Big Bird and Fried Foods

I have so many highlight of the last week, I don’t know where to start so I’ll just start.

Halloween was spook-tacular.  On Monday night, we celebrated at our church Trunk ‘or Treat with dinner and then trick or treating in the parking lot. 

Here is the gang, including a few neighbor girls and a very sad Mayer because he dressed up like a skater only to realize when we got there he's always dressed up like a skater. 

"No one will know I'm wearing a costume," he said.

I'm happy to say someone stopped Mayer mid-evening and told him he looked like a cool skater dude.  Such a compliment sure changed his mood.  I doctored up and wore my scrubs I found from Goodwill on $1.00 day. 

The kids were easy and really pulled together there own costumes, 

of course Eden needed a bit of help to pull of her ballerina look,

but it was the counselor who made it complicated by wanting to be big bird (well, not really big bird but more a political statement).  He needed me as his sketch artist and costume manager, so I got to work and drew something up on a yellow shirt he found at Goodwill.

PBS as Pull Big Bird’s Salary

Then, Wednesday night, Halloween we started all over.  I was ready for a change and at the last minute pulled out this funky lace strange shirt ($1.00 day at Goodwill again) that I would never wear any other night but Halloween.  

I asked the kids “Who do I look like?  What should I be?”  Finally, it was decided in such a shirt that looked like a dress, but even more like a ballet tutu I should be the black swan.  I’m not sure if the black swan is scary or just psychotic, but here’s my best attempt.

If you think that is scary, I should caution as you read ahead.  This weekend, the counselor suggested we do something really frightening!  

Go to the fair (remember the opposite of thrifting?  One of my favorite blog posts of all time).  The fair takes a few days for me to prepare for.  What will I feed my children?  How much money should we spend?  How much time should we waste?  I’m just kidding about that last part because it really was as much fun as I could muster.

We started with just taking it all in; the sounds, the lights, the greasy smelling food.

Suddenly Eden stopped, hesitant to go forward.  She was frozen with fright.

I took her by the hand, coaxing her to walk with us when I realized what she was staring at.

I was able to distract her with watching some good old fashion bungee jumping.

Payson begged to go bungee jumping, which says a lot about Payson's personality.  I was a mean mom and said "No!"

The rides were great.

Shouting "I love you," to the man down there holding the camera.

How excited was Reef to visit the petting zoo?

I never knew I could fall in love with a llama, but I did.

The butterfly exhibit was a huge hit.

They had us dip a q-tip in some sugar water and then we went collecting butterflies to feed.

Reef held extra still for this shot, not quite sure if he should be excited or afraid a butterfly had landed on his head.

Eden thought it was magical.

One last ride to end the evening, the giant death slide.

You too could have 4 seconds of fun for only $5.00 a turn.

And they say money can't buy happiness!

The entire fair experience smelled like fried foods.  I’m happy to say I didn’t eat a single fried item, although I did feel a bit fried when we finally left for the night.

Solid and Chunky

Post claimer:  Solid and chunky - two words that I hope are never used to describe me. (haha)

The counselor calls me on his way home from work and I can tell by the tone in his voice he has something for me. 

“What did you find,” I ask.

“It’s old,” he says.  “Solid and chunky too.”

He’s talking about a dresser, or course, his latest kill. 

My man has turned into a thrift store carnivore and fortunately, we live in a town were on his way home from work he can stop by a handful of them.

Here’s his latest find and my latest paint-up with sage green opps! paint.

Solid and chunky; that man know's what he's talking about.

We’re a pretty great team, wouldn’t you say.
To read my blog post on the American Night Writer's Association blog, click here.
To order my book The Memory Catcher, click here.
Have a great weekend.

Benches

Okay, if you haven't heard of Ana White you are missing out.  I've been reading about all of her great online, free plans for pottery barn knock off furniture for years and I've finally taken the plunge- well, Mr. Right finally took the plunge.  Our first Ana White benches...

