Home alone

This weekend my husband went to the Auburn game with his college roommates. On the way, he dropped off the kids at their grandparent's house. So I had the unique opportunity to be home alone for over 48 hours. I enjoyed such luxuries as watching 3 movies in a weekend (Letters to Juliet, Valentine's Day, The Time Traveler's Wife), reading a book cover to cover (Catching Fire), and eating popcorn and Snapple for two meals in a row. It was really nice. I also had lunch with the sweet girl who I mentor when time permits (which has been very rarely these days). That was such a treat. When I wasn't being a complete couch potato, I worked on a few things around the house.

I took my husband's old office area which was unbelievably bare and blah
and finally turned it into a guest room! (Come on over friends and family! No more sleeper sofa!)
I mainly used things we had around the house. I did buy those botanical prints above the bed. They were on clearance at Target for $12 each. They have a dark wood frame that is sanded a little to reveal the red paint underneath. I love that look. The room is not anything spectacular, it doesn't even reveal my own personal taste (the gold bedspread was bought 6 or 7 years ago). But it is a big improvement just in the fact that it houses a bed! THANK YOU Mimi and Papa for surprising us with the Temperpedic mattress for our bedroom! And now you get to reap the rewards too when you come to our house and have a guest room with a bed!

I also framed the art from our art wall. Before, the artwork was just taped to the wall. This is the wall we see at the bottom of the steps to the basement when we are walking into the garage, our school room, or our guest room. The kids' work always makes me smile, especially now that it is displayed a little better.
I also scratched my obsessively-anti-clutter itch and worked on organizing a few closets. They weren't awful to begin with. But a little sprucing will help me get to stuff quicker. One of my biggest pet peeves is when I can not find something and go out and buy it, only to find it later in the midst of clutter. What a waste.
Lydie and I worked on her toys together earlier in the week. She previously just had big baskets for toy dumping. But now that Polly Pockets and Barbies have entered the scene, the big baskets have become our enemies. They swallow up and consume Barbie shoes and the like. Andy got a little nauseous at how excited she was over her new system. The apple certainly does not fall far from the tree.

This stuff might look like a lot. But I spent only a small fraction of Saturday working around the house. It is such a blessing to have a weekend to get rejuvinated! By 10PM on Friday I was ready for everyone to come home. But I stuck it out until Sunday evening and I think it really filled my tank. Blessings to those who also find yourself needing a break! I read this prayer by Ruth Bell Graham that struck a chord with me. It's so, so sweet.

"God, bless all young Mothers at the end of the day,

Kneeling wearily with each small one to hear them pray.

Too tired to rise when done, and yet they do

Longing simply to sleep one whole night through.

Too tired to sleep, too tired to pray...

God, bless all young mothers at close of day."