Fun for the Fourth – Part II

Sunday morning, we woke up early and headed home. We made a quick stop at our house to drop our things off and grab a change of clothes.I love this picture of the fence in front of our house

Then it was off to my parents house. We had some visiting to do! Beau, Kristy & Garrett (My brother, SIL, and nephew) came in late Friday night and had to head back Monday morning, so we only got to spend one day with them, so we had to make it count! :)  

We got to my parents a little before lunch. Garrett was sleeping. When he woke up, Beau went in to get him, and as soon as he rounded the corner into the living room and saw Aunt Annie, he threw his arms out and came right for me. SO STINKING SWEET. He wrapped his chubby little arms around my neck and just squeezed. Yall, he is the most loving little 15 month old I have ever seen. He just lays his head on your shoulder and snuggles up in your neck. Absolute preciousness. He was quite taken with Aunt Annie and the feeling’s mutual. As much as I’d like to believe he remembers, knows, and loves me that much, we’re pretty sure he thought I was my cousin Amy (who he sees almost every day). Oh well, I’ll take whatever.  :)

We played outside on the back porch, where Annabelle and her assistant, Garrett, made some purple mud pies and cookies. Pop was busy finishing up the ribs and Grammy was too busy playing with the babies to worry about the corn on the cob boiling over on the stove. (ha.)

We played outside and inside then outside some more.

Finally it was time for some late lunch. These ribs nearly sent my Dad over the edge and into a full blown fit, but man were they worth all the trouble. I am not kidding. They were the best ribs OF MY LIFE.

After such a big lunch, the little ones (and me) laid down for a nap.

We’d planned on going to Cedar Key for the fireworks, but decided since we didn’t know what the rain was going to do, to just go to Alachua and watch them there.

They had all sorts of activities and food tents set up, so we pushed the kids around in their strollers and made a quick loop through the festivities. On our way in, I saw a lady with the biggest snow cone you’ve ever laid eyes on and Kristy and I had our hearts and taste buds set on one. We came up on the Italian Ice booth, though, and my taste buds quickly switched. The line was so long for the snow cones, that Kristy decided on some Italian Ice, too. We walked around with blue teeth and tongues, but YUM, it was worth it.

We made our way back out to the trucks, and got ready for the fireworks. We’d packed a cooler with what else but some boiled peanuts and drinks…and of course Pop brought AB a bag of Cheetos. Nothing like orange Cheetos on your WHITE 4th of July outfit. (ha).

The fireworks started and the kids did great. AB was a little scared of them, but did lots better than New Years. Garrett loved them! He’d jump and bury his head in his Daddy’s neck and then just laugh and “oooohhh” at them!  They were really great fireworks, too. I couldn’t believe how LONG they lasted. It was well over 30 minutes.

As we were watching them I remembered how scared I used to be of them when I was little. Even now, I don’t want to be too close to them. I can’t imagine what war might be like for the men and women who risk their lives to protect our freedom. I am sure that on that very day, there were “Bombs bursting in air” somewhere in the Middle East. I took a moment right then to remember those fighting and who have fought for our country. It’s easy (for me, anyway)to get caught  up in the long weekend, the beach, the cute red, white and blue ric-rac outfits and matching red hair bows, the ribs and boiled peanuts, the fireworks and Italian Ice, and forget that the freedom that allows us to enjoy all of those things, didn’t and doesn’t come easily. The older I get, the more grateful I am for it and for those who serve our country.

The fireworks finale finally came and we headed home. After sitting in traffic for a LONG time, we made it home around midnight.

Monday morning rolled around and on the last day of our long weekend, I woke up with a stomach bug. Lovely. We spent the entire day at home. Not exactly, how we’d hoped to spend a “fun day”, but we did all get caught up on some rest!

It was another Fun Fourth!

~amw~

Fun for the Fourth- Part I

We had so much fun for the Fourth, that I’m going to have to post about it in two parts!

The holiday promised to be a good one, since DW had Friday AND Monday OFF work! We were both looking forward to the long weekend!

The whole family (his side) usually goes to the beach for the 4th of July, because the guys always go to the races. This year  was no exception, except we missed my MIL & SIL, who were still on their trip to Europe.

