Peanut Butter Fingers - Guest Post by My Mom (with help from Jamie and Everly)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXo5-D-42Y0KckFMOo3JMOQy12JsOdar9aFnqpjeLj7sMGpnGHKft0s31S7RfHDbTKLIkXa0e-TbSLTrDvEWewfQJjJT22vYHyArM3P7eX-Tc2u_K1QmbYMiUsXRMtGe5etNMv6HSZyARi/s1600/llDSC_2629text.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXo5-D-42Y0KckFMOo3JMOQy12JsOdar9aFnqpjeLj7sMGpnGHKft0s31S7RfHDbTKLIkXa0e-TbSLTrDvEWewfQJjJT22vYHyArM3P7eX-Tc2u_K1QmbYMiUsXRMtGe5etNMv6HSZyARi/s640/llDSC_2629text.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqD2hhoI8ZywTP7t06l8Srh3F-qcZ33K6qufJpJrogO3vaRwKv_U7CMM5QovR4sfgx0cQNQJh8Ng_FUHlVn6WgymYN-OgULgPft-yFCzw8SUSkrGKbkL6SuR4pa3hi-L-FOBv-tEiPPtM/s1600/lDSC_2603.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqD2hhoI8ZywTP7t06l8Srh3F-qcZ33K6qufJpJrogO3vaRwKv_U7CMM5QovR4sfgx0cQNQJh8Ng_FUHlVn6WgymYN-OgULgPft-yFCzw8SUSkrGKbkL6SuR4pa3hi-L-FOBv-tEiPPtM/s640/lDSC_2603.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Greetings!  Dana, Jamie, and I volunteered to do a guest post for Jenni, allowing her a little extra time to finish up her packing in preparation for her move.   Dana, Evie, and I would bake while Jamie would do the photographing.   As always, what appeared to be and should have been a simple task emerged into an all-afternoon project!  Not to mention, Dana was 200+ miles away in New Jersey by the time we realized we needed to get cookin’!  Her short visit of 24 hours allowed no time for us to bake one of our all-time favorite desserts.  So, unfortunately she was not here to lick the bowl or (fortunately) wonder why it took Jamie and me 4+1/2 hours to bake and then photograph a recipe we’ve been making for almost five decades.<br /><br />With that being said, as you all know ‘chocolate’ is a fervent addiction in our family.  Add peanut butter to the mix and we become delirious! This recipe is a delectable mix of the two that my mom found over 50 years ago from the Better Homes and Gardens magazine in 1962. It was the official Pillsbury winning bake-off recipe, in which we so appreciate her cutting out of the magazine on that warm summer day! We have been baking and eating and baking and eating it ever since – right on down to the fourth generation, being my mom’s great grandchildren.  The recipe is called “Peanut Butter Fingers.”  They are heavenly and they are rich.  In other words – be careful.  My sister and I used to make ourselves sick when we baked these because we always managed to overindulge … =) <br /><br /><br /><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Peanut Butter Fingers</b></span></span><br />Cream together:<br />    ½ c. melted margarine<br />    ½ c. granulated sugar<br />    ½ c. packed brown sugar<br />Blend in:<br />    1 unbeaten egg<br />    1/3 c. peanut butter<br />    ¼ tsp. salt<br />    ½ tsp. baking soda<br />    ½ tsp. vanilla<br />Stir in:<br />    1 c. flour<br />    1 c. quick cooking rolled oats<br />Spread in 9x13 greased pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with 1 c. of chocolate bits.  Let stand for 5 minutes.<br />Combine:<br />    ½ c. confectioners sugar<br />    ¼ c. peanut butter<br />    2-4 Tbsp. milk<br />Mix well.<br />Spread melted chocolate bits evenly. Drizzle with peanut butter mixture and spread over top of chocolate.  Cool; cut into bars.<br /><br />ENJOY!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rvL0TNLprK5r8eiejHqnhHBnrnCknJ5gcv087bS_7SKKjHbY7pJeBFkzsymWKHcEwYURY84daHLLjpofafoIvzjBlqs0bhva01YRWKTn_ef5qZw_a1f_9Ak45FGwCtl-459oIPxLZT36/s1600/lDSC_2516-edit.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rvL0TNLprK5r8eiejHqnhHBnrnCknJ5gcv087bS_7SKKjHbY7pJeBFkzsymWKHcEwYURY84daHLLjpofafoIvzjBlqs0bhva01YRWKTn_ef5qZw_a1f_9Ak45FGwCtl-459oIPxLZT36/s640/lDSC_2516-edit.png" width="436" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">They are using a bowl that was Everly Penniman's great great grandmother's (whom she was named after).  Evie looks thrilled. =) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6RI-q9Q6kbwSaqjZy5Mwi9BqwulTw0FLpmlPFoPj_Cjcl6GSKS6WBKlG7Sv1gICxCaz9QAyu_gGNdnG-uBoqe6qVqguogLKoclt8MIHNhL3jAROxrtpeqLc3unJMwXIUC6oGB-V5EuFSQ/s640/lDSC_2475.png" width="436" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfg3cYc4bmlG-ioCTL-Qt2bfiB4WUUil_0fJ0mb6sA3oQRnXgLyD-EuYr9iWiCMIS7PhUd1k1jafQsCo5FbtHxhOWXiXjxQN8hi4Lgr9XhxT8DS85TcXn7ymAsxGZ7hf5T1XYyKd7Qis__/s1600/lDSC_2618.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfg3cYc4bmlG-ioCTL-Qt2bfiB4WUUil_0fJ0mb6sA3oQRnXgLyD-EuYr9iWiCMIS7PhUd1k1jafQsCo5FbtHxhOWXiXjxQN8hi4Lgr9XhxT8DS85TcXn7ymAsxGZ7hf5T1XYyKd7Qis__/s640/lDSC_2618.png" width="436" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Heidi (and Jamie and Everly) </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />P.S. - This is Jenni now - I have to say if you only ever try one recipe from our blog this would be the one you should try - they are absolutely divine and you can eat a whole pan yourself...which I suppose isn't really a good thing! =)

Peanut Butter Fingers - Guest Post by My Mom (with help from Jamie and Everly)

Greetings!  Dana, Jamie, and I volunteered to do a guest post for Jenni, allowing her a little extra time to finish up her packing in prepar...

