My Physical Therapy - Part Two

Hey welcome back!!!!  I was really hopeful through the week that I would feel good enough to shower, get dressed and fixed up and make it youth group.  That didn't happen.  Then I was excited at the thought of getting dressed up on Friday and maybe heading out with my man to do some birthday shopping (see this post).  I have been going mentally crazy thinking about Target and how long it's been since I've been there and I had myself all built up for this incredible night of feeling like a member of the functioning human race, getting out of the house, spending time with the hubs and doing a little shopping.  But as it's been for weeks now, my body doesn't match my mind and I was too tired and empty to make any of that happen. I am trying sooooooo hard to rest and rest in Him.  Trusting in His plan even in this time of sickness and recovery isn't very easy. 

Well that's enough about me, you came to see the house so here's the family room (aka the room in which I spend all of my waking hours).

 

This is my keeping it real shot!!  Julia is laying on the couch because she's not feeling well.  There are things all over the ottomans/tray, but hey, this is life!!!  This at least gives you the set up of the room.  The couch is a little big to be in this position, but I like that it's facing the fireplace and it makes the space feel nice and cozy!!  Some day I'd love to remove the panel and paint.  It's a dark,  errr warm room and I'd love to see how much bigger it feels to brighten it up a bit!!

I was previously using this spool as an end table and since there isn't much room on either end of the couch for a table, I would have either had to pack it away orrrrrr get creative!! 

 

This fireplace is ginormous!!  On one hand it's great, because I can decorate it like crazy.  On the other hand, I don't know how to keep it simple.  Which would be fine except that I'm really craving simplicity. 

I tried a few different configurations and over the course of  a few weeks, I stripped it all down again and took a completely different approach.  I always shop the house first!  I happen to have a small door and few wooden boxes and drawers at my disposal.  I like the old books, it adds fall color and some height to display my jar of mini gourds and pumpkins.  (they're not real so I can use them year after year)

I kept the yellow candle stick from my summer mantle and thought it'd be a great perch for a fun faux pumpkin!!  I added an old camera for some fun and few fall fabric balls that I made years ago.  On the right side, I used a few birch rounds (from our birch trees in the back yard), a frame from summer that I picked up from Hobby Lobby, and an old berry crate.  There's also a little fall garland that I made with string and scrapbook paper and a glue stick.  Easy Peasy!

 

The bushel basket of pinecones and birch logs have been here all summer and I just added a small chalkboard with a seasonal quote "Autumn is a second spring" (where every leaf is a flower).  I decided to stack my old kettles, which I should have emptied first, right Jessica? :)  I also added an old mustard shutter to the back to break up the old brick and just add another layer of interest.

 

On the other side of the fireplace, I decided to bring down a few of my picnic baskets.  I love the red plaid one, it conjurs up all kinds of fun images of great fall picnics under beautiful maple trees bursting with color, warm wool blankets and hot apple cider in a thermos!!  Like the little one on top!  I'm still getting gorgeous roses in the garden and figured I'd better take advantage of that gift before they're done. 

 

Once the roses started to wilt and die, we resused them for a wonderful foot soak!!  Julia had the idea of letting me soak my feet and relax. She's such a sweetheart!!

 

We added some fresh lavendar too.  I soaked for a long time and my feet felt wonderul afterward!!  This is something that I'm going to have to do more regularly!!

 

I haven't done anything to speak of in the kitchen, most of it's a mess honestly.  It's the most used room in the house, so I have to catch it in its rare state of spotless!! lol  So this may or may not be the end of the fall tour.  We'll have to see!!   I'm taking each moment as it comes and can't make any plans. 

 

I hope you've enjoyed the small tour.  I pray that your home is a place of warmth and comfort as we head into the cooler seasons (cooler, ha!  It's 82 degrees here today)  Have a blessed week!!

 

<3 Lorraine

 

 

My Physical Therapy

We've already established that I've completely missed the month of September and I've been stuck on the couch doing nothing.  If you know me, you know that that doesn't fly for very long at all.  Eventually I'm gonna crack and have to CHANGE something!!  I love decorating my home for fall and I was so afraid that I was going to miss the opportunity entirely!!  Not happy.  I had my kids bring down my fall boxes from the attic and I vowed to go through little by little and take my time.  I figured that it would be good physical therapy and decorational therapy (is that even a word?)!!  It would get my creativity flowing and also get my muscles moving.  So, although I didn't get to link up with any of the amazing fall home tours, I decided to do one of my own.  Come on in and have a look around!! 

Welcome to our home!!  I haven't done anything on the front step besides hanging this wreath.  I don't really feel like dealing with spiders and cobwebs but hey, if we did celebrate Halloween, I could consider my front step finished!

I am keeping it rrrreal simple in the foyer.  I moved out my small table and mirror that used to occupy this corner and instead just went with my old basket hanger and a few signs of the season.  Don't mind my purse hanging there, feel free to hang yours there as well, or maybe your sweater!!

 

This little cabinet joined the foyer a few months ago.  The girls had it in there room for a long time and it housed Julia's little knick-knacks.  In a simplifying effort by Jessica, I ended up with it!  SCORE!!  One day I think I will end up painting the inset portion of the door with chalkboard paint.  It's a cute place to leave little notes for guests or just sweet reminders for us as we pass by this way throughout the day.

 

The inside isn't very fun but it is functional.  Instead of a drawer full of spare keys and sunglasses, they now reside here!  All of the spare keys are in the little brown crock.  I want to hang a few hooks in here to rest our functional keys on, but we'll see. 

 

Off to your right is our dining room.  I can always feel God's presence in this room in the way the light streams across the table and the hutch, in the two large windows that lead to a beautiful view of the fields and trees across the street, so colorful this time of year.

 

I am on a constant quest for simplicity in my home.  I have a lot of furniture and even more things to decorate with and after a while it starts getting to me.  I love everything that I have and it's hard to know what to get rid of, so that usually keeps me from truly moving forward.  But I started the simplifying process in the foyer and dining room and I hope that I can continue that throughout the house.

 

Come back to see the family room, and prayerfully the rest of the downstairs space.  Like I said I'm taking this slow, so it may be Christmas before we finish here!!  Kidding!!!  It better not take that long.  My patience is wearing thin already!!  

 

Have a blessed weekend!!  Thanks for stopping by!!  See you next time!!

 

<3 Lorraine