the latest project

unless you’ve been over to our house, you’re probably unaware of the fact that ike and i don’t have a proper dining table. since i was in college and ike was a bachelor before we got married, we brought a few things to the table but a dining table was not one of them (pun intended). we toyed with the idea of purchasing one, but never pulled the trigger on it because we knew our current living situation would be temporary, and we didn’t want to purchase a table for the small space. we’ve certainly made due by using an oversized desk (yikes), but once our nashville move was official, we started brainstorming a table!

we love the industrial look that’s becoming popular, but after some searching on the internet we found out that it’s a bit  lot out of our price range. having the handy husband that i do (he built our bed, after all), we decided to save the cash and build it ourselves! here’s some of our inspiration:

all photos from Pinterest

you may recall a picture i posted on instagram a while back of our trip to the lumberyard where we chose a cypress wood for the tabletop:

well it shamefully took us a few weeks to make any progress on the table because of insane schedules and a lack of tools, but thanks to a sweet neighbor who lent ike all the proper tools, we’ve made progress!

and what would a project be without a little bit of humor?:

a few boards later and i think ike and i can add “woodworking” to our resumés! but seriously, i’ve truly enjoyed the process and i’m so glad we chose to DIY our dining table. ike and i have spent hours researching and designing the table, and even discussing future projects. i love being able to share this experience with him!

we hope to have the top built by next week so we can work on staining and sealing it. next time i’ll reveal what we designed for the base of the table! hint: it’s not made out of wood…

tomorrow marks 75 years that munna, that good looking lady on the right, has been alive! as she’s reading this, she’s probably upset that i revealed her age. but i think she should wear it like a badge of honor! my munna is unlike any grandmother, or 75-year-old, that i know. i wish that everyone had the chance to meet her. here are a few things that make munna so special:

• up until a few years ago, she rode a jet ski almost everyday that the weather would allow. and she didn’t stop because of age, only because of location.
• for 8 years, munna took as many grandchildren as possible to a summer family camp in north georgia. it was basically our version of disneyworld.

• she has the sweetest southern accent, and is often told she sounds like paula deen. (but she hates that :))
• every time you visit her, she will make at least one of your favorite meals. (ex: chicken salad)
• she owns an iPhone and iPad, and is proficient on both. AND she uses facebook!

of course, there are many more things that make her special. i have so many wonderfully sweet memories of her taking me out on the jet ski as a kid, scratching my back until i fell asleep, playing with us in the pool, making the infamous ‘chipped beef on toast’ for breakfast, and proclaiming “kitchen’s closed!” after she finished the dishes from supper. i don’t get to see munna as often these days, unfortunately. life gets in the way and doesn’t leave much room for road trips. that’s the hard thing about growing up and moving off; visits with grandparents tend to fall only on holidays now. i am incredibly grateful to have so many memories with her, and to have another year to make even more when she comes to visit us in nashville!

munna, despite the miles that are between us this weekend, i hope that you know just how loved and appreciated you are. i would give anything to celebrate with you on your big day! i love you dearly and i’m so thankful that you are my grandmother, and friend. cheers to many more years of being your “chatterbox!”