Warning - Construction Ahead

So we mentioned a few posts ago that we were interested in looking into a larger house for our growing family. My 'ideal home' was a large room for parents, ones for the girls and one for the boys and of course a 'study/workroom' where I could sew or scrapbook ... and then the few romantic 'extras' that I would love, ie. library with shelves from floor to ceiling complete with sliding ladder (just like what the Beast gave Belle) filled with books that I have all read, one or two window seats in a alcove that would feel like a personal retreat ... and oh, maybe a spiral staircase that would be a gorgeous central decor of an vaulted living room. This was of course before I had to pay bills or had children. Now of course I have little time for reading all the books I want, let alone a moment to sit in a private retreat (it's all that I can do to retreat from the day's labors!). Nor do I desire a large staircase that would embody the fear of broken bones or possible lawsuits from play dates. I'm a little more realistic. The idea of a larger home was really due to the fact I'd be losing my study/workroom. But at last, little ones are capable of changing huge things - even a A-type, clean freak mother to give up on that workroom that she can shut the door on projects in progress. So Keila now has the study and my work has become a little more portable. Given some of the nightmare stories we've heard about house hunting in this market now, it's just as well.

So we've finally started to make this little home of ours our very own. I wanted carpets replaced, but of course that entails a discussion about whether we wanted to paint the walls beforehand. Which then leads to other details about shelving, windows and curtains, etc. You get the picture. Thank heavens for a family friend that LOVES to paint. With her help both bedrooms were painted before the carpet changed. Kent also managed to put in shelving into both our room and Isaac's making a place for our food storage as well as a way to rid myself of the much detested drawers. We added railing to Isaac's room and will be trimming his window. This may sound funny, but Kent's skills in trim carpentry (thanks to his dad) have made him the handyman of my dreams putting details in at a fraction of the cost. To an Asian, that is an extremely romantic thing! ;0)

I'm currently painting a bed frame that I found at a garage sale for Isaac. We've have frames and decor for our bedroom that we'll put up once we reassemble our bed frame. Then my hope is to work on decorating Isaac's room. The chaos of having our furniture everywhere threatened to tip me over the edge if not for the hope of seeing the end product. When things are done, I'll be sure to post pictures.



Isaac and I ran and leaped for joy in our newly carpeted rooms. This is his room, colored with Fortune Cookie and Vermilion from the Martha Stewart line. (are those not the perfect colors for me? Just the name says it all!) You can see the much beloved shelves behind him and where the railing will go when finished.