Settimana Nove

I'll take you back in time today to the end of July...week nine of summer to be exact. This was the epic week of changing rooms. One might ask (and many have) why we decided to switch rooms. Here are my reasons:

1. Pearl wasn't very happy sharing a room. She wasn't really unhappy either, but she had voiced her complaint and I didn't think it fair that just because she was the littlest that she should forever share a room. Likewise for Daisy.

2. Everyone should learn to share a space.

3. I don't want the girls to become attached to a room. Someday when kids are grown, they will leave and you'd better believe that I am going to use that space. I don't want any tears when I put stuff in 'their' old room.

4. Decluttering. It is an essential skill to learn how to throw things away. Whether it is actual garbage or just things that have been held onto for enough time, it is important to learn how to let go and minimize if necessary.

5. There is the loner room down in the basement. It has the benefit of having its own bathroom and seclusion, but it is not the first pick. I didn't think Robyn should have to remain relegated to the dungeon forever.

I think that about covers my reasoning for week nine. We didn't do our normal activities. I figured it would take us a good while to move everyone's stuff. Along with moving stuff, the girls were required to deep clean the room they left. I stressed the importance of cleaning a space when one leaves it. It is courteous to make a place hospitable for the next guest.

And really...how often do you deep clean a bedroom? All the rooms were needing a good dusting of shelves and baseboards. Not to mention shutters.

To encourage cooperation, I gave each of the girls a budget along with the room change. I would supply $75 toward something to beautify the room. (i.e. rug, paint, lamp, picture, etc.) I also built in an incentive NOT to use too much of my money. If they decided to keep the room as it was, I would give them $30 of spending money instead.

Here was the shakedown:
June: Paint
Daisy: Paint - these two were sharing a room so they combined resources to change the color of the room.
Robyn: Canvas so she could create her own art. This is yet to be purchased. She is planning to paint with Grandma.
Ivory: Spending money
Pearl: Spending money

I really wanted to avoid painting because it seemed like such a huge project, but two kids didn't take the bait and I had only myself to blame. And so we painted.

There was much debate about color, but the two finally decided on a sky blue and there are plans to eventually add some hot air balloons. We went shopping and got our paint. Then on a seemingly normal Wednesday afternoon, we got down to business. (We kind of stole Tyler for the day. I couldn't have done it without him.) Ready for the color reveal?

Ooh...pretty.

All the girls got to take a turn painting. Mom and Dad did the edges and Dad got all the stuff up high. (I really couldn't have done it without him.) It was a really fun family activity.

I loved the finished product. Blue is such a relaxing color.

Then we were back to rearranging rooms. It is amazing how much stuff little girls can collect. I won't name names, but some people needed the purge more than others.

That same evening, Robyn and I took on the task of making a bookcase that June bought for her room. We were quite the handywomen. Too bad the bookcase was warped and our finished product, while looking amazing, didn't hold shelves. (Thankfully, the real handyman was able to fix it.)

We did take one break that week. We had tickets to a Hale Center play, so we all went to see the Little Mermaid Jr. It was really cute and the girls had a great time. Robyn was invited to see it with a friend the day after, so we used her ticket and invited June's friend, Lauren.

Theater selfie.

Afterward, we took pictures with Ursula. She was a favorite as well as her glowing eels.

Besides the room changing, I mentioned that our appliances were on the fritz. On Monday, the fridge stopped cooling. We had all our food in coolers for two days until some guy came in and banged on the fridge motor and it started up again. (Seriously? Don't you hate it when it is something you totally could have done? I could hit my fridge.) While he was there, we asked him to fix our persistent leak that results in ice chipping each month. He looked at the problem, pronounced the solution and was done a few minutes later.

YAY! Except that it didn't solve the problem. I chipped out ice a few weeks later. I should call him back, but I'm too annoyed right now. Also more pressing problems came up, like the washing machine breaking.

I was the VERY patient wife who let my husband buy a part and try to fix it instead of just getting a new washer. When it turned out to be more problematic than that one part, we got a refurbished washer to hold us over. And by hold us over, I mean, I don't foresee a new washer this year. The 'newer' washer we have at the moment seems to do the trick and I only have to readjust laundry inside when it gets unbalanced on the spin cycle and sounds like a moose crashing through the bathroom. This would bother me less if I didn't have to do laundry twice a day just to stay on top of it. Please...just send money for Christmas. I'm saving up for my sanity.

Whoa, I am way off track. Let's get back to the bedrooms. I had to put off taking pictures of the finished rooms, because Ivory slept in her bed for two nights and then we had company...Sharon...arrive. It was SSSOOOO fun to have her visit, but it just meant that I didn't get pictures until three weeks later when all company had gone and girls could clean up. (Totally worth it though. We love visitors.)

Without further ado, let's check out these bedroom makeovers. I wish I could also show you all the stuff we donated or threw away. You would be so proud.

The room downstairs in Atlantis is cozy. Ivory has less large furniture, so she was able to try a new setup. I really like it. (The first picture is before and the second after. I didn't label them this time, but I think you can figure it out.)

In the odd shaped room, there are many places to put the bed. Ivory chose one way, and Pearl chose another. It seems strange, but she loves her bed back in that corner. Easy access for peaking outside at all hours.

The shared room had the biggest alteration with the color change. I like it so much more than the lavender.

And finally, the room with the secret closet. I didn't get as much time with Robyn, filtering her stuff. I think she got a lot tucked back in the closet that I don't know about. But it is only a year until I get another stab at her hoard. I like how her space looks for now, complete with the Batman logo from Mr. Mortensen's classroom.

Week nine sure was busy, but with it came a great sense of fulfillment. Maybe it is time to deep clean my own room...