"While You Were Out"

There's a show on TLC called "While You Were Out". The whole idea of the show is to redecorate a room while the homeowner is "out"... they come home to a surprise remodel.

We had our own version of that show this weekend.

In the more than four years we have lived in this house, we have painted every room except for the living room, the kitchen and Jake's room. For some reason, Jake just kept getting pushed aside. First it was because he didn't know what colors he wanted, then it was because we had a baby, then it was because we were just too busy.

So when Jake and Lizzy headed to Minnesota this weekend, Brad and I decided it was time to paint Jake's room. As soon as they left, Brad, Lexi and I started tearing Jake's room apart. We moved his bunkbeds into the little girls' room and sorted through all his toys and treasures. Our plan was to get the room completely redone over the weekend as a surprise for the world's biggest Vikings fan.  We were at Lowes, getting the paint mixed, when they called. The roads were bad and they were turning around. So much for the surprise.

But then Sheena offered to keep the kids overnight, and when I told her what we were doing, she was happy to help. In fact, her husband even came over and did the edge work for me. Thank goodness, or I'd still be painting.

They ended up leaving for Minnesota on Saturday morning, which means we really didn't have to stay up until 2:30 in the morning, rushing to get his room painted. It also meant we had time to do the project right, and of course, one home improvement project leads to more home improvement projects.... in this case, it meant the great bed shuffle. We moved Jake's bunk beds into the little girls' room, but because Morgan is still in the crib, their room was really crowded. So, we moved the bookshelves from their room into Jake's room, which meant we had to sort through their toys. But then Jake didn't have a bed. So we decided to move Lexi's bed up to Jake's room, which then meant Lexi didn't have a bed. In between basketball games we went bed shopping. Of course, a new bed needs new bedding, so in between the next games, we shopped for bedding. 

Somehow, we managed to get Jake's room put together in time for the biggest surprise of his life. When they got home on Sunday, Lexi was waiting in Jake's room with the video camera. After a short visit, I excused myself to the bathroom (I really went into Jake's room to take pictures of his reaction). Brad used his best "angry dad" voice and told Jake his room was a pit, and he needed to clean it immediately.

To say he was surprised would be an understatement. The kid that always has a comment was speechless.

The surprised look on his face, his giggle, and the ear to ear grin made my long weekend of painting and decorating all worth it. I would do it again in a heartbeat to see my kid that happy.

Lizzy was equally excited about her "new" bunkbeds... she claims she has been waiting "for years and years" to get those beds. She is still deciding if she likes the "polky dot" bedding I bought her. She thinks she wants peace signs instead.

Meantime, Jake is prouder than a peacock about his new room. He actually made his bed this morning because "it looks so nice when it's made, and you can see all the Vikings stuff". He invited a friend over after school, so he could show off his new room.

Now, we just have to make sure he stays a Vikings fan for a long time. Those purple walls are going to be a pain to paint over!