ThAnkful...

I'm playing a little catch up here today in hopes of getting the Holiday Tour up this week. I don't feel quite right posting photos of the Christmas tree when I still have Thanksgiving photos staring at me in my camera. Thanksgiving this year snuck up on me in a hurry. We had only been in our Tudor for 3 weeks and I wanted to host the feast. Yeah, you know, make it beautiful despite the boxes everywhere! Ha! 

I found a banner I had purchased at World Market and hung it up on our mantle right away. And can I tell you how hard I laughed when I got it put up...? Someone in charge of the "a"s in the factory must have taken a coffee break when my banner came down the line. Haha! Oh well, I'm still thAnkful anyway, and frankly it reminds me that I truly am a little less Martha than I want to admit. 

After having a few last minute furniture purchases delivered, like CHAIRS, we cleaned the Tudor top to bottom and cooked for two days. I must say it was my most successful Thanksgiving feast to date! The DH was an integral part of the success. He brines a fabulous turkey ladies! And knows just when I need a hug and when to stir the gravy. My new favorite dish was a tie between the Ruth's Chris Sweet Potato Casserole, and Mom's Secret Gravy recipe. Both are on my Pinterest page under Thanksgiving. 

So while I am thankful for the family in our little Tudor home, I have to point out how Thankful our pups are for the squirrels they have discovered in the back yard! Look at this sweet boy. So patient. 

I am Thankful for the home we are creating in our little two door Tudor. 

A whole new world...

Have you ever pulled up the blinds and been unable to see out the window? On about day four of living in our new home, we decided to pull open all the blinds. What we found underneath was frightening! I'm guessing the last time they saw soap and water was probably in the early 70's. I would have guessed even earlier that that, but the original owners still lived here then and I suspect they were decent house keepers. After a shocking price tag of over $500 to have the windows professionally cleaned, the DH opted to clean them himself. 

I can honestly tell you, clean windows make for a whole new world! 

Even our kids were enjoying the new view. 

One down and about 23 to go....... 

Welcome home...

In late summer of 2013, we put our home on the market. Now there wasn't anything wrong with our home. It was new construction with a large open floor plan. We had five bedrooms and three bathrooms on more than an acre and half. The views were spectacular. Rocky Mountains for 180* and the gorgeous plains for the other 180*. BUT, after living there for 11 years, our house lacked things. Sidewalks for example were never going to be a part of our rural neighborhood, nor were an abundance of trees. Our neighbors never waved, not to mention we only knew the names of three of them. It was quite, peaceful rural living, among tumbleweed invasions and a killer 20 minute commute into town. We had more rooms than we knew what to do with and after painting walls, laying tile, installing wainscoting, building fences and hundreds of other small projects, we were growing bored with our home. When it comes to new construction, you have to work really hard to build character and charm into your home.

We put our house up for sale on a hot August day. We had cleaned and purged, scrubbed and scoured and thought "Well, with a little luck, maybe in 6 months, someone might fall in love with our house". Fifteen days later, we were under contract for full price, with a family dying to get in as soon as possible. We had to find house, and quick!

Now here is where a little serendipity comes into play. Before listing our house, we had been cruising our favorite historic neighborhood, drooling over the Queen Annes, dazed by the Bungalows and swooning at the brick Cottages. This was magical place, with tree lined sidewalks, friendly people out walking their dogs. These weren't just houses dripping with charm, they were homes. It was in this enchanted neighborhood that we had fallen in love with a darling 1923 Tudor Cottage. She was for sale, for a great price, and she was oozing with charm. Coved ceilings, hardwood floors, door handles with skeleton keys, paned wooden windows and the most amazing feature of all, an over-sized TWO car garage. For my dear husband, the lover of all things wheeled, this in-and-of-itself was the piece de resistance. We drove by the sweet cottage, stalked her along the alley, and viewed her Zillow page more times than should be legal. But no one bought her. She sat, with her for sale sign for months, just taunting us. When we got the offer on our house, we looked at only 4 homes but nothing compared to Tudor cottage. Offers made, inspections passed and before we knew it, she was ours.... Welcome to our 1923 Tudor Cottage, or as I like to call her home.