Footprints

"Walk a little slower Daddy," said a child so small.
"I'm following in your footsteps, and I don't want to fall.

Sometimes your steps are very fast,
Sometimes they're hard to see;
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For you are leading me.

Someday when I'm all grown up,
You're what I want to be;
Then I will have a little child
Who'll want to follow me.

And I would want to lead just right,
And know that I was true;
So walk a little slower, Daddy,
For I must follow you."

Soliciting Opinions

Blog readers, I need some help.

For months I've been in a quandary about how to best create a dining area in our little kitchen. Here are some pics of our kitchen. (I could have sworn I had more updated shots, but this is all I could find for some reason, and these are mid-remodel.)

So, if your back is to the sink, you see the black built-in cabinet and a small space for dining. The window on the left of the built-in is right next to the end of the row of cabinets in the first picture. Does that make sense?

Right now we have a black pedestal table in the dining space which is just a tad too big when you put the chairs around it. And it can't be completely centered because of how the refrigerator is situated. This drives me crazy.

So I've been eyeing this little island at Crate and Barrel which would be PERFECT!!

The color is great. The design matches the wainscoting work that Jerry did on the wall to the right of the built-in. The width is perfect and won't obstruct too much of the space needed to open the refrigerator or the walking space needed to get through from the dining area to the sink. We've been saving to purchase this.

But here's where the quandary comes in. I found this tattered little gem at the local thrift store last week.

For $45, I couldn't pass her up. I mean, look at some of these details.

I think we could replace the top, paint her up and make this an island. The height and depth are the exact same as the C+B island, but the width is about six inches wider. It could work, but it would be a little tighter in the space. 

My other option with this piece is to create a buffet of sorts for the dining room which could also be repurposed as a dresser (it's original use) later on. But if I make it an island, it will have limited use...as an island.

So what do you think? C+B island that's perfect as is or the little charmer with some character? And if your vote is for the trash to treasure piece, what color would you paint the bottom and what type of top would you put on it? 

Little Man's Big Adventures - Around Town

We've had a big week out and about with friends. Earlier this week we had an outing to Black Dog Salvage with Lauren and Katy, two of the ladies I've met through my bible study, and their girls, Charlotte and Ellie.

If you're in the market for old house parts like doors, lighting, door knobs, windows, claw feet for old tubs, cast iron sinks - that sort of thing - then Black Dog is the place to go. It is a treasure trove of old goodies.

After Black Dog, we all went to Pops Ice Cream and Soda Bar for grilled cheese sandwiches and cherry cola. Yummy!

Now, I know the sign says, "Ice Cream for Strength," but I'm more of a cupcake girl. And this was my lucky day because a new cupcake shop opened just down the way from Pops! Viva La Cupcake. It was DELICIOUS!!

We also had an outing to Smith Mountain Lake today with our church small group. We made a corn salad to take for one of the lunch sides. I didn't take a photo of the finished product, but Paula Deen had this one in her magazine where I got the recipe.

This dish is so yummy and super easy to make. If you have a barbecue or picnic, this is a great dish to serve.

Corn Salad

2 (15 oz.) cans whole kernel corn, drained

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup red onions, chopped

1 (10.5 oz.) bag coarsely crushed chili-cheese corn chips

Mix first 5 ingredients and chill. Stir in corn chips just before serving.

Makes 8 servings

Little Man helped me get the salad ready by crunching up the Chili Cheese Fritos. Don't you know that corn salad tasted better than usual because of his assistance. =)

The lake was much too cold to take a dip, so Little Man enjoyed his first time in a sand box instead.

He was very curious about the sand and took some time to really inspect it.

Of course he had to taste it, too. Ha! I don't think I'll be sad when the everything-goes-in-the-mouth phase passes.

We're looking forward to a low-key day tomorrow just hanging out and doing a little yard work with Daddy.

Happy Birthday, Uncle Zack

Hope you have a happy birthday and a good day off of work. I can't wait to see you this summer. Maybe we can do some fishing together.

Love,
Little Man

My Favorite Photography Subject

Poor Alex. He's not the least bit interested in being my photography subject. Unfortunately for him, he's my favorite subject, so as much as he'd like an out, I just won't give it to him. Don't feel sorry for him, though. In the end, he always wins out because he's too busy to sit down for long. Our little photo sessions last for all of about five minutes. And that's if I'm lucky. =) Here's the latest.