Project 52, Week 17

Finally! It's nice enough to be outside. Only now we're heading for 90 degree weather...
I just love the backlighting in this photo, how the sunset glow is illuminating the side of Carter's head. Love this boy!

And here is Carter's true personality, running like a maniac, away from me of course!!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

Before and After: Drexel Find!

I had been looking for a pair of night stands for a while, but was not having any luck. Then I stumbled upon this at Goodwill.

It seemed like a super sturdy piece. It was solid wood, very heavy and had dovetailed drawers and dust covers in between the drawers. The drawers slid well except for one (turns out that missing pull was the culprit of the poor function!). I was already planning on buying this little gem, especially since it was only $14.99! But then I discovered its brand: Drexel! Holy jackpot! I grabbed that tag and ran to the register with my new treasure. We had it for about a month before I found it's match. The second nightstand isn't as good of quality, but it's a similar size and coordinates well.

So here are the afters. I like the look of a painted base and stained top, but I achieved a similar look without stripping or staining! I primed as always with my beloved Kilz. The base of the night stands was painted with Krylon Brushed Metallics in caramel latte while the top is Rustoleum's Hammered paint in a rubbed bronze finish. I kept the original hardware on both, painting over the shiny brass with an oil rubbed bronze. And I lightly glazed each piece to make it have that antique look.

Here is the Drexel:

And it's mate...

Project 52, Week 16: Sunglasses!

Trevor has wanted Carter to have some sunglasses for a while to protect those precious eyes! I hadn't found any I loved, until I stumbled onto a pair at Gap! They are adorable. So mission accomplished on finding the sunglasses, but now I have to get a toddler to actually wear them. We made a really big deal about wearing them, and how Mama and Daddy where them too. It worked, and he loves to wear them. Well, it worked a little too well. Carter now insists upon wearing them a lot, including but not limited to in the car, on walks, in the backyard, in the car at night and in the house during breakfast and lunch. They now have to be kept in the car, because if Carter sees them, he wants to wear them!

We got Carter a sandbox, and decided to prep a small area so Trev wouldn't have to mow around it. Trev was hammering some stakes in, so we had to get Carter's hammer so he could help. Apparently lots of things could be hammered, while of course wearing his sunglasses.

The lawn mower being hammered:

The tarp can be hammered:

The concrete can be hammered:

And the slide...

 Helping Dad hammer the stakes

  

 

Project 52, Week 15: My sign of warmer weather

Carter is observing more and more each day. I rearranged our living room furniture last week (which I am in love with now), and his reaction was adorable when he saw it. It literally stopped him in his tracks and he just looked at me like "what happened mom?" But he adjusted quickly. Well back to another change he noticed: my toe nails painted. I don't think that's happened since last summer, so when he noticed the bright shade of pink my nails were sporting, he was fascinated. I said "pink toes" to him, so now he plays with my feet saying "pink toes, pink toes." Be aware those with foot phobias, as my feet did make it into the pictures for the week.

This is his coy look...

Hmmm, looks like I needed to warm this one up a bit more!

The beloved John Deere truck

And I just liked this one :)

Epic fail on this picture. This is what happens when shooting on manual and you go from shooting with my back the window, then to facing the window! But kind of a cool look nonetheless. Next time I'll try to remember to change my settings!!

And I have to share two funny stories from this week.

1. I was cleaning the toilet while Carter was awake (and I have since learned my lesson). He had the duster and tried to put it in the toilet that I was cleaning. I stopped this and said that we do NOT put the duster in the toilet. He left the bathroom, and I heard him running, then the other toilet lid go up! I was too late. I found Carter with the duster fully immersed in the other toilet, swirling it all around just like I did with the actual toilet bowl cleaner. Think it's time for a new duster :)

2. Carter played with his cousin, Siena, this week. And they were just adorable together. They followed one another around, calling each other "Car Car" and "Sienena." They snacked together on the bar stools, sat together on the John Deere (Siena did not love this part) and hugged and kissed goodbye! And now all I hear all day long is "Sienena, Jack, Layla (really Leia) and Bria!" He can now say almost all of his immediate relatives names, so it's pretty cute to listen to him run through the lists!

Oh, and Carter amazed me this week! I was wearing a shirt with writing on it, and he pointed to the letters and said "R, C, K, C, H and L!." All those letters were on my shirt and he was correct on all of them!!

Have a great week!