Willow Oaks :: Our New Home

Hello Dear Friends!

We've been busy around here. It seems that the rumor of Spring is tempting our lazy winter bodies into bustling about a bit more than we're used to. With Spring on the horizon, let's just say that we're all in a better mood. This Winter has been hard, gray, cold and with little snow once again to show for it. Boo. I am not sure about you but it's only worth enduring the cold if there is a chance of snow in my mind at least. It also hasn't been the easiest year for me personally either. There is still a lot of healing that my soul has to do and well when everything around seems cold and dark literally- it's hard to shake the bad memories. Thankfully I am not alone on this journey physically or spiritually. I have tried to be more intentional about surrounding myself with uplifting friends and bright surroundings. We also changed our diets a bit and have been religious about at least 15 minutes outside everyday, no matter the weather (mama included).

With all of that in mind, I thought it was about time that I introduced you to our new home. You see back in December we moved from Blount Point- near the James River to our new home at Willow Oaks- near the York River! With that move came a few changes. We had to part with our poultry and most of our bunnies. It is a sore sore subject for me and I can't quite talk about it yet without tearing up. You see my poultry- my ladies- we're MY pets. When everything came tumbling down this Autumn, not only did I find myself totally overwhelmed but we also found out that we had to move due to an overlooked tax issue on our landlords part- both very unexpected and ill-timed. But amid that chaos- and let me just say for the record- the worst time in my life EVER- I found a sweet home for my ladies with a kindred chicken mother Christina (who goes to our church and lives close by!).

On a happier note, our new home is a blessing. It is just the right size with a nice little yard in a nice little neighborhood with a pool, pond, and willow trees. We also are a stone throw away from our secret lagoon. I can't wait for summer so we can visit that special place again. There are also some woods behind our yard and we spend lots of time exploring back there and finding new gnome hide-outs. We did get to keep two bunnies- Thomas and Unicorn- who have taken up residence in our backyard and garage. I am growing to love them quite a bit despite the fact that they don't lay eggs. (I'll forgive them) However they do follow me around begging for scraps just like my ladies.

Now on to the house. Remember my comment above about bright surroundings? Well our sweet home is bright for sure. Between the vaulted ceilings and big windows, we are not lacking in the warmth department. We also have a fireplace again too. I tried to simplify our possessions as much as possible so we thankfully had a huge purge before the move- and just recently donated another truck load to the thrift store last week from the garage. I highly recommend Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider if you're feeling boxed in by all the 'stuff' we accumulate.

My room and the children's room are still works in progress. But I feel happy with all the other rooms in the house and the yard. So here are a few photos of my favorite spots in the new house. I tried incorporate little bits of Waldorf into all of our rooms. Over the next few weeks, I will be more intentional about taking more photos. It also might help me clean more too!

Until next time- 

Cheers!

Introducing Our New Home

Well I am back from my respite my dear friends! I must admit that I did miss the internet, not the TV so much, but most definitely this space. Soon hopefully we will be getting rid of their TV altogether. This week has just re-solidified why we do not need or really use it all that much. The only reason we still have it is really for Craig. After a LONG 8 hour plus night shift, he likes to watch his TV. And I totally support that. But I digress...


As mentioned before, we are moved! What a crazy and blessed experienced that was. We had so many lovely people and dear friends helping us. We began at 8am and we were done and mostly unpacked by 3pm. Seriously I am so indebted to these dear souls. The love Craig and I felt on that day will stay with us for years to come. 


Our move was across town, so we are still in VA. I can see the James River from my window and I am walking distance from my old university. The house we are in belongs to our church friends. We are renting from them for the next three years. While we could have bought a home this move, we could not have bought the kind of home that we'd be happy to own. So we are going to wait and save for as bit longer and then hopefully in three years we can find our forever earthly home. But truly we are so blessed as it is and in the end a house is temporal and just a dwelling. I'd prefer to pin my hopes on something greater than that. :) 

The new house however is stunning. I cannot lie, it also is huge. 3400 square feet and tennis court in the back yard huge. The poor kids get lost in it and this it too much room for us, so we won't be using it all really. But I am not going to complain. I plan on filling this house with friends and family as often as I can for as long as we have it! I also want to begin a Waldorf homeschool co-op this Autumn, so this place will be perfect if that plan comes to fruition. 


At any rate I will leave you all now. The kids are fabulous. We are having no regression issues and they are both sleeping happily in the same room (photos to come). We have found our rhythm and routine in this new place and I am in love. See you all tomorrow! 

Many blessings from mine to yours, 

Nicole 

PS: My tutorial is getting published! I am quite excited! I will let you all know when is comes out and where to find it! 

I've lost my third arm!

Phew...see I was right my friends I have been being sporadic! This however is a good thing because it means I am making great progress on the packing front. I have to say, minus feeling a bit icky last night (bad food maybe?), all has been well!


