We’ve been in our home about eight months now. While the journey to contentment and feeling “at home” in this house has been a winding one, I can confidently say that, from today’s perch, I feel so grateful to be here. We have a long ways to go to before this home fully reflects our family’s personality, culture, and needs, but we’re here. We’re doing it, little by little. And I’d love to invite you in to see this at-the-beginning portrait. Shall we?
Here is what we’re variously calling the piano room, the library, and the study — even though it currently has no piano and no books. Eventually, I would love to replace the keyboard with an actual piano and hang John’s guitar on the wall nearby, maybe put a little chaise lounge reading nook in the window corner.
You might recognize this rug from our previous foyer. (This whole tour is going to be a bit of a Where’s-Waldo situation for longtime readers!) I don’t know that it will stay here forever, but it keeps things cozier for now. The classic wooden hutch is new to me, from Facebook Marketplace: I sold my navy desk because I needed something taller for this narrow space between the windows and pillar, and I love it. Hilariously, everyone who visits says, “my parents have one of these in their house,” ha. I keep desk supplies, stamps, envelopes, stationery, candles, notebooks, paper napkins, and more in the drawers.
Moving a little further into the room, we have the second half of this space. Same sofa, armchair, chest, bookshelf, etc. from our last house. We are considering whether to do a sectional here, but there is more considering to do. (Plus, that tan beauty, circa 2011, is the comfiest, sturdiest, and most resilient sofa a girl could ever hope for; I’m not sure I could ever part with it.)
I know some of you will love this fireplace, and I love that! Alas, it was too modern for my taste, and as the centerpiece of our home, I knew something that better reflected our style would change the tenor of the entire downstairs. Spoiler alert: it has! Plus, we needed more storage for books :)
Moving around the corner, we come to this sunny nook. I took these photos over the last few months, but happily kept my – ahem – winter garland up long past Christmas. I just loved looking at the happy faces of our loved ones! We’re not sure what we’ll do long-term with this space – maybe a little breakfast table and pair of chairs? – but right now the other comfy armchair is working great. I keep my planner open on the bench for quick reference, with more books underneath.
Next door is the kitchen. The previous owner reworked the layout, replaced the cabinetry, widened the door into the dining room, etc., and I mostly like her choices — except, of course, for the dreaded chevron. It will go one day, but I can be patient :) The light pouring in across the whole back of the house is just my favorite.
Finally, the dining room! I hung the exact same chandelier as in our old house because I love it so much. Though I’m grateful for the sideboard storage in here (it held our TV in the old house), I think I’d eventually like to build a corner hutch and move it elsewhere to make it a little easier to navigate around the table. And maybe wallpaper, though our bathroom wallpaper saga has possibly sworn me off the stuff forever.
There you have it! If you have any questions about sources or anything else, just leave a comment — I’m more than happy to help.
Something that’s neat about having published here for 18+ years and counting: no matter how often I share a new post (or not), there’s always something to dive into in the archives! I thought I’d highlight a few posts published in past Mays, just for fun and in case you’re in search of something to read…
With many more Mays to come! And here’s what’s going on this particular May:
On my calendar: — Teacher Appreciation Week! Our main gift for all classroom teachers is this snackle box filled with some of their favorite treats and a gift card to a local business. — A father-son camp weekend for John and Shep at the brother camp of June’s camp. I hope they love their parent-child weekend experience as much as June and I did! — The start of neighborhood swim team! Our family has volunteered to move the “swimmer of the week” signs around every seven days (as instructed by the coaches!) and the kids are so excited to get to be the swim team elves :)
What I’m loving right now: — June and I started these five-year journals on April 1 and are enjoying the practice immensely! The cover is beautiful, the paper quality is great, and the writing space is just the right size. It’s crazy to think about the life change these journals will hold over the next five years. — John is a loyal listener to the Knowing Faith podcast and will occasionally send me episodes to listen to, including this one (“Is Retirement a Christian Concept?”). It was thought-provoking and encouraging and I recommend it no matter your background! — My product fairy godmother Kristin recommended I start double cleansing after reading my skincare routine, and since I was still wiping off makeup with my toning pads even after using my beloved charcoal soap, I decided to give it a try. Instant convert! This balm (which I smooth onto dry skin, lather, then wipe off with a washcloth, then follow with the bar soap) leaves my skin SO soft and clean.
