The Murray's Newest Project...

It all started a month ago when I said, "I would like to have a toy room in the basement for the boyz when the baby is born."  Famous last words.  All of their toys have been in their bedrooms or downstairs under the cubby (yet another project we embarked in after we bought this house!)  And since we are moving the boyz both into Parker's room when the new addition arrives, there just wasn't enough room for all of the toys and two beds and clothes... ya know.  Seriously not thinking Paul would agree, even though we have 2 spare bedrooms in the basement that aren't in use, I thought it was worth a shot to ask.  To my surprise, he totally agreed.  So, I brought up the next plan I had... to paint a really fun Super Mario Brothers mural all over the walls!  And guess what?  He agreed to that too.  That was all he had to do... just give me permission, and my mom and I would take care of the rest.  Being that my mom and I had already painted an "under the sea" mural under the steps in the cubby, and a police car in Parker's room, and a whole jungle theme in Jaxon's room, I knew we could handle Mario.

The room started like this...

Paul volunteered and painted all of the walls blue, and then my mom and I began painting Mario... and I thought it would just be me and my mom, but Paul pulled out a little surprise and seriously spent just as much time drawing and painting as we did!  I was up painting by 7:30 in the mornings, my mom was here by 8:30, Paul started painted with us by 9:00, Paul would go to work at 3:30, my mom would leave at 4:30, and I would keep painting (in between helping kiddos!) until at least 2:00 am.  Paul came and took his hour breaks at home to help paint, and my mom was always back the next day bright and early.  And so this continued for a week.  We started this project on March 16th, and finished it on March 23rd.  One full week... countless hours...lots of Diet Coke...too many candy bars and doughnuts....and a lot of fun!

Parker helped too! 

Totally surprised and WAY excited that Paul spent hours painting with us!

And here is the finished project without toys...

And with all of the toys...

Our Boyz are having so much fun playing in their new toy room.  Since this adventure began, Paul and I have also repainted and redecorated our downstairs bathroom (it was white and is now a beautiful bluish-gray), we have moved Parker's room around and put Jaxon's bed in there, and we are getting the nursery ready for our new addition!  Now I just want to keep painting and decorating, so our next two projects are the other spare bedroom and Paul's office!  Paul told me the other night that he knows when I start a project, it is never just one project!  He is such a good sport though, and totally goes along with whatever I want to do....as you can tell by this toy room!

A HUGE THANKS to PAUL and MY MOM for their talents and MANY HOURS of help during this project!  I LOVE YOU BOTH, and can't wait to bond again when I get another bee in my bonnet!  :)  
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!