I hope it runs in our genes

Larry and I are not so handy, but luckily my dad is.  We spent the weekend staying with my parents in Provo.  Late Friday night, my dad asked what the plans were for Saturday morning.  I said, "You're building a shelf for Creed's room, remember?" Which he couldn't possibly remember because that was never the plan, but it didn't stop me from showing him a picture of the bookcase they used to sell at Pottery Barn that I wish I owned.

The next morning my mom and I were getting pedicures (Doesn't that make it sound like I live a life of luxury?  Truthfully, it was the second pedicure that I have ever had thanks to my mom treating) and my mom hands me her cell phone and my dad says, "If I use poplar it's going to be a little expensive.  Is that what you want?" He was actually at Lowe's buying wood to make the shelf!!!!!  I was only half joking the night before.  I really wanted the shelf, but I know that he's busy, and I didn't really think he would drop everything and make it the next morning!!!!

We settled on pine and he got to work.  It think the whole thing cost less than $40 thanks to the free labor.

Now, if you know me, you know I own a million books and our house is full to the brim with bookcases, but this one was different.  I really wanted a shallow bookcase for Creed's room so the books would face out, and Creed can see the covers.
We've been in a bit of a reading rut.  He chooses the same books over and over again, and I figured I could rotate new books into the bookshelf in his room and hopefully inspire Creed to explore some new titles.  And if we're going on a trip to the farm, I can stock it with books about farms or stock it with Christmas books at Christmas time or maybe we'll have an alphabet book week or . . . 
This may seem very impractical because we own so many books and this shelf doesn't hold a lot, but it already seems to be working its charms and today we've already read five new books Creed's never been interested in before.
Now I just have to decide what color to paint it.  I'm indecisive because someday we will move and Creed will not have apple green walls.  White just seems too boring though.