Putting the boys’ rooms together has been a highlight of the new house. Their spaces are so much bigger. BigBrother had a half-way finished decor redo for his sixth birthday, but I had never repainted because, well, we were looking for a new house. I didn’t want to paint twice! It has been a joy seeing their new rooms come together with all of the things I have wanted to do for so long.

Well, it turns out that I didn’t know I wanted to do something until Dee recently sent me to Etsy. So, this is all her fault.

She sent me to a LEGO Firefighter Switchplate. I died. Put it in my cart immediately. Purchased it. Then pinned it so no one else could buy it first. Contacted the shop owner, named Val, and said that I needed a pirate boy (she has a girl listed) as BigBrother’s new decor is all about pirates, arrrr! Val is super fast and both arrived today.

Oh my word, they’re perfect.

First and foremost, my sons think that LEGOs are the be all and end all right now. Secondly, holy moly. Thirdly, don’t we think this smug firefighter looks a little like FireDad if he was allowed to have that much facial hair?

Lastly, how perfect? How stinkin’ perfect?

I will say that LittleBrother’s firefighter LEGO switchplate is a little more difficult to turn off because of the yellow ledge directly above the switch. It’s fine to turn on, though you usually whack the one guy’s hose (…). BigBrother’s pirate LEGO switchplate isn’t difficult at all. It’s perfect.

The boys are, understandably, enthralled. I told LittleBrother there was a surprise in his room, but that he needed to turn his light off. He turned to turn it off and his face just lit up so bright, so big, before he exclaimed, “MOMMY! That’s AWESOME! Did you do that?” BigBrother was equally amazed when he got home from school. They stood around and looked at them for a good ten minutes.

Mommy decorating win.

I really kind of want one for our room… like the C3PO & R2D2 … but I’ll hold off until the boys out grow theirs and then I’ll put one in our room and one in our bathroom. Total win.

I’ll be slowly sharing more of what the boys’ rooms look like in the new house over the next few weeks. I have a few project left (spray painting old letters new colors, new picture frames, and so on). Until then you should follow Val on twitter (@valglaser) or like her Facebook page. Most of all, go check out her Etsy store. She does have another firefighter switchplate in stock which is also awesome. That’s one of the best things — each product is unique!

I have two very happy boys right now which makes me a very happy mommy. Hooray for the little things in life — little this time meaning LEGOs that are glued to something and thus can’t be stepped on in the middle of the night. Hooray!

Let’s see what’s new this year.

We’ll kick it off with this Hurrying Downstairs bear (Hallmark, 1996) which is reminiscent of last year’s (er, all time?) favorite, “Fire Pole Dancer Santa.” This little bear strikes me as a bit more innocent — and not drunk. Or stripping. He has a front spot this year.

I bought a lot of six of these Faithful Fire Fighter (Hallmark, 1993) dalmatians. That’s right. Six. Mainly because I forgot I grabbed one just before Christmas last year, so now we have seven on the tree. They’re pretty darn cute, dotting the tree. I felt pretty awesome for finding a lot of six, no box, for the price of one regular Hallmark ornament though. Best price record!

I bought Donald the Firefighter at the Disney Store in Times Square when I went to NYC for BlogHer Writers ’11. I think that trip made a new shopping goal for trips we make: trying to find a firefighter themed ornament. It could be fun!

I kind of love this Firefighter Wreath (Hallmark, 2006) ornament. I’d kind of like to have a real sized one on our door. An old hose, a bell, a glove and an axe. Well, minus the axe. I think an axe on your door says, “Hey! Break me down!” Let’s not go that far.

These three small ornaments are nothing spectacular, but deserve to be featured as they are new to the Fire Tree. On the left we have North Pole 911 (Hallmark, 1995). It’s a mouse, and as such, it’s very cheesy. In the center we have Hallmark Miniature Series Ornament Fire Brigade #3, 2006. It is very small. I have another miniature on the tree somewhere — and have lost it. I may have to start a miniature tree for these specific “miniature” ones. I’ll consider it for next year. Last we have Firefighting Bear (Hallmark, 1994). The whole “Red Hot Holiday” is very Holiday Innuendo Guy.

