I LOVE IT!!

Well, we are finally ALMOST finished with the play room.   I thought I was done once, but I was wrong...    Two of my dear friends have moved out of state recently, and both of them had bookshelves they were getting rid of.   I can't pass up a good bookshelf.  And a free or cheap one from a friend is even that much better!!  So with a few coats of paint, and a little Pinterest inspiration, I turned three cast-off bookshelves into Play Room Perfection!!!

 

 First, we painted the three bookshelves a nice
"Lego Blue" color.  We brought them in the basement & got them positioned where we wanted, then screwed them together & used brackets to anchor them to the wall.   We wanted the two end shelves to stand up like traditional bookcases for storage, and the 3rd one we laid down to create a window-seat type sitting area, which AJ was more than happy to demonstrate.   Hunter insists that is not the only good sitting space....

Here it is after we got our stuff organized into bins & boxes, labeled, and put on the shelves.   We are putting some of the boys books here too, but keeping the majority of the books in their bedrooms.  The small wooden shelf is one my father in law made years ago that is perfect for those Lego storage boxes by Iris.  I am going to paint or cut letters on my Cricut for a quote I want over the shelf.  It will say "PLAY is the highest form of research. - Albert Einstein" 

Gotta love labels on boxes!  I printed labels off the computer with pictures of what is in each box and the words to help my learning-to-read 5 year old know where things go.  Eventually there will be a nice soft cushion on the bench part to make it a cozy spot to curl up with a good book or the latest Lego Club Magazine! We just have to go pick out the fabric.  Both boys want Lego fabric, but alas, I cannot find it

This corner has chalkboard paint on the wall, which the boys have really enjoyed.  They use that wide windowsill for displaying some of their favorite Lego builds, and store chalk and things on the Crayola shelf they got from Aunt Jenn.

This wall is where my Gramma and I have been painting Legos on the wall.   They aren't quite finished yet, but you can get the idea. 


It is definitely a Lego inspired room, but that is what my boys are really into!   We love the bright colors, without it being overwhelming. 


So, I think I will call this my Jane & Jill shelf, in honor of those friends who made this whole project possible!

Oh the places we'll go....

Moving Day is almost here!  8 days. (That's how long our house was on the market too... 8 days!) That's all the time we have left to pack, clean, pack some more, use up the food in the freezer, and keep packing!  :)  We are so excited about the new home we feel God has blessed us with.  I am really looking forward to life in the new house, to hosting Bible Studies with friends and youth, hosting Disciple Now weekends, providing a safe haven where our kids and their friends can hang out and know that there will always be a warm hug, a listening ear, and a good snack.  A crafty place where we can create and make memories, and a comfortable place where we can relax and catch up.  A playful place where can be loud and crazy and dance around to our favorite music.

We had the boys make up lists of what they wanted in a new house when we were house hunting.  It was very helpful because it gave us a window into what they valued as important, and what kind of spaces they would need.   It also gave us a pretty good laugh on a couple of things, especially on Hunter's list.

AJ's List:                                                          Hunter's List:            
Separate Bedrooms                                           Playroom
Shed or Workshop for Dad & AJ                     Craft Room (this was on Momma's list too!)
Flat Driveway                                                   New Refrigerator
Basketball Goal                                                New TV
Place to Ride Bikes                                          Swingset
Place for Archery Practice
Climbing Tree

We did not get the new TV on Hunter's List, and we are pretty sure we won't be able to do the swing set either.  The Archery Range on AJ's list is pretty much a big fat NO, and there is not a tree big enough to climb... yet.   But other than that, we did pretty good!   The Lord has really blessed us, and we are so very grateful.  

If you'd like to see the "Before" photos of the new house, they are pinned on my Pinterest Board. I will try to post "After" photos after we actually get moved in.  :)