So, we got the idea to do bunk beds. We told Marley, if she slept in her bed for a few weeks without crying or needing us to come in than she would get a 'tower bed' (she is into the Rapunzel phase and she also WOULD NOT sleep in her bed. Like at all. It was always on the couch or in our bed and it was terrible-she went to bed super late and woke up grouchy). She agreed to those terms and we set a good sleeping habit again.
I started to look into bunk beds online. Not just browsing occasionally anymore but looking for the best deal. Truth of the matter is- Bunk beds are not cheap! the cheapest ones I could find were about 400 for the frame alone and not the beds or the sheets. I knew this wasn't going to be cheap but we would need them soon to keep the promise and save space.
I first started looking at prices on mattresses, I wanted to find the best deal I could before I wanted to commit to this bunk bed idea. Twin beds are expensive too! I kept seeing beds that started at 150-300. All for a twin bed! Well, as I was almost to my ends on giving up I looked at RC Wiley again and a bed had just gone on clearance. 59.99 for a firm spring bed-and it felt really nice like it would last many years to come. I had to tell TJ about this and he had a great idea!
TJ's dad was in town helping family with projects and TJ had one day off. He talked to his dad about the possibility of building the bunk beds and what the cost would be. And this way I could get what I wanted. He was all on 'board' about it (sorry, couldn't help myself there) and with wood and all the tools to put into it the total cost would be under 150! We HAD to jump on it!
We went down on a Monday after TJ got out of class, we went to pick out the wood and built a bunk bed! This part was so confusing to me, they talked measurements and how they 'wood' do it (see, there I go again!) and they had lost me. All I said was to point me to the wood they needed and I would pick it out based on the color and splints. I feel like we collected a pretty solid group of wood!
Next was picking a stain. I headed to walmart to find a stain I wanted. This Walmart....had nothing! I was there seriously an hour looking for ANY stain. We had ONE night to get this project done and I knew that the stain was the important part to get done so the oils wouldn't ruin the wood. I called TJ with the news and he told me they were already half way done! They had cut all the pieces and were starting to assemble-crazy fast timing for just barely an hour!
Marley had decided she wanted to play at Grandma Carney's house so I went to pick her up and get headed back to the bunk bed madness. It was getting late (after 7 by this time) and I had to go pick up the mattresses at the will call by the airport. They closed at 9. I knew the guys wouldn't be done yet to make it down there to pick up the beds so I had a little adventure.
I had promised TJ's dad to get him some pizza for all the help and they closed at 9. So did the will call. I was going to go to our pizza place down the street but by the time I got to RC Wiley it was past 8:30. So I found one that was 15 minutes away and had it ordered and ready-I just hoped to be there at or before 9! Having two mattresses topped on your car and not knowing if they would fly away is terrifying. Especially when you have a deadline on where you need to be, driving on a busy freeway with wind. I just prayed those mattresses would stay put and that my car could handle it (haha, I say that like I have a wimpy car- I don't....I am just wimpy and freak out ;) )
Long story short, I made it to the pizza place, grabbed the pizza, made it home without loosing any mattresses, AND made it before the guys got there! So I brought the mattresses in (with help from my dad) and took the kids to pick out sheets for the beds. Mind you this is now 9:30ish and my kids go to bed at 7- so they were NOT too happy about this idea.
We get to Walmart and they had absolutely nothing. Nothing super cute and Marley like. They did have Batman which Corbi loved but the set would have been way more than I wanted to spend. So we came home empty handed. Started the pizza and turned on a show while we waited.
The guys showed up around 11 and we got back to work. Now the bed was not stained or sanded or set yet. We knew we would have to do this but not right at the moment (haha). We put them together and my oh my, they were beautiful! My Dad-in-law is so seriously talented! instead of building a separate ladder he build it in with the head and base boards- so creative! And this way we can still make shelving units on a later day. The kids LOVED them (this word is an understatement). They got to play with Papa for a few minutes and we put them to bed, they were out before we got to the end of the hallway!
This was such an amazing project that we did. I am so glad that TJ and his dad got this cool bonding time to help make the kids their new beds. They love them so so much and play on them all the time. Corbi can't climb down so he just normally sits on the top bunk and yells for me to come get him ;) He loves climbing up bright and early in the morning to wake up our threenager, who in return tries to push him off the bed because she doesn't want to get up.
TJ had to work 10 straight days and we had already planned on the weekend off we would get the beds sanded, stained and set. So to skip all the boring processes, we sanded forever, stained one bed and then went to bed. Saturday we sanded the second bed, then TJ decided it was a great time to get sick. So I was left to staining the second bed and setting them both. This wasn't so bad, it was just repetitious, haha! But hey, the beds are done and back together now!!!
We let the kids pick out their own bedding on what they wanted. Like I mentioned Corbi is in LOVE with Batman. The Batman set was too expensive so I was trying to find an alternative. Both the kids LOVE Star Wars, so I knew we would probably end up getting one set of those.
WE went to Burlington and had a few selections to choose from. Marley picked out Elsa -which was not a huge surprise and she was even happier the blanket was purple (her favorite color). Corbi had a tough pick, it was between star wars and batman and he wanted star wars (we kind of convinced him of that-its nice when you can still do that). But when he got to picking it out he saw a superhero set with iron man and Spider man. (He has a few spider man Jammie's and books that he thinks are pretty cool) So we were there for a few minutes trying to decide which one he wanted. He finally landed back on Star wars and we were on our merry way!
The kids truly are so happy with their new beds and so am I. I love that it is something special we can look at and know that Papa and dad built those, and I helped too. We put so much heart into them and I know they will be with us for a long long time! We ended up putting their dresser in their closet to make a little more space in their tiny room and they just are in heaven!
I am so glad that we did this project instead of buying a set. It gave us some good bonding and special memories but by golly I am so glad it is done and I cannot wait for the poly smell to go away!
Corbi was SO excited he wanted Papa to help him climb up on the tower bed. Also, the ladder is on both ends!
Marley and her Elsa bedding she picked out. the blanket is reversible with Elsa on it- she was happy with the purple!
Corbi has now tried to sleep with Marley a few times because he loves being up on the top. But I am not new to this mom gig, I know they would never sleep!
Corbi's cool Star Wars bedding
Once again, Corbi LOVEs being up on top and will just snuggle into the covers and wait for Marley
This is the whole thing. Not completed with the stain job yet but it still looks SO good!
And this is the after sanding and the stain.
I should take a final photo with this all done and completed...my kids are asleep and I don't want to risk waking them for a picture of the done done project. (Yeah, I know I am lazy too ;) )
Anyways, I think we are good and done with this 'project bug' for a bit. Though we still have our dresser to do so I hope I can catch it again before I get another 'bug' that will prevent me from doing the dresser project. (huge run-on sentence but, whateve.)
Any who, that's all! Goodnight!
