Spring Cleaning, Spare Rooms and Selish Motives

Is it 'spring cleaning' if you're doing major housework while it's still the dead of winter but you're anxiously awaiting the arrival of spring?

I say yes, it is. So I have been spring cleaning.


There has been no school at all this week because of near constant snowfall and heavy accumulations. The roads have been terrible and evidently the state's snow budget has been blown apart at the seams. We haven't had a winter like this since I was a kid.

It sure makes for great cleaning time! I've spent the last couple of days working on the upstairs. Going slow and steady because I don't want to make myself sick of it right off the bat and I SO want to get some of these long-dreaded tasks accomplished.

I have a spare bedroom upstairs. I've never had a spare room before now and I'm anxious to put it to good use. You see, when my oldest son moved out we just added another baby. So while all of the kids shifted bedrooms, the small 'spare' room was instantly converted to a nursery for our new addition. Then Brie moved out, bedrooms were reconfigured once again, and that smallest of rooms sat vacant for a very short time...awaiting my decision as to what should be done with it.

I finally decided that even though the room was rather small, it should become a playroom. A room that would benefit the entire family. I wouldn't be selfish. After all, I really didn't need a room all to myself for crafting and sewing and writing and private time....really I didn't.

And so the transformation began. All of our board games and jigsaw puzzles were relocated to this room and we were about to move in the PS2 and a TV.


Then we found out we were having a grandchild.

So out came the crib and the chest of drawers and the room was once again a nursery, for those days when I'd be babysitting or they'd be visiting. After all, the little guy needed a place to lay his tiny head.


Unfortunately, Hayden had other ideas. He absolutely would NOT sleep in that crib. Ever. So basically the 'nursery' was a storage area for the baby furniture and a few of his belongings.

So here we go again.

The crib is down and going back into storage. My craft supplies and sewing machine are getting the dust blown off them. But I'm not being selfish about it. Even though I don't think the PS2 will be making an entrance, the board games and jigsaw puzzles have found a very accessible home in the newly organized closet.

Maybe I'll even post pics when it's all done. But for now...

BACK TO WORK ON MY....*ahem*...OUR SPACE!!! ;)

One of Winter's Side Effects

Winter.

Lately I've been reading lots of opinions on this glorious season, not all of them favorable. I happen to be a fan. The snow. The crisp air. Fires in the fireplace. Hot chocolate. Hearty soups and stews.

It's all good.


I know that winter does have some side effects that aren't so cheery. Lack of sunlight is hard on a person. Being cooped up inside along with everyone else also provides a wonderful breeding ground for all those germs and bugs that are just waiting to attack. So there is also much illness with which to cope. Colds, flu, various viruses...yuck. Not winter's most endearing qualities, but sometimes you have to take the bad with the good.

But winter does have one very positive side effect for our family. It seems that whenever the temperatures drop and Old Man Winter settles in for a nice, long visit...
...we tend to spend a lot more time together. Good, quality, family time. Board games, jigsaw puzzles, card games. They all come out of the game closet and get the dust blown off them.

Some of our favorites include...





And of course dominoes.

We LOVE dominoes. They are such great teaching tools, too. Perri learned great math skills playing dominoes and now Tucker is doing the same.

What does your family do to while away those chilly winter evenings? Do you have a favorite board or card game? Are you a jigsaw pro? Do you get crafty? I'm always looking for new things to try and I'd love to read your suggestions. :)