Josephine is 6 months old

A little delayed:  As I am typing this, I can't believe I am typing this. Josie is 6 months old.  Wow. How did that happen?  I can't believe that the little baby who cried through her newborn photos so horribly that we had to give up and go home is now a happy-go-lucky, sit-and-watch, laugh-alot little 6 month old. What a pleasure it has been to see her grow.

Nicknames: Josie

Likes: Standing up, Sitting, Singing, Playing in her jumper.

Dislikes: Wet diapers.

Accomplishments: More solids foods.  Her favorites include avocados, sweet potatoes, and pears. Lots of laughs and goggles.  Lots of talking (must take after mom).

Nuisances: Fingernails and Toenails, Falling over on the floor when sitting unassisted.

Current Weight: 15.7lbs
Current Height: 26 inches

Spring snow sports

Today we decided (actually last night, while having friends over for dinner) to take one last shot at the generous season of snowfall in the Cascades. We packed up the gear and hit the road for what was some of the most amazing spring skiing and weather we've enjoyed at Crystal Mountain.

Pictures below, to prove it happened. :)

San da floor! (Updated)

*** 22Apr12 UPDATE ***
 Final pictures, after (2nd pass):







Done, and done!


*** 21Apr12 UPDATE ***
A second pass is in-work on this project.

I let the stain sit on the surface perhaps too longer before wiping it off during the first pass. Since it was simply natural (no) tint Minwax, I didn't expect it would get as dark as it did. DIY lesson learned #n (n has exceeded my mem-odometer).

Fortunately, it was simply a matter of sanding down & repeating the process. The disadvantages are a) ventilating the house and b) Brian & Stewie get locked down in the basement for 2 days while the three step process (1. stain & dry, 2. polyurethane thin coat & dry, 3. polyurethane final coat & dry) is completed.

Final topcoat is drying today, and I'm much more pleased with the tint this time around. Stay tuned for final pictures after we return from enjoying beautiful weekend weather outdoors, and finally going oyster picking!


 *** Original post below ***

This project has been on the back burner for a'while. Recycled floor, stitched in after the removal of the breakfast nook coved doorway, required sanding & finishing to match (as close as possible, DIY) the existing fir kitchen floors. In my recent efforts to knock out the 5% projects (e.g. 95% of the work done), I made some time for this one this morning.

Also gave me a good chance to try out my new low-profile floor sander. Great for getting underneath the kitchen cabinets.

Still need to apply finish top coat, sealant, but at least now the shoe molding will fit and sit smoothly on the floor. Attached are some "before" and "during" pictures.

Before:








During:








After (1st pass):

Week 21: Things that Grow - Nature

The obvious choice for this post, "Things that grow", would have been some gardening or planting topic, but I think we've overdone those posts for a bit.  This is a stretch but the theme is nature and all that plants and beings that grow.  This weekend we had an opportunity to head out to Hood Canal to go Oyster picking.

It was a beautiful day!  We took the Ferry from Seattle to Bremerton and then drove to Hood Canal.  A perfect Saturday.  We reaped the benefits by eating 3 dozen oysters later that evening paired with wine. Half were on the grill and half were raw. What a treat!

Dad is the boss!

Until Mom comes home!

New Clothes Line

Just in time for the nice weather, a new clothes line!

Who's the Big Girl on the Swing!

We love going for walks and we love walking around Jefferson Park. Today we went for a walk and we decided to take a chance on the swing.

Week 15: Sacrifice - Seattle Weather

A few weeks ago while the whole country was having above average temperatures and beautiful weather we still had grey skies, frosty mornings, and rain. A lot of people often say "Wow, Seattle. You get a lot of rain." Really that's not true, the east coast accumulates more rain per year than Seattle does. But it is grey, we can't deny that.

Rob and I love living here. Although this time of year is my favorite for watching the blooms and listening to the Mariners, the Seattle summer is so worth the grey winter. I'd say it's a sacrifice that we gladly make.

Here is a pic that Josie and I captured on our walk today.

Week 14: Foolin’ Around - Fun in the pool

We just got back from ten relaxing days in Mexico. We headed down to Playa del Secreto just 15 minutes south of Cancun with 6 of our friends and Josie. We had a great time enjoying the food, the ocean, the pool, and good times with our best friends.

Josie had her first pool experience and it was lots of fun to fool around with her in the pool.