Yes, I’m Back, and Ready For Fireworks

We’ve been back home from our Read Across America Road Trip for almost a week now, but I’m only just beginning to dive back into daily life.

The first few days I couldn’t manage anything more ambitious than watching sitcoms.  We’d been catching The Nanny on late night Nickelodeon during motel breaks, and I’d developed a burning need to know how the love story turned out.  Good thing you can find the entire six season run online at Blinkx.com.

After that pressing issue, it was time to empty the car, unpack the bags, and clear the household disasters.  I’m still working on that project, with no end in sight.  I’m relishing the little victories, instead.

Last Winter, I was so fed up with the the endless mess in Teen Daughter’s room, that I had her carry EVERYTHING out to the basement so that we could get it remodeled (hardwood floor, closet system, paint.)  When we returned, we found that Helpful Dad had put her stuff back – all in one huge pile in the center of the room.

Chaos, disorder – this is not the recommended way to start off the school year.

I induced my child to clear up the mess with promises of new furnishings, but I also suspect that living out of a car for two and a half months, including a couple of backpacking trips where she carried everything she needed for 3 days on her back, had given her a new appreciation for what she really needs in a room environment.

In an impressive display of focused energy, Teen Daughter decimated the pile, sending much of it out as donations or refuse.  She was even able to part with her collections (dolls, stuffed animals, soda bottles;) putting them into storage to avoid cluttering her mature new room design, something I like to call Retro Glamour.

Her room and closet are lovely right now, even though she’s not quite finished. (I’ll post a photo when she’s achieved the full effect.)  You can see the floor, and walk through without tripping on dirty laundry.  There are plans for a vanity and shelves that will require some Arts & Crafts magic, and Helpful Dad’s carpentry skills.  Still, it’s looking pretty good, and we avoided spending a fortune.

Although she drew inspiration from the PB Teen catalog, and there was a time when she thought she couldn’t live without the Sleep + Study Loft, we convinced her that with a little ingenuity she could avoid the exorbitant price tag and still achieve the Retro Glamour look.

Instead of the monolithic bed, we put her old mattress set on a cheap metal frame, and covered it with the new bedding, an inexpensive bed-in-a-bag set spiced up with a few luxury throw pillows from Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  We installed a closet system from Home Depot, but added coordinating storage boxes from Target.  This is also where we picked up the pièce de résistance, a small, lightweight modular sofa bed that, with just a few clicks, converts into a bed.  It’s chic, it’s comfy, and best of all, it was just $99 on sale.

Hey, I’m no dummy.  Just because she loves her new room now, doesn’t mean she will still love it two years from now.  Inexpensive, easily changeable furnishing are the way to go with this girl.

So, a week after our return, Teen Daughter’s room is clean and organized, and she’s pretty much ready to head back to school.  My son still needs a little more R&R, while I put together plans and materials for his homeschool year.  Now, the extracurricular planning is on the front burner.

How many after school activities can we juggle without getting stressed?  Can Teen Daughter convince her school to let her arrive late on Mondays so that she can take Harp Lessons AND Circus Class?  And, what will we be doing with Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts?

I’m back, and ready to share our adventures.

Today, we’re heading to the hair salon for the Back-To-School Hair Cut, and then, well, it’s time for some fireworks.