Playroom redo!

I have been wanting to redo the playroom for sometime, it was just NOT conducive to play the way it was. Unfortunately, I forgot to take before pictures. As usual. :( There was a huge armoir in one corner with things tucked in laundry baskets for organization. Then a big self unit on the wall the toy box is on. It was hard to play, little space and just plain ugly. The boys got quite a bit of money for Christmas and birthday's so it went to this. I love it! Let me know what you think in the comments!

I have the idea that where the cushions will be can also be a stage. It can serve many options the way it is or we can always add more storage later and "build" up.

Thank you to Papa and Grandpa Merchant for helping us make this happen!

What to do?

What to do?

With ALL THAT artwork my son makes?!

I recently set up an art center in our family room.

I found the cubes on the side of the road one day with a free sign. :) They spoke to me and so in the car they went! There is 3 more in my entry closet with shoes and such in them.

Grayson loves that he has access to "all" of his art supplies and can get them and put them away easily. Mommy loves that he doesn't have access to "all" of his art supplies just a few of all of the kinds I have hidden away in the locked cabinet in the playroom and that he can get them and put them away him self. I love that he is very independent.

Preschool has only helped to reaffirm how independent he is. He loves showing off his drawings and projects and using different mediums to create. I have a stack of lovely photos to prove it. I obviously can't keep everything. I try to take photos of all of my favorites so I can keep them forever, just digitally. And today I cut up some 12 x12 card stock from the long ago forgotten art of scrapbooking and then cut up his works of art and made cards. If you give a gift in the next year (or 5) you may be getting a Thank you card like these.

For those who want to know exactly how: I cut the card stock in 3 (folded in half they were 4 x 6) then cut the art work 3 3/4" x 5 3/4" used a glue stick and stick it on. I tried to cut out the best bits and saved any larger white bits for use later.

OH! And a nice little pat on my back... I was asked yesterday if I would be okay being on the substitute teach list for the "just in case" event that the teacher can't teach our class one day. They pick three. Usually it is people who have been in the school for a year or two. I almost peed a little with anxiety of leading 18 3-5 year old for 3 hours but I agreed, on the condition that I be called LAST until I settle in a bit better! Anyway, YAY me!

Jaxon's Nursery *Finally*

A few months ago I mentioned buying a bumper at the resale event we have twice a year. I had been struggling with how to decorate Jaxon's room, since it HAD to have red in it and somewhat go with the GIANT red dresser that Zack had painted years ago when we were first married. I love that thing, so it wasn't an option to change it. The room had to go around it.

The bumper has stripes and gingham and is mostly primary colors. I have always loved monkey's and originally I wanted Sock monkey's but Zack quickly vetoed that idea. :(

Then one day while the children were napping at my nanny job I came up with this...
And while it is really embarrassing to show of my lack of artistic talent, I am pretty excited to show off the finished product and how close it came to the original design of months ago. Geneva did the Barrel of Monkey's and I did the balls around the room.

Without further ado:
Jaxon's room!

Should I put 'balls' under the barrel or leave it blank? I'm torn...

There is a blank spot on this wall because I am going to have Geneva put another monkey with a hotdog in his hand there. Cause how fitting is that? :)

Christmas Decor 09

I know I may have to join Christmas Decorators Anonymous but here is our Christmas tour of 09!

One of my favorite pieces, my antique tea cart, with a tiny fraction of the village.

When I was a kid my mom had a tree like this, but it got broken. After Zack and I got married I found someone online and had one made.

These Princess house hurricane lamps my Nana gave me for my birthday when I was 19 (I think), another fave.

Our little artificial tree- complete with pine tree air freshener. :)

And the stockings were hung by the stair case with care...

Grayson calls our advent calendar his "coo-coo clock"- I love Grayson-isms.


The living room where the big tree resides, dwarfing our furniture and room.

The big tree in its full glory. Well not really since I am using my iphone... too lazy to go find the real camera I have not pulled out in months.



looking up into the big tree from the floor.



I am also joining The Tip Junkie's virtual home tour, go check out everyone else's amazing decor she has posted over there!

Willow Tree in Grayson's Bayou

Here is the tree in G's room that Geneva did yesterday. We love it. My only wish is that we had planned better and put it in the center of the wall or something! Its so gorgeous I feel bad its hidden behind the door.

His initials, GAB.

It will be a focal point though because as you come in there will be a sign on this branch that says ...

I found this piece of wood when I was a nanny up in Washington at Puget Sound when I traveled with a family. I had no idea what I would use it for I just knew I had to keep it. That was 5-6 years ago. It has found its purpose.