This is the Snoopy I mentioned scoring right before Christmas last year. I love him lots. He’s hanging out right in FireDad’s eyesight when he’s relaxing in his recliner.

Of course we have the annual ornament from Robert’s Fire Catalog from 2010. I’m sure 2011 will join us this year, even though it’s blue.

And now? The best find of 2011. Sadly, it’s not as funny as last year. But it’s a hard find. And it’s mine.

Mmm-hmm. That’s a Santa’s Fire Engine, Here Comes Santa, from 1985. I won’t really get into the ages that FireDad and I were in that year, but know that FireDad already knew he wanted to be a firefighter. So it’s a welcome addition to our Christmas tree. There are about a dozen or so of these on eBay right now, ranging from $0.01 (overseas, beware) to $45.00! I think $12.00 — shipped — is a fine deal for an old ornament!

I realized this year that I need to start a spreadsheet (yes!) for all of our firefighter ornaments, specifically the Hallmark ones. While I enjoy having seven fire dalmatians on the tree, it wasn’t a purposeful purchase. Keeping track will help avoid wasted shipping. Then again, what’s the harm in more firefighter ornaments? I mean, I’m pretty sure Santa already has two more Hallmark ornaments in the plans for this year, as well as that stinkin’ blue one. I’d say that I’m banning myself from eBay until after Christmas is over, but we know that won’t happen. I have my eyes on a 2003 “Ruff and Tuff Hero,” which I haven’t been able to score as of yet. If you get it for me, I’ll love you forever!

I think I have to start another post as well for the other firefighter Christmas stuff we have around the house that can’t actively hang on the tree due to size. Look for that soon!

Question: What kind of bugs do firemen really dislike?

Answer: Fireflies.

You’re welcome.

And so, here we are.

He wasn’t really pleased that I was taking a picture before we left for camp. But, come on, that brick wall was the perfect photo opp. Don’t make that face at me, Mr. Mustache Man!

And so, there it is. The mustache. It’s funny to me. Not the mustache, but how used to it I am. The family photos on the wall from this past fall? When I look at them, I think his upper lip looks… well… weird. The mustache has grown on me. Well, it grew on him, but I’m used to it now.

Apparently I am finally married to a real firefighter.

Speaking of mustaches, however, the boys found fake mustaches in the bookstore at camp. BigBrother was very excited. “We can surprise Daddy when he comes down to camp! It will be SO funny!” And so when FireDad walked in the door, we went running upstairs to be-mustache ourselves.

Can’t see? Let’s look closer.

FireDad was deeply amused. He thought it was a fantastic surprise. The boys wore their mustaches for the rest of the day, though I was a mean mommy and made them remove their fake ‘staches for their program. I thought it would be distracting for the other kids. And parents. Funny, but distracting. “Mommy, why do you have umpteen photos of that kid with a fake mustache but only one of me?” I did it for the kids, folks.

But yes, the boys thought they were hilarious.

As did I. I’m surrounded by mustaches.

I almost bought FireDad some mustache business cards for BlogHer ’11, but basically ran out of time. It’s a shame. It’s just as well. He’s been threatening to spend the entire time in the Pacific ocean with aviator sunglasses and just a Speedo. You have been warned.

A few friends sent this video last year with the title of “What firefighters do when no one’s watching.” I have no idea what DSTv is, but this commercial sure caught my attention.

Here’s hoping that a few more views and a good night’s sleep kick me out of the funk that this week has brought. At the very least, tomorrow is Friday. Amen. Glory hallelujah.

Now I have an easy way of curating all of the awesome fire stuff I come across during my Internet jaunts. I’m so excited. What have I found today? Well…

First of all, can someone crochet this hat for me, pattern found on Etsy. Not really for the boys. For me. #46 please.

Speaking of crocheting, I think someone needs to make a FireFamily set of these firefighter sock monkeys for us.

And I’m ten kinds of sad that FireDad said, no, we cannot have this bed. I am sad.

So, yes, I’m addicted to Pinterest. If you find something firefighter related, be sure to @ me on the site.  Follow me, but beware… I am addicted.

343 who will never again hug their spouses, their mothers.

