Now Playing: Musical Sofas

Since we had so much fun playing musical piano, we decided to play musical sofas.

The loser? The downstairs living room, which has very little furniture left. Aw. It is still under construction, so I'm not even going to take a picture. Just trust me: a chair and a loveseat don't go very far when seating a family of seven.

The winners? Oh, there is more than one. The first winner is the Serenity Room, which gained a sofa and had the TV mounted on the wall. Although the wires do need addressing.

The second winner was the front room, where the furniture finally matches. With the exception of those chairs. Sigh.

And the last winner? Jack, who gets to use the oak and cedar dresser drawers his dad made in college. He was so excited, he even made his bed and organized his room. Alone. Quite a feat for a 5-year-old. He also added thanks for the dresser in his prayers for a few days. Apparently, we really made his week with this move.

Jack made the bed - I didn't want to offend him by making it
look pretty just for a picture.

Now...we might stop playing for a bit. After all, there is more to life than moving furniture.

Fixin' to Fix It

The curtains have been on my mind, so I had to do something.

First I took Malena's blackout curtains (that she insisted were not blocking enough light) and exchanged them for thermal curtains that were a little wider. Done. I know, you can't really tell the difference - trust me, it lets in a whole lot less light.

Then I took the blackout curtains from Malena's room and hung them in Bonnie's room, so the pink curtains wouldn't be the first thing you see when you look at our house.

A boring window...that is broken. Yup, that's on my list.

Bonnie is thrilled that she has a very dark room...
although I might have hung one of the curtains upside down...hmm.

Lastly, I hemmed Jack's curtains. The Sunshine Room now has completed curtains. Better yet, I found some curtain rings so that he could open his curtains easily.

Inspired by the whole "open the curtains" idea, I found some rings for Sophie's room, too. She loves the butterflies, and wasn't sure she wanted me to put them on the curtains...where she can't play with them.

After they were up, though, she was actually happy about the whole thing: "Mom, look. 'Flies."

I'm happy, too - I can open the curtains easily. Also, the large eye-bolt and rope pull-back idea wasn't working out so well. One side has fallen out completely, and with just one side operable, the room was pretty dark all day.

Look at that - sunshine! And four sets of curtains updated. Now if I can get around to hanging Bonnie's curtains the right way...it's always something, right?

Ditching the Toilet

Promise, that is not permanent. Really, we replaced the toilet.

How is that exciting? How is that newsworthy? Well, let me tell you. The toilet in the guest bath was elongated and tall. Tall. That is our kids' bathroom, mostly, and it is difficult for them to...well, aim.

Hard to see the toilet, but is that really a bad thing?

Doug had finally had enough of that, so he got a new toilet. One the same size as the master bathroom's toilet - that's right, our bathroom had a regular-sized toilet. Who was thinking when they put the tall toilet in the main bathroom? I guess I should be grateful that I've had a decent toilet for the past 2 years, right?

So now, thankfully, my children have a toilet they don't have to reach up to get onto, which will hopefully improve their aim. And it should make Sophia's transition to the toilet easier, too...although that's still a few months away.

What, did you think I was going to toilet train her before we spent the ENTIRE SUMMER on the road? No way.

Musical Piano

A piano is by nature musical, I know. I get it, really. But our piano is always moving around, reminding me of musical chairs.

Get it? Didn't want it?

Anyway. The piano has been one of my biggest problems since we moved in. I tried to talk Doug into having a "music room" - turning one of the upstairs bedrooms into a piano room/library. That is probably called a conservatory, but whatever. He wasn't having it. So I ended up with the piano in the front room. It doesn't work very well - whenever someone is practicing, everyone else is piping up and asking them to stop. Including Doug.

The main problem, though, is that the piano just doesn't seem to fit in that front room. It's made for some very awkward furniture arrangements. In the first one, there wasn't a whole lot of seating, and you only could see the straight side of the piano. Having the piano in front of the window also made looking out the window a little more difficult. Since this is Doug's favorite view, he wasn't a fan of this idea.

Not a whole lot of seating...and you only see the straight side of the piano.

This arrangement made it possible to see the curve of the piano...but we lost this option when the wall was cut down. With a half wall, Sophia can climb directly onto the piano. Not safe for her or the piano. This arrangement also had the problem of that small sofa: the kids always wanted to push it against the wall...but there really wasn't enough room for that.

There were a lot more arrangements that didn't work even as well as those pictured above. For some reason, I didn't take pictures of them. Doesn't take a genius to figure out why I didn't want pictures, huh?

So I tried something new. I wasn't too excited about putting the piano in a corner, but...

It is now out of the way. And it makes the entire seating arrangement a large oval, allowing us to have more seating.

Yes, those dumb chairs still need to be reupholstered. I'm even thinking of switching out the little white sofa with one of the leather sofas we have downstairs. The pattern is still too much (I recovered it here), but I find the recovered sofa makes the room too dark.

