It is uncharacteristic of me to have suitcases unpacked the day after a trip. It is even more uncharacteristic of me to have the clothes washed, folded and put away. But being away for three weeks made the return home seem feel so good that I’m appreciating every little thing about our home so much more. I’ve spent the last two rainy days tending to our house. Cleaning, folding, lighting candles, finding places for the little treasures I picked up along our travels.
I’m inspired to tackle some small home projects like new paint this summer, but I’m also feeling more settled in contentment about the older, worn edges of our home for which I’ve always had an improvement plan.
This is where we come home.
I hope my girls grow up with memories of adventure–favorite travel stories and vivid descriptions of road trips and camping and landmark exploration that they will recall at the Thanksgiving table years from now. But what they’ll remember most is the foundation of home–the substance of all the morning routines, family meals, creative afternoons, bedtime rituals, kitchen gatherings and lazy Sundays that cushion the excitement of outside adventure.
Appropriately, Lainey and I read Let’s Go Home before bed tonight (by Cynthia Rylant–a must-have for a child’s library). My favorite line is on the very first page: “…no matter the kind of house, it is the living inside that makes it wonderful, what happens in each room that makes it marvelous to those who live there.”
After 4,000 miles on the road, tonight I am loving the living inside our home–what’s happening in each room that makes it marvelous to us.
Nella pushes her baby in a stroller only a couple yards before she can’t bear to let the baby go unheld another minute. She always ends up ditching the stroller and walking away, baby in arms. A baby-wearing proponent, for sure.
The best part about travel is the fulfilment of adventure and the comfort that comes from the last statement…”Let’s Go Home.”
*****
I wanted to make mention of a talented seamstress making some fabulous hats, a few which I took on vacation and loved. Piper and Paisley offers a wide variety of hat styles and patterns great for on-the-go moms or anyone who loves accessories.
Wearing the Gillian Hat in Chicago
Wearing the Golden Yellow Slouch Hat in Michigan
Use code “etst10” for 10% off your order. One randomly selected commenter from this post will receive a free hat, a gift from Piper and Paisley.
Tell me…what do you love most about your home?
I love the the light that pours in our front doors in the morning, the worn wood floors in Nella’s room, and the way the island and counter stools in our kitchen beg for people to come sit and talk to you while you cook.
I’ll be back tomorrow evening for Hallmark post.
jolie says
I love the sounds of all my littles coming in and out from the backyard playing!
Karissa Ancell says
I love the big window in our living room. It lets in a lot of light and about 80% of the day you can find my sweet cat sleeping in the window sill. Love how big and beautiful your girls are getting.
Wendy says
It’s so great to return home after a trip 🙂
What do I love about our home? The soft yellow walls in our living room and dining room, our daughter’s artwork on her easel and hanging in our hallways, framed pictures of our family and friends…the little things that make it our home.
Marzi Fam says
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Marzi Fam says
I love the smell of my little girl’s room. bath lotion, powder, books and fresh laundry. No wonder why she runs to the staircase as soon as we get home each day to go up to her room!
Hillary says
Oh how after reading this post I’m longing for home. I’ve been gone 8 weeks with 6 more to go. I miss my front door- the door that’s always unlocked and constantly open for people coming in. I miss the chest of Grandma’s old quilts, ones I’d wrap myself up in as I watch TV but mostly I’m missing the comforts of home- the smells, colours, people, and love. Glad you had a great trip and made it safely home.
Angela says
Oh my! I’m first!:) THose little brown moccasins on Nella are heavenly!
What I am loving about our home right now? the new loves seat we bought for our backyard porch… it really only seats two but the other night my husband came home from being out of town and we were so excited to have him home we all ended up piled on top of it telling stories and laughing — my son, my daughter, our puppy and of course Mike and me. Another fun summer memory in the books.
Glad you are home and enjoying all its comforts.
Angela (from Dallas)
Casey Jane’s mom
Becky says
I love my master bedroom–a finished space in the midst of a construction zone!
Kerri Servino says
I love our kingsized bed. Nothing like your own bed and the little in it with you.
motherhoodandotheradventures says
I love all of the signs of my son being there – the artwork hung on the fridge, the toys/books/etc. scattered around the house, the swingset out front, and in the summer the kiddie pool out back 🙂
Heidi says
I love my bedroom and our white bed linens. A very practical friend thought I was insane for choosing white while I had little children, but I love it. I’ve never regretted it! Except for the one time Gabe spilled red nail polish on the Pottery Barn duvet cover. But I got it almost all out except for one lone stain and now that he’s so much older I love that stain, too, because it makes me remember when he was so much littler!
Shel says
I love my bed with the new fluffy white bedding that my Aunt Mary Lou gave me…even when I am reading boring books for school, I feel like I am reading them on a cloud!
Lindsay says
I love my pillow. And my sun room despite it’s ugly teal carpet. And my little vegetable garden. And having family visiting and people puttering everywhere.
Glad you had a great trip:)
Lindy says
I love that it is truly our first home. After 4 moves in 4 years we will celebrate spending 4 years in one spot. It’s nice to come “home”!
victoria says
i love my “perch” it is where i can sit and see thehouse and also the street- i watch whois coming and going and seethe world around my street – love to come hoem too it!
v.jack says
I met someone from Naples, FL this weekend and had to stop myself from asking if they knew you.
Welcome home, Hamptons. Thanks for inviting us on your trip with you via your pictures and blog-posts!
Colleen says
What I love most about my home is that it was my Grandmother’s. She designed it, her husband built it, and she was the only owner of this home for 50+ years. My Gram was the most influential woman in my life, and she passed away shortly before I became pregnant with my first son. It seemed the perfect time for my husband and I to sell our beloved condo in the city, and purchase and move into Gram’s home. I have so many treasured memories in this house from when I was a child, and now, I get to create an abundance more of memories with my own children here. It makes my heart so happy.
figwittage says
I love that the sun pours in my bedroom windows in the morning and I can see stars and airplanes at night. There’s no place like home… past and present. xx
shayneswife says
I love the wallpapered stairwell that climbs so graceously to the second floor as it houses antique photos of my grandparents and parents. The best part is the holes that my children have made in this perfect paper.
Cheri says
I love our home because I am the third generation to live here. Many rooms are still as my grandmother designed them 50 years ago. My home is an heirloom.
MamaBella says
I love our lounge which encompasses play area, sofas for the family to snuggle together on, a big bookcase, a roaring fire (winter here in NZ) and large windows for looking out at the garden. It’s the literal and figurative centre of our home.
The picture of Nella reading? Adorable.
shellycoulter says
I love that my best friend lives right next door. I love that each room is a different color that I picked out and painted myself. I love that its filled with making memories on a daily basis…filled with love, laughter, and real life!
Marnie says
I love our view of the Ocean. So calming.
The Muddy Paw says
The giggles that waft down from the 3rd floor playroom in the morning to wake me up, the thunderous stomp of my baby’s all fours hitting the floor as he crawls towards the stairs, the sound of the garage door manually being opened because my husband still hasn’t quite gotten around to fixing it…those sounds are oh-so-us…and I’m so in love with us. 🙂 Thanks for giving me a reason to be reminded! What a beautiful post.
Little for a Little While says
I love the history that our home has. It was built in 1917, and we have spent the last 7 years renovating and restoring our house to its original condition (with modern updates of course. Turns out electricity and running water is pretty useful.) I love spending time in any given room of the house with my kids, wondering who was here almost 100 years ago and how they used the space. I don’t think I could ever live in a newly constructed home, I need to know there was life here before us, lots and lots of life.
earlynovemberlove says
I love that when I’m home it means I’m with my family! (I’m in college so I’m rarely home home)
MamaCoosa says
I love our spiral staircase and greenhouse glass window in our living room. There is a Mezzine/Balcony that overlooks our living room and the girls and I often make crafts and enjoy the sun shining in.