 I painted this one in a barnwood finish (it sold after 1 day at the shop)

And here is the black distressed finish.  We also made a tiffany blue bench, but it sold at our last show.  If you're interested in the plans visit Ana White Here.  We made our benches 5 feet long with a 2x6 top instead of 2x4.  We're hoping to try another Ana White plan next week, so I'll keep you posted.  Love, Kelly.

Spontaneous Love

I tend to work in sporadic shifts.  If something needs to get done, I go 100 miles an hour to finish it.  I work best under pressure. I’ve always been that way.

“Spontaneous!”  That’s what the counselor calls me.  He tells me my spontaneity is one of the reasons he fell in love with me.  Some days I think I appreciate this quality; while I’m trudging through task after task after task, but other days I wish I was more like him.

“Structured!”  That’s what I call the counselor. He is as reliable as the day is long.  He’s my rock.  He sets goals.  He has a clear outline where each day is going and everything on his list gets done.

I guess at the end of the day, we are both in the same place in our own individual accomplishments.  Children have been loved, read to, feed healthy food.  

Bills have been paid, work has been attended too, maybe a car has been washed or the lawn has been mowed, but lately, I’ve taken so much on I’ve let some of the basics go.

I stay up too late.

I’m tired and some mornings, need extra sleep.

And who makes up for it?  The counselor; without a complaint mind you.  He’s up early (he always has been an early riser) and gets the kids ready for school, reads scriptures, says prayers, tousles their hair and reminds them as they walk out the door “Remember, you’re a child of God.”

And I wake up and he says “Good morning, beautiful,” and then I look around and see all he has managed so I can sleep more.

I believe marriage works best when each partner is giving 100%.   I know marriage isn’t about keeping score, but I’m currently in the lagging position.  To be honest, I’ve been trying to keep up with him my entire marriage.  I just can’t seem to get to his level of efficiency and follow-through. 

This weekend, the counselor and I headed out the door for our weekly date.  We had a nice dinner, but I was deep in thought; trying to understand this man who gives so much and is still so happy.  Shouldn't he be irritated?  Upset?  But the counselor has never reacted with anger.  He doesn't have mood swings; he doesn't react with bouts of belly laughter or gut-wrenching tears like I do.  He's steady and constant.

“What are you thinking about?” he finally asked.

“I don’t know how you can do so much, and lately I’ve been slacking and it would almost be easier if you would just get mad or something.  You keep giving and doing and loving and I want to say I’m sorry.” 

And then he told me something that took my breath away. 

He said “Well, I love you.”

My eyes filled with tears.

The counselor is very expressive and there isn’t a day that goes by without him saying he loves me, but this time I felt those amazing three words in everything I am.  I had wondered why he does what he does and how he can pick up the pieces that sometimes I’m too tired to carry and he does it because he loves me.

Love is a beautiful thing.  Never have I heard a sweeter fairy tale.

Red velvet, dust and laminate, oh my!

When the counselor brought home this dresser for $60, I was a bit skeptical.  

Only the middle drawers came out (thanks to the handy work of someone who permanently drilled them in place), and the wood is that lovely 70’s laminate.  I had my work cut out for me, starting with hosing it down.

I let it dry in the sun, then start on some sanding to smooth things out.  Next, it was time to remove the red velvet in the three middle drawers.  

The fabric was easy enough to remove, 

but what should I replace it with?  

I wanted to stay neutral, but still artistic.  My neighbor the caterer has had a lot of success using vintage sheet music as lining in old furniture pieces. 

 

It’s an easy way to decorate with modge podge.

I also painted the fixtures silver.  Here’s the finished product. 

What do you think?
Linking up to:

Smart Minds Think Alike

Kelly and I must have been in the same color zone this weekend.  

She painted a garage sale table she found to look like this:

And I painted a $6.00 dresser I found at the thrift store to look like this.

Mint green, barn red and sunny yellow?  What are the odds we would randomly pick the same colors?

The counselor restocked my space at Qcumberz this weekend and the dresser sold before he left.

A few months ago Ron, the owner of Qcumberz asked if I would help start a Qcumberz blog.

Click here to see it.  I'd love to know what you think.