Before and After: Our Kitchen Table

This past weekend my younger brother married his amazing fiance.  It was an absolutely beautiful wedding.  I want to share all of it with you, but it might take me a little while.  Until then, here is an update on a DIY project.

We have been living without a kitchen table for over a year.  I hate to admit it, but we ate most of our meals on the couch in front of the TV (sorry, Mom and Dad).  In our previous homes we had a beautiful kitchen table, but it has been in storage because of our limited space.  (Welcome to city living!) 

 

A couple of weeks ago, I found a small kitchen table for two on craigslist for $20.  The only problem was that I hated the color – it wouldn’t look right in our place.  But my friend, Erica, inspired me to make this my first furniture DIY project.

 

We could not be happier with the results!  Although there is certainly room for improvement with our next DIY projects, we loved that we got to put our own blood, sweat, and tears into this one (okay, no blood, but definitely sweat and tears).  I just love our craigslist treasure.

 

Here are the before and after pics:

Before

After

         Our process for re-doing the table was as follows:

• Sand the table top using 100-grit sandpaper
• Apply first layer of stain
• Wipe off excess stain
• Allow stain to dry
• Sand the table top again using 320-grit sandpaper
• Apply second layer of stain
• Wipe off excess stain
• Allow stain to dry
• Touch up areas that looked like they needed more stain (uneven staining)
• Paint table legs black
• After stain has dried, apply clear coat
• Repeat steps 1-8 with chairs
• Only exception was to use a tack cloth in between sanding and staining (learned this lesson a little late)

Few fun notes from our project...

• Our motto quickly became “Life is not perfect and neither is our table.”  It was repeated often during this process.
• Apparently we should have been using something called a tack cloth to clear the sawdust.  We didn’t learn that until the chairs.  If you look closely, there might be some sawdust lacquered into the table.  It gives it character, right.
• It has been decided that we will never again stain chairs.  Table tops are one thing, chairs are another.
• There were at least 25 phone calls and seven FaceTimes made to Mom and Dad during this process.  THANK YOU!

Here are a few more action shots (there are no shots of the chairs b/c we were too annoyed to stop and take pictures)...

New Jersey Fall

I know I've said it before, but fall is my absolute favorite season.  There are few things more beautiful in nature than trees in shades of red, gold, yellow, and orange.

Since we've been home every weekend this fall loving life with our new baby, we've gotten to really enjoy this wonderful season!  The weather has been gorgeous...warm with a few rainy, cool days...perfect!  Here are the fun fall things we've done in New Jersey...

We visited Alstede Farms in Chester NJ to do some pumpkin picking.  It was a beautiful weekend and the leaves were really changing. We live in a part of New Jersey that is somewhat rural, but has really nice neighborhoods and huge houses on lots of land....in a nutshell it's a very rich area. (we rent a townhouse...don't get the wrong idea, haha)  The rolling hills make the area very scenic!

The farm was packed, but we maneuvered our way through the mass of kids in the petting zoo, kids falling down the hay stacks, kids getting lost in the corn maze...kids everywhere!  We could have picked apples, corn, lettuce, corn, sunflowers...anything really.  We just did the pumpkin patch and found some great pumpkins...then hit up the market for some apple butter, apple cider, and warm apple cinnamon donuts that melted in our mouths.

The next weekend we went down to Haddonfield NJ (cutest town in america) for the annual fall crabfest at our friend, Joey's parents house.  We sat outside in hoodies and sweaters to drink spiked apple cider and Octoberfest beers while picking crabs.  Great to see friends we haven't seen in a while and set the tone for fall!

Last weekend we went with our good friends, Trace and Natalie, to "The Hunt" which are NJ horse races.  Again, perfect weather for sweaters and sunglasses.  Other horse races I've been to are more Kentucky Derby style with bow ties, hats and sundresses...but this race was CLASSY with NY/NJ style.  Think Kennedys or JCrew catalog...flannel, corduroys, cable knits sweaters, oxford shirts, and boots.  I got to enjoy a few beers for the first time because Waverly is taking a bottle so well these days and we had a great time tailgating, betting on a few horses, and hanging out with our friends.  They stayed with us the rest of the weekend...chinese food, long talks, cooking a big brunch spread, football, and hanging with Waverly...good times.

