More Home Improvements!

I am still in shock over all we accomplished this weekend! We did manage to throw in some fun shopping and eating out along the way, but for the most part, we've been working all weekend. We're both tired and sore, but it's been SO worth it!

Prior to having Allison, my favorite thing to do was make scrapbooks. I started in the mid-90's and have over 30 albums. After I got married I spent 2 years being a Creative Memories consultant. I LOVED it! It's such a great creative outlet, plus it provides an opportunity to get together with other gals and talk, eat, look at pictures and share creative ideas. Since having Allison in my life I've taken MANY more pictures, but unfortunately most of them are still in their little folders, NOT in albums. This is something that's been bothering me for 2 1/2 years!! The main issue isn't time. I'm a believer that you can find time for things that are important to you. The main issue was space. There just wasn't anywhere in the house where I could spread everything out and work. But now there is! YAHOO!!

A few months ago we made the decision to begin finishing our basement. Since we have a ranch house, our basement is pretty big, and we looked forward to adding the additional rooms to our home. Then Aaron came along. Scratch the basement- we're going to China instead. Believe me, I'd MUCH rather add a child to our family than have a finished basement, but it would mean we'd need to get creative with the space we had. The first thing we did was buy a big piece of carpet and make one side of the basement into a guest room/play room. The play room used to be upstairs, but you can see from the last post that it is no longer a play room. :) Allison loves playing down here, and although our guest room is not "finished", it works. I found a small area around where the future bathroom will be built that would make a good work space for me, and this weekend I got organized and am now ready to scrap again. I can't wait!! Tomorrow Scott is bringing home his label maker so I can replace my little titles on masking tape with cool labels. Yeah!

Our other weekend project was to turn our dining room, that is rarely used, into a little office space for me so the breakfast table, that SHOULD be used, can serve its purpose instead of being the catch all area for every piece of paper that comes through the house! Can anyone relate? UGH! We had a GREAT time at The Container Store today, getting all sort of boxes, bins and containers to organize our stuff. I got to work right away making a fun little space for me at my "desk". Just so you know, I DO have pictures of both my kids at my desk, but since I'm not allowed to show Aaron's face yet, I took it down for the picture. :(

Tomorrow I'll be doing after project clean- up, and then Wednesday my parents will bring Allison home (FINALLY!!) and stay through the weekend. I can't wait! Only 2 more sleeps till I can hold my sweetie again!!





I meant to take before/after pictures, but I forgot to take the true before picture. SO, just imagine more mess and more disorganization. This picture was taken 1/2 way through. :)



Now there's no excuse- time to get to work!



I love my little work space. I'm sure it will never look this clean again. Those of you who scrapbook know it's a messy hobby!



My new "office" I'm in heaven!