Our little porch
finally, some flowers for spring...errr...summer
view from our front doorIts nice to be in the courtyard, feels like the kids have a place to go outside and play!
Up 1/2 flight of stairs and you are in the living room
kitchen shots
dining
(why oh why do they put carpet in dining rooms!?)
the patio
Zach's bedroom
hallway
laundry in the closet
Lily's room and 2nd bath are on the left
our bedroom is on the right
Lily's room
Dave's side
my side
The night before I left for Oregon, my friend Margaret gave me the nicest gift I have probably ever received. She presented me with an album of photos of all the places in Kansas City that hold a special place in my heart. Seriously, she didn't forget ANYTHING. There were photos of our first apartment, and first house. There were details like the sign at the entrance to our neighborhood, and a close up of our house numbers. She shot pics of the high schools we graduated from, my favorite stores on the plaza, and Dave's favorite fountain in Kansas City. There were pictures of the hospitals where my children were born, the house I grew up in, the creek that I played in as a child, and the school that I taught 4th grade at. Honestly, it took my breath away and I bawled looking at all the places that depicted "home". Then, she left me with a charge. Knowing that I would be moving around for the next year or so, she left space to fill the book with more pictures of the places we would live, and spots that would become memorable for us. The idea being that I could look back and point and say, "this children, is where you learned to swim, ride your bike, etc." What has been most surprising about all this moving around, is that honestly, HONESTLY, I can say that I look back at pictures of places and people, and "times" in Oregon, and I get heavy hearted. I am shocked at how much a picture of our little place (that we lived in for a short 9 months) can send such intense "longing" feelings through me! In the end, I think it makes me happy because I know that I truly "lived" there. That I loved it enough to miss it. That I invested enough of myself and my energy to integrate, and to find the beauty in my surroundings. (and lets be honest, its not hard to find beauty in Oregon) It is this experience that gives me hope, and reaffirms that it will only be a matter of time before I feel the same way about Texas.
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Up 1/2 flight of stairs and you are in the living room
kitchen shots
dining(why oh why do they put carpet in dining rooms!?)
the patio
Zach's bedroom
hallwaylaundry in the closet
Lily's room and 2nd bath are on the left
our bedroom is on the right
Lily's room
Dave's side
my sideThe night before I left for Oregon, my friend Margaret gave me the nicest gift I have probably ever received. She presented me with an album of photos of all the places in Kansas City that hold a special place in my heart. Seriously, she didn't forget ANYTHING. There were photos of our first apartment, and first house. There were details like the sign at the entrance to our neighborhood, and a close up of our house numbers. She shot pics of the high schools we graduated from, my favorite stores on the plaza, and Dave's favorite fountain in Kansas City. There were pictures of the hospitals where my children were born, the house I grew up in, the creek that I played in as a child, and the school that I taught 4th grade at. Honestly, it took my breath away and I bawled looking at all the places that depicted "home". Then, she left me with a charge. Knowing that I would be moving around for the next year or so, she left space to fill the book with more pictures of the places we would live, and spots that would become memorable for us. The idea being that I could look back and point and say, "this children, is where you learned to swim, ride your bike, etc." What has been most surprising about all this moving around, is that honestly, HONESTLY, I can say that I look back at pictures of places and people, and "times" in Oregon, and I get heavy hearted. I am shocked at how much a picture of our little place (that we lived in for a short 9 months) can send such intense "longing" feelings through me! In the end, I think it makes me happy because I know that I truly "lived" there. That I loved it enough to miss it. That I invested enough of myself and my energy to integrate, and to find the beauty in my surroundings. (and lets be honest, its not hard to find beauty in Oregon) It is this experience that gives me hope, and reaffirms that it will only be a matter of time before I feel the same way about Texas.
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20 comments:
Oh my gosh Tara, I feel like I am looking at a Home and Garden magazine or something when I look at your pictures! Your house is wonderfully decorated and spotless. Love the kids room! So cute! Glad to see that you are settling in! Missed you tonight at Maria's farewell dinner. Our group is getting smaller and smaller...
wow....you really know how to make a house a home, don't you? It's so beautiful, and I love seeing all the things you had here in your new home there! Looking at the pictures, I almost felt like I was back in your house for a playdate. *sigh* memories! they are great, and I am so glad you had a wonderful friend to help you look back on things. I am glad you are settling in - your place looks GORGEOUS. Miss you!