Last weekend we painted the children's new room. Craig and I have decided to room our son and daughter together for the next three years. In our new home we have 4 rooms. Two of which are small and the other two which are huge. One being the master and the other being the "room over the garage" aka FROG. 


The major factor leading into this decision was the sheer size of the bed sets we have for the kids. Since both were given to us free of charge,  you better bet we are most definitely going to use them and save our pennies. However, due to their dimensions and the dimensions of the other two rooms, the full sets will not fit into the smaller rooms. Fortunately they do both fit in the FROG with ample room leftover! Score! 


Personally I really quite like the idea of our kids rooming together. It is almost like we will have a traditional nursery room (as seen in classic movies like Mary Poppins and Peter Pan) where all the children, regardless of sex, share a room until their teen years. Plus Deirdre is ecstatic about it. I am sure there will be some adjusting but I am not worried. as with all things in our home we just flow with the rhythm and make do one bit at a time. No need to fret unnecessarily. 


So after making that decision, I began dreaming up an idyllic Waldorf "nursery" room for them. Trust me its going to be a lovely room, I promise to show you when its done. However the FROG had flocked wall paper in it. When Deirdre first saw the room she said it looked like a bear cave! Off the wallpaper came, and last weekend we painted  (as well as sanded and primed) the walls and ceiling. The color I choose was "Free Spirit" by Olympic. Olympic is a zero VOC paint with a green seal. Since this paint was going in the kids room my conscious would not allow me to not use a low VOC paint. 

I truly adore this color-plus its gender neutral and peaceful. Perfect for the kids. I would love to have posted before and after pictures for you but alas I HAVE LOST MY CAMERA. I know... I know. It really is my third arm. I have torn my house asunder looking for it. I have reopened boxes. It is nowhere. 


The only conclusion I can come to is that I left in my car and it was stolen- or- that it is so far lost that if I do find it won't be for a long long time. And if it is truly misplaced, tehn that would be very odd for me since I always keep it in two places. Next to the computer or in my purse. Seriously. So after a week plus of not having it and tearing everything apart, I am going to cave in and get a new one. If I do find the other one at some point I will just sell it or give it to my little brother as present. Luke tends to get my hand me down cameras anyway- and he loves it ;) 


I was thinking about getting nicer one than I had, however I really love my Nikon CoolPix. I seriously get awesome photos with it and it only cost me $90. We will see though. I will be getting one before Saturday so I can photograph the move. 


We will see though. Please keep us in you thoughts and prayers through the move. I am one stressed cookie! 

Bonne Nuit, Nicole 

~Old un-shared photos form 2 weeks ago~

Elsa Beskow, a love! (and a friend's giveaway)

“Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.”~ Emilie Buchwald

Until we get through the move on the 30th, I will be blogging sporadically. So from now until August 7th, please don't worry if I am not on here daily anymore! Once I am back, I will have TONS of crafty goodness, new house projects, and Waldorf homeschooling ready to share with you. I mean summer is a time to relax, right? *Nods head*


In spite of this terrible heat wave I have been busy inside. I've discovered twitter, pinterest, flickr, and so much more blog crafty inspiration. I am quite enthralled. 


On this inspiration hunt I saw this blog "Jump into a Book". As a teacher by training I obviously believe reading is necessary, essential, and endless rewarding. My children and I read constantly. We have so many books in our house that I can't count them anymore. 

Among them are a few Elsa Beskow books. Elsa was a Swedish author and illustrator from the late 1800s. Her books are so well done and magical. Her books truly are timeless classics. I rank them up there with Joyce novels and well that is saying a lot for me. 


Right now Jump into a Book is giving away a set of ALL 19 Elsa Beskow books. I encourage you to enter it. These books will surely enrich your children's lives and help them to develop a lifetime love of reading. 

Phew.

I sorta want to hit life's pause button right now! This week had flown and I have much to do. We move in 23 days. I have an entire house to pack and many projects to do. I also in turn have an entire house to unpack and set up afterwards! Plus I have just as many day to day responsibilities as I do now to contend with during this moving process. 


Oh how I hate you laundry and dishes. You have my permission to go on vacation until we move!


But while I am a bit stressed, I also am so excited. I just need to make a plan and ask for help. (I have made the plan though I just need to get on the help part) 


And thankfully I have that help readily available. I am very blessed to have a sweet mother in law to love on my kiddos when I need her. She really blessed me today and I just want to give her a huge hug. She will have many jewels on her crown in heaven from blessing others in this life. I am really lucky to have her! 


We all are :) 

The day my MIL became an Omi for the first time with Deirdre. She is so good to us and my kiddos!

And an Omi for the third time to my son Emil Jonas! 

Daily Verse or Quote:

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 

– James 1:5-6 (NIV)