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Father's Way (Jason's June Post)

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAoZ7pmTprKJ1ZjdWKIfkIZn3EoVEMpWGFawjKFsvJayVkBMYNc5mOO5V_cFo4f-lxhcwGSo6hSCSO11Jq_lq8WSF69fN6p8U1GlqBLmbJnLVdBdtOW4VA694bAfUPSSm2khl29zFYhtI/s1600/cDSC_0041c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAoZ7pmTprKJ1ZjdWKIfkIZn3EoVEMpWGFawjKFsvJayVkBMYNc5mOO5V_cFo4f-lxhcwGSo6hSCSO11Jq_lq8WSF69fN6p8U1GlqBLmbJnLVdBdtOW4VA694bAfUPSSm2khl29zFYhtI/s640/cDSC_0041c.jpg" width="470px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> Jon and Lorelei </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCgiXchrqPQuFxMohyFicONrfRs1HuGhcGy8tph176QHMsLqq4Aa2gIrceyAdoondHxgjC77FiM8YVj-nnpQOHacdqcBP5fTRb_P3T47vBHLIEdoXWOs-QjiNB44cIHf5sIwaxgvtukE/s1600/cDSC_0142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCgiXchrqPQuFxMohyFicONrfRs1HuGhcGy8tph176QHMsLqq4Aa2gIrceyAdoondHxgjC77FiM8YVj-nnpQOHacdqcBP5fTRb_P3T47vBHLIEdoXWOs-QjiNB44cIHf5sIwaxgvtukE/s640/cDSC_0142.jpg" width="446px" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Jon and Lillian</i></div><br /><div style="color: #76a5af;"><i>Happy Father's Day! From now on Jason will be doing a post each month. I hadn't exactly planned on this month's being Father's Day as I had hoped to do a post with photos of Jon with both of the girls but seeing how I have yet to take a shot of the three of them together since the day Lola was born and my favorite lens got ruined at the beach and I won't have my new one for another week or so I decided to go ahead and let Jason have Father's Day. I would like to give two disclaimers though. First, most of this will only be funny if you know our family (especially our dad) and second, we really aren't quite as cheap as he makes us out to be....okay, we are kind of, but he is definitely the worst! </i></div><div style="color: #76a5af;"><i><br /></i></div><i style="color: #76a5af;">I do want to quickly wish my husband, dad and father-in-law all a very Happy Father's Day! I am so grateful for you and love you so much! And also, if you all could continue to keep Lorelei in your prayers we would greatly appreciate it. We are headed to the Children's Hospital for the 8th time tomorrow morning for two more surgical procedures.We are praying that by tomorrow afternoon we will have some answers (although we also will have to wait on some pathology reports again, too) and then they will know how to properly treat her and she will be on the mend very soon. Once she is, we will be headed up to New Hampshire and I have a ton of projects and posts planned! </i><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #76a5af;">********************************** </i></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Here is Jason:</b></div><br />I realize that there very well may be a few readers out there who are rather disappointed to discover that I will be contributing to the Dear Lillie blog on a somewhat routine basis. After all, my sister’s readers are likely drawn to this site by an interest in home decor, photography, babies, and/or clothing… and evidently <a href="http://dearlillieblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/truth-about-dear-lillie-guest-post.html">none of these are objects of my expertise</a>. However, with Jenni’s available time currently at a premium and my own increased involvement with Dear Lillie, the two of us have decided that it would be best for me to show my literary face from time to time. That being said, I promise that I will attempt to keep my topics of choice somewhat related to the general theme of the blog (or at least mildly relevant in some way or another).<br /><br />While today’s post certainly won’t help you pick the perfect color scheme for your nursery-in-the-making or offer a step-by-step guide to refurbishing that yard sale gem you found last weekend, it does manage to at least revolve around a certain “holiday” occurring as we speak (which by my standards fits the “mildly relevant in some way or another” claim I made a few moments ago). Still not satisfied? Well then you’re just going to have to cut me some slack—I already used every decorating term I know in the topic sentence of this paragraph.<br /><br />Now let me discuss something that’s been bothering me for the past week or so… <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOKuSQIJlog">Father’s Day</a>. The whole concept of Father’s Day has just never quite sat well with me (now that I think about it neither has Mother’s Day, but that’s an entirely different conversation). Yes, I understand that fathers often go without recognition for their many self-sacrificing efforts, but c’mon—If they are really so selfless then why have they claimed their own day of acknowledgment? Sure, I guess every loving father deserves an annual (and largely proverbial) pat on the back, but does simply being a father really warrant the receiving of a pat <i>and</i> a gift?<br /><br />I guess its not so much the idea of Father’s Day itself that bothers me but the fact that it requires me to actually purchase my father a present—something that I believe should be reserved solely for birthdays and Christmas (unless, of course, I am on the receiving end of the gift exchange). And why is that? Don’t worry, I’m not about to get philosophical or anything. My disdain for purchasing non-Christmas and non-birthday presents is based entirely on the fact that I hate spending money. I can grit my teeth through the Christmas and birthday seasons (our family's birthday season occurs every year between late February and the end of March), but getting my dad a Father’s Day gift makes it seem to me as if he is somehow being awarded with a second birthday.<br /><br />Now before you go calling me a penny-pincher, at least know that it runs in the family. We are all ridiculously cheap. Dad has been wearing the same holey, cut-off shirts for twenty-plus years. Mom continues to fill up cartons of tap water at my grandfather’s house every day because bottled water is too expensive (apparently we have too much iron in our well… tastes fine to me). Jenni can change the entire feel of a room with a gallon of leftover paint and a twenty-dollar gift card. Jamie built her house by employing (without pay) nearly every member of her husband’s extended family. Ask anyone who has ever been out to eat with me and they will undoubtedly tell you that they have at one time or another felt the brunt of my “I can’t afford to pay for this meal” routine (my cousin Michael and his wife Dani still fall for it every time). Dana doesn’t quite fit the mold. In fact, she effectively breaks it by convincing herself that by purchasing new articles of clothing she is making a sound financial investment. However, Dana’s frivolous spending somehow manages to grind to a screeching halt when it comes to gifts—which essentially puts her in the same boat as the rest of us.