Making a House Our Home

My dad stopped by for a visit on his way home from work yesterday.  It was a typical evening at our house: everyone gathered around the dining room table, Brees coloring a picture, Belle doing her homework, supper simmering on the stove, a newspaper spread out and talk of local politics floating through the air.  

"Can you believe that it's been 4 years ago today since we moved y'all into this house?" my dad asked us.

Truthfully, neither Shawn nor I remembered our move in anniversary.  We've been so consumed with the baby's impending arrival that we haven't thought about much else.  But, my dad's revelation got us thinking and before long we were looking at old photos and reminiscing about that summer 4 years ago: the summer we spent making our dream house into a home.

I've wanted this house, the house we now own and have made our own, since I was a little girl.  There was just something about it that I loved: it reminded me of a little dollhouse.  I loved how big and open the yard was, I loved that it was two stories (two story homes are not common in this area due to the climate, it isn't considered wise to attempt to cool off a second story in Louisiana summers).  I never in a million years would have thought that someday it would actually be mine.  Moving back to the sleepy little town where I grew up wasn't even part of my plan much less owning a home here.

But. the stars aligned and fate takes over and through a series of events, we found ourselves buying my dream home, now OUR dream home, on a warm summer day in June 2009.  Sometimes, the timing of certain events in your life is just so perfect that you are left with no other choice than to take a leap of faith and accept it as reality.  Buying our house was one of those times.

The home was previously owned by an older couple who kept it in pristine condition.  Though Shawn was initially turned off by the wall to wall 80's decor (pink shag carpet, wallpaper in every room, stained glass chandeliers and popcorn textured ceilings), I convinced him that these elements were all cosmetic and could easily be fixed.  And so, the day after we signed that gigantic stack of legal papers binding us to our house, we set to work making it our own.  My mother and I had watched enough HGTV to kid ourselves into thinking that we were home renovation experts.  Truthfully, we had NO idea what we were doing and spent a great deal of time laughing at ourselves and our ability to underestimate every single project we took on.  But, we did it.  Room by room, project by project, with the help of family and friends, we transformed our house into a home.

We ripped out carpet, tore down wallpaper, changed out light fixtures and appliances.  We replaced windows and doors, light switch plates and window dressings.  For three long months that summer, we worked every chance we had.  It was a labor of love, all of us coming together, creating a space that we would all soon enjoy as a family.  I didn't know it at the time, but it was the last summer in which my parents would call each other husband and wife.  They separated and then divorced that fall, finally admitting to all of us that they had been unhappy for a very long time.  The work they did on this house, the projects they helped us with: it was like their final joint effort for us, their last gift as a united front.  They waited until were all moved in to break the news, closing a chapter as we began a new one.  It was a bittersweet moment for all of us, a time I will never forget.  But, as we sat around the table last night, recounting stories about broken pipes and leaky faucets, my heart felt full in knowing that at least we had that time together before we all said goodbye to what our family once was.  We had that summer, that journey, to help us remember what is most important: family.  Divorce or not, we all came together and created something amazing.  No one can ever take that away from us.

Around Here

I saw this idea on Pinterest once and immediately went to work making it my own.  It is 
a complete lifesaver and keeps us all organized.  We use the calendar to keep our 
schedules straight and to post reminders.  Each family member has a file folder inside where 
I store papers and such, eliminating the piles of papers that used to flood my kitchen 
counters.  My meal planning schedule and recipes are kept in the binder in the back.  

A favorite corner of our bedroom.  Shawn and I neglected our room for so long, spending all 
of our time and energy (and money) on the rest of the house first.  We finally hung our 
favorite pieces on the wall, organized our record collection, and painted the room a 
soft, silvery blue.  It is such a calm, serene, sacred space.

Peacock feathers are my favorite.  These were given to me by a previous employer who 
owned dozens of peacocks on her 300 acre farm.  I was a massage therapist back then, 
working at the spa she owned and operated on her secluded property.  The peacocks 
would roam outside the window of the room where I worked, their feathers peeking 
through the blinds.  

Mama was on call this weekend.  The laundry room took a beating as a result.

I found this sweet little birdcage jewelry organizer while on a shopping trip with my 
girlfriend in Florida last year.  We each bought one and a pair of earrings to go with and 
then splurged on chocolate chip cookies and tea.  I love the way my collection looks on 
display here and I love the memory of that day with my friend.

