In the bank...ette

I need to do something different.  Between girls camp and worrying about my boy, I feel drained.  The only fragile thread keeping me together is focusing on this little turquoise trailer.  I know that my family thinks that I'm obsessed.  But, at this point, when my mind wanders, I think of how much I miss him and so it is best to keep my mind occupied with something productive.

Well, enough of that depressing stuff.  Let's talk banquette seating!  First thing...Yikes! Do you know how much they want for newly vintage vinyl banquette seating?  Let's just say it costs more than I paid for the trailer.  Stupid.  Besides, have you ever sat on vinyl for more than 5 minutes?  Even though I am old, I can still remember how miserable it was to sit in the family car with my bare legs stuck to the vinyl.  Does that bring back any memories?  I remember having heat rash on the back of my legs for most of the summers of my youth. And, honestly, nobody wants to see heat rash on the back of a 46 year old womans legs. Amiright?  So, cloth it is. Mostly because it is cheap and easy - two characteristics that I love in a project. And I knew exactly what I wanted to use...the turquoise chevron cotton duck from Hobby Lobby, of course!

these are the "before" cushions

Elizabeth helped me.  She says that she isn't crafty and doesn't like the trailer, but she really is and really does.  She just might not know it yet.

the "after" cushions

I added a nice new thick layer of batting before I wrapped and stapled the fabric.

For the rear bench, I wanted something white and clean looking.  Chevron can get a little overwhelming in large doses.  I had an old matlasse bedspread that I have been saving for...something.  It had seen better days but it was intact and had a nice scalloped edge that I wanted to incorporate.  Yay for scallops!


I added a pendant light from Home Depot with an Edison bulb over the banquette.  I thought briefly about doing a chandelier but I knew that I was going to meet resistance from the hubsters over that one.

I am going to pain the goldish part turquoise

Now for the table...I wanted to do something fun and vintage travely.  When I was a kid, the only decent cereal my mother would buy was Honeycomb.  The other non-decent cereal that she would buy was puffed rice.  I could only tolerate that if I dumped a half cup of sugar on top of it which totally negates the purpose of the healthiness of which she was trying to force upon her children.  She really wanted us to eat Cream of Wheat like my dad (who had it every-and I mean every- morning of his adult life).  Cream of Wheat was ok but, again, needed some brown sugar to make it tolerable.  I still don't like Cream of Wheat but I do LOVE oatmeal, mostly because it was such a rare treat growing up.  How messed up is it that oatmeal was a rare treat?  My mother was, and still is, kinda weird about  healthiness and natural remedies.  She would have totally been burned at the stake for being a witch if she was born 300 years prior.

Anyway, so back to the Honeycomb.  Back in the early 1970's, Honeycomb would put little state license plates in the Honeycomb box.  It was every kids obsession to find all of the states plates.  Of course, it would never happen, so I was forced to send in my little hard earned money to Honeycomb in exchange for all 50 states mini license plates.  My mother being the pack rat that she is - the only thing that she has ever cleaned out was my brothers baseball card collection...which contained a Babe Ruth rookie card, unfortunately - held on to my mini license plates.  She gave them to  me a few years ago and I thought "what the heck am I going to do with these?'  So, in thinking of my table (which I really didn't want to damage) I thought LICENSE PLATES!

Elizabeth and her friend, Hilary, double-sided taped them down and we covered the whole table with plexiglass.  We drilled holes in each corner of both the table and the plexiglass to hold everything down.  Note: the plexiglass at Lowes is less fragile, has some give to it and is less likely to shatter. Have them cut it in the store. Place painters tape over the area that you want to drill and drill with a really sharp bit. We bought the plexiglass from Home Depot and when we tried to drill it, it shattered. It was soooo fragile and rigid.

Pretty Cute, Huh?

Enough already with the trailer of many colors

I really do like color.

  I know that you couldn't probably tell that I like color because I usually am dressed in mostly black.  The mostly black has more to do (this could possibly be TMI) with the size of my boobs than it does for my love of black.  Let's just say that if I wear any bright shirt, people (yes, including women) start talking to my chest.  Being naturally cursed "blessed" sometimes really stinks.  Yes, and I know by stating this, you will take particular notice when I post a photo of myself.  Try to refrain from doing this however...!

So, I guess that I don't like lots of bold color but rather "pops"  of color...

 and this whole green/turquoise/pink/purple/yellow/baby blue trailer interior is giving me the shakes. It's like living in the middle of a tie dyed shirt (sorry, Shannon, I know that you loved it).

