Caroline Loves Monkeys...

My good friend, Jennifer, has the cutest and sweetest little tot, Caroline, who is just about to turn two years old.  Caroline LOVES monkeys, so I picked up fabric and notions this afternoon to craft Little Miss her very own monkey tote bag!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAROLINE!

NEW DESK...

Still have a few small items to attend to, like a new drawer lock and touching up paint, but this is basically it!

Random July 4 Photo...

That's Jake, and no, it's not lit...

Project Update...

Well, I stayed up LATE working on the first coat of paint for my desk.  That magical mixture of both appropriate temperature and humidity came together around nine.  So, Eric set up his spotlight for me, but it had to be kept WAY back since it gets so hot...it could literally ignite the vapors!  And, you will all be proud to know that I stayed and fought the good fight with two big, hairy spiders (the big-web ones that I can't stand!).  One was RED, and the other was black with a huge white spot...but they're both dead now!  I win!  The "hammered" finish didn't turn out on some parts of the finish, but I'm going to try a second coat this evening...late.  At the very least, it's still a cool silvery/black finish and looks amazing compared to what I started with!  I am so excited!  Basically, $56 worth of spray paint and I've got a new treasure!  Awesome!

I Love a Project...

So, I need a real desk for my classroom...don't ask...it's a public school thing.  Anyway, I thought about purchasing a small kitchen table from WM or Target, or maybe even checking out Goodwill.  Then it dawned on me...my mother had the greatest desk when we were kids!  Many moons ago, when we moved into the "new" house, the desk stayed in the old house since we had a built-in in our new kitchen.  So, it's just been sitting in the abandoned house for, like, 25 years!

I realize that there is a LOT of work to do here, but OMG, it's so gonna' be worth it!  The brown spots you see are rust damage and it's pretty severe, but nowhere has it eaten all the way through...so, tons of sanding. 

It's also missing one drawer, but my mom came up with a great solution...Eric is going to cut a piece of plywood to fit the space, which I'll paint to match, and I'll just use one of my baskets at school to fill the space!  Genious!  I spent literally four hours this morning sanding and scraping at the rust damage, but it's cleaned up and ready for the Rustoleum...it better block like it says it does!!!

I'm going to use the "hammered" black finish.  I used the hammered antique finish on a desk and lamp for Braden's room long ago and I LOVE it, so I'm sure this will be just as wonderful.  I can't wait to post the "after" pics...hopefully soon.  However, I'm waiting for less than 90 degrees and less than 85% humidity to be able to begin the spray process...wish me luck! :0)

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Seriously, I NEED the rain to stop.  I NEED the beautiful, sunny days to return so I can let the boys outside or take them to the pool!  Cabin fever is setting in and all tempers are running short...and Braden thinks he's grown...

Happy Independence Day!...

1776...234 years ago is not really all that long in the grand scheme of things.  Thanks to those who have made our freedom possible over this short span of time.  Happy Independence Day, America!

The Great American Summertime Treat...

Eric's New Smoker...

Eric's birthday was the day before Father's Day, so he decided he would like to have an electric meat smoker as a combined gift.  I couldn't argue with that, seeing as how I LOVE food and smoked meat would be a treat for us all!

The boys were psyched to pose with the box that was bigger than they were.  There was talk of putting them both inside and shipping them to Aunt Stacy...suprise!

After all was said and done, Eric proudly cut his first smoked pork ribs...with the rest of us looking on and drooling!  The first try was a complete success!

Easter...Can't Believe I Didn't Post These...

Well, better late than never, I guess...

Reading...a lot...

I've been reading quite a bit lately, and I just loved The Help by Kathryn Stockett.  I wanted to reread Small Town Girl, but remembered I loaned it to Eric's mom...but a worthy trade it was for her book of scintillating short stories. I finished reading Schooled today, but cannot remember the author's name.  It's about a brand new "shiny" teacher fresh from the school of education at Columbia University who lands a dream job teaching jr. high English at a Manhattan prep school.  After realizing she'll be broke the rest of her life, she begins "tutoring," really doing kids' homework for them, but for the Manhattan social elite, it amounts to $250 an hour...nice supplement to a teacher's stinky salary.  She becomes addicted to shopping at Barney's, anything Chanel, and endless trips to Starbucks.  It all comes to a breaking point, but will she give up her world in the lap of luxury?  Hmmmmm...

That's mostly what I've been up to the last 4-5 days...reading with a sprinkling of laundry/dishes/dinner! :0)

San Antonio Vacation...

Sea World and Shamu!

Above the Riverwalk after Daddy's birthday dinner...

Finding fossils at the zoo...

Oogling Jimmy Johnson's Lowe's race car in Sea World.

"Milking" the cow at the San Antonio children's museum.

Boys of all ages love to build things...