Artwork courtesy of Shawn's father.  An abstract poem to inspire and heal his son.

An original photo of my grandparents on their wedding day.  They were married in the 
church that my entire family still attends to this day.  The priest married four couples at 
the same time during the ceremony, a customary way to do things at that time because 
so many grooms were rushing off to the war.  They wore their Sunday best and had a 
lovely reception at home with both of their families.  Papa went off to war shortly 
after, leaving his new bride and unborn child behind.  He wrote her letters everyday that 
he was away.  They celebrated almost 60 years of marriage before he passed away.  They 
are my heroes in love.

This bronze horse sat on the fireplace of my childhood home for as long as I can 
remember.  My mom had a multitude of collections and antiques and I despised when 
she asked me to dust all of her knick knacks for there were so many.  When my 
parents divorced three years ago and my mother moved out of our family home, I swiped 
this horse from the mantle and placed it on our bookcase.  It reminds me of home and 
family and my childhood: memories that can never be broken no matter what the 
word "divorce" invokes.

A mama's broken in, dirty, aged old toe shoes hanging in a little ballerina's bedroom.  She 
takes great pride in these shoes and won't let anyone else touch them.  She promises me 
that someday, she will learn to dance in these, too.  I am so thankful that we have the 
same passion and love for dance, an art we will always be able to connect with.

Falling Off the Wagon

I woke up this morning, stepped into the laundry room, and found this:

Um, yeah.  I'm not exactly sure what happened here.  Perhaps Tropical Storm Lee
bypassed the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall in our house?  Or maybe someone in
our family has started sleep walking and went berserk in the middle of the night?

No, this is a direct reflection of me not following my One a Day Plan.  People ask me all
the time how I stay organized and on top of things as a working mama.  The One a Day Plan
is definitely one of my biggest saviors: I do one load of laundry, every single day, wash,
dry, fold, and put away.  This way, laundry never gets piled up and I never feel
overwhelmed by a disastrous laundry room.  I AM human, however, and I sometimes
fall off the organized mama wagon.  Last week was my first week serving as the nurse
on call which involved me taking very important calls every night such as: "I haven't
pooped in three days, what should I do?"  or "Blood comes shooting out every time I
pee, is this normal?"  Yes, I get paid for this stuff.  Brees has also decided to start waking
up every 2 hours throughout the night again, nursing like a champ and wanting to be glued
to me  at all times.  A little separation anxiety perhaps?  And then there's the weather,
finally a break from record breaking heat, the air beginning to feel crisp and cool
and beckoning us to be outside for as long as the sun will grace us with its presence.
We've been so busy, and I just can't seem to catch up.  We've had things to do this week
that seem so much more important than laundry: we had lots of preseason football to
watch and the first LSU game, songs to learn on our guitars and family dance parties in
the kitchen.  Afternoons on the swing set and long talks on the front porch.
So no, I did NOT stick to my One a Day Plan.  And this is what happened as a
result.  Sometimes my organization and super efficient ways take a back seat to actually
living life.  That's part of the balance, part of the give and take of working and having a
family, following your dreams and enjoying each day to the fullest: sometimes you wake up
to a hurricane in your laundry room.

Luckily, I have some pretty cute helpers who are willing to sift through the
damage with me...

Have you ever seen two kids get more use out of a laundry basket?  Looks like I'll
be spending the next few hours catching up on "Project Runway" surrounded by
laundry.  Don't you wish you lived right next door so you could help?

Glimpse

What a wonderful weekend we had!  We worked very hard, but we made time to play as
well.  Our back patio renovation is progressing nicely and we are so excited about what
 we were able to accomplish this weekend.  We completely demolished the old patio,
removed all the debris, and cleaned the entire area.  We prepared the surface for the
new patio by laying down dirt and sand and leveling the ground.  We made one last trip to
our local Home Depot (where we are literally on a first name basis with the employees)
and purchased all of the new stones we plan to use for the new space.  Now, all that's left
 to do is lay them out!  Before and after photos and a few tips for DIY projects: coming soon!

Besides playing in the dirt and working hard all the live long day, we spent lots of time
together just relaxing at home and enjoying the unseasonably cool weather.  Isabelle
and I painted ceramic stones we made for the garden, we all slept a little later than
normal, and, after our fantastic date night, Shawn and I enjoyed popcorn and a movie
on the big couch.

