Shoveling Out of the Hovel

Its the FLOOR! I see the FLOOR!!!!

It truly would be embarrassing and a poor reflection on my mothering if I were to show you a before picture of the boys' bedroom.

Let's just say, I had had enough months ago going in there and cleaning things up just for them to go in and mess it up with all their stuff.

I am ready to quilt Ryan's Mario blanket for his bed and lets just say, if the top sheet was on his bed after he got out of it each day we were lucky. Most days all of the blankets and sheet were strewn across the floor mixed in with the smelly dirty clothes (it has been soccer season after all!)

I decided a couple of months ago to put aside the Mario blanket and focus on some other projects that I needed to do because I had lost the inspiration.

But last week I went in with shovel and mask (I am allergic to dust) to see what I could do. Climbing over the stacks of dirty clothing I got to the book shelf, the dresser and Ryan's headboard. Those were the things that I thought I would work with to show the boys how to "display" the things they liked and enjoy them rather then throw them in a pile and never see them again.

With the hammer, screwdriver and nails and screws I went in to attack the items that should have been hung a long time ago but had gotten buried under other things. Ryan's Arrow of Light plaque is very heavy and I guess I was just a little concerned that I couldn't get it mounted right with all the weight. It wasn't as difficult as I thought although I did have to resort to my Plan B.

Unfortunately Ryan didn't really notice for about 24 hours but then when I asked him if he did he said he did. I think that he learned a little about thankfulness when I asked him how he would feel if he had helped someone and no one said anything. I keep telling myself that one day all of that will click for him.

As the concept settled in his brain overnight he did get up the next morning and work on the "cleaning" part of the room. He was pretty happy how it turned out and spent awhile playing with his little brother on the floor that they hadn't seen in MONTHS! Matthew was pretty excited to play with the toys he found in all the hovel!

So far a week later, the room still looks good and I am back to my sewing machine for a date with Mario!