A new life in a new land

Last fall, Eric started working for a new company called Johnson Controls Incorporated. While we were sad to leave the family at EMCI, and the job Eric had held for twelve years, it was exciting to branch out into such a large, nationwide company. Shortly after starting the job, there began to be talk about a possible transfer to... Bakersfield. I said no. Big no. I was happy. I taught Zumba, I had a thriving bakery, I was not moving to Bakersfield. JCI persisted, and Eric was surprisingly interested. The offer changed to Fresno. I still said, no.
     Eric is really smart, and decided that if I saw it, I might not be so bull headed. We made plans and we visited the area. I went just so I could say, see I tried it, I hated it, I'm not going. But then Eric said that most magical words, "Nellie, you could have a horse." I no longer said no.
   It took a lot of miracles to get here, including finding a house within our price range, with the perfect flat land for an arena and a house that fit our needs as well, and finding the BEST renters for our place in Citrus Heights, and a dozen or more other miracles that were faith building and beautiful. Now I am here and I can't believe I drug my feet so hard. Sometimes I am just as stubborn as the horses I work with.

 The Sunsets are phenomenal. And I have finally found my "Golden Sunset Ranch"

 Caesar went missing not long after we moved. It was very sad. Now Knox is only allowed out under heavy supervision.

 I mowed the entire two acres by hand push mower. I survived, the mower did not.

 We love looking out over our little ranch. Sassy went crazy over this rainbow.

 We started with three chickens. Lucy didn't make it through the summer. Just too hot. But Einstein and Penny are both doing very well.

 Cause even chicken need coop decor.

 Isn't it the sweetest?

 Helping Daddy!

We love dinners out in the backyard, dreaming of what we will do and how the ranch will grow. Meanwhile, we wait on the golden sunset.
Much love!
Nellie

Weekend in Tahoe!

We Decided to kick off our summer with a camping trip to Tahoe. Eric and I have been going to Sugar Pine for a very long time so it was fun to take Riley there for the second time. She loved it. 

When I was little I used to play on our big dog Dorado, it was fun to see Riley playing Ponies on her daddy.

Daddy got pretty good at it too, this is him flying Scootaloo super high!

Riley showed off her dancing skills as well.

Soon the Ponies needed a bath though 

All Clean!!!

She loves her bike!

 
 We took a cookie break, one for each of them of course.

 The water was so clear.... and so cold... yes we went swimming.. BRRR!!!

 Look at those fish!

 Daddy's got her, no falling in!!!

Riley figured out how to be a duck with Wheat Thins :-) 

It was a perfect weekend!

Projects

Funny how life's events make you think and when faced with the possibility of losing yourself, you remember things that are important to you. I recently remembered my love of creating things. This is an example of one of those creations :-)

 I started with some projects at Christmas to warm up. Sharpie designed plates for my friends with cookies on them. Then I did some glass ornaments with acrylic paint, thank goodness for Pinterest right?? It's a time sucker but still great for inspiration!

Later I tackled this painting for my younger sister. This was my first painting in about 8 years. I still have Van Gogh tendencies despite my best efforts to be more Rembrant. I should just embrace my Expressionist side!

 Then I did some freehand scroll work, sorry about the tilt, I apparently am having some editing issues!! Finally it was time to tackle the real project. I was working on these cookies for the sweetheart dance when I just couldn't take the color anymore. It was TIME!!

We inherited this table when Eric's parent's moved. I've always loved the shape, weight and the good construction of it but not the color. I've said for years, I'm going to refinish that table. Hasn't happened, til last week. I said, it's time to stop putting it off and I did it. It took a whole week of nap times but I got there!

First I stripped the table with some stripper. While smelling all those fumes I thought up some pretty funny Facebook Update Statuses about Stripping and working on a table, thankfully my common sense prevailed and I didn't post anything. 

 Then I needed to choose the new color. We have all black frames in the dining room and I wanted dark wood. Boy did that shock Eric when I sent these pictures his way. I actually decided on Espresso in Satin (not pictured here). Little bit of brown but deep deep deep.

I had to test it  out when I got home, I am terrible at waiting. I actually ended up stripping this part off too.Should have waited. But I got to distress it so that was worth stripping it again. I beat it with hammers, claw and round end, a clamp, two different screw drivers and a small chain, (more dumb status updates avoided)

 Forgot to shake the can really well so this first coat was really light. Thank goodness it worked better later!
 

The stripper didn't work on the legs of the table at all (insert more awful status updates here) so I had to sand them all down by hand.

Legs Before

Legs after

Check out those Fantastic boots!!! I was really worried I would get stain on my feet so  I put on fully washable shoes. Valid worry too because my hands were covered in it and I had to soak them in nail polish remover to get it off! Yuck!!

I love the distressing and how it shows up in this picture

In the end I was really happy with it, distressing and all. I still might put a resin coat on top to make writing at the table more easy but we shall see.

Loving the Laundry in the back....

I love my table now, but the only problem is the book case no longer matches. I think there's another project in the works!!