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzj0t-ozD8_VlhO0oOs1Pq5YZCRn2VWS_c5gWjxiriOXm2Y13pG5bK44lNAPSqBdGFhWvI1elnyx_BQ9UpdBTUJQDNdn4XSVUG3Z6vTcprrQr4E6_gazj6ps2dEjjz0X1YRlUig0JjeE/s1600/IMG_0352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAzj0t-ozD8_VlhO0oOs1Pq5YZCRn2VWS_c5gWjxiriOXm2Y13pG5bK44lNAPSqBdGFhWvI1elnyx_BQ9UpdBTUJQDNdn4XSVUG3Z6vTcprrQr4E6_gazj6ps2dEjjz0X1YRlUig0JjeE/s576/IMG_0352.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Dressed for success.</i></b></div><br />To help counteract the cost of the dreaded Father’s Day gift, last year our dad had what initially appeared to be one of his best ideas of all time. Instead of asking for some <a href="http://www.yawkeywaystore.com/">random souvenir</a>, he asked the four of us kids to make him 365 index cards—each one with a different memory from our childhoods. With “divide and conquer” in immediate effect, that meant 91 or 92 memory cards each. Not too bad, right?<br /><br />Sadly, it turned out that coming up with 90-plus childhood memories is actually much more difficult than you might expect. I don’t think I am alone in arguing that it was significantly worse than just spending money for a gift because we actually had to put thought, time, and effort into creating the cards. I legitimately considered paying Dana to do mine for me (and I’m sure she would have taken me up on my offer, as no amount is too small to invest at the Williamsburg Outlets).<br /><br />Needless to say, my sisters and I reverted back to our old ways this year and pooled our money together for something our father will absolutely never use. Easier than making the cards? Yes, but I’m still not a fan of Dad getting two birthdays. To combat this predicament once and for all, I have come up with a foolproof solution for next year’s Father’s Day—a full day in which our entire family attempts to do everything exactly our father’s way.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJChcK0T8B8IvpdQHsZurfbAY6R_TRddvV9xDwf31biLQoxoX-3A9XJHjxdeZS4cEuK5H4rDgls7wvU-Vz-SZQSfQsye0ImuJlM9c7LZbVu6UgY12FkvH0aXvYO_8s3B3KkBeqyRy13o/s1600/2011-06-17_1121.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsJChcK0T8B8IvpdQHsZurfbAY6R_TRddvV9xDwf31biLQoxoX-3A9XJHjxdeZS4cEuK5H4rDgls7wvU-Vz-SZQSfQsye0ImuJlM9c7LZbVu6UgY12FkvH0aXvYO_8s3B3KkBeqyRy13o/s576/2011-06-17_1121.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfryi1JuVemdlURe4w3z3JBW0_ZBFxkG2ucDFEJ7zzu_EW_jMNkFu3bOLsCq6n5ojmPU-7WzanqdHBhCH3SRTZpoUckqPJxbPvqrP1gym887vX2E7xtqFCBsCwDz5lyAhEP5QYOZA1Vo/s1600/2011-06-17_1122.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfryi1JuVemdlURe4w3z3JBW0_ZBFxkG2ucDFEJ7zzu_EW_jMNkFu3bOLsCq6n5ojmPU-7WzanqdHBhCH3SRTZpoUckqPJxbPvqrP1gym887vX2E7xtqFCBsCwDz5lyAhEP5QYOZA1Vo/s576/2011-06-17_1122.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>I’d be lying if I said I’ve never tried to have a second birthday too.</i></b></div><br />For many of you reading this, my suggestion may seem like just another generic cop out in my never-ending effort to avoid parting with my hard-earned money… but rest assured, it is anything but. In fact, I am willing to bet that even one of us completing a single day in which everything is done exactly according to Dad’s ever-changing list of rules and expectations would truly be an impossibility. Due to the ever-changing nature of his regulations alone, I would be shocked to find that even he could successfully complete such a day.<br /><br />Nonetheless, I decided to make an itinerary for what such a “Father’s Way” Day might look like based on our Dad’s likes, claims, and tendencies.<br /><br /><br /><b>CROTTY FAMILY ITINERARY</b><br /><b>June 17, 2012</b><br /><br />5:30 AM – WAKE UP CALL<br />Our father claims to both rise and shine at this ungodly hour each and every morning. However, on the very rare occasions on which I have been awake at said time, he has never been up or about. But I guess this is <i>his</i> day and we will be doing things <i>his</i> way, so I will give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. Regardless of historical accuracy, at exactly 5:30 AM a far too chipper Dad will yell “Top ‘o the mornin’ to ya!” at the top ‘o his lungs—which is exactly the sound I woke up to every morning of my high school career.<br /><br />6:00 AM – DISTRIBUTE ITINERARIES<br />Everybody needs to know the gameplan. No excuses. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAMuClHJYb0">Play like a champion</a>.<br /><br />6:15 AM – BREAKFAST<br />Dad will craft his culinary staple of French Toast. While it may seem harsh to make him prepare breakfast on his special day, lets be realistic… no one else is functioning right now. Also, I’m sure that even if someone started cooking for him, Dad would inevitably take over all kitchen duties because he has a tendency to straddle the fine line between obsessive and compulsive.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKk6AdDaxYLQlxdB6S5OHVMuK6h3p29PhvCgot___xuIpvWvDf7aroQL_eWkWfwl5plzi0585okrtUbQRGp1Dum7Hr4O14MeXv4yteLR6AhRKOqDtG4wjl_fcc2NPhiHPwMSyj-QeCbbA/s1600/IMGP0562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKk6AdDaxYLQlxdB6S5OHVMuK6h3p29PhvCgot___xuIpvWvDf7aroQL_eWkWfwl5plzi0585okrtUbQRGp1Dum7Hr4O14MeXv4yteLR6AhRKOqDtG4wjl_fcc2NPhiHPwMSyj-QeCbbA/s576/IMGP0562.JPG" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>A modern-day renaissance man.</b></i></div><br />7:00 AM – WOODY HUNT<br />Nothing says “family” like the whole clan helping our father take down his arch nemesis and namesake, Big Woody. This apparently intelligent and ill-willed woodchuck has managed outsmart Dad for the entire decade that we have lived on Moose Mountain, but I have a feeling that I could catch our furry foe if given the opportunity.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />10:00 AM – FAMILY MEETING<br />Since everyone is back staying under the same roof in the scenario, Dad will certainly feel it necessary to remind everyone of his “Shower Rules” and “Outdoor/Indoor Shoe Rules.” While this meeting will simply serve as a reminder for us all to shower quickly and avoid walking through the living room with “outdoor” shoes, it will inevitably drag on far too long. Let me also be the first to point out that the definition of “indoor shoe” and “outdoor shoe” are dicey at best when applied to the one who makes the rules.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1rQNzrmYc-ZWIwR948hpG3LQXhWMocbGmhnXXVXK010EmW_cDIWlWvUwsR_vBhRdhqCheYtziZZ-l0uBA33sLdhx35KkiFQsF6YoKhocXHa6tHGhoBuSqCAdEl8MJUaekiuDkRztG_8/s1600/DSC00263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1rQNzrmYc-ZWIwR948hpG3LQXhWMocbGmhnXXVXK010EmW_cDIWlWvUwsR_vBhRdhqCheYtziZZ-l0uBA33sLdhx35KkiFQsF6YoKhocXHa6tHGhoBuSqCAdEl8MJUaekiuDkRztG_8/s576/DSC00263.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>C’mon, it’s a new rug!</i></b></div><br />10:30 AM – MOW THE LAWN<br />Twice. On the lowest blade setting. Then we will wonder why the grass looks so burnt this year.