Since Little Boy arrived, our outdoor dining table has been a bit tight, so we decided to add this adorable kid-sized picnic table to our outdoor furniture. We purchased it unfinished, so it needed a coat of paint to protect it from the elements (and our frequent spills).

BEFORE

DURING

Yes, that's a copperhead. I was painting away as the kids played nearby. Girl 2 reached for a toy dump truck and stopped when she saw this snake curled up beside it. "Snake! Snake!" I grabbed a shovel and had taken care of business before the kids had made it back outside with John. Yes, I was proud of myself. But, mostly, I loved how impressed John was with me. It kind of made me want to just scour the premesis for more snakes or other terrifying creatures that I could impress him by slaughtering. Eleven years into marriage, it's good to know I can still surprise him. :)

AFTER

We decided to go bold. Girl 2 chose the color at the paint store. All 3 kiddos helped me distress it a bit with a sanding block; then, we added a sheer protective coat to the bench seats and table top. I figure it'll take lots of abuse, so distressing it on the front end might help hide some of the unintentional dings and scrapes and stains. We've used it so often that I set the dinner table in the house the other night and Girl 1 remarked, "Wow! It's weird to be eating inside. We haven't done that in awhile!"