Independence Day and the Piano

July 4th in Arizona is not typically known for being a pleasantly cool day.  This year was an exception to that rule!  We went to a movie as a family in the morning and when we came out it was pouring rain!  We all got completely soaked as we ran through it to get to the car.  We (especially the boys) thought this was so much fun.

 

Soaking wet Boston

 

Soaking wet Stephen…

 

When we got home Stephen and Boston got to play in the puddles.  Boston was concerned that he would be in trouble for getting all wet and he kept saying “it’s okay, right Mommy?”

 

While the boys napped the afternoon away, Scott and I reassembled the piano in the living room.  We bought this piano on Valentine’s Day and I had been working on refinishing it since then.  It didn’t turn out perfect but compared to what it looked like when we bought it…well it is a vast improvement.  Of course I see all the flaws and imperfections but hopefully, most other people won’t notice them.  I can not even begin to guess at the number of hours I spent working on this piano.  I started out using chemical strippers which was unbelievably time consuming and eventually Scott convinced me to sand the rest of of it.  He did help me finish with the sanding but I did everything else on my own. Now it just needs tuned!

 

Here are some before pictures:

Yeah Kloie, it smells bad.

 

Aaaand, after!

 

In the evening we picked up Celsea, ate at Red Robin and then met up with Scott’s family to watch fireworks.  Stephen plugged his ears and Boston lay his head on my lap the whole time.  Of course, no 4th of July celebration is complete without glow sticks.  The weather was so lovely that evening.  It was perfect!

 

Sorry about the blurry, dark car picture, but there are some happy people there!