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghulNQOmJL7nhpnvOs85ZbHPrS40_nem-XVXsXcoAfM2ytP3mhaqsmkL72lUOWA3m1Dh8cXioWn0oVKvJfbnqwHrA7spUPgI2iSQR49V-Upo94Lyc4Hj7vmIBi9iZyZXfRg44QaI2f9JA/s1600/DSC_0018+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghulNQOmJL7nhpnvOs85ZbHPrS40_nem-XVXsXcoAfM2ytP3mhaqsmkL72lUOWA3m1Dh8cXioWn0oVKvJfbnqwHrA7spUPgI2iSQR49V-Upo94Lyc4Hj7vmIBi9iZyZXfRg44QaI2f9JA/s576/DSC_0018+%25282%2529.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Why don’t we take her for another spin?</i></b></div><br />12:30 PM – FAMILY DIP IN THE CRICK<br />While many hands may make for light work, Dad will still want to cool off at his favorite swimming hole—the creek (or “crick,” as he likes to call it) that runs through our woods. Many a rumor has surfaced about Dad’s crick attire (or lack thereof), but I for one will be bringing my trunks on this very crowded occasion.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFVANbUBTxmwQ1e7rPuQiJ4uiSKnstQFL4FM-Ql2jSFie2q3PMM0z9mA-XYL0KNqk7RYCIbelwFBoqxG4LwO1BdxWPtY4JH-Z440bLEfZqxu4GSkbEBnXaBekAnEJAxjPlGqI1EXt2LU/s1600/DSC00518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFVANbUBTxmwQ1e7rPuQiJ4uiSKnstQFL4FM-Ql2jSFie2q3PMM0z9mA-XYL0KNqk7RYCIbelwFBoqxG4LwO1BdxWPtY4JH-Z440bLEfZqxu4GSkbEBnXaBekAnEJAxjPlGqI1EXt2LU/s576/DSC00518.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Seats six not-so-comfortably.</i></b></div><br />1:30 PM – LUNCH<br />Nothing particularly exciting for lunch as the menu will consist mostly of “make-your-owns.” However, I am willing to bet that Dad will be compelled to pull nearly every object out of the fridge and place it on the counter—only to ask one of the girls to put it all back in after only three or four of the items are used.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjo-REsd_bRzRjVviapVztWlY81W0U9GSJrVtChMDR6lyAKU6UFDB5tk_i0k247m5IvUlH1y00O7bfrPfdpmSstYuiARtH2wB_5ePsKBRH1cr3RWgAFLdxOPOuAmsPWHhFVTER1ZTMaqY/s1600/Breakfast.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjo-REsd_bRzRjVviapVztWlY81W0U9GSJrVtChMDR6lyAKU6UFDB5tk_i0k247m5IvUlH1y00O7bfrPfdpmSstYuiARtH2wB_5ePsKBRH1cr3RWgAFLdxOPOuAmsPWHhFVTER1ZTMaqY/s576/Breakfast.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Unnecessary.</i></b></div><br />2:15 PM – FAMILY MEETING<br />The topics this time will be the “Driveway Rules” and the “House Ventilation Rules.” I don’t even know where to begin with the driveway rules. I imagine the concept itself is rather hard to grasp for someone who has never been given step-by-step instructions on navigating our half-mile thoroughfare, so I will grossly over-condense it. Our driveway is essentially half paved and half dirt, with each portion having separate up and down slopes and each slope having a different set of directions (oh and don’t turn your wheels when you reach the top during the summer months). Think I’m kidding? Not at all. In fact, every UPS and FedEx driver in the region has been warned not to maneuver past the access road that marks the first third of the journey. As for the ventilation, let me just say that after the sun goes down our house becomes a practically uninhabitable wind tunnel.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRlYtFHZSxJjpaRZra-Od0CDKQDI7_G-U3U1IsBOD7PKeMNAOCW0JZqZaBTLThlFaspbYbD7qcAm1ex2ba1Ik4IFB1vuNSKIUpudwExtA7OP6zn7zowyePO-onm-v8zEUPQsK8U-Rb24/s1600/DSC_0239cos+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRlYtFHZSxJjpaRZra-Od0CDKQDI7_G-U3U1IsBOD7PKeMNAOCW0JZqZaBTLThlFaspbYbD7qcAm1ex2ba1Ik4IFB1vuNSKIUpudwExtA7OP6zn7zowyePO-onm-v8zEUPQsK8U-Rb24/s576/DSC_0239cos+copy.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Never too young to get them started… Ten and two, Lillie!</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQN_T1fQXiPSoXCPUkqbhWNVHH-CDvaPYiPAyKGu9TSt1NGbGpv8CtQXRj-Ztqy1gKBHQyUIT1KVv6X5_SeMyNoFOFbHGJ0wk4dvs2Omq7bOj5hbsfowXrdySVjmpntUjsmqjqYoSpAYA/s1600/DSC00455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQN_T1fQXiPSoXCPUkqbhWNVHH-CDvaPYiPAyKGu9TSt1NGbGpv8CtQXRj-Ztqy1gKBHQyUIT1KVv6X5_SeMyNoFOFbHGJ0wk4dvs2Omq7bOj5hbsfowXrdySVjmpntUjsmqjqYoSpAYA/s576/DSC00455.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Regardless of season, the driveway is treated as if it were kin.</i></b></div><br />3:00 PM – FRONT PORCH SITTING<br />One of Dad’s favorite past times is, of course, sitting in the shade of our front porch, which overlooks what may as well be a modestly-sized wildlife preserve. This reflective setting will also give him an opportunity to brag about his self-made stonewalls, his newfound and surprisingly persistent reading habits, and his lifelong support of the Boston Bruins (which the rest of us only became aware of a few weeks ago). I will be unspeakably bored after about thirty seconds of this aimless assembly.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7T1k5tck1GKvUIMhSYIWH8rhVj-FNJ7TsXsmT5o_1lpjFwr8WeWhj_e0TSi7iA7yIwXyX-P3RyschcFhQp0d-hrngEymmqf-UwkkEut_FM2hGS-Qu4YnOxSV_9ydMQZJAqgFLKe_tl4/s1600/black-bear-0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7T1k5tck1GKvUIMhSYIWH8rhVj-FNJ7TsXsmT5o_1lpjFwr8WeWhj_e0TSi7iA7yIwXyX-P3RyschcFhQp0d-hrngEymmqf-UwkkEut_FM2hGS-Qu4YnOxSV_9ydMQZJAqgFLKe_tl4/s576/black-bear-0009.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrvj6pfEVwTOSn03nkraupEwBCXprUs6vd2DCvN23mSA6d3q_a_cAZ_xbxylwzBLY-5FWUwdqXLFMn6bdL5_5jDpdVhZ51nAoULYyA4wqMwsiMGgZYM3YLt6Vi8CrBoBVT7dJvOR0uvw/s1600/IMGP3412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrvj6pfEVwTOSn03nkraupEwBCXprUs6vd2DCvN23mSA6d3q_a_cAZ_xbxylwzBLY-5FWUwdqXLFMn6bdL5_5jDpdVhZ51nAoULYyA4wqMwsiMGgZYM3YLt6Vi8CrBoBVT7dJvOR0uvw/s576/IMGP3412.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsTanv0qRrYJ7U-CqqvgpK5Mcvbaapas3ltqscVdG-APZ3750Kq-GXPDeDzHHGcgjBiFDDuJNVDXfIpFEZ8fQkMqGfEMdQkoY1q-QMs8NNeqZDzfZK_xYFgZRZFuLrma0kkCI3HPr2gM/s1600/IMGP3843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgsTanv0qRrYJ7U-CqqvgpK5Mcvbaapas3ltqscVdG-APZ3750Kq-GXPDeDzHHGcgjBiFDDuJNVDXfIpFEZ8fQkMqGfEMdQkoY1q-QMs8NNeqZDzfZK_xYFgZRZFuLrma0kkCI3HPr2gM/s576/IMGP3843.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRs2KygshnHH2P_uZ3JQ2u7oks6BdlJgT0qNvtT875Xnfo2vaq1A_WJ8YeNOtLVwjQ8EqOZblhgqdphXzkoAug-bH-SYtcqSmqv0-DwP6GAhFFOF1Lkm-GCTvXpruNWiRJZBL-NI2fi6Y/s1600/IMGP3956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRs2KygshnHH2P_uZ3JQ2u7oks6BdlJgT0qNvtT875Xnfo2vaq1A_WJ8YeNOtLVwjQ8EqOZblhgqdphXzkoAug-bH-SYtcqSmqv0-DwP6GAhFFOF1Lkm-GCTvXpruNWiRJZBL-NI2fi6Y/s576/IMGP3956.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>He knows them all by name.</i></b></div><br />4:45 PM – REARRANGE THE CARS<br />For absolutely no reason, we will move all of the cars in our driveway and park them in a different order.<br /><br />5:00 PM – FAMILY COOKOUT<br />According to Dad’s latest fixation with having every dinner at exactly five o’clock regardless of anyone else’s schedule (read: my golf schedule), we will end up eating supper just a few hours after lunch. This cookout will take place on the back deck, and I will probably be given the task of “watching people cook hot dogs” (this is exactly the assignment I was given for our cookout last week in North Carolina). While our deck is spacious enough to hold our family and a number of guests, there happen to be numerous portions on which no one is allowed to stand… but whatever, Jamie only fell through once.