Come in and Have a Seat

Our house has become quite a neighborhood gathering spot for the kids. I both love and loathe the fact that a series of local boys traipse freely in the front door and out the back…over and over again, as if they are doing laps around the house. I love that parents trust us and the kids make themselves at home, but I loathe that they track “things” all through the house because they don’t stop to take their shoes off and/or empty their pockets before they come through the door.

As we all know, boys are always on the move. Slowing down, let alone stopping to do something, is far from their nature. When I was thinking of a way to get the boys to take their shoes off before they came into the house, I knew I had to be creative.

Luckily, I have great spaces inside both the front and back doors. I found two sturdy yet sophisticated Cedar Lake Log Slab Benches and ordered them in lengths suitable for the spaces. An attractive yet durable rug went down on the floor, covering the entire expanse from entry to under the bench. The entire ensemble provides a visual reminder to the boys that shoes belong on the rug only, and they have a great opportunity to come in, sit down, and shed the shoes.

Now, whether or not my solution works is yet to be determined. Stay tuned.

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An Office for Momma and the Mini

It’s an exciting time in our household. We are preparing to make yet another move, this time way down south to the rolling hills of south Georgia. Although we are filled with anticipation of the unknown, this adventure takes us back to some familiar territory.

We have again chosen to live on Fort Benning, rather than in one of the surrounding communities. There are several good reasons for our choice, but by doing so we suffer the consequence of moving into a house we have never seen. The only premonition we have of our home for the next two years is Google’s satellite view, maps of the installation, and a floor plan that may or may not be accurate for the particular house we’ve been assigned.

It’s quite an adventure.

I promised our youngest son that I would set him up with an office in this house. If the floor plan in my possession rings true, the rooms hold plenty of opportunities for his pint-sized workspace. In fact, I may be able to dedicate a space that can hold both his desk and mine. To be truthful, both of our “desks” are really tables equipped with file holders, storage spaces, and pen cups. I especially love that we have matching rough-cut tables, his Homestead Rough Sawn Child's Table being a shorter and smaller version of mine.

Stay tuned for updates on the workspace for me and my mini entrepreneur.

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There is a Difference

I have been married to my husband for almost ten years, but he still manages to surprise me. He’s a “guy’s guy”, parked in front of the TV on weekends during football season and spouting sports statistics to his buddies whenever they get together. He likes to hunt with his buddies back home and drink a couple of beers with friends new and old.

The other day, I flippantly threw an invitation his way to attend a local craft show with me. To my amazement, he cheerfully accepted. (In hindsight, I think his definition of “craft show” is root beer and whoopee pies. LOL) And so it was our family of four was found walking the streets of Occoquan, gazing under canopies at all the wares and whims available for purchase.

We were simultaneously drawn to a vendor with cool-looking furniture. As we approached, we ooh’ed and aah’ed over the rustic appearance of the dining table. Its rough cut surface had streaks of turquoise and red paint, nicely balancing the natural wood grain. The edges were wrapped in wrought iron, and it was an impressive sight.

But, as I looked closer and inspected the matching buffet, I opened a drawer and saw pressboard. My heart dropped as I realized; even though this set was made to look rustic and reclaimed, it was anything but. The lumber had been rough cut and treated to look weathered and cheap materials had been used in areas that were out of sight. Suddenly the quality of the table was cheapened to match the price on its tag.

Be a smart shopper. When researching a potential furniture purchase, inspect it inside and out. If possible, talk to the person who made it. Find out how it was made, what materials were used, and know whether the lumber is reclaimed or made to look rustic. When it comes to rustic furniture, there is a difference. Make an informed purchase so you won’t be surprised or disappointed later. A good example of a great quality piece would be this Timber Frame Gable Barnwood Dining Table.

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A Win-Win Sleeping Situation

As most people are aware, one of the hallmarks of being a military family is frequent moves. We are preparing to embark on yet another Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move in less than a month. This will be our fifth move, so we are starting to “get the hang of” the entire experience. Although, every move is different and we always seem to learn something new.

We always opt for a moving company to pack and move the majority of our household goods. We do have a utility trailer and move a few things ourselves…mostly family heirlooms, items of value, and the assorted items that the moving company will not transport. One thing we have moved ourselves, from our very first PCS, is the mattress from our futon.

While that may seem to most like an odd choice, we have a specific purpose for the futon mattress. Oftentimes, we get the keys to our new house several days before our household goods arrive. The futon mattress functions as a comfortable sleeping solution until we get our bed. We just set the mattress on the floor of our bedroom, slip some sheets and blankets on it, and we get a good night’s rest. (I have a hard time sleeping on an air mattress, but am more than comfortable on a futon mattress.)

We have even used the mattress for overnight getaways. It fits perfectly into the bed of our truck, which has a bed cover. It’s a cozy place to sleep, but it’s comfortable and it keeps us warm and dry.

Have a move planned in your near future? Consider packing your Lakeland Cedar Log Futon mattress for a win-win sleeping situation.

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