My computer isn’t working.
Naturally, I decorated the kids’ room. What else can I do but something productive? *sigh*

After living in our home for about 4 years (!!!??? Why is time doing this to me?! I’m a FAIRLY GOOD person), I finally decorated the kids’ room. I did it with no planning and with stuff I had lying around. This is important. This is important, but I’m not QUITE sure why. I’m slightly concerned, actually.
I might have a touch o’ th’ hoarders.

Befores:

Under the name tag on Lacy’s wall I found the words, “I hate Trent” penciled in.
I just put that name tag RIGHT back on and covered in my own variety of wall paper. So the hate is double covered. I would have erased it, but I’m out of those Magic Erasers I love so much.
Afters of the same walls:

I have a few things to add to the wall with the shelf that aren’t finished yet… but I just happened to have a stack of old children’s record on hand, as well as a shelf and bright yellow spray paint. Seriously. I have THREE cans of spray paint, and one of them is bright yellow. Luck?
(And remember boys and girls, if you’re going to spray paint, wear your rubbers! Gloves, that is… I spoiled a perfectly nice nail painting job.)
I’m going to add a frame and sock monkey behind these blocks, but for now…

Here’s a side by side before and after:

I painted Jesus’ frame and covered the old records in flat black paint and made a chalkboard wall. The kids are in heaven.
I nailed a cup to the wall to hold chalk, and it didn’t hold very well… Lacy took matters into her own hands and duck taped it. She knows what’s up.

(I’m not sure what Trent drew… but it looks like… a sperm?)
And Alice eats chalk, this we now know.

The entry way to their room is now a place for them to hang their church bags… I used a branch I found in my yard and added some nails and some jute twine. I took some toys in the kids’ bins and relocated them (to the dump… shhhh). I nailed their bins to the wall to make school cubbies and took an extra chalkboard record to write the rules on.
Rules:
1) One nice thing for one mean thing (for each time they’re mean to each other they have to do an act of service for the other. LOTS of beds being made these days)
2) Be honest
3) Be brave
4) LOVE

Lastly, I took some gold duck tape, ripped some squares and made gold diamonds on the wall.
It’s totally professional…
…
enough for kids.

I feel like we can all breathe easier in their room… and not just because we can actually WALK in it now. The kids love it, and I love that I finally did it. Next we’re saving up for new bedding for the kids. They need it badly.
I want some solid bright colors… Trenton asked for red and Lacy wants purple.
And Alice just wants chalk.

I somehow feel like I need to write a disclaimer:
Although I used duck tape to make gold diamonds on the wall, hang old record covers AND old record on the wall, make a big paper flower, and hold up our chalk cup… Duck Tape is not sponsoring me.
I’m just a sort of fanatic.

Is the red on my neck showing? Yes?
Good.

Once upon a time, I got an email informing me that I qualified for a free ancestry.com account.
Who doesn’t like free stuff? This is The Age of Entitlement, am I right? Sadly right…

I logged in and immediately typed in a name of a relative I’ve been searching for more information on. I didn’t expect any sound results because I’ve been scouring the Internet for YEARS on this person.

I’m here to tell you that within a few seconds, I found this person’s father, mother and ALL of his siblings. ALL. And I found spouses of the siblings and those spouses parents! and children!
Five hours later I’m forcing myself away from the black hole that binds me.

Why does it bind me? BECAUSE I’m truly obsessed with people. Just when I start to lose steam, I find a picture:

Everyone, meet Manuel.
(Hi, Manuel…)

I see that picture, and I need more. I have to have more. Manual needs to be sealed to all 7 of his children. And la! What’s THIS?! I find a deputy! Shot to death while chasin’ down HORSE THIEVES!
And HIS ONLY CHILD!
Who has, herself, 8 children. And some did get married…

I’m downloading a picture of a flag (a Germanish flag) as my daughter brings me carrots and ranch. Good, no need to get up…
The baby sleeps, my son shoots me with a plastic arrow.
(Sorry, Mom.)
I find a census… the relative I looked years for is RIGHT THERE in beautiful calligraphy.
He was a FARMER. Isn’t that amazing? I wonder what he farmed. ORANGES?!?! He lived in California, after all. That’s what they farm there, right?
The baby wakes up.
I take screen shots with my phone. Email pictures to myself. Copy, crop, cut, collage.
BAM! Proof that he had 5 children.
One became a laborer… the one attached to us. At 17! What a good son…
The baby needs a bottle.

Five hours later.
I finally have to go to the bathroom, and there’s an end of it. But my heart breaks knowing there’s a web of dead people waiting for me to uncover their names and take them to the Temple to be sealed to their families.
for ETERNITY.

I can’t help but feel they’re hovering over me going, “Seriously? THE BATHROOM AT A TIME LIKE THIS?! MY SOUL IS AT STAKE!”

I’ll be back tomorrow. I need to practice moderation here.
Is there a support group for people who seem to have no self-control when it comes to the souls of dead relatives?
I.
can’t.
stop…

Could YOU?!

Andrew Kriss, true lawman, your soul is safe with us.

And the soul of your daughter and her husband and their kids and their kids’ spouses and their inlaws and the goats and cows and kittens and puppies and rainbows.

Okay, seriously.  I have to pee…