You might also notice that my new little stool made its way out here, too. I think a coffee table would make a better statement, but this is what we have right now. So, what do you think? I know, you think I should finish those chairs - and maybe those swirly lines on the wall! Yes, you are probably right.

What's Bloomin'! and First Day of School

I have officially made it through the summer. Oh, yes. The last month of each summer feels like torture - not only to me, but to the kids. We've done a lot of fun things. We are just repeating ideas now, and the kids are bored of those ideas. Swimming? Done it. Bounce house? Been there. Parks? Oh, not again, mom!

Even travelling has become passe this summer, since we have gone so many places (21 states) and seen so many people (Another aunt? Yawn). So it was with a happy heart that I wished my kids goodbye this morning, and they went off smiling from ear to ear. Well, maybe not Bonnie, but she is a teenager now. Do they even smile when parents are around?

Okay, a very small grin. She's in 7th grade (middle school)!

Malena's off to 6th

Collin's off to 3rd

It took me awhile to get Collin to stop making silly faces, but we eventually got there.

Once they were off, I got around to looking at flowers. We spent the weekend at my sister's, and she told me what one of those beautiful wildflowers is, so I have a name for you: cornflower, also known as bachelor's buttons. It's the pretty little blue flower on the left in the next picture...

I have no idea what the droopy thing is, though. It's kind of pretty - I'm going to hope it comes back next year. My aster has also started blooming - by the time fall officially hits, it will just be covered in those little white blooms.

 My pink gladiolas are also blooming. I saw a hummingbird eating from this one this morning - see what I have time to observe now that the kids are at school?

And the stonecrop is also looking quite lovely.

My task this fall is going to be putting plants where they belong for the long haul. I've been just shoving them in the ground wherever because there wasn't a plan in my head...and that has to change. There are a lot of plants to arrange, so I certainly should be able to put them in some sort of order. Right? Hehe, we'll see!

Hope you all have a good week!

Renaming the Rooms

I've just about given up. The kids move rooms so often (I know, I know, with my help) that I can't really keep track of who is in which room. Not to mention that it's not very helpful to refer to a room as "Jack's" when it has been Jack's, Collin's, Sophie's...well, you get the idea.

So for reference clarity, I have decided to name the bedrooms. Some names were easy to come up with, such as the Under the Sea room.

The Sunshine Room. This room just feels like sunshine and happiness.

The Serenity - or Zen - Room. Parents really need a little of this...which is why I've been trying to make a calm and comforting space...

Then there are more difficult rooms to name. The green and blue room - I think this will be the Quiet Room. This is one of the quietest rooms in the house - which is good, since Sophie is still trying to nap. Trying being the operative word, since summer has really thrown her for a loop.

The old Garden Room - well, hopefully, it won't be a garden room much longer. It's the one paint job I'm not thrilled with, so it has to change. So I'm going to call it the Library. Eventually, that will be its purpose, even if it is a bedroom at the moment.

Along those same lines, the Bonnie's current room could easily be called the Butterfly Room. However, it needs a different name, since those stickers will eventually come off.

I honestly can't think of a name for Bonnie's room. The Sticker Room? Maybe it will still be "Bonnie's" for a bit. Or "Madeline's", since she doesn't like her first name anymore. Send any ideas you have - I need some extra thoughts coming on this one!

What's Bloomin!

This week there are two new additions to the wildflower garden (again, no names since I didn't track what I planted, but just scattered seeds willy-nilly):

The purple wavy flowers in the background are new, as is the peach daisy-like flower in front. Check out the ring of small, star-shaped stamens:

Fun to have a flower with features! Now if I just knew what it was...

On other news, I took all five kids to the eye doctor today...at the same time. Malena proceeded to talk everyone's ear off - she is reading Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events", and felt the need to share the plot of each and every book to the unfortunate woman sitting next to her. Collin went "for a drink" and managed to move an entire stand of leaflets into the elevator.

Sophia was just her normal self - happily reading books with me and filling her diaper at the same time. We had an impromptu diaper change about half-way through the visit when I picked her up, and felt my shirt getting wet along with her shorts. Lovely. Sadly, it was already a warm day, so the extra warmth didn't even feel very good - is there an upside to being peed on?

Jack played on Bonnie's tablet until he realized that she has only uploaded one game. Hmmm, definitely not a time-wasting device. He was happy to be relieved of the device when Collin handed him a book on legos. After all, a book would have slowed him down when moving that large stand of leaflets, right?

Let's see. That leaves Bonnie, who was excellent. Of course, she is thirteen, so one would hope that she could behave for an hour in the doctor's office.

Once I would have said a loaded gun to my forehead would be better than taking all my children (I had three then) to the doctor's office together. I think I must be immune to the chaos at this point...I was a little tetchy when we returned, but I seem to be doing okay now.

We have three weeks to our next group appointment (dentist). Hopefully I will be recovered by then! Hope you've had a much better start to your week than I have!

