Thursday, August 4, 2011

Repurposing


Guess who is becoming a tiny bit interested in the potty? Uh-huh. Is there any other time in life when the family gathers round in such fashion? When every expression of the face is cheered for? These are fun days.


About a week ago Little Bit called to me from her crib. Normally when she wakes, I let her play for a little while, but for some reason, this day I found myself rushing in to get her, questioning my actions as my feet carried me closer to her room. I opened her door and there she stood, NOTHING on from the waist down and she'd left me a big surprise. She was standing very carefully over said surprise, evidently, having just completed her mission. She appeared quite proud. 

 

I'm thinking she might be a candidate for duct tape diapers? Since then she's come to me once and said, "te-te." That time was a success. Where it should have been. Though her words are mixed up. Aren't you so glad to know all of this?!


The summer after my freshman year I worked early six mornings a week cleaning a pool and the surrounding bathrooms. With all the money I earned from those early mornings, I purchased this pine table at Pier One Imports. I loved that table. It went with me to my first town house off campus. (I didn't have a bed, but I had a great table.)


I served a LOT of meals on that table. There were a LOT of late nights after RUF of snacking at that table. There were a lot of sit down dinners with friends. There have been thousands of stories told over that table. I still love that table.


For years it was in our dining room, because it was the nicest table we had. Plus, we loved it. 

Eventually we bought an antique dining table. The pine table then officially served as our "everyday" table in the breakfast room. And then we scored a beautiful table with matching chairs at a yard sale. 


And the pine table, though we loved it and dreaded the thought of parting with it, didn't seem to fit well anywhere. It was sort of the elephant in the room in our kitchen...really too big to stay. I thought through each room in our home. There just wasn't a good fit to be had.

So I got a crazy idea. I studied the table and its construction and thought it might be doable. I mentioned it to The Engineer...who began sawing the table in half before I'd really decided that was what I wanted to do.


A little glue, a few screws, some small brackets, and four casters and wha-la!


I think I'm in love. I've always wanted to have an island. Now that she's here, I can't imagine the kitchen without her. I love how my friend Christian put it, "Husbands that champion our dreams are amazing..." Yes my dear Engineer. You are amazing indeed.

9 comments:

  1. Awesome! How great for that table to have a new lease on life!

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  2. Jennifer!!!! I think the table is even better in its second life than its first. I love it! Love it, love it, love it! Perfect! I admire your creativity and how the engineer just dives in head first.

    Way to go, Little Bit! I LOVE the very first photo in this post. Oh, how it tells a story, and I think photos that tell stories are the best ones of all.

    Thanks for the shout out. We are too very blessed wives, aren't we?!

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  3. LOVE THE TABLE!! It's GORGEOUS! I am so impressed with your creative thinking! The Engineer did an amazing job as well! I love that you took something you loved...things like that from our past are hard to part with. Now you will always smile when you look at it and it will be a functional blessing to the hub of your home.

    Wasn't there a very similar picture of The Engineer sitting with little man while he was going potty once? Maybe I imagined it, but I feel like I've seen a similar shot on your blog before. Way to Go Little Bit! This is an exciting time...hope you're not in for too many more "surprises."

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  4. FABULOUS! this is too funny, but I have a similar story I will have to share with you on this. And I LOVE how it still stayed with you, memories and all, still around the kitchen table :)

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  5. is it strange that i am tearing up over the thought of your table transformation? the pieces of our life that move with us on to the next phases... i love it.

    and i AM so glad to know about potty habits of other children because it makes me feel more sane when i recount the potty habits of my own children to any and everyone! :)

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  6. Love the new island! Can you make another one for your homeschool room with the other half?

    Also love the pic of Little Bit having potty chat with Daddy. Reminds me of one you posted a while back of Little Man. Life marches on!

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  7. This top photo is cracking me up. Oh, how I have been there! Such a familiar sight. Just hangin' out in the bathroom w/ a sweet child ...

    BTW ... uh... LOVE the island. LOVE! So clever!

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  8. Absolutely gorgeous! LOVE your new island and your kitchen in the background looks like a magazine.

    That Engineer. You're gonna have to keep him.

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