Kitchen Redux

Grandma was coming into town to visit, and we didn't have much time or energy to get things done.  But, again, with a deadline looming over our heads, we picked a project, hoping to get it done.  I picked a drawer in the kitchen that has been driving me insane.  It is the silverware drawer.  It is on the heavy side to start with.  But the kids empty the dishwasher and set the table, so they frequently open the drawer.  And, when they do, they tend to hang/pull down on it.  Which broke the cheap drawer tracks that we had bought.  Remember, even though we ended up replacing every cabinet in the kitchen, we originally designed the doors and drawer tracks to match the original cabinets in the kitchen.  Having remodeled a kitchen now, I would NOT buy these type of tracks again.  They didn't guide the drawers very well. And they always sounded like they were dragging, even on a good day.

Also, because the drawer was broken, or because the kids pulled on it (take your pick which came first...  the chicken or the egg), it broke the face frame of the cabinet.  So that needed to be replaced too.  I didn't remember to take a before picture.  But, I did take a during/out at the trash picture!

First things first: replace the face frame.  Hubby, having many much wood pieces left over from many much wood projects, grabbed this piece that matched the face frame, and rescrewed it in.  That part went fairly easily.  Then, it was my job to sand down the face frame, so it would look good when it was primed and painted again.  We had plenty of paint left over from the job, so matching that wasn't an issue.

  Then it was the tricky part!  Hubby had to gently break apart the drawer, so he could cut it down by 1/2 an inch.  The new tracks that we used (coincidentally left over from the bathroom downstairs) needed more space on either side of the drawer.  We also had to cut down the drawer tracks because we had built the downstairs cabinet differently, so the tracks were too long.  Hubby was able to break it apart quite easily, but figuring out a way to cut it was an entirely different matter!  Thankfully, because he is rather intelligent, he was able to figure something out without cutting off any of his fingers!  Then, we had to glue the drawer back together, and do some touch up: Fill in old screw holes, drill new holes (for the drawer pulls) and attach the drawer front to the drawer box.  

 Then, as with the bathroom downstairs, we had a small issue with lining up the tracks so that the drawer slid easily.  Thankfully, we were able to get that figured out rather quickly, and voila!  Looks good as new.  Like nothing ever happened to it.  I suppose that is the way it is supposed to, eh?

I cannot tell you how smoothly the drawer pulls though!  Its like a dream come true!

Kurley Kari

Kari is generally not a girly girl.  She doesn't like to sit still long enough to do her hair most mornings.  I'm lucky if I can brush it and give her a pony tail.  One night, after showers, Kari asked if we could put her hair in sponge curlers.  We originally bought them for the girls dance recital a few years ago.  Remember?

 We actually didn't end up doing it that night.  We started showers late, and therefore didn't have the time to get the curlers done before bed.  But, we were able to do it a few days later.  I think it looks gorgeous.  

But also a little familiar.  Like this perhaps?

Some people pay for this stuff!

And she looks beautiful :)

Knock Knock

Have you seen the new movie Home?  I quite like it around our house.  We have watched it several times.  Even I enjoy it.  I think it may be because I like Jim Parsons.  Any who, there is a scene in the movie where the main character teaches the alien a joke.  It goes something like this: 

Which prompted Kelsey to learn this one:

Which prompted her siblings to teach her this one (at least, I have to assume that is where it came from):

The End.

Spider Web

 Round these here parts, fall tends to mean wet.  During the spring and fall, we usually get rain almost daily.  And sometimes I like it, and sometimes I don't.

 This is our resident spider friend.  I think I shall name him George.  Except I won't hug him and pet him.  I won't even touch him.  But he is small enough, and not gross enough, that so long as George stays outside, I'll leave him be.

 The other afternoon, after it had rained, I looked out my front windows for some reason, and noticed that George's abode had nice little water droplets all over it.

And I thought "Well, that is very picturesque, isn't it?"

This close, I may have the wrong lens or the wrong setting, but my camera couldn't auto focus.  I had to manually move the dang thing.  However, I'm fairly pleased with the results :)

Daddy's Truck

For hubby's birthday, I blocked out the whole weekend (labor day weekend) for him to work on his truck.  He had had a small accident while he was driving to the job site, and needed to have the bumper replaced.  He got a quote, but then, in true hubby form, surfed around on the internet.  He found that if he put the bumper on himself, he would have enough money to not only get a fancy bumper, but also to install a small levelling kit.

