I’ve mentioned in previous posts and on Facebook that we’ve spent some time re-painting two rooms in our new home, and I’ve had a couple (well, at least one) requests for pictures. You speak, I listen; here you go:

The first room that Erick and I ever painted (and by Erick and I, I really mean Erick, me, my parents, and my cousin Chris) was the girls’ bedroom. Here it is in its original form:

Not bad, but not exactly appropriate for three little girls. Here it is, de-wallpapered and painted “Potpourri Green”:

We still have some things to do to make the room more fun and cute, but the girls have been thrilled with it.

Filled with confidence in our new-found painting skills, Erick and I decided we could tackle the second room that desperately needed a makeover, the rec room. In its original form, this room was what I can only call a “Floral Man-Cave.” Don’t believe that’s possible? Check it out:

We wanted to turn this room into a fun space that could be easily adapted as the various definitions of “recreation” change for our family. So, right now it’s basically been taken over by toys:

But there’s also a nice quiet reading space, pictured above. We’re particularly proud of this room because Erick and I truly painted it ourselves, which involved a weekend of fairly major logistics as we juggled children and painting. Very rewarding in the end!

Finally, while we’re on the topic of “before and after,” I’d like to share the following item from our local “Addison County Eagle” weekly newspaper:If it’s hard for you to read the text, let me fill you in: the photo on the left is a block in Middlebury in 1900. The photo on the right is the same block today. Now, ignoring the horse and buggy in the foreground of the first picture, do you see the difference?

Me neither.

This is yet another charming facet of this small town. Apparently there hasn’t been much major development in over 100 years, yet somehow, whatever minor changes have occurred are worth taking the time to reflect upon.