 So, I painted the interior with the leftover exterior paint 'cause I am thrifty like that. The guy at the paint store said "I wouldn't do that because it may have stuff in it that can only be used outdoors"  So, I said, "like what, exactly" and he didn't have an answer, so I did it anyway.  I'm only going to be sleeping in this "toxic environment" a couple of times a year and, honestly, I've done dumber stuff.  

When Madisen took a look inside, she yelled. 

"Mom, you said no white walls - ever" 

 This is, actually, a true mantra of mine - I actually hate, hate, hate white walls 

but, somehow this felt right... and so, hence...white walls.

Secretly, I LOVE these fresh white walls and woodwork.

This trailer has turned me into a really weird person

Just ask my family...

I sometimes catch them giving me the side eye...

BEFORE

AFTA!

Honestly, there was a crapload of painting that had to go on.

A CRAPLOAD...

Everything needed a coat of primer and then two coats of the apparently toxic exterior paint.

Also, please notice that I put some beadboard on the back of the banquette seat.

I say "please notice" because not only does it look fantabulous but my husband helped me and
he needs snaps wherever he can get them.

It really is cute in its own way...but, no...

Yay!


I know that many of you may be envious of my turquoise stove, icebox and sink.
Believe me, it was a MAJOR selling point.
They are so beyond cute.

We put  hinges on the back of this side of the banquette beadboard because
 the deep cell battery is stored behind it.  This is also a genius idea of my hubby. 
That's why we pay him the big bucks.

What's in a name?

I wanted a new name for my trailer.  Unfortunately, I opened it up to my family for discussion.  When you want to maintain some control over something, never ask your family for their opinions.

My husband wanted to call it "Cardinal Sin"  because it  is a Cardinal trailer masquerading in a Shasta stripe. There is no way I am sleeping in something called "Cardinal Sin".  At least, not with my family in tow! Yikes!

My 13 year old daughter wanted to name it "Minnie"  because it is tiny and she loves anything Disney.  I told her that was a great idea if it was red and black. Actually, I wish that I had thought of the Disney idea first...

My 24 year old daughter wanted to keep it "Trixie" but I had already crossed that off the list.

And my son.  He takes the cake.  We were discussing names that reference its lovely blue/turquoise color.

And he came up with...(wait for it)...
Uranus.
Because Uranus is a large, blue, gassy planet....
URANUS???
As in... "Look! there goes Uranus down the road"
and
"We could go camping in Uranus"

That kid is hilarious.

I couldn't stop laughing.  Believe me, there is a lot of funny material with calling the trailer Uranus - 

most of it involving seventh grade humor. 

Uranus...that is just the best.

Unfortunately, soon it became apparent that the name Trixie stuck was going to stick...dang it!

 Darn that Madisen! she has a way of naming things in such a way that the name forever sticks. 

It is the advertising major in her, I suppose.  So, (begrudgingly) Trixie it is.

 I remember reading Trixie Belden books when I was in the fifth grade and really liked them.
 That was before I discovered Nancy Drew.
 I love Nancy Drew. Secretly, I still think that I am Nancy Drew...just ask any of my family.  They call it being snoopy...I call it being curious. It is then that they point out that I have binoculars in the upstairs window.  I tell them that it is because I am nearsighted and can't see anything good without them.
Somehow, that probably isn't the best logic.

 But, anyway, I have good memories of readingTrixie Belden so I guess I'm ok with Trixie.  

I'm not sure if I survived. Check back tomorrow.

I am back from girls camp.

Oh, my heck.

That's Utah-speak for "I survived"

For the most part.

Things began to unravel quickly.  My assistant camp director called me when I was getting my hitch put on.  

Her brother-in-law died.  She wouldn't be able to go.  

While I was sad for her, I have to admit I felt selfish.  17 girls and me.  In the woods.  Alone.  No electricity.

Luckily, we had a great camp cook - so, at least, we wouldn't starve to death.

So, I pulled my big girls panties up and marched on.

My trailer was the first casualty.  It was going to have to stay home.  There was no way I was going on a maiden voyage with no backup and 17 girls staring at me to entertain them.

Honestly, girls camp was fabulous.  The girls were awesome.  Teenagers get a bad rap, sometimes.  But these girls were adventurous, kind, spiritual, inclusive, deep thinking.  Again. Awesome.  We had so much fun.  We hiked and whitewater rafted, canoes and paddleboated, did mani/pedis, had an outdoor movie (Yes - we had no electricity - we ran a car for an hour and a half) on a giant outdoor screen made of sheets.

High above Flaming Gorge

Rafting the Green
See the man on the right? That is my brother that I steal  borrow stuff from.
I am standing behind him with my life vest still on.  I don't know why...