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall

Or perhaps I should say, "Mirrors, mirrors..."

Jack really wanted a mirror after seeing me buy the long mirrors for Bonnie's and our bedrooms. Now, I don't really want him to have a long mirror. It is far too accessible for a little boy who likes to play with and destroy almost everything that comes within his reach.

However, I found these really cute mirrors at Target, and thought it would be a fun way to add art as well as give Jack his mirrors.

Notice how I also added a clock in there? It's the perfect clock for a guest room (Jack does still have to give up his room whenever we have guests) - perfectly quiet! The clock was originally in the middle, but this arrangement looked more interesting.

And Jack, of course, had to add his artwork. I need to work on framing that cute little picture. Right now, it's just stuck on the wall with tape...and a toothpick. To gouge out the eyes of anyone who dares to take it down? I'm afraid to ask.

At any rate, one more wall with art - and mirrors!

What's Bloomin'

This week, there's only two new flowers: a marigold and the anise.

I really like these marigolds - they have an open flower like a daisy

The anise looks a little like dill, and is kind of like a firework explosion

 But while there's not a whole lot that is new, there is still a lot in bloom. The rose bushes I put in last fall have been blooming all summer, but are really putting on their best show right now:

The daisies are reblooming, one here, one there. Instead of a profusion, it is more a solitary effort. Still appreciated, though...

The wildflowers are also just going crazy:

And the black-eyed susans are filling the beds with yellow...and bees!

Meanwhile, the best part is really the fruit. Remember how we tried so hard to get all those fruit trees in, right after we moved here? Well, we are now enjoying that effort. The plums, of course, were already here. There are so many of them this year that we are giving away huge buckets full...and have still yet to pull out a ladder. Gallons and gallons of low-hanging fruit. If you're in the area and hankering for some plums, let me know.

The peaches are almost ready to pick...and I am already salivating. Last year we got five...and I savored each and every one.

The nectarines are ready...this one I ate shortly after I took its picture. Or I should say, I ate a bite...then Jack took it and finished it up for me. Telling me all the while that it was not a nectarine, but a peach.

And there are lots!

Finally, the pears. I took this one off, too...hopefully it will ripen and be yummy very soon. Last year, all the pears I took off the tree never ripened. Here's hoping!

Ah, the end of summer. I like it for so many reasons: the hot weather is starting to cool off (hooray!), school is almost ready to start (oh boy...four in school this year!), and of course, harvest time. Lots and lots of zucchini and, this year, fruit. Why do you like the end of summer? Are you sad to see the weather cool off, or does the prospect of fall make you happy, too? Have a great week, either way!

Kick Yer Feet Up!

There's nothing so relaxing as coming home to a favorite chair and kicking up your feet, then settling in with a book or a movie. Ahhhh.

In our house, I am constantly on the lookout for a place to relax, since most of the common rooms involve having children on my lap. Not very relaxing unless they are looking to snuggle...which only happens when they are sick.

So I have been eyeing the occasional chair in my bedroom. We purchased it to stage our house in South Carolina, with nary a thought to how comfortable it might be.

The chair is in the faaar right of this picture.
This is our old master bedroom in SC.

It is actually comfortable, but only for sitting up straight, not curling up with a book. It does have the added benefit of being in my private space, though, so sometimes I'll scoot it up to the bed and use the bed as a footrest.

Not very convenient.

Yesterday, Doug had me run an errand for him. Errands for Doug tend to be long, drawn-out, uncomfortable...or maybe it was just this errand. The ignition went out in our van, so I needed to drive our little car. It doesn't have air conditioning. Since it was a long trip (about an hour away), the two little ones came with me, compounding the uncomfortable factor.

While we were waiting, we decided to go to an air-conditioned store. This particular store was having a sale - half off all furniture. I had to look, right? They had this cute little stool that would look just perfect in my bedroom. So I had to get it!

See my Kindle on the desk beside the chair? Perfect.

And now...viola! A place to rest my weary feet at the end of a day and read a book. Very comfortable. And half off. Wahoo!

On a Roll...

Doug just keeps knocking projects off the list.

He put the handles on the cubby door in the kitchen:

He put up another shelf in the garage to hold the paints and solvents:

Almost completely inaccessible. Good for kids, not so good for the painter (me).

He also insulated another wall in the kitchen - it was reading at 105 degrees at 10:00 am. Yikes!

It's the top wall, to the right of the cubby. The cubby with the new handles.

And just so we can take a trip down memory lane, let's see how far that cubby has come:

A hole in the wall

Covered with Tyvec

Covered with cardboard

 Can't really say which I hated more...cardboard or Tyvec? Tyvec or cardboard? Hmmm...

Finished doors, with hinges and everything. Oh, everything but paint and handles.

And the finished cubby. Woot!

Ah. A truly finished project. Finishing anything around your house? Hopefully you're a little more productive than us!