 The weekend was not restful by any means.  In fact, I'm more tired now than I was
when I got off work on Friday.  But, it was FUN.  It was productive and full.  I can look
 around my house and see a thousand things that still need to be done, but who really
cares at this point?  My muscles are sore from hauling dirt to and fro, my throat hoarse
from laughing at my husband's weird jokes, and my shirt is covered in baby spit-up.

That's really all I need right now.

Slow Down

Today marks the beginning of EIGHT glorious days off work!!!  I can not even tell you how excited I am to spend a whole week with no rushing, no agendas, no obligations.  This little vacation is for nothing in particular except for the fact that I really have been feeling needed at home.  Shawn's semester is coming to a close this week and he has been so stressed with finals and last minute projects.  It's time for Mama to be here full-time, taking care of everyone and reassuring this little tribe that all is well.  So, home I am and happy for it.  I plan to catch up on housework, cook my loves their favorite dishes, catch up on my neglected scrapbooks and journals, volunteer at Belle's school on Friday, and host a beautiful Mother's Day dinner on Sunday for our extended family.

And a whole lotta this, too...

Sometimes in life, we just have to listen to our hearts and know when to take a break, when to refocus our energy and make adjustments in our daily routines.  When to be there for those who need us, when to put the people we hold most dear first in line on our priority lists.  Work will always be there, but today, it's all about the slow down.

Just Let it Go

Happy weekend!!  Lounging around this morning, enjoying time together before we start our day.  But, I wonder, how can two little girls, one of whom is limited to rolling from one side to the other, create this:

They seem pretty unfazed by the chaotic setting.  Oh, how the times have changed for this former-OCD Mama...

Children fill up our lives in more ways than we could have ever imagined.  They fill our hearts with love, our dreams with hope, and our homes with more crap than people of such small stature should really need:)

Spring

Friday afternoon and preparing to head to work for the weekend. House is cleaned, fridge stocked, babies happy, Daddy prepared. Spring is in full swing here in Louisiana, what little bit of spring we get (Louisiana's seasons are a bit different than the rest of the country, didn't you know? We have Summer, Unimaginable Heat End of Summer, 2 weeks of Fall or, as my grandmother called it, the "Cold Snap", Winter, and 2 weeks of Spring). We have been spending our days playing outside as much as possible as this gorgeous weather is just too perfect to miss. The tire swing has been swaying back and forth under the pecan tree, filling the air with little girl giggles. And the azaleas, nothing feels like home to me more than the blooming of the azaleas. The vibrant color of the bushes brings new life to our yard after a cold, dreary winter.

In other news, Brees has developed a yucky case of pink eye:( Poor little lamb, she has been cutting a tooth, got her 4 month shots on Wednesday, and then woke up this morning with swollen eyelids and copious amounts of drainage. It's not surprising that because of all this, she has not been sleeping well and howls any time we try to put her down. So, I have basically thrown all of my sleep training guidelines out the window and put her in the big bed with Mama and Daddy the last two nights. She slept much more soundly surrounded by all that comfort and love...Hopefully, with a little more Tylenol, the eye ointment prescribed for her infection, and lots of extra cuddling, she'll be back in business in no time.

Here's the little lamb and her oh so watery eyes:

Have a wonderful weekend!!! I will be racing around the hospital, spreading good springtime cheer!

A warm, sunny afternoon sitting on the front porch...One of my favorite past times...

Daddy played guitar and sang to his girls...

Isabelle laughed and chattered boxed away...

Brees cooed and chewed on Sophie the Giraffe...

And Mama drank her tea and thanked her lucky stars...

Oh, what a nice afternoon it was...

Home

I am obsessed with this little vintage kitchen playset! I am dying to put one right in front of our island in the kitchen. We have a large open space and it's just itching for this adorable set. I can imagine the girls whipping up gourmet meals right alongside Mama. Or complete disasters, which I am also frequently prone to. This is such a departure for me, a former OCD minimalist. Five years ago I would have cringed at the idea of a toy kitchen taking up shop in my neat, organized space. Funny how children change you, make you softer, reshape what is important. Because really, what's the point of having all this space if you're not going to use it?