Second Hand Store Find

Several months ago we found this great highchair/childs desk with chair at Bill's Second Hand Store, a wonderful little place, a building painted bright pink, just down the road. I think the pink is meant to make a lasting impression, and it works. Anyway, this desk folds up from how you see it here to be a highchair and has a tray. Eva loves it and so do I. She has even learned to climb in, though getting out is still a somewhat dangerous affair.

And do please notice the braids. Weston said it must be the best day of my life to be able to put braids in Eva's hair. Well, it is not the BEST, but it may be close!!!

Weston's Handiwork

Weston, aka plumber, electrician, and carpenter, has out done himself on this project. I couldn't be more pleased. We worked together on the tiling, but besides that, this is all Weston. Thanks Honey!

Here is the old kitchen.


This is front room.



Drum roll please....

Notice that the doorway between the front room and kitchen is now double wide.


Notice that the far kitchen wall is now gone.


The only thing that we didn't replace in this kitchen is the sink. Besides that, it is all new and we somehow managed that for a very decent price. I love the hickory and how all the tile came together, which was a real blessing since we got all the counter and back splash tile for $30 at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.


I do miss the old shelves and fancy wood work by the window. They reminded me of my Grandma's house. We had originally planned on putting new hickory shelves in, in the same fashion - but time is short and projects are many, so that little sub project got cut. Oh well. It still looks nice, if not quite as quaint.


We tiled the counter top. I like how it turned out.

Weston built this banister.


A view into the front room, which has also received a face lift since we moved in.


Well, if any friends and family out there want to see it first hand, be sure that fresh home cookin' will come with it.


Once again, the old kitchen....



And the new.....

Hawaii - take two

So this post will show our vacation a little out of order, but it just happens to be in the order the pictures are being gone through. These pictures are from the last day of our vacation when we hiked to some falls. It was so beautiful and just cool. Plants can do the coolest things and in an environment like this, they do it in the big, green, and showy way.

Hawaii - take one

It feels nice to post something on my blog called "oh the places you'll go" that is actually about a place that we went! Oahu, Hawaii. All my life I have said that the one island paradise destination that I didn't really care if I went to or not was Hawaii. I think it just didn't sound exotic enough for my romantic adventurers heart, but I am pleased as can be with that island paradise now. We choose that destination for our big vacation for two reasons - one, we (I) wanted a place that was warm, yet a little more controlled than our last vacation spot (Jamaica) so that I could relax and not worry so much about being in a car accident. Maybe I'm just getting old, but I though the sound of a vacation rather than an adventure sounded nice, especially with a little one in tow. Second - we could get some sailing lessons there for cheap, through the military bases. So Hawaii it was. Besides, our second choice, Spain - to go on a walking vacation - was a little beyond our budget. So Oahu it was and goodness was it beautiful. And relaxing? - yes, it was just that. Just what we all needed. The only thing that would have made the trip better would have been an extra week to spend on another island and see some volcanoes!! Well, We'll just have to do that another time. So here are some pictures from the first four
we were there. I haven't had time to get to the rest of them yet. Enjoy.

On the first day there, we just got settled and then drove up the windward side of the island. This little pen had two piglets in it and was located behind the restaurant where we ate lunch.


Right outside our cabana window (which was actually some renovated barracks on a marine base) was beach and the Kaneohe Bay. It was wonderful to sleep and awake to the sound of the surf. One of the things I loved about Oahu is that there is no fishy smell anywhere. This is due to the fact that the tide does not change the water level much, leaving no smelly seaweed behind. So being right on the beach was, well, delightful.


This is actually the beach on the air force base. We tried to get in some sailing lessons this day - but due to high winds, we just got some beach time. Eva loves the water. She was in it every chance she got and didn't let a little chill stop her.




On Sunday we drove to the west side of the island, looking for Turtle Beach. We didn't find it that day, but did find this lovely spot.




On Monday we took a whale watching cruise. It was also delightful - good food, nice ukelele music, lai making,... and WHALES!!! and yes, the water really was this blue....











More later.....