J Cooper Photography

The girls have survived their first 3 days at the new school.  They don’t seem overly traumatized.  Which means the endless nights of crying and carrying on in Kansas City can just be chalked up as girl drama  I’m pretty sure I was actually more nervous for them than they were themselves.  I walked them in the first day.  Walked them to their class.  Spoke personally with their teachers.  Hung around too long until the other kids started filing in and my girls were giving me “the look” to take a hike.

I had intended to take their pictures on the front porch on the way out but in the breakfast making/lunch making/coat finding/backpack filling/shoe tying I completely forgot.  The Brainiac mentioned the lack of photos as soon as we were on our way in the car and received a hard thump on the head from her sister.  So we stopped discreetly by the side entrance of the school to snap a quick iphone shot.  Then I got reprimanded by the school security Nazi for using the wrong door.  Work with me here people!

They were adamant that they “not look too cute” the first day.  No bows or crazy head bands.  Tennis shoes only.  Nothing that would draw attention to them.  Although the kids still swarmed

{”If I smile will you leave quicker?”}

{”this is totally weird and ackward and please hurry up as the kids are coming into the class and I am worried about be branded with a social stigma!”}

So while the girls have been at school and the boys have been napping (hello,  blessed 4 hour naps yesterday!) I have been wandering aimlessly through my house trying to decide WHAT to start on first.  Don’t get me wrong.  I LOVE our new house.  But it is a project.  More on this to come, but we knew when we purchased it we would have MANY long nights working to make it our own.  The question is…which 1990 decorating mishap is the MOST offensive?  The gaudy oak woodwork (sorry if you are an oak lover but 1989 called and wants its grain back), the carpet in the bathroom (heeby jeebies galore), the electric fireplace, the red plaid wallpaper, the off white carpet, or the solid gold fixtures?  Today I decided to just dive in and start on the first room you see when you walk in the door…the living room.  It has an ENORMOUS electric fireplace.  And it was just plain ugly.

First I sanded that grainy oak down

Then I slapped on a coat of primer

Tonight I put on coat number 1 of creamy white paint.  She’s definitely not in the “in crowd” yet but she is definitely climbing the social ladder.  I plan to tile over that freaky formica surround and somehow paint those brass strips.  Then we’ll add wood floors and board and batten in that room.  I ended up with Charlotte in there and my 2 brown damask chairs.  I should have zoomed out so you could see the arrangement…but it is actually pretty darn cute.  None of our furniture ended up in the rooms I predicted. I’m so crazy like that.

I’m debating between painting the board and batten in white to match the trim…or getting all wild and bold with a fun blue to offset the yellow couch.

I pinned these two rooms a few days ago

But then again…white is always classic too.

Care to cast your vote??

Thanks too for all the awesome texts, facebook messages, and emails of support for the girls at school!  I have the best friends.  I was truly touched by those of you who took time to think of them this week!   Anna came home from school today and announced that one of the boys has a crush on her.  I asked how she knew.  She said “well he turned to me and said – hey there, Anna” in a weird voice (think Joey from Friends).  I told her she was definitely right