I love finding our rhythm when returning home from a trip.
Lovely pictures as always.
mare ball says
I love our loft. It’s my work space, and it’s away from the chaos of the house. You photographs are beautiful…such sweet girls!
emily says
our house is actually up for sale, and so i think about things i’ll miss when it sells and we move. our quiet back patio where we enjoy summer dinners and morning coffee. our newly renovated kitchen which opened up a wall so i see the girls playing while i cook. our cozy (i.e. small!) bedrooms that are best for snuggling.
Life with Kaishon says
Home is the very best place to be : )
AdrienneSullivan says
I love the way my kiddos eyes light up when daddy comes in the door. I love the bedtime routines of story reading and hugs and kisses before wishing the kids sweet dreams and promises of more fun tomorrow. 🙂
FYI – I also LOVE the pics of the girls stacking blocks!
The Prices says
My little family has moved around quite a bit, so I find myself feeling attached to things like the beautiful wooden shelves my brother in law made that have moved around with us and hold pictures and decorations that I love. with our most recent move, the most difficut yet since our two older ones aren’t tiny anymore, we’re learning to recognize that home is where we are all together.
Heidi Robinson says
I love our hammock! I want to win a hat!
Alie says
I love that the kitchen is open and free to the house, so when I cook, it’s a community experience. I love the height of the ceiling, the size of the beams, and my hearing my neighbors coming home.
Rebekah says
I love, the way my room is almost all white. I am a decorator and my mom is not, (which I am totally ok with) but when I walk into my room it’s like a sanctuary. I also love how our house is never perfectly clean, but it always feels like home. I miss the little things that make it dirty when we actually clean them up 🙂
AlisonLeigh says
I love the clicking of sweet dog nails on the tile floors of our kitchen.
Molly says
my bed! 🙂
Bret&Amberly says
I love my bright red wall in my kitchen, my favorite room in the house.
Erin says
i love the way the afternoon light floods through my white eyelet curtains and floods my writing area with sunshine. i love sitting up against the window in the afternoons at my pale pink vintage desk. it’s my favorite part of the house.
nicolette gawthrop says
I love that my baby plays on the floor on a quilt everyday in the same place where he was born 4.5 months ago, and that my 2 1/2 year old’s little toddler messes make our home ever obvious that “kids live here”
Steph says
I love way my home smells like home. Baby powder in my daughters room, fresh brewed iced tea in the kitchen, my husbands aftershave in the bathroom. All combined and you have a unique smell that is just mine.
Sarah says
I love my tulip poplar in the backyard, my old brown recliner in which I rocked all 4 of my babies to sleep, and my new back deck, built by my husband. My house is old and well worn in, but every scratch, scuff mark and crayon color on the wall make it our home.
Jessica says
I love that we live here. I love the sounds of footsteps and giggles it holds. I love that it holds us in our best in our worst. I love that it is home:)
Gina says
We have a new home that we are still settling into. We just painted a bright red wall that I love. I also love my jacuzzi tub, and I love it even more because my boys love to be in it together.
The Goff Family says
As a military family, I love that our home address may often change but that the love and happiness that occurs within those walls NEVER changes.
Callie Lloyd says
Corny? Perhaps. But I most love the people I share my home with. Oh and of course the dog too!
Love is all you need says
I love when the western sun dips down and looks in on our family in the kitchen. It is the heart and soul of our home.
HellcatJill says
I love the way our house is built with a circle inside–the kids run from kitchen to hallway to living room and back to the kitchen again, giggling and chasing each other. I had dreams of this before my children were even born!
Jamie says
I love that I am lucky enough to own a house when I had one growing up, and that I can offer my kids that stability. However, we are quickly outgrowing our house and dream of.moving in the next few years, which I know will be bittersweet.
Wendy says
What do I love about our home? I love that, even though we have more than enough space, all 6 of us end up being in the same room. It always ends up being loud and full of happy chaos…just a reminder that “home” is whenever we are together.
ps11829 says
I love that we have filled our tiny (1000 sq ft) home with children (5 via adoption) and they share our (previous) master bedroom. Being in their bedroom, all 5 of my littles (biological siblings, previously placed in separate foster homes) playing (and fussing) together, is the happiest place to be!
Hazel says
I love the sunlight filling every room (that’s why we built the hut long and skinny). I love all our retro furniture, that it was all loved by someone before. I love the cathedral ceiling in the living room. Lastly, I love the view.
sandiemay says
I don’t really love this house, but it has different things about it that make it our home! Just now where I sit I can see the hens and the dogs in our yard,the sun is shining through the blinds here,even though the wind is cold outside.
I love that when we wake in the morning and crawl back into bed with our cup of tea we can just see enough of the outside to check the weather 🙂
Loved your blogs about your holiday,welcome home !!
wondertheworld says
I love our king bed on a Sunday morning looking out the window to a snow-capped mountain peak while snuggling up with our two daughters and dog negotiating cartoon watching or Coronation Street.
Kelly says
I love the sound of the rain hitting the aluminum roof. I also love our space as its perfect for our mini circus.
adventurekate says
I love the crackle of Dad’s popcorn in the evening as the glow of the sun tucks itself behind the mountains.
Amy says
Right now, I have a very particular special room: my almost done nursery for my baby girl that will be here in 5 weeks. I love to just go into her room and sit. I know there will be so many memories that fill up that room in the years to come.
Wendy says
Oh Kelle, I loved this post. I love the east sun that pours in our bedroom window in the morning and the patio my man installed last year, but mostly I love that it is a refuge for us. Home is so good.
Wendy
http://www.fromlemonstolimoncello.blogspot.com
Caryl says
I love sitting in my swing and watching my daughter play. I love how from any vantage point in my kitchen, dining room or living room I can see my little girl playing in the backyard. And I love how when I walk in the door, I am hit with the cozy feeling of home.
Cheers,
Caryl
Staci says
I just moved a few months ago now into a place that I don’t own due to the circumstances of life. I’ve come to appreciate the peace that is found in this new place. It is still unfamiliar and honestly, don’t always feel like ‘home’ but I appreciate it for what it is and for the feeling I get when I’m here … especially when my son is with me.
jlinde18 says
My husband!
KP says
i love the giggles i hear from 3 sweet babies as they come down the stairs every morning. makes my heart melt. <3
Reenie says
I love Nella’s moccasins (sp) so cute. Love your hats too!!
I love how cozy my home is …. all of it =)
Amanda says
I love our kitchen…the old cupboards mixed with our new countertops and the farmhouse table we spent days building ourselves last summer–and all the memories that go along with it. The old church pew lining the wall behind our table that our kids line up on for meals and colouring and crafts. The baby’s room where I spent so much time sitting rocking in her chair awaiting her arrival, and then so much time holding her and nursing her in our sweet quiet moments alone.
shelby&beccasmom says
I love how my room is between my littles and I can hear them get up and start moving around on lazy Sunday mornings.
Mama in the City says
Well that teeny tiny bun is just so cute!
DanaMarie says
Four summers ago, when we moved our family into this house, it felt nothing like home. I love that now I can’t imagine us living anywhere else. And yet I’m sure we will. A house is just walls and a roof… it’s the memories you create inside that make it a home.
medina family says
I love our front porch swing and our sunroom full of art supplies to create and books to read. Thanks for the book recommendation…it sounds wonderful and one I’ve never read the children.
Ellie D says
I love that my ‘home’ is not very traditional. For the past four years, ‘home’ to me has been the choir room at my high school. I love the hours gathered around the piano, warming up and rehearsing, camped out on the floor creating decorations for concerts, 12 hour Ultimate Rehearsals where we walk away knowing each other so much more than we did walking in that morning. I love that my home is not an actual home, but that it is to me and to those who call themselves part of the Cardinal Choirs.
