boys room: currently

I know I promised professional pictures of the boys room, but they will have to wait.

I will, however, show you the boys room in its current state. I took these pictures last night. Not the greatest lighting, I know, but the beds were made and every toy was put away. This does not happen often.

Window coverings have not been decided and the walls remain bare. We have a dresser and stuff for the walls ready, but I have decided to be okay with the room as is until Koko moves out of the crib.

The crib and changing table take up so much space and do not fit into my ultimate room plan. But, I am certain his transition to a big boy bed will not be smooth, so we will wait a little longer.

Do you remember what we started with? Two rooms, one of the rooms was only accessible through a door in the master, no closet for me (piles of clothes everywhere), layers of wallpaper (including dusty grasscloth), non-working electrical, ceiling tiles. Refresh your memory- click here, here and here.

* * * * *

before the wall came down:

 

 after the wall came down:

 boys room, currently:

- Koko's big bed is all ready for him! -

- must get the vent painted! - scored the old checkers board for $10 -

in the details:

polka dot curtains, toy storage, and small bookshelf - ikea.com

chevon rug - rugsusa.com

bronze bin pulls - your local lowes store

paint colors - also from lowes, thank you valspar

* * * * *

weekend painting

It only took seven hours, but we finished painting the boys' room this weekend.

It's a big deal! We had to sand the built-in beds, prime them, paint them, cut-in the ceiling, paint inside the closet and paint the baseboards. Oh, and finish the door, door frame and jamb.

We maximized our time by being ready to work the second we put Koko down for his nap. From the time you close his door until the time he wakes, you have 3-3.5 hours (most days). Ready, set, paint.

So it's done, but I am frustrated because we still have a crib and changing table in the furniture mix.

They take up so much space. I told hubby we will have to move them out and put the new dresser in place, temporarily, for our official photo shoot. He is really excited about this task.

At least we're to the fun part- accessories and decorating.

You know, when you have hubby hold the picture on the wall and you stand back and decide if it is in the perfect spot. Or when you stand in the home store for at least an hour looking at drawer pulls and knobs.
Or when you move this over there and that over here, but it still isn't right. This will be my week,

and I am excited about it!

The official after photos are coming soon. In the meantime, here's a look at our weekend work-

If you want to see before photos of the beds, click here.

- the drawers are huge and a major bonus for this room! -

- we love kilz primer! -

 

* * * * *

weekend usual

I thought the kids were going to lose it on Saturday morning.

We told them that after they finished their donut, we would be headed to Lowe's. We thought the donuts would help and maybe they did a little. No one cried. Ha!

There are a couple of local and rather tasty bakeries in the new city, by the way.

When we stepped inside Lowe's, coffee and shopping list in hand, it sounded like all the employees

decided to get together and practice hammering nails. Then our kids noticed other kids walking around with kid-size aprons on, just like the employees wear. We followed the clack, clack, clack sound and discovered a kids' project happening in the back of the store.

They were so excited! I shopped with Koko while Daddy helped with their project.

They got to keep the safety goggles and apron and they get an iron-on patch for every project they complete. Our kids spent the rest of the weekend playing "Lowe's." They made aisles with the dining room chairs, colored sale signs and gathered up all kinds of stuff to sell. I love it when they are inspired.

You can check out the Lowe's Build & Grow website to find out when the next project is happening in

your area.  Maybe my kids and yours won't mind trips to Lowe's as much anymore. Maybe.

Does this sound like a commercial; it's not.

I am just thankful my kids can have fun at the hardware store, too.

* * * * *

We made more headway in the boys' room this weekend.

We really just have painting left, but in that room it is a major task. The kids' energy kept us moving.
While outside with Dad, they discovered that a fellow first-grader lives down the street. I usually listen to Pandora when I paint, but it was nice to just hear them laugh and play.
It took a few hours, but I finished the corner built-in bookcase.

- remember the before? - click here -

other weekend notables:

at the preschool family fun night, we got to see and touch snakes for the first time since we left AZ

we brought home sample tiles for the kitchen backsplash

we finished the entryway shoe closet!

we made and devoured another batch of Chex mix - so delicious

and always the best part of my week - family movie/pizza/popcorn by the fire night

blue sky and built-in beds

I woke up today to a brilliantly blue sky.

