Monday, April 14, 2008

3 Little Monkeys

I made Sydney's bed on Saturday.




I really made it. Not just the sheets and blanket, but I put it all together.

Our neighborhood had a big garage sale on Saturday. We had other plans, so I didn't plan to do any shopping, but on our way home from dance class, I found a bed for Sydney.

When I brought it home, it was just a big pile of metal tubing, nuts, screws and a few fake wood boards. Nathan would probably cringe at the fake wood-ness, but he's not here, and this bed it totally cool - I think he'll like it.

All my big helpers were out for the day, so Emily and John helped me carry all the pieces upstairs to Sydney's room. Then we started balancing pieces and trying out hex? screwdriver thing-a-ma-jigs. I had no directions and lots of pieces. It was amazing how it all worked out. And no left over bits!



After a little trial and error, the loft bed was complete and the desk underneath was all assembled, including the sliding keyboard drawer. The most dangerous part of the adventure was getting the mattress all the way up over the rails. I almost broke out the bedroom window, and my neck make a scary creaky sound, but somehow I managed to teeter-totter it up over my head onto the bed. Whew!

The bed is about the height of the top bunk of a regular bunkbed, but instead of a bed underneath, there is a desk and some storage. Kind of like this. The perfect place to do some homework or build a fort. Sydney (and John) loves it!

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Dinner goal update - You guys are the best! Thanks for all the great ideas and motivation. I made a list today and went to the commisary, something I've been avoiding for a while, but better today than tomorrow (payday.)

At 4pm I got up off the couch where I was enjoying reading A Cure for Dreams (thank you for the book ideas, too) and started some rice in the rice cooker and some chicken breasts in the oven. Just before 5pm I stir-fried some veggies with some olive oil and Shoyu (thank you Heather). I bought a bottle of garlic ginger sauce (thank you Nikko) and added a tablespoon or so in with the veggies. It turned out really yummy. I kept the chicken separate from the veggies for my picky ones, but mixed it all together for me and Hannah.

It was a good dinner. It felt good to have a plan and follow through. on to tomorrow...

11 comments:

nikko said...

I am impressed! No directions and no extra pieces. There must be an award for that!

Tori :) said...

Wow Wendy. You just rock on so many different levels!

Deanne said...

I, too, am most impressed! It looks (and sounds) like an Ikea bed. However you got it together without directions is beyond me. Way to go!!!

And way to go with dinner! I have a great new cookbook for families. It has great easy recipes and even comes with a shopping list. Check it out...myfamilymealplanner.com The best thing is that it has planned out meals for 12 months, which is really four meals a week (one of them being a crock pot meal once a week). Anyway, I love the new cookbook and the new-to-me recipes.

Mary said...

Nice job on the bed! I agree with Deanne, sounds like an IKEA bed - their instructions are very lacking as it is, but to put it together without them is totally impressive! Syd is a lucky girl to have such a coolio bed!

I think I say this every time you post a picture, but the kids are getting so big (and are so cute!). Why must we live so far apart?

The Mrs. said...

the bed looks great and the pic of all three was adorable as always! your kids look like great kids!

Unknown said...

Hooray! I was hoping you would want to see me when I came to Hawaii. E-mail me your digits and I will call you for a lunch date or a smoothie date or a drink out of a coconut date, whatever you islanders do.

Your favorite sister said...

Hi Wendy. You are probably not going to remember me at all, when I knew you I was hanging out with Sarah so...This is Marie Turner ( Kennedy) from White Salmon. I found your blog through Tammy Brennan's (it's a long story). My dh and I are stationed out here in Guam, not too far away from you. I feel for you having your hubby deployed. I have been through 2 so far and it is no fun. Anyway, just wanted to stop and say hi. I am going to bookmark you! :)

Your favorite sister said...

I forgot, have you read Going Overboard by Sarah Smiley? Seriously funny. It is a good Military Wife read!

wendy said...

Deanne - my family meal planner sounds like an excellent idea! I'll check it out!

Mary - they are getting big. We measured on Sunday and I can't believe how much they've grown just since Nathan left in December...

Trying - they are great kids!

Hi Annie - let's get together - yeah yeah yeah!

Aloha Marie - thanks for visiting! How fun to meet up online. I'll have to have Sarah (my sister, not the author) come "visit" your blog!

Unknown said...

awh, what little sweeties. adorable picture. thanks for coming by. yes, i did have fun writing that fiction murder story. what fun. he he.

take care, kathleen :)

Unknown said...

had to come back and see the cute picture of your angels again. this picture makes me smile :)

happy friday, kathleen :)