Houses I Like

I like to take pictures of houses that I see driving around.  I wish I were an artist, just so I could paint these old homes. 

I love this one for it's lovely bushes and trees, what a yard to spread an old quilt and take a nap...

This house is an inn on a little island. We flew there for an overnight getaway trip when our first born was three weeks old. Sort of looks like a sea captain's house.

This house is on that same island, look closely, and you can see a for sale sign in the window.

Wouldn't it be lovely to by an old house on an island that was only accessible by boat or plane and plant roses and add a picket fence? Well, that was a fun dream, wasn't it!

 A nice solid house with a beautiful enclosed porch complete with college boy and guitar on the roof.

This was our little rental cottage in town. It was our first house purchase, we never lived in it, kind of wish we had. I love this place, we put so much work into it - maybe that makes it more special. I still feel like it's mine even though we sold it years ago.

This beauty belonged to an Aunt of mine. It was in shambles before she got it, I remember exploring it with my brother when we went blackberry picking in the woods. The landscaping is also beautiful.

This is one of my favorites - I'm not sure why. 

To me, the old abandoned places look as if so much life has happened,  I get a sense of time that has past. 

This house could hold a big family, maybe a farm family.

Another rich, old home.

A Florida farmhouse well-loved by our family.

Another welcoming home in Florida.

I love everything about this cottage.

Now this is definitely my favorite, it must be the picket fence. It looks like it is in the country, maybe with an orchard on one side, but it is in the middle of the city. 

My in-laws house, on a hill overlooking the valley with the mountains in the distance. Breathtaking!

This house belongs to family also, the gardens are beautiful - think English Cottage gardens, and isn't the railing full of character? Most of all though, I love this place for all the fun memories of lovely visits

here. Happiness overflows - nieces and nephews running in and out - bunny rabbits and little cousins playing dress-up.

And of course, our house! I like this picture because the snow covers up all the imperfections.

I know very little about the history, I can only imagine little children walking to school from here, or running up the road to play with friends.

We are adding to the story - I feel as if we have given this house a fresh start. 

Cute, cute, cute, nothing more to say.

I had fun playing around with these pictures, I hope all the blurriness didn't give you a headache.

Would love to hear about some of your favorite houses!

Newbie Party

I just found out about a linky party for new bloggers who would like to get more followers. 

Debbie @ Debbiedoo's Blogging and Blabbing is having a linky party for those who have been blogging for six months or less or have less than 100 followers.  Check it out, you will probably find some great blogs to follow! I have already! 

Snowfall

We had an unexpected snowfall yesterday morning. The roads were slick, two cars had a smash-up just down the road from us. Little Brother had fun watching the fire truck from our front porch. That's an advantage living so close to the road - maybe the only advantage!

I'm still working on a few projects - hope to get a door painted today.

Wishing you all a great weekend!

Big Sister's Room

 So, she wants to be a scientist, loves learning about the planets in particular. These glow in the dark, they are pretty awesome! She knows each planet by name and has taught Little Brother also.

Her room was upside down awful today! I spent most of the day cleaning and organizing - have to take pictures while I can!

This dresser was mine when I was young, I painted it to freshen it up. The curtains are pink cotton - I like to keep curtains simple since I usually end up making them myself.

The quilt is the same as the shams on the other side, except larger patches. Sometimes I get tired of the bright side and change to the small print.  The bedskirt was on clearance for ten dollars.

Her closet is a bit small, it was the best we could do - her whole room is tiny. The Pilot made the closet out of beadboard, I love that we were able to reuse the beadboard!

I would like to find a better storage solution for this wall, maybe an old armoire or some kind of shelving.

I would also like to paint the rocking chair and maybe paint the walls. I think they are a little dark.

Big Sister is quite the little hoarder - she stashes "treasures" under her bed. Today I found flat balloons from her birthday party in August. Once she hid scrapes of Hardie Plank siding that she had found down by the shop. She found some colorful pieces of a burst balloon at the park one day, I had no idea they meant anything to her - she found them in the trash can and was heart broken. So, now they have a permanent home in her  room.

 She's so sweet, she loves to do favors for me, tonight she served me ice cream and then washed the bowls - so grown up!

Today I was going through pictures of her - just a year makes such a difference! I want to slow things down - to just keep my children young.

 It seems like yesterday that she was born, I'll never forget the first time I looked in her eyes, they looked so wise. As if she understood everything, it was uncanny. Now she is a big girl, five years old, in kindergarten, so sweet and helpful. And tomorrow she'll be all grown up. I think I'll stop thinking about tomorrow!

Saturday Finds

Last Saturday, I had the chance to go one of my favorite antique/junk stores. The Pilot followed Little Brother around making sure he didn't break anything and I was able to find a few fun things!

Two little plates to hang on a narrow spot on my kitchen wall,

An old book and a pewter bowl,

Two gold frames. I'm not sure what I'll put in them, but I would like to find some art.
 I have been inspired by A Country Farmhouse, I love her old fashioned style, the simplicity and quality of her house.
I've been spending far too much time reading the archives at this site.

I placed an order for chicks this morning! We will build a moveable coop for them, I'm so excited!

The love of God

"What will separate use from the love Christ has for us? Can trouble, distress,persecution, hunger, nakedness, danger, or violent death separate us from his love?

The one who loves us gives us an overwhelming victory in all these difficulties.

I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love which Christ Jesus our Lord shows us.

We can't be separated by death or life, by angels or rulers, by anything in the present or anything in the future, by forces or powers in the world above or in the world below, or by anything else in creation."

Romans 8: 35, 37 - 39

My mid-winter crisis, and a solution.

About this time every year I start to think of spring, and wonder if it is just a myth.

 I just have a hard time remembering what it was like. 

Was the grass really green, could I wear short sleeves and open windows?

And flowers, are they down there somewhere in the frozen soil?

So yesterday I decided it was time for my annual flower splurge - I pretty much only let myself buy flowers once every year. I think the price is well worth it, I make them last as long as possible and try to just breathe them in...

Yesterday, Big Sister and I went to Whole Foods for flowers and a few other fun things.

She wanted some for her very own, she loves arranging flowers! We had so much fun...

Her bouquet.

My Bouquet.

Bedside table bouquet.

The pilot was playing around with his macro lens - love the intensity of color!

A dog named Mosby

Here he is at 10 weeks.

We flew about two hours to get him when Big Sister was about six months old. I'll never forget that trip, on the way home it snowed most of the way, fortunately both babies slept the whole way home!

This is what he loves best!

Getting dirty,

splashing, swimming...

Much more fun with a friend!

Chasing down sticks!

Faithful companion and babysitter - wait! Is he biting Little Brother's leg?!

In the summer, he has a bit of an identity crisis. 

He goes from this:

To this:

Picture of contentment...