Last year, I did a little snapshot of our little family and life at the present moment. Ya, I'm a dork, but I love looking back on the places we've lived, how the kids' rooms were, the quick snippets of what our life 'was like in that moment' so much, that I thought each January why not make that a thing, so I capture a bit of the candidness of our lives each year.
So here it is....
Snapshot 2017;)
Our humble abode;)...
So different from our home in Arkansas, but this one treats us well- it's so cozy and warm. We lucked out with an incredible neighborhood and a great location with proximity to work and school- our Minnesota nest;)!
With all the Minnesota snow, came LOTS of gear. With all that gear, came a few new routines: like take those sopping wet and dirty shoes off at the door- ha! Looks like the littlest sister is even catching on- made me laugh to see her boots next to mine one day- she lined them up just like me without anyone telling her-CUTIE!
We have learned how to suit up appropriately (check out Papa Bears new hat- HA!) and have broken in our new sleds!
The pond behind our house- frozen solid, and thanks to AWESOME neighbors clearing it, kids were able to skate and sled on it- SO FUN!!!
I prefer to enjoy Minnesota's winter beauty from inside- Maggie and I tend to take forever to thaw out- ha! Here is our cozy living room... and I kid you not, that fireplace is on EVERY night- I am a winter wuss- I admit that openly.... haha!
Our little addition to the living room: maps of the different areas of the country we lived. Quite a journey Pete and I have been on since saying 'i do' in 2009, LOADS of addresses and a boatload of memories... quite an adventure and I believed them to be wall-worthy in our living room... hehe!
Mission Control- aka: the kitchen. It all goes down here. So different from my bright white Arkansas kitchen, but we've made it our own and I still love watching the munchkins up at the counter chatting and playing while I cook- happy happy.
The dining room is our winter project. Maybe it's happening with age, but the nostalgia of having pieces of furniture from our parent's and grandparent's home means so much to me. Pete's parents gave us the dining room furniture and I am grateful to have it in our home. We are in the process of re-finishing the pieces, but appreciate so much them gifting them to us...
Thank you so much, Tom & Darla. We are grateful for the heirlooms and look forward to the next generation of memories they will see;).
Speaking of refinishing... my first piece I worked on! A new friend introduced me to chalk paint- wowsers do I love that stuff! Anyway, my mom found this table, but it needed some work- a few screws tightened and a few coats of chalk paint and poof- it's working very well as an entry table;)!
Thanks, Mom! I think you are slowly teaching me the way of looking past the gently used and learning how to make them my own- ha! May be a bit before I full on antique shop with you, but I may be getting there whether I fully admit it or not;)!!
Guest Room! Nice to have a space solely for guests to come and stay- necessity when we live so far from family!
...and speaking of family, I of COURSE had to find a place for our family pics. Lining the staircase is their new home.
The busiest kid zone of our new home- the loft! Since our basement is unfinished and a bit chilly during these cooler winter months- THIS is where you will find the munchkins most hours of the day- HA! Although, I know it's a bit of an eye sore, such is this stage of life- the kids love it and I love that all the toys are off the main level of the house- haha!
My vision became reality. Part of being so far from family is sadly not being able to see their faces as well as the super SMILEY kids that love them all so much. So.... when you can't be physically around them all the time, I though I should bring them to us the best way that I can. Enter a clothesline from ikea jammed-packed with candid pics taken of family with our babies. The kids LOVE it and I love having family 'close' each time they're up their playing.
Mom, thank you for your help in making this possible...
Family members, thank you for snapping or allowing me to snap all these candid photos bursting with happy... we're so lucky to have you guys and it never seizes to amaze Pete and I just how incredible you all are with our girls- they love you all so much!!
...the rest of the loft. Ya, it's bursting with way too many toys- lol- and a tepee... the new fav spot!
{forgive the overturned bucket- Maggie was playing while a snapped pictures- ha}
Pete & I's Room....
Slowly we are growing up. I am almost 34 years old and haven't actually slept in a bed since before college- HA! Thank you, mom and dad for the beautiful bed you gave us for Christmas!! We LOVE it and it's giving us the major itch to finish out the rest of the furniture. Still using my kid furniture at 33... it's probably time to mature out of it, right?! HEHE!
A beautiful addition to our room. My all-time favorite quote- love seeing each day in my room.
Kim, thank you so much for your sweet friendship and for making this for me. This sign is beautiful and I am so appreciative;).
Harper's Room!