 That weekend was hot.  And we sweated.  And got dirty.  Kari was a great help, while we kept the younger kids busy inside.

 See?  I told you he got dirty!

 In the end, we finally got everything done.  And we even let the kids help.  Kelsey put on all the lug nuts!

And hubby was sore for days afterwards, what with his back and all :)  

Kelsey's Hurt Neck

Remember our exciting adventures back in November with involving Kelsey and ambulances and CT scans and neck braces?  Well, that was a whole 10 months ago.  Kelsey wasn't even 3 yet.  I didn't think she really remembered it.  The other day as the kids were getting ready in the morning, Kelsey pulled her shirt on over her head and, apparently, strained a muscle in her neck.  She started crying and was very stiff.  I helped her get her shirt on the rest of the way and gave her some ibuprofen.  But, as we headed down to breakfast, it was still causing her some pain so she asked for her "wipe fing" (white thing) and told me she needed to go to the hosptial.

Poor child wore the brace off and on for the rest of the day.  Several days, in fact.  It probably took her a whole week to not look stiff as she played around the house.  Poor child.  I guess it will be one of those traumatic things she will remember, even though she was "too young" to remember.

Happy Fall Y'all!!!

I know the fall equinox was last week.  But it has been a long, hot summer round these here parts.  And, one day, I woke up to take the kids to school in the morning, and it wasn't 78* already at 8am in the morning.  And my whole outlook on the day changed.

 So while it doesn't look like this around here yet (isn't it beautiful?!?!)

 All the stores have their stuff out.  Have had them out for a few weeks at least!

 And our first fall festival is this weekend.  And we have many more to come!

 And I can't wait.  To cuddle into my blankets and wear sweatshirts and not sweat all the live long day.

 So, welcome to October ladies and gentlemen!

May the your outlook be cool and crisp until it turns frigid and cold ;)

Kelsey at the Dentist

Right before school started, I was able to get the older three kids in for their semi annual teeth cleaning at the dentist.  Kelsey was 3.5 at the time, and kept asking when it was her turn.  Since she was so excited, and she had a mouth full of teeth, I figured why not.  I couldn't get her in at the same time as the older kids, but I brought her back a few weeks later and she was a big girl all by herself!

The hygienist was super nice.  She showed Kelsey every tool and let her hold them and make them work.  Honestly, Kelsey almost looked/sounded like she wanted to move on from that part.  She was ready to go, and didn't need any instructions.

In true little sister form, she did great!  She kept her mouth open the whole time.  Even when she didn't have to.  It was funny to watch her try to answer the questions with her mouth open (but no tools inside).  

She looked so small in the chair, but so grown up at the same time!

Happy Tooth Cleaning!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

For hubby's birthday, Kelsey and I visited him at work, bringing a cookie cake and taking him to lunch.  His co-workers were very nice and brought him donuts in the morning and kept putting awesome memes up around his office.  It was great!  When he came home he had a few cards waiting for him...

 And a pinterested door surprise.

 Surprise!

 Of course, no birthday is ever complete without a few presents, AKA birthday tools.

 And a cake!  Hubby likes the yellow cake with a chocolate marble effect.  

 And it was yummy!  I mean, hello!!!  Sprinkles!

 Happy Bithday Hubby!

Way to get older!

Another One Bites the Dust! (Dylan edition)

Dylan lost his first tooth on Sunday.  3 days later, he lost another!!!  Again, I didn't realize it was that loose.  He had eaten breakfast and brushed his teeth.  I sent him outside to get in the car and 2 minutes later he came running back inside!  He had lost another one!

 Actually, Kari had pulled it out for him.  Her story is: "He told me it was loose, so I asked him if I could see how loose it was.  When I wiggled it, it was only hanging on by a thread.  I asked him if I could pull it and he said yes.  And out it came!"

 I made him quickly go put it under his pillow before he left for school.

 And pose for a few pictures before we were late.

And then get in the car so we could go to school. 

When you loose a tooth in the morning before school, you get a little bit less fanfare :)