Welcome Spring

This post is a few weeks overdue so, before posting details on the last days of our early summer vacation, I thought I should do due diligence and honor spring appropriately...


It has been one loooooong winter in the northeast. We had more snow dumped on us this year and one of the worst winters in our territory's history. I love snow but, like most everyone else here, was more than ready when the first signs of spring showed up. To celebrate the season's arrival I felt our house needed to welcome spring in a new way this particular year.


After many years of wanting to create a breakfast nook yet being challenged with ill-placed radiators, I came up with a solution. I purchased this Ikea Docksta table I've been wanting since we moved from the city which is the perfect size for our family of four.

I paired it with my Philip Starke Ghost chair and this cool little find of a couch from Home Goods. I love that it is an outdoor piece of furniture  which makes it easy to wipe down and kid-friendly.

Eventually I'll get the cushion covered to match the interior of my open shelving. For now it sits happily under the painting that makes me think of my hubby and me.

It's just the right size for my kids and they love it.

Along with the clear chair that they can make faces in.

I wanted to add a little sunshine to our breezeway as it serves as our mudroom and is frequented often. I found an old frame we had in the basement and painted it with chalkboard paint then hung it just outside the kitchen door. I posted favorite springtime photos and quotes. It was also another opportunity to use these cool butterflies I purchased from Jaime Mancilla from etsy that were also used for Emerson's birthday cake and decor.

The warm weather has inspired us to draw more rainbows....

....and gave way to the idea of having the kids create a large masterpiece for our living room.

(Hunter adding his special touch.)

(And Sissy too. I'm sure some of that runny nose made its mark on the painting as well.)

(My little guy pre-haircut.)

It was truly a group project as Mommy and Kathleen helped a little by squirting the paint where we were told and reminding the kids to not walk on the painting.

We added some more pink, let it dry and then displayed it. The painting makes the room cheerful and makes me smile every time I walk by it. I always knew I had two mini-Monets living right under my roof.

(It pairs nicely with our 1962 television. The cable

guy couldn't believe we still had one!)

Then we took our winterized living room.....

...and made it a little more springlike with the help of our babysitter extraordinaire.

I gave our deer a little Springtime bling too.

In addition to freshening up our home, the Spring has meant a few other things for our family too. 

Emerson had tubes put in her ears. 

(Sissy was frightened at first...)

(then the doctors gave her what they called

a "special cocktail" and Sissy was all like,

"heyyyyy yaaaa!")

("Helllloooo camera!)

When we arrived home we were greeted by our two favorite guys and one sweet teddy bear.

After a long nap, Sissy woke up feeling much better and hearing more of the world around her. 

Hunter had his first big accident. He fell off the back of the couch when Mommy turned away for two seconds to thank Daddy for the gorgeous bouquet of flowers he had brought her. (Why is it that a Daddy could physically leave the room for two hours and nothing would happen to the kids?)

The battle wounds included a busted nose and lip and one bloody designer men's shirt but nothing a juice box, frozen teether and Daddy-lovin' couldn't cure.

Spring also opened the door to more bright, fun outfits, hair bows and.....

(The beautiful dress Mema gave her.)

shoe decisions.

There has also been a lot of potty going on in our house. Hunter is doing a great job and I have a feeling Sissy is not far behind as she wants to be doing anything big brother is doing.

We have started up our daily walks to the beach and baseball hats have happily taken the place of knit caps and gloves which also gives Mommy five more minutes of coffee time.

We visited a new park in Greenwich where we taught the kids about flowers

and feeding ducks--two important life lessons.

(This photo is a few weeks old. Sissy gave up the bottle at 13 months

and we are so proud of her because we know it was hard.)

Springtime also gave way to bonnets. I swore to my mom and grandmother that I hated bonnets and Emerson would never wear one. Then, I saw little Nella in these and fell in love.....

Yup, in the northeast our Spring weather really just arrived and yet it's quickly melted into summer but, with that season on the horizon, the beauty has only just begun....