We Bought A New House

We found the PERFECT house! I have been talking about what I hope our new home will look like, how large it will be, how much land we'll have, where it will be located...FOREVER (it seems that way anyway). So, exactly 1 1/2 years after selling our home in Northern Virginia and moving to South Carolina. We've been narrowing down the location in and around Charleston for months. And, we finally realized we want to live at/on the beach. This past year on Isle of Palms has been so amazing. I have to say we are all so much more relaxed, laid back, more in-tune with one another, etc. Our move to the beach has allowed us to re-invent ourselves, our family, our lives. We are truly making the most of each moment now...

So, the house is perfect - perfectly small, perfectly adorable. It is 2,200 square feet on a half acre (a block and a half from the ocean). It is a one story,arts and craft style home with a very open floor-plan. We are in the process of making the most of every square foot (re-doing closets, building double bunkbeds in the boys' room, creating a customized workspace for each family member in the sunroom, etc. Michael's office is off the kitchen, so he will continue to work from home. The boys will share a room/bath, and the girls will do the same.

I am looking forward to having each space in the house be multi-purpose, to be more eco-friendly, to live more simply, to spend time truly together, to spend more time outside, to spend less time decorating, cleaning, etc.

Friends and family members are extremely skeptical. Can we do it with 4 kids? Can we scale down as much as we think? There are bets across the country as to how long we will last before we bulldoze the place and start over. Time will tell. I hope we can make it work...Stay tuned! BTW, even with all the downsizing, we still have a lovely guest bedroom with private bath and extra beds for children. So, please keep us on your calendars :).

My Not-So-Secret Garden

I have always wanted a garden. When we lived in Old Town Alexandria, VA, there was no room and no time. We had difficulty keeping our 3 window boxes watered. We finally just took them down, because I was so embarrassed at how many trips to Home Depot I made in the Spring to replace the poor flowers we planted and forgot about. Then, we bought this amazing home in South Riding, VA. I wasn't working; I had plenty of space; plenty of time; a new Home Depot; a new start. Didn't happen. I ended up paying Eduardo to plant my flowers, weed my gardens, and buy and replace the flowers and plants I forgot about again! But, those days are gone...

I am totally into my garden now! Not sure what happened. But, the garden is amazing and I am beginning to understand the importance of water, good soil, sunlight, etc. My neighbor, Ms. Kay, is a master gardener and took some time this month working with me on plants, flowers, and herbs that "work" together in the Charleston climate.

I have basil, thyme, marjoram, parsley, cilantro, mint, stevia (Talula's favorite), bay leaf, dill, etc. I also have cucumbers, pole beans, cherry tomatoes, jalepenos, banana peppers, and a ton of gorgeous, colorful flowers.

The kids love to pick the ripe fruit, wear the flowers in their hair, and water the pots each evening.

The entire experience seems so simple, so basic. But, it has been a learning experience for all. I am so proud of the garden! It is a true family affair. Michael just laughs. It took me 14 years of marriage to finally be in a space to truly "do" a garden. Now I know. The problem was not lack of trying. It was lack of watering.