September

     September pretty much flew by, just like the months before it.  I changed schedules at work because Leo was called to be the president of the Spanish Branch at church in our area, and I didn't think it would be good for me to be sleeping all Sunday when I knew he would be gone.  So now I work Tuesday nights. It makes for a pretty crazy week and Sebas has more than once managed to get himself and his two little brothers to school in the morning.  I have very mixed feelings about working--I very much love the financial freedom it gives me to buy "extras" but it does have a toll on our family and the time I used to be able to sew and exercise, etc.  Anyway, Efraim was so funny in these pictures.  I was cutting up beef for fajitas and he asked what I was doing and I said "cutting beef--it's a cow".   And he was absolutely horrified.  "No Mom no! I like cows!!" etc.  And I said, "Yes, you like to eat them, and chickens and pigs."  At this he started sobbing, "I LOVE chickens! No!!!!"  (He held some baby chicks at Megan's a few weeks before and he has a memory like an elephant.)  "Make it come alive!!!"  and I said, "Only Jesus can do that."  So he very solemnly and sincerely prayed for the cow to come alive and checked the cooler after just to see.  Kind of heartbreaking, but hilarious as well.  Of course that night at dinner, the beef was the only thing he ate.  

I plowed up a spot to plant irises.  Leo and I dug up the dying bushes in our neighbor's yard (they said we could) and next spring I'm planting a new hedge of Nanking Cherries.

I also planted 325 bulbs of crocuses, snowdrops, and muscari.  I so hope they all grow.  I love flowers so much.  And I dug up a bush in the backyard too and planted some Sarvest berries.  Again, so hoping they live and grow.  

Efraim wears that lion hat all. the. time.  It's pretty adorable actually. 

And occasionally he wears his cloak.  He also wore Isabel's pink dress that she wore FOREVER all the time, until it shredded and Leo and I threw it away.  Poor kid, he wanted to be a princess for Halloween, and I trashed his costume.  

I think Efraim was eating ice in these pictures.

I need a bigger sewing room.  Sigh.

I bought this beautiful baby because my Kenmore's tension died again, and my Viking is off at the shop to be fixed as well and that machine is gutless anyway.  It's a 66 Singer from the 1940's.  I've been looking for one for the last year or so off and on.  And finally came across one in good condition at the right price. So stinking HAPPY about this machine.

Look at all those lovely attachments!!!  Leo helped me clean it and oil it and I replaced some wiring and lightbulb etc.  It works like a dream.  

More of September

 

I missed posting this, but this was more of September.  This was the snow storm that came through that changed our plans from backpacking to Utah and Colorado hiking.  

And this was the fire that took out Leo's plant for the last couple months.  Not a pleasant day.  

Leo made a table!!!

Finished!!  YAY!!!  I should have made this picture a lot nicer, but oh well.  You get the gist.  We bought the ash slabs for this table in Casper two years ago, but then we moved and it went into storage.  This summer Leo worked like crazy and was able to finish it.  

Ana helped sand one time--it was super helpful.  And Leo's cousin Nicholas came and stayed with us for two weeks in June/July and he's done a lot of woodworking so that was really helpful too.  He helped Leo with the epoxy.  And Leo had several coworkers that lent him tools.  Super nice of them.

These were the two original slabs.  We had to take them to a place in Ogden to get them cut precisely.  (Ugh, I can't remember now what it was exactly.)

Maybe it was just for this edge, because then Leo joined the two slabs together to make our table top. 

Lots of sanding.

The two slabs joined together!  And this was as far as we got for a year and a half.  

Then Leo bought some tools and went to work. 

Okay, out of order.  Sorry.

Before the bench was finished. 

And here it is mostly put together but not completely, it's just sitting there like a puzzle.  

I love the chocolate color.

Sebastian helped with the finish.  We were going to do an epoxy finish for the durability but I hated the shininess, so instead I did a spur of the moment search and found Rubio Monocoat and we love it.  Super, super simple to apply and get a professional looking finish.  

Sebastian torching epoxy bubbles.

I joined in for the finishing touches.  That part was fun.  

Our garage spelled like heaven while Leo was hand carving the base.  

This is how the base is held in place, with hand carved wedge things.  Leo did such a good job!!!  I'm so impressed!!!