12 Hours Later

This morning I woke up with a plan. Sunday afternoon my dad is coming to town, and has agreed to stay over with us. Usually he goes the luxurious route and crashes at fun hotels and sometimes the kids get to go to the pool... so however he decides to accommodate, everyone wins.

This weekend he's coming to check in on my big sis who had an outpatient surgery done. And if we have time, we will work on some computer type things... I'm my dad's web designer.

Anyway, I digress. Back to my plan. Clean house. I recently set up a new schedule for the kids and I this summer and it got away from me. So part of this clean house plan was to get myself motivated for the rest of the week. Plus its exciting to have overnight guests! I enjoy a bit of hospitality. Plus its for my pops and we all love him so.

I should have taken some before pics, but I didn't. So you can just enjoy the afters. I literally spent all day cleaning up this room. (Plus the kitchen, vacuumed stairs, picked up and vacuumed my family room, and two loads of laundry)
This is our "dining room" which I took over as my homework/freelance work/scrapbook area. At least, to the left is my 6 foot desk I use to work. The armoire is filled with design text books, my sewing machine, and my papers and other supplies. When I started my morning, there were 4 computer towers, an iMac monitor, speakers, 4 table legs, a large table, 4 boxes of comics, and about 3 feet of dust all in that open space on my floor. Now it shines!
Heres a shot of the other half of this mega room. The white antique couch was inherited from my mother in law, as was the credenza and mirror. (most everything in this room is either from my mother in law or my mother). Except for... The arm chair... That bad boy is a recliner, and I got it a month ago at a yard sale for, wait for it....... $2!!! Yes, TWO dollars!! Erick pounded a hammer in it for me this evening, it had a loose board, and now its my special reading chair.

This last picture is dark I know, but it shows my pretty rug I've had for about 8 years and my lovely couch. Oh and the basket on the chest/table is where I am filling it up with the perfect conversation piece - mini albums!!

Mostly this post is for my super-friend Melissa, who came over one day amidst icky morning sickness (hers, not mine!) and our 7 collective children to give me some decorator tips and outsider suggestions. She got me motivated to make some magic happen in this room. (Oh and she gave me a huge roll of fabric and we are going to make some curtains!) I love it! Erick loves it, and it will be sooo nice to sit in here with my good ole dad and chat, while I shoo the kids down to their area. :)

So please, come over and chat! Consider yourself invited. Don't you love to peek into other people's homes? I sure do.