Thursday night, as soon as DW got off work, we headed for the beach. We all got to the condo about 8:00 and got settled in.

Friday morning we woke up to rain clouds. Since the weather was yucky, we decided to take a trip to Lowe’s. They had this car parked in front of the store, so AB and I had our picture taken in front of it. It was a real racecar, just not in the big series (?) I don’t know if that’s the right word or not?   We got everything we needed and then headed back to the condo. DW and his Daddy put new faucets in the bathrooms and installed a new doorbell. I laughed at my 6 foot-4 inch-honey all curled up trying to get under the sink in the little bathroom! It all looks great and only took a little time to do. Projects like that are the best…easy but big results!

We did get some beach time on Friday afternoon. AB played with her Daddy in the ocean and had a great time.

That night we went to dinner and then took a little walk on the beach afterward.

Saturday morning we woke up to more clouds. No rain, though. DW and his Daddy went to get a parking place for the race that night. When they got back, we all spent the rest of the day on the beach and in the pool.

We (I use the word “we” loosely, because really the only thing I contributed was the “shrubs” in front) built a sand castle. Not JUST a sand castle, though, it was more like a sand village. It was hilarious to see DW, his 2 brothers, Lauren, and Warren digging and making it! It was so much fun to have so much of the family together on the beach. We really had a great afternoon. 

Annabelle ran back and forth to the water. When she wasn’t doing that, she was sitting in the chair having a snack. The child eats ALL.DAY.LONG. She started with some gold fish. Then she dumped those on the ground. Oh, that’s the other thing I contributed to the sand castle… I decorated it with some goldfish (which turned out to be a bad idea, because the seagulls were almost knocking over the towers when they’d dive down to get the crackers…oops.)

After the goldfish were gone, I spotted the ice cream truck. My Momma-love kicked in big time, because I actually bought ice cream from the ice cream man that I said I’d NEVER buy a thing from again. AB enjoyed her push-up (even if it was so old it had ice crystals on it) and she was so precious eating every last drop of it, that it totally made the $4.00 (and pride I had to swallow) completely worth it. After the push-up, she went for some cookies. Watching all that sand castle building is hard work.

That night, we all went to Red Robin for dinner. After dinner, it was back to the condo to get ready for the race. We weren’t sure what the weather was going to do, because it was already raining. After checking the radar, the guys decided to head out. AB and I dropped all of them (& Lauren) off at the track. As they got out, I was a little sad not to be going back this year, but as I pulled off and turned on the windshield wipers, I was REALLY glad to be going back to my dry PJ’s and the comfy couch at the condo. There just happens to be a Krispy Kreme on the road that I was suppose to take back, so of course I had to stop! How could I not? The “Hot” light was on….

The race was delayed because of the rain, but they were able to finish it all that night, and the crew got back around 1:30 a.m. I fell asleep for the most part of the race, but woke up for the end and in time to watch the fireworks from the front balcony!

Sunday morning we headed home for Part II of our weekend!

Part I was lots of fun, even if we didn’t have very much sunshine!

~amw~

Shots & Soap…

First, I’ve gotten a few emails and comments about the way I’ve been posting pictures lately on my blog. I have been blogging with a new program. It’s Windows Live Writer and I LOVE it. It makes posting so much easier and you can change the sizes of your pictures, it’s super easy to move them around, and you can even add borders to them. It’s a free program you download and you type your blogs in it and then hit “publish” and after you enter your Blogger password, it uploads your post onto your site. If you blog, you really need to try it. (I downloaded it and figured it out all by myself, so I PROMISE it’s easy!)

 

Tuesday was AB’s 18 month well-check appointment.

waiting for the Dr. to come in

She’s weighing in at 20 lbs. 11 oz. & is 31.5 inches long.

She’s holding steady in the 5th percentile for weight, but is back up to the 50th for her height. She hit a major growth spurt on her height since our last visit! Our doctor said she looks great, which is always reaffirming.   Our big girl waiting on the nurses and checking out everything in the room! She was much more interested in the crinkly paper on the table and the rolling chair than looking at the camera!

 

She got shots at this visit. Ugh. I think they are worse on me than her. She was such a big girl and WATCHED the nurse stick her. It wasn’t until the nurse pulled out the needle that she even cried. But when she did, she DID. She, like always, though, was easily consolable.

