knock-off wood

Well, we finally finished building our dining room table.

 We followed the free online plans for Ana White's Farmhouse Table {found here} It was our first try at pocket-hole jig joinery. Heck...it was our first try at building any kind of furniture, so all things considered,  I'm really happy with it.  

{especially happy after dining from a plastic Costco folding table for months and months}

According to the plans, this table is an "intermediate" wood working project that you can do in a weekend.  The equation can be adjusted if you are wrangling two small children whilst trying to move into a new house and start a new job at the same time.  Give yourself 5 months to build it.  During that time you might find that the cheap, construction-grade wood that you bought at lowesdepot might warp in your garage.  One of your table legs may or mayn't  end up a quarter inch off the floor requiring some shimming... I'm saying this table isn't without its quirks; kind of like the people who built it. So it fits.

The BEST part of the table was finishing it.  The upside of a weekend project turned into a 5 month one is that the steel wool you left in a jar of vinegar in your garage has a chance to dissolve completely and make a really nice, dark red iron acetate. After a coat of strong black tea, and a coat of said solution the table was looking pretty awesome.  We decided to skip a urethane finish and go with something that is much more friendly for the earth, and the air quality in our home, not to mention the wee one who like to "put everything in da mouse" as Sadie likes to say.  So we sealed it with Daddy Van's beeswax furniture polish...which smells amazing and makes your hands feel really good. Sadie helped me buff it.  She is a surprisingly adept student in the art of wax-on.  A really awesome thing about "sealing" wood with beeswax is that it feels so nice to the touch--satiny smooth--with just a hint of a subtle sheen.  It will be interesting to see how it holds up to daily wear and tear.

 Now our living/dining  room is starting to feel like a real home.  I can't even believe I let the husband talk me into all these animals on the walls--but honestly, something about this space just whispers rustic eighties ski lodge so they kind of fit, the kids love them, and I get the sunroom to decorate however I want.  Now we just need to build some benches for the table.  Those will probably get done by next Christmas;)

April Fools

nope...

scratch that.  

 

Its April. 

But at least the kids and hounds are excited about all this new snow!

okay, nevermind.

Well, at least I got our Christmas card all made up for next year. 

staying up too late dreaming about spring.

Another 4 inches of snow today.  Very light, very fluffy...very beautiful in its own respect, but this is what I'm thinking about: 

 

{please go to pinterest board for photo credits}

peonies, ridonkulous ranunculas, and moluccella oh my.

{sigh}

Eli at 7 months

 This busy boy is 7-months-old today {well, technically, yesterday} This month Eli has mastered crawling and pulling himself up to standing and getting stuck there.  His favorite objects of attraction are the fireplace, the vacuum cleaner and the electrical outlets.  Coming in a close second are wheels, fans, and trucks.  He still doesn't like to eat babyfood, but he does like to chew on broccoli florets and drink broth.  He also tried some cheesy, milk-ladden potato soup when mom wasn't looking.  According to Sadie, he really liked it--but according to how much he threw up afterward, his tummy didn't.  Maybe he's just sticking to his breastmilk diet until he can enjoy the real good stuff.

He has also decided to stay true to Auntie Kiki's predictions, and is growing in a thick mop of this strawberry blond hair.  It's preeety cute.   This month he has developed a bit of separation anxiety, and his favorite place to be is in mom & dad's arms...but he warms up pretty quick to grandparents, aunties and uncles... not nearly as reserved as I remember Sadie being--as in--Eli actually will let someone besides me hold him.

 

Which is nice. So are all the cute babbling sounds that he makes... and the happy morning baby bear maulings that are appreciated by everyone... well, everyone except my little non-morning person, who pulls the blankets up over her head and says, "Just drink your milk Eli."

What can I say Eli--mornings just aren't everyone's thing.

Happy monthiversary Eli, we do love you so.