Thursday, April 21, 2016

our home

My afternoon yesterday is what inspired this post.  I have said before on this blog how much I love our home.  I really do.  I don't see us here forever, but I don't like to think about the day when we move.  I know we will, eventually, because I can't see me loving stairs when I'm older.


The thing I love about our home is that it's not that big.  I know that sounds opposite of what it should be, but it's true.  It's plenty for our family.  I like being around my kids and I love that our home isn't so big that we have to be far apart.  The only time that happens is when they're in the playroom playing the X-Box and have the music loud.  Then I have to yell or text to get them to come downstairs.

They have always shared rooms, and always will.  We could move one of the bigger boys into the playroom, but that would not go over well with just one boy having a tv in his room, while the others did not.  (We have two tv's in our house: one downstairs in our living room and one upstairs in the playroom and will not be having anymore.)  So, I don't really see them ever not sharing rooms.  They complain about this occasionally, but I know they don't mean it, because they sleep in the same room most nights.  Whether it's in a bedroom or in the playroom, they always ask for this.

I love that being in shared rooms has created a friendship type bond between them all.  I go to bed every single night, hearing them talk and laugh in each of their rooms.  I think because of this fact, they are closer than they would be, if we had a bigger home.

I will say that the only thing I would change about our home is that I would add a whole bathroom.  But even in our two and half baths, it's still plenty.  I know of bigger families who live in less space than this, so I certainly can't complain.


This is Jonah's and Noah's room.  They have the smallest room in the house, and just last night, we were trying to figure out how to reconfigure their room to change it up.  We do this all the time, this rearranging of the rooms.  A few years ago, they were all happy with their twin size beds (four) and started asking for two sets of bunk beds.  This was after we sold one set that Graham and Drew had at one time and promised to never want again.  So we bought these two sets of bunk beds.  And for over a year, they all slept in the smallest room in the house.  And loved every second, until one day, very suddenly, they were done.  Soon after we rearranged for Jonah and Noah and for a while now, nothing has changed.

Then Drew started hating his top bunk and for a long time, has been asking us to separate the beds in their room.  In order to do that, we had to sell a ping pong table, move the drums back to the playroom and THEN separate the beds.  All of that was done Monday night and yesterday afternoon (for FIVE HOURS), Graham and Drew thoroughly cleaned out their room and closet.  They were so overwhelmed at one point, that I had to go up and intervene and for two hours, the three of us worked together until all was spotless.  When we got home from church last night, Todd took the beds apart in less than five minutes, and just like that, everyone was happy again.

Until Jonah started thinking that he wants the same thing, but that's for another day.

One other thing about having a house that's not huge is that we are always maximizing our space, and we are always cleaning things out and purging.  I love doing that and could stand to do lots more.  Just don't go in my attic...it gives me anxiety just thinking about it.  I say every year that THIS is going to be the year we clean it out, but not until it's cold and the bugs are gone.

I love having a clean and organized space, don't you?  Drew was in his happy place last night.  Unfortunately, Graham couldn't care less about a mess, but surely after the way I had to get onto them for their pig sty of a room yesterday, they'll be better about keeping it clean.  Surely.

Then again, maybe not.  I do love these days.

Stay tuned, another rearranging of the rooms will soon take place.

Love to all.

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