Open For Business!

Although we haven't had the official 

"Grand Opening Celebration and Candy Buy-Back" 

yet, 

(we're saving that for Nov. 1) 

Doug's office is open for business!!!

Would you care for a before and after tour?  (I personally LOVE seeing before and after pictures.)  Okay!  Here we go...!

Front Desk Before:  Many clashing shades of green.  No love.  No help.
(One day we'll have the money to replace the green cupboards...but that day is not today.)

Front Desk After:  Neutral color tones down the green.
My mom's painting adds a splash of retro color and awesomeness.
The awesome NEW STAFF adds a splash of HELPFULNESS AND PRODUCTIVITY!  HOORAY!!!

Have a good visit?  Earn a quarter for prize from the machine!  No cavities?  Extra quarter!
Machine from Gumballs.com.  Cute retro clock from Target.  Shilling Tin Toys on the counter (too small to see.)

Open Bay before:  Every shade of blue/green/turquoise imaginable.  A different color on each wall.
I'm so happy the previous Dr. took his water blue cabinet with him!!!

Open Bay after:  Walls all one bright happy color!  New flat screens on the wall (for staff) and ceiling (for kids).
Wall art from Pottery Barn Kids.
Happy patients, Happy Doctor, Happy Teeth!!!

Parent Waiting Room before:  Dull gray/green wall, old stained gray/green carpet.

Parent Waiting Room after:  Pretty green walls, Faezer's art, and super comfy mid century modern furniture.
(And cute throw pillows for Halloween.)

Mini chairs across from the long couch--these sit under two windows that look into the kid waiting area.

This little boy is the epitome of what my mother would have called a "Mud Hen" when I was a kid.  She used it as a term of endearment, but only when we were really grubby and disheveled!

Kid Waiting Area before:  I don't have pictures, but the kid area before was VERY dark.  We lightened the paint and added two windows that look into the parent waiting room.  The TVs were replaced with flat screens and new game systems were added.  Adorable tiny red chairs were purchased at Home Goods and red storage bench was found at a consignment shop.  It's a skinny little area, but I like having it separate from the other room.  In theory, the parents can have a little peace while they wait!

Wall art from Land of Nod.  The storage bench is filled with toys and vintage Little People.
(Not to be confused with Little Village People.) 

Doug hates the wagon already because Gray cruises around crashing into things with it.
I still think it's cute.  All the books were found at nearby thrift stores.

Quiet Room before:  Not my style...

Quiet Room after:  Much better.  (Wall art coming...)

And last but not least, I wanted to show you one last Consignment store find.  When I saw this table, I knew we had to buy it for...somewhere in the office.  Turns out, it's perfect for the employee lounge.  (Which, if we get super busy in the future, will be another quiet room.  Sorry employees.)
Presenting...

my table.
Please disregard the hideous folding chairs Doug bought at Costco.  Clearly, he has no respect for the 60's!  (Trust me...it's even cooler than it looks in the picture.  I can't wait to pick the perfect piece of art for this room.  Low priority though...)

So...that's about it.  It's still a work in progress.  We need a few more pictures and things, but for all intents and purposes, we're ready to go.  I personally love how it turned out but...

What do you all think?  
Would you take your kid here?

Many many thanks go to our talented advisors:  Laura, Kris E., Steph, Beth and lastly, our web designer Shawn who said "If you don't buy those couches, I'll kick you in the face." THANK YOU!

No Sore Bums. Got it!!!

Okay, okay.  You do NOT want the "Modern" red couch if it's uncomfortable.  And I'm guessing (don't know for sure, mind you) that it's uncomfortable.
And the second couch was evidently hideously ugly.  (Who knew?)

So.

We found another one!
See, the Wes/Tami family were here for Labor Day weekend.

You may remember them as "the family who moved in with us after the earthquake and then left Japan way before us and broke my heart".  (I REALLY need to think of a good pseudonym for you guys, H's!)

While we were driving home from PIPES* one day, Doug had what you might call a gastro-intestinal emergency brought on by too much candy at the previous day's Padres game.  (Or maybe by the Padres performance?)  Anyway, he needed to use the little boys room a.s.a.p.  (Is this T.M.I.?  I'm notorious for over-sharing!)

We pulled into a random shopping center and parked directly in front of a random furniture store.  It just happened to be A MODERN furniture store called "Grounded".  While D was, eh-hem, busy, I ran inside with Tami.  I started sitting on couches.  Too hard.  Too low.  Too silly.  Too incredibly rock-like as to not even resemble a couch-like.

I did a circuit around the room and tried them all.  When I got to the last one, I let out a startled cry!
My bum sunk into the cushion!
I leaned back and gasped!
My back was comfortably supported!

Could it be?  A comfortable Modern couch?

Yes.  Yes, it is indeed true.  Tami agreed.  Doug joined us and he gave it two thumbs up.
Now for the final test...

What do YOU think?
(crossing my fingers that at least two of you like it so I don't have to keep shopping...)

This couch...

but probably this color.

And three or four of these chairs.

Yes, I know most of you did NOT want to share a couch with a stranger.  The individual chairs are for you.  The couch is for the mom with the baby, and toddler, and purse, and diaper bag/backpack/random jacket/book/grocery bag and child on her arm.  Plenty of room to sprawl comfortably.

Anyway, assuming the entire readership of this blog doesn't boo the above, we'll be ordering them shortly.

Last night I bought some of the Land of Nod wall art and two book shelves from P.B. Kids.
The paint is up and the carpet is in.  Things are coming together slowly but surely!

More pictures soon, but in the mean time, COMMENT and let me know what you think!  Unless what you think is that I'm an empty headed animal food trough wiper who's mother was a hamster.  Just keep that to yourself.



*Yes, this IS intended to make your mouth water and make you want to come visit.