After numerous pictures she finally stopped me.. "Come ON mom!" Oh boy, I'm going to cry again......

Fashion Statements and Such

So apparently Clare has been paying more attention to the J.C. Penny ads in the Sunday paper or something because her sense of fashion (and poses) has blossomed......for better or for worse. Last week she came to me and said: "Mom, I want to wear this today." and when I turned around, I saw what "this" was. Long sleeved floral shirt, plaid shorts, argyle tights and pink cowboy boots. Sweet. I said "Yes, you can wear that if I can take a picture of you first." So Clare whipped out these supermodel poses (don't know where they came from.) to display her super sweet outfit. Love It.

She is growing up so fast and is so much fun to have around. Yesterday after some whining and crying she came to me and said through tears: "Mommy, Hyrum just pushed me right here!" pointing to her heart "right on the Holy Ghost!"

What a cutie.

Palmer Cousin Fun

We had a really fun weekend last weekend when we went to Utah to play with our Palmer family for a few days. We went camping Thursday and Friday then on Saturday we went to David's nephew Brad's baptism in Clinton and hung out there and at Becky's house on Saturday. Sunday we got ready slowly and came home. It was a very fun if exhausting weekend. Thursday night when we were up camping there was a really bad, long thunderstorm with rain and lightning, the works so nobody slept very well. Fallon was also teething and running a fever of 102 so she had a rough time for a couple of days. Here is Becky doing what she does best: Making delicious food. She made a really amazing strawberry cobbler off the top of her head up there. She had fresh strawberries, strawberry jam, a yellow cake mix, a cube of butter and some red berry flavored mt dew. It turned out sooooo good. I am going to have to try and make it some time.

Natalie and Clare. Clare had a ball with her cousin. She has missed her SO MUCH!Ty, and Natalie with my kids. Aren't they adorable? They played so good together and Tyler has go go be the best 9 year old there is. Love that kid.

Fallon was getting to know her cousins too. Here she is with Chase. Uncle Shane is the best snuggler of babies. He can get them to calm down/smile/sleep when no one else can. The Boyz. We had an AWESOME time. I have missed being able to spend time with our Palmer family. I am very blessed to have married into such a great family.

Potppouri

We've finally arrived at summer. Here's a few things we've been doing. Learning to sit up.(Fallon) and learning to be soft with the baby.... (Hyrum)

Camping at Grimmes Creak with friends.

Finding enormous frogs while camping.

Playing with friends from across the street......again and again and again. Actually, they never leave.