Denise says
I love my daughter’s room in our house…every aspect of the room was carefully designed for our baby. Our dream come true sleeps in that room every night.
Laura @ SpottyOwlDesign says
Kelle, you’re really going to have to borrow those markers from Lainey and draw a mudmap of your house. I get so lost looking at your photos!!
I love our tiny little patio and tiny strip of grass with the teeny-tiny edging of soil where we grow tomatoes and cucumbers and capsicums (peppers to you folk) and basil. It’s not big but it’s big enough for my girls to get out and ride scooters, peform rolypolys, picnic on the lawn and just chill out with their Mama. Not becaus they need to chill out… but because Mama needs to chill out and she sometimes forgets to!!!!!
Beth says
I love the stairs that overlook the living room. I learned to walk at the bottom of those stairs and I had my first ever kiss at the very top. My sisters and I spent many childhood nights whispering and giggling past our bedtime until we heard our dad make his way up the stairs. I made my grand entrance for every prom and school dance by descending down the stairs. And this weekend… I will carry all of my belongings down those beloved stairs one last time as I move into my own place and begin creating my own home 🙂
Kayti says
I don’t think I could pick just one thing that I *love* about our home. I love that we have a cute little mailbox at the end of our driveway, ’cause I think it’s so quaint and we’ve never had one like that before. I love our “arctic entry” with room for boots and coats reminding me that we’re Alaskans now. I love that we live in the forest and the view out every window is gorgeous. I love our big deck in the backyard. And mostly I love that after me living with my parents in CA for a year while my other half was deployed to Afghanistan, this is where we are home together! I love that this is OUR. HOME. 🙂
Dylan'sMommy316 says
I love when I come home after being out and seeing the people in my home. For me, it’s not the stuff inside my house but the people that make it home. 🙂
I will admit that I love my bed and the way it’s perfectly comfortable at the end of a long day.
~ Laura says
I love the morning sun in the kitchen in the morning, the sound of birds in the backyard but mostly I love the sound of my two teenagers outside in the pool messing around. I know I will miss this sound in a few short years and it is so, so precious to me right now.
Sally says
We moved a few months ago to a new house – and while it took some adjusting, I realized what I love about our “home” – how people always feel comfortable when they come in. It’s easy, and relaxing, and welcoming. And our new house has a fab Jacuzzi out back. 🙂
homeiswhatyoumakeit says
We’ve lived in this house for 4-1/2 years. It needs a lot of improvement that I have ideas for, but not the time or money. Once I started doing what was possible with what I do have time and money for it started becoming ours…we’ve personalized it and I could’t love it more. My favorite part…especially this summer, is our back yard…the fire pit, the playhouse, the deck, the chalkboard, the wine barrel dog houses, the flowers, and the huge 100+ foot tall douglas fir trees.
I also love the mason jar lights I added in our kitchen, the globe collection in our playroom, and our powder bath.
I really love our home…one that still needs a lot of work, but it is ours.
After all…home is what you make it.
stephany
bkeila says
I love the memories my home brings me. That when I walk into my front door I can remember bringing my son from the hospital only 2 weeks old and being so happy to finally have him home with me. I love the way that y living room is full of toys and a happy little boy crawling around so freely. I love how my home is where my little guy feels the most comfterable.
LEF says
I love the pitter patter of little feet and then the giggles shortly after as he wakes his brother and sister in the morning.
Julie says
We have a glass and wood-beamed solarium that the previous homeowners used as an indoor patio. We threw an area rug in it and use it as a playroom for our kids. The best sound in the entire world is to be out there in the solarium during a rainstorm (we live in Seattle!) or even a hailstorm. It’s magic..otherworldly…and yet you feel so safe inside! 🙂
Vera says
Nella is such a peanut – LOVE her!!
This post is great, because we JUST decided not to sell our house after all and it’s making me rediscover all the things I love about our humble little home. I love all the light and the character of an 80 year old house. The porch which is perfect for watching thunderstorms on the swing. The memories that stretch back 9 years and 4 kids. Our cozy bedroom. Thanks for helping me think of these things 🙂
Stegany says
I love walking through the door and smelling home — and then throwing a load of laundry in and organizing for a while. It’s such a nice resurgence. It takes me a while to unwind after a long trip. Also: those hats are adorable! Love!
lynxymama says
welcome home! nella’s moccs are so cute!
i love the memories we’re creating in this house! we moved when Tru was 9 months and Harry and Tova came home to this house as newborns. i’m 37 years old but i STILL feel like i am playing house most of the time, one glorious game of house.
Wesley says
I love the big window in our living room! Perfect for watching that hot Montana sun slip behind those vast mountains in the distance.
Tina J says
I love everything about our little home. The kitchen for baking with my kiddos, the kitchen table where my family gathers for meals and craft time, the living room for family game nights and movie nights, the bathroom where my kids take grand bubble baths, my kids bedrooms where I hear them play and tuck them in bed at night and watch them sleep, my bedroom where I can escape when needed and snuggle with my man, the backyard where my kids run and play, and of course the creaky front door that always welcomes us home!
Tina J
Susan says
home is where i am free to be, who i am.
Gladys says
I love all the sun morning light coming trough the kitchen window; filling the places with warm and quiet, and how it golden colors showers my girls curls wile they eat breakfast.
Merrilee Bouchard says
I love all the living that takes place in my living room. Watching my baby girl learn to get around while doing the bum shuffle, my big girl dance around the living room and when they go to bed at night to sit and relax. I also love the fireplace in the living room and can’t wait to decorate it for Christmas in 6 months 🙂
Lisa @ Heaven Sent says
Oh, I love this question! I too love our counter and bar stools, where my little girls have breakfast every morning and will surely do their homework in the years to come.
I also love the way our kitchen windows back up to a forest of trees that have become a common resting place for a rainbow of birds — vibrant cardinals, blue jays, and yellow finches.
And, finally, I love our stone fireplace, which reminds me on chilly Chicago winters just how very blessed I am to have warmth and shelter and three beautiful babies with matching jammies snuggled around me.
Katharine says
I love the way light fills the whole house when we leave the front door open and I love old glass door knobs in every room.
Welcome home!
Kelly Cach says
After this injury, I’m learning to love new things about our house…..like how dusty it gets and how often it needs deep cleaning. I CAN’T WAIT TO CLEAN!!! I never thought those words would come out of my mouth…..I will never again take for granted the use of two feet! I’m making lists of things I WANT to clean come August when I get my cast off 🙂
Pre-injury I would have said how our stairs creek when my littlest man sneaks down for another hug 🙂
And just when I couldn’t love Nella more…..I want to hold her soooo bad (if she’d let me….Nora is such a squirmy worm :).
Diana Doyle says
Kelle, Our home — I love the memories it holds…and I love our ‘Back T’…a big round plastic table from Lowes that sits under our pergola outside…it’s heard laughter and tears, secrets and promises…more than any other part of our home..oh if only it could talk!! 🙂
ps; it’s survived a pair of sitlettos dancing on it too! 🙂
sending a hug,
love
Diana x
rachel b says
i actually just got home from a week long vacation {and can’t sleep}…i love how i can totally relax at home. yes, there was relaxing on vacation, but relaxing at home is way better!!
KWQR says
I love our funky warehouse… we live in what used to be an old military base but is now an artist colony. The high ceilings, big windows & open spaces are perfect for our rambunctious brood.
Welcome home!
xo
Kate
p.s. And Nella’s booties?!? So much cuteness!
Luke & Amanda says
I love the sounds that come from my babies rooms when they are playing together.
love~
melissa says
I hope our backyard counts because that is where we spend most of our time as a family…beautiful, comfortable, and we love it!
