More Decorating

Stairwell picture wall.

 

See the big tangle of cords along the back wall past the light on the desk?  Soon that will be organized to a different area.  I think its messy looking.

Kitchen chickens.

Decorating

 Here are the promised pictures of more decorating.  I was able to use wall space to put shelves up in this house and display a couple collections I have, Chickens and Tins.  I don't what my decorating style is.  I love country victorian~ lace doilies, antique furniture and such.  Over the years, things have pretty much stayed the same in my house.  The pictures in the reading room are the same ones that have been up for 15 years.  I guess keeping some of the same "things" makes our home seem familiar each time we move. 

Family Room

Looking at the office/schoolroom.  Just behind the round table to the left, is where I hope to find a little school desk for #2 son.  The blank wall space in that area will have the alphabet posted and maybe a dry erase board.

Reading Room~  Still missing from this space, cozy reading chairs.

Dining Room~  Organized nic nac shelves in the background.

 

 

Friday

Thoughts about this week~

It was a productive week.  A little bit more things on the walls, my house is clean.  What more could I want?  Nothing!

Being on our remote, rural island in Alaska for two years, there were things we dearly missed.  One being FRESH, Fresh, fresh, RIPE, summer watermelon.  We bought one yesterday from a man who was selling them out of the back of his truck.  On the way home, we stopped and bought some sweet corn from a green grocer.  It made a fantastic dinner, just those two items alone.  Delicious!!

We're trying another church on Sunday and have invited our new friends (the ones we met at church three weeks ago) to attend with us and have dinner over here afterward.  I'll try to take pictures of them to post.  I am kind of excited, our first friends in the area!  Not sure what I will be serving for lunch that day.

I'll be taking more pictures of the house tomorrow so you can see more decorations.

 

A day in the BIG city

  A little over a week ago, my oldest son and manly man spent the day together.  They rode the commuter train in to the city and took a subway for the first time.  They took some pictures to document their day.  It was a fun trip.

Lunch overlooking ground zero, formerly World Trade Center sight.

"Subway anyone?"

 

Productive Weekend

I guess you could say we spent a productive weekend around the house.  I done unpacking boxes!  I did the last three last night as I displayed my collections of tins.   (pictures to follow!)  I still have a bit more tweaking to do on some decorating.  I have to get more phone cable for the office area in the family room and work on that later today as well.  The men worked on vehicles trying to get them in shape for the state inspections.

Saturday we went to one of our favorite places, South Mountain Reservation and explored some more of an area we noticed on a map.  The goal of the day was to retrace a drive we did while staying in the hotel.  We were in search of a quaint farm stand where we had purchased some amazing tasting sweet corn.  South Mountain Reservation still needs more exploring.  There is a beautiful waterfall area to hike to, we haven't got to do that yet.  We did find our little farm stand.  It wasn't in the location we seemed to remember, but now we know where it is!

I wonder what this sign said.  Must not have been important!

 

Heirloom tomatoes and white sweet corn.  Not pictured~ juicy, sweet delicious Musk melon.

We tried another church yesterday.  This one we heard about through word of mouth as being a 'great' church that was closer to where we live.  It was a Community Bible church, using the KJV.  Interesting.  They have a Christian school and meet in an old school building.  They are praying for revival and had no invitation at the end of the service.  There are still about three more on the my list.  Be praying we find one closer to home where we can be active in services.

Visiting the Beach

Does every beach often resemble the other?  Is it just me or is there just a 'beachy' feeling and atmosphere at the beach?  We felt right at home yesterday visiting Sandy Hook, NJ and our short walk on the beach.  We plan on going back when they lift the restrictions for dogs.  I guess there are shore birds nesting ALL SUMMER on this beach and they do not want dogs disturbing the nests.  So beach visiting is no fun when your four legged buddy Banjo has to be in the car.  The restriction ends Labor Day and we plan on going back.

See the New York skyline waaaayyyy in the background?

 

So many beautiful, abandoned building on the base.  Even stately old housing sits vacant.  What a crying shame!

 

This is facing the town.

Seagull

For our Dear Friends

Grandpa Randy and Grandma Sandy, this is dedicated to you!  We love you and miss you very much.  Come have a rootbeer float with us!

More Before and After

Kitchen~ Before

After

Dining Room~ Before

After~ Minus Organization

Living/Reading Room~ Before

After~ Minus Cozy reading chairs and decorations.

Getting Settled In

    We've been so terribly busy, its hard to put into words.  I am almost done unpacking, and hanging pictures.  Still putting the final tweaks into my decorating.  We've all been very tired the last few days and have just been relaxing and taking it easy.

My manly man has been working this week.  He has been riding the commuter train and then taking a subway to get to and from work.  His commute is a little over an hour.  We went with him yesterday to the Coast Guard Station in Sandy Hook, NJ to pick up some of his law enforcement gear.  What a pretty place that was.  White sandy beaches, blue skies and ocean. 

The church search continues, still have about 4 on the list we want to check out.  The first two have been okay.  The one we visited on Sunday was a little more welcoming.  My manly man really liked the Pastor.  That church is about 40 minutes drive form here.  He told us of one that we may be interested in that is closer to us.  He is checking on it and will get back to us with that information.  We met a nice couple at the first church, also church searching, whom we like very much.  They will probably be our first guests.  They live nearby and their daughter would be a good playmate for our youngest boy.

Enjoy ALL the photos!

Master Bedroom~ Before

Master Bedroom~ After

#2 Son Room~ Before

After~ Indiana Jones Theme, minus Indiana Jones Posters

 

 

 

 

Busy Week

We signed our lease last Saturday and have been busy every since then.  We checked out of our hotel Tuesday and moved in our house that night.  We bought some bad air mattresses, a few blankets and a couple lawn chairs.  We've been really happy to be back in our own place.  Tuesday we went shopping for paint and painting supplies and a rug cleaner.  We came home and started to work.  We've painted all rooms but the hallways, kitchen cupboards and bathrooms.  We cleaned the carpet in the family room.  We finished up most of the painting yesterday with all the trim on the main floor.  We scrubbed the kitchen floor and cleaned the bathrooms.  #1 son wiped down all the cupboards and fridge.  Our things will be here Monday morning.  My manly man will report to work about mid week.

Tomorrow we will start the church search .  We found about 5 listed on the internet that are not too far for us to drive to.  Even though things are less than 20 miles away, it takes forever to drive there because of traffic.  The churches we picked are about 20-30 minute drive from home.

I am posting pictures of our picnic last Sunday on the South Mountain Reservation, a greenspace area.