Farewell Old Couches...

As you may remember, last summer we had a MAJOR kitchen remodel and repainted our family room.  I have been looking at a bare wall in the family room since last summer and it was time I put something on it.  In my mind, I envisioned something like mirrored window panes (since we get a lot of light through the doorwalls in that room).  I had been looking for almost a year for the perfect "something" with no luck.  Everything was REALLY expensive and I didn't like anything enough for the price tags I was seeing.  I picked up some cheap framed mirrors at Ikea.  I like them fine and if that perfect "something" turns up, I've only spent $30 on those mirrors ($1.99 a piece) so am not out much. After hanging them, I decided I needed a green tree in the corner.  Nothing alive that I could kill... but something that LOOKED real.

After searching many stores, I finally found the perfect tree at Art Van (not cheap) and I LOVE it.  But then I looked around and found some couches and (shocking) they were having a sale!  So I ended up with a tree (what I came for) as well as a sofa, love seat and over sized chair.
Now this may sound like a spur-of-the-moment (dumb) purchase, but I've been sick of my couches forever.  They were free (hand-me-downs from my folks') and were probably 20 years old at least.  They've served us well (including the dogs~ which is part of the reason I was ready for something new).
I really like the new look of the room and thought the kids would too.
I say THOUGHT because I was so wrong.  Joe was DEVASTATED that I would get rid of the old couches.  "What about the memories?" he said to me.  "Doesn't that mean anything?"
It was all quite dramatic~ and actually sounded like something that under different circumstances would have come out of my mouth.  It was hard not to smile.  Then he wrapped his arms around me and said, "Mom, I'm worried I'm going to forget the old couches just like I forgot the old kitchen."  I reminded him that his mama is a well documenting blogger and there are plenty of memories/ posts with those beloved old couches.
So no.  There will be no more forts with the old cushions (and hopefully not with the new cushions either).

But don't worry... I'm not the meanest mom in the world.  Joe and his sibs still make loads of forts with the cushions from our living room furniture.  In fact they were just building a new fort today.

And that is something Joe can smile about (while sitting on the new couch).