Home Improvement and Sad Fish News

My parents had given Caroline a dollhouse last year...it actually had belonged to my sisters and I when we were growing up. It was well-loved and in need of some home repair, and definitely needed some updating. So the mother and daughter designing duo started work on it today, in lieu of doing laundry. (All we have left to do on the outside is the shingles on the roof, which I had halfway done today, but I had to remove them because I messed up!) Having never refinished a dollhouse before, we didn't really know what we were doing. But in the end, our inexperience really didn't matter. She is happy, it is freshened up, and the yellow and green colors we chose go well with her pink room. :)

Next we tackle the inside. We have carpet, tile and wallpaper all picked out. WALLPAPER. Now that should be interesting.

BEFORE

AFTER

On a sad note, we have one fish left. I am frustrated because I want this to be a good experience for the kids, and really have tried to follow the directions for the tank and the fish. I am unsure that if we started from scratch (emptying and cleaning the tank, setting it up again) as was suggested by the people at the pet store, would the same thing happen again? I know they are just fish, and my husband reminded me tonight that I might be getting too emotionally involved in them :) , but they are our kids' pets, and I want us to be responsible caretakers. Should we just scrap it and go for a different, easy-type first pet (ie, hamster, turtle) ? I would so appreciate any comments, on the blog, or email or phone!