Sarah says
we’ve been moving a lot recently – every 6 weeks or so – in preparation for a big move overseas…and so this definition of “home” has been difficult for me. but, i am starting to see that home is the enormous grin on my son’s face when i go in to pick him up out of his crib first thing in the morning….or just maybe the smell of coffee brewing in the kitchen each morning, too 🙂
Elizabeth says
I love that my husband found this house for us and that my father made it possible for us to have it…I love that my cutting boards in the kitchen were hand made by that father…I love that the porch in front where we love to share a meal was made by that husband.
I love that this house is filled to the brim with these kinds of things…memories every where I look and treasures abounding! I am so grateful for the love that made this house.
xoxo
Liane says
I love the kitchen window that looks onto the back garden. I can stand at the sink and watch my three year old running around the garden.. I love his bedroom, after 5 years of trying for a baby and 5 miscarriages its awesome to finally have my little one in that room.. I love our kitchen diner that is big enough for a table where people gather whilst I cook, my son sits at and paints and where I sit first thing in the morning and welcome the new day..
Love your description of coming home! You’ve inspired me to go and clean my whole house 🙂 xx
Angela says
Your girls are SO beautiful and I love the pictures of Nella with her baby. What a sweet heart she is!
Wilcoxen says
I love how friends drop by unexpectedly. While they may say it is because they enjoying hanging out or eating here, I personally think it is because our couches are AMAZING!
I love that while our home is not in our home country, it has definitely become our home. And I also love that we have a place that feels like home stateside as well. Not everyone gets to have two homes that claim their hearts.
Sarah
Shannon says
I love my hammock on my roofed porch, it’s delightful and I love my wind chime. That $35 was some of the best I’ve ever spent!
The Murfitt's says
I love the way that my home smells. Nothing makes me as homesick as when I pull something from a suitcase that’s hugging the smell of home.
Betsy says
I love our home’s crazy architectural features that make it truly one-of-a-kind. Although, I have to say, I love it best that it is ours. Ours to paint, ours to hang things on, ours to live in forever, if we so choose.
Marti says
I love being outside so my favorite thing about our home is the screened in back porch, we love cooking dinner and then sitting outside to eat it!
Clara Hinton says
I love my kitchen….old, warm, used, and so full of special memories of family and friends gathering there to share laughter, tears,warm hugs, and of course to eat whatever might be in the old pot on the stove ! No matter how many times we’ve tried to gather in a larger room, we always come back to our favorite — the kitchen. That’s where life happens!
Amanda says
When my grandparents moved into a retirement residence, we took over their home. I love how, even after 4.5 years, I can walk into my home and it still smells like my grandma’s home. It brings back so many memories. I love our big bay window that looks onto a wooded lot and how I can sit and loose myself in the forest for hours on end.
cathy says
I love the feeling of security I get when I turn the key to the front door t & walk in—- our sanctuary I say, sanctuary!
xoxo
cathy
~Shari says
I love that our house is right across the street from our work.
Ali Wobschall says
I wish that all kids could have the memories of adventure and discovery that you create for yours. Thanks for being such an incredible example to people. Next time please come to Minnesnowta!!!! 🙂
Arden says
Even though our lifestyle means we don’t have a home, I love the four suitcases that hold everything we own because they represent freedom and adventure and the ability to fly away whenever something or somewhere calls us.
Jennifer from NJ says
I like, just as the book says, the living that goes on inside. I am not crazy about our house, but we are here living and lovign everyday in it, and that is what makes it great. would love to here some road travel trips with kids. we are planning one later this summer and it is starting to worry me….. thanks!
Kristen says
I love my little girls room, the little space I use for sewing, and the relaxing feel of our bedroom.
Team Lando says
Welcome home kelle!
Carrie Grant says
I love our giant bathroom and it’s exposed tub nestled beneath a big bay window. But even more do I love the wood floors–they make a sweet “click click clack” noise whenever my dog walks, making it seem like he’s wearing too-big high heels. Awesome!
Katie Vyktoriah Reed says
I’ve just moved to central Florida from England after 11 years spent in the UK, and I can’t get over anything in this apartment. It isn’t he big house we were after, but as an introduction to Florida, a fourth floor apartment suits us just fine. I can’t get over the huge fridge, having a dishwasher (and a garbage disposal!) or all the room we have just to lounge around! My heart swells with happiness at knowing my little man, Dexter, has his own big room full of toys and his first “big boy bed,” even though he’s only ever slept in a cot. I love that our place smells of cinnamon and pumpkin, two flavors you never get in the UK. And I’m loving that you can say hello to the neighbors without them looking down and mumbling to themselves about how crazy you are for talking to a stranger. I’m falling in love with my homeland all over again!
amy D says
i am such a homebody, no matter how lovely vacation is 🙂
right now we are actually searching for our first home. but what i love most about our apartment is that it’s small enough that it doesn’t take long to clean!! 🙂
Class of 2002 says
What I love most about our home right now are the bare walls and packed-up boxes which are a reminder that our new home awaits. Selling our house was a big decision that took a leap of faith, but the home we bought is just exactly what we’ve always wanted. Life is good.
I’ve loved the beautiful pics from your trip, but it feels so right to see your girls playing at home. 🙂
Lindsay says
I love coming home! My favorite room is our Great Room with our kitchen, living room, and dining room. It begs to entertain and it’s our main room to congregate as a family. But check back with me in a couple months when we finish the nursery for our first born baby girl due late summer. That may become a new favorite 🙂
Christina says
I love how my daughter can run from one end of the house to the other in a matter of moments, that I can hear her giggles from the kitchen if she’s anywhere else in the house.
hollycombs says
I love the sound of laughter filling the house when my husband cooks a big dinner for friends, and the rich sound of the breeze through the wind chimes on our porch when it’s just me at home.
Babygirl says
After being away on vacation for a week, I can’t just narrow down one thing I love about my home. It’s everything, it’s the “new house” smell that still exists, one month after moving in. It’s the dust on my dirty floors, having been gone for a week. Just everything…home sweet home.
Angie says
I love the two steps leading from the kitchen to the living room that make it possible for Bob to go “upstairs” and “downstairs” all day long without me being a nervous wreck.
Heather says
Bravo on kicking unpacking and laundry tush! The girls look so happy :o)
If I had to pick a favorite spot it would be the master bedroom. It is our gathering place. When we are all snuggled in our bed it does not matter that our tiny home is busting at he seems.
Marley says
I am in LOVE with the Gillian hat!
Monica says
It sure is something to coming back home after a long trip–as much as I love visiting other places, I love coming home just as much.
With my husband being in the military, we move around a lot. What I love most about the homes we move into is it means our family is together. We have this amazing gift to see the country, and we get to do it together. At the end of the day when we are all sitting at home, I’m reminded how lucky we are!
What I love most about our current home: the kitchen! It’s far bigger and nicer than any kitchen I’ve cooked in so far.
JennyB says
I love my tiny nook where I can exercise my creativity with scrapbooking, photography and writing. The sunlight streams through the skylight, creating an airy retreat in the comfort of my home. I hope to spend a lot of time there this summer.
Smaychel says
This is something I struggle with, as our current home is a very small, rather shabby little flat in a rough area. We would like to be able to afford something better, hell we’d like to be able to afford a new coat of paint but the facts are that right now we can’t.
I really enjoy your blog posts where you give suggestions for little ways to make home more “homey” – things that even we can manage. I’ve tried a few of your suggestions, and it has really helped us to feel happier with the space that we have.
Jennifer says
I love the built-in bookshelves at the top of the steps – perfect for our family’s massive book collection!
