From Ugly to Elegant

So finally, I've gotten my act together and finished the project that's taken me a month (or more, I can't remember)...

My in-laws brought me this chair that they got (for $15!) and asked me to reupholster it for them. It seemed like every other chair I've done, so I said "of course!". Once I got the chance to tear off the old, I found I was in for a LONG project. There was a lot of hand sewing on this, more than I care to do. If I have the machine, I want to use the machine!

But alas, there were some parts that weren't able to be sewed until it was actually on the chair... hence the time consuming process of sewing by hand. In the end though, it was worth it. What once was ugly and stained (the old owners had pets... I had many sneezing attacks while working on this one), is now very elegant and clean! So I leave you with the "before" and "after", they speak for themselves:

I'm Still Here...

I feel like it's been a long time since I had the chance to post something on here, I've been working non-stop on a few projects, all at once. More on that hopefully in the coming week if I get my act together and actually pull the pictures off the camera. I've been lacking a very important trait in the past few weeks that has put a damper on the completion of these tasks.... motivation. I'm not sure what my problem is lately, it's hard for me to concentrate on anything.

And then this happened this week:

Aiden was bit on the face by a fellow student. Apparently according to his teacher (and Aiden himself), he was cleaning up the toys as he was told and the other boy didn't want Aiden to put once specific toy away. When Aiden wouldn't give it to him the toy because he was putting it away, he was bit. Luckily it didn't break the skin, but it did swell up and bruise for a few days. He told me it hurt a few days after, but he didn't seem to mind it otherwise. Hope it doesn't happen again, to anyone else in his class, and I'm glad it wasn't any worse.

We've also been preparing for Aiden's 4th birthday in a few weeks. I've been trying to make practice cakes and figure out exactly what we're serving. Not too easy without that motivation...

Damn motivation.

I did manage to pull a few pictures off my camera from this month, so I'll leave you with a few of those. They're a little Ava heavy since Aiden has been at school; however, some of those pictures are from waiting for Aiden to get home after school, Ava's new favorite time of the day.

Drinking from the sprinkler

Hanging out in Mom and Dad's bed watching a movie

While waiting for Aiden's bus

"I have a leaf!!"

First Week Down...

So Aiden's first week of school is done... and he is EXHAUSTED! He has been running so hard, and especially now since he doesn't get any naps, let alone quiet time, he is ready for bed by 6pm. Not too terrible considering his typical bedtime was 7pm, but lately dinner time has been a struggle. I'm totally waiting for him to fall asleep at the table.

 Anyways, he very much enjoyed his first week. He's been singing songs and showing me dances they've done; bringing home art projects, and even made me a Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? necklace (adorable btw, he was so proud of it). I'm excited for what's to come this year, and I'm sure that he'll start adjusting as he continues to go so maybe he'll actually be able to play when he gets home, instead of crash right after dinner! Ava asks me every day when I get her up from her afternoon nap at 3/3:30 for Aiden, and LOVES waiting outside for his bus to bring him home (it also helps that Jacob comes home at about the same time - she gets a two for one deal!). I'll leave you with a few pictures we snapped on Monday as we waited for his bus to pick him up... you can see the excitement in his face!

He looks so little last year

Waiting

So much love

 

 

"Bye Bubba"

So tired when he came home...

Ready for School to Start...

Aiden and I were watching a Toy Story 3 today and I looked over at him during a particularly sad/scary part (where the toys were in the garbage dump, scared me to...) and he was crying... Nothing kills you more as a parent when your child is crying for some unknown reason. So I asked him what was wrong, thinking it was the movie, he says, "Mom, I miss my friend Olivia". Then he started to cry more... Then that made me cry...

A vicious cycle ensued.

He is SO ready to go back to school, asking me every day if school started yet. At bed time, I was trying to get him all excited for tomorrow, where we go to his new school for an open house to meet his classmates. He got very excited for the prospect of new toys, playground,  kids, etc, until he remembered he is going to go on the bus. And then he started crying again. What is he trying to do to me?!? He rode the bus all by himself last year, what makes this year any different? I'm hoping that he'll remember how much fun it is and soon forget what he's worried about.

Next hurdle? How is Ava going to cope with her "Bubba" leaving for a few hours? She was too young last year to realize he was gone....

Aiden's first day on the school bus last year... so little