While They Were Sleeping, Parts I and II

I was going back through my list of posts and realized I had a draft out there that never got shared.  So here goes (one year later…oops!):

Part I (July 2013) - Gran and I (with help from Rudy) painted an accent wall in the playroom "while they were sleeping" (<---- funny because Mom found a blog called "while they were sleeping" (or something similar) that showed all kinds of projects a lady did while her kids slept, supposedly.  One of the projects was the wall stencil we did in Avery's room.  Mom has called BS on that one.  No way was that done while they slept.. unless they sleep half the day or the wall was 2x2).  Anyway, John and I came up with the design and color placement, Gran, Rudy and I did the taping and then while the kids were asleep one day, Gran and I did the painting.  

We love how it turned out, and we especially like how it is visible from the whole front of the house and the courtyard.  Rudy really likes it, too.  He stands in front of it and we go through all the colors and he points out a pencil-tip sized spot we missed.

Part II (July 2014) - Here is our island "before" shot.

The top was in desperate need of a face-lift.  I say "need" because the caulk between the boards had worn down or in some cases completely away.  So we either had cracks full of crumbs, glitter, gunk, etc. or whenever a drink spilled (every other meal), not only was the table a mess but so was the floor underneath.  John and I had spent some time looking for ideas for a new top, but John gets the MVP on this project…he brought the brains and the brawns.  I took all of these boards...

and stained them all of these colors one night, "while they were sleeping"...

The next day John, with help from his dad, cut them (with some crazy angles, lengths, etc - all for the design we had in mind), and put them together…this time "done right" - nothing is seeping through these boards!

Oh and how could I forget?  Rudy was a big help, too.  

While Avery, Ben and I took a little walk (Ben's first ride out of his car seat!)

Later that evening, they (John) took off the old top and, with the help of my dad, put the new top on.

Voila! 

On a side note, John "painted" several coats of polyurethane on it that evening and next day.  Whenever someone new saw the top Rudy was proud to brag on Dad and himself for making and painting his new table.  I lost all credit I had for my hours of work...