Dylan's Changing Table Transformation

                                     

 This is the "Before" shot of Dylan's changing table, as it has looked ever since I first bought it before Evan was born. It's a piece from the 1930's and I originally planned to strip all the paint off down to the bare wood and do a patchwork paint-and-distress finish. The idea was to make it look like those 'reclaimed wood' pieces that are selling for 100's/1000's of dollars at Pottery Barn, Sundance, etc. However, after spending almost an entire day trying to strip off the top and subsequently discovering (with horror) that there were at least TEN layers of stubborn old paint and varnish under there, I decided that Plan A was going to be way too much work. So I painted it brown all over but thought it looked way too boring. So... Plan B, which I made up as I went along, was to come up with my  own unique color-smeared creation. This still ended up being a boat-load of work but I really like the finished result and it's kind of cool to have a one-of-a-kind piece that I could probably never recreate if my life depended on it. (Ha!) 

                                                                                               "After"

                         

         Close-up of the finish - Now this sucker has approximately 19 layers of paint/varnish on it!

                                                      Fergus thought he was helping

Once we are no longer in need of a changing table (hopefully in 3-4 months), Plan C is to hang a mirror over it and call it a dresser! For now, I hung a bulletin board over it so I can display some of Dylan's original artwork.

                                                                            

                                                                                                                                

Picture Perfect!

On Saturday, July 6th, it was super hot outside so I took the boys back to the pool to cool off!  They were playing nicely together on this pole and I just snapped a quick picture of them on my phone. Later I realized what a GREAT PICTURE this turned out to be, as if I had actually posed them symetrically for it. This is probably my favorite Summer picture of them, so far!

Brennan's Birthday Party

On Friday, July 5th, I decided to leave Dylan at school all day so he could get back on his regular nap schedule. I picked Evan up after lunch, though, so that he could attend his buddy Brennan's Backyard Adventure Birthday Party.

My friend Megan is highly creative and she had lots of fun activities set up for the kids in the backyard. They have a new swing set, and she put out a pool and trays of Jell-O that had "hidden treasures" in them for the kids to dig out with their hands. Evan LOVED that! And then there was the DIY Foam Machine! Megan had seen a video on YouTube that demonstrated how you could turn your yard into a foam pit with a large trash can, a water hose, a bucket-load of liquid soap, a shop vac and a fan. Well, it worked, and in no time at all, the backyard turned into FoamFest! Evan went absolutely nuts over it! I'm fully expecting him to ask me to have a Jello- & Foam Party for his birthday next year!!

 

 

 

Megan made the fabulous Batman cake herself, and it was delicious! 

 

 

 

                                    
                                                        Breaking out the Foam Machine!

                                               The Birthday Boy, enjoying the foam!

Brennan's Dad Brian, The Foam-Master

 

                                     
                                                         Into the pool for a rinse-off!

A Happy Fourth of July!

We skipped the firework celebrations last year as Dylan's bedtime was about 2 hours prior to the 9:30 start time. This year we decided to give it a try, though. As it turns out, Dylan missed his usual noon nap time because his school was closed for the holiday and Tom and I took them to Moe's for lunch and then I took them on to the mall. He ended up crashing in the car on the way home from the mall at about 3:30 and was still sleeping at 6 pm when I decided I'd better wake him up! So he was wide awake at 8:30 when we got to the Target parking lot to watch Ida Lee Park's big firework show from across Route 15. (Great view without the traffic problems or the loud booms that you get by going directly to Ida Lee.)  

The boys had a lot of fun playing on the grass before it got dark.

                                      

Captain America decided to make an appearance again!

Evan crashed in the car on the way home and was out for the night. Tom carried him up to bed and took his shoes off and just let him sleep in his clothes. Dylan, on the other hand, was still energized from his late nap and I wasn't able to get him to sleep until some time around midnight! Ay yi yi! 

Evan's Big Birthday Party!

Tom FINALLY got to come home on the afternoon of Saturday June 29th  and the boys were SO HAPPY to see their Dad! I had planned Evan's birthday party for the following day and rented a pavillion at our favorite park/playground. I was so worried that the weather was going to be a disaster as scattered thunderstorms were predicted for the whole day. However, we totally lucked out and other than a 10 minute period where the sky darkened up and we felt a few sprinkles, it ended up being a beautiful (but reallly hot) day!

Evan wanted  a Pirate Theme for his party and he and Dylan intially put on their pirate gear (and other friends came in partial costumes as well) but everyone ditched them after 5 minutes. It was just too hot to accessorize!

                                             The boys with their grandmother, "Grammie"

 

Here's Dylan and his best buddy from school, Christopher.  Christopher is the little brother of one of Evan's best buddies from school, Dylan Holokai.  So it worked out great that both Holokai boys could come to the party!

                                                 My Mom and my Mother-In-Law

                                                         My Mom with my In-Laws

           The really cute Pirate Cake that my Dad tracked down at the Walmart Bakery in Sterling.

                                     

                                      

                                      
      The only little girls at the party:  Emily (left), her big sister Abigail, and Evan's cousin Ava

                                               Showing off his pirate rings from the cake!

                                                     

        I found these big bubble wands at Target & bought one for each child. They were a BIG HIT!

                       Somebody poured his bubble wand out on the ground & then cried hysterically
                                                when he couldn't blow any more bubbles!!

                                    They never really got the concept of the Ring Toss Game.

                                                  Funky Dance Moves With No Music!

 

                                      

Four Handsome Boys! From Left: Connor, Shaun, Dylan H. and Evan

 

My sweet friend Megan and her son Brennan. She & I met when our first born baby boys were ~5 weeks old. (And just look at them now!)

 

                                     
                                                   Pappy, Cousin Ava & Aunt Becky

                                             My Dad at the end of the party...all partied out!

                                            My Energizer-Bunny Mom, ready to clean up!

 

                                     

Evan had to say his goodbyes to his "Pappy Too" and "Nana" after his party because they were leaving bright and early the next day for the airport!  We were all sad to see them go!