Friday, July 28, 2006

Bloggy Tour of Homes

If an image in this post doesnt seem to work, try right-clicking on it and select "Show Picture" ... that works for me today, and all images should show up.

Sleepy Beth posted her bloggy tour of homes (initiated by BooMama), and it inspired me. So here's my tour. Its amazing how different my house looks in photos than it does to my eye.

First is the front door. You see our brand new walkway, installed this morning, which replaces five silly slate stepping stones. The step down from the front porch to the sinking slates was getting worse and worse ... Mom really needed a handrail to navigate it, so I'm thrilled with my new walkway ... you take a little step up from the driveway, a little step in the middle of the walk, and a little step onto the porch. Perfect!

Next is where I blog (and work my businesses, and work my PhD program, and game, and... can you even see my desk under the clutter??)


Third is our living room, where we spend our time when not at the computer. We typically eat dinner in front of the TV, even though we have a beautiful dining room table (which is covered with all the pots I threw at class this spring). We just had a heck of a time getting satellite TV installd (DishNetwork ... see Mike's overview of the DirectTV fiasco). I wonder if we're smart enough to learn how to use all the super-cool features the DVR has, but we're liking it so far. The quilt you see thrown over the couch has a long story to it: My mom started this quilt kit in 1974... its a cross-stitch pattern for a double bed. After you do the cross-stitch, then you put it together with stuffing and a backer to make a quilt and then you quilt it (pattern printed on there too). I work on the quilting as I watch Stargate SG1, the year is now 2006. It's not done yet, but maybe this year. Mom did the largest panel (the center panel) and then it laid around for years. I did the cross-stitching of the four side panels (when the fourth panel was finally found from being lost) when I was in high school and college and then the pieces laid around for years. Then they were sewn together and laid around some more; then we pinned the stuffing and back to it and it laid around some more. So the quilt is a multi-generational project at this point, more than 30 years old and still not finished!!

Fourth is our kitchen. This is where we heat up frozen pizzas, frozen chicken wings, and where Mike fries up fabulous home-made tortilla chips for his world-famous nachos and tacos. Occassionally there is some real cooking here, but not all that often. Beth is the gourmet cook, not I.

For bonus rooms in the tour, first we have my Mary Kay inventory stockroom.


Next bonus room is our guest room, also called the "Navy Memorial Room". On the wall
are just a few of Mike's commendations, and a map with stars everywhere he has lived or been stationed or spent time in. The shadow box has pictures of him, us, and a piece of the P3 Orion engine turbine that blew up and nearly crashed the plane he was flying in ... an experience he'll never forget.


Next, we are having our basement finished. The framework is up, the electrical got finished this week, next week is plumbing, then inspection, then drywall, paint, and flooring! Then we'll no longer have to have "theater envy" of Beth, but will have our own.


Finally, our back deck. We have a big open area, a pretty big screened-in area, and these stairs. We never use this deck ... the weather is too nasty for us. Piled under the stairs are the slates that they removed from the front walk today. To the right of the stones is a wisteria vine that I've been struggling to cultivate into a wisteria tree.

18 comments:

Lori said...

I love the way you enter your house. It's so welcoming with the turn and the shrubs!

Anonymous said...

Love the entrance with the bushes and the lamp. What a great and busy home. I hope your basement turns out just as you want. Blessings.

Ms. Kathleen said...

I agree, the entrance is fabulous. The house has a nice homey feel to it. Thanks for sharing!

Mama Duck said...

Just beautiful, looks like you will have a great thing in the basement too!!

Anonymous said...

Loved the tour..and if I ever need Mary Kay I know who to contact..Wow..that is a great stash!

Carole Burant said...

What a beautiful home you have, very warm and inviting!! Thanks so much for letting us have a glimpse of your life:-)

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Still trying to get around to visit the many many peooke who participated in this...Lovely home and I love where you blog...it looks like things are going on here and I like that!

Unknown said...

Nice to see your deck (that was the only one I had to click on, and glad I'm did).

PastormacsAnn said...

Can't wait to see the basement when you have it done. Thanks for the tour of your inviting home.

Carol said...

Okay, I found the deck, but I may never find the desk! Looks like a student's study to me. PhD, you say? No wonder you don't have time to clean it off.

Thanks for the tour and for your hospitality! (That basement is going to be so cool!)

Barb said...

Your entryway and porch are lovely. So inviting. And yes, your blog room/office look VERY well used. Good for you! Thank you for letting me visit.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tour of your home!! I want to take a nap on your sofe -- do you mind if I snuggle up in that blanket?

Blessings! :o)

Heather said...

Love the quilt! Really - I know how much work they are -- I cross stitch and that ALONE can take forever on a double bed size quilt. Keep working on it - mabe your kids will finish it! LOL!!!!

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for the tour :) I would have loved to have seen the pots you threw!

Mrs. Shannon M. Herren said...

Congrats on the new walkway! Thanks for the "for real" pictures. My desk usually looks like that except about one day a week ~lol. Thanks for the tour.

Lynellen said...

Thanks for stopping by, everyone!

Cheryl said...

Oh how wonderful, I'm a Mary Kay consultant too. I was wondering if I would ever cross paths with another consultant/director. Would love to hear from you!
I can't seem to keep my desk clean either! I've just spent the evening.....again....trying to decrease some of the piles!

Paula said...

Thanks so much for inviting us in your home. I wasn't brave enough to post a picture of my desk, so you get the award for bravery!