Living Large

We’re living large. The five of us. And it’s such a loaded phrase – “living large” – isn’t it? It’s so relative to our own experiences and standards.

For us, though, we have more than enough. We are healthy. We laugh. A lot. We’re making sweet memories. And, to me, that’s living large. We have so very much to be grateful for and I talk to the kids about it almost daily. We have food to eat, and not just “food”, but good food. We have fruits and veggies and occasional (or, ummmm, frequent) homemade sweets. We have water. And not just “water” but clean water. Water we can drink without fearing for our safety. And warm water; the kind that feels absolutely amazing to bathe in. And those are just the basics. We have clothes. Shelter. Warm beds. And a little leftover each month to use for play time. God has provided more than enough for us. And I’m grateful.

But in some ways, we’re living small. Namely, in our home. When we signed a 3-year lease on our sweet, adorable, comfy 2-bedroom, 1300 square foot house, we didn’t realize our family would be growing . Quickly. Just 3 weeks after moving in, we found out we were pregnant with our son, Colton. SURPRISE!

So we took the challenge and decide to give a very streamlined style of living the ol’ college try. We shed stuff. Lots of it.

Yes, we’ve had sleepless nights (MANY!), have endured tired kiddos as they’ve navigated sharing rooms, a waking baby and being moved around for naps. They are all very, very light sleepers which poses it’s own challenges. We’ve become increasingly aware of just how uncomfortable our couch is for sleeping. And some mornings, I can’t, for the life of me, remember which room of the house holds my shoes, my workout clothes or the toothpaste. But people with houses twice our size struggle with the same things. I love how cozy things are for us.  And we’ve made it work. I’m proud of that.

I think that’s why I love, love, love seeing other families that have “made it work”. Families who have taken smaller homes and rooms, making cool, hip, trendy and beautiful spaces for their kids. It’s inspiring. And I wanted to share a few of my favorites spaces with you.

 

I adore this boys’ room. Three little guys share it, found here.

 

Simple. Great for boys, girls, or both!

This one amazes me. This family converted a closet into a bunk-crib set-up for their two little guys, from here.

 

I adore this space. Yes, a bit on the large side, comparatively. However, it does cater to four kiddos and I love how stylish it is, via here.

 

Great job of incorporating both kids’ tastes into a complementary style, found here.

 

Very European. Love how everyone’s items are organized, via here.

 

This is a closet-turned-nursery area for a sweet baby girl who shares a room with her two brothers. Love everything about it, even the bold colors, via here.

 

If you’re in need of additional inspiration, head over to Pinterest and do a quick search for “bunk room” or “shared rooms”. You’ll find lots of eye candy!

If all goes well, we’ll be moving all three kids into the same room within the next few weeks. And not just any room, the Master bedroom, which Colton currently occupies. Solo. I’ll keep you posted. Until then, I can assure you, we’ll be living large! And here’s to living small…I wouldn’t have it any other way.