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7hYla7mYgeSWWOiV1Puglz5QxiQt9Kb5yODTD3wCyQsdZo6ypAftCGheZ2yHOHZYvcGVk7Kfandf59ZBZFut_wOTC6tAtzYqUUvPZUdRqSnynTkuhoxK7jiItnsNHrmJuVLCqbCSPv0/s1600/DSC_0028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7hYla7mYgeSWWOiV1Puglz5QxiQt9Kb5yODTD3wCyQsdZo6ypAftCGheZ2yHOHZYvcGVk7Kfandf59ZBZFut_wOTC6tAtzYqUUvPZUdRqSnynTkuhoxK7jiItnsNHrmJuVLCqbCSPv0/s576/DSC_0028.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRns8COS8CsiCRsJoHsj3mB6Sfa4hzO7LBL_Rsxyz31kLWeDspvqVDf3O6doAs12SnzNpCYm-s5ps7eX5H-D4RJa259-2wzzMne3bvrJfSpsCRCX2BN0fNLcrmgZHzM5ZS4Npqx3PlDxI/s1600/IMGP3754.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRns8COS8CsiCRsJoHsj3mB6Sfa4hzO7LBL_Rsxyz31kLWeDspvqVDf3O6doAs12SnzNpCYm-s5ps7eX5H-D4RJa259-2wzzMne3bvrJfSpsCRCX2BN0fNLcrmgZHzM5ZS4Npqx3PlDxI/s576/IMGP3754.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>We put in all of this effort, yet it rots every year. Time to give up, I think.</i></b></div><br />7:00 PM – MINI GOLF<br />As a means of exercising our collective competitive streak, Dad will certainly expect the family to engage in the most cutthroat round of mini golf you’ve ever seen. On the way off the property he will without fail and without remorse break every “Driveway Rule” he posted earlier in the afternoon. Upon arrival at the course, he will take on the persona of his alter ego “Black Mamba,” relentlessly talk trash to all of his opponents, be obnoxiously friendly to complete strangers, and finish in dead last.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivisiGA-Y2HV3zgQLDtpzQB58YjLYuEVZCVaWOIkyDlq43EAUX9Ysn5sseFn-1dz4KCC2pDJ6YNy2c_9LSch7pCCwqpJt8vkUuIHrqbxpL2HfOS_hNKXcmF1WgQrWoHThrL-eePYiXgTk/s1600/DSC00507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivisiGA-Y2HV3zgQLDtpzQB58YjLYuEVZCVaWOIkyDlq43EAUX9Ysn5sseFn-1dz4KCC2pDJ6YNy2c_9LSch7pCCwqpJt8vkUuIHrqbxpL2HfOS_hNKXcmF1WgQrWoHThrL-eePYiXgTk/s576/DSC00507.JPG" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>The Mamba also strikes at the local par 3.</b></i></div><br />9:00 PM – FAMILY WALK<br />Yeah, it’s as miserable as it sounds, but on this day I am left with no choice but to join in on what I am ashamed to say one of my sisters considers to be exercise.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5gHvr_c0PduxJbXqBVFXD8IlHTswo0SJ0mE48vlNbVs_y288JZ5xxO12ryrnmc_fOFrN0-bfEGYpQEY3wuT72Aw3mWixH_-j_tZxKu4s3HDPAxnmCPy39dvbYJOj8veFXnScwDYaNi8/s1600/DSC_0060+%25283%2529+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr5gHvr_c0PduxJbXqBVFXD8IlHTswo0SJ0mE48vlNbVs_y288JZ5xxO12ryrnmc_fOFrN0-bfEGYpQEY3wuT72Aw3mWixH_-j_tZxKu4s3HDPAxnmCPy39dvbYJOj8veFXnScwDYaNi8/s576/DSC_0060+%25283%2529+copy.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Would hate to miss out on this.</i></b></div><br />11:00 PM – LIGHTS OUT ON THE MOUNTAIN<br />After falling asleep on the couch within five minutes of returning home from the walk (and with the remote clenched firmly in his palm), Dad will wake up with a startle, claim that he was simply “resting [his] eyes,” announce that it is “way past [his] bedtime,” and yell “Bedtime for Bonzo!” as he skips “up the golden stairs.”<br /><br />All-in-all it sounds like it could be a pretty good day on the Mountain. But when my second birthday rolls around this year keep in mind that I’d prefer straight cash.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidvhErqTLgESiu2r7Xda0kcHFpmrsFZnccgFMtvI-VSrugapOwr4zPNq4gh5rFwzIbeOfkggH1xHqSp-rZEuVS6Bw0sscel1t7RzGPBZXckKhVdpiDi-JMVSCHtS4kHNtGGvLHCyPgxbM/s1600/IMGP1225_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidvhErqTLgESiu2r7Xda0kcHFpmrsFZnccgFMtvI-VSrugapOwr4zPNq4gh5rFwzIbeOfkggH1xHqSp-rZEuVS6Bw0sscel1t7RzGPBZXckKhVdpiDi-JMVSCHtS4kHNtGGvLHCyPgxbM/s576/IMGP1225_2.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Happy Father’s Day!</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-dwFT2x_JQ2MCFo8oYEQ3uWi7yswTBD8N757fYTn3AP9016F_9qNzhns-sEOZYpts4dywy6-KMAanVGPvmPR1JeVi9dPB45AwCDlNqoXhiIWgM-Xaop_bHdaEWBGx5_J_IWoAye5aeCY/s1600/jason.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-dwFT2x_JQ2MCFo8oYEQ3uWi7yswTBD8N757fYTn3AP9016F_9qNzhns-sEOZYpts4dywy6-KMAanVGPvmPR1JeVi9dPB45AwCDlNqoXhiIWgM-Xaop_bHdaEWBGx5_J_IWoAye5aeCY/s1600/jason.png" /></a></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB2ltlPvEHOa-SP-G17rg8WD13HPm9oZ3QrHYSyyPye8VCzrhTuLbD2Kctx7fsQ6a0pH5HN3Jn7jZgt_yYidEOldGeWZAGqrrc5dhI0fqaHWpZhw-4JwOQxtLQEEj3W7ln0_KS9KORL0Q/s1600/jason.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://smalltalkbook.blogspot.com/">smalltalkbook.blogspot.com</a> - Blog<br />@evensmallertalk - Twitter</div></div>

Father's Way (Jason's June Post)

 Jon and Lorelei  Jon and Lillian Happy Father's Day! From now on Jason will be doing a post each month. I hadn't exactly planned on...

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For The Love of a House

<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>I am thrilled to have Joan of <a href="http://fortheloveofahouse.blogspot.com/">For the Love of a House</a> here to guest post today. I can't recall exactly when it was, but I would say it was sometime either last summer or fall that I first ran across her beautiful blog. Immediately I fell in love with it as she lives in a beautiful farmhouse in New Hampshire that she and her husband, Dan, have been renovating. I am from New Hampshire and most of my family still lives there. In fact, when I read her blog I often get horribly homesick.</i></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i> I already enjoyed her blog, but then in January she did <a href="http://fortheloveofahouse.blogspot.com/2011/01/kitchen.html">this post on her kitchen</a> and I really have no words to say how much I became smitten. It is hands-down my all time favorite kitchen that I have seen in any magazine or on any blog.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_HCvOQO3BaQILy5ZP3W_BBHhyphenhyphenJ0v4LISnet54X4T5SCGAbfIrMVlHap_gaooFg4coNEjSh2gHZKnBj0saA1FiLt3aZ-myDjH_59t2P_JBMk1bXcu50-YUuKBD7kzEDwn8WDhOHjY6jg/s1600/IMG_2471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_HCvOQO3BaQILy5ZP3W_BBHhyphenhyphenJ0v4LISnet54X4T5SCGAbfIrMVlHap_gaooFg4coNEjSh2gHZKnBj0saA1FiLt3aZ-myDjH_59t2P_JBMk1bXcu50-YUuKBD7kzEDwn8WDhOHjY6jg/s640/IMG_2471.JPG" width="636" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>And then last month she did <a href="http://fortheloveofahouse.blogspot.com/2011/05/master-bath.html">this post revealing her master bathroom</a>. </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JM6izEQgb1wVVAX9GQRiXNxgPnKD-wlK27n4ea26axmGRW7Tp6YT9tyMx0E_VmCUHfYyzjvVE0I7T9tKiNvkbCMSNWoUzY-T_3jl5UBJfA6Qcf2MAQt-Cmsi_QJW_nniRw8GIH6e9nc/s1600/IMG_3677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JM6izEQgb1wVVAX9GQRiXNxgPnKD-wlK27n4ea26axmGRW7Tp6YT9tyMx0E_VmCUHfYyzjvVE0I7T9tKiNvkbCMSNWoUzY-T_3jl5UBJfA6Qcf2MAQt-Cmsi_QJW_nniRw8GIH6e9nc/s640/IMG_3677.