As a reminder, you can find allll the things I’ve loved over the last few years neatly organized right here!
What you’re loving right now:
This is where I highlight a few items here that have been popular in the last month with fellow readers, based on my analytics. Here’s hoping this will help you find something you’ll love!
What I read in April: — This is So Awkward | I picked up this book — “a modern guide to puberty” — to brush up on my facts as we wade into those waters. While I don’t regret that I read it, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it: First, I think it goes into way more detail than is needed for the average person, though I could see using it as a sort of reference book if you wanted to do a deep dive on a certain topic. Second, it was published in 2023, which means it was being developed in the chaos of 2020… and it shows. Third, they presented certain changes or behaviors as unavoidable that I simply refuse to believe are inevitable. (Mostly around technology, if you can believe it ;)) — The Glassmaker | I will always have a soft spot for Tracy Chevalier, as Girl With a Pearl Earring was one of the first “grown-up” novels I read. (It was published when I was a freshman in high school.) I haven’t kept up with many of her later releases, but enjoyed dipping back into her world of talented artists in richly-drawn historical settings with The Glassmaker. It is an intriguing premise: we follow one woman and her close family members and friends through six centuries, skipping ahead 70, 80, 100 years at a time. Recommend! — The Library of Unruly Treasures | June requested I read this middle grade novel after she finished it, and I was glad to oblige. The newest offering from the author of the Penderwick series, it is a perfect example of how a novel can exist at the level of a 10-year-old and yet still be written with excellence. A delight!
Revisiting my April goals: Write the first draft of my Sunday service (2/3 of the way done!) Film Annie in April Hang string lights in our backyard (Made some progress but not done yet!) Research outdoor movie set-ups and choose date for first movie Tend to this month’s clutter spot: the third floor bookshelf Choose a new wallpaper for the bathroom and otherwise continue to manage our renovation projects (Wallpaper has been an absolute nightmare… but we are (hopefully!) inching closer to completion!)
May goals: — See our renovation projects to completion — Hang string lights in our backyard — Edit Annie in April — Refresh our plan for summer days at home — Tend to this month’s clutter spot: the attic — Get ahead on summer TCF newsletters — Block out birthday party details for both Shep and Annie, our July babies — Complete the first draft of my Sunday service — Hang curtains for Annie
It is no surprise to anyone that I love a goal. I fill out my PowerSheets prep work each new year, I post my goals each month without fail, and I genuinely love to make progress on the projects and habits that matter to me.
But sometimes a goal doesn’t quite fit in a monthly, weekly, or daily format, you know?
Enter: the goal punch card.
Made popular on TikTok, I think, goal punch cards are unabashedly aesthetic — and that’s part of the point. But beyond their good looks and the fun of making them, I’ve actually found them to be a really helpful addition to my goal-setting arsenal. For me, they fill a distinct need: tracking something that I want to do a certain number of times, but that doesn’t need to fit in a particular time period or happen in a regular or structured way. Yes, I want to have game nights with my family or invite friends over for dinner, but they don’t have to happen once per month.
I made the ones above at the Articles Club retreat last month and they’ve been hanging on my kitchen bulletin board ever since, a hole punch ready and waiting in the drawer nearby. Should you be inspired to create your own, I thought I’d share the list of ideas I brainstormed and brought to the retreat…
Goal Punch Card Ideas:
— Read x nonfiction books — Write x handwritten letters — Try x new drinks at the coffee shop — Go on x one-on-one parent dates with each of my children — Shoot x rolls of film — Try x new veggies — X solo dates — Try x new recipes — Finish using x beauty products I already own — X weeks of no Amazon — Try x new hobbies — Watch x new movies — Host x dinner parties — Have people over for dinner x times — Host people x times — Compliment a stranger x times — Organize x areas at home — Buy x new plants — Wake up for x sunrises — Go to x concerts — Go on x flights — Try x different cookies — Pet x dogs — Pay off x debt — X no-screen days — Donate x to charity — Shop at x new small shops — Donate blood x times — Take x naps — Volunteer x times within my community — Buy x items of thrifted clothing — Try x new restaurants — X date nights — Try x new workout classes — Buy fresh flowers x times — Do x puzzles — Call my local reps x times — Go on x hikes — Try x new board games — Paint my nails at home x times — Donate x items — Give away x items — Pay for the order behind me x times — Try x new shapes of pasta — Buy x books from my local bookstore
Does everything have to be tracked to be meaningful or to “count”? Certainly not. But if a pretty card in a prominent place helps me to do more of what matters, then I’m all for it :)
I’d love to hear: Have you ever made a goal punch card? If not, which card would you be most likely to make?
