Fighting the Winter Blahs

Are you in a rut lately? Is life dreary, hum-drum, boring? Need some relief from the long winter?

Well, come on over to the Haven, where it's never a dull moment around here! (And Happy Groundhog's Day, by the way! Looks like 6 more weeks of winter here -- which is totally fine if you're in the stove and fireplace business!!)

January has been our month to clean carpets. Actually, it was also the month to stretch carpets, but that's another story. So there have been more than a few days when the furniture has been all topsy-turvy. (The day the entire living room came into the dining room was odd: the acoustics totally changed!) Emma has really rolled with the upheavals.... this is her, taking advantage of the empty living room, and playing in the tunnel of her playtent she got for Christmas:

Can I just say right now, that you can get a good look at that gorgeous eye color.... which is NOT blue. She and Darcie are my hazel-eyed kids, courtesy of Todd. Now you know what won me over! Everyone else is blue, thanks to me.

Anyway, Alyssa joined in the tunnel.... um, sort of. Good thing the living room was empty of furniture.... leaving plenty of room if she fell (which, she didn't):

And the Mary Poppins obsession has continued. We know she's hooked when she falls asleep in front of the TV. Because this kid DOESN'T ever do that. The older ones used to fall asleep watching videos, but not Em. Until now:

I'm a sucker for photos of my kids sleeping. You should see all the ones I've taken in the past! Emma was parked at the kitchen counter watching...... what else? Mary Poppins:

Emma also has a fascination with laundry baskets as transportation. She loves to sit in a basket and be dragged or pushed through the house. So this time, Darcie switched places.... and I could believe the frantic look on her face, if I didn't know there's no possible way that Emma could actually push her:

And finally, if you're really bored, you stop by a Redbox and rent a movie. Then if the family room TV is otherwise occupied, you watch it in the rec room (a.k.a. the exercise room). Since seating options are limited in there (hello? you're supposed to be exercising!).... you have to get a bit creative to find a comfortable [and I use that term loosely] spot.

Now that I've set you up, here's Cameron watching a movie..... and yep, he's seated on the Bowflex:

Somebody please tell me I'm not the only person who has bags of mortar in their exercise room. Oh, and that green faux-something paint treatment? It's GOING. I've had enough of that one, and am looking to change that room again. Now taking input on color options!!

Watch for upcoming posts on the next remodel project.... I am really excited about this one! I may have to draw you a picture so you get the idea of what we'll actually be accomplishing.