Photo A Day - Day 11

I love doing this!

(the kids section of my library)

Reading, buying books, sitting in my library!

Library Video

An author friend of mine is compiling a bunch of photos from her friends and acquaintances. When I heard what the subject matter was I just had to contribute - libraries. And do I ever had a library to show off. I sent her several pictures, but they just don't show the full effect of walking in to the room. So I took this video as well.
The library still isn't finished. We still need to finish the trim, touch up some paint and install the lights. But it's definitely functional and I'm loving it.
For those of you who have asked - I'm inventorying the books by putting them into some library software that I used when I had my bookstore. The count right now is at 3597, but I'm not finished. I'm guessing it's closer to 4000.

It's down

I'm sure everyone is tired of hearing me get excited about this library.

Deal with it!!!  =)

I was able to take the plastic down today and move the chairs into position.

It isn't even close to being finished, but I can see the end in sight.

We still need to finish painting, put up the trim, lay down the floors, put in recessed lights, reupholster that hideous chair and get a cushion for the window seat to match. All in good time.

And I'm so excited! We'll be able to have book club in there tomorrow night.

The view from the front corner by the dining room.

View from the dining room. Showing the new section.

View from the hallway.

The amazing man who's doing all of this for me. Isn't he awesome?!!!

Can you see the stack of boxes in the corner? It's more books. =)

I was standing in the middle of the room so excited. I told Jon

"Just imagine. In a few more days the other side (the new side) will look just like this."

His reply

"I hope not for a while."

Poor, poor Jon. He had no clue what he was getting into when he married me.

I guess it's really not a big surprise that both of my kids LOVE books.

Progress Report

We are getting really, really close to taking the plastic down in the library.

I have to sand today and then tomorrow and I'll be done. Jon needs to spray 1-2 more times and then do some touch ups and roll in a few places. I think we are actually going to be able to move the chairs back in time for my book club.

 We put plastic on both sides in an attempt to keep the dust off of the books.

 A glimpse into the work area.

Look at Jon's arms after using the spray gun last night.

Remember Jon's eyelashes from painting the last side?

Library update

Here is another update on my library. Be patient with all of these library posts. When Jon is all done I promise will try hard not to show you another picture of my wonderful and amazing library.

We are going a bit slow because the grass has started to grow, it's our month to help clean the church, it's camping season and we Jon will be helping a family member work on their house.

This last weekend I took pictures standing in all four corners of the library.

This was taken once the shelves were completed, but Jon hadn't started on the window seat yet.

This picture is of the half completed window seat. I've already sat here, but it will be more comfortable when it's a bit higher and has the cushion on it. Jon will put another board where the top of the wood is under the window and then enclose the space below it with doors. Then we can hide the puzzles and games out of sight.

It's getting really close to being done and I can hardly wait to stand in my very own library.

Update on the library

Ask my husband and he will tell you that I'm probably the most impatient person he's ever met.

I get excited about something or see something that needs to be done and I want it done RIGHT NOW!!!

There have been so many things going on in our life that Jon just hasn't had the chance to work on the library. I've tried very, very hard to be patient. There have been small little steps like removing the last of the carpet and moving everything to the other side of the room. 

But last night I left for a party with this done

 

and returned to find this had been done.

Wow! My man is amazing. I have book club at my house the middle of April and I jokingly commented to Jon that it would be great if we could meet in the library so he wouldn't have to keep the kids away from us. We could just close the doors. He took me seriously. He told me that he might not make it, but wow! is he ever trying.

Library Update

I have posted these pictures all over the place, but thought since this is my dream I'd blog a bit about it here.

On Tuesday Jon finished with another stage in the library. He finished painting the shelves. He hasn't put the trim pieces up yet because it would have been too difficult to paint around them. But since they go on the edges and around the shelves he told me that I could put the books on the shelves now.

We did this for two reasons. We needed to clear the space on the other side of the room so he could start work on the shelves on that side. Also we had a ton of guests coming over for the Christmas holidays (my family this past weekend and Jon's this next weekend.)

So on Wednesday afternoon I began the task of unloading a ton of boxes and putting all of my deeply missed books onto the shelves. It was so much fun. In fact, I can't believe that I ever finished considering all of the books I had to touch and not read. =)

 On Thursday we cleared out the other side and dusted. And dusted and dusted and dusted. Paint spray makes horrible dust. But it's all clean now and I'm so, so excited.

I wasn't able to fit all of my books on the shelves. I have double layers of books on the top 3 shelves and have books on top of books on most of the shelves. But I wanted to have enough room that Jon could finish the other side.

Now when the holidays are finished Jon will put up the trim (painting it outside so as not to get paint on the books). Then he can start on the other side.

Books, Paint and Love

My family loves me! I have proof.

Several years ago Jon and I were talking about getting out of debt. We really didn't want a mortgage and wanted to get rid of it quickly since it was our last item of debt. We were also wanting to build our dream home someday. I mentioned a friend of the family who had lived in a barn (several stalls had been made into an apartment) while they saved the money to buy a home. I told him that since he wanted a workshop that we could do something like this and pay for everything as we got the money.

So we sort of did just that.

It took us two years and tons of stress and worry. But we moved in when Dominic was 8 months old. What I didn't factor into my mind was the fact that we would be living in this for years and potentially have another child here. It soon became crowded. But I could have handled all of this if it wasn't for my books.

This picture is in our current home, but still in boxes. =(

They sat in storage bins in the garage while we waited to save the money to start building our home. Life happens and Jon ended up getting his pilot's license with some of the money we'd saved. So it was almost back to square one again with the saving. I was fine with that, but I REALLY missed my books and was also looking forward to having the kids in separate rooms.

When we moved I chose this house for several reasons. But the thing that caught my eye when I walked in the front door was my library potential.

 

My wonderful husband is building me a library as we speak. It will take him months because he has other things he needs to do (work, family, etc.) but my dream is in sight.

 

The kid's rooms were not the cutest when we moved in. I doubt the lady had changed the drapes since she'd put them up in 1969. I certainly sneezed enough taking them down. So those were some of the first things to go. But this last week my mom came over to help me paint the bedrooms and all of this brown trim (She will keep coming till it's done). We have crown molding, baseboards, chair railing, paneling, pocket doors, etc. Everything is non-painted wood. This really dates the house. So mom and I are slowly, but surely painting everything. I'm so excited. Caitlin's room is almost finished. I need to purchase/make the rest of the curtains and something for her hair bows. 

Before

 

After (almost completed)

 

 

Also when the library is finished we will be putting hard wood flooring in the entire house. So Caitlin's rug will go down then as well.

I'm so excited. And I feel really, really loved. There are a million things that Jon and my mom could be doing with their time, but they are helping me have my dream home.