Her favorite part is still that map on her wall- I think we may have a traveler on our hands in the future... all she wants to do is get in an RV and travel the country- haha!
Maggie's Room!!! Little Miss moved to a big girl bed!! This bed was mine when I was a child!! So wonderful to have it passed down and super fun re-purposing it for Mags! Pete did a wonderful job chalk painting it although he was a bit apprehensive of bright pink- ha! It fits and she LOVES having the space she couldn't get any longer in her crib- hehe!
Thank you, Mom for all the pillows you made- another vision bright to life thanks to your help!!
...and a huge thank you to Tom and Darla for gifting us this desk/dresser! Maggie is named after Pete's grandmother, Margaret Lee. An incredible woman whom I was blessed to know for a few years, she was so important to Pete that it was without question that we would have a daughter carrying her name. This was Margaret's desk straight from her home when she passed. We gave it a fresh coat of paint and I love having it in Maggie's room... I mean really with age all this heirloom stuff is totally getting me in the feels- ha!
Evelyn's nursery...
Probably the last picture of a baby crib being in my house- how is that possible?!?! She turns 2 in March and will move to her big girl bed- she is SOOO ready, but this momma is NOT!!! No matter her age, my baby she'll be, right?!
The basement!
Totally unfinished, but the kids totally don't care. We love the indoor space to ride scooters, jump on the trampoline, swing, and play... thank goodness, cause with all the WINTER that is Minnesota, it's nice to have a place to burn off the energy when it's way to brrrrrr to be outside- ha!
The view from our backyard. The real reason we bought this home- that red barn in the distance. The view does not disappoint for sure... Minnesota landscape is BEAUTIFUL.
Harper Grace
5 1/2 years old.
Favorite thing to do: run
Favorite food: Goldfish
Loves: American girl dolls, youtubekids, and make believe ANYTHING
Biggest change this year: kindergarten for sure. She has had some great blessings with the school year- some fantastic new friends and a great teacher... just working on her attention in the classroom and her confidence. Still a sweetheart and a friend to everyone... love!
Maggie Cloe
3 years old.
Favorite thing to do: playing Row, Row, Row Your Boat on anyone's lap
Favorite food: cereal bars
Loves: school, her bus drivers, and Daddy tickles
Biggest change this year: school!!! Minnesota has treated this munchkin well! She is enjoying school and started saying a few words (hi, bye bye) and just started walking well in her gait trainer. She is communicating soooo well with her velcro board and loves playing with others! In December, she started giving kisses... she has the sweetest heart and blows us away each and every day.
Evelyn Lee
1 1/2 years old.
Favorite thing to do: get into stuff
Favorite food: any dessert or fruit- heck anything with sugar!
Loves: school, her sisters, iPads, and exploring her environment- without permission- ha!
Biggest change this year: school!!! She started in preschool 3 days a week and LOVES it! We have now hit meltdown status when it's not a school day. She is talking- no and I love you seem to be her favorite phrases! She is my first child I have to watch AT ALL TIMES. She gets into everything, but also loves to clean. Demands attention, but gives the best hugs and LOVES to tell us that she loves us. My forever baby for sure.
Hubs...
He's still our rock. He works hard, plays hard, and loves us hard... ha! Being a Daddy to three girls definitely has its benefits: they ADORE him. Poor guy doesn't even get his work bag put away and they're already running for him. I guess I don't feel TOO badly for him... at least he knows he's loved! He's in a new phase of his career with General Mills... put a pause on the sales side of things and is learning the business from the home office. Quite an adjustment for him, but I can see he is learning so much! I miss not seeing him as much as I did in Bentonville, but we seem to appreciate our time as a family a little more. I know we drive him crazy, most days, but as the kids get older I think we're learning to take the chaos in stride and appreciate just how much they like being around us at this stage in their lives- hehe!
Me...
I finally feel in the groove with our Minnesota routine. New schools, new activities, new friends, new city, heck... just learning the new streets- it was all an adjustment, but I'm starting to find my new normal and content with where we are. Seeing how happy the kids are in their programs and hearing all that Pete is learning make it worth all the craziness of the move up here. I would be lying if I said I wasn't still homesick for Arkansas, but I have found blessings in our new journey here... now the cold- I could take or leave that- ha- but it's been good for us to get out of our comfort zone and explore new things....
So here we go, 2017- cheers to a fresh start and continuing to embrace this new journey as a family!!
No comments:
Post a Comment