On our way home, I’d already decided that if I thought she felt up to it, I’d run by Bath & Body Works to grab some soap. I’d gotten an email first thing that morning saying it was their last day for the 4 for $10.00 deal on the Anti-Bac soap. I love that stuff, and always try to stock up for our kitchen and all of our bathrooms when they have the semi-annual sale. We ran in and I quickly grabbed $20.00 worth and when I got to the register, the lady said, that if I spent $10.00 more, then I’d get $10.00 off. So for the same price, I could get $10.00 in more stuff. Who wouldn’t have done that???  So I grabbed some hand cream in my new favorite scent (Twilight Woods), some “Country Apple” lotion (that is one of my all time favorites…so classic…it always takes me back to 6th grade! Ha…), and a couple other things.. I got ALL of that for less than $25.00, after tax!!!  I had to add it all up to see what it would have been if I’d paid regular sticker price (which I wouldn’t have because I know twice a year it ALL goes on big sale) it would have been $79.00 (before tax)!!!  So, if ya’ll need some lotion or soap, go get some! The lady said the sale ends next Monday!

After that, we headed home and baby girl was asleep before we got off I-75. We don’t like shots, that’s for sure… but we do love a good deal!

~amw~

Bobbie Villa

I grew up watching episode’s of “This old House” long before HGTV and DIY Network even dreamed about being channels on television.

Yep, back then, it was Bob Villa’s, “This old house” and the “Yankee Workshop.” PBS at it’s best. Ha.

I’ve logged many an hour bringing my Dad tools or holding one end of a long board steady as he cut it on a table saw. I heard the “stand back” lecture countless times from both my Papa and my Daddy when it came to said table saw.

I’ve also said at least a million times, “my Dad could make that.” It’s a phrase my mom and I say almost any time we’re out shopping and see anything made from wood that’s beyond overpriced! Because truthfully, he could. He’s not a carpenter by trade, but he really can build anything…and do anything, for that matter.

For some crazy reason, I thought maybe it was in my blood, too, to be able to build something. I thought, surely, all those epsiodes of watching Bob Villa and all the times I spent holding a board had qualified me to be able to build something. It looked simple enough to me (HA) and I was especially motivated after reading the Knock-off wood blog, where an Alaskan WOMAN posts plans for all sorts of cute stuff! Stuff that we all drool over and dream about… like farmhouse tables, and Pottery Barn bookshelves, and platform beds.

I was in the market for some bookshelves for the playroom. My heart was set on something similar to the Pottery Barn Kids Cameron shelves, but my budget wasn’t.

(image from PBK)

I looked at some less expensive options, but I just couldn’t bring myself to pay $60.00 for basic particle board shelves. Especially since I wanted 2 of them. If I’d gone with the cheap ones, I’d have laminate shelves that I really didn’t like, that wouldn’t hold up well, and I still would have spent $120.00. I even considered buying ONE PBK shelf and squeezing all the toys on it, but I knew that wouldn’t work either.

Then, I decided I’d get my Dad to help me build some. He built Cooper’s play table from a picture I’d ripped out of PBK and it’s just like the picture, only better, because HE built it. How sentimental is that? I know how well built it was and I know MY grandbabies will still be playing with that table many years from now.

As I started searching the internet for some plans, I came across Knock Off Wood and decided that I, MYSELF, could build the bookshelves. The plans said I could build TWO shelves for $60.00 and that ANY one could do it! I was IN!

Of course, I got way over zealous upon planning my first project, and before even beginning, I had already planned to build a new kitchen table, and a bed for DW and I, along with my bookshelves. I’ve always believed in “thinking and dreaming BIG!”

When I told my parents and DW about my big plans they all suggested I start with the shelves and then maybe think about starting a new project. In other words, “don’t go buying the wood yet, Annie!”

