Since Dax was two, Austin has loved taking the boys to Father's and Son's. They pack up all their gear, munch on junk food, play in dirt, sit by the fire, sleep together in the tent, wake up the next morning and basically come home. He's taken the boys for years. I love that they go and have fun and build memories together. I kiss and hug them, wave them good-bye, and yell to them that I will miss them...but not to hurry home.
I love being in my house when it is quiet. I love being lost in my thoughts, cleaning, having things stay clean and getting project after project done without interruptions. It may only be 15 to 20 hours that they are gone, but they are so so so glorious.
For the past three years when they have been camping I've redecorated a room in the house to surprise them with The first year I moved the boys into the same room and added bunk beds. They thought I "built" the bunk beds while they were gone. Actually, Austin put them together the night before but it felt nice to feel like a magic elf so I never told them that. I spent the night and into the wee hours of the morning putting together shelves, sewing valances, arranging toys, making beds, hanging pictures. They loved their new room. The next year I decorated the baby's room. The boys were just as surprised and excited to see how their new little sister's room would look when she made her debut. I loved hanging all her little clothes in the closet, recovering stools, hanging pictures, all with my 7 month big belly.
This year, even though I had a little sweet side-kick to assist me (a.k.a Quinn), that didn't hold me back from doing the playroom makeover. Ever since we have lived in this house I haven't known what to do with the den. We had a nice couch and bookshelves, but basically it sat empty and unused. You can see the before pictures, which really wasn't how it looked before, but more like what it looked like a few days before the makeover. While the boys were gone I got busy again and transformed it into a really fun space that we have all loved having.
I made three small pillows with linen and a fabric marker and monogrammed each of the kids' initials on them. They were so easy and turned out way cute and the boys thought it was so much fun!
The reading corner: I picked up the stool at Ikea and the picture shelves and spent an afternoon beforehand at Goodwill picking up classic children's book to add to our library. The boys LOVE to read so this was really fun and a great way to rotate the books. I also sprayed a few old frames I had laying around and arranged them to display their work from school.
I refinished this table which was our very first kitchen table as a married couple. The chalk board is hung now but I write on it each night the schedule and activities for the next day. The boys think it is so fun to get up and see what the days holds, and with summer coming, getting me on the ball to have little activities and crafts planned to help with boredom!
It was so much fun re-doing this room. Now, what to do next year....