Guess who's been a sweet angel for all these fun activities...miss Waverly!  She's such a good baby...rarely cries now unless she's a little tired or hungry, two things we can fix very easily! She just hangs out taking in her surroundings or cooing and smiling at people or just sleeps...it's great!

Cozied up for the fall weather!

O.T.O.T.C Fantasy Football

In the Our Tales of Two Cities Fantasy Football 

matchup this past week...

there could only be 1 winner.

A close matchup in which GoldenStateGirls (Casey)

and EatSleepPoopFootball (Leslie) both underperformed...

the WINNER was...

EatSleepPoopFootball!

there's always next year, Case ;)

Pumpkin Carving

It has recently started to feel a little like fall here in San Diego.  Temperatures have been in the 60's and I have even spotted a few rain drops.  The last few days have been perfect pumpkin carving weather!  Of course, when we actually carved these pumpkins two weeks ago, it was still in the 80's.  But we drank our pumpkin beer and pretended...

 

It should be noted that our pumpkins lasted 3 days before completely rotting out and dying.

Oh well...they were fun while they lasted.

ready to carve...

pure concentration - can you tell what i am carving?!

sam and russ - our pumpkin carving friends

yep, go hokies!

someone looks unimpressed by my VT pumpkin

the pumpkin is dead (matt had to explain that one to me).  fitting, because just a few days later, it would be.

roasting pumpkin seeds - just a little oil, salt, and pepper equals perfection

our four pumpkins.  russ was making an O for ohio state and sam spent the whole time conceptualizing

happy halloween!

Book It!

To say that reading makes me happy is an understatement.  I fall in love with good books.  I am like a teenage girl who can’t stop gushing about the boy next door.  I want people to share in my delight!  And so instead of giving you my book recommendations after I have read them, here are the books that are either on my nightstand or on hold at the good ol’ public library waiting for me to pick them up and love them:

“Wild: from lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail” by Cheryl Strayed

I have seen this book recommended everywhere – from Oprah to the New York Times - and have had to wait months to get it from the library.  This is typically a good sign. 

“The House at Tyneford” by Natasha Solomons

My aunt called my mom and me one afternoon and told us that we had to stop everything that we were doing to run out and get this book.  She has really never steered me wrong in book recommendations, so I made it happen.  I obviously haven’t read it, but when reading the description I immediately think of Downton Abbey. 

“The Language of Flowers” by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

This is the current book club selection on Momastery.  I’m looking forward to reading/hearing the discussions.

“Let’s pretend this never happened: (a mostly true memoir)” by Jenny Lawson

I recently heard about this blog by Jenny Lawson and it had me crying with laughter after five minutes.  I figured that I would give her book a try; if it’s anything like her blog then I am in for a good time. 

“The things they carried: a work of fiction” by Tim O’Brien

I am really into the military genre right now, as I’m sure you will see from my next four books.  Maybe it is my way of personalizing everything that is going on in the world today; maybe it is my way of trying to remember the sacrifices that my heroes have made; maybe I just enjoy these books.  Whatever the reason, there are a lot of good books out there and this one is a must read.  On a side note, I’m not sure that ‘military genre’ is a real thing, but it is on this blog.

“Unbroken: a World War II story of survival, resilience, andredemption” by Laura Hillenbrand

See above, plus I have never read anything by this author and I have heard that she is wonderful.

“Flyboys: a true story of courage” by James Bradley

Matt and I stopped into an aviation store the other day and the owner gave me this book recommendation, along with the next one.  I am a sucker for stories about pilots, wonder why?! 

“The Great Santini” by Pat Conroy

See above, plus I love this author.

“The Yellow Birds” by Kevin Powers

Military genre and finalist for this year’s National Book Award – enough said.

