This past week was…a lot. Let me start back at the beginning, last weekend, when we inherited two iron twin bed frames from a friend which (obviously) sparked a complete two-day bedroom purge and makeover for Norah and Lillian.
They share a room, and for way, way too long, it has needed some love. Something about installing new bed frames was the event that triggered a series of home improvement dominos.
We cleaned out every drawer and shelf, removed and replaced their mattresses, deep cleaned every nook and cranny, removed the window treatment and the broken blinds, updated their bedding, found a storage solution for old baby blankets, bought new pillows, and revamped the storage in their closets.
By Sunday night I was exhausted, sweaty, very sore, but entirely delighted by the results. We still need to paint the walls, replace the carpet, and install new window treatments, but their room now reminds me of something from a Little Golden Book, and I love it so much.
The fun part is, they love it too. Delighted by their updated space, they wanted to spend all their time together in their new room, with the lights off (“Because we love all the natural light!”), playing cards on a framed art print subbing as a make-shift card table.
The simple delight of watching my not-so-little girls, playing cards together in the late afternoon light, on their new white ruffled comforters was a moment of joy and gratitude for me.
Speaking of moments of gratitude, my copy of Ina’s new cookbook arrived in the mail this week. Modern Comfort Food is beautiful, and very “Ina.” I have only done a cursory first glance at the contents, and I plan to read it cover to cover this weekend and soak up every detail. I am not sure when I will start cooking out of it, but I promise to keep you posted on my thoughts as I do.
Speaking of new things, I have been giving my shelves at home some intentional attention. I am trying to hit the right balance of beautiful and functional, while also bringing in touches of the season. The shelving unit in this photo is a focal point in our common living and dining area, so we see it all day every day. I am very pleased with how it is looking, and I particularly love the new blue and white porcelain bowl I purchased this week from Vintage Collected.
Alice from Vintage Collected is the best. She sells vintage items on Instagram (@vintagecollected), and I have purchased several pieces from her. They are always beautiful and interesting. I love mixing the old pieces with my modern everyday wares. I love how one small new item can transform the look of an entire shelf.
Speaking of new items, this is Lillian showing me her new skill on Wednesday. She taught herself to ride her brother’s skate board! She was so proud of herself! I was so proud of her! She was doing such a good job!
And then, on Thursday afternoon, she fell off the skate board and broke her leg.
We ended up in the ER, and she has a fractured fibula. Currently, she is not in a cast. We will be visiting the orthopedist early next week for her treatment plan, which I assume will involve an over-the-knee cast. Meanwhile she is in a foam full-leg splint with strict orders not to move.
We are doing the best we can, but the complications with a broken leg are far greater than those that come with a broken arm. Specifically, I am starting to wonder what she will wear? How will we trick-or-treat? Will she be able to go back to school? It just feels like such a blow, and I am doing my best to manage it.
I know her bone will heal, and I know we will figure out the way forward, little by little. But right now, in the moment, it seems like a lot.
Speaking of little by little, I shared on Instagram this week (before our skateboard crisis) how important I think it is to set a table. Not just for our sake, but for our children’s sake. There is a skill set to be gained in watching and learning how to prepare a place for others, to give attention to the details, and to understand the basic layout of a table.
I have never formally trained my children other than to ask them to help, allowed them to imperfectly set the table, and then gently corrected the results. Along the way, they have learned how to set a table when asked, and this photo reminded me that small steps over time do in fact yield progress.
Have a lovely weekend!
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