I've Fallen In Love Again

I want to be Vanna White for a minute and show off the project I've been working on these past couple of weeks. Isn't it beautiful? This is probably the first piece of furniture Jason and I bought NEW when we got married. A Lamont's special for those of you who lived in Alaska. Not exactly a place where you'd buy a kitchen table but the price was right and the table was perfect for our little family. We've since outgrown this little table although it's still the table we use. We just squeeze in. You should see us when we have company over. I told Jason we needed a new table. After 15 years it looked worn and used and loved with all its marker and paint stains.

I still remember the day, not long after I brought this table home, when Kelsey, who was about 2, spilled some nail polish on it. I quickly tried to get it off with nail polisher remover which did what it's supposed to do and removed the polish along with the finish. It looked awful. Through the years its been banged on and spilled on. I knew that we wouldn't be getting a new table until we moved again (a year away) so I decided it was time to fix the eyesore.

I put some old clothes on and started sanding away. Having worked on other projects I was determined to do this right the first time. So I sanded, wood conditioned and then stained. Perfect, no problems until the stain dried and little spots started showing up. You couldn't see it looking down at the table but they showed up when you looked at an angle especially if there was light. Well, I couldn't imagine going to all this work to only cover it up again. So I started the process over. Same thing, spots. I researched the Internet, called for help. I was told to rub mineral spirits on it. So I rubbed and rubbed and rubbed. It worked a little but the table was still covered with tiny spots. They just stared back at me mocking me as if to say, "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo, you can't get us!" I finally got the the point of giving up. Jason's advice was to just go ahead and put on the final coat because in his words, "It looks better than it did." So I started putting on the polyurethane and guess what? The spots magically disappeared and I have this beautiful table to enjoy.

But that doesn't mean we're going to use it. Oh no. Although we've been out of a kitchen table for a couple weeks my family may have to wait another just so I can enjoy it before its loved all over again.

The Rat's Nest

What can you do?
It's like this all the time. Okay, maybe not this bad but anytime Jenna wakes up, rides in her car seat or lies on the couch it's there. It's huge when she wakes up. I comb it out and she has cute hair for about a millisecond. But after that, it has this sneaky way of building momentum through the rest of the day until it looks like an unruly mess! Though you'd never guess, because she's often seen running around naked with her hair one gigantic rat's nest. . .I dress and comb Jenna's hair everyday. Honest I do!

But like I said-"What can you do?"

My Home Depot Run

I had the most unusual experience yesterday. I was loved and nurtured and remembered by none other than Home Depot. Yes, the store I loathe going into, especially with children in tow. Give me a grocery store and I can locate any item you need but ask me to find a random screw in Home Depot and I am clueless!! What's worse is the amount of time I spend trying to locate an employee. They never seem to be anywhere. But not yesterday. I had barely stepped foot into Home Depot when I was greeted by an enthusiastic employee who asked if I needed any help. It was then that I looked up and saw the stars lining up in my favor. He radioed his fellow employee that I was heading his direction and needed some assistance. Along the way, since I surprisingly wasn't escorted, no less than 3 other people asked if I needed help. With the employees help and after opening a couple of packages of screws we found the one that I needed. That was the other great part. I didn't have to buy 3 different packages hoping that maybe one might fit. He actually opened the package and tried it out so I would definitely go home with the exact screw I needed. He then helped me with my other item. 8 minutes later I was OUT OF THERE. Now that's got to be some kind of record.

As I was finishing my errands I realized that I forgot an item. I headed back to Home Depot. Not only was I greeted at the door I was recognized!!! They liked me. They really, really liked me. I explained my wood working situation to 1 employee who gave me his opinion but then, wait for it, wait for it. . .he decided to seek advice from the head honcho, "THE MASTER" in that department. Wow! I have never been so coddled in my life! This head honcho just happened to be the same guy who'd handed me a couple stickers a minute ago for Jenna, "to distract her for a bit"

Thank you Home Depot. Thank you!
You totally made my day.

Olympics and the Individual Event

I don't know about your house but ours has been filled with Olympic Fever. 7 pm rolls around and we are all glued to the T.V., even Jenna. When anything water related comes on she points to the T.V. and yells, "Michael Phelps, Michael Phelps, " while simultaneously jumping up and down on the couch. It doesn't have to be swimming or even a male athlete. If there is water involved, even though its a woman diver from China, it's Michael Phelps and she's excited. As for Eric, he's too busy participating in his own Olympic endeavors to watch those on T.V. He's decided to focus all his attention to the crawling event. On Sunday he began to crawl and he hasn't stopped. Luckily for me he's stuck to one room and hasn't realized that if he just kept going the world would continue to open up to him. But he's been too busy with the cabinet doors and power cords to worry about such things. . .yet. It's such an exciting thing to watch your child learn to crawl. We were all on the floor cheering him on. Then I heard this little voice in the back of my mind reminding me that if I continue to encourage this behavior my life is going to get complicated fast. Oh well, I guess it's time to baby proof again.

Home Improvement Week

They are almost done. After a week covered in fine dust, drop cloths and plastic our house is coming together. The mold has been removed, the ceilings have been repainted. The Master bedroom and bathroom also got a face life with a new paint job and new bathroom floor tile. It looks great. They even patched up the nail holes I didn't need anymore. What's even better is we've been inspired to get those little odd jobs done that we've been meaning to take care of. Jason's been tackling the honey-do list. He thinks the list will get shorter with each project accomplished but when you own your own home the list never gets shorter, only longer. There is always something. And when your looking at putting your house up on the market in the Spring, we've got a lot to do. I have my own projects going. Mainly refinishing furniture-kitchen table, outdoor patio furniture but there is one I can cross of my list.

