Always re-arranging and looking for ways to fit a craft space into our teensy house, I hit Ikea with mommy furor last week.
I took all three kids. Dropped oldest two at Smaland. Dragged CC through the 2nd floor to determine my exact worktop needs. Jetted downstairs armed with aisle and bin numbers. First stop, home organization. Second stop, self-serve section to obtain 78" tabletop and legs. At this point, an Ikea employee suggested that I get a hand truck. He navigated the hand truck to the checkouts while I pushed the cart (and CC). Upon completion of payment, I remembered the stools (that I had forgotten). whoops. The Ikea checkout lady watched CC while I scrambled to get 3 stools. Separate purchase of stools, CC never even cried while I was gone. At this point, I had to consolidate all of my purchases onto the hand truck. This is the glory moment. I pulled the hand truck behind me all the way to the van while balancing CC on my hip. I put her in her carseat while loading the van. Remember the 78" table top? It fit! Ha! Once everything was packed in tight I got in the van and drove away. Just kidding, my beeper from Smaland went off signaling that Robert and Esther's time there was up. I picked them up, took everybody upstairs and had lunch- kids ate free that day.
Once they were full, I brought everybody home and got them into "room time." While they were in their rooms, I assembled all of the furniture I had just bought and re-arranged the playroom to accomodate it. And now, ladies and gentlemen, I give you, the craft space:
What the playroom looks like now:
Later that day, an Ikea employee called from Sweden asking if I would like to compete in the 30-40 year female events in the upcoming Ikea Olympics. I am still considering. . .
Did I mention that we ate a lot of corn?
Clean cousins. 
I have always loved the Davis porch. Here Connor, CC, Esther and Rebecca gather.
Flowers at the cottage on Vera's Way.
The boys play in the back yard.
Grampy steals a golden moment with grandchild #4.
Jen Remick and Jen Hague in the same golden light.
Pete, Hannah and Mason Wiese came for a visit. Here, Hannah holds CC.
Mason, outside our cottage.
What a dreamy kid!
Pete and Hannah, near the ocean.
Short sands on a great (packed) beach day.
The Wieses say goodbye!
After a good project. . .
Megan and Little Mama, a.k.a. sisters.
The view from our front porch. . .
Pierre and the ladies.
Luc played early on Sunday morning and won. We left church early to catch the final match at 11:45.
Rob, Robert and Pierre.
More action.
Esther and Robert take it all in. Did you know that you must always were pearls to watch tennis?
Luc won his final match and took home a huge 1st place trophy. Way to go Luc!
I really like these detailed shots taken in Dan's workshop.
Henry the cow.
I am not crazy about this photo, but it shows the ancient ladders housed one level ABOVE the hayloft in the barn. I climbed two old rickety ladders to find. . . more old ladders.
Anna models our ingenius and successful schedule. She penned it by hand after she, Stephie and I came up with the plan. Really, the schedule made this vacation much easier. More about that and CAMP MAINE later.
