loopholes and project 3.0

[Pre-Script:

This is post #600. 

I have been blogging for 5 years as of this month.

That’s absolutely ridiculous.]

So.  The wheelchair. The deal is: NO WHEELED VEHICLES OF ANY KIND are allowed on campsites.  No strollers.  No bikes.  No nothin’.  You have to leave them at your car or pay a fine. Do not say things like this to people I am related to.  The boy Mulders found the loophole: wheelchairs are an exception, and who’s going to ask you if you’re faking?  Right.  One $15 trip to St. Vinny’s later, you have 5 days of general mischief and hilarity. 

My stomach is still in knots from the anxiety of being an accomplice to this by association.  I’m pretty sure everyone’s pew in heaven just got moved back about 5 rows. 

We now own a family wheelchair.  This will come in handy when one or all of us is/are struck by lightening.

***

Once upon a time, I was driving out in the country and happened to see these two very sad metal tables sitting out by the curb.  Now, that’s just silly.  I turned the car around and threw them in the trunk.  Every sad piece of metal furniture has a second home at Katie’s House.

I used a wire brush I found in Curt’s tool bag to brush off the flakes of rust.  I didn’t try very hard because I am crafty, but I am lazy.  These are going to sit outside under a roof with a glass of lemonade and a plant on them… they need not be awesome.

After brushing them off, I let them sit on the porch for about 2.25 weeks… just for good measure.  No use letting anything around here feel like it’s more special than anything else.

Then, in a fit of productivity at dusk one evening, I grabbed some shiny black farm-equipment spray paint from the pole barn cabinet and sprayed wildly for 10 minutes.

Ta Da.  Completely suitable (not to mention, free) porch tables and 2 less things in the landfill.

Word.

project 1.0

Things seem to be slowing down out there in Reading and Comment Land.  I’m going to keep going.  I’m going to chalk it all up to summer and breezing in and out and sunshine… and we’re going to pretend I’m just as funny and engaging as I was before this second child sucked all the life out of me.

My Rylie Girl is a big fan of skirts.  In a world where she cannot fully express herself verbally, dressing herself has become a huge accomplishment. I encourage it.  It’s hard to dress a child using only one hand when your other hand is over the mouth of a 3 month-old Screamer.  We’ve left the house in some pretty awesome combinations, but she’s Three and can get away with fashion-murder right now. Mostly, we just aim for similar colors.

If you find yourself with some knit shirts around that you just can’t bare to part with, a Kiddo Skirt is a fabulous option.  It couldn’t be easier.

This pink shirt first made its appearance on Day 2 of Rylie’s life. I love this photo.  I love my hair here- I want it back. I digress.   As hormones and another child would have it, this shirt just doesn’t fit right anymore.  Too baggy here, too tight there… but it has this super soft pink lining inside and a cute little print on the outside.  I didn’t want to add it to the landfill, so I simply cut it off under the bust line and sewed some 1/2″ elastic into the top. The bottom was already hemmed, thanks to the original seamstress in China.  Total time: about 20 minutes. Pretty instant gratification, and I’m all about that these days: easy, fast, cute.

Do you see Ry’s face in this photo to the right?  Doesn’t she look like she’s about 8 years-old?  I’m kind of choking right now.

Imagine what you could do with your old New Kids On the Block t-shirts.  Mmmmm Hmmmm. You could have a New Coolest Kid On the Block!

 

Say cheese 🙂

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