I Really Lucked Out With This James Guy...

Not only is he smart, fun, and handsome, but he's also really really handy. The guy can build, fix, or otherwise construct anything. And he built me my very own craftsman columns. Rewind to this past summer...
me-"James, I think our house would look good with some craftsman inspired columns, you know, brick base, tapered column, wide trim...)
James-"Do you have a picture?"
me- (15 min later)"Here's a 'detailed, drawn to scale' picture of the front of our house, with my envisioned columns."
James-"Okay, I can figure this out..."

And he did. They look awesome, okay more than awesome. Every time I see them I get a little giddy and have to do a little happy dance. Seriously, the guy built me columns, with only a couple of you tube videos and a can do attitude, and I'm completely in love with them (and James too of course).

Here are some pics of my little cookie cutter ranch turned craftsman cottage...


Here's James expertly laying brick...




Putting up the tapered column...

Three coats of primer and paint later...







...a much more charming and inviting porch!

So there it is, and I couldn't be happier, and it's not just that they look awesome, or that James spent his free time working diligently on them, or that he spent 8+ hrs, for several days in the bitter cold, or even that he got up at the crack of dawn to finish them in time for Christmas, but that he believed in my vision for that little front porch and made it happen, because he loves me and my ideas (as random as they may be!) Thank you James!

And just for fun, here's a pic of our house before we moved in (I guess you could call it a before shot)


And the 'now more distinctly ours' after...

Just One of the Many Reasons Why I Love James...

He has made it possible to blog again (with pictures, because I know that is one of the main (if not the only) reason friends and family read my blog).
So here are some recent pics of the kids.


Noble is quite the charmer, and nine months old now.


Showing off his studly teeth (Noble almost has four now)

Bath buddies

Who can resist those baby blues? Definately not mommy!

A Project Just Waiting to Happen...

I don't know what it is about my personality that lends itself to change, but I am constantly wanting to fix, change, and beautify the things around us. And sometimes, the need to let my creative juices go from mere ideas to elbow grease action is overwhelming, and right now it is sooo bad. There is of course, a never ending list of the things I want to do, but unfortunately, reality (in the form of time, kids, and money constraints) comes strutting on in and puts a damper on my grand aspirations. But, with James break for the holidays just around the corner, a little glimmer of hope has sprung and I am eating, sleeping, and breathing my latest fun, fixer upper project...painting our kitchen cabinets!! So with some family help (I know they want some extended one on one time with the grand kids) and James' go-ahead (even home improvement projects done on the cheap still cost something), I am looking forward to tackling those builder grade, mapleish colored cabinets. Now to just hone in on exactly what I want (which isn't always easy, as I have a lot of ideas) and tackling it full force (is it sad that two days spent sanding, priming, and painting without the kiddos makes me giddy?) So here's hoping... oh, and just to clarify, I have not been neglecting my blogging duties, our computer is officially on the brink of permanent shut down, so it is not allowing me to download pics. So you'll have to make due with some random ramblings and pics I already have downloaded, which reminds me of a before/after pic I have of a nightstand I painted several months back.

Okay...never mind, that won't work either. You'll just have to take my word for it that it turned out great (think dusty blue distressed pottery barnish piece that has storage inside for our favorite books). Looking forward to the holidays!

Oh, and if you're anything like me and love a good room makeover, you should check out www.theletteredcottage.net
I just loved her room transformations, in fact, she described her style as cottage, contemperary country, coastal, which is so right up my alley, it's not even funny. Enjoy!