12.31.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 9:13 pm by Elisa
I have promised to post house pictures but I have been hesitant since our house isn’t finished. Mainly just little stuff but some things that are going to take a while. Recently my cousin told me that they are going to be taking down a very old barn on the farm where my dad grew up (and her dad still lives). I can’t tell you how excited I am about the idea of using old chestnut barn wood in our house. Especially since it is coming from the barn where my dad used to hang. The bad part is that it will be Spring before Andy and the boys can head down there and dismantle it and bring it home. We plan to use the wood for our banquet table and benches and whatever else we can think of. In the meantime we have an old table shoved in there- not the look I am going for but it will work for now.
Little things that need to be done like switching out all the brass hardware on the new doors for aged pewter, adding the fronts to the window seats. Finish the front porch and the front walkway, add the shoe molding, screens for the screend porch, yada yada.
The idea behind my remodel was for an updated farmhouse look. I wanted livability, comfort, coziness. I didn’t want a huge house, but I wanted enough space to feel comfortable. I wanted natural surfaces- we were fortunate to have all wood floors which we continued everywhere. We used this awesome clay tile on our fireplace that is made right here in Ohio called Seneca Tiles. Check out the kiln where they are made.
Today the landscape team arrived to do our front walk so Andy and I pulled the old brick up to use in the back
Here is our banquet window and the cool light I found at the Pottery Barn outlet ages ago
the messy family room addition
The windows seat are perfect for little guys
corners of our home
My Target find- cool welcome mat that I didn’t have the heart to put outside
two pups make themselves cozy
Happy New Year! See ya in 08!
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Posted in ElisaLou at 7:44 pm by Elisa
Any one else glad that the holiday season is wrapping up?
When I look back on the last two weeks, the painters going down to the wire but pulling through in the end to get the house wrapped up a few days before Christmas. We decided not to travel to Texas or the farm this year which was a very wise choice. Everyone got sick, and Cole is STILL fighting it. Then there was the weird rash on Blake. It started a few weeks ago when the school sent him home. They wanted me to take him to the doctor but by the time he got home there wasn’t much of a rash, plus I didn’t want to haul him and Cole into the sick side and expose them to who knows what right before Christmas. So I kept him home a day and then sent him back. They called again. I asked if he had a fever or was itching or anything. No, just a mild rash. So he stayed. Rash came and went but was very mild. Then on the 22nd he woke up and it was terrible. We had plans to go to Cincy to see my brother and family and luckily my sister-in-laws brother is a doctor. He said Blake was fine, a virus most likely that was just lingering- popping back up when he got overly hot or cold. Since Blake had played a late night game of flash light tag with neighborhood kids the night before we wrote it off to that. Then he started itching. We had 3 to 4 sleepless nights when the kid couldn’t sleep because he was so itchy. We dosed him up on Benadry and Motrin but it was still bad. Blake is an itchy kid and gets more itchy in the winter so I didn’t think much. A few days ago he had his yearly well check and his dr. said that he had a virus (with a lingering rash) and he has sensitive skin. So with a strong antihistamine he was sent on his way. All in all it was what we thought but exhausting nonetheless. And for Grandad who likes to track the growing progress of each grandkid- he said that Blake is a tall tall kid- off the charts for height and weight and will soon pass up his brother (who is 2 years older and very tall for his age as well) and eventually his 6′1″ dad. We like to call him our gentle giant 
well at least most of the time.
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12.30.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 1:45 pm by Elisa
Two toned Amy Butler fabric on the exterior, brown cord on the interior
One interior pocket
With an adjustable cotton webbing strap
you can find it here.
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12.29.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 2:49 pm by Elisa
Have been restocked! Check them out here and here.
The design your own bag option will be up very soon.
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12.26.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 8:31 am by Elisa
Playing around with the Lensbaby I got for Christmas. Clearly I have a long long way to go. Maybe I should read the instructions.
Tried to grab a quick look at what went on around here yesterday.
It actually warmed up so we played outside. Austin got a new football and Blake got a new scooter.
Andy installed his new tow hitch cover on my car, you can see here how I have no clue how to use the lensbaby. It is supposed to blur the image with a “sweet spot” of area that is focused. It’s tricky, I’m working on it.
Austin asked for a Buckeye room for Christmas
Cole got a little of this
and a Spongebob lego set
Blake got a new set of Dominos
I got this iron dog door stop and I found Shiloh stalking it with all the hair on her back sticking up.
Cole got a shark tent
Boys playing with their new ipods
And at the end of the day, poor Astro trying to squeeze into the little dog bed
Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!
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12.23.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 10:32 am by Elisa
So our house is *almost* done but I have been fighting a nasty cold and then went to Cincy for some family Christmas celebrations. I will get pictures up soon.
In the meantime here is a funny thing my mother-in-law sent to me, I love the third answer to the question “why did your mom marry your dad?”
Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:
Why did God make mothers?
1. She’s the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.
How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.
What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in
the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men’s bones. Then they mostly
Why did God give you Your mother and not some other mom?
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people’s moms like me.
What kind of little girl was your mom?
1. My Mom has always been my Mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don’t know because I wasn’t there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.
What did Mom need to know about dad before she married him?
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to
Why did your Mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn’t have her thinking cap on.
Who’s the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn’t want to be boss, but she has to because dad’s such a goof
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.
What’s the difference between Moms & Dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home & dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but Moms have all the real power ’cause
that’s who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend’s.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.
What does your Mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don’t do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.
What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she’s already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I’d diet, maybe blue.
one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I’d get rid of that.
2. I’d make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.
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12.18.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 8:03 am by Elisa
A few Happy Birthdays to shout out this week.
First is Mike my father-in-law (also known as Grandad- see below) We can’t wait to see you in Florida next month when it will be MY birthday!
Next is Andy, our awesome contractor- thank you for giving me the best Christmas present EVAH.
And last is this one- Austin insisted we get a cake and presents.
Happy Birthday Shiloh!
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12.16.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 10:01 am by Elisa
Every year we get home-made snowman ornaments from Andy’s mom. The boys love to add one more to their collection.
We also get our yearly tops- one of these is not like the others
Grandad makes these in his “top factory” and we are supposed to hang them on the Christmas tree but we never do- instead they go here
so we can play with them all year round. Now we need a bigger jar. The year I was pregnant with Cole my top had a little baby top on top. Loved that one.
I have been bugging Grandad to make me a birdhouse with an Ohio license plate for years. It was actually his idea but then he got busy.
But look what I just got in the mail
Not quite big enough for a real bird- but I’ll take it!
Love it Mikey!
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12.12.07
Posted in ElisaLou at 9:23 pm by Elisa
a house gets painted when people are living in it.
all the floors get covered
even the stairs
rooms are closed up
this room got a “door” (zipper) but we are too afraid to go in and out of as we don’t want to knock down the plastic
Unfortunately this is our Christmas tree room
we use the kitchen zipper
Last week when the other painters were fired I decided to finish our new bedroom
I’m so glad I did
Last night it was actually warm enough to sit outside on the balcony. A peaceful place amid all the chaos.
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Posted in ElisaLou at 8:50 am by Elisa
I saw this photo on flickr by Marcel Proust.
Not only do I love the style of this home (although my husband and boys would never go for all this look) I absolutely love the print on the wall. How often each day do I say something similar to myself??
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