343 who won’t ever tuck their kids in at night; some of whom never met those children.

343 who had no idea what was going to unfold that day when they went to work, to do their job, not to be a part of history or be brave and heroic and be the stuff of legends.

343 who live in our family’s heart and minds everyday, but especially on days like today.

343 who lived their lives like this:

“Firemen are going to get killed. When they join the department they face that fact. When a man becomes a fireman his greatest act of bravery has been accomplished. What he does after that is all in the line of work. They were not thinking of getting killed when they went where death lurked. They went there to put the fire out, and got killed. Firefighters do not regard themselves as heroes because they do what the business requires.”
-Chief Edward F. Croker, Firefighter Chief of Department, FDNY ((1899-1911), 1865-1951)

I won’t pretend to have the answers. I don’t. I won’t tell you how to feel; I don’t even know how I feel about what happened then and what has happened now. I do know that senseless hatred caused the death of 343 firefighters who were part our family. I know that eight years and one day ago, Bush proclaimed that the mission was accomplished… and the man of my dreams was able to come home and begin a life with me. I’ve been a military wife. I am a firefighter’s wife. I don’t have the answers.

But I will always remember.

[Though I don't have the answers, I encourage you to read Morgan's piece about all of this. I nodded. She said much of what I think, what I believe. I think, perhaps, she just made her upcoming-BlogHer-hug even bigger because of this piece. She's fantastic, even in the not-so-trivial stuff.]

In fact, there was a fire this week. FireDad and one of his fellow mustache-growing firefighters agreed that the fire went so well because they are now be-mustached. I think perhaps they may have sucked in too much smoke to come to that conclusion, but I’m just glad that everyone was safe.

So, how’s it look?

I’m kind of getting used to it. I still sometimes look at him and think, “There’s something different.” Or I almost say, “There’s something on your face.” Well, yes. There is. It’s a mustache. But it’s catching me off guard less and less. In fact, when I look at the photo above, all I can see are my husband’s amazing green eyes. Dang those are nice eyes. And the mustache is fine too.

Apparently another fire wife on our shift told my husband to shave his mustache because he doesn’t “look as cute.” At which point he grunted and gave the face you’ve become used to seeing in this series (see above; it’s a slightly disgruntled, faux-tough-man look) and said, “Good! I’m sick of looking cute.” Too bad. You still look cute. You just have something on your lip.

Lastly, because everyone keeps asking why he’s sporting a consistent disgruntled, faux-tough-man look, I made him smile while I was taking the first two pictures. However, I didn’t look at my settings before and after I snapped, and he looked like a big shiny ghost man. With a mustache.

But I promise he smiles. With a mustache.

As I’m really the only one that FireDad is mouth-kissing, I can let you know that it has finally passed the “ow, it’s poking me in the lip and it hurts really bad” stage and entered the “it’s kinda soft but still partly poking but it hurts less” phase. So, don’t kiss him yet.

When I took today’s picture, one week since last week’s picture, I asked him why he was making a grumpy face as he was in a rather good mood. His response:

Because men with mustaches look like this!

He’s weird. But he’s weird with a mustache now.

Weird with a mustache, and the best darn firefightin’, grocery shoppin’, Dyson sweepin’, barbecue chicken cookin’ husband out there.

I finally managed to take a picture yesterday as the sun was gleaming in the window after dinner. I took a few photos and let him choose his facial expression. He went with this one. I don’t know why he wants to look disgruntled. It must be a man thing.

[Evening sun through our front window is beautiful, no?]

So, yes, there’s growth. If you look closely at the sides, there’s lots of blonde in there. He actually had to trim it up before he went for his haircut on Tuesday. At which point he asked me where to trim and if it was even. I can’t draw a straight line with a ruler, so I’m not quite sure I was the one he should have been asking, but I pointed out a few stray hairs and gave my best guess at symmetry. I don’t think I’ll be going into business as a Mustache Consultant any time soon. It’s hard!

His next photo will be on Wednesday or Thursday and I’ll post on Thursday or Friday of next week. I’ll also be sharing something funny with you that I bought for FireDad. To be honest, I’m having so much fun with this mustache experiment. Who knew facial hair could be so fun?