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>I think you can see now why I love her blog and her style.</i> </div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>If you think her home looks like it is straight out of a magazine, well you are right. It is going to be! Right now it they are having a photoshoot and are going to be featured in <a href="http://fortheloveofahouse.blogspot.com/2011/06/renovation-style-magazine.html#comment-form">Renovation Style </a>!</i></div><br />****************************************<br /><br /><br />I was honored when Jennifer asked me to do a guest-post!  I live in Jennifer's home state of New Hampshire, moving here from Texas three years ago.  My husband, Dan, and I bought an unloved antique farmhouse and have spent the last two and a half years making it our home.   Jennifer grew up in a beautiful part of New Hampshire, about 40 minutes west of me-  in a region that has some of the most gorgeous sunsets you have ever seen! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Jennifer's <a href="http://dearlillieblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/rest-of-porch.html">recent post on her gorgeous porch</a> made me think of porches, and porches make me think of Summer!  So, I thought I would share <span style="font-size: large;">my</span> porches in honor of <i>Summer</i>!<br />Our farmhouse has <i>three</i> porches:  a small front porch, a back porch off of the kitchen and an upstairs porch off of the master bedroom!  We use them all on a daily basis for different things. </div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br />An afternoon snack of watermelon on the front porch!  Doesn't get too much more Summer than this for me!</div><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487932591705492674" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFyfq3vcBO_ifJGKblr73axFzBsxBNoT2XbrZa9GS92VNgEoUUwKEQIYn3bi9God0EBxEnifr61kkVhWV_k_ikDsisZl9YdwJ3kNt2Dv3er_zyZ9MbwZnPgndEUczUOlJXUXzXaUiVuNs/s640/SummerPorch+030.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="426" /><br /><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center">This photo shows with back and the upstairs porch, one atop the other.<br /><img alt="" border="0" height="426" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522080150488880194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHb3QEHh5zTIyx0jBSrzsHtoZZmvDTyFpbVRiR16xyCGOLMCMxg-cjDRvOq7ouzjjdOCAzzJ8kFJlXWEY75abJ9GV8vz8vjQ4CdvvSiUlyIUbp2KnMNj93FcL1g4sohteCMr1alGbRfwg/s640/backporchIII+047.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">the steps up the back porch</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhEGqR38ksmdwUHup4j8R4FT67Y3NUm2fznZFbjyPzlGtKYmoC-TZ38HOI61xIX4HPC5nPxBbhsNwbmJ2QCsKKii34nh5vPsIaby-K6AfyDf2GOWr_680qNHq5reIVnMEYIaWvvjQ1pcy/s1600/LandscapeStonePorchWalkway+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhEGqR38ksmdwUHup4j8R4FT67Y3NUm2fznZFbjyPzlGtKYmoC-TZ38HOI61xIX4HPC5nPxBbhsNwbmJ2QCsKKii34nh5vPsIaby-K6AfyDf2GOWr_680qNHq5reIVnMEYIaWvvjQ1pcy/s640/LandscapeStonePorchWalkway+028.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><img alt="" border="0" height="426" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522080135502445314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdU8PPvrCKe1_yAb_b-WIMOAi9PjVvzo86e_yGEiVAI_kYFraDAc32XIqpuVdchyphenhyphen7_IM_SqDoF063HpZtU0KZd7qZMhBqFM2Z64P8LkRZhb3k35d6yQLo5W4IIK1wPjQuqJiulVBBYKvg/s640/backporchIII+019.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />the french doors open into the kitchen dining area<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVY8x2rCw9bAS8kKawVtldShBPG9BnUe6NXo19k9EchikY2yooPwPAp-cDpajNalUAJZCspljp8WL9swc-o3-iaTqRTE2UnR4zgcfUOeZizxPJvdnVeNHXh6T951H-RUnX0ZraCdCVeZv/s1600/LandscapeStonePorchWalkway+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVY8x2rCw9bAS8kKawVtldShBPG9BnUe6NXo19k9EchikY2yooPwPAp-cDpajNalUAJZCspljp8WL9swc-o3-iaTqRTE2UnR4zgcfUOeZizxPJvdnVeNHXh6T951H-RUnX0ZraCdCVeZv/s640/LandscapeStonePorchWalkway+014.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div align="center"><div style="border: medium none;"><br /><br /><br />When I originally bought the iron table at an estate sale years ago it came with four iron chairs.  It was a <i>lot</i> of iron!  After watching one of my favorite movies, "Father of the Bride" (the new version with the dreamy house!) I noticed she had an iron table with wicker chairs in the back yard-  <i>voila</i>!!  I love the combination as it softened the overall look and the chairs are much more comfortable than the iron ones that came with the table.    The pillows are <i>down-filled</i>; being natural they actually weather great outside!   And, at only $25 <i>a pair</i> (from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Homegoods</span>)...  I couldn't have handmade them for less. I can't tell you how luxurious it is to have down-pillows outside!</div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqHmtPjn5gFNQokU8U3J3eDChCDuAH9Yfu9IkqAlT3s4repiWbSVuOqa73BEs-kUpf1nJSsnwRZ8Zi6-GNfulKMTcY1v_if63Wu4IJm2_ZTLAW7vgFvJ2A_X10abj9Jww8K8gaiGrXv9iS/s1600/LandscapeStonePorchWalkway+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqHmtPjn5gFNQokU8U3J3eDChCDuAH9Yfu9IkqAlT3s4repiWbSVuOqa73BEs-kUpf1nJSsnwRZ8Zi6-GNfulKMTcY1v_if63Wu4IJm2_ZTLAW7vgFvJ2A_X10abj9Jww8K8gaiGrXv9iS/s640/LandscapeStonePorchWalkway+012.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br />A pair of black rocking chairs let us rest while doing yard work and house projects!</div><img alt="" border="0" height="426" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522080145212438930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm88QiUAlQeHJMIUXyJEwxCr1T9Q0bR3REVgT-GoagxgZaXCMwc1Yz_iudgpKNRa2jhlyZnJ_RS-zBuBLruzfXtdI2B7pgJEc8HbgKG8p91gHhoHPLrzDImUy0xGB-O-IJa8PcLMeHzfs/s640/backporchIII+039.JPG" style="border: medium none; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="640" /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Our always helpful pound-pup Ella!</div><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522081176463149922" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMpsnnA1FOZp7xJvIBbXNWJmOF4pLHHu7X7L5ES2XOFvtkQj_zukA7zL0P_0NpajJNIV_tvW_aDVv1_1EozkRpcFw0NFwZBkQIV0pcs0vLb3IUFaeMD4FxuKf24COSYh4LibDXaWAhxI4/s640/BackPorch+034.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="480" /><br /><br /><br /><img alt="" border="0" height="640" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522078152478861426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiprA6qZVfBhwg34jiulN-hHrch9wcmlqwen4pVAq-GRYu_uA33g95-fim1YegOs2ndag53c06T_trAjYJifQ5HN70JJfBWbZy9sHnSLFZD8XmmPj-9t491SAflsNTSf4SFxGXZMWtyTPk/s640/LandscapeStonePorchWalkway+008.JPG" style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" width="426" /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This table is the <i>ultimate</i> in high-low decorating! </div><div align="center">The iron table base we picked up curbside for free while "junking" in Dallas. It was originally an old <b><i>garbage can holder</i></b>.... yes, I said <i>garbage can holder</i>!!, and it moved with us to New Hampshire! The antique marble top was found at a wonderful shop in Maine!  