On to the Den!

I really did have every intention of posting this yesterday, but it was a busy lesson day for me (and an exciting one at that because one of my little pitchers, Bre, pitched to batters for the first time at her practice later in the day and did awesome!).  Knowing it was going to be busy, I actually planned ahead and spent nap time preparing dinner in the Crockpot.  I got this recipe for Pesto Spinach Lasagna from Stephanie O'Dea's, A Year of Slow Cooking and since I had a mile of basil growing in the backyard, I thought I'd give it a try.  (And it turned out great!  Although way too much green for the skeptical Elizabeth Rose.)

I even woke up early to take pictures before the girls could do their damage...ha!  I love our den and it was a big selling point for us on the house.  Our rental house only provided a living room and dining room as far as living space and we really thought that one more room would be perfect for the girls to trash play in.  It has turned out to be a God-send and most of the toys stay in this room, leaving mostly books in the living room.  It has a high, vaulted ceiling with a wood beam and a wood burning fireplace that I can't wait to try out this winter.  What a blessing to know that we can still have heat if the power goes out!!

I feel like an idiot when it comes to decorating mantles and I wasn't really sure what to put up there.  I'm still not 100% thrilled with this - so start chunking suggestions and I'll switch it around.  The basket is full of "dog towels," as the door to the back yard is to the left here.  There is a wood parkay floor inlay that curves around the fireplace and the doors and then the rest is carpeted.  I didn't show it to you because it's filthy and I must retain SOME dignity, people!

My grandparents gave us this shelving unit and I absolutely love it.  My husband didn't love the moving process from Pennsylvania (which involves wonderful stories like having to take a elevator ceiling apart and getting the truck stuck in the mud), but that is an entirely different post!  It is wonderful storage for pictures and knick-knacks and it looks so good on that wall, I think. 

I love that we finally have a spot for our ridiculous collection of books...and this was after we weeded out the ones that we didn't want!

And of course, the girls have designated drawers...currently occupied by puzzles.  

And there is room on the top to display some family antiques.  Now, I must back up for a moment and explain to you that my husband is a minimalist.  He would have been fine with moving into the house with the girls, me and a backpack and called it a home.  Me?  Not so much.  I have had boxes of memories, pictures and little odds and ends packed away and waiting for the perfect home.  So just please realize that when you look at these pictures, you are seeing purely my decorating taste, as my husband would have been perfectly happy with just looking at empty, clean shelves.

He lets me do what I want though...so perhaps that's a secret to a happy marriage?? ha!

Another angle of the room.  The ottoman has toys in it and the room never looks like this.  In fact, you can rarely see the floor.  Well, except for the spot in front of the piano, which they keep clean so they can climb up on it and jump off.  The monkeys also love climbing on the outside of the staircase, so I tried to deter that by putting the baby bed and kitchen in front of them.  Three guesses on if that worked or not...and the first two don't count...

Our wonderful realtor, Susan, donated the toy bins to our cause and most of the kitchen food is located in the toybox on the other side of the sewing machine there.  Rachel loves the sewing machine, that was my Memaw's, and will open and SLAM the door shut, causing me to fly into a fit...which makes her laugh...

kids...!

Ok, there's the den!  Onward to the living room tomorrow and then I'll do the bedrooms all in one post.  Shew...house tours are exhausting!