Hubby stayed home this morning, so we had coffee and I got to go for a mid-morning run.
It was a refreshing 50-degree day.
When I sat down with the laptop, I read through my last few posts. Even though I am still overwhelmingly sad living in our new city, I am trying to spend time doing what I love. Quality time with the kids and hubby, making yummy meals and treats, running, reading and working on the old house.

I spent the afternoon in the kitchen. It's therapy sometimes. I made chocolate chip cookies for the guys working upstairs. My shy four-year-old tip-toed up the steps and set the plate on the floor of his bedroom doorway.
I made my Grandma S's pork chops for dinner and lemon bars for dessert. Everything was delicious,
and my kitchen time and the blue sky was equally satisfying and delightful.

- made with my AZ lemons -

* * * * *

We took a break from house projects last week.

It was nice and needed, but I wish a couple of our projects were done already! Good news though-

today, the woodwork repair in the boys' room was completed. It looks awesome.

Originally, I had planned to keep the stained wood, which meant staining the new wood to match the old, but I think now I will paint. Seeing the unfinished pine helped me visualize how white (or maybe a lighter color) paint would look on the built-in beds, as well as brighten the room.

- before -

- after - time to paint! -

in the details:

lemon bar recipe from none other than- America's Test Kitchen

weekend update

The boys' room is not done. Let me rephrase that. Our part in the boys' room is nearly complete.
Focus on the positive. Priming done, painting over half-way done, electrician will be here tomorrow to finish up his work, and in one more week the guy will be here to do the woodwork.

I am only going to give you a sneak peek at the wall color. It's not exactly what my four-year-old would have chosen. I will use his words and say, I do not love "lightish and darkish purples."

* * * * *

 p.s.  It was perfect weather for new storm doors to be installed. One in the kitchen and one in the basement stairway. They are already covered with Truman nose smudges; he likes to keep an eye on the squirrels.

- before -

- after - no more freezing, drafty stairway! -

in the details:

boys' room paint color- i will tell you later

new Anderson 3000 series storm doors found here

room sketch

This part is for my brother. He is an engineer. We were Skyping last weekend, and he asked me for a detailed drawing of the boys' room with exact measurements. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little. Apparently, he was not able to visualize the new layout of the room. Well, I am not an architect or an engineer, nor do I own house plan software. So, a rough sketch is what I can provide.

- i suppose i will be asked for a before sketch too -

* * * * *
You know, my brother moved to Japan with his wife three years ago. I think it was a big adjustment for them, but it has turned out to be a great adventure. Both have embraced the culture; they seize every opportunity to learn, explore and travel. My sister-in-law started their blog right after they moved, and her dedication has yielded a beautiful story. Thank you for the inspiration.

painting

What were you doing at 10 o'clock last night? Were you painting a ceiling? I was.

I was super excited about it too. I was exhausted when we stopped working in the boys' room last night.

Not tired enough to go to bed with a paint speckled face, though.

And when I did finally get situated under our flannel sheets, quilt and our new, cute blanket from Target,
I decided to check the temperature on my iPhone... time to get up and make sure the children are snuggled under their blankets. I also rescued my kitchen plants from their cold, drafty posts on the window sills.

weekend antiquing

- nevermind the winterized, crusty old windows. we call it charm. -

I had a lightbulb moment two days ago. Our weekends are usually stressful and I finally figured it out.

Do not leave the task of grocery shopping for the weekend. I didn't realize how much it was affecting my mood, and eating away at our family time and opportunities for fun stuff, like house projects. Ha!

I will say, though, that I look forward to my weekly visit to Trader Joe's just like I did in our old city.

You are welcomed by a wall filled with lovely, fresh flowers. The store is small just like our favorite big city markets, and I always have a favorite staff person who knows the day I shop and remembers the conversation we had the previous week. I know many of you have the same feelings about your local TJ's.

Had our new city been without a Trader Joe's, it would have been a deal-breaker.

What I really wanted to tell you about is the time I spent at an antique fair this weekend. Not enough time, but only two other people would spend an entire day with me at an antique fair. Mom and Kylie.

