There are moments as a mom when I sit back and just watch my kids through different eyes. Do you ever do that? Sit and watch how they talk, their little quirks, and try to burn it all in your memory forever?
When I can quiet the to do lists and tasks playing over and over in my brain, I have a much more free heart to savor these miracles in my care. They really are masterpieces.
I love how Caleb just hungers to be near and talk to me. He will come in the room literally just to tell me something. He notices the small things and confidently gives out compliments. He has a bold aggressive spirit that just wants to succeed and do it on his own. When he pours himself into something, he is relentless and can succeed at anything. He’s so smart and self teaches himself daily. I often wonder why we ever bother doing school. Most days, he will finish my explanation of a lesson for me.
I love how J loves to give really big tight hugs. In his eyes, a hug doesn’t count unless it feels like I am pulling him up with me when I stand. He is stubborn, and when my stubbornness meets his-it usually produces some pretty epic fails. He reminds me the heart battle is more important than the issue at hand. He is hilarious and often smirks and says the most witty things. He is as slow as a snail unless it is for something he wants.
I love how Reagan often tilts her head to the side as she talks. She slurs some words and I hunger on those remains of her young-innocent toddler days. She is independent and fierce. She has enough sass to make any grown adult feel self conscious. She giggles with her huge locks of curls thrown behind her. She is gorgeous and has the most beautiful roll out of bed look I’ve ever seen. She loves to have her back scratched and I find myself doing it as often as she’s in arms reach because it is about the only way she will let me hold her.
My kids are rocks. I think of this past year and how we turned their whole world upside-down with becoming foster care parents. They had to share their parents, lives, home, schedule, things and life in a new way. They not only accepted it, they embraced and did it with us. It was a team effort and I could not be prouder. We then sold their home and moved them away from all their family and friends. It’s been a big 12 months, and now I want to create such special places for them.
When I think of how I want to design their bedrooms, I know I want to incorporate so many elements that just make them feel special, valued, loved, and excited. I want to create a space that has them dreaming, creating, playing and of course imagining.
I hinted that I had huge plans for my boys bedroom when I shared their chalkboard wall. Today, I want to share a first for me. I want to let you see the mess in my head. Here are my ideas for their room…
1. Caleb is obsessed with sports. We didn’t end up finding a house with a basement, so we knew he would need a basketball hoop in his room instead. He saw one he liked at Walmart, but it would have been like the third or forth one we have had. The little plastic hoop breaks so quickly. Matt’s parents found this one for Caleb for Christmas, and he loves it. At any one moment, I can have a sweaty boy running and jumping…even with a snow covered driveway.
2. I think I mentioned in our new home tour, that the boys’ room was the previous owner’s office. They have lots of different lighting and places to add a fun industrial take on those light fixtures. These lights I saw online, but we will figure out a DIY version because the $489 price tag was a little steep for us.
3. You may remember my boys had Transformer decals in their last bedroom. Their newest phase is the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, so we decided together we had to have their two favorites turtles for their room. Whenever they dress up or play turtles they always pick their favorite, Raphael and Donatello. For as much as I loath posters, I adore RoomMate decals!
4. There is never enough accent walls and patterns in my house. I want the walls to be as inspirational as the things placed on them. It’s a blank canvas waiting to be transformed. I am so excited to use this Royal Designs Studio stencil in their room.
5. Now, my J loves animals. They have a special place in his heart. When he is outdoors his stubbornness melts and he is the sweetest thing. I have to figure out a way get some nature in his room. We might do some plants and get their fish tank going again, but I also want to hang some stuffed animals on the wall (as you will see in a picture below inspired me) like this sweet moose.
6. We love the simple look of this stuffed bear I made. So adding some simple designs with bold patterns are a must.
7. Again, I want this first winter living in what I call North Mountain (for all you Frozen fanatics, you know what I mean), to be awesome. I want to be proactive in getting that little boy energy out, so they don’t get in trouble swinging from chandeliers. I love the idea of figuring out a way/space to add a climbing wall and I found these rocks.
Now, let me show you one of the funnest bunk beds I have ever seen. When I saw this picture from The Hut, I knew we needed to use it to inspire our boys’ beds. Matt is going to build the boys a bunk bed, and I love the tree house, simplicity and fun of this bed. What a fun way to also have a spacial nook in a room that you share!? We might need two of these.
I am also planning to create a little wall gallery with some of their art or things that I have already made them. We are going to hang up their batman board game.
We definitely need to hang this Batman felt garland back up. It was above Caleb’s red dresser in their last room and looked awesome.
I painted this sign years ago. It’s funny I showed it on our very first blog. This project alone started me dreaming of this blog now. So, cool to still have it. I’m forever thankful I didn’t sell it.
I still like the hanging basket we had above J’s dresser too.
I love the idea of this felt pennant, but I would want it to say “be wild”.
As you can see, we have lots of projects and are definitely dreaming big. Why not!? We only live once. There will be lots of love put into these projects, and I will take you on the journey with us. It will be fun to see if the final reveal has some or any of these elements.
Do you have or know a little boy that would like this room too? Please feel free to share this post. I’d also love it, if you pinned it to one of your Pinterest boards! Inspiring others to dream big will always be one of my favorites things about this blog.
I hope and pray you can imagine and create this week. We all might not have a full day to create or start the kind of project that a tree house bed requires, but maybe we can find an hour. Carve an hour out of your schedule or mark it on your schedule, before it is claimed for you. I will too.
Disclosure: This post does include affiliate links, but all feelings and opinions are my own.