The approach of autumn is palpable, even as I close all the shades in preparation for another 100 degree day. Maybe it's the shelves stuffed with halloween goodies at all the stores, or the fact that my trees have been dropping leaves and spiky balls filled with pollen that has me weeping continuously. Maybe it's the five consecutive days of Pumpkin Spice Lattes. I don't know.

Whatever the reason, autumn is approaching, like, fer sure, and I've been seized with the urge to fix up the nest. First on my list were the two kids' rooms. We moved my son into the smaller room, and put the two girls together in the larger room. I figured a few coats of paint, maybe some new accessories, and we'd be all set.

Ha! Ha ha ha! Ha. Hmm. Hooooo boy.

My son's room took me a good two days to tackle, and it's still not 100% done. (I need to figure out a valance or something and hang a few shelves.)

My daughters' room needed spackle, sanding, two coats of primer, two coats of paint and the assembly of their new bunkbed set.

Of course you've all seen shows like Trading Spaces and those room makeover shows where they completely transform an entire room in a weekend. That's what I was thinking, because you know, if it happens on TV, it totally can happen in real life.

Ha! Ha ha ha! Ha. Hmm. I think they actually have 900 behind the scenes helpers, right? We didn't.

In the interest of not going Incredible Hulk all over my husband for breathing near me when I am painting a wall (seriously, what is UP with that? Why do I get so enraged and territorial?) I put him on furniture assembly detail. The bed we got uses a bookshelf as one support pillar and a computer desk as another support pillar, and then has a top bunk and a lower bed on casters that sits between the shelves and desk.

I got the spackle handled on Friday, and left it to dry overnight. On Saturday morning, I sent the husband out to get me a PSL, and surveyed the scene. Two coats of primer were totally needed, because I had painted dinosaurs in bright primary colors on the wall previously when my son was a toddler, and the new color the girls had selected was a pale pink.

Two hours later, I had a circle of white on one breast from leaning against the wall accidentally, and primer in streaks all over me. I was also happy as a pig in poop, because the kids were all out in the garage "helping" my husband assemble. Or maybe I was giddy from the fumes? Who knows.

I trotted out to the garage to see my husband wearing his teeshirt on his head like a turban, hauling the first of the four pieces up for my inspection. I mocked his headdress until he pointed out my highlighted boob and things sort of devolved from there, resulting in Monty Python-style insulting.

Lots of blowing raspberries and pounding on our helmets, things like that. Ah, true love. Then we changed clothes and went out to lunch.

Back at the house, I slapped two coats of paint on the room and patted myself on the back. MY part of the project was pretty much done.

With the "help" of the kids, we assembled the rest of the components of the bed, and got it positioned in the room. The lower bed tucks underneath the upper bed in such a way that there isn't enough clearance to sit up completely - but it does have access to the shelves under there. It's a cozy space.

My oldest, who had claimed the lower bed for herself, lay flat on her back on the bed, grumbling about one thing or another.

"Don't you love the bed? It's like a cozy nook!" I said enthusiastically.
"It's fine." she mumbled.
"It's like a secret space just for you!" I tried again.
"It's okay, I guess," she added.

Then it struck me. "We'll call it the Brat Cave!" I announced. My daughter gave me her best eyeroll. My husband and I high-fived, and left them to it.

After we got all the kids tucked in, we celebrated our accomplishments with Ben-Gay. We've still got some smaller details to iron out, but we're getting closer to having the rooms completely done - and it feels great.