Barbie~ says
What I love the most about my home isn’t the kitchen or the bathroom. Not the master bedroom or the built in shelves in the closet (though that rocks!) but what I really freaking adore about my house is when I walk in and find the kids scattered here and there whispering to each other plotting against me… going to surprise me with something. It really makes my heart go pitter patter.
Especially when it’s actually their idea and they’ve come up with something on their own and managed to wrangle my hubby and the older sibling in, too. <3
Cindy says
I love our living room – the big couch were we cuddle up, a child on each leg and one snuggled up under my arm. I love how it looks into our kitchen, where my husband creates his masterpiece meals and still gets to hang out with us because they are open to each other. Most of all, I love that it is our home, a wonderful haven for all of us to live in.
Abbey says
Ironically we just got back from a ten day vaca thru Chicago and St. Louis.. Traveling some of the same paths u did!! What I dig about our home is the familiar scent when we walk thru the door, even after being gone for a long time. I love that our boys feel safe and comfy enough to walk around in their undies all day if given the time! I adore that it’s our house, made by us and filled with us…and no matter how much time goes by, good or bad, we have given our love to each other here every minute of every day!
RMG says
I love our cozy little house mostly for all of the “pegs” it has grown over the last 8 years. Celebrating holidays & birthdays, family get-together, friends around a bonfire, cuddles on the couch, being carried over the threshold, rocking a sweet-smelling newborn….. lots and lots of places to hang our hearts.
Brown Eyed Mama says
I love those teeny tiny buns!
I’m in love with our living room. From the red walls everyone insisted would look awful–and then later had to retract and admit they looked fantastic–to the string of lights we have running along the fireplace, to the pile of laundry forever waiting to be taken down to the floor to be folded and the ridiculous amount of pictures framed on every wall in there, it is by far my favorite place in the house for all of us to just crash and be together. 🙂
C says
I love that my house sits in the middle of the woods. That any given day I look out to see a mama deer and her twin fawns, a large family of wild turkeys, foxes, rabbits, sandhill cranes…. and that outside all I hear are birds and crickets.
Sheila Los says
I love that each room of our house represents “us”. From the pictures on the walls to the dirty socks tucked into the cushion of the couch. I love looking out into our yard and watching my husband tend to the grass amongst my daughters toys and the dog running at his feet. Our home is about building and nurturing our family. You had my favorite Target Basil Mint candle lit in your kitchen!
Jillian22 says
I love that I share my home with my husband and our kitty. I love morning light spilling through the balcony door and I love the details of our home- the cozy quilts on the quilt rack, my red tea kettle, the rug in the kitchen, books stacked next to the bed.
Jennifer says
First of all, I love that GOD lives here with us. His spirit of love is here. You can feel it. I like the golden time of morning, where the sun shines “just so” through the front windows of our house. I like the sound of my children laughing and playing together in their playroom. I like the way our house looks on the rare occasion when we don’t live like slobs…lol. I like how it’s MINE and no-one can tell me what to do with it! I love coming here after visiting my parents in Missouri, setting down the bags, and just becoming ‘us.’ It’s where we are US. It’s where three of my four babies were born, and the only home any of them have ever known. I love how every corner of our home is lived in and used. We’re crowded, but it’s all good! I’m sure someday I’ll like the fact that my house will provide us with some of the best ghost stories to tell our grandchildren (it’s haunted. I swear! It’s true!) There’s so much more to love. Thank you, Kelle, for helping me look for more good in what is around me. It’s part of my philosophy of life, but we all forget sometimes! Your home is beautiful, your girls precious, and I would like to wish you a happy rest of your week!
Lyndsey says
I love how my old wood floors creak as I try to sneak around early in the morning, I love my wall covered with bookcases (filled with books of course), and I even love the toys I trip over constantly.
yummymummy says
Love the kitchen…stories are shared, meals are made, it is the hub.
Mary Ann says
My home is my haven from the busy, busy world.
Holly Rehmann says
I love the retro light fixtures, the red front door, and the wooden deck in the back.
Peace,
Holly
mmg says
I love everything about our home…every nicked wall and scratched hardwood floor!! It all tells a story – our story – love it !!
Sperber says
I love the bench at the kitchen table that lets all three kids sit together for meals. I love the wood floor hallway that my little 1 year-old girl runs down when I get home from work calling “Mama” as she runs. I also love the window bench seat in our master bedroom that lets me relax and knit!
Kathleen says
I love the imperfect terracotta ceramic tiles. They were one of the main reasons why I fell in love with the house. When they were made, the tiles were laid out in the sand to cool overnight and during the night animals walked over them so some of the tiles have footprints on them. They are very worn and rustic and I love them.
Angela says
what i love most about our home is the people that i share it with. it’s not my dream home, as we are renting right now due to us moving 4 times in the last 5 years for my husband’s career. but i make it mine in my own way. 🙂
great post. glad you are home.
Lisa Hewlett says
I love our wood floors…which tell me without fail when my 3 year old is running up the hall to our room.
Marci says
Not sure if you would be interested, but you mentioned Nella and baby-wearing, so I thought I’d post the link:
http://refashionmama.wordpress.com//?s=ring+slings&search=Go
She makes matching ring slings for Mommas and their kiddos. They are adorable!
Jennifer says
I love the way the morning light floats into our home through the big window of our living room.
Love those hats! I’ve been wanting one for forever it seems. Thanks for the opportunity!
shelbyisrad says
In my apartment with my roomies I love our couch and how it’s just big enough for all of us to squeeze on it when watching movies. I also love our eclectic windowsill full of plants and trinkets.
Stephenie says
I love to warmth of the morning sun on our sofa as I drink coffee and my girls become alive. I love how doors are never closed and hearts are always open…i love how i can always hear the noise of my girls and know they are happy and ok.
Becky says
I love our giant wrap around couch where we all cuddle up on rainy days and watch movies,eat popcorn and read all day
Theresa says
I love our big front living room window, that begs for little children to look out, and smush their noses to. I love how cozy the duvet on our bed is. And I love that we can have fires in the backyard!
Becky says
Coming back home after a vacation is the best feeling ever!!!
I love our dining room table. It is a welcoming place for many many family dinners, but it was also the first piece of furniture that my husband and I got that didn’t belong to anyone else first. Hand-me-downs are fantastic, but there was something special about making that first “big” purchase together.
Every day's an adventure says
I love all the pictures and quotes on our walls… the things that make our house, our home. <3
April says
I love the cozy and loving feeling that you get when you walk into my home. Everyone that walks in says the same thing.
Abbey says
My home was built and designed by my parents. It has the staircase and mantel my dad built and rooms designed specifically for me and my sisters. I also let my little sister paint my closet while we painted my bedroom. She was only five or so at the time, and I love what she did with the space 🙂
Shannon says
My favorite thing about our home is that it is full of “us”. No generic store-bought artwork. Original photographs taken by me or my grandfathers, drawings that my husband has collected, blankets crocheted by my grandmother, bowls that my sister-in-law has sent us from her travels around the world. Everywhere you turn, you see us and know who we are.
Erin says
I love that my home right now is my husband and I’s “first home” together. We are sharing so many memories in the first years of our marriage and it will always hold a special place in our heart. Although it needs upgrades, and we often get frustrated with quirks of the house.. it’s OURS.
Christie says
After being away for any extended period of time, I love the feeling we get when we walk in the door. It’s definately a “there’s no place like home” moment!
Angie a.k.a Angie and the New Life says
I love how easy it is for our home to transition from indoors to outdoors and all be just that, Home.
Check out our home here
http://www.angieandthenewlife.com
Lacy Hope says
I love our long paved drive way on our dead end street. We make so many memories with sidewalk chalk, bubbles, a Cozy Coupe tied to the back of a wagon, and a bike. <3
kecarr says
I love my big, cozy comfy couch that we all love to sit on together~dogs included!
