Dream house

Since we came home from vacation I have been playing catch up with laundry, getting things put away and just trying to get some order around the house..With three girls, who like to pull everything out in every room, I spend more time putting the "stuff" back where it belongs than actually cleaning or making the house "pretty".

When we bought our house almost 9 years ago, I instantly fell in love. It has great bones...nice woodwork, beautiful mantle over the fireplace, gorgeous hardwood floors and an amazing perennial garden.

When we moved in to #423...I was just excited to own my first home and decorate something other than a bedroom. Sadly, my taste back then was not too refined. I bought furniture too quickly just to fill the rooms and now I am stuck with most of it....I love my house and it is truly a "home" but I have dreams about how I might decorate if given the chance again...

here's some eye candy..

Claw footed tub and those big beautiful windows!!

An all white kitchen...with DOUBLE farmer sinks!

A trough sink for the kids bathroom, plenty of room for three girls to brush their teeth.

I just love this mirror collection over the bed...but even we just had a king sized bed that would make me so happy!

What would your "dream" house have?

Vacationland

New Jersey is the Garden State...Maine is Vacationland..This is our 5th trip to Maine. We've done the seacoast towns of Ogunquit and Kennebunkport..Ate lobsters on Boothbay Harbor...and been far north to Moosehead Lake. When I was young, my parents took us on a vacation to Maine..to the Belgrade Lakes of Maine..so that is where we chose to go this year.

We rented a private house on a beautiful lake.. We had all the comforts of home..the lake was perfect for the girls to swim in...shallow and calm..they loved it. The cabin also came with some kayaks which we made great use of. Ava and Olivia are still small enough to squeeze into the one person kayak..It is so much fun to paddle way out with them and just enjoy the scenery and listen to them talk..

We had campfires and roasted marshmallows...made smores..told silly scary stories about lake monsters..gazed up at a beautiful dark sky..littered with thousands of stars..like nothing I have ever seen before..truly amazing..Even more amazing was that Ava and Olivia could point out the Big Dipper, the Bear and more..Where they learn this stuff I'm not sure...Maybe I should watch more Noggin.

We went on a boat ride..which they loved..and Maeve fell asleep the ENTIRE time..so I was able to enjoy it too!

Best part was that all that fresh air every day knocked them out and they went to bed early most nights..While there was no local or cable TV..there was a DVD player and some old cheesy 80s movies..We watched Air force One, Beverly Hills Cop I and II and On Golden Pond..So fun..

It was a great vacation and one that I know I will fondly remember..the girls will too I hope. I can remember my trip to Belgrade Lakes when I was young and I still have such great memories of fishing, sleeping in the cabin, going out on the motorboat and so much more..It was truly a family vacation.