Anyone else think this was a GREAT idea?

So my brother and his 4 year-old daughter have been living with our parents since my sister-in-law died in June. And it's busy and bustling all of the time.

But, you make do. When John moved them in, he stored all of his personal things, except for his computer, golf clubs, and of course, their clothes. Abby really never had a space, although the whole house is free game for whatever she decides to do...be it freestyle dance, kickball (and how funny is it that the grandkids get to play ball in the house...), or Hungry, Hungry Hippos.


Since around Thanksgiving, Mom and Dad have been trying to figure out how to better make use of space when Jenny and I descend upon them. Add in our two dogs, and it's a proverbial madhouse.


So a while back, Mom moved the crib into their bedroom. When we arrive, they sleep in Abby's room, Abby sleeps with John, and then Jenny, Benjamin, and I have Mom and Dad's side of the house. It works pretty well until Dad forgets his cholesterol medicine or house shoes, and decides to bang around in there at 9:15 when Ben is already down.


Okay, so you pretty well should have a picture of what's what. Except for one thing. Abby's room has remained pretty much untouched where the decor is concerned. Mom and Dad replaced about 80% of their furniture when they moved to the new house. Mom's focus has been more on the living rooms and the more used parts of the house. So Abby's room has just had the antique iron bed, a small dresser, and some of her toys.


This is all about to change.


I had been thinking about this in the back of my mind for some time. Apparently, the apples don't fall too far from the trees, because John has had the same thoughts.


Recently, he purchased a couple of paintings for her room at our parents'. When I heard this, a bell went off. "Let's do the whole room," I thought. "And Christmas Eve. And she'll have NO idea."


So I checked with Mom, ran it by John, and we all came to the conclusion that it was a terrific idea. He has since purchased a few extra things, retrieved her dollhouse bookcase from storage, had the paintings personalized, and I have purchased the bedding and some sheer panels to go over the blinds at the ends of her big window.


Here's what her bed will look like on Christmas Morning, after Santa has worked his magic:

I am so sad that we won't be there until around Noon. I'm sure she will be calling us that morning to tell us what Santa did. I can't wait to post more pictures of the whole room when Santa's finished.

TB