Quiet House

I have so been looking forward to this Thanksgiving break. It has been a long few months since Labor Day, my last day off from work. And with the stress of report cards right around the corner, this break has been a welcome breath of fresh air.

To make it even more relaxing, we decided to ship Violet off to the grandmas' for a few days while we got some things done around the house. It has been a win-win all around.

I'm ready!

We weren't due to head down until after lunch, but once my mom let it slip on the phone that Violet was coming to Mimi's house, Violet ran straight for her jacket and demanded to get in the car and go! She loves her gandmas. We arrived and planned to stick around for a few hours, just to make sure she'd be okay, but Violet didn't seem too concerned about us leaving. In fact, when the time finally came for good-bye kisses, we each got a quick peck on the cheek and then Violet literally closed the door in our faces with a cheery "bye-bye!" I've never felt quite so dismissed in my life!

It's funny being at home without Violet. That first morning, we both kept waiting to hear the telltale noises from upstairs that mean our day has officially begun. It was strange to know we had the entire day to spend as we pleased, with no interruptions or needing to plan around naptime.

Of course, what we pleased to do was tackle our bonus room. For months we've been opening the door and tossing junk in. But if we ever wanted to get our Christmas stuff out of storage, we'd need to clear a path through the Hoarding-style mess. Many hours, trash bags, and boxes of donations later, we have a lovely, functional space (including a Man Cave for Matt). Here's hoping it remains this nice and neat for the foreseeable future.

Before (shudder)

On the right, a collection of boxes that were originally packed for our move home from Texas in 2006, added to in our move to this house in early 2010. On the floor, some various electronics and subsequently ensnaring cords. By the window, a pile of outgrown baby gear. In the foreground, the empty box from our tv and a crate of Christmas stuff.

After (ahh)

Man Cave (note that none of these electronic items are actually plugged in).

Now we can actually keep the door open, instead of locking it in shame!

Of course, we've missed the little Noodle, although the same can't be said in the reverse. Violet would rather be with her grandmas than anywhere else in the world. Here's hoping she can bear to come home. At least she'll be coming home to a nice clean bonus room.