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Give and take (new house pics)

 So you may have noticed my blogging time these days is LIMITED to say the least.  Summer is all about survival, right moms?  And this summer feels especially that way for me.  We are about two months away from having the house finished and ready to move in and every day that is pretty much all I’ve been doing.  I go up to the new house first thing in the morning.  Take a break at lunch.  And head back up until Kole’s therapy at 3:30.  Sometimes I have the kids with me.  Sometimes I get a sitter.  Sometimes Kenny works from home while Kole naps.  Sometimes I don’t know where my kids are.  Do I have kids?  I can’t remember.  My brain is clogged with too many things to recollect.  :)  Actually the kids are having a ball and love being at the new house.  They are getting so excited to move because of a certain little surprise that came in the mail last week…

Testing out the new trampoline!  This is hands down the best money we’ve spent so far.  Looking forward to the hours of entertainment it will provide!

Our new neighbors on one side just moved in and our new neighbors on the other side are in the framing stage.  We lucked out big time with our neighbors.  Nicest people!  We love them all!  The kids have been having a blast on the new trampoline.  This isn’t its final destination of course (and the kids weren’t allowed to jump high and w/o adults right there until it’s a bit safer!).  I especially bonded with one of my neighbors last week when I learned she doesn’t love to cook.  We stay up late emailing each other pics from houzz.com and she mentioned one night that she needs to learn to cook in her new kitchen – that she’ll feel bad just serving up plain pasta and cheese quesadillas.  I laughed out loud and responded that we had plain pasta for lunch and quesadillas (cheese tortillas my kids call them) for dinner that day!  Too funny.  Clearly we are kindred spirits.  Kindred spirits who need to take a cooking class at some point.  :)

Anyway!  Back to the trampoline.  They just dropped it in the hole in the ground today!  
It will have grass all around it.  A much safer landing pad.

Kenny and I have been having a bit of a discussion this week.  And by discussion I mean disagreement.  :)  These are the stairs leading up to the house.  Inside the house I kept everything straight – straight lines and edges – no arches or curves.  But the yard I wanted curvy – winding paths, etc.  I love the way these stairs turned out.  They are curvy and free flowing just like I pictured them.  

 I chose a light grey flagstone to go on the stairs and the porches.  I thought this material would be used for the whole stairs.

 But Monday I pulled up and they were starting to put the stone we used on the house in the front of the steps.  I wasn’t so sure about that.  It looks too busy to me.  I was going to have them stop and change it to the flagstone but Kenny wasn’t on the same page.  He loves the stone on the steps.  And so does every other person whose opinion we’ve asked.

So I lost that battle!  And I’m ok with it.  This process has definitely been a give and take and really my husband hasn’t had an opinion about much.  So I told him I’m happy to give him the stone steps – and anything else he wants for the yard.  Just don’t mess with my kitchen.  :)

We are 2-3 weeks away from grass and flowers and I can’t wait!  I know it will make such a huge difference.  Everything is so neutral right now.  I’m ready for some pops of color!

I’m also so excited to start sharing inside pics now that the cabinets are in!  I just have to wait a bit because things are so messy at the house right now.  And everyone working on the house keeps covering floors and counters and cabinets to do tile work.  I’ve told the crew that they are making it awfully hard for me to take pictures of everything.  I know it’s a real concern for them.  :)

This weeks’ homework has been moldings, shutters, hardware, paint, lighting, and wrapping up backsplashes.  I have also been starting to think about bedding for my girls’ rooms.  That has of course inspired a total room design plan.  Ellie presented me with this yesterday:
I love the “working desk” in the corner for her to draw.  
Totally doing that at some point.  
I’m also sort of ok with the color scheme:  
Purple wall.  Hot pink bed.  Turquoise rug.  
I can work with that.  
Then she informed me she also wants panda wall paper.  And not just hot pink bedding, but it needs to be hot pink My Little Pony bedding.  
Clearly there will have to be some give and take in this space too.  
:)  
xoxo, Erin
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40 thoughts on “Give and take (new house pics)

  1. Oh Erin it’s looking fabulous! So happy to hear you have great neighbours too :) Looking forward to seeing those interior shots. xx

  2. LOVE it !!! What a fantastic idea to put the trampoline in the ground, SO much safer. Will the kids already be in school by the time you move in? My kid go back Aug 28, but I know all states go back different dates.

  3. Erin, I absolutely love the house and what a great idea to sink the trampoline! So much safer. Your daughter has inherited your planning skills for sure! So happy for you and love seeing the house progress. Happy summer!