Charlie's Mommy says
I love the smell of our house. When we go on vacation, I long for the first whiff when we walk thru the doors. Not to mention…my big king size bed!! BTW..congrats on unpacking and washing/folding all the laundry. That is an amazing feat!!
Mrs. Buckingham says
Absolutely love this post! There is nothing like coming home to your own home after travels. Second to the smell of my babies, of course, I think that is one of my favorite smells… Entering in to our own home’s aroma after being gone for a few days. It’s heavenly and comforting! I also LOVE the morning light in my kids’ bedrooms and all the little nooks and crannies I get to switch out accessories in. That’s the best. Ps. LOVE that first photo of the girls stacking blocks… TOO CUTE! They look so much alike! Especially in that photo! Thanks for the inspiration Kelle! :o)
nikkib says
For me when I think of the word “home” I am reminded of the Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros song. Home to me is not the physical place where I live (although it is lovely) but just being with my love and my little pug. I was actually reminded of this over the past week as I’ve been housesitting for my aunt and uncle. My boyfriend brought my dog out for a visit and we cooked dinner and spent the evening just hanging out. I noticed my slight homesickness immediately disappeared when they arrived, for they are “home” to me.
On a side note… while I’ve been housesitting I’ve had the chance to finally sit down and read “Bloom.” I read the first 130 pages in one sitting and can’t wait to finish the rest. Just wanted to thank you, Kelle, for being such an amazing person. You are a huge inspiration and role model for me. I use “enjoying the small things” as a sort of mantra throughout my day, a reminder to slow down and notice the beauty and wonder around me. When I have kids one day I hope to be half the mom you are!
Ginger says
My favorite part about home is that it is where my family lives. Everthing inside is a peice of us. Its where my daughter has grown and changed and learned so much. We can do anything we want there and feel completly at ease.
Delgado says
I love the fact our house is ours. Imperfect and small as it may be, it is bursting at the seams with love and hopes for the future. I love the special touches built by loving family that share in our enthusiasm of home ownership and share in the joy of making our home a true family place. I love the sounds of my daughter scampering around, excited, as if she really can tell Momma and Dada worked so hard for this. I drive up, and just smile.
Hansel says
My favorite part about my home, is that it’s ours. We didn’t mean to be here this long, but with the economy our temporary home is right now permanent until we can sell. It used to bother me, but then i had my daughter. It’s her home, her first home. This is where she has spent the first 11 months of her life, where she roams the floors crawling as fast as lightning. Where she will soon learn to walk when she finally takes that hand away from the couch and takes those steps. Now my home is a learning home, and what once was supposed to be temporary now holds a whole new world of meaning. Her home, is her beginning world. That’s my very favorite.
Margaret says
What I love most about my home right now is just that it’s mine. I like having a space of my own, a space to just be.
I also want to say that I have read your entire blog now. I discovered it about 6 months ago, loved your story telling style, and made a point of reading each post.
jenrobburton says
I love the cool mail slot and mechanical twist doorbell, the pocket windows that slide down into the walls in my son’s room, the motion-sensor light my husband installed in my closet and the worn stairs that have been climbed thousands of times in our 100-year-old.
There are many modern conveniences that we are missing (like closet and cabinet space and good insulation) but the charm and uniqueness of our antique home more than make up for them.
Party of Ten says
I’m so glad you all are home safe and sound 🙂 I loved following along on instagram! My favorite part about my home this summer is our sunroom. It hasn’t been too, too hot and the kids are enjoying playing in there when it is clean 🙂 I’m also getting some great morning photos with the light streaming in. I also love our backyard and we just had an awesome backyard campout on Saturday.
pakosta says
we just moved into an old home (1890’s) about 3 weeks ago, I love the wood floors and the tiny bedrooms! it’s just starting to feel like home….home is where the heart is, that sure is TRUE!
love the last picture!
tara
Farmgirl Paints says
that pic of nella with her moccasins on was PRECIOUS! holy cow!!! i’m enjoying home too. i love the smell when i first walk in the door. it’s all things familiar. love my bed! oh my!!! and plopping down on my comfy couch in MY spot;) it’s all good. glad you are back too.
Halie says
Our house is a worn out little country house. It leaks during really heavy rains, it’s drafty, needs some TLC…but what I love most is the people inside and that it is ours. It may not be the “perfect” house to most, but it’s perfect for us. Our house is very much lived-in…there are always reminders of those who live there thrown about…maybe one flip-flop in the living room, the mate in the kitchen, toys, leggo creations, dolls and bottles, bicycles in the drive-way…the good stuff.
ABG says
I love the writing nook my husband made for me–the tiny honey-colored desk near an inspiring print and plenty of natural light.
brandonsmommy says
The thing I love most about our home is the sound of the rain in my fireplace when the rest of the family is in bed. I love the peace.
AC says
I love my bathtub. It’s big and has jets and has allowed me to find my sanity (and bubbles with a glass of wine) on more than one occasion. 🙂
Lindsey says
I love the fingerprints all over our back door. The ones on the inside from the times when my kids beg to go explore the outdoors, and the ones on the outside saying they’re ready to return home for refreshment and love.
clarita says
i have a vintage-arab-ethnic ambiance going on in all the rooms of my apt and i love it bc i love the middle eastern culture 🙂 btw, i wanted to make a comment about your extrovertedness only bc i’m an extrovert too. i don’t know why i get defensive myself when certain types of people (ahem – introverts) comment on this about me…being relational is exactly how the Lord made us, and i’m glad i’m naturally this way – extroverts make a world a better place 🙂
Jenny V says
What I love most about my home is the the people in it. Welcome back, Kelle and clan!
Jenny V
April Vernon says
I LOVE THOSE HATS!! So cool and unique!
The things I love most about my home are the reminders that I am a mama…the tiny little toothbrushes on the bathroom sink, the sweet little shoes at the back door, the turtle-shaped sandbox and the back patio. Those are my favorites. They always make me smile.
megsplegs says
loving in my home right now: the sweet summer breeze blowing in thru the many open windows throughout the house, the way the sunlight reflects off our backyard pond & throws rippling light on our bedroom ceiling in the morning, the smell of fresh, clean laundry piled on all the beds upstairs, giggling little girls hidden under a blanket fort in our family room.
The onion Farmers Wife says
I adore the way the morning light streams into my kitchen. It welcomes me everyday….ahhhh. And our ratty old patio with the fire place where many smores have been nibbled and fire’s have been lite.
Amy Jackson says
I love the old wood floors in my home and the feeling I have when I walk in the door after being away for just the day.
Kate says
I love my backyard and my son’s room. My son’s room is so beautiful in the morning when the light comes in. We spend a lot of time in there. Welcome home!
lightkeepersdaughter says
Kelle! I’m so excited! You and I (and thousands of other people!) 🙂 have the exact same kettle!……and sit it on the same burner. Now, I know I’ve arrived! 🙂
What do I love about my home? – all 600 square feet of it? I love the spa-like bathroom my oh-so-talented son-in-law created for me. I love the big “L”-shaped couch with the perfect comfy-spot, that I know exactly how to find, when I’m a little over-tired. I love the two cats that I have to shuffle around abit in order to make room for me, when I’m ready to find my pillow at the end of each day.
Take care………I loved today’s post!………..Rosemary
kriggers says
Welcome Home!
I love my covered side porch where I can sit and read a good book or listen to the birds sing. It is a perfect place to watch a sunset or listen to a thunderstorm approach.
Jessica says
Your kids are adorable!!! Love seeing new pictures of your adventures, even just from your living room! Where, oh where did you get Miss Nella’s baby stroller?? My baby girl is coming up quickly on a first birthday (tears!!) and she would LOVE something similar to that stroller!! Thanks sooo much!
tootermagoo says
I love the sounds of my family laughing and enjoying the time spent together.
