The Supervan and Loosely Related Topics

M found an excuse to use the circular saw he got for Christmas by building a bookshelf for the kids. Not only was it an excuse for power tools, but it was also an excellent excuse to demonstrate one of our minivan's superpowers:

M was so excited to finally put a 4x8 sheet of plywood in the back the way he'd always dreamed of doing that he snapped a photo.

Fine with me as long as I get this out of the deal:

SIDE NOTE: While I've got you looking, check out my old lunch boxes. These days they hold toys, but I actually used these in high school and college because I never got to do the lunch box thing in elementary school (another post for another day). Never mind the toolbox shaped one. It's a new one Scott got a little while ago. The pink and blue is a metal one with a Candyland motif. Very old style but actually given to me new about 10 years ago. The red one rocks because it's Animaniacs. My Pinky and the Brain one is better, but it's an insulated soft-sided one, so it doesn't make a good playroom item. Ah, how I loved that show... But the crowning glory is the yellow one. Vintage Cabbage Patch Kids. Mine from back in the heyday.
Now back to the bookshelf discussion.

Marshall did a great job, but I have to take credit for painting it. It was part of my white high-gloss paintfest, along with the kid table Santa brought:

The paint really makes the inevitable hot chocolate spills
from microscopic tea cups easier to clean. These days our "tea parties" have been upgraded with doilies, peppermint stirring sticks, sugar cubes, and cookies thanks to Aunt Jessica.

So now the kids' playroom actually looks sort of like a room and not just a place that we dumped all the boxes full of toys when we moved in. (Never mind that the latter is probably more accurate!)

Next step? A coat of polyurethane for the two new little chairs because sometimes the hot chocolate strays from the tabletop!