I know that there were a few occasions when my parents bought me and the other kids over to visit my grandma for a few hours, I spent the night without them all, and then the next day, my parents brought the other kids to visit some more when they picked me up. Could you do something like that? If the boys are really rowdy, they may think that a longer visit is "boring," while to the girl, the longer visit may be "special." So it would be a win-win. Another option might be to have each child visit one at a time. Kids sometimes feed off of each other's energy, so the boys might be easier to handle if they aren't in a group. The boys might reveal a gentler, quieter side of themselves if they don't have their brothers around to egg them on.

Did any of you happen to see the show "The Kardashians", when Kourtney waxed Kloe's hoo-hoo? That was the funniest show I have ever seen. Kloe's husband, Lamar, was coming home that evening, after being away for a long while, playing for the Laker's - Kloe had Kourtney applying MAYONNAISE to see if she could get the pain and redness to go away!!! I about pee'd on myself, watching that show!!!!

A lot of what you're asking for is subjective... I'll start something (and bump this up) by posting my kitchen. However, while I do have stained cabinets, they're a medium stained cherry, so probably not what you're looking for. Additionally, my doors are not plain shaker, but they are a less-expensive alternative to what I really wanted...and like you, budget dictated it. Our kitchen is a yellow. However, I have been told that yellow shouldn't be used for a child's playroom. Children cannot focus on it and it causes stress/anger (I was just told this last night when I was talking to someone who was creating a paint palette for a day care center.) Is there any kind of delineation that could be a natural break b/w paint colors? Maybe a soffit or similar? We used BM Cornsilk in our Kitchen & DR but BM Wedgewood Gray in the adjoining FR and Foyer. My cabinet knobs & pulls are not unique, but I like them and they weren't that expensive...probably mid-price. I have birdcage knobs from DecHar & drawer pulls from Siro in antique iron. If you want to see some really interesting knobs...check out IglooChic's kitchen! There is one thing I'm thinking of "asking for" for my birthday this year...a "Manhandle"! They're too expensive to use everywhere, but one can be used as an "accent" of some sort. Loves2Cook4Six has at least one in her kitchen. My kitchen: Hardware: If you look at the middle right, you'll see the Wedgewood Gray on the wall that is shared with the Foyer. Love2Cook4Six's Kitchen - Manandle to the left of her ovens. Here is a link that might be useful: MANHANDLES® COLLECTION by Soko

Well thanks a bunch, y'all. I sealed the grout today cuz I didn't like the look of flat gray mortar - looks better. Boy, I worked today - enlarged a flowerbed. Getting ready to mortar some column pieces together, made from some kind of composite materials. My HM cut the pieces off when he was putting larger columns on the front of his house, so I had seven pieces. Used two to lift Gypsie Woman, and these five w/be a nice tower for a garden plant stand. At this point I'm thinking I'll paint them on the order of Little and Lewis's columns instead of mosaicing. The tower w/be a little over three ft. tall and nine inches diameter. If CALAM doesn't mind my copying her booby flower, I might try to make a concrete sphere and make a flower thingy for it. Amazing how a new dig (oh the thrill of a new dig!) in the Queendom brought new inspiration. Too tired to begin it now and DD is coming tomorrow for the weekend, so .....