Hey g, I hear ya on no outside. It's darn raw here today. Was supposed to be warm, but you can't tell it by me. I've had a number of experiences over the years, but I'll tell ya'll about the first one I remember. When I was five my grandfather died. I had wanted to go visit him just before then but my parents wouldn't let me...long story. So, when he died I wanted to go to the funeral bad. They wouldn't let me, said I was too young. I was very adamant and really threw a fit about it. I didnt' get to go. Shortly thereafter, one night I was in bed. A storm was coming, something woke me up and I saw a figure of a man at the window putting the window down. I knew it was him. Right after that my mother came in to shut the window and was surprised it was already shut since I was too small to do it. I told her Grandpop had did it. That summer several times he came and shut the window before a storm. After that my mother wasn't surprised when she came in and it was already done. About ten years ago my father died. I live in the house where I grew up. Had moved back here to help him a few years before he died. Sometime in the first year after he died, I was at the computer in the living room with my back to the hallway. All of a sudden I heard his loud.. Hey.. It was how he always greeted us. My mother died before him and that was about the same time I kept feeling her around when I'd talk about her. Smiles. Guess he wanted to make himself known too. My mother and I learned when I first moved away from home that we could do the mental messages to each other. If one wanted the other to call, we'd just think of it and they would get the message. Then I started doing it with my aunt and later my best friend and I would do it. Still do it with my aunt and best friend. Friend lives across country and we don't talk often, unless one of us sends 'the message'. To this day I always can tell when my mother is around because we smell the cigarette smoke. No one has smoked in this house in twenty years at least.

Ok, let's look at your lovely inspiration pix. If you like the pale blue drapes, try to find some similarly sleek panels. Blue is tranquil, looks great year round, and picks up the lake tones. While I like blue, I prefer a warmer tone in my master so I've gone in another direction, but you need to feel good in your room. In the inspiration pix, they seem to have echoed the blue with a slightly greyer tone on two regular pillows and two shams. A muted toile adds more interest on the duvet. Two cream pillow cases add pop. A taupey matelasse picks up the carpet color and carries it to the bed. Easy enough to duplicate without a package! I do like the first blue and chocolate package as well as most of the packages though I'm no as fond on the green/cream/chocolate or the last similar blue package. I'd just add a bit of punch with a fun pillow or two if you go the package route. Your current satin and all but one of the pictures you posted have a more tailored feeling than the inspiration photo. The textures stop them from feeling formal, but they are far more structured, so think about which look feels right to you and go for it. Can't see if you have matching lamps and don't know if you really love the scrollwork. If not, maybe pick up lamps with a simpler line and large drum or rectangular shades if that appeals to you. If you want to keep your lamp(s), try a larger shade for more oomph.

"Dilemma number one is right there as you walk in. The old style railing and bay window. Most living will probably go on in the family room further up front. What would make this a really attractive area that says wow when you enter?" I'm confused there. Is that the actual entry (I don't see a door). If that is an entry hall I'd treat it traditionally with a center table and put a lovely piece of glass or art on the center table. Hall tree and bench against the wall and a piece of art on the wall...treat it like a gallery but keep the scale small enough to move around easily. "Dilemma number two is the hall bedroom with the shelves. It will be occupied by a college friend for now. I doubt they have *that* many books to fill up two rows. The room is small, and I can't come up with a way to update and really make use of the space. It also has a chair rail, as does the adjoining small hall bedroom next door. " So far that appears to be the prettiest room in the house IMO. I wouldn't fill that with two rows of books...I'd use it for display of collectables and some books on a limited basis, lots of blank space as well. I'd paint the entire room in a soft and somewhat bright color to lighten it up. Maybe a soft celery green? I love the window and the shelves. "The last dilemma, at least for now is adding a breakfast bar or island to the kitchen, so there is a place for a quick coffee besides the gazebo. Would you place a small bar/island by the pillar and slightly obstruct the path to the dinette, or have a small work island plus put a small bistro near the french doors and visually block the entry to the family room from the kitchen." Whew those are challenging spaces. My first thought was to find out which walls are supporting and which can go. I'm assuming you want to do something less invasive. OK so here goes my lecture.... Some homes aren't suitable to breakfast bars or islands. The layout is wrong or the size isn't compatible. Forcing one in causes (in the words of sir toppum hat...my son's hero) confusion and delay. Actually it causes a traffic nightmare. You might have room to tuck a stool under the end of that little bar area, but that's it and to force one in isn't sensible really. I have two homes with no area sensible for island seating...suprisingly we've survived and learned to sit at a proper table :) It's not all bad. If you feel you must have this...and really I don't think it's a smart idea, I'd put a very small bistro table right smack in front of the doors to the outside, NOT in any of the other walkways. But honestly, I'd put a smaller table in the gazebo and a very small loveseat or a couple of soft chairs with a table off to one side of the gazebo for more casual coffee seating. It's going to be a fun space eventually, but you have your work cut out for you now. Take it slowly and you'll figure out how to live in the space :) Whatever you do, don't turn the gazebo into a pretend outdoor one with fake ferns, flowers on the walls, blah blah...I've seen it done and it's painful :oP

I have a 2 yr old daughter that has never slept through the night ever and bedtime is always an hour or 2 fight to get her to bed. My husband and I usually have to rock her to sleep then put her in bed but she is getting too big to be rocked like that anymore. I tried the weighted calming blankets but she kicked it right off. We have tried Vicky's approach but gave up after 2+ hours of walking her back to her bed and fighting with her to stay in bed. She hates being alone. She wakes up at least once every night around 1 am and comes into our room wanting to sleep with us or play. She is extremely high energy all the time and difficult to calm. I am so ready for Super Nanny to help! Any suggestions for the extremely strong willed/stubborn 2 yr old and exhausted parents! We also have a very very hard time getting her down for a nap. Some days she just doesn't take one at all! Help!