Eden's room makeover

I remember back a few months ago when I finished the fireplace room in our house, thinking "that was easy...if I spent a week on every room of this house, I could be done in a month." What a dum-dum. That's all I have to say about that crazy plan. 

A month later I am finished (almost) with Eden's room.

 It's not a dramatic change, but I love it. I took down all the moulding in the middle of the wall which turned out to be a huge project. Sanding, rebuilding the wall, retexturing later, then I could finally paint. The wall color is baker's box white, slightly lavender in the right light.

I ordered the decals from etsy. Love them. Not too kiddish, but still a little magical.

 Eden loves to "read". When playing she'll often steal away to the nearest bookcase to flip through some of her favorite books. For her own little bookcase, I cut up a tapestry and just stapled it in the back. I used just a paper stapler too, who knew that would be so easy.

The pillows used to be couch throw pillows, but we always just threw them on the floor and found them bothersome. I cut out eight triangles and hand stitched them on the pillows. I'm crazy for any hand stitching right now. I think it adds so much in just a little time.

And why pillows? next to her bookcase? Little details friends: Eden's not a fan of hard surfaces. Even in a shopping cart I usually take my coat off for her to sit on. So, her little space is tailored just to her needs.

This little lamp is one of my favorite things in her room. Inspired by this pinterest pin, but I love mine more. The little tree branch came from Mike's grandma's house way back when, and the little wire lights are from Restoration Hardware. Eden loves looking at it in the dark and it has an ambiance like you wouldn't believe. The picture here doesn't do it justice with the flash and all. Just trust me, it's darling.

 Before you start judging my photography skills here, remember I'm still sick. This is the wall that has the entry door on, opposite the window. The mirror used to be in our "great room" of our condo.

 The curtains are old and also used to hang on our patio in our condo, but I still love them. I think I bought them about six years ago at Pier 1. The quilt is a rummage sale find and the bed is on loan from my parents.

 A darker picture to prove how cool my homemade lamp is.

That's a wrap.

Actually, it's not. We still have to put in a new ceiling fan, we bought one, and it's just sitting in her closet. It doesn't take much to make a room cute in my book: a little paint, some decals, and a few little homemade touches. I also found another project to start. I have two old, yucky night stands. They're not much to look at (trust me) but would look darling fabric covered and with new knobs. 

But, it may have to wait:

 as another project has begun!

Broom ball and church

I don't think I even knew what broom ball was until my sister moved up north. I don't even know if it's one word or two, but it's fun. You run around with your shoes or boots on ice and whack a ball with a stick and try to get it in the goal box.

 I like it.

 Eden preferred the sledding.

Her and I were talking over lunch yesterday and she began going on about the "woods by Lindsay's".

I grabbed my pen:

"No wolves. No beasts. No bunnies. No giants. No deer. I didn't see anything in the woods. I didn't see any chippies either. No squirrels either."

Little Micah stayed and slept a whole five minutes while we played.

We really enjoyed the Christmas Eve service. I'd have to say it's one of my favorite Christmas traditions that we do.

(Micah is in the front row on my lap.)

Micah got all cuddly and gave me the biggest hug. It melts my heart the way he wraps his chubby little arms around my neck. After he did, I whispered "awww" to him and he slapped me in the face. Ha!

 My hubby played worship for my sister's church, not me. I was just playing and practicing my interpretive worship dance. I joke!

*

My writing really stinks tonight, I'm sick.

So is Mike.

And Eden.

And Micah.

Come to think of it, I think it's a first for our family, all of us being sick.

*

While my words and motivation are seriously lacking, I did mostly finish Eden's room.

Got the pictures, and hoping to post them tomorrow.

I think getting Eden to help clean her room for the pictures was more laborious than the room transformation.

* 

Tah, tah.

We have to wait another year

Merry Christmas!

This year, my little family drove up to see my sister's big family. It's way, way up there, and as far north as I've ever been in my life. It's beautiful. All of it, my sister's family, their hospitality, their home, the scenery, and their obvious love of Christ.

To say that we had fun would be an understatement, and I truly treasure the memories that we made.

Their isn't much that surpasses good company.

This little tidbit of a picture makes me laugh. I believe Eden has finally met her little rival match. In this picture, peace is abundant, but these little ones sure had some squabbles over the weekend.

Eden started them all, but my little nephew just didn't want to give her the satisfaction of winning every spat and hung in there. He's darling, so is she, but I think they were cuter when they were arguing over whether the dog was a boy or a girl.

It's hard to believe we have to wait another year.

The most beautiful day

This is me tonight: making Christmas cookies, listening to Bon Iver, praying for Mike as he takes his final, and enjoying not talking aloud. 

I have been choosing to do the things that make me happy at night for this past week. Be it calling a friend, wrapping presents, starting yet another project, it's been relief.

I haven't been looking at it as the things I have to do, simply the things that make me happy.

Somehow laundry will probably never fit in my perfect equation, so there goes that out the window.

*

But things that make me happy:

We had some visitors today, and the kids skipped their naps. It's not ideal, but memories are. When they left, Micah fussed, nursed, and clonked out.

Thinking it's been a while since Eden's had the opportunity to hold her "little" sleeping brother, I asked her if she'd like to. She beamed with joy at the idea.

She was so gentle, pushing his hair back, stroking his face.

She even began to sing "Hush Little Baby", but her singing got a little carried away, and he began to stir. She quickly quieted her voice not wanting this moment to pass her by.

She talked about how chubby he was, and how he was such a baby. 

It was a moment that I soaked in to my core.

Eden always talks about how Micah has no eyebrows. He does, they're just light.

She touched them, but still didn't believe they were there.

She chatted quietly and rubbed his head a little excessive.

"You're safe," she wispered.

*

Gonna keep this one in the front of my mind for a while.

So quiet, so real, and all so perfect.

This is us

I find this picture hilarious. It's us being us, but so happy being together, well, maybe not Micah.

Eden's feet are jammed into too small ballet slippers, mainly because they're pink.

Micah's sad and fussy because he's not being held.

Mike is being himself, so true to form: easy and steady as a rock.

Me, well it looks like I just got off my daily afternoon rush of running barefoot out to the mailbox, but I wasn't. I think I was trying to make some weird noise to get the kids to look up, typical around here.

***

I've again bit off more than I can chew project wise. Eden's room is sooo close to being done. Two more things, that's it.

***

As Mike would say it "beddy wed wed, wheddy wheddy whed time"

Let it shine, let it shine

Eden sang on Sunday in church. It was beautiful, she was beautiful, I was proud. 

There were a few moments that scared me, like when she started lifting up her dress, but she did wonderful. After a loooong week last week, it was such a beautiful beginning to a new start of a week.

Love these moments.

Happy Friday

This is what we got to do today.

Visit Mike.

Love him.

and her.

She wasn't in the mood.

Daddy tried to talk her into it.

He's patient like that.

He won.

She had fun.

We all did.

Didn't know she could read?

Also didn't know I could still lift him in his carseat.

*

Happy Friday.

*

If you can't tell, I'm not in a talking mood.

Short and sweet.

Tah, tah.