While They Were Out

     A few months ago as my daughters were getting ready for school one fall morning, I though to myself "these girls are really getting too old to be sharing a room".  It wasn't as though we didn't have the room available, right next to the room they shared was a 3rd bedroom in our house that was used by the girls' as a toy room, which as they are now 11 and 8 years old, was getting to be more of a dump room that toy room, as the toys we getting smaller and more electronicky.  So I had the idea that maybe we should give them their own rooms.
    OK, the events of that fall morning may have been a tad different - I think it started with one little foot being on someone else's bed, some yelling, and POSSIBLY some throwing of stuffed animals and whatnot....and maybe my wife mentioning if I don't let them have their own rooms I may have to find an alternate sleeping arrangement for myself (up to this point I had been against the idea, as I had shared a room with my brother up until I was 18).
     So the idea sprang up the we should not only grant their wish of separate rooms, but surprise them with the swap.  sort of a 'While You Were Out' makeover.  We arranged for the girls to spend the week at Grandma and Grandpa's while my wife and I spend my week off of work scraping wallpaper, painting repairing walls and cleaning carpets.  Did mention painting?  All the while we were wondering just how they would react, would they like it? Sure, but could 8 and 11 year olds really appreciate the work and sacrifice we put into making this surprise happen? We though that even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter as that wasn't why we were doing it, but I also thought that one day when they are parents they will remember that we did this for them, and hopefully think that it was pretty cool of us to do this for them (and then feel guilty enough to visit us in the old-folks home, at least thats what I hope).
    Anyhoo when the girls came home and saw what we had done, after some initial screaming (for joy I assumed) they were incredibly grateful.  Despite what you may think of your own children, I really do have the best kids ever in the history of the universe, sorry to disappoint you.

Here's my home vid of the reveal: