Homemade Toddler Bunk Beds

At our house, during the cold winter months we like to have our very young daughters sleep in our room so we can watch them and help them keep their covers on while they sleep.  We don't like to use a lot of heat during the night, so it gets rather cool--especially if they kick off their blankets.   The trouble?  If we put a normal sized bunk bed in our room, one of us loses their walking space next to our queen sized bed and that person would have to jump into the bed from the end instead of from the side.  The solution?  Buy a toddler bunk bed.  Oops! I ran into another problem.  They are very rare.  I only found one maker on the Internet and they charge a lot and don't make them the way I want them.  So I decided to make my own.  Simple, right?  Well, let's just say it was more involved and took more time than I thought it would.  It took a couple of months to complete it.  But I was able to make what I wanted for a reasonable price and the whole family got to be a part of the process.  Here's a rough slideshow of the experience. Oh, and I originally expected to be able to make a 2 x 4 and plywood toddler bed, but I couldn't find enough really straight 2 x 4s, so I decided to use thinner, more pricey wood.  This led me to buy tools and learn skills I didn't have before, which I don't mind.  Anyway, I'm so glad I was able to make a piece of furniture for our children.  I've always wanted to do that!