Isn't my sister the best? I just love her and I am so glad you guys are the bestest of friends. You are so cute and your house looks like it could be in the pottery barm ads. Love you guys!
Your place is darling!!!! I wish I had that natural nack for decorating like you do! Looks like you guys are in a great place, with a nice courtyard for the kids etc. That sounds like an awesome gift that Margret gave you! What a great idea.....sooo creative! You two are both such awesome people, it is no wonder you are best friends!
I am just glad that you have multiplied the amount of pictures that you take from 100 (in the first four years of marriage) to 200-300 in one day!!!! Pictures are amazing...and you are good at taking them. I love your place. I know Texas will be like home very soon. Home is where your heart it...(even though I know your heart is here in KC I know that you will open your heart and LOVE Houston before you know it.)
Tara I lvoe seeing your beautiful home! It is funny how in such a short time you grow so fond of people and places that you thought were just going to be a pass through to the next stage. I totally understand all the good and hard feelings you are having. The possitive is you get to redecorate every couple of months. I wish the best for you and Dave in your new adventures in Texas. I love you guys!
everything looks so lovely! you've done such a great job (in a short period of time might i add) to make your new place look fabulous!!! i love that gift you got, that's such an awesome thing to have. you've got great friends :) that i'm sure miss you and your family terribly. we thought we'd never make friends when we moved down here from utah, and it took time, but i can honestly say i wouldn't leave here to go back because i'm so attached to home and life and friends here. :) you'll feel "attached" to texas soon enough.
BEAUTIFUL! You have a definite talent there Tara. If we ever do move to Texas, will you please come and help me decorate my house. I am so glad that you enjoyed being in Oregon because I know we all loved getting to know you and your beautiful family. Those people in Houston are sure lucky to have the Painters now.
My gosh, Tara, your home is BEAUTIFUL! It is decorated so lovely- it seriously does look like a magazine! Tell me it doesn't always look that clean with two children!
Margaret has always been a great gift-giver but that photo book might take the cake. What a great idea.
Tara, your apartment (& the pictures of it) are amazing!! Girl you seriously need to look into this photography thing!! I am with you, Home is where you heart is!! Court and I have lived in 10 states in 6 years, and although we only lived in most of them for a few short months, I found something that I liked about all of them (and things I didn't like too). But what I have definitely learned from it is that my heart is with Court & our kids and I can make anywhere home as long as we are together!! I KNOW you will learn to love Texas, especially even more once you find a home and make friends!! Best of luck. (KC is AWESOME though you are right about that, no wonder I am having such a hard time thinking about leaving:(
Will you come to my house and decorate?
Next time you are in KC, will you come decorate my house? You do such a cute job, I love your place! You have the cutest style, I love it. I'm glad to hear that other people are as sentimental as I am. It's hard to leave places you get so attached to, but you are so right, you will soon become attached to TX too. With your personality, you could fit in anywhere.
Where is the turkey? I did not see the turkey! The 5 beard must emerge from its hiding place. It would look great next to the urn!
Ben
so stinkin cute. you could take a dump (a crappy house-not literally a dump) and turn it into an awesome place. so cute!
Unbelievable. I wish I could fly you out and hire you to be my decorator. I love everything, down to the details like your telephone, the pot in your kitchen and the blocks on Lily's table.
And your words? Priceless. Makes me want to start shooting photos of my home as quickly as possible.
Your entire area looks gorgeous.
Wow! Ummm this is a REALLY nice place! Good job finding such a great place to live! You're so cute and moved in! How's the house hunting?
Tara you are just amazing. How long are you going to live there? And you are already unpacked and your place looks absolutely beautiful. Thanks for this post. It is hard to picture NC as our home right now but reading this sure did help. Miss you!
It's been so long since I've visited your blog. You are a fabulous photographer and I just love the pictures of your new place. What a great decorator you are. I need you around. Your kids are so cute and I love reading your blog to get ideas of how to be a better mom! You inspire me!
You made this home your own. I LOVE YOUR STYLE!!!! You have such talent with this. You should become a professional decorator. I know I would pay you. Hope everything else is going good with you guys. Take care. keep in touch.
Wow! You should be a decorator! Such a cute house. I didn't see in any of the pictures the little sand garden thingy with the little mini-rake that Westley used to play with in your Heber apartment..did that survive the last 5 years? Ha Ha!
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