Antique copper tub under the table is filled with Japanese fishing floats and copper floats.  A pair of antique Chinese vases sit outside all season! The antique French iron fountain is filled with "conks," aka "tree fungus"!! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKmbowQvHsmwfsqdgV5d1FmCodz7K27z-ttBCFWUh0dSCHcYpaI33SKTafR7U4XekfGhuV_2NuHa8uEIJey-3lmiYnPuxyQ787qk_BBPGzrei7qWhFacwkR58wVrFGDeilXeTZuEaajEfk/s1600/LandscapeStonePorchWalkway+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKmbowQvHsmwfsqdgV5d1FmCodz7K27z-ttBCFWUh0dSCHcYpaI33SKTafR7U4XekfGhuV_2NuHa8uEIJey-3lmiYnPuxyQ787qk_BBPGzrei7qWhFacwkR58wVrFGDeilXeTZuEaajEfk/s640/LandscapeStonePorchWalkway+002.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div align="center"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This is the upstairs porch off of the master bedroom. </div><div align="center">This porch grants us amazing sky views all day. The evening sky off of this upstairs porch is a thing of beauty! This porch is <i>usually</i> the porch-of-choice for an evening cocktail!</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6am1rhICNuYIewClrJiGJZwaei6B_elSJ-ZZOMN9vZbFw5cKpm6dTKF64O3UHs9ZVBASGeOAA4F_YzMUD6bkM2KBq-hdIrU5MhLNzs9xiYsS5_Vz6ORwmYANEv7Sx9KJfDjqQGhfoT7h/s1600/coralRain+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga6am1rhICNuYIewClrJiGJZwaei6B_elSJ-ZZOMN9vZbFw5cKpm6dTKF64O3UHs9ZVBASGeOAA4F_YzMUD6bkM2KBq-hdIrU5MhLNzs9xiYsS5_Vz6ORwmYANEv7Sx9KJfDjqQGhfoT7h/s640/coralRain+077.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br />An English rain-barrel (a dolly tub) serves as a table base.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Distant view facing northeast. </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCl8eVO4pv5PitNPaxNVgyN3VumMSgVpmcvjEz2E6cJ1yWutENkj13mYs8I82p4VlMcFEizJk7umBMVxchV75VCeJ8RDyN0_jWMP2x_LVQA03-XkhAs-w_Ktu9xsR2N_OQvhHkXNxqoYu/s1600/coralRain+051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCl8eVO4pv5PitNPaxNVgyN3VumMSgVpmcvjEz2E6cJ1yWutENkj13mYs8I82p4VlMcFEizJk7umBMVxchV75VCeJ8RDyN0_jWMP2x_LVQA03-XkhAs-w_Ktu9xsR2N_OQvhHkXNxqoYu/s640/coralRain+051.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><br /><br />View from porch rail.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pU68QYqZ_XXY9-UJgRnl5UZQbEjMuVdbA7R5toLUTEZWUAGXHLeOAOgdgnP9I27diqD74omKi3ntQAzDSAMLKLcnHl7-d2ilGjWFqh85DlTk5tAZMivEpyOPyVB7J_2-ugegFX05zb8H/s1600/coralRain+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3pU68QYqZ_XXY9-UJgRnl5UZQbEjMuVdbA7R5toLUTEZWUAGXHLeOAOgdgnP9I27diqD74omKi3ntQAzDSAMLKLcnHl7-d2ilGjWFqh85DlTk5tAZMivEpyOPyVB7J_2-ugegFX05zb8H/s640/coralRain+025.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div align="center">The floorboards on all the porches are mahogany, and have been left to age naturally to a soft weathered-gray.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2AIqsNVVN5oDLRvCfLyWtnzfiYDUE9Aw565DEuyEHaSHz_LnLIsicF9Df6mIYPLdkRcFepIEcvSQjjBQn_RGOb5vqGCYHdYmb0pn177Li-h6rmTCrPE3U-QAVntKjMs4gMd3unSCYNFJ/s1600/coralRain+087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2AIqsNVVN5oDLRvCfLyWtnzfiYDUE9Aw565DEuyEHaSHz_LnLIsicF9Df6mIYPLdkRcFepIEcvSQjjBQn_RGOb5vqGCYHdYmb0pn177Li-h6rmTCrPE3U-QAVntKjMs4gMd3unSCYNFJ/s640/coralRain+087.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div align="center"><br />Fern in zinc pot.</div><div align="center"><div align="center">Iron orb.</div><div align="center">The zinc pot was a curbside find in Dallas! Dan made the orb from old, discarded wine barrel rings!</div></div><div align="center"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLhUmXrxHHW63kanRlfpyJyyWySRdQfWumngvgbO_-vj4Ovk2hA8_qaxN1AmxfrsarpHnQ2eIUuQ6TZPZK4w9AZIRSefamD1s51urMJMrAbb3k5luxQitzARzS89rsGDV0usc00CA98S8/s1600/coralRain+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLhUmXrxHHW63kanRlfpyJyyWySRdQfWumngvgbO_-vj4Ovk2hA8_qaxN1AmxfrsarpHnQ2eIUuQ6TZPZK4w9AZIRSefamD1s51urMJMrAbb3k5luxQitzARzS89rsGDV0usc00CA98S8/s640/coralRain+029.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br />French doors to the master bedroom.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28ivrtLOJwGkHFlquQjfrGSQl-AJBq2QyuTEl0HlgpgnOTAts_nUv2sHpi6zMNB3xEfvlo8CUc2VqatUa4LrjyecqAt5OnAY-R3auCphAKUMCGRXVyrlaKLl0hrtlvgvLtEHtodV3gr9g/s1600/coralRain+073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi28ivrtLOJwGkHFlquQjfrGSQl-AJBq2QyuTEl0HlgpgnOTAts_nUv2sHpi6zMNB3xEfvlo8CUc2VqatUa4LrjyecqAt5OnAY-R3auCphAKUMCGRXVyrlaKLl0hrtlvgvLtEHtodV3gr9g/s640/coralRain+073.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /><br /><br />Vintage wire garden basket filled with old Japanese fishing floats. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ugTAj3pRJjIZ4tN4X11aaKtruGGr7ojaWZD11NOePrHLZT3Kzuw0jlFpPohuctYHpkFJHsnRb4pMrePgjr_ukoIeMbTO3mcbtX5OfqwZF7D1Xw6xLABFYQXuYM56j0-1llLgsNJv7WyS/s1600/coralRain+030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ugTAj3pRJjIZ4tN4X11aaKtruGGr7ojaWZD11NOePrHLZT3Kzuw0jlFpPohuctYHpkFJHsnRb4pMrePgjr_ukoIeMbTO3mcbtX5OfqwZF7D1Xw6xLABFYQXuYM56j0-1llLgsNJv7WyS/s640/coralRain+030.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><div align="center"> The ceilings on all of the porches are painted sky-blue. It is historic to do so, and I've read it was thought to keep bugs away, or that it would keep bad spirits away...<i> both</i> please!.  Throw pillows are burlap, which also weathers <i>extremely</i> well outdoors.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSEWc0GXCrcy0_6mopMOjEGZqRpzSTlc-NqnbHUG83-uyibduBBaGilLQ-GJ2QIDgxbVuxk75c9I_VZD7H7qTHSUEzp7iTyCRAVbBVx04X1LtsmQ568fAclfDzQqyxMyAonn4H2Wi2gb9/s1600/coralRain+064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwSEWc0GXCrcy0_6mopMOjEGZqRpzSTlc-NqnbHUG83-uyibduBBaGilLQ-GJ2QIDgxbVuxk75c9I_VZD7H7qTHSUEzp7iTyCRAVbBVx04X1LtsmQ568fAclfDzQqyxMyAonn4H2Wi2gb9/s640/coralRain+064.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div align="center">My fingers are crossed that I get to meet Jennifer and the sweet-peas when they come to New Hampshire for a visit this Summer!</div><div style="text-align: center;">So, <i><b><span style="font-size: large;">Cheers</span></b></i> to you and here's wishing you a happy, relaxing Summer! <br /><br />***********************************<br /><br /><i>As soon as we can get Lorelei healthy we will be heading to New Hampshire to spend the rest of the summer and I am hoping I will get a chance to stop by Joan's and say hello and see her gorgeous home in person! Be sure to head of over to her <a href="http://fortheloveofahouse.blogspot.com/">blog</a> and check it out. Be prepared to stay a while!</i> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

For The Love of a House

I am thrilled to have Joan of For the Love of a House here to guest post today. I can't recall exactly when it was, but I would say it ...

