Brylee's Room Part II

Update on Brylee's room. Yesterday while visiting with my McFadden Family, Faith & Helen were showing me Helen's new room. I love the colors and the room is very cute. One of the pictures were lanterns hanging from the ceiling.

When I got home I was just relaxing & I had a thought! Brylee's room needs something on the walls. Remember this is a room that will go through many changes over the next few years. One idea is putting the first initial of each grandchild(ren) on the walls. Making the letter "B" is on Bryan's list of things to do over the next few months.

The room still needed something. Simple. FUN. Inexpensive. Then I thought of the lanterns. I text Helen to be sure it would be okay to use the idea & she thought it would be cool.


I could not find a dark purple so I went with the Black & White. (the accent color in Brylee's room is dark purple) It still works & if I come across a purple lantern later I can always pick it up.


I text a picture to Bryan & Jenn and asked, "any bets on how long it takes Brylee to pull them down" Jenn text back something like you want to bet how long it will take me to put them in my room??? I do remember Jenn wanting lanterns too.

Now to make or have someone make a pillow out of the stripped material I have left over.

Thanks Faith & Helen for sharing the idea. Now every time I look into Brylee's room I will think of you guys. Wish I had a picture of how cute your lanterns turned out. I would add it to the post.

Brylee's Has Her Own Room

As many of you know Spike Jones our iguana of 16 years passed away back in September. The room he was in was once Jennifer's playroom. Then it was her study that she shared with Ralph our snake. Then Jennifer & Spike shared the room. Then Spike took it over & it was his room/ junk room.

Many asked if I would turn the room into a grandchildren room once we heard we were going to be grandparents. I told them no because for one reason Spike's cage was to big to move out. Another reason was we knew the Family would be moving & to walk into that room after they left would make the move harder on me. Actually I had planned on making it my room. Okay a guest room done in a Native American Indian theme. With a white cedar post bed & all.

Well after Spike died I started putting ideas down for the room. Well my thoughts kept going back to Brylee needing a bed which meant a room of her own. One she could play & sleep in. Her pack & play was set up in the reading area of our bedroom. I loved to wake up listening to her talk or play the weekends she stayed with us. She could not sleep in the pack & play forever. I thought of getting her an air mattress & putting it in the room but that would not work for long & she would need her own space. So after sitting down with Bryan I decided to make the room into the grandchildren room, or for now Brylee's room. I tried to keep it a secret from Jennifer but when packages started coming to the house she asked what were in the boxes & I finally told her my idea. She seemed to love it & I told her I would not tell her anything else until she saw it at Christmas.

I had to be sure the room would be decorated so anyone would feel comfortable staying in it. Male/female. Young/old. I had to be sure that the room would and could reflect additional grandchildren. Thanks to all my friends & family I think we did it. They either let me bounce ideas off them, or helped me make something for the room, or giving me web-sites to look at. It was fun! This room is not finished & will not be for a few years. It will grow with Brylee & any other grandchildren we might have.

Of course I had to add some personal touches. I sanded & painted a step stool that Jennifer had as a child so Brylee could use it to get into the bed. I painted the light switch in stripes to give the room a personal touch. I really need to just cover it in cloth but Jennifer said to leave it. As we come across items through out the house we go put it into Brylee's room.

It was so hard not to mention anything about the room to Jenn. There were times I wanted to bounce ideas off on her. To make it special for Brylee, we got her a Christmas tree to decorate. A purple Christmas tree. Brylee is too young to understand what went into making this HER room. To her it was just another room she plays & sleeps in.

Bryan & I went through the room & made all plugs had covers. We got a hide a rail for her bed to keep her from falling out. of the bed. I was worried that it would not be tall enough but once we put Brylee to bed the first night I was okay with our choice. Brylee was now a big girl with a big girl room.

So, now after 16 years this room has a new identity, it is now Brylee's room!

On January 20 1978, God blessed me with a tiny crying little girl. I was so scared because I had this little life in my arms & I was responsible to keep her safe. To teach her life lessons. I gave her what I knew best... LOVE. She is now a beautiful young lady. She is sweet. She is very caring. She is talented. I'm proud to tell the world she is my daughter!!!! She is also my Best friend!!! Thank you GOD, for such a wonderful gift. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JENNIFER!!
The above is what I posted on FB.

Jennifer I wish I could tell the world what a wonderful daughter you are!!!! I mean it. You were just about the most perfect child growing up. Problem free. I sometimes wonder if it is due to us treating you as a little people. Letting you make your on decisions with a little bet of guidance. Listening to you. I tried to put myself in your shoes so that I could understand what you needed at each stage of your life.You are a very carrying person to humans & animals alike.

We called you Angel before you were born since we did not know if we were having a daughter or son. You know I really think the name fits because you show GOD's love every day in so many ways. That is not easy these days. Please stay the way you are don't change, you are the perfect daughter!!!!

Thank you for being our Best friend! We love you!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jennifer Marie Jarvis McFadden!!!

Dad' Gathering

Our dad has said many times he wished that he could have all his children together in the same place at the same time. Well with 8 children that is really hard. Well I thought I would see what I could do.

So in November I texted, e-mailed or called everyone to see if they would be able to make it around January 7th. I had to asked dad his schedule up to 2 weeks before the gathering if he would be off on January 7th. I then started contacting everyone to let them know it was a go for the get together. I asked everyone to let the grandchildren know so if they could come it was the icing on the cake.

Bill & I talked about flying Toney home to surprise both mom & dad. I knew he would not fly because, well Toney does not fly! We called & made him the offer but NO, he was not getting into a tube & flying 25000 feet above the earth. Yep that's Toney.

Dad knew I was coming & bringing lunch. Bill used the excuse to come look at dad's computer. Dad started suspecting something when mom got up & started chili beans & home made rolls. She would ask him to vacuum & do a few other things around the house. He even told me he was thinking about calling in to work to ask to be put on the schedule. He even threw out that he needed to rake the leaves. I told him I would help him with the leaves after lunch. That never got done. :) Mary & Weid showed up & said they were in the neighborhood & thought they would drop in. Then Debbie & Kenneth dropped in to return the air mattress. Dad would throw out comments to see if anyone would let on what was going on. I mean really all of us showing up at the house at the same time? Dad even said he texted one of our sisters that we were all there & that she had texted back, why was she not invited to the fun? Richard & his family came in & this really got dad. Once we made sure everyone was there I told dad that we had tried to make a wish come true & have all of his children one place at the same time. We told him how we talked to Toney about flying in to surprise him & mom. The look on his face was PRICELESS.We told him that due to family illness 2 of our sisters could not make it. Well he loved it!

The bonus points were that one of the smoke alarms was chirping. So all the sons made sure to change out all smoke alarms batteries through out the house. Weid asked if any light bulbs needed to be changed out. (We did not need either dad or mom falling through a window again.) There is a joke in the picture if you can find it.

I understand that dad talked about it for days. I wonder how many times he told his co-workers? I guess that means we made his day.

Thanks everyone for bringing food or drinks. The cake was delicious! I'm still waiting on the recipe. I believe we all enjoyed the visit & watching dad try to figure out what was going on. We really need to do this again soon.

Love you Dad!!

Project 52: 02/52 Snow

Snow in Texas does not have much of a chance.

Project 52 01/52 Eggs

I should have asked if they wanted a blindfold!

Welcome 2012!!

Well it looks like the Jarvis FunHouse blog will be a little more active. We are going to join many of you in the Project 52. I will try to add little Jarvis FunHouse news as I can.

Watch out 2012 here we COME!!!!!!!!!!