The kids stayed with a sitter and hubby and I joined friends for weekend antiquing and lunch downtown.

My finds this weekend had a theme, which is not usually the case.

Kylie and I have this thing with arranging displays of our treasures. We both love littles. I've been told that littles should be referred to as "smalls," but whatever.

Littles are so fun to display on the window sills of the old house.

 

 

I always learn something new, meet someone interesting and learn something about myself when I go antiquing.

The best resource for finding quality antique fairs is visiting with the folks at your local antique shops.

You can also check here, here, or here to see if there is an event listed in your area.

polka dots

I wish I could say the boys' room was halfway finished. Maybe it is, but it seems like it is taking forever.
There are things we have to wait on other people to complete.
There are things we put off because we feel overwhelmed and just don't know where to start.
 Eventually it will be complete, I know, but waiting and living with the mess is hard.

My boys have been great through this process. I guess when you are four, you don't see crusty blobs of adhesive on the ceiling, you see polka dots and you are sad when they are gone.
Is this my life metaphor? I think it is for now, especially with our decision move to a new city.
I miss the polka dots, too.

in the details:

we had a little help with demo - thanks, Josh!

we had help with the new framing and drywall, too - thanks, Dave!

a plan for the boys' room

1. Knock down wall to combine third and fourth bedrooms into one room.

The fourth bedroom was only accessible through what appeared to be doors to a closet in the master bedroom. Now they will be doors to a closet!

2. Frame out closet for me.

I am living out of a suitcase that I packed before we moved last July.

3. Drywall ceiling. It was covered with fun, acoustic tile.

4. Electrical rough-in. We had help for this part.

5. Steam and scrape off wallpaper.
Phew, we made it to step six.

6. Tape, mud and texture ceiling and skim coat walls. The drywall guy will be here this week!

 7. Vacuum a lot. I hear step six will be dusty.

8. Complete electrical, paint, finish work (baseboards, picture rail, repair built-in beds).

9. Decorate! Replace windows.

- standing in middle of master looking into fourth bedroom -

- standing in doorway of third bedroom -

- wall we knocked down - photo above is what is on the opposite side -

I have additional pictures I will post, but I have to figure out iCloud and sift through 1,500 photos to find those I took of demo day and after demo day. Plus, I can show you current progress in the room.

It's coming along!

wallpaper

The weekend was spent steaming three layers of wallpaper off the boys' room walls.

The bottom layer had gold and white stripes with a date stamp of 1917!

The middle layer was white with a gaudy, green and teal flower pattern. The top layer had tiny, friendly flowers, which is what I always picture when I think of wallpaper.

 

The grasscloth wallpaper, circa 1965ish, had to go as well. It was gross and only on half of a wall after the demolition. Yep, we did demo! We even had a roll-off.
I felt like such an official renovator!

I should clarify that my hubby did all of the steaming. He did most of the demolition too.
He is a pretty nice guy.

I am not opposed to all wallpaper. We may put wallpaper in the pantry area of the kitchen and the water closet (I just like saying that) on the main floor.
The paper I like is from Graham & Brown. Check them out.

p.s.  If you have wallpaper that must go, use one of these. It is easier.
Also, if you were wondering, wallpaper was invented in the 15th century. Back in the day it was hand-painted or stenciled. I Googled it.

Christmas at the old house

We moved to a new city, into the old house, only five months ago. I have moved many times before, but this time hurt. I carry around a pit in my stomach everyday.

I ache to go back to our warm and sunny home.

I want to feel the sun stinging my bare shoulders.

For now we are here, and we are trying to make it work. Part of our commitment with this move, was to live in and improve an old house.

I think we did improve the old house for the Christmas season. Vintage decor, lots of sparkling cinnamon candles, holiday happy hour for the neighbors, an eight-hour baking day with the kids and Christmas music playing until we (not even the kids) couldn't stand it anymore.

I think the old house improved Christmas for us this year, too.

Have you heard Barenaked Ladies version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen? It is amazing.

 

My vintage stuff looked great in the old house. Some is not old, like the centerpiece.
You can find the cute trees and penguin here.