getting back on track

Lots going on here, but not much that's picture-worthy at the moment.  We've made some progress downstairs in the kid area, but there are still piles of toys and games to be donated and random home-improvement related items stacked in corners down there.  We'll get there someday (sooner rather than later, I hope!)

After a few near slips down the stairs (on the part of the puppy, not us!), we decided to invest in a better (read taller and less unattractive) gate for the bottom of the stairs.  It's from Orvis.  It's the "Paneled Gate with Door" and was  at a *seriously discounted* price, but doesn't seem to be available at this price any longer (it's over twice the price I paid!).  Here's a link to a similar gate, also on sale, but without a door.  Although it's definitely a looker, it's a big step over the bottom of the gate, so the jury is still out on whether it's that much better than a regular stair gate with a "trip bar". I had grand ideas of attaching it to the left side of the stairs (it has double sided hinges), but we'll see if that actually happens!

I also found a great pillow (on clearance!) for our neglected wooden chair at World Market.  Now, I really do need to make a matching box cushion for the bottom of the chair.  Add that to the list!

Hope the sun is shining where you are, and that your to-do list is getting shorter, not longer :)