P.S. I bought the cards we used at a local craft store, but these ones look similar!Alcohol markers appear to be the implement of choice amongst the TikTokkers.
Many times that I’m writing here, I’m writing to remember a particular time in my life — to make sense of it in the moment and to create a place to reference in the future, should I or anyone else need it.
While I imagine the experience we went through last year — moving a young family from one home to another in middle childhood — might be somewhat singular for me, I still want to record it for posterity. (I say “singular” because while we never know for sure what’s ahead, I can easily imagine a life in which our next big move is as empty nesters. And since our first big move was from an apartment, sans children, that would make the move we undertook last year a singular experience in our life. Which is a crazy thought!)
Still, even if I never need to use my own advice again, we did learn a few things along the way, and I’d love to share them with you. I also know that many of you are seasoned movers with a deeper well of experience to offer than me, and I’d love to hear from you in the comments. If not for my benefit (staying put as I intend to!), then for our fellow readers :)
The first bag of trash (OF MANY) and the first collection of boxes to go to storage
How does it work to sell and buy a house?
First, my biggest question when we approached this move was how to order its cadence — when do we put the house we’re selling on the market? When do we schedule the moving truck? — and it was frustrating to feel like I never got a clear, satisfactory answer from any party. Not their fault: now on the other side, I think it’s because there is no universal order that works in every situation. But in case it’s helpful, this was our timeline:
The first week of August: Our soon-to-be-new house comes on the market (while we are on vacation, do not recommend), we make an offer, we make another offer, we make another offer, and it is accepted. We are under contract with a closing date in early October.
Remainder of August: We begin prepping our old home for sale. We declutter belongings and hire people to make repairs and complete final projects or do them ourselves. We begin packing boxes. (I aim for at least one per day.)
September 15: We rent a small storage unit and use it to stash items we don’t want in our home during the selling process (listing photos, open houses, showings, etc.). This includes toys, a few pieces of furniture, our Peloton, decor, and some packed boxes. We rent it for two months.
September 25: Listing photos are taken of our home.
October 1: Another photographer takes new listings photos, since we didn’t like the editing on the first ones. This was a bit awkward to advocate for in the moment but I think it paid off.
October 2: We officially close on our new home and our old home goes on the market – yes, on the same day! We host open houses on Saturday and Sunday and accept an offer on Sunday night. We now own two homes. Since our new home is less than a mile from our old home, we begin moving boxes and more delicate items (plants, lamps, art) in small loads a few times a week.
October 17: Movers come to move our furniture and all remaining boxes to the new house. They also swing by our storage unit to collect the items we’ve stashed there.
This is also the date the sale was expected to close on our old house. As you know, this did not go according to plan, and the sellers back out on this, the last possible day. After some scrambling, we secure a new buyer and go under contract on Sunday night, with a new closing date of November 17. In the meantime, we camp overnight with friends on Friday, then officially spend our first night in the new house on Saturday.
November 17: We say an official, final goodbye to the old house and sign the papers to close.
Our home on the day the listing photos were taken
Tips for working with movers
While we moved our belongings with the help of family and friends when we lived in an apartment, hiring movers was a no-brainer this time around. (For locals, we used Crabtree Family Movers and they were great!) A few thoughts and pieces of advice:
— We kept gatorade in the fridge and welcomed the crew to help themselves throughout the day.
— As soon as the movers showed up, things moved FAST. There was really no time for packing final boxes or getting organized that morning — our house started emptying immediately and the pace didn’t let up. I thought it would go a bit slower and was scrambling to stuff a few final things in boxes!
— The first half of the day (the loading) was fairly hands-off. The second half of the day I was engaged the whole time, standing by the truck as they unloaded, answering questions and making sure every box and item of furniture went to the right room (even though we had labeled boxes!).
— There were a few final items we wanted to move by hand, and we made sure to segregate them in a corner and point them out to the movers first thing. Otherwise, everything will go into the truck before you even realize what’s happening, ha.
— We had cash on hand to tip each guy $40, which we handed to the foreman at the end of the day.
