The banners from Susan Branch are the most charming and they set the mood for sweetness and joy in our kitchen. And so does this fall teapot shelf. I'm constantly rearranging it and can't wait to see how it will look at Christmastime. ❤ Scott built his shelf for me last Mother's Day
This morning when I got up I looked on this ol blog of mine. I forget actually what I was looking for - probably a picture. And I sucked in to post after post and a really overwhelming feeling of gratitude for staring this blog over 15 years ago. Oh my little girls and my very full life with them.
I've been thinking about a full life and how life has changed. I have different tasks now than I did then. Things I didn't do back then:
🧡 teach full time in a classroom
🧡 plan and gather and review data and make copies and prep for my classroom
🧡 communicate with my college daughter
🧡 help my graduate school daughter with life and things
🧡 have an instagram all about the coziness of our home and joy of living in New England in the seasons
Things I did back then that I still do now:
🧡 decorate seasonally because it fills me with joy
🧡 write on this blog (although it has surely changed as life has over the years)
🧡 clean our home
🧡 laundry
🧡 bake and plan meals (although Scott as mostly taken over the dinners since I went back to teaching nine years ago)
🧡 plan the holidays
... you get the idea... life is still very full it's just not filled with littles at home.
Miss it?
How could I not; of course I do and always will but I feel grateful that I got to do those years at home not distracted by having to be a classroom teacher at the same time. I got to do the naps, reading, walking outside, little bikes, pushing baby dolls up and down the sidewalk. How how blessed I am that those were my days... day after day after day.
But now?
Well now is glorious too. Here is why. I get to see what pouring in to those girls of ours all those years did. I get to see God's hand of faithfulness and how He led them step by step to where they are now and knowing that He will continue to as each day, each year goes on. And I get to be amazed. I am certainly amazed at the prayers answered and the twists and turns along the path that show where they are now.
So really, this small but meaningful life has been and will continue to be a joy and a delight no matter where God leads us. I am in His hands.
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Tonight Scott and I used rolls of bubble wrap and carefully wrapped up and stored the girls play kitchen. I know we could have about ten years ago when Anna was 12 and Abigail was 8 (I don't think back then they were in the play kitchen ... maybe my 8 year old was), anyway we wrapped it all up.
At the end of the summer we took down the girls high school work area and put in two big wonderful desks (I've got to get a picture of those!) and decided that a nice sectional couch would be wonderful down there. I promise to take pictures when it's all done. That would be a fun post... a look back at this room and how it has changed so much over the years!
It was a good good weekend although I don't have a lot of pictures to show for it!
Scott and I have a big long home list of things we want to get done this fall season. And boy did he work hard on that list for me! He is currently refinishing two tables. They are going to be so so beautiful!
I got to go with my Dad to the Goodspeed to see Chorus Line and we had dinner at the Gelston House. It was won - der - ful
I was really hoping for some cooler weather at the end of this week. But today is still warm. By the end of next week though... 60's! Hooray!
I love windows open blowing fresh air through our house and because of that we shined up our window, windowsills, washed the sheers, we are ready to go! I even changed up our bedding for the fall.
I've been loving 'block prints' and so I started with the quilt, added on the bedspread, and some pillows. There are still a few changes I'd like to make but I love it for now...
~ Quilt: lovely lady linens
~ Bedspread: Dream Quilt from Garnet Hill
~ Organic Cotton sheets: Quince
I do really love this little baking center that is tucked away in a little corner of our cozy kitchen. I love it all year round but I especially love it in the autumn for all of the fall goodies to bake. (It's wonderful at Christmastime too)
On Sunday I baked some oatmeal brown sugar muffins with a crunchy topping. (so good with a cup of tea) I love to freeze them so I can pop one out whenever we need them. A freezer full of goodness like this makes my heart sing!
Caramel apples and a cookbook for charm charm charm
I love the openness of this and how I can style it for each season. I love how functional it all is and how it just feels "like home"