I had to sleep in a tent, which is no bueno.  My hubby *gasp* slept with me.  The scandal!  And during one night, our daughter had to sleep there too, because she had a stomach ache.  And the stomach ache felt so much better wedged between two overtired adults.  A two man tent with three people and our stuff. Also, remember that the hubsters is 6'6.  The whole night was a freak out moment of barely suppressed claustrophobia.

 Here I publicly state...I am not sleeping in a tent again.  So help me, God.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Mexico...

I do love cool paint.  Rustoleum brushed nickel, to be exact.  This is to be the color of my stripe.  Partially because my new car is silver and I want it to look simpatico.  So, I broke out my quilter's ruler and some tape and went to work.  That quilters ruler is cool too.  I must have my dad's blood running through my veins because that man could spend the whole day in the hardware store and just be tickled pink with all the cool things he could find.

Any who...
You've seen the before, so this is during...

And after....

Wow! Lookin' Good!

Don't you wish you had such a helpful dog?  

THEN...
as if this excitement wasn't enough...

I took my tiny turquoise trailer to the tire shop to get my bearings repacked.  You should have seen the look on the tire guys face when I pulled in...apparently they don't get many vintage trailers.
Two hours later, I got a call from Sean - the tire guy.  My axel is "unusual".  I asked if that was code for old. He said "yes" but that he knew a guy, who knew a guy, who knew a guy that could get me new bearings.
At this point, I figured that my new bearings were being bought from the back of a van in Mexico.
But, my brother (the one I steal  borrow stuff from) freaked me out by telling me stories of a buddy's horse trailer catching on fire (with the horses in it) because of faulty bearings.  So, I told Sean "Go for it" and the big one "Do I need to take my high blood pressure medicine before you tell me what it's going to cost?"
Long story short - Four days and $200.
In the meantime, I got a hitch put on my new Murano.  Riding in "Trouble" for more than an hour gives me the shakes and makes me hoarse from yelling over the diesel engine.  I have so many people say "Can your car pull that trailer?" Uhhhh.  Honestly, that question makes me nervous because I DON'T KNOW! ok?   I feel that I am well informed.  I researched and asked the dealer and both sources said "Yes"  My little trailer only weighs 1160lbs. plus tongue weight and my Murano can handle 3500 lbs. so I am in the clear.

 In theory.

"In theory" is such a gray area.

Sad

I won't see my boy for two years.  I will only be able to talk to him twice a year.  He will struggle, he will be homesick, he will be discouraged, he will want his mom, he will have people be mean to him.  But...He will grow into a man, he will learn to speak fluent Japanese, he will learn how strong and capable he really is, he will learn that the Lord loves him.
I love that kid.  The second the doctor laid him in my arms, I was smitten.  He was a momma's boy.  He was the one who finished my sentences and I was the only one who could make him smile when he was mad or upset.
I am so proud of him and how he has conducted his life.  Isn't the ultimate goal is to prepare our kids to live a good life and have the ability to take care of themselves without our help?  But, while my heart swells with pride, my throat swells with tears.  Good Luck, my boy.  I love you.

Two years seems like such a long time.

The Happiest Place on Earth

It has been a bit crazy around these parts.

Kolton finished his first year of college on May 2nd and we moved him home. 'Course, he forgot most of the kitchen utinsels and the George Foreman.  I wonder if he ever used them.  Or if he just ate beans.
 Probably just beans.

A few days later, we packed up and went to visit Mickey and Friends.
Ahhhh, Disneyland.  We love you.  You have been the scene of so many good memories. 

 Rick & Kolton in line for the Radiator Springs Racers.
I only had the patience to do that line once...it was crazy!

Cars Land...Disney sure knows how to do things right.

It was amazing!

Me with Elizabeth, who has recently realized that she is as tall as I am, and Kolton

We had an amazing time.  But, then again, we always do at Disneyland.

It is like our fall-back vacation, reserved for the times when we just want to not think too much 

and enjoy ourselves.  I love not thinking...

My sister, when her boy went on a mission, didn't go to Disneyland for two years-

She just didn't want to go without him.

 Two years without going to Disneyland?  Nope, can't do it...

Lookie what I found in Toon Town!  A turquoise trailer!  Well, actually, it's blue, but work with me here.

So, after frolicing for three days in the glorious So Cal weather, 

eating In-and-Out burger EVERY DAY,

and enjoying being together with our little family (minus Madisen&Vic)

we headed home.

All good things must come to an end, right?

Including our ever trusty Odyssey.