When Jason was deployed last year I found Ryan with some spray bathroom cleaner spraying our maple cabinet. I don't know if he was trying to help or acting out but the cabinet was ruined with white marks now streaked down it's front. I thought I'd have to refinish it to fix it but came across a product called Restore A Finish. It's a finish-penetrating stain formula that restores the original color to your finish while blending out the blemishes and minor scratches, restoring the finish in one easy step. After reading about it I was hopeful, and then thankful. It worked! It cost only $8 and took about 10 minutes.

The sad thing is I know once I get my house the way I want it, it will be time to move and start all over again.

Me, The Grump

I've been a stressed out, hard-to-live with grump this past week. It only got worse when Jason's plans to leave town for a couple days with a few of the kids got cancelled. I was really looking forward to a little, quiet "me" time. Then of course Jason's work called and those plans got thrown out of the window. More grumpiness and a lot of complaining. What's worse is I was only thinking of my cancelled plans, giving little or no thought to Jason now missing out on his. Shoot, now I'm grumpy and selfish. Then I realized that if Jason ever gets an award or is honored I'll never be able to hear him say, "This is for my wife who was always supportive and never complained."

Darn, I really messed that one up. I don't know how those other wives do it.

First Day of School

Yesterday was the first day of school. If you can call it that-they only went for 2 hours. It was just enough time to put all their stuff away, meet their teacher and reunite with their friends. Then they were BACK. Talk about torture. It's like telling your 2 yr. old she can have some chocolate and just before she slips it into her mouth you take it away. Then the screaming begins. I love my kids but I need a BREAK! Kelsey did NOT have a good first day. This is her story.
It Happened AGAIN. . .
Kelsey asked, really begged me to take her to the bus stop. She was worried that it might not be a stop because a friend told her it wasn't. Now Kelsey and I both read the paper that said it was but I'm in the "my friends know more than you" phase of teenagerism. I decided to go ahead and take her to help calm those "first day of school" nerves. When we finally got to the bus stop 2 seconds later, there were a bunch of kids, including the one who told her it wasn't a stop. I wished her a happy day.

About a 1/2 hour later Kelsey calls and tells me the bus hadn't come yet. It's about the time that school is starting so she's officially late on her first day of school. Her friend's mom picked them up and took them to school. I think the mom said she saw the bus just as she was driving into the neighborhood. That's AFTER dropping them off at school. It was Deja Vu. Didn't this happen last year on the first day of school? Yep, it did.

. . .BUT MUCH WORSE-THE RIDE HOME

Kelsey didn't come home. Well she did 1 1/2 hrs. later than expected. What happened?

Let's just say it was a new bus driver who didn't know her route! Poor Kelsey came home and held it in pretty good until I started asking questions. Then the dam burst. This would be a good reason for her to have own cell phone. But don't tell her that! When I got home I called the school and the bus company. By now Kelsey was a good 45 minutes late. Both lines were busy. I finally got through. Where was my daughter? Headed to a different town that's where. I expressed my concerns to the school and the bus company. The bus company apologized and I figured I'd give them a 2nd chance before going completely APES on them.

Was today any better? Well, her bus was only 15 min. late this morning. . .and now she's 15 min, no 1/2 hr. okay, I'm on the phone!!!!!

update: Kelsey's home (over an hour late but earlier than yesterday), I had a chat with the bus company. I'm not happy!

On a happier note, Kate and Ryan both had great 1st days.

They couldn't wait to get to their classes! I barely got a good-bye out of them.

Our Bubble Room

Because of this little spot. . .

due to a broken seal on the upstairs toilet, we got. . .

our very own, free standing containment unit. Did I mention the spot was the size of a quarter?

Can you see the guy all decked out in protective gear standing on the ladder?

This is serious business people!!!!!

They cleaned all the mold and fortunately, there wasn't very much. They said about 12 inches in diameter. Now they'll patch up the ceiling and repaint the whole thing. Surprisingly painless.

Leaks, Spots, Mold, Oh My!

Mold spores, Environmental Hygienist, Containment Units. . .what does this all mean? It means more home improvement. It means my house being torn apart as its being put together. It means we are starting round two with our home improvement. Now we move to the inside. Because of roof and bathroom toilet leaks, our ceilings will be repainted. One toilet had a bad seal which resulted in a mold spot. Before scary images like this come to mind,my mold is just the size of a quarter. We had to have an environmental hygienist come in to take a mold sample before they could open up the ceiling. Safety concerns and all. Big bucks too. When the company mentioned it, I honestly thought they were joking. Whoever heard of an environmental hygienist? But after watching her do her job I thought that might be a job for me. Set up tripods, take air samples and a mold swipe and charge a lot of money. I know there's probably more to it but still. . .I'd like to go into other peoples homes and tell them whether they kept a clean house or not rather than stay home attempting to keep mine clean. Really, how clean can you keep your house with 5 kids home for the summer.

This morning I received the result of the mold test. I admit I was a bit worried. The result: there is more mold in the air outside my house than in. In fact, the guy said I have a very clean house. Whew! Okay, I'm definitely going to have to get that in writing. So now what. The work begins tomorrow with the containment unit. Think E.T. At least thats what comes to mind. And with it being the first day of school, I can tell already it's going to be one crazy day!

How to pick your neighbor

If you have a 2 year old that likes to sneak into pancake syrup and accidentally spills it all over the white carpet or if you have a 2 year old who is still learning to recognize #2 and doesn't quite make it to the bathroom and it spills all over your white carpet or if you have a family that swears they never wear shoes on the white carpet but the spots confirm otherwise. . . THEN I'd suggest living next to a guy who owns his own carpet cleaning business.

Ohh, they are so lucky that we do!