Room Overhaul and Tennessee Trip

Almost two weeks ago I drove Mara Kate to Chattanooga to meet up with Kane's sister, Elizabeth. We had a nice lunch together, then Mara Kate and Elizabeth headed back to Nashville and I headed back home with Evelyn.

Mara Kate was in Nashville for a few days staying with her Aunt BeBe and Uncle Choonghwan and had a blast with them. Then Elizabeth drove Mara Kate half way to Knoxville to meet up with Kane's dad and hand Mara Kate off to him for the weekend.

Finally after the weekend the plan was for us to meet Kane's parents back near Chattanooga to retrieve our daughter after almost a week away. But, the day before we did that I threw out the idea of just driving all the way to Knoxville myself with Evelyn to give some of Kane's extended family the chance to meet Evelyn before she got too much bigger. After some talk about the logistics of it all, we decided this would be a good option. So, Sunday afternoon Kane helped me get packed up and we headed out. I wasn't sure how Evie would do in the car for almost 3 hours without me being able to calm/soothe her, but thankfully she didn't make a peep the entire trip and slept most of it.

It was great to see Mara Kate again after her being gone---and we had a great time visiting with family and introducing Evelyn to great-grandfathers and great aunts and uncles. Kane's mom even ended up hosting a litle ice-cream social on Monday evening so all could come to meet Evelyn.

Also, while Mara Kate was gone I did an overhaul of her room. I hadn't touched it since about week 35 of my pregnancy so it was in dire need of some cleaning/weeding out of trash.

Here are some before/after pics of her room. I didn't take any before pics until I was already part way through the process, so they don't accurately show just how BAD her room was when I first walked through the door.

Junk in closet, on top of dresser, up on closet shelf--just a general, disorganized mess.

Pile-o-stuff on bed I needed to go through and find homes for.

Doll house with everything in disarray---
plus extra items thrown in that did not belong in doll house.

Toy cubbies completely unorganized


And now after...

Bookshelf organized, necklaces from jewelry box now untangled and hung neatly above bookcase.

Closet nice and neat---all games up on shelf, where little hands can't reach unless given permission. NOTHING on top of dresser!! Bonus--drawers are also organized as well as jewelry box which lives in the top drawer also cleaned out and organized! Yes!!

And these new bins we picked up from IKEA that are made to fit...only $4.99 each and hides all the toys so well and also increased each cubbies capacity as things can be stacked so now each cubby holds more while still staying neat and organized! I love these!!

Also...

Here are some pics of our time in Knoxville!!

...and now we are all finally back home as a family and Mara Kate is enjoying her freshly organized room (and she doesn't even remember all the stuff I tossed while she was away!!)

Kane and I both bought her something for her to get when she got home---partly for being such a good girl while she was away and also...just because we love her. She learned to play the game SORRY while in Nashville, so Kane decided to get it to add to her game collection at home. They have already played several times together. I got her a kids sized Camelbak water bottle as she loves taking sips from mine. I'm happy that it has helped her drink more water because now she has a cool bottle to drink it from!! :)