Market Day

I spent part of Sunday afternoon strolling through the Sandwich Antique Market with my shopping buddy, Henry. We found some interesting things, but nothing we couldn't live without. I found perfect pieces to fit in places I've already filled with furniture, but nothing that's on my current shopping list (the perfect rectangular kitchen table, a bench for the front door, a basket for the mail and papers that always litter the kitchen table). So it looks like I'll have to keep shopping. Darn.

Looking Up

Henry now has two new reasons to look up in his room. We finally found a replacement for the boring light fixture in his room with a fun new one from Ikea. It makes the room a little happier. And better yet, he has a very cool new mobile made by his Uncle David. He loves to check out the wild animals as they float by (and would love to have the chance to smack them and make them fly again.... it only took once for me to figure out that wasn't a great idea!).

Kitchen Table Quest

I have this idea that changing out our oval kitchen table for an unique rectangular one with a window seat will change our lives for the better. Every day will be easier. The food will taste better, the room will be cleaner, the boys eating at it will have better manners, birds will sing and there will never be another cloudy day. Or something like that. But I do think it might be cool.
This table would be PERFECT.... if it weren't sized for a 4 year old. Or I guess it would be perfect for 2 of us. Neil and I could return to eating on the couch like we did in the pre-kids years.

Flea!

Flea market that is. You really think I'd allow an infestation around here with my parasite paranoia?
Anyway... my mom and I had a great time wandering the rows of "treasures" at the flea market Saturday morning. Here's some highlights I caught the next day when I drug Neil back there to check out a newel post (that we eventually elected not to buy, but gave us some ideas for our upcoming stairway project).

The table I fell in love with and was heartbroken to discover it was 3 inches too tall

I also fell in love with this funny metal goat. But I fell in $35-or so-love, not $85 love.

My grandma used to have one of these according to my Dad.


The newel post prospect

Summer Projects

With summer now here, all of our house projects move outdoors. We've been busy cleaning up beds in the backyard, trimming overgrowth, and building a new raised garden bed for vegetables. Our plantings are looking better than they have in years this summer and are finally starting to fill in enough that I'm not needing to do nearly as much weeding. This is the first year I haven't rearranged any of the perennials or added any new ones. It's nice to take a break and enjoy what's there (while I plan for next year) and it gives us a little more time to fiddle with the new garden bed. We finally put up lattice under our deck this year and I've been enjoying not losing the cat under there or worrying about raccoons taking up residence while we sleep. Our next projects are re-staining the deck and finishing the borders of our beds to keep the grass out. I've got a few other ideas, but I've found it's best not to overwhelm my "contractor" (husband) with them all at once so I'll keep them on my mental list for now...