Anvil - A-N-V...

 Avery was selected to represent her class in the school spelling bee.  Studying with her was excruciating.  Each word had to be commented upon and dramatized, making it difficult to get through more than 10 words in a sitting.  Eventually I just suggested that she watch Akeelah and the Bee and hoped that she would serendipitously get a word that she heard in the movie.  The night before the event she was a little more serious in her studies.

 It goes without saying that you would wear your (snow)leopard print pants for the main event.   She was cool and confident and I felt pretty darn nervous.  The setting instantly took me back a quarter century to my own participation in the district bee*.

Round one - R-O-B-O-T

Round two - L-I-L-A-C

Round three - A-N-V-I-L pause, E? ding.

She loved the experience and wore her everyone's a winner medal all day and evening long.

*I got out on BALLISTIC,  can't remember exactly but I think I put an O in there.  

Towel Bar & TP Holder

I feel like toilet paper holders are a bit of a problem child in our house decorating past.  They aren't cheap and the ones we like seem to get loose beyond repair or break in some other fashion.  Once again my monthly Internet bill is one I don't hate paying, because I get so much use out of it.  I'm not going to pretend that I thought this up myself.  All I had to do was Google, "sturdy DIY toilet paper roll holder" and I had a bevy of images to browse until I found one that would fit our aesthetic and skill set.   

Items procured from The Home Depot, plumbing dept. - 

1/2 inch x 6 inch galvanized pipe, 

(I used the "black" version which is really more of a dark gray)

1/2 inch x 2 inch galvanized pipe

1/2 inch elbow

1/2 inch end cap

1/2 inch floor flange 

(I had to buy this online bc they only had a light silver version of this at both Lowe's and HD, also it was cheaper)

I did come up with my own version of a matching towel rod.  

2 - floor flanges

1 - 12 inch x 1/2 inch pipe

2 - 90 degree "street" connectors - different than an elbow as there is a male and female end

Hola 2014!

With a giant bucket of Popcornopolis assorted mix by my side I am excited to welcome the new year and get back to the keyboard again (my right wrist and it's ulner nerve issues...less excited).  Being a more faithful blogger is not my new years resolution*, it just so happens that we barely unpacked our computer a few weeks ago and I have been legitimately off-line and unplugged since last June.  And it has been that long since I have had a kitchen also.  We are only partially moved in to our new place (we made an Army sponsored move to Texas/Mexico) So much and so little has happened in the last six months but I hope to be able to fill in snippets as I download pictures from the camera and as pertinent events are recalled.  I am also starting a new blog reminiscent of our Washington house building site that will serve as a very depressing record of our attempt to remodel an old house instead of building from scratch (the latter is way easier).  The progress can be followed here once I find the courage to relive the last few months.

So, last I left off we were in the middle of this (packing to move):

Once we were packed and on the road we did this:

the highlight of the summer was this:

All leading up to this:

*This year my efforts will be toward speaking more kindly to my husband especially when discussing matters related to house improvements as terse words do not improve a tense situation (it only makes for good tv and we don't have a reality show).  Hopefully the kids will be kinder to each other as a result of my example.  Happy New Year everybody!