“One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd” by Jim Fergus

This book came recommended by my mom.  My mom knows what kind of books I love, so I can’t wait to dig into this one.

“The love of a good woman: stories” by Alice Munro

I was reading an interview with Jeffrey Eugenides in the New York Times and he said that this was the last truly great book he read.  I love his books, so I figured I would love books that he loved (that is a lot of love).

“This is how you lose her” by Junot Diaz

Finalist for National Book Award

“A Light in the Window” by Jan Karon

This is the second book in the Mitford Years series.  My mom-mom likes to read these books and I like to talk to her about them.  This series is like a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup on a winter day – comforting. 

 

“Summer People” by Elin Hilderbrand

Because I need some “chick lit” to throw in my reading list between all of those military books!

And with that – I am off to fall in love.

Getting to know you...

So my close friend Melissa said a couple months back "the first 6 weeks are all about survival" when referring to having a baby.  I thought to myself, "wow, what kind of life risking adventure am I going on...a safari??"

She was right. (granted she had twins so her survival mode was peaked higher than most)

Waverly turns 6 weeks this Friday and I finally feel like I've gotten to know her and figured her out to some degree. This is temporary I'm sure...  Plus so far I've gotten through all the confusion, sleep deprivation, breast feeding nonsense, and crying.  People say 6 weeks is when things get a little easier and I think it's true.  Waverly's digestive system is processing things a little better and she is more alert everyday.  We are also better at knowing her needs now.

...we had to get to know her!

1 month!  She's in the t-shirt I wore when I was born in Richmond, VA :)

5 weeks!

She's a very alert, active baby who makes lots of noises and loves to try out her voice...especially while nude and getting her diaper changed :)  She stretches and kicks all the time...literally...while sleeping, while eating, while laying on her playmat or changing table.  Her kicks are pretty strong (which I knew months ago...) and she pushes off our legs while being held and pushes against any pillow or arm of a chair.  I can't keep her in one spot!

start of a smile!

Waverly is also pretty gassy and spits up lots...lots of laundry!  Explosive poops, farts I can hear across the house, and spit up down my back were things I forgot come with a baby.  Nick and I find bodily functions hilarious though...so makes for some good laughs and someone else to blame.

She's so sweet and now that we know how to calm her and give her what she needs...she will just chill in her crib falling asleep, in her swing or on a pillow.  She loves to be snuggled close and we figured out after trial and error that she sleeps great when swaddled...Hallelujah!

baby burrito

snoozin' on daddy

I'd like to extend a couple thank yous...

*********************************************************************************

Thanks to my mommy girlfriends who have listened to me for 5 weeks talk about the trials and tribulations of breastfeeding, being tired, having a crying baby, having a gassy baby, having a baby who spits ups a lot, etc.  Thank you for all your tips, recommendations, and for listening!

Thanks to Casey for all of the above and for loving the many pictures I send of Waverly and never saying it's too much.

Thanks to my family for all of the above and for constantly asking how we're doing and what's new. Their support feels so great.

Thanks to Miracle Blanket for making an awesome swaddling blanket. Wish I had listened to my friend, Tracy, and bought you weeks ago.

Thanks to Wubbanub for making cuddly pacifiers.

Thanks to Dr. Harvey Karp for teaching us the "5 S's" on how to calm our baby.  Watching his "Happiest Baby on the Block" dvd was truly our turning point in learning how to calm her crying.

Thanks to Jessi for lending us the above dvd...we were dumb to wait 5 weeks to watch it.  I'll return it soon :)

Thanks Moby Wrap for creating a swaddle-like, hands free carrier that also enables cozy cuddling.

Thanks to everyone who gave us a burp cloth.

Thanks to gripe water for getting rid of hiccups.

Thanks to Tide for our many loads of laundry and a pat on my own back for getting our landlord to replace our old crappy washer just before the baby came.

Thanks google and the world wide web for many answers although sometimes I should take this thank you away, stop googling and trust my instinct.

I'll now accept my "6 week survivor" award in the form of a sweet little cherub to cuddle.


Next blog won't be baby-centered..promise! ;)