Family Friendly Changes | Your Morning Basket

I did a big thing today. I am still having teeny-tiny regrets, but I know that what we have done is so good. This morning dawned with our little household waking to another day. Dad was going to GG’s house to get some furniture that she was giving us. She is making a move to a smaller house later this month and has many things she no longer has room for. Some of those things are rather old and have been in the family for a while, so we don’t want to get rid of them. We have been talking about doing some remodeling around here and closing in our garage, so we had hoped to have room for those items. Except we got sticker shock from the first contractor we talked to, and we had to buy a new vehicle, and gas prices and the economy are just so bad. So Matt left this morning to get furniture we didn’t want to let go, but had no place to put.

Meanwhile, my Mom has been looking for a new dining room set. She called me the other day to tell me that she was going to get one exactly like mine because that is what she wants.

And I am standing in the kitchen wondering where in the world we are going to put the new easel Olivia got for her birthday – seriously there is no room. And I am bemoaning the fact all of this stuff will be in our garage and how are we going to keep the dog off of the couch and on and on when I decided right then and there that I needed to let go of the formal dining room that we NEVER use for dining. The one that is a junk depository that collects various and sundry items right inside my front door.

So I did. Matt was ecstatic because that got the furniture out of the garage. Mom was happy because she doesn’t have to buy new dining room furniture right this moment, and me… well, the room is growing on me and I know it is NOT forever. I will have a formal dining room again. I will get my beautiful table and china cabinet back, and when we do, it will be much better suited to our lifestyle. We will eat family dinners there and have guests over one day.

But for now, here is our new family room in all of its country charm.

That is my view from the kitchen, so I can watch the kids if they are playing in here. The couch is a sleeper sofa, so we actually have a place for a guest now. The table has a couple of leaves to pull out for games, art projects or puzzles. The Hoosier cabinet has lots of room for storage. Those parsons chairs are super comfy. We will probably get a more comfortable rug. We are going to use this as preschool central and have plans for some kid friendly wall hangings. It really opens the place up, makes the front of the house so much lighter, and is just so much better for our lifestyle right now.

And speaking of a new vehicle, we made another nod to family life and purchased ourselves a mini-van.

After two weeks of ownership I can h0nestly say that this may be one of our best purchases ever. I love the space, the convenience, everything about it.

Life is good.

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Pam

Pam is the author of The Your Morning Basket Guide and Plan Your Year: Homeschool Planning for Purpose and Peace. She also is the host of three popular podcasts -- The Homeschool Snapshots Podcast, Your Morning Basket, and The Homeschool Solutions Show. She lives in the Deep South with her husband and three kids, where she is the go-to lady for great curriculum recommendations or a just a pep talk on a rough day.