When I showed my Dad the plans and told him what I was doing, he wrinkled up his nose. See, the plans called for a sheet of MDF. My Dad has a strong hatred toward MDF, also known as JUNK to him. He said if I really wanted it to last, I need to use real wood, but he told me to save money, I could use the hardwood plywood as a substitute like the plans said could be done. So I did, because he’s my Dad, and he knows. :)

I’ll just tell yall, when I thought of plywood, I thought of that really rough kind and couldn’t imagine how that would paint and look… but when I asked him, with a slight laugh, he told me there were different kinds of plywood and the “hardwood birch” is smooth and would be fine. And he was right…cause he’s my Dad…and he KNOWS…

I had my heart set on doing it all by myself. I wanted to say that I, ALONE made these. While, I can say I really did most of it, I did have a little help. DW helped me hold boards while I nailed because they’re long, ya’ll and I don’t know how the Ana held it all by herself and nailed at the same time. I guess that’s why she’s making tables and beds and writing plans and not me.

We got the plywood from Lowes, and went ahead and had them cut it into the dimensions I needed. This was a MAJOR plus, because it meant that I didn’t have to use the table saw. I am slightly scared of that thing. Could be the exposed blade, but my money is on the many lectures I received on “Staying back” from it when I was little. Plus it’s so loud and even sounds scary. Like it could cut your hand off scary.

The other cuts I made using a miter saw. I am pretty good on a miter saw and I really want my own for Christmas. For real. I want this one. Dad, I want you to do my Christmas shopping this year. Please buy me this saw. :) This one belongs to my BIL, Van, and it’s awesome. It has a laser light that makes making perfect cuts so easy! I got some experience using it when we did our laundry room cabinet redo. I totally owe Van a new saw blade.

I used a nail gun to put the shelves together and we only had a couple mishaps.

Slowly, they came together and started looking like shelves!

After they were all together, my parents stopped by to check them out. My Dad is quite the perfectionist, and I knew they were good, but no where near perfect. He said they looked great to him and he gave me a few pointers on what to next time and what I could do to make them better.

He gave me some wood putty and let me borrow his big belt sander. I’ve only used a palm sander before, so I was pretty pumped to get to use the BIG DADDY. I guess he could see the excitement in my eyes, because he handed it over AFTER telling me to “be careful and hold onto it, because it’ll sand a hole in the shelves, and if it gets on you, it will eat the hide off ya.” Remember the table saw talks and my fear of those to this day? Well, even after visions of my “hide getting eat off” I am not scared of the belt sander. I held onto that thing so tight my knuckles were white, turned it on, and went to town! He was right, though, that thing will sand! check out all that saw dust…that’s from ONE pass with the belt sander!

I decided to round the corners of the shelves, too

After the un-even tops had been sanded down and all the cracks and holes had been filled with wood putty and sanded, I kiltzed and painted them. (I should mention that actually when they were built, I was so tired of messing with them, that they sat in our garage for TWO weeks, yes, TWO weeks, waiting to be painted.) That doesn’t matter, but I just thought I’d keep it real, in case yall started thinking I was something more than I am.

So here they are. For $60.00, TWO shelves that look a whole lot like the ones from PBK. I’d say that’s way better than spending $199.00 PER bookshelf.

Now, the website, says that ANYONE can build these and while they are pretty basic, I can’t imagine having built them without never have even had a little experience with or around tools. But I do agree, YOU could make these. But trust me, get somebody to help you hold your boards!

I’m off to buy the wood for my farmhouse table.

Kidding.

It will be a while before I try that, and since DW said he’s not sleeping on a bed that I make until I’ve had more experience than building 2 bookshelves, that’s been put on hold, too! :)

~amw~

Dress-Up

Last Friday, we had Allie Claire again, and had such a fun day! I couldn’t not post these pictures of the girls after we played dress-up!

When we found out that baby number 2 was going to be a GIRL, I knew that she’d have to have a dress-up corner in her room. DW built the dress up rack in Annabelle’s room, and before she was even born, she had plenty of stuff hanging on it! It’s all just been waiting on a day like Friday!

The girls were so cute when they got their “outfits” on… they just oohed and ahhed over each other and literally blew themselves kisses in the mirror in AB’s room! Too sweet!

 

 

Allie was sporting one white glove, and I guess since she was making a Michael Jackson fashion statement, she felt musically inclined, too, because she busted out the kazoo in the playroom! AB was feeling it too, as she sang back-up, but she’d already ditched her princess dress for some shades before she belted out a little “laa-laa-laaa”!   (HA!)!!!

 

It was another fun Friday!

~amw~