Speaking of home I saw this and totally thought of you! http://www.homemint.com/home/insight-by-kelsey-brookes
Amy says
My house…. To be honest, I don’t really like my house. But because it’s the place we call home, and it’s the first home that my boy Max will ever know, I have to love it.
Krista says
i love our big open kitchen and our beautiful backyard, perfect for the boys to play in.
Lisa K says
Such beautiful words to read this sun filled Michigan morning. So glad that you are home with your lovely family. I love all the little creaks in the old wood floors of our home. I remember trying to step over many of them as babies slept but now love hearing the kids run down those creaking steps every day. So great.
Regina says
I love being completely at ease in my own home. And I also love that the laundry is on the first floor and not the basement.
Mrs Scratch says
I love the comfort of my bed and sitting on the glider in my daughter’s room watching her read.
Julie says
Our home is a small little townhouse apartment that has my little boy’s toys strewn about, pillows piled on the couch to be snuggled in, and a loft bedroom with a great view of the Seattle hillside.
Jessica says
I love the way the basement is always cool (or even cold) even in the dead of summer.
maryanne says
I am in love with my orange Big Chill fridge (very retro). We couldn’t afford to redo the entire kitchen. Instead, we painted the walls a cheery yellow, and one with chalkboard paint for quotes or reminders (our summer to-do lists is on there now). Then we splurged on a really great fridge that takes the edge of the gawdawful cabinets that surround it. I also scored some cool barstools at Salvation Army. It’s impossible to be depressed in a kitchen with an orange refrigerator and yellow and red barstools. Just sayin’.
Sky says
I love our huge living room windows that let the light – and heat – in.
Olivia says
I love the land here… we’re on about 3 acres and have some woods. I hope our son remembers living here when he gets older. We’ll probably be moving in a year or two and this place is amazing. There is a creek nearby and at night (during the summer) he always catches lightening bugs 🙂
BumbersBumblings says
Oh i just love all your pictures. Those little booties are the cutest thing ever! We’ve been home from vacation for three days and I still haven’t unpacked all of our bags yet. Glad you had a wonderful trip!
Brandie Brown says
I love the pitter patter, and sometimes stomping, of my girl’s feet coming from upstairs.
The Marpepps! says
Being home is so wonderful. Congrats on finishing a long trip!
Debbie D. says
What I love about my home…it is my sanctuary…offers me peace!
kt4d1414 says
I love reading your blog! Thank you. I love that my home isn’t conventional. It’s a small condo that has a pool table instead of a dining room table (an idea that sounded cool when we first married pre-kids). We can’t afford to move anywhere else right now, so we fill this small space with living. Folding highchairs and playhuts are great for small spaces.
Elleah says
I love the way the sun shines into the living room every morning and the bright green walls in our basement that contrast the dark gray.
kt4d1414 says
I love our home despite it’s faults. We’d love a bigger place, but can’t afford it so we fit our living into our small condo complete with a pool table instead of a dining table (an idea that seemed great pre-kids when we were first married.) We’ve learned that folding things (highchairs, playhuts) work great in a small space. It’s just a lot of living stuffed cozily in a small space.
Andrea says
Nella seems so much more grown up than she seemed in pre-road-trip photos around your home!!!
Andrea x
AMags says
Such a beautiful post… and so very true. There really is no place like home. What I love most about our home? The uneven door frames, hand-burnished banisters, and cozy reading nooks all tell the story of 150 years’ worth of lives lived out… 150 years of shared meals and tended gardens and goodnight kisses under this roof. Its history is palpable, and we feel lucky to spend our days here.
bumblemm says
i love the crooked floors and sun on the back porch in the summer!
lovejoy_31 says
I love the light filtering through our front room/library/sitting room early in the morning. I LOVE everything about my daughter’s room. We did a fabulous job on it if I do say to myself. LOL!!!
PruM says
Rocking my children to sleep in my much sought after Eames Rocker. And feeling time stand still as I do.
Maureen says
My favorite… the giggles and laughter, the secrets being told, big sis teaching little sis how to add, forts in random corners…
jadedlovely says
I love my kitchen the most, the trinkets I’ve collected that are useful and beautiful. I have the same Anthropologie spice jars that you have, and I love cooking with my pretty little things and visiting with guests.
Angela says
I just admired the Piper & Paisley hats this weekend when I was at an art fair in Missoula…she is so sweet & her hats are awesome! My favorite thing about my home is at night when everyone is tucked into their beds and all is quiet and I know my family is all in safe for the night. It feels very peaceful and happy to me.
Michaela Hetherly says
What I love about our home is the togetherness I feel when everyone is under one roof
erinasmommy says
The favorite thing about our home is not so much a feature but a sound. I adore the sound and feeling after a long day of being a family. The babies in bed. The toys are put away (most of the time), the kitchen cleared, TV off, the din of the washing machine and/or dish washer hums and I sigh a sigh of peace and relief. I turn out the light and head to bed, albeit exhausted, with peace in my heart this this is our home, where our family loves.
Rebekah says
at the moment, the way the light comes into the room that will be the kitchen — especially the “spiced cider” color we just painted it…and the way the colors in the original hardwood floors and brick are popping out in the afternoon sun 🙂
Nicole says
I love the open space inside and out. Room to run, build towers and lounge around.
Alzbeta says
While we just live in a little apartment right now, I love that it’s our space and I love our little one’s sunshiny room the most! It’s such a happy place with good memories already.
Anne Cunningham says
… i love lamp light on a rainy or foggy day … and i’d love to come to your house for a peanut butter on potato bread sammich and some boo berries, please!
Shirley says
I love snuggling on our comfy couch with my kiddos!
Debbie says
I love the “words” my house says. The memories or conversations that come pouring back to me as I walk through the house.
PS I love the blue and white polka dot dress that your daughter is wearing. She looks like Mrs. Beasley! lol My favorite doll ever.
melissa says
I love a large screened in porch with randomly found outdoor seating, and my hubby playing his ukulele
dldhome says
I love our master bedroom, usually in order among a house of chaos, I love the tall windows letting in tons of light. I love when we are all home in it together.
vermonter says
What I love most about my home is the front door. It is always open for my chilren and grandbabies along with family and friends to join us daily. Nothing makes my heart swell as much as when they walk through the door only to know that my home is not only mine but also it is theirs.
Kelly Sheehy says
I love how the bright sunlight pours in the kitchen and bathroom on summer mornings, everything is so bright and sunny and glowing and magical! It’s a good house. I’m going to miss it when we move next month, but I am also excited to become acquainted with our new house.
Susan D says
I love the light in our home, and I really loved the screened in porch with the record player for lazy days and nights!
I want to know how you get Nella’s hair in those cute little buns! I’ve tried to do that with my little girl with no luck. She’s such a cutie!
kmrf says
What I love most about my home is that my husband built most of it himself. It’s painted my favorite sea blue on almost every wall, it’s light, airy and relaxing. It our current 102 degree weather that’s a huge plus.
Natalie says
I love the people in it. Where ever I lay my hat – that’s my home!
Lesli Temple says
I love the sound of deep laughter from my littles, the sound of a sister and brother surrounded by each other’s happiness and love! It makes my heart burst!
Stephanie says
I love my new family photo collage in our living room.
(And I’ve been searching for a new summer hat, so thanks for the recommendation.)
Annette says
I love our kitchen, It seems that is where everyone loves to congregate and where we share our family meals. No matter how busy we are, we try to make that a must. We are actually moving to a new home in the next couple of months and it is so bittersweet. We need the room and our new house is just beautiful, but the home we are leaving has so many wonderful memories in it. We brought our babies home to this house! It will be very hard to leave.
idiosyncraticeye says
You have to be content and secure in both yourself and your sense of home to travel. 🙂
Jen says
I love the light in the kitchen in the morning!