John power washing in the dark after he didn’t like the way the driveway looked after the first listing photos (LOL) and the box situation two days before moving day
Other miscellaneous tips for moving:
— We sourced free boxes from friends, our local Buy Nothing group, and the ABC store. The ABC boxes are a little smaller, but they were great for heavier items like books. I also bought a few larger ones from Lowes. (Good to remember – you can return unused boxes to Lowes!) Because you’re at the mercy of others’ timing, I wish I had started claiming boxes earlier on Buy Nothing.
— Several friends told me they had been able to get good-quality free boxes from Chick-fil-a, but I called several of our local restaurants and all seemed confused by my request, ha.
— As we unpacked, I gave away any boxes we didn’t want to keep on Buy Nothing. Much easier than breaking them all down!
— We mowed our lawn one final time just before moving the mower, to hopefully keep the grass at a reasonable level for the new owners.
— I kept a few extra, empty plastic tubs on hand on moving day to corral last-minute items. Highly recommend.
— Several of those tubs were used to pack sleep things. As soon as we got up on moving day, I stripped everyone’s beds and ran all the sheets through the laundry (at the old house). I packed the fresh sheets, blankets, and pillows and all other sleep necessities — white noise machines, Yotos, pajamas, stuffies, John’s sleep mask — in the same tub. That first night at the new house, we put on a movie for the kids and John and I worked together to get everyone’s bed set up: sheets on, pillows fluffed, stuffies in place, white noise machines plugged in. It took the whole 1.5 hours (longer than I thought!) to get it done, but but working together with John that night in our new home is actually a very sweet memory.
Doing the laundry one last time at our old house and the main room after the movers descended
— Since we camped on Friday night, our first official night in the new house was Saturday. Friends from church offered to bring us dinner that night; I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal but it really was! First, to have dinner taken care of, but also to have friends in our home even briefly really made it feel like home. On Sunday night, when things were still disheveled, we ate a premade meal for dinner (locals — from Donovan’s Dish), which was also a great call. By the time Monday rolled around we had groceries in the fridge and though we still kept meals really simple, cooking was more feasible.
— One of the most surprisingly refreshing parts of moving was looking at everything that had hung on our walls with a clear eye. I find it hard enough to commit and actually get something hung; once I do, I basically never switch it out. So, after 12 years, it was a delight to be forced to consider whether we actually still wanted each piece on our walls! It’s been a slow process in the new house, and we still have much to hang, but I’ve enjoyed releasing pieces we no longer want on Buy Nothing.
— In the packing process, we emptied many bins and baskets as we filled boxes. We collected all those containers and kept them in a central place in the new house (a stairwell), which made it easy to “shop” for the container we needed in the new house as we unpacked. Most things did not go back into the same configuration as they had in the old house.
— In general, the new house has necessitated lots of new solutions, and shedding of the old. There was an acute two-month period where I was doing a lot of selling items on Facebook Marketplace or giving them away in our Buy Nothing group while also buying new items for new needs. We still have a ways to go in the new house, but the initial flurry has died down.
Finally, something to prepare yourself for: the things you suspect might be an issue when you’re considering a house might very well be an issue once you’ve signed on the dotted line. For example, the thing I was most worried about in advance of our move was the square footage of the dining room. While well-sized for daily dinners, I worried it would be a tight squeeze when gathering the twelve gals of Articles Club or a family with kids. I was right. We make it work, but just as you’re likely to be disappointed hoping your partner will magically change after a wedding, so it is with a home sale.
On the other hand, you might find there are surprises and delights around every corner. As you know, I felt very conflicted throughout the moving process, and into our first few weeks in our new home. I worried if we were making the wrong decision. I missed our old home and our old neighbors. I was desperate to make changes to make our new home feel like “us.”
Now, six months in, I feel like George Banks on the regular: “I LOVE this house,” I think, as I turn onto our cul-de-sac, windows down, front yard maple coming into view. I love how it looks, I love how it feels, I love all the light, I love the backyard, I love that this is where we get to raise our kids. I hope we’re here for a very long time, and I am so grateful. So if change is hard for you, and moving has you in a tizzy, there is hope.
Alright — what would you add? I’d love to hear. xo
P.S. I originally planned to include new home photos in this post, but it got too long and it felt right to give airtime to these in-process photos, instead! A little tour coming soon.
