Grace wanted to do sand art while we were busy painting the table and at the time it felt like that was going to be a problem, so we said to her, “Would you like to watch some more TV?” She bursts into tears and says, “I don’t want to watch TV, because it will make my brain vrot!”

Well, how can we argue with that? Especially seen as I say, “If you watch too much TV it will vrot your brain.” So sand art it was, which actually really wasn’t a hassle at all. I’m glad that she makes constructive choices, even when we’re suggesting something mind numbing.

First start with an old table, the one that used to be Donné’s desk as a student, and is now our dining room table.

Apply Annie Sloan paint…

…with helper

And then you have a new table

This paint is awesome, and super easy (no prep work), and addictive….hmmm, what’s next?

These are Eli’s two favourite words at the moment….”up” whenever he wants to go up, and “Grace!” just about whenever. Part of the bed time routine is a hug goodnight from Grace, and tonight after I gave Eli a hug he puts up his head and calls out, “Gace, Gace!” waiting for his goodnight hug.

Donné turned 36 today – what I’m calling it her “All Gold” birthday. It was a relaxed day together, with some friends joining us for tea and cake in the afternoon. Grace has been stuck on getting Donné a bath sponge for her birthday, so she finally got the sponge which Grace chose for her, along a sand art card, bookmark and home made wrapping paper that Grace made for her. When I got out of bed this morning Grace was sitting at the table, industriously working at a sand art card for mom.

Donné also got some Annie Sloan paints for redoing our dining room table and the kitchen cupboards in our new house, so she is excited to get painting.

Family birthday “couch” photo

Donné made herself a pig-in-the-mud cake

Donné, Eli and Grace were all swinging together on the one swing, with Eli and Grace facing each other. Grace was playing with Eli saying, “Boo!” and every time she would say it, he would pack out laughing (because big sisters are super funny). So Donné says to her, “Grace, you are so lucky to have such a captive audience.”

Grace, being Grace, says, “Eli is so lucky to have such an entertaining sister.”

Grace has discovered pancakes, and would happily eat them everyday

The best type of glasses are the edible ones

They guys are Vida just love Eli and now call him, “Pow, pow” – a side effect of wearing a superhero jacket with “Pow!” on the back.

Grace was looking at her butterfly and Eli was having some fun playing in the dirt

Grace and Eli having some fun singing together

Okay, family packed….now for the rest of the house.