Decisions, Decisions

Welp. We've moved the boys into the playroom/now-their-bedroom, but their sleep arrangements are very temporary (the full bed they were sleeping in is being converted back into a crib). Right now they are are sleeping in a tent filled with blankets and pillows. It's the one they sleep in at Grammie's house and she was kind enough to let us use it for awhile. They are absolutely thrilled.

But it's not a bed.

{Manny insisted on being in every one of the pictures I took.}

Yesterday, I sat on the floor in there for a long time and just kinda looked around. It's a small room and there's a lot of stuff crammed in it. I'm not happy with it (shocking!) and keep thinking that there's a better way to set it up.

{a glimpse from the door}

A few things that need to happen in there to make it more functional:

• New paint. The bright green was from Isaiah's jungle themed nursery 5 years ago. Yuck. I'm thinking a soft gray.

• Take down all nursery shelves and decor. Yep. 5 years old.

• A bed. Preferably bunk beds. We have a set from my parent's house, but I thinking more and more that they are too big and will completely overwhelm the room...which is not hard to do.

• Some vertical storage. Maybe either a 5 shelf bookcase with bins at the bottom to corral things, hanging shelves or a mountable cabinet of some sort. I want to be able to store things out of a little boy's reach. :)

• Possibly move all the boys clothes out of the dresser and into the closet so we can free up some much needed floor space...but then, we would possibly need some more storage options for non-clothing items now stored in the closet.
  
  
  {said dresser. a hot mess.}
  
  

{here's our current toy storage area from Ikea. we really like it.}

I think this is the bed we're leaning towards. It's $199 at Ikea and I just found it on craigslist for $110 including a cute canopy. We might go for it.

The downside is that we lose under-bed storage. The upside is that it's super compact.

A few more options from our friendly neighborhood Ikea (we like cheap and efficient around here)...

{for easy closet organization. $3.00}

{A $2 wall shelf?!}

{cute and inexpensive brackets}

{a wall mounted storage center that uses bins like our toy storage}

{I love this pack of 3 baskets.

Especially hanging from wall hook

and at $5 for all 3.}

{and speaking of wall hooks...aren't these cute?

they are also rubber so there are no sharp edges and are

$2 a pop.

every little boy needs a place to hang his cape.}

{a darling basket for all the stuffed toys I thought

I would never have as a mom of boys. $5.}

{a big basket option though I think I like this more

for the nursery. $20}

Some of my inspiration....

{Pinterest}

I love that they're using the Ikea bed.

{Pinterest}

So nice and neat.

{Pinterest}

They almost have me convinced that a little boy's closet could actually look like this.

{Pinterest}

Not a huge room but they seem to make good use of storage space. I might need to get that pillow. :)

{Pinterest}

I just love so much about this. Check out that curtain rod.

{Pinterest}

I've shared this picture before, but I really like the idea of them having a place to be creative.

Within reason.

{Pinterest}

I love this option for storing books. I mean, they're spice racks for crying out loud!

{Pinterest}

Now THIS....is an interesting idea! Not sure I would be able to maintain sanity trying to keep it looking neat though. You give me much to think about, Pinterest.

{Pinterest}

Another great use of vertical storage.

{Pinterest}

More spice racks for storage... on the side of a dresser. I don't know who thought of this but I want to kiss them on the mouth.

{Pinterest}

I mean, seriously! This is one of the coolest kid rooms I've ever seen. That momma is BA and her son should bring her flowers every day of his life.

{Pinterest}

This one stops my heart a little.

And there we have it. I can't even let myself think too much about decor until I can figure out how this little space is going to function. I can almost see it though....almost.

So, here's the most important part of this whole post cause I need fresh eyes and a lot of help, people: what would you do?

Random Sharing

A few things I wanted to share...

1. Recently made this recipe from Pinterest and it was SUPER. And healthy. And easy.

You just blend together 2 cuties (clementines), a frozen banana, milk or yogurt and a tsp of vanilla in a blender. DE. lightful.

