Project-o-rama

Seriously, why do I have 5 bottle openers? 

Do you want to hear why?  Well, imagine that they're numbered 1-5 (l-r).  Here's why we have them:

• 
  
  #1 is awesome, the best wine corkscrew around. 
• 
  
  #2 is small, it would be perfect if you were going on a picnic, or camping, (or needed an easy-to-conceal weapon) and you wanted to pack lightly---and it can open wine bottle, beer bottles, or even a can.
• 
  
  #3 is what I would use to open a bottle of wine if I couldn't find #1.  No, that's never happened.  But it could. 
• 
  
  #4 doesn't really need justification, because it's awesome. 
• 
  
  Finally, although not as awesome as #4, #5 can open bottles and cans (#4 is bottles only).

See?  Getting rid of stuff is difficult!  There are reasons for everything.  Suffice to say, we no longer have 5 bottle openers.  (You're dying to know which ones made the cut, right?)

And as drawers are being emptied, other projects are (finally) getting finished:

She loves it :)  But after some quality drawing time, she tried to eat the chalk.  And then to feed it to Parker.  She really loves to share with him (which is, of course, adorable) ----often she'll be sitting and playing with something and then she'll spot him out of the corner of her eye, giggle, and crawl over to "give" him the toy.  (Giving him the toy sometimes consists of trying to shove it up his nose, and sometimes consists of laying it across his front paws.)

Parker also likes the chalkboard walls, because chalkboard walls mean that there's chalk around.  And chalk, apparently, makes a tasty snack.  He ate about 1/4 of a piece this morning while we were feeding Maya a snack.  Oops.

But then he made up for it by showing off his artistic side.  Well done, Parker.

PS.  We kept 3 bottle openers: #1 because it's the best for wine, #5 because it's great for opening cans with the pointy thing, and #4 because we're whimsical, and we have space for it :)

Magnetic chalkboard wall, part 1.5

It's part 1.5 because I haven't actually done anything else.  It's too hot to add paint fumes to the air, and I've been busy with other stuff.  Maya, however, was shocked to see the changes that had transpired during Monday's nap:

What the heck is this?!

And tape?!  On the wall?!  Oh no, mommy.  Let me just take this down for you.

One of the errands that I ran yesterday was to pick up Parker's monthly flea/tick prevention medicine.  I didn't want to walk him to the vet in the heat, so I had to weigh him at home.  I nearly fell over trying to get on the scale.

Hmm, I think he's grown a bit since we got him---what do you think?
4/23: 21.8 lbs                                                              7/6: 44 lbs!

Finally, and most importantly, my mom had surgery today.  If you have any good thoughts/prayers/vibes to spare, please send them her way.  Best wishes for a quick and speedy recovery, mom!  I know that if you end up getting internet in the hospital, you'll stop by here!

How to make a magnetic chalkboard wall (pt 1)

I've decided to try out using a picture communication system with Maya.  She understands so much of what we're saying (that's called "receptive language"----hers is very good---vs. "expressive language", which is the ability to talk and express yourself---she has none), but she can't really tell us anything (except for some signs, pointed glances, making noises, etc.).  I want to give her the ability to communicate with us, and using pictures (which can be pointed to, lined up to create schedules, handed over like trading cards, etc) works really well for a lot of families.

So I printed little picture cards (here are some examples) and laminated them----but Maya likes playing with the cards so much that I don't think she's understanding the point of them.  My sister said that we could buy magnetic paper and print the pictures on that---then use them on a magnetic wall----sounded good to me!  So off we went to Home Depot, where we got the supplies.  Phase one was completed today.  This is a super simple project, and you can easily do it at home. 

What you need: small paint roller with roller pad, Rustoleum magnetic primer, Rustoleum chalkboard paint, a small paintbrush (for edges and corners), painter's tape (I like the thick kind), a paint tray (if you don't have a paint tray, you can cut off the bottom of a cardboard box and cover it with aluminum foil)

Side note on painitng & aluminum foil: Foil is the best painter's tool ever.  I always have a sheet on the floor to put my paint can on, and an extra sheet for wet brushes, etc.  It makes clean up really easy.

What to do:

1. Tape off the area to paint.

(This is the larger wall I'm painting)

2. Paint a zillion coats of the magnetic primer.  Try to look stylish in case someone comes along to take your picture.

(This is the smaller wall I'm painting)

3.  Um, that's as far as I've gotten :) 

Actually, at this point if you wanted your newly magnetic wall/door to blend in, you could cover it with any normal paint you wanted.   Rustoleum also makes "White Board Paint" too---so you could cover the magnetic base with that and then have a wall that you can use wipe-off dry erase markers on! 

Tomorrow (or tonight) I'll be coating ours with chalkboard paint so that we can draw on it, too.  I'll let you all know how it works out.

Oh, and here's my favorite 4th of July pic---Maya & my mom hanging out and giggling on the steps in NJ:

Actually, I had one other 4th of July pic that I really liked---I posted it up on the FB fan page---check it out, and "like" us (officially) while you're at it!