Back to Home Depot

It was one of those "To Do List" weekends. You know, when you try to accomplish something that's been on your list for weeks. Which means you also make a few too many trips to Home Depot. Why does the paint always look completely different when you get it home?

Friday morning started like any other. Too early in the morning. Yogurt for breakfast. Happy baby.

But then the cleaning bug bit me. One of my resolutions is to keep the house cleaner, less cluttered. So I got out the cleaning supplies (homemade of course, using mostly vinegar and water). And Kane got his helmet. Having a police helmet is essential to home cleanliness. If you have a messy/cluttered house and you don't have a helmet, that's your problem. And wearing it backwards is fine. Obviously.

And cleaning with homemade cleansers means the wonderful aroma of vinegar. At least I know Kane won't try to drink it, right? We opened the windows to get some fresh air and my three guard dogs kept watch over the neighborhood.

So, remember how Kane loves the oven mitts? Well, he also loves sitting/squatting on the kitchen counter in that same spot. It's like anything going on in that 2 foot radius is great. And that's where Kane likes to party on a Friday night.

Saturday morning brought some more neighborhood watching. Just so you know, we live on a quiet street. It's a circle, so you basically come in and out the same way. Our garages are in the alley so we hardly ever see the neighbors unless they are out mowing the lawn. Very few random cars drive by. There is very little activity. Maybe a dog walker, a kid riding a scooter, or a squirrel jumping from tree to tree.

Yet there is a ton of neighborhood watching going on. Every day. So don't try any funny business in our neighborhood - you will be seen, and caught.

And he still likes those kisses. I really hope that doesn't end.

So after making sure the neighborhood was safe and secure, we headed to Home Depot to knock some things off the To Do List. First up was staining Kane's kitchen helper that Papa (my dad) made him for Christmas and a shelf to help get me organized. But it was a pretty chilly morning, so we had to bust out the warmest hat.

Have you ever taken a toddler to Home Depot? Well, it's basically an unsafe playground. They have these ladders on every other aisle and you know what toddlers like? Climbing. Kane couldn't stay off them. I don't blame him, they are his favorite color, have steps, and make him almost eye level with mom.

My favorite thing about these photos is Matthew in the background. He's trying to find the perfect glue for our project and thinking I'm taking care of Kane, when in reality, I'm letting Kane climb unsafe ladders for photo opps. Ha. This is mothering an adventurous boy...let him explore, just be ready to catch him if he falls. Lucky for me, he went up and down the steps several times like a pro. He didn't need me once.

And after all that climbing, someone needed a nap. He couldn't be bothered to clean up the playroom first. 

And while sleepy head slept, Dad was out in the garage working hard on staining the kitchen helper. And this is where the multiple trips to Home Depot started. First, Matthew realized he needed a miter saw to cut something for the shelf, so he made the second trip.

When he started to stain the wood, he realized I probably wouldn't like the color. He came in and said "I need you now" and I ran outside to see what happened. He was right and I love him for knowing that I wouldn't have liked the color. So while he sanded off the little bit of stain that he had tested, I went back to Home Depot for trip #3.

We found the right color and it matches our other furniture, so I'm happy.  The stain had to dry overnight and still needs a coat of poly, but once it's finished I will post some pictures of Kane testing out his kitchen helper.

Sunday, we tried to do nothing. We spent time outside, we ran a few errands, but still ended up in bed at 8pm. How is it that even low key home project weekends still wear you out?