2. Speaking of beverages, my husband has been making some amazing coffee in the mornings. Because he's getting such pure flavor from the coffee, this particular roast (Mocha and Java from Counter Culture) tastes like blueberries in a cup. I don't even put my flavored creamer or sugar in it. Just a little half n half and I'm a happy girl.

{Here are 4 reasons why you should try his nerdy method.}

(please forgive this grainy pic and the ones that follow. they came from my archaic phone camera.)

3. This just cracked me up. I walked in the living room this morning and saw this, but couldn't find Isaiah...

The room was silent and I kept asking Manny, "where is Isaiah???" Then, this appeared...

Silly boys. :)

4. And speaking of silly boys (don't you like all my clever segue's?), my mom got the boys the Tickle Monster Laughter Kit for Christmas.

They loooooove it! It has become almost a nightly routine for Josh or me to put on the "tickle monster claws" and have a tickle fest before bedtime.

It's charming, witty and best of all....rhymes! We laugh and laugh. I dare you read this to your kids when you're in a bad mood. It's the perfect cure....

...and I am now convinced it is the perfect gift.

That's all for now. Have a great weekend!

The Undoing and a Shift

Have you ever experienced God obviously calling out your sin and bringing you gentle proof after proof of it? And then stringing together conversations and moments and readings about that very sin, and showing them to you one after another?

Here's the thing: I often don't love like a mom when I'm being a mom. I'm not always here when I'm physically here.


I'm distracted. They want to talk. I have an agenda that "needs" to get accomplished. They get in my way. (They need a lot.) Then there's facebook (and blogs). Oh, facebook. He has a dirty diaper and he needs help with his shoes. And the etsy shop. And the messy house. And they want me to build them a fort. And my expectations for the day. And they want to eat ALL the time. (They need a lot.) And sometimes, I want to be anywhere but here.


Some days, I just drift.... and live inside my head....disconnected from the 2 eternal souls at my waist.


Enter this post called "What Housework is Really About." (And this one too. What can I say? The Lord was speaking loudly.)


And then this one called "Life with Little People Part 1" and "Part 2."


Enter tears. Enter sobbing tears. Enter pulling each boy onto my lap and looking into their beautiful blue eyes. Enter tearful confessions to each sweet son. Enter the undoing. Enter precious forgiveness.


I want to want to be here. This. It's where He has graciously put me. I'm afraid I'll miss it.


It won't always be this, you know. The cuddle sessions, boo-boos that need kissing, snacks and juice, boy games and blanket forts, rhyming and opposites, tickles and knee pinchers, first questions about the essence of God and Jesus and us, shoe tying and teeth brushing, training and instruction, chore charts and vivid imaginations, little boy laughter.

Even all the picking up and wiping down and gluing back and putting away.


I feel the undoing happening to me. Acknowledging. Releasing. Letting go.


Coming back to here.


This.

What we do when packed in ice

In no particular order and because I'm a tad bored....


Put the children to work doing manual labor.


Josh has joked before that we should have made Manny's middle name "Labor." Emmanuel Labor. Get it? Yeah, I know.

Josh found my very first trumpet and insisted that I give Isaiah his first trumpet lesson. (We were both music majors and constantly go back and forth about whether or not the boys are talented enough to play our instrument. It's all very mature.)

I think I might frame this one. What a proud moment for me.
(I'm sparing you the video)


I made a few Valentine's Day lovelies!


And finished a few orders...


Josh built a fort for the boys...




I took WAY too many pictures of icicles. But they were really cool!




And finally covered some ugly pillows. I plan to make shams to cover the red ones next.

You can't see the pattern well in the picture, but I love it. AND it's like I got 2 new pillows for $6!


Sweet nap times...


Made the yummy marshmallows I posted about. (Have you made them?!?)


And when I was REALLY bored, I convinced this cutie that he wouldn't look like a girl if he let me put his hair in a ponytail. I don't think he looks like a girl AT ALL...more like a very handsome athlete.
I don't think he or Josh agree with me.


And this may mean that we are near the breaking point and NEED TO GET OUT before I start sewing the boys dresses.