the study

we are in the process of doing a lot of projects/re-organizing/re-arranging around here.
every time i have a baby i do a lot of things right before the baby is born because i feel like i'll never get out of the house again. which is never the case. but it just makes me feel better, i guess. more prepared or something.

well, this time is no different...and maybe even feels like we need to be MORE prepared...i'm thinking this is going to be our biggest adjustment yet. on one hand, i think expectations are a big factor. and if you expect life to be crazy and not normal...then that' what they will be. we've always just kinda gone about our "normal" life as much as possible and the adjustments for each child have been fine. BUT....i also know this is a whole different ballgame.

anyways, here's why we're doing so much right now:
i don't think we'll have a lot of extra time or energy to do house projects for awhile.
we haven't really done any house projects on this house since we moved in 3 years ago.
i'm trying to simplify our "stuff" as much as possible so it's less stressful for everyone.
and we need to do some of it just to move the kids around in their rooms and have a space ready for our new children!

one of the projects was getting our books under control.
we have {had!} books everywhere...a bookshelf in each bedroom with books...books in drawers in the living areas...it was ridiculous.

this used to be our study

i got 2 bookshelves on clearance from lowe's.
they were in about 57 pieces and we had to use no less than 60 nails/screws to put each one together.
it was a bonding experience :-)

once they were together, i told the kids to bring me every book they could find.
they were great at this job!
piles of books were on the floor of the study in no time.

doesn't that look kind of fun??

the top 3 shelves of each bookcase (there are 3...we had 1...you'll see it in a second) are "adult" books.
the bottom 2 shelves of each bookcase are kid books.

we have 1 whole shelf empty!
waiting for more wonderful books!!!
i had to take down a lot of the pictures on the wall...i moved them to another wall in that room.
and the pictures that are around the clock are all wedding pictures...of our parents, grandparents, and siblings.

this is the other shelf.
photo albums on the top...kid books on the bottom.


here's the other wall where i moved the pictures.

i put these books on the top of one of the bookshelves.
they are my "go to" books...when i need to grab a book and read...to be encouraged...or challenged...

when the kids go to their rooms for naptime/bedtime, they get whatever books they want and then just bring them back down when they wake up. so far, it's working great!

oh, i LOVE books!!!
i have an "allowance" each month...to spend on books or diet coke from chick fil a or fabric...and most months it goes to amazon...to buy books :-)
this is what came in the mail today!
the top 2 books are for adopted children.
the bottom left book is a book on parenting teens...can't be too prepared, right??
and the bottom right book i'm seeing everywhere...and our pastor plugged it on sunday and he rarely plugs books...so i have to read it! can't WAIT! more books to add to my nightstand :-)