Our House Is A Home, Part 1

I am so excited to say that as far as renovating and decorating, our house is D-O-N-E. It finally feels like the finished home that we imagined it could be when we walked into...what I can only describe as a huge mess. A huge mess straight out of the 70's to be exact. I don't know what was worse exactly, the electric blue/bright green shag carpets, the mega heavy drapery, or the multiple layers of groovy wallpaper all over the house. No worries though because it was all CONQUERED.

Suffice to say, it's going to take a few TEN posts to share all of the changes we made to the house. I have (three months later) organized my many before and after photos, but I think I am going to start small. Small, but totally one of my favorite things. The chimney. 

THIS is how it looked when we first entered the house.

I know....whoa.

And no, this is not how the previous owners decorated their chimney. It was actually set up for an estate sale. Look at that teeny tiny mantle! And those windows totally covered! We couldn't have that.

Here is the chimney after we closed on the house, and the hub and I had worked 

pretty hard/killed ourselves bringing up that awesome original parquet floor.

So then we added a layer or two of fresh paint. And new windows surrounding!

Can you believe what a difference it makes?

But we didn't stop there. Our guys prepped the brick.

THEN, we got STONED. ha

This is pre-grout, but doesn't it look wonderful?

That dinky brick mantle wouldn't work anymore. 

We needed a big, beautiful mantle now! 

Here is the carpenter creating it on the spot.

Add a little grout...
(and a pretty little model)

then add a little love, decor, and a nice fire doesn't hurt--

and Voila!

I'm still in love.

Especially with the lovely mantle.

So just to review, 

Window decoration may come in the future, but for now I am enjoying all of the fabulous light, and the view into our big, new backyard! And just gazing dreamily at the new fireplace.

Next week I am revealing my other big fave: the kitchen!!!

She Likes to Jumpy Jump

I'm working on a longer post about the house renovations (finally) but I felt like I needed to share how my little one has turned into a jumpy fanatic! Let's talk about how in the last 6 weekends (yes SIX), Maddie has gone from fundraiser to carnival to birthday party to birthday party to school fieldtrip and found a jumpy house at every single one. I'd say she's a fan. Here is a video of one such jump. She's at her precious cousin Johnny's second birthday party. He's the spiderman jumping with her. :)

Eight Years

Eight Years ago, November 12, 2005, I married my best friend. 

It felt like I was walking on clouds that day. Or maybe it was all of the petticoats?

All I knew was that this was definitely the man I was meant to marry.

We had been together for 8 years before we tied the knot.

We were ready!

And every year that goes by, I fall more in love.

I know that I was lucky enough to find my soulmate.

I love laughing with him.

and he's the best shoulder there is to cry on.

He understands me sometimes better than I understand myself!

We have so much fun together, it's ridiculous.

Babe, you are my everything. 

Thank you for making marriage easy. It's a rare thing.

Here's to even more love in the future,

as long as you're by my side.

xoxo

Halloween 2013

We had a great Halloween this year. We went to a block party in our new neighborhood and met some nice families. We got all dressed up and excited (more like bouncing off the walls before any candy was even seen) and went trick-or-treating to quite a few houses. Maddie's favorite part was ringing the doorbells. Avery's favorite part was a rice krispie treat that one of the neighbors gave out. Nana came home especially early from work to accompany my little treaters and everyone had a wonderful time. Girls were in bed by 8pm and then we actually ran out of candy, oops! Oh well, we'll know next year. 

Now it's time to introduce the most beautiful butterfly 

that you have ever seen, Miss Avery Elise

And the happiest, most excited-for-Halloween little bumblebee 

there ever was! Miss Maddie Brynn

WHO successfully recycled the cuteness of her older sister's costume

((flashback!!))

And perhaps my favorite picture from the other night:

I will narrate for you: why does this crazy sissy keep grabbin' my 'tennae?

Which also reminded me of an Avery bumblebee flashback--

Some things never change! Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!!

Can you believe it's actually NOVEMBER??