  4. Love the trampoline in the ground! I saw that on Pinterest & thought that was the smartest {& safest} thing ever!

    You are so fortunate to luck out with such great neighbors! :)

    {shhh..the steps look pretty cool. :)}

  5. Oh, Erin! Your home is absolutely beautiful! I am so looking forward to each day to see new pictures!! I just love the stone on the steps! I think you will really love it, especially when you get landscaping in. The kids are going to adore the trampoline in the pit! I can hardly wait to see their backyard bicycle path, also! This is so exciting to me! Have a wonderful weekend!

  6. LOVE it all, and the drawing is precious! I can’t wait for the inside pictures, too! Our kids spent many, many hours on their trampoline-great purchase. Thanks for the update!

  7. Oh thank you so much everyone! Your sweet comments were so fun to wake up to! :)

    Reenie – Our kids go back at the end of August too and I have a feeling that’s right about the time we’ll be moving. I was hoping to get in before school starts but that would be too easy, right? :)

    So glad some of you are liking the stone steps! I must be the crazy one but I’m glad you agree with Kenny since the stone is staying!

  8. It looks amazing! And I will agree, at first I wasn’t so sure of the stone caps on the steps either, but then when you panned out to the bigger picture and could see the stone on the front of the house, I agree-the stone caps should stay! Loving the backyard. It really is all coming together.

  9. Looks like you are rounding the corner!!! It is beautiful. Sinking the trampoline is the best idea. Something about that label that comes attached to the trampoline!! :)

    I love the stone on the steps. It ties it all together. I think all of the choices you made are stunning!

    Looking forward to see the interior. So soon Erin. I couldn’t be happier for you.

    Cathy

  10. I LOVE the stone steps Erin..you know I’d tell you the truth. They look so old-fashioned and like they could have been there for centuries.
    I’m so glad you love your trampoline…I always say the same thing…the best purchase I’ve ever made. My kids (and lots of other kids) are on it every single day.

  11. Not loving the steps I feel like the stone is the one mis-step you’ve made on the house. It’s very “flinstones” to me. No matter, you will have an incredible home for your family in two months, stone notwithstanding.

  12. The house is looking beautiful. You are making me want to build. :) But I can’t handle all the decisions right now!! I am so excited to see the finished house.

    I love the idea of putting the trampoline in the ground. That is a much safer idea. I will have to remember that. Thank you!!

  13. Erin, I love your house but I agree with you about the stone on the steps – I think it’s an OCD thing, the lines of the flags don’t line up with the lines of the stones on the front and I need order and symmetry, I’m not a chaos kind of gal.

    But to be fair, it does sit better with the natural approach you’ve gone for in the garden :o).

    Dying to see what you’re doing with the inside!!

  14. Wow, your house is really coming together! I love the trampoline idea. Also with the steps, I really like them, I think the different stone ties everything together and it adds dimension when looking at the stairs. PS…I’m the anonymous that spoke to you via email a month ago. :-)

  15. My eyes prefer the way the steps turned out because as you look ahead or forward, the stones are all coordinated. I think it’s very “correct” and lovely! Thanks for sharing this with us. I’m enjoying all of it!

  16. Your house is so beautiful! I too am looking forward to seeing the inside.
    One word of caution about the trampoline. When my daughter was 4, a big kid about twice her size got on it with her (he wasn’t suppose to be) and he did a few jumps and tossed her in the air and she landed wrong. She broke her let at her ankle and needed a cast for 4 weeks. My word of caution is to make sure that kids of the same size are only on it at the same time.

  17. I know you didn’t ask for my opinion but I think the stairs are gorgeous!! They really add character to the house!!!! It’s going to be beautiful!!!!

  18. If I could attach a pic I would. Rocky road brownies…you MUST serve them at your house warming party. That’s what your new steps remind me of. And you are having a HW party, right?

  19. Erin, I have a question about the trampoline in the pit. Where does rain water go? I’m just envisioning a mosquito attraction. I’m from the sunny south and thought about this for the grands on day. Thanks. Love the house!

  20. Circle of Life – Thank you! We have all sorts of drains for the rain water and we don’t really have many mosquitos around here! :) I can see why that might be a problem in areas that do!

  21. I don’t mean to be a bother, but even if your trampoline is in the ground you should probably buy a special net made for your size trampoline. Not only will it keep your kids safer (so they don’t accidentally bounce out), but they might find some fun use in it too. (A cage, pretending to go to the zoo i.e. one of them is the animal, etc.)

  22. The kids are definitely having a blast with that huge trampoline. Guess the new residence offers fun-filled experiences. And the house is pretty big and gorgeous! You’re so lucky to have moved there. And I just love those creative arches on the stone stairs. Love the photos and this blog.

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