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LIVE Where You Live (Guest Post by Emily of Jones Design Company)

<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="color: #134f5c;"><i>This morning I am so excited to have Emily from <a href="http://jonesdesigncompany.com/">Jones Design Company</a> guest posting. I love her work and am amazed at all that she is able to get done with four young children! I have been inspired by her for several projects including some framed vintage baby items in <a href="http://dearlillieblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/new-nursery-cottage-of-month-and-winner.html">Lorelei's nursery</a>. I first saw them in her daughter <a href="http://jonesdesigncompany.com/baby/the-nursery/">Audrey's room</a> and fell in love with the idea. She is so talented and her blog contains everything from beautiful photos of her home, <a href="http://jonesdesigncompany.com/tutorials/">to amazing tutorials</a> for all sorts of projects.</i>  </div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>So here is Emily:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">2011 is my year to let loose. Have a little more fun. Be daring and crazy.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">You probably won’t find me sky diving or shaving my head, but I do hope to take life a little less seriously.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Take, for example, decorating my home.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I really love decorating, rearranging furniture, creating displays on our kitchen shelves, changing out pillows – it is a favorite hobby of mine for sure. As far as I can tell, it seems to be a favorite hobby of yours as well.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">So maybe you can relate with me on this one.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I get an idea {however unconventional it is} for my walls or cabinets or lighting, but I’m afraid to actually follow through with it out of fear that it will somehow ruin our home. We love where we live, but we don’t feel like it is our ‘forever’ home. So in the back of my mind, the term ‘resale value’ is always lingering when these crazy ideas pop up. And if it isn’t ‘resale value’ it’s the thought that I should just wait until we are in a house that is our dream home and <i>then</i> I can really make it ours.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Anyone?</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">But here’s the deal. I need to embrace where we are <i>now</i>, fully live in the house we get to call home and enjoy it despite what a future homeowner might think.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">{I’m not advising destroying your home or being unwise with what you have … I’m just talking about living in the present and allowing your home to reflect your family – even if you don’t plan on being in it forever}</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We learned a bit of this lesson when we remodeled our perfectly fine kitchen to make it look more like ‘us’.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://jonesdesigncompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/kitchen.jpg"><img alt="kitchen" border="0" height="640" src="http://jonesdesigncompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/kitchen_thumb.jpg" style="background-image: none; border: 0px none; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="kitchen" width="635" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">It didn’t cost much and we did most of the work ourselves, but it totally reflects our style and has become a room that I really enjoy being in. Was it necessary? No. When it comes time to sell our house will every prospective buyer love the open shelves? Probably not. Do we love it? Yes. Plus we can now fit lots of little bodies around the table which makes hosting parties that much easier {which we also love}. And that makes it worth it.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">So if you are anything like me – stifled in your decorating by the what-ifs of the future sale of your home or waiting for something better to come along – I say let loose. Have fun. Take some risks. Really L I V E where you live.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">If that means putting a hole in your wall to hang some artwork – go for it. You can always fill a hole.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">It it means using a sharpie to draw the <a href="http://www.gusandlula.com/2010/09/remember-back-when-i-showed-you.html">most amazing wallpaper</a> in your bathroom – by all means, go right ahead.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">And if it means painting the wood floors in your kitchen with a distressed checkerboard pattern like you’ve been wanting to do for years {honey, are you reading?} – then do it!</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Here’s to 2011.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Can’t wait to see what it holds.</div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>. Emily .</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">j o n e s d e s i g n c o m p a n y</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">www.jonesdesigncompany.com</div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">And here is just a little preview of some of the gorgeous rooms in her home (all photos are courtesy of <a href="http://jonesdesigncompany.com/">Jones Design Company</a>). Head on over to her <a href="http://jonesdesigncompany.com/">blog</a> to see more!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9IfEfnEAgm3mgCyJraQ8q0UOGkuMMP0snVdIlZJ5Vik1QH0acT1cdGUoc6pnx34MgcQuwzOWxlZZhevo6CltnZzqVIzQezXywT7ckPvZw9nrNkd6sDiKfoxW3k6cFx6HZmViNALpeJI/s1600/IMG_3416_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9IfEfnEAgm3mgCyJraQ8q0UOGkuMMP0snVdIlZJ5Vik1QH0acT1cdGUoc6pnx34MgcQuwzOWxlZZhevo6CltnZzqVIzQezXywT7ckPvZw9nrNkd6sDiKfoxW3k6cFx6HZmViNALpeJI/s640/IMG_3416_thumb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-KdX3x08nXaDTjcawfkexSLEbqgPNsqblfBFzfNCZ-cXz5ioJG-nKauhxWFpVRC40mNoau2QqmZA8_kroo04Q2zAwJUwUM4M2jqz0iCMFz-aTPdbAQx9JostBURBg_c9diduzcWO80Q/s1600/from-stairs-2_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-KdX3x08nXaDTjcawfkexSLEbqgPNsqblfBFzfNCZ-cXz5ioJG-nKauhxWFpVRC40mNoau2QqmZA8_kroo04Q2zAwJUwUM4M2jqz0iCMFz-aTPdbAQx9JostBURBg_c9diduzcWO80Q/s640/from-stairs-2_thumb.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TgrEu907TfyMGArx3DY8JdksJaGw1yeeNFT2VJqXh6Xt3k_cQRng7gOe6HbjPsbG4OK-e1ZmEewPyh2J-RVh1iu60qumSdgds9L2nYf0psKhwSA5rVN4UTfMg2O0eQm0L59ZtrvHD9I/s1600/image_thumb17.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_TgrEu907TfyMGArx3DY8JdksJaGw1yeeNFT2VJqXh6Xt3k_cQRng7gOe6HbjPsbG4OK-e1ZmEewPyh2J-RVh1iu60qumSdgds9L2nYf0psKhwSA5rVN4UTfMg2O0eQm0L59ZtrvHD9I/s640/image_thumb17.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8I0i7Yh5b8ugR6lphcrLYBZpeIdwqDWn53OInADcmsUPElgVCMYHyjecxQ-K6PfTaQNfEnDBXrHErU5UT87eq_zYjn3woOaLQ2421n2vt8qFjRekFGRIlItr_Qqh88t0qXEfq5Q_90zA/s1600/IMG_7870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8I0i7Yh5b8ugR6lphcrLYBZpeIdwqDWn53OInADcmsUPElgVCMYHyjecxQ-K6PfTaQNfEnDBXrHErU5UT87eq_zYjn3woOaLQ2421n2vt8qFjRekFGRIlItr_Qqh88t0qXEfq5Q_90zA/s640/IMG_7870.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqqeUD6SuwIb7zmfRuJDyym0P6RJOCOXC1gkZswjL5-aYoTXLSW-_5DzOm8UcubfPo2_B6ZIF6BUCJ-YrNHDd_jcMskb4hJGinjt1CNX_eJDkf135rz4NmwRiMqXYECExAeY7rW0e1gwI/s1600/IMG_7898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqqeUD6SuwIb7zmfRuJDyym0P6RJOCOXC1gkZswjL5-aYoTXLSW-_5DzOm8UcubfPo2_B6ZIF6BUCJ-YrNHDd_jcMskb4hJGinjt1CNX_eJDkf135rz4NmwRiMqXYECExAeY7rW0e1gwI/s640/IMG_7898.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHmmQEY96q4LtFsuipZNR_Qlj4d4hDVVkQyLA90TGWOBXNgy_qFg1513tb-3pVpexjpLRzsJ5z4QQFTFoD2FIU2PnPE-D1r3PWcXdkDkjLmcWQAk1BNlMSKUCH-nzgK4AUDLfknH6w_w/s1600/IMG_8722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhHmmQEY96q4LtFsuipZNR_Qlj4d4hDVVkQyLA90TGWOBXNgy_qFg1513tb-3pVpexjpLRzsJ5z4QQFTFoD2FIU2PnPE-D1r3PWcXdkDkjLmcWQAk1BNlMSKUCH-nzgK4AUDLfknH6w_w/s640/IMG_8722.jpg" width="640" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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LIVE Where You Live (Guest Post by Emily of Jones Design Company)

This morning I am so excited to have Emily from Jones Design Company guest posting. I love her work and am amazed at all that she is able t...

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