She has been there and back and there, again...
220,000 miles worth of traveling in luxury.
Seriously, those who scoff at a mini van?
You have obviously never traveled exensively in one.
I thought that we would just have one when the kids were small.
 And then they grew up - and no other vehicle could provide the leg room
and comfort of our Odyssey, especially with our tall kids.

Obviously, she felt that she needed a vacation as well.
So, just outside of Las Vegas, she threw up her hands and cried "uncle"

Ummm....
 but Kolton was leaving for Japan in less then four days.
The timing was less than stellar.
So, we patted her on her hood and told her to enjoy her spa week in Las Vegas
and would be back for her the next Saturday, walked across the road to the Enterprise rent-a-car and continued our journey home in "Paula" the Impala.
That is THE LAST TIME I am riding in a car with my kids.
It was like being trapped in a cage with wildcats.
Odyssey...we miss you already.

I have a confession...I love to paint.

So, my brother (the one that I steal borrow all the stuff from) says that my house is shrinking.

  Because I constantly paint my walls.  He thinks that he is hilarious.

I do love paint, though.

I don't really love the prep, but, unfortunately,  I can't get anyone else to do it for me.  I'm going to hand roll my little trailer, mostly because I have a very steady hand and can cut-in like nobody's business.

Sooo...

Off I went to my favorite place - the paint store, and had a little chit-chat with the paint guy about painting on aluminum. " Latex paint", he said.  "Use a good primer", he also said,  which I already knew.  We talked about why no oil based paint.  He said that oil based was originally used because that's what they had in the 1950-60's.  Problem is that aluminum needs paint that can flex and move, which is latex.  So, I came home and researched the heck out of it and, sure enough, 9 out of 10 people said latex.  

I went to Home Depot and bought primer, a mess of foam rollers, and "Snow Fall" from Behr in a exterior satin enamel. I only had one person look at me like I was crazy when I said that I was painting a trailer.  

Painting was super easy, except I had to get my 6'6 hubby to roll the roof.  He was spreading mulch at the time and only sighed a little bit.  He really is a winner-winner-chicken dinner. 

And pretty tolerant - like I said before.

After the second coat of "Snow Fall"  Looking so clean!

I ran out of time, since the weekend is only so long.  I had to go back to Home Depot on Monday to get the bottom color.  It was between "Voyager" and "Tahoe Blue".  I stood there so long thinking that the paint person asked me 6 times if I was ready.  The lady next to me asked what I was doing with the paint and I had to tell her.  She told me that she was a decorator and to choose "Tahoe Blue".  I promptly chose "Voyager".  Now, I have nothing against decorator's because I work with them every day.  And I do my fair share of design work, as well.  The problem comes when they feel that they have to tell me that they are a decorator  (like I should give them a crown or something) in a condescending tone. Besides, unsolicited advice is one (only one?) of my pet peeves.  

I, however, LOVE solicited advice.

I lugged my paint home and crossed my fingers, hoping that my hatred of unsolicited advice hadn't made me choose something stupid.   The first swipe of paint made me laugh out loud. 

 Don't worry, my neighbors already think I'm nuts.  

Of course, one of my neighbor's is also my mom and she has had a lifetime of dealing with my randomness.  My other neighbor has turned a deaf ear to whatever I'm doing because I'm usually yelling at the dog.

Such a happy, vintagey color! And perfect.  I had previously picked out another color, but felt that it was too green.  And I also felt that "Tahoe Blue"  was too light. Love "Voyager"!

Do you love the Shasta stripe?  Me, too!

Adios Lucky Charm Green!

See the oil spots in our driveway?  They are from my hubby's truck.  It's named "Trouble"

  The truck, not my  husband.  Lucky for me, "Trouble" gets to pull the trailer until we get a new vehicle.

Assessing...

My lovely 1964 green trailer got a good once over.

Overall, she looked pretty dang good.  The front and rear bottom skins had a few dings and needed to be reattached.

Underneath looked good and she had pretty new tires.  Need to get some baby moons for those puppies, though.

The floor was in good shape.  The propane and water lines had been recently redone.
She didn't stink, which is a biggy.  I am super sensitive to smells and that would have been a deal breaker.

There was a fairly good sized dent by the front window.  I thought about fixing the dent, and then thought - naw.  I'm going to put up an awning and that would help hide it.  Besides, she's 50 years old and entitled to have a few dents.  I'm 46 and no amount of spackle is going to fix some of my dings.  I feel that we are kindred spirits and our dings show that we have lived!

Enough of that!

So, I resecured the skins and got ready for paint.

But, first comes the crappy part.  Prep work.  The first order of  business is to steal borrow my brothers sander.  He has good tools, since he is a custom home builder, and leaves them out in plain sight in his shop, which is, conveniently for me,  in my backyard. All of the really great stuff he has under lock and key in his trailer, which is a smart move on his part because I kinda have sticky fingers.  In my defense, I always return them, since I'm not a thief.  Just a covert borrower.

Putting up with him has to have some perks (just kidding?).

So, I sanded my little heart out.  And caulked...and caulked.  I know, the purists out there say not to caulk a vintage trailer.  Well, this is my philosophy  - the trailer was not leaking.  Except for the back window which I will get into later.  Shannon had caulked the hell out of her because she refurbished the trailer to take to California and didn't want to get the trailer there and mess with a bunch of leaks.  I figured that to take off the caulk would do more harm than good and possibly damage the seals.   If I do say so myself, I am a pretty dang good caulker and so I just wanted to clean up and smooth some of the joints.  I took off what I could and prettified the rest.

 just keep sanding...just keep sanding...

It took one whole day.  Mostly because I had to keep yelling at the dog to quit eating stuff that she shouldn't and to stop chasing the cat.  

And, then, I had to put on sunscreen because it is like the first warm day in Utah and I started to hear my arms sizzle.

I noticed my brother driving by and had to hide the sander.  

You know, I'm really not a very good sister.  I'll bake him some cookies after I finish borrowing all his stuff.

  

    

It's just not a good time!

Why is it that when you have a little bit of extra time, a project formulates in your head.  So, you try to put said project into motion and, for whatever reason, it just doesn't materialize.  Fast forward to a time when you have a million things going on, and you couldn't possibly fit one more thing into your life, and... SPLAT - the ill-time project falls into your lap. What to do...what to do...

I am LDS, and for those of you that don't know what I'm talking about...I'm a Mormon, bro. What this means is that I basically get drafted into a mess of things where I have no concept what I'm doing.  My latest (failed) draft dodging attempt came in the form of girls camp.  I get to take a group of squealing, smiling, and scripture reading girls into the woods for a week where I have to manufacture a non-stop whirlwind of fun that will reduce me to a blubbering mass of goo. With no electricity.   Anyway, if you follow the way I've drifted - I have camp coming up and it's pretty intense.

Plus, I have a boy that is leaving on a LDS mission to Japan in a few short weeks.  And, there is a lot (A LOT) of buying of stuff going on... since he is 6'4 and the buying stuff in Japan that fits him is going to be pretty dang scarce. Honestly, I'm having a hard time thinking of him being gone for two years. I love that kid.   I can't even think of how much I'm going to miss him.  So,  I am choosing to be in denial and saying to myself that he is just going to be on a short trip.   He is going to love it, though and is super stoked. It is a dream come true for him.  And I am stoked for him, so that makes me happy. I'm obviously feeling conflicted about this.

Isn't he a cutie?

Plus work.
And going to Disneyland. Yay!

And then this little beauty popped up on KSL.com

Notice Sophie - our Wheaten Terrier. She is VERY helpful!

I actually was not looking for a trailer. I had looked for one last year -  you know, when I had less going on. But, it just didn't work out.  Then, my sweet husband was inspired by a retro trailer show, decided to give it a look, and found her.  I was excited but felt like I had too much crap on my plate.  We went to look at her and I was overcome with giddyness.  And, somehow, she followed us home.
My husband is one of those nice guys.  He is pretty good about tolerating my constant projects.  I tried to sell him on her hidden benefits - like he can stay in the trailer when we go to girls camp.  Unfortunately, (for him) he has to go to camp with us.  They make us take a man in case a bear tries to eat us or something.  I know, it is pretty sexist, but whatever.  He really doesn't want to go.   I am making him because he is pretty nice to be around. But, honestly, he would be no help with the bear.  But, he since he has to go... he can sleep in the trailer.  I get to sleep in a tent.  I know, we are married, but there can't be any hanky-panky going on.  Like we would with 18 girls and 10 women around.  Stupid.
Cute Shannon sold us the trailer.  She lived in it for the last 3 summers while she was working as a white water guide in California.  She called it the Happiness Bus because it looked like happiness threw up all over it.

Yeah. 

The color scheme totally fit Shannon and my 13 year old daughter loved it. But no.

We called her Trixie, initially.  Because it looked like the Trix rabbit pooped in it. Not literally, just color-wise.  But, then I kept hearing Gollum, from Lord of the Rings, say "Hobbit'ses, they're trixie" in his creepy Gollum voice and knew she needed a new name...and a paint job.