Project Piano Bench

A few days after we got our piano, I got the notion to try and re-do the top of the bench as it is not in the greatest looking shape.  I've seen many DIY segments on TV and my brain started turning on how I could do this.  A plan started taking shape.

Here are the before pictures:

My plan was to find some wood no more than maybe 1/4" thick and wrap it in fabric.  My next decision was on how to attach it to the bench.  My solution - velcro!

I went to The Depot to look for something else but soon discovered that they had a lot of upholstry scraps that would be big enough for me to use.  I decided that would be the way to go instead of just normal cotton fabric.  I found some that I thought would go really well with our living room colors.  I bought that for $1.00. 

After talking with dad, he said he'd have some sheets of wood that would work, but Rodney would have to cut it down to the size I needed.  I picked it up on Friday, and then bought the velcro I needed at Walmart for less than $4.00.

I then thought that I should probably wrap the wood in some sort of batting to help protect the fabric and lo and behold, I found I had some in storage. :o)

Saturday morning Rodney cut two pieces to size and I glued them together later.  Now today I took on the challenge of actually seeing if my project would turn out.

Wrapping my board in batting.

Upholstry fabric wrapped and stapled around the board.  Figuring out how to do the corners so it wasn't so thick was more challenging than I was counting on, but I did figure it out. :o)

Velcro strips

The final result!  Turned out pretty good if I do say so myself :o)

Doodle Pad

Janae loves to draw.  Her people are looking better and better.

Kaycie isn't the best draw-er yet but is definitely getting better.  These are the best people she had drawn.  Since this picture was taken, I've been trying to teach her how to put legs on and put the arms on the line not the head :o)  She is slowly getting it.

The other night Kaycie wanted to do her "alphabet letters".  This means she wants me to write a letter and she tells me what it is.  She is also learning to write some of the letters.  I had been occasionally working on her name, but it had been a little while since we did it.  This night she wanted to write her name and here is one of her attempts.  For the most part she knows how to spell it, but she does occasionally forget the Y.

I am sooo happy she is beginning to write and recognize her name!  I know each child is different, but I do remember that Janae was writing her name right when she turned 3.    

The Sound of Music

For a while now Rodney has mentioned that we really should start Allyson in taking piano lessons.  My response has always been fine but we don't have room for a piano.  And then out of the blue last night, Allyson mentions that she wants to play the violin!  I asked where did that come from.  Evidently they watched a video in school that day and it had something to do with violins.  I said that is fine, but you really first need to learn to play the piano.

Later that night my mind started rolling.  I thought of a possible place to put a piano but that meant moving a hutch to another corner in the living room making it even more crowded.  I even decided I should call a lady from church to see if she was still giving lessons and to see what her thoughts were on whether or not a child could or should learn to play on a keyboard vs. a piano.

So while Rodney was gone this morning I called the lady from church and asked her my questions.  No, she did not give lessons any more but gave me a name of another person (who I used to go to church with many years ago) and said that learning on a keyboard could work for the first year or two but would really need a piano later on.

I then decided to look on Craigslist for a piano.  I found one that was listed just today in a town only 15 minutes away for $90.  When Rodney came home, I let him know what I was thinking and showed him the picture of the piano.  We then left for t-ball practice.  When we got back home, I once again asked him if he thought we should check it out.  He called the sellers and told him we may be interested and would be there after a bit to check it out.  After calling his sister (who is a talented musician) to tell her about it, she decided she would meet us there and check it out with us.

We now have a piano!

It is definitely not in the best looking shape and is missing one pedal, but my thoughts are that as long as it plays well once it is tuned, that is the main thing.  I did use some Murphy's Oil Soap on it and got it looking a little better, but I'm thinking that a nice runner along the top back would be a nice touch :o)  And if I'm ambitious enough, I may even try to make a cover for the bench.

Needless to say, Allyson is all excited about taking lessons and playing, but I quickly reminded her that once we get lessons set up, she will have to practice, practice, practice, and that she may not have as much time to play as she does now.  We'll see how it goes :o)

I should also say a big Thank You! to my brother Tyler for coming over to help unload it and move the hutch.

Is That Homemade Bread I Smell?

For whatever reason, the other day I got in my head that I'd like to try and make our own bread from scratch.  I posted this idea on Facebook to get some good bread recipes.  I only got one email response with a recipe, and it was a whole lot more involved than I was anticipating.

I then talked with another friend, who I knew made her own bread with a bread machine, to see about trying to make it that way instead.  I then discovered that she just uses the machine to do all the work, but then puts the dough into the oven to bake.  She was gracious enough to let me have her recipe to give it a try.

I then went online searching for what type of bread machine I should possibly invest in.  After talking with my friend again, she mentioned that it probably didn't matter a whole lot on what make it was and offhandedly mentioned that her mom had bought her two extra bread machines at The Depot.  The next day I decided to check out The Depot just to see if they even had any and lo and behold they did!  And I bought it . . . for $20.  Figured I'd try it out, see if this is something I would enjoy doing, and then if it was, I could invest in a better machine once this used one konked out.

So this morning after dropping Janae off at school, Kaycie and I went to Walmart to buy all the ingredients we would need.  Then after lunch I decided now was as good of a time as any to try my first experience ever on making bread, and about 2 1/2 hours later the house smelled wonderful!

I was quite surprised at  how easy it was and that it turned out so nice looking!  We didn't have our first taste of the bread until after supper, but it was definitely worth the wait!  It was great!!!  With all of this said, my goal is to start making our own bread instead of buying it at the store.  One more small step to start eating a healthier diet.

Singing Janae

Here is my first attempt since getting high speed internet to upload a video.

I had mentioned on Facebook that "my heart smiles when Janae sings Chris Tomlin's song "Our God is Greater."  I then had an uncle tell me to take a video and post it, so all can hear it too.  I decided that since not everybody who reads my blog is on Facebook to post it here as well.  Enjoy!

My "Triplets"

The girls were all excited to be "triplets" Sunday morning :o)  They even had to have their hair all the same.

Pictures

Just some pictures from the past few weeks.

This is Janae one afternoon several weeks ago (back during our warm streak).  She must like doing this as she does it more than any of the others :o)

The girls' new clubhouse.  They are getting old enough now that they are exploring the trees a lot more than before.

As you may remember Allyson got her own room the other month.  It is the smallest bedroom, but now it is the most crowded/cluttered too.

A picture from my Aunt Verna's ipad when they were here visiting last month.