10 Reasons I love The Home I'm In

When my husband and I first got married one decision that we made was to purchase our first home. Being young and first time buyers without kids I don’t think we thought much about the house being our “forever home”. Within three years my husband switched jobs and that new job came with a longer commute to work. So the search for our second home began.

We quickly found a home that was respectable in size and would accommodate a growing family. The house was purchased in 2007 just before the housing market started to drop and we only paid $1.00 down to purchase our new home! Funny story about that $1.00, my hubby had to ask his brother if he could borrow the cash! (Yes, we did pay him back in a timely manner 😀 )

Eleven years later and we have established roots in this home. Building memories. I find contentment in our home. All three of my kiddos are growing up in this house and that makes me smile.

If you’re with your people, then you are home.

My house may not be the most modern or up to date. It may not grace the cover of a magazine. But that’s OK with me. It’s lived in. Love and grace abound within it’s walls. There are many reasons I love the home I’m in. I’d like0 to share a peek inside my home with you, so come on in!

Entryway

The entryway is the chance to make a statement. This is the first place friends and family see when they visit. This space needs to stay organized and clutter free. I want my guests to feel welcome and comfortable when they first walk through the door. To create that welcome feeling and beckon my guests to enter I have a “drop zone” for coats, jackets and shoes. This space is also functional for the people who live here.

As guests continue through my home they will pass an entry table that I have decorated for the season. Above the entry table a large mirror is hung. This helps brighten up the space as my front door does not have a window. I like to hang a decorative wreath from the mirror to add a pop of color. Right now I’m loving my boxwood wreath that I purchased from the Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market.

Homeschool Room

My weekdays are spent in our homeschool room. This space just received an update. I painted the walls in Sherwin Williams Repose Gray. This is the perfect color for the room. It’s a softer grey that’s not too dark or light. Under the new paint job are lots of marker and pencil scribbles. With a toddler in the house I need to be able to wash the walls!

I love my new yellow curtains! They are cheery and bright and really liven up the room. The kids also got new desk chairs this school year. I plan to let each kiddo pick out fabric to sew cushions for them.

Living-room

A favorite space in my living room is our love seat. I like to sit here in the early morning before my house wakes and read my Bible or a good book. The yellow throw blanket and pillows add a pop of color and make the space cozy and inviting.

This pillow speaks my language! 🙂

Dinning Table

Our dinning room table definitely shows character. The table was one of our first furniture purchases as newlyweds. We bought it at a model home sale. This table has seen lots of love. Family dinners, birthday parties, craft projects and school work. It’s in rough shape but this dinning room table is a solid piece. I’ve been talking about refinishing it, but I may wait another year. I know it will be a big job and with a 3 year old in the house I think I will wait to labor over this table.

Coffee Station

Having a cup of coffee is part of my morning ritual. I remember taking sips of my Dad’s coffee when I was around 12 years old. The smell of coffee makes me think of family. My Grandma was a coffee drinker and my Dad still is. I mostly drink it black but have the occasional latte from Starbucks.

The sign next to my coffee maker is from Jelly Bird Signs. She makes amazing hand painted and stenciled rustic wooden signs. This sign is a statement of how I start off each morning. Jesus + Coffee = A Good Morning 🙂

Kitchen Cabinets

Ok, when we first moved into our home I thought the kitchen had too many cabinets. I thought “I’ll never fill these, most of them will be left empty”. Fast forward 11 years later and all the cabinets are filled! Not only do they hold the basic kitchen items such as pots and pans, they also store party supplies, chinaware, crafts, scrapbooking supplies, puzzles, coloring books and school supplies. I’m very thankful to have all these cabinets to keep our home organized.

Master Bedroom

My quiet space. Sometimes this room can become a “catch-all”. But each morning I make my bed and this creates a place to retreat to at the end of a long exhausting day. The small practice of making my bed each morning gives a sense of order to the start of each day.

Piano

Well really it’s a keyboard, but it brings music into my home. When I was six years old my mom had me take piano lessons. It was a constant battle to get me to practice my songs! I just wanted to play with my toys and didn’t have the desire to pursue music. My mom finally relented and let me give up playing the piano. Now that I am an adult I wish I would have continued playing.

My daughter took interest in the piano about two years ago. We borrowed this keyboard from a friend. I didn’t want to invest in a piano if she lost enjoyment in playing. She has been taking piano lessons for nearly two years now and continues to enjoy playing. I love to listen to her play and on occasion I will try playing a song.

Tree

This Sissoo tree has grown with the family. It started out around 2 feet tall and has now grown monstrous. We chose this tree because it is fast growing. It provides shade to the front room in the afternoon.