And I LOVE that book! I used it in a post about our old house!
http://jenslittlethings.blogspot.com/2009/09/living.html
Happiness is... says
As Dorothy says in the “Wizard of Oz”, there’s no place like home.
What I love about our house…well, we don’t call it “vacationland” for nothin’. Our house is located at the end of a peninsula – a mile away from civilization – and somehow it has the ability ability to make you feel that you’re on vacation somewhere away from the everyday. I get the same feeling when I walk into the family house at the Vineyard. So kick off your shoes, grab a beer and I’ll meet you on the deck.
Welcome Home dear.
-Jennifer
jenniwaka says
I love that we actually live in a big enough home now that my daughter can have her own room. I love that my brother and his girlfriend live downstairs and can see her and play with her daily. I love that we get BRIGHT light in our space in the mornings and can watch the sun rise over the mountains behind us. 🙂
Sharmaine says
nella and her baby!!! too adorable!
oh and what i love about my home? hm, i love all of our photos hung on the wall. they always invite for a good story from our past. love that they are conversation starters!
Kt Go says
I love the delicate balance of wanting to seek out for an adventure … only at the end to realize our daily lives in our homes with all things cozy & challenging is the adventure!
Mama C says
What do I love best about our home? The people in it. By far, the people in it. Two cats, four children, 6.5 and under. Two redheads, a set of twins. That is what makes our home. We also loooove our garden. But that would be outside our home 😉
Chrissy Cleveland says
vacation is fun, but home is always nice to come home to
Lisa says
I love all the windows in my house. There are alot of them to clean, but I love that I can see outside no matter where I am. I love to watch a snow storm from inside out these windows…and they give my house such brightness on the sunny summer days!
Crystal says
What I love most are the memories that are associated with every little corner, especially now that our children are all in their 30s. And the photos that are my preferred form of decorating 🙂 My daughter would love those hats! Thanks for sharing.
Unknown says
Mmmmm, our home: I love that my husband and his family built it just as he (and later we) wanted. I love our new backyard fence and how thrilled our dog and boys are to play outside. I love our cute little tree in the front flowerbed and the two robins we have watched hatch and grow over the past couple of weeks. I love how cool and comfortable our finished basement is in the summertime. I love our huge front porch and the gorgeous sunsets we enjoy each evening. Home…contentment.
tricia*kushman*anderson says
I love the way the kids bedrooms smell…..somehow just like them. Especially in the summer when a bath might be a run through the sprinkler. The way the baby blankets smell and the way their pillows smell. xoxo
Jo's Corner says
My “Happy Wall”! I am in bed so often, recovering from chemo and radiation. My hospice nurse suggested making a wall full of things that make me feel happy. : )
A Momma in Love says
I love the space between my kitchen and TV room, or more so what my family does there, we dance. Our favorite playlist loaded, volume on high, we just get silly!
Overberg says
The favorite part of our home is knowing this is where our family started…all of our children were brought home here – and surrounded by love.
Candace says
I love our inviting deck and huge garden, the messy-ness of our kitchen because making meals around here is like therapy, our bonus room for movies and cuddle time, and the smell that is home 🙂
Keely D says
I love the smell of our house. The smell of incense or the smell of dinner cooking. the familiar smell that is us. our family. I know is sounds a little strange but true.
Kelly says
Hmm. My favorite part of our home are the memories of bringing all 3 of my babies home to this house….and the adventure that came with it. I love that it’s 160 years old, and our memories in 5 years of living here are just a small part of its history!
Katelyn says
I love the comfy corner of our sectional couch and how perfectly my girls and I snuggle into it together….I love our backyard and sitting with my feet propped up watching my girls play in their pink and purple wooden playhouse with the mailbox, birdfeeder, windchime, and hot pink garden gnome….I love our huge, perfectly square dining room table that somehow perfectly fits our family of four and also perfectly fits all of our friends and family <3
Wendy says
The coziness I feel in our little space (we own a downtown loft), just the two of us……
gingerentertainment says
Artful Vision is seeking new artists – made in US. http://www.artfulvision.com
Lisa says
Your pictures, as always, take my breath away. Usually the thing I love most about coming home after a trip is sleeping in my own bed. There is nothing like it.
Also, those hats are super cute. I just wish I could try one on before making a pretty pricy investment. In general, hats look lame on me, so I’m gun shy (don’t even get me started on baseball hats, horror). I like the idea of hats, so I’m always looking for the style that would flatter me. Haven’t found it yet. :p
Megan Hampton Photography says
I LOVE that our baby boy’s room is only a few feet from ours. I can easily peak in on him before I go to bed and if I get up in the middle of the night. Our house is small, but it brings us closer together. We share space in the full bath when we have to get ready at the same time. We squish our clothes into the few closets we have for storage. We sit close together to play games, watch a show, or ramble about the day. It’s our first home and if we are blessed to move into something bigger, it’s smallness will still hold a big place in our hearts.
Mandi says
Um why was my comment deleted?
Laura says
Maybe it’s the pregnancy hormones, but I am all teary-eyed after catching up on your last few posts. Gawsh, the girls, their outfits, the sunshine, Nella’s bare bum… the sweet face pressed against the glass, Lainey’s gorgeous silly face right up alongside the rest of yours…tears be flowin’!
What I love best about our home? Sunshine. We finally have a home where sunshine flows in from all sides, all windows at various points of the day, and lordy, that sunshine does me some good.
Grace like Rain says
Love my kitchen island the most. it’s spacious enough for friends to gather and sip wine as I prep dinner, yet intimate enough for the 4 of us to have a cozy family meal. It’s the center of the kitchen and the point where heart and home really come together
jen says
here we are deciding if we are going to stay, move, go farther away than i’ve ever wanted to (but always wanted to).
and you ask me what i love most about home. and i totally know the answer … because i thought it as soon as i walked into my living room this morning.
the light.
this home catches the most amazing light anytime of the day … and sends it flaunting around the corners of the rooms. it makes me feel home. and i think that when/if we look elsewhere … i’ll be looking for that light there too. it’ll be different of course. but there.
Courtney says
I love the familiarity of our home; the imprint it has made in each of my family members’ minds and hearts, the fact that each one of us calls it our home, that it is and will always be something that is ours together. I know that as my boys grow older their lives will become more independent of me bd my husband, but our home, much like our faith is a tie that helps bind us together. Because it is so much more than just a home, it really is a uniting force.
Holly says
I love that it’s a safe haven. a place to rest and be exactly who I was created to be. The downstairs bathroom is where we found out we were pregnant with both of our sons. It’s the place we learned to be parents, learned to have dinner parties, and found peace between each other and ourselves. I love home.
Tricia says
I love pulling up to our house. Looking at it as it comes into view, knowing this is where we started our family.
Tricia says
I love pulling up to our house. Looking at it as it comes into view, knowing this is where we started our family.
Katieuna says
I love the light in the kitchen in the morning. Painted walls, and my girls bedroom…it’s the happiest room in the house.
Welcome to Lovely LINC 6... says
It’s the first day of summer vacation and I’m a teacher. Your book had a VERY LONG reserve list at my local library but I waited patiently, watched my number count down from 273 to “in transit” and then the blessed email that said “pick it up”. The cup of tea is ready, so is the chair and I. Will. Now. Sit. And. Read. Best day ever.
Andrea says
We’ve just come home from a road trip too, also to our imperfect home. The simple things like having a hot shower and washing all the clothes made me really happy! Watching the joy and comfort of my little son cuddle up in his warm bed was priceless.