One Step Closer on Table
This weekend I have been able to make very good progress on the table. This evening we will be moving it indoors for the final coat of stain/sealer. I started in the garage not knowing how the smell would be but it wasn't bad. I have put two coats on so far and plan to stop after three assuming it looks and feels the way I want. After the first coat it didn't feel like it sealed at all but I used a low grit sand paper in order to get a darker stain. So I think it wood just absorbed the stain. I ended up going with a a Polyshades Bombay Mahogany stain/sealer it was an all in one. So far applying it has been much easier than the post I read online. However the second coat was a little harder than the first, not sure what to expect out of the third. Its a much redder shade than the store or can show. But we are both really liking the color. Not the picture but both benches are done. I hope to be posting a fully completed with it set up in our kitchen picture tomorrow.
Modern Farm House Table
So the project has begun. I sold my old table on Craigs List yesterday in order to fund this project. The table sold very quickly and for full asking price (probably should have asked more.) Now its not even close to being finished yet so use your imagination a little bit. I still have six more supports to put in up under and six more boards for the top that will all have to be screwed down. From there I will build two benches. Later on I might pick up two chairs for the ends of the table or build two half benches. So far today I have only got to work on it and hour and half, but feel like I am making good progress. I have never had trouble building anything thanks to helping build custom closets for a year or so. I am a little scared about staining it so I am open to any tips, youtube videos or hands on help.
Anyways this all all I have for now. I hope to be able to finish it over the weekend stain in all. Currently we are going to do a really dark cherry stain if I can find it. I hope to be having Sunday night or Monday's dinner on this table while sitting on our new benches.
Here is a link to the plans I am following and a picture of what it should look like in the end.
Update: Another picture I was able to get a little more done this evening. The table top takes 180 screws that is a lot of screw so sink... You can't tell but I have over half of the done and am debating doing the rest. Also now thinking I might not might doing a chestnut stain, its the stain you can buy the table in from West Elm.
Family Photo
So we finally did a family photo its the first time in almost two years. To say the least Margaret wasn't really feeling it tonight but we got a few good ones. The plan was to do it outside but with it being so wet out we just did them at home. So for now we have a few things I was happy with and hopefully we will get some more soon. Thanks to Kyla for doing these for us tonight.
Exercise
We of course used to be very in shape. Now the only shape we are is round compared to when we got married. No surprise there really I think it happens to the best of us. But after six years of marriage we both finally felt that it wasn't only time to do something but we wanted to. So I started researching running a while back we gave it a go with a little program and failed at it pretty quickly. Mostly I think we got bored and the running was hurting my knee, which I have had problems with for a while. So after some more research I found out about barefoot running. I watched and read interviews/reviews for a little over month before getting my first pair of Vibram Five Fingers. Since I wasn't sure when I would get another pair I went with a pair of Sprints. After two tries I finally got the right size. I walked in them for about a month before running. I knew that my body needed some conditioning over all and time to get used the shoes. My feet were a little sore for the first few days but nothing to bad. The bad only came when it was time to start running. My calves are probably almost conditioned up after three months of running never over a mile and a half. The best part of all is my knee doesn't hurt at all after a run. Which is pretty amazing since running your typical way heel to toe I could hardly walk the next day my knee would hurt so much. So now not only are we running regularly but were running "barefoot." Will is even running a little on his real bare feet.
We have both gone full time VFF wearers so you pretty much will always see us with some funny shoes on. I had ordered a pair of blue camo KSOs but the strap started to fray so I sent them back. With inventory being so low I didn't have many options on another pair and I didn't want to wait till mid March for another pair in my size so I got a pair of Classics which I am loving.I did do one run in them and didn't like that at all. But for your everyday wear that are great and a lot easier to get on and off fast. I ended up ordering two pair to make sure I got the right size this time and I think Margaret thought a pair was for her. They don't have VFF right now for kids and I doubt they will. But I did find Margaret a pair of minimalist shoes they are also expensive at half the cost of a pair of VFF. But I was able to find a pair brand new on a forum for $7 shipped so that was without a doubt my deal of the week. They were not the color or size I would have picked paying full price. But then again I probably wouldn't have a pair at full price and both Will and I want to keep her feet in good shoes too. They are Preschoolians for anyone interested. We will have this pair for a while cause they are pretty big right now.
We have gave ourselves a little challenge. We both want a pair of Bikilas when they come out. They are the first pair of VFF designed for running. So in order to get a pair we both have to run five miles. Will has already done four so I don't think he is going to have much trouble. I think he is pushing to run his five totally barefoot. I on the other hand have a little ways to go. We are also planning on running all the local 5ks like we used to. A while back I picked up a jogging stroller at a garage sale for $10 bucks and its safe to say we have got our moneys worth. So we can shouldn't have any issues doing the runs with Margaret as long as she is in a good mood and has plenty of snacks. We have even talked a little here and there about doing a half marathon.
One other thing I want to point out about VFF is that before Will started wearing them he couldn't bend his toes at all. He really couldn't get them to move. He has been wearing his full time since November and he can not only move them but bend them a fair amount. So all the talk you hear about them strengthening tendons in your toes is true.
Homemade
So in one of my ways in trying to save money for our family I have started trying to do lots of new things. One of which being making my own soap. So far things have gone really good. I have made our dish washing soap and laundry soap. We are seriously talking about pennies per load. Both are extremely easy to make and have already saved us probably around $20-$30 a month. But I was ready to try something a little harder. They both work really good too I even wash cloth diapers with the stuff and it gets everything out.
For around the last four months we have switch from using traditional bottled shampoo to a shampoo bar. This saves on the amount of plastic we use and money of course. The switch was very easy for us we didn't have much chemical build up or maybe our hair just handled the change good, I am not really sure. I liked the idea I knowing exactly what I am putting in my hair and how it made my hair feel. However like all things organic or "natural" it cost around $6 to $8 dollars a bar. A bar will last anywhere from three months on depending on how hard the bar is and if you take good care of it. The only real care involved is just making sure you let it dry out real nice between uses. So after talking to some neighbors we tried our hand at making our own. I am to the curing process right now and have at least six more weeks to go before I get to try it out. I might even let it go a little longer so it will get extra hard. I have never had a really hard bar but from what I have read the harder the better. So to say the least I am really excited to see how this soap turns out. I have really high hopes there are so many options to soap making that if things go well I plan to make much more.
So for now the list just grows with things are a making either to save a little money or for fun.
Vegetarian For A Week
I think everyone knows I am always looking for ways to safe a buck, get skinny, be healthy you name it. So this week when it came to making my grocery list I thought I would try vegetarian for a week. Doesn't mean if we go out we cannot have meat. Just that everything I am cooking at home will not have meat. We primarily only eat free range cattle and chicken which is pretty expensive. I also feel really well worth heck Margaret is going on two and never had to be on any kind or prescription drug and when or if she has to be I am hoping her body will response great to it since she will not be loaded up on antibiotics from eating cows and chickens. We are going to work meat back into the diet. I just wanted to kick start the week and try some new recipes so thought we would go all out this week with no meat so I could try more things. Also to kick start things off we drove to Dallas to do our grocery shopping at Whole Foods.
First meal was Tofu Tacos its was pretty good. I think if I cook it again I need to cook the onions a little longer than two or three 
minutes. But we all ate it and were full and happy. Was my first time ever to cook tofu and it went really well. Before we even left I had no idea what the cost of tofu was but for on package of organic tofu at Whole Foods was only $1.79 which is way cheaper than any organic meat. Also we didn't even use the whole package so it was a very affordable and healthy meal.
My second cooking adventure was Zucchini Brownies. They were a bit of a leap as the whole idea just sound wrong. But my normal curiosity took over and I knew I had to try these. So Sunday afternoon I gave them a shot. At first I didn't think it was even going to work cause it's a very dry mix even after adding the zucchini. I think when I make them again I am going to do a good heaping or well packed two cups of zucchini so they are extra moist. I did the two cups this time but they were not packed cups cause I was a little scared off adding to much zucchini. But now seeing that won't hurt the taste any I will be sure to do more next time. Anyway just to cut to the chase as weird as these sound they are really good. I have gave them to more than four different people that all thought they were great and would have never guessed they had zucchini in them. This is a vegan recipe and would be great to making for a school event or any other social event were you don't know what everyone food allergies are since you would be eliminating dairy and egg.
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Trick or Treat
Last night we took Margaret out for her first trick or treating. Overall she's a happy and social girl, but when new people are around, particularly men, it may take her 15 min or so to warm up to them. Since trick or treating is almost 100% about new, often costumed, sometimes scary people, we really didn't know what to expect.
The plan was to go trick or treating with our neighbors Tommy and Stephanie. We got a little impatient waiting on them to get home from their anniversary dinner, so we went ahead and dressed Margaret up in her bumble bee outfit and did a trial run at our other neighbor's house. We handed her her bucket, and, and waited behind some other kids as the Diemund's handed out candy. Margaret just kinda stood there, unsure of what was going on. As the candy went into her bucket, she saw McKennah, and tried to walk in their house. We had to grab her and explain to her that we'd be going to other houses, and that we weren't going to be staying to play. We went to one other house while waiting on Tommy and Stephanie. This time Margaret seemed to know the drill. She cooperatively carried her bucket to the door, and held it out to receive candy. She wasn't the least bit timid or shy, much to our pleasure.
Tommy and Stephanie showed up while this was going on, and we waited a few minutes for them to get their kids suited up. We trick or treated our whole neighborhood with them, and Margaret was just amazingly awesome. She never fussed at all. When it was time to go to a new house, she'd grab her bucket and head to the door. If she was the first one there, she'd even knock. If she was behind bigger kids, she'd just sidle back and forth looking for a gap so she could get up to the front and get some candy. Never once did she act afraid or timid of anyone. She continued to try to go into people's houses, particularly if they had dogs.
When we got home, we dumped her candy on the floor and she spent a solid 15 minutes just picking up each piece and inspecting it. She played a matching game for a little while where she'd find 2 of the same kinds of candy, and hand them to me. We let her have a few things, trying to limit the sugar as much as possible. A big thanks to the folks who gave out pretzels!
The best part about it all is what happened this morning. I woke up, and laid in bed for a while. Margaret must have woken up w/o me noticing, apparently still thinking about